OVERVIEW

Lectures provide some basic knowledge on scientific psychology and methodology and are organized in two blocks. The first block concerns the history of psychology, neuropsychological basis and principal theories about perception, consciousness, learning, memory, language, thinking processes, intelligence, motivation, emotion, stress and wellbeing. The second block is on elementary statistics and methodological principles 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

By the end of the course students should be able:

• to understand the main psychological approaches 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

PREREQUISITES

Basical linguistic knowledge, ability to operate links.

TEACHING METHODS

Lectures and slides on Aula Web. Lectures are also available online in streaming.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Historical mainframe. The birth and development of main psychological approaches. Epistemological basis of scientific psychology. Senses and their measure. Neuropsychological basis. Perