History and Philosophy of Psychology
Swinburne Online: Fully online
One Semester or equivalent
Online
Overview
This unit provides students with a broad and eclectic view of the history and philosophy of psychology. It surveys a selection of interesting and influential events, people, and ideas and uses these as a focus to critically examine issues that directly and indirectly shape the discipline as it is practiced today.
Requisites
Prerequisites
PSY70015
Developmental PsychologyPSY70014 Cognition and Human Performance
Rules
Pre-requisite
PSY70015 Developmental Psychology
AND
PSY70014 Cognition and Human Performance
Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Teaching Period 3
Location
Online
Start and end dates
04-November-2024
09-February-2025
09-February-2025
Last self-enrolment date
17-November-2024
Census date
29-November-2024
Last withdraw without fail date
27-December-2024
Results released date
04-March-2025
Learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Describe significant figures, events, and ideas in the history of psychology
- Interpret the significance of these figures, events, and ideas with respect to their context
- Identify the impact of these figures, events, and ideas on evolution of psychology as a discipline
- Critically evaluate the philosophical, social, and scientific basis for psychological concepts and methods
- Synthesise arguments concerning psychological opinion, theory, and practice
Teaching methods
Hawthorn
Type | Hours per week | Number of weeks | Total (number of hours) |
---|---|---|---|
Live Online Class | 1.00 | 4 weeks | 4 |
Online Directed Online Learning and Independent Learning | 12.17 | 12 weeks | 146 |
TOTAL | 150 |
Hawthorn
Type | Hours per week | Number of weeks | Total (number of hours) |
---|---|---|---|
Face to Face Contact (Phasing out) Seminar | 3.00 | 12 weeks | 36 |
Specified Learning Activities (Phasing out) Various | 8.00 | 12 weeks | 96 |
Unspecified Learning Activities (Phasing out) Independent Learning | 1.50 | 12 weeks | 18 |
TOTAL | 150 |
Assessment
Type | Task | Weighting | ULO's |
---|---|---|---|
Assignment 1 | Individual | 40% | 1,2,3,4,5 |
Assignment 2 | Individual | 40% | 1,2,3,4,5 |
Online Discussion | Individual | 20% | 4,5 |
Content
Topics will be drawn from, but not limited to the following:
- The nature and limits of psychology
- Philosophical and physiological precursors to psychology
- The emergence of modern scientific psychology
- Big theories and movements in psychology, such as: psychoanalysis/psychodynamic, Gestalt, behaviourist, humanistic, cognitive, cognitive neuroscience
- Philosophy of mind, philosophy of science, and psychology as a science
- Psychological theory and methods
- Philosophical, scientific, social aspects of issues in psychology, e.g., mental illness, therapy, gender, sex, culture, consciousness
Study resources
Reading materials
A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.