Module PSYC3527: Psychology in the womb

Department: Psychology

PSYC3527: Psychology in the womb

Pre-requisites

Corequisites

Excluded Combinations

Aims

• To further understanding of the psychological aspects of prenatal development

Content

• This module examines fetail growth and development from conception to birth taking account of maternal health behaviours.
• Topics can vary from year to year but are likely to include:
• Fetal development
• Fetal vision
• The Development of hearing and the effects of sound on speech
• Pain in the fetus
• Prenatal attachment
• Laterality in the fetus
• Epigenetics and fetal development
• The module will also cover related conceptual and historical issues in psychology.

Learning Outcomes

• Detailed knowledge of key areas of psychological research in prenatal development including the methods used in their investigation.

• Ability to review critically and consolidate understanding of a coherent body of psychological knowledge and apply it appropriately.

• Good written communication skills.
• Ability to work independently in scholarship and research within broad guidelines.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Students' acquisition of detailed knowledge will be facilitated by lectures, some small group work, audio-visual materials, discussions and detailed reading lists.
• These modes of teaching provide students with detailed knowledge of thekey theories and the skills needed to evaluate different theoretical positions in light of current evidence.
• Preparations for the examination will promote students' abilities to locate, read and evaluate a body of evidence.
• The use of group discussions / small group work will ensure that students are exposed to a range of different theoretical positions, and encouraged to understand their inter-relations.
• Lectures, discussions and small group work will also give students the opportunity to interpret and evaluate the significance of empirical work.
• The examination will assess students' written communication skills.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment

None