Psykologi: Grundkurs

This course is delivered as a free standing course.

The course can be part of the following programme: 1) Program in Political Science (S1STV)

The course aims to provide a basic understanding of how and why people think, feel and behave in the way they do. The course also answers the question of how we can understand people, using different psychological approaches, and gives insight into biological and cognitive, as well as developmental, personality and social psychology. Within the framework of the course, people as individuals and in groups will be discussed and analyzed, based on well established psychological theories and current problems.

Sub-courses

1. Introduction (Introduktion), 5 credits

Grading scale: Pass with Distinction (VG), Pass (G) and Fail (U)

This sub-course will firstly provide an introduction to university studies, followed by a basic description of different psychological perspectives, the history of psychology, and psychology today. The sub-course also provides a basic description of psychology as a science, different conceptualizations of science and an introduction to basic qualitative and quantitative research methods.

2. Biological psychology (Biologisk psykologi), 5 credits

Grading scale: Pass with Distinction (VG), Pass (G) and Fail (U)

This sub-course provides basic biological knowledge about the structure of the brain and the nervous system.The course begins with an introduction to the anatomy and function of the brain, and also covers how neurons communicate and how information from the senses is processed. The course will furthermore go through biological explanations of emotions, hormones and stress. The sub-course will finish a basic review of psychiatric diagnostics including examples of relatively common disorders, their biological bases and treatment routes.

3. Cognitive psychology (Kognitiv psykologi), 5 credits

Grading scale: Pass with Distinction (VG), Pass (G) and Fail (U)

This sub-course begins with an introduction to the central areas within cognitive psychology, including perception, attention, short and long term memory, thought and language. After this, attention is turned to how people receive information from the environment via the senses, and how this information is interpreted, coded and stored in the form of memory and knowledge. This sub-course will also cover the importance of emotion for what is noticed and remembered.

4. Developmental psychology (Utvecklingspsykologi), 5 credits

Grading scale: Pass with Distinction (VG), Pass (G) and Fail (U)

This sub-course begins with an overview of developmental psychology as a field of knowledge and an area of research. Central theories, concepts and methods in developmental psychology are covered. During this sub-course current questions are discussed and analyzed based on knowledge form developmental psychology.

5. Personality psychology (Personlighetspsykologi), 5 credits

Grading scale: Pass with Distinction (VG), Pass (G) and Fail (U)

This sub-course begins with a general introduction to the subject of personality psychology and an introduction of central theories and concepts in personality psychology. The course examines personality based on several research areas. The sub-course also highlights how personality can be understood in relation to social and contextual factors. Some current questions are addressed through case studies and discussions.

6. Social psychology (Socialpsykologi), 5 credits

Grading scale: Pass with Distinction (VG), Pass (G) and Fail (U)

The sub-course begins with an overview of basic processes behind, and effects of, social influence, with emphasis on authority and obedience. After this, central social psychological phenomena will be introduced, such as stereotypes, attitudes, attraction and social cognition. During this sub-course, current everyday and social phenomena will be analyzed based on a social psychological perspective.

A student who successfully completes the course should be able to:

Sub-course 1, Introduction

Knowledge and understanding

• explain current and historical psychological perspectives and theories
• describe and compare different types of studies in psychological research
• show understanding of different conceptualizations of science, and how the research question influences choice of method, as well as the possibility to draw conclusions

Skills and abilities

• present research results in writing using quantitative or qualitative methods

Judgement and approach

• be able to comprehensively review psychological research articles with regards to methodology and results

Sub-course 2, Biological psychology

Knowledge and understanding

• outline basic brain structure and function
• describe how the electrical activity and communication of neurons forms the basis of behaviour and experience
• describe the physiological basis of sensation
• briefly describe the biological base of emotions and how they affect our behavior
• account for basic principles in psychiatric diagnosis and describe some psychiatric disorders and their biological mechanisms of action

