OVERVIEW

The course aims at presenting an overview of the most relevant theoretical and methodological approaches to the investigation of human behaviour concerning psychology of communication. A teamwork methodology will be provided where students will work in groups and do homework and research. The students that will take part to the workgroup, will read the book “Made to stick” during the course. 

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

This module aims at providing an overview of general psychology, with a special focus on interpersonal communication and communication mediated by emerging technology.

LEARNING OUTCOMES (FURTHER INFO)

Students will be provided with an overview of the main theoretical and methodological approaches to human psychology and communication.

The main topics of the part concerning general psychology will be about the historical development of the discipline, methods of research, perception and attention, memory and learning, intelligence, communication, emotion and motivation. The students will be able to link these aspects to communication cases (peer-to-peer communication, public communication, etc.).

Students will be able to design an effective communication strategy following the book “Made to stick” by Chip and Dan Heat. They will be able to follow the guidelines described in the book, outlining messages that are simple, unexpected, concrete, credible, emotional, based on stories. These are the main properties of an effective message and students will gain mastery in each of them.

In particular, students will:

• get proper knowledge about the main topics of psychology, and capacity to understand the main topics in the discipline (the main cognitive processes) and dynamics of interpersonal communication;
• apply the knowledge and solve problems inherent the psychology of communication. In particular, students will take part to a research project to be carried out in team, focused on social communication strategy;
• autonomously use the knowledge about psychology of communication, being able to assess a message effectiveness and using different communication styles according to the context;
• acquire technical language of psychology in order to have a clear and effective communication with subject matter experts;
• develop learning capacity to carry on studying autonomously the topics of general psychology and psychology of communication, most of all concerning future application to professional situations.

TEACHING METHODS

The course will be based on several teaching methods:

• presentations: discussion of the main theoretical models in general psychology and communication, based on slides and material available on Aulaweb
• group activities: groups will analyse cases and have open discussions
• project work activity

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

• Introduction to the course – historical development
• Research methods
• Perception
• Attention
• Gestalt psychology and visual communication
• Learning and memory
• Web usability
• Intelligence
• Emotion
• Motivation
• Language and communication
• Effective communication
• Presentation of the project works

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Program for student regularly attending the classes:

• L. Mecacci, “Manuale di psicologia generale”, Giunti, Firenze, 2001 (in particulare chapters 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
• Handouts on Aulaweb

Program for student NOT attending the classes:

• L. Mecacci, “Manuale di psicologia generale”, Giunti, Firenze, 2001 (in particulare chapters 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
• Handouts on Aulaweb
• D. Heat, C. Heat, Idee forti. Dalle leggende metropolitane ai prodotti: perché alcuni concetti durano e altri no, Etas, Milano, 2007. English version, “Made to stick”.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

FABRIZIO BRACCO (President)

ANGELA MARIA SUGLIANO (President)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

monday 03 of October 2016, 10 am

Class schedule

MODULE1: GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Written test with open-ended questions. Students wanting to increase the grade of the written test may ask for an oral exam to be given during the following exam session.

Exam description for student regularly attending the class

• Written test (compulsory): 6 open-ended questions (range 0-5 points). The available time will be 90 minutes
• Oral test (optional): analysis of a case concerning psychology and communication issues. The oral exam can be requested after the written test. The final grade will be the average of the two tests.

Attending the lessons, students could ground their study on Aulaweb handouts and the book mentioned in the program.

Exam description for student NOT regularly attending the class

• Written test (compulsory): 6 open-ended questions (range 0-5 points). Five questions will be on the Handbook of general psychology (Mecacci) and one on the book “Made to stick”. The available time will be 90 minutes
• Oral test (optional): analysis of a case concerning motivational issues. The oral exam can be requested after the written test. The final grade will be the average of the two tests.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The written test will provide an objective assessment and will evaluate students’ capacity in writing a coherent, sound, complete and clear discourse about psychological topics concerning human communication (as it will be further required for the dissertation and at the end of the stage).

The open-ended questions will require more than just a repetition of concepts, but rather a demonstration of linking models and theories, capacity to critically analyse the constructs, to have a global perspective over problems and mastery of the technical terminology.

The optional oral exam could increase the grade obtained in the written test, and the students will be required to demonstrate critical thinking about a case study or a problem in general psychology. The emotional and cognitive competences implied with these assessment methods could be discussed, linking students’ direct experience with the models and theories presented during the course, evaluating both the knowledge of concepts, the critical thinking, metacognitive competences.

Exam schedule

FURTHER INFORMATION

Topics for dissertations

For experimental research dissertations, students are invited to provide an experimental plan to discuss during the meeting. The topics are:

• psychology of emotions and motivation
• personality psychology
• communication psychology
• cognitive psychology
• cognitive ergonomics and human factors