Brain and Behaviour
Duration
- One Semester or equivalent
Contact hours
- Swinburne Online: Fully online
Prerequisites
Admission into GD-PSYS Graduate Diploma of PsychologyAims and objectives
This unit, along with PSY70012 Psychology 101, aims to familiarise students with a broad range of key theories and methods in psychology. Students will also be assisted to develop an understanding of psychological conventions and discipline-specific writing skills.
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
1. Explain the general methods of investigation employed in psychological research and identify the main ethical issues in psychological research;
2. Explain key concepts from major content areas in psychology. These include: biological underpinnings of psychology; sensory processes, perception, and consciousness; personality; health, clinical, and abnormal psychology;
3. Locate, organise and integrate information from various sources concerning topics and problems relating to psychology;
4. Communicate in a logical and clear manner the results of investigating a topic or problems relating to psychology;
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
1. Explain the general methods of investigation employed in psychological research and identify the main ethical issues in psychological research;
2. Explain key concepts from major content areas in psychology. These include: biological underpinnings of psychology; sensory processes, perception, and consciousness; personality; health, clinical, and abnormal psychology;
3. Locate, organise and integrate information from various sources concerning topics and problems relating to psychology;
4. Communicate in a logical and clear manner the results of investigating a topic or problems relating to psychology;
5. Apply psychological theories, methods, and data to explain aspects of your everyday experiences and behaviours.
2020
This unit introduces students to the structure and function of the brain and how it interacts with the external world to generate thoughts, emotions and behaviour. Applications in health and mental illness are also introduced as well as ethical practice in psychological research.
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
1. Explain the general methods of investigation employed in psychological research, and identify the main issues in research ethics
2.Explain key concepts from major content areas in psychology. These include: biological underpinnings of psychology; sensory processes, perception, and consciousness; motivation, emotion, health, and abnormal psychology
3. Locate, organise and integrate information from various sources concerning topics and problems relating to psychology
4. Communicate in a logical and clear manner the results of investigating a topic or problems relating to psychology
5. Apply psychological theories, methods, and data to explain everyday experiences and behaviours
3. Locate, organise and integrate information from various sources concerning topics and problems relating to psychology
4. Communicate in a logical and clear manner the results of investigating a topic or problems relating to psychology
5. Apply psychological theories, methods, and data to explain everyday experiences and behaviours
Courses with unit
Prior to 2020 this units was titled Psychology 100
Unit information in detail
- Teaching methods, assessment, general skills outcomes and content.
Teaching methods
This unit will involve up to 150 hours of work including:
| Type (SOL) | Hours per week | Number of Weeks | Total |
| Face to Face Contact | N/A |
|
|
| Online Contact Blackboard Collaborate or other synchronous activities |
.33 |
12 |
4 |
| Specified Learning Activities Discussion board activities Prescribed readings |
5 (approx.) |
12 |
60 |
| Unspecified Learning Activities Independent study Assignment preparation Revision | Recommended |
| 86 |
| TOTAL |
|
| 150 hours/12.5cp |
Assessment
| Types | Individual or Group task | Weighting | Assesses attainment of these ULOs |
| Examination | Individual | 40% | 2, 5 |
| Assignment 1 | Individual | 25% | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 |
| Assignment 2 | Individual | 35% | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 |
General skills outcomes
During this unit students will receive feedback on the following key generic skills:
• Problem solving skills
• Communications skills
• Ability to tackle unfamiliar problems
• Ability to work independently
• Problem solving skills
• Communications skills
• Ability to tackle unfamiliar problems
• Ability to work independently
Content
• Sensation and perception
• Biological aspects of psychology
• Consciousness
• Motivation and Emotion
• Neurospsychology
• Health and abnormal psychology
• Biological aspects of psychology
• Consciousness
• Motivation and Emotion
• Neurospsychology
• Health and abnormal psychology