Skills and abilities

• explain psychobiological knowledge, both orally and in writing 

Sub-course 3, Cognitive psychology

Knowledge and understanding

• explain central theories and research results in perception, attention, short term memory, long term memory, autobiographical memory and learning
• describe the neurophysiological grounds of psychological processes such as perception, attention and memory
• describe how cognitive processes are related to the psychological processes of emotion

Skills and abilities

explain and discuss, both orally and in writing, knowledge in cognitive psychology

Judgement and approach 

• using a scientific approach, discuss problems in cognitive psychology

Sub-course 4, Developmental psychology

Knowledge and understanding

• define developmental psychology as a field of knowledge
• provide an overview of central theories and concepts in developmental psychology
• provide an overview of methods in developmental psychology
• provide an overview of different aspects of development (cognitive, emotional and psychosocial) over the human life course 

Skills and abilities

• explain and discuss knowledge in developmental psychology in writing

Judgement and approach

• independently review knowledge in developmental psychology, and its practical application 

Sub-course 5, Personality psychology

Knowledge and understanding

• outline basic concepts and phenomena in personality psychology

Skills and abilities

• outline basic differences between central theories in personality psychology, with regard to understanding of thoughts, feelings and behaviour

Judgement and approach

• problematize phenomena in personality psychology and outline possible practical applications 

Sub-course 6, Social psychology

Knowledge and understanding

• outline the basic processes behind, and effects of, social influence, with emphasis on authority and obedience
• outline the basic research results from the field of social cognition 

Skills and abilities

• explain theories and principles of central social psychological phenomena, such as a) prejudice and discrimination, b) attitudes and c) attraction and relationships

Judgement and approach

• analyze current everyday/social phenomena from social psychological and ethical perspectives

Teaching will take place in the form of lectures, practical group exercises, laboratory exercises, home assignments and seminars.

Language of instruction: Swedish

All teaching, course literature and course material can form the basis for examination. Each sub-course will be examined through individual oral and/or written exams. All group exercises, laboratory exercises and seminars are obligatory and require active participation. Arrangements to compensate for absence are made in agreement with the course coordinator.

A student who has failed the same examination twice by the same examiner has the right to change the examiner. The student shall submit a written request to the Department. The request shall be granted unless there are special reasons to the contrary (Chapter 6, Section 22 of Higher Education Ordinance).

A student with a recommendation for special educational support from the University of Gothenburg may receive an adapted examination or alternative examination form provided that the examiner decides it is compatible with the course objectives and it does not require unreasonable resources.

In the event that a course has ceased or undergone major changes, students are to be guaranteed at least three examination sessions (including the ordinary examination session) over a period of at least one year, though at most two years after the course has ceased/been changed. The same applies for internships and on-the-job trainings, but with a restriction to only one additional examination session.

The grading scale comprises: Pass with Distinction (VG), Pass (G) and Fail (U).

To obtain a final grade of Pass (G) on Psychology: Basic Course, the following is required:

• a Pass (G) on the individual written exams and/or oral exams for the sub-courses: Introduction, Biological psychology, Cognitive psychology, Developmental psychology, Personality psychology and Social psychology
• active participation in laboratory exercises, group exercises and seminars for all subcourses

To obtain a final grade of Pass with Distinction (VG) on Psychology: Basic Course, the following is required:

• a Pass with Distinction (VG) on four of the six individual written and/or oral exams for the sub-courses: Introduction, Biological psychology, Cognitive psychology, Developmental psychology, Personality psychology and Social psychology
• active participation in laboratory exercises, group exercises and seminars for all subcourses

The course coordinator is responsible for ensuring that students are given the opportunity to provide an anonymous, written course evaluation at the end of the course. After the course is finished, the course coordinator writes a report, which includes a summary of the course evaluation. The report is processed in the working group for free standing courses and will be communicated to those students who completed the course evaluation, as well as the students who will start the course. These reports will be made available for students.

If the course requires access to a computer, internet or any other digital resources, it is the student's responsibility to ensure they have access to such tools and resources.