OVERVIEW

Lectures provide basis on scientific psychology. They are organized in two blocks: the first is on history of psychology, neuropsychological basis and principal theories about perception, consciousness, learning, memory, language, thinking processes, intelligence, motivation, emotion, stress and wellbeing (52 hours); the second is on elementary statistics and methodological principles (20 hours) according to Euro-psy norms.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Provide Historical and epistemological basis. Study biological basis and review the main objects of interest of this branch of knowledge comparing different approaches. Provide methodological and statistical basis helpful to understand and design experimental and/or practical researches in psychology.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of the lectures students will be able:

• to know the main psychological schools and place them along the timeline with particular attention to historical context, economic and social, in which were calling themselves
• to possess the basic knowledge of the main areas of interest of modern scientific psychology
• to recognise the areas of application of psychological theories
• to know the fundamentals of methodology of psychological research
• to possess basic notions of descriptive and inferential statistics 
• to read the results of a survey conducted with the scientific quantitative and/or qualitative approach, 
• to use the acquired knowledge to make more effective its  professional action as tecnician in psychology

PREREQUISITES

Basical linguistic knowledge, ability to operate links,  minimal historical notions about  main changes in political and social transactions in the modern era.

TEACHING METHODS

Lectures, slide set on Aula Web, autonomous learning by means of multiple choice tests provided by CONNECT platform. All lectures will be delivered online and will be available on streaming.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Historical mainframe. Birth and development of main psychological approaches. Epistemological basis of scientific psychology. Senses and their measure. Neuropsychological basis. Perception theories, perceptual constancy, perceive depth, images and movement, amodal completion. Impaired consciousness: sleep, dreams, hypnosis, drug use. Classical conditioning, operant conditioning, memory systems, multi process theories, working memory, attention, long term memory, forgetting, improving memory. Language: spoken language perception, words and meanings, first language learning, language and thinking. Thinking processes, problem solving, decision making. Intelligence: from G factor to factorial theories, measuring intelligence, intelligence tests, IQ. Motivation: instincts, drives and incentives, primary and secondary motivations, motivations behind hunger, sexual drive, cooperation, love, Maslow’s theory. Emotions: basic emotions, expressive behaviour, peripheral, central and cognitive theories on emotions, love. Personality: psychoanalytic model, humanistic model, trait theories, socio-cognitive model, learning/conditioning model, reliability and validity of personality measures. Stress: sources, measuring, conflicts, physiological outcomes, general adaptation syndrome model, psychosomatic diseases, posttraumatic stress disorders, anxiety, stress coping, psychological wellbeing.

The relations between some strange behaviours and brain damages will be discussed on the basis of monographic book [n. 2]

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. G. Amoretti, Progetto Create: Psicologia generale, McGraw-Hill Education, Milano, 2017 (isbn 9781307077438)
2. D. Gatti, T. Vecchi, Che cos’è la memoria, Carocci, Roma, 2020.
3. C. Cornoldi - M.Tagliabue, Incontro con la Psicologia, Il Mulino, Bologna, 2004.

Accessory readings

Papers and other books’ chapters could be indicated during the lessons

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

GUIDO FRANCO AMORETTI (President)

DAVID GIOFRE' (President Substitute)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

October 28 settembre

To be informed about changes in office hours for student, to download teaching materials and to sign up at assessment reserved to persons who have attended the lectures  you must register yourself in Aula web.

Class schedule

GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Multiple choice midterm test,before Christmas Holidays concerning book 1, book 2 and the arguments explained during the lectures.

Oral integration is allowed.

To sit for an exam you must enrol to students' portal. Unless different indications, the exams will happen  in IT classroom and linguistic classroom, Main Building ( Corpo A) first floor.

N.B.: you can sit for an exam non more than 4 times plus midterm test. If you fail the third and the fourth attempt Lecturer will register a negative evaluation so that you will not be able to sit again for this exam until a.a. 2021-2022.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The assessment will concern main psychological theories, comprehension of psychological mechanisms inducing human behaviour, learning of research methodology basis and both descriptive and inferential statistics.

Exam schedule

FURTHER INFORMATION

Although the lectures will be delivered in Italian, the Lecturer can provide a comprehensive collection of teaching materials in English to prepare for the final exam, and this exam can be taken in English.  

Students with DSA certification, disability or other special educational needs are advised to contact the teacher at the beginning of the course to agree on teaching and examination methods which, in accordance with the teaching objectives, take into account individual learning methods and provide suitable compensatory tools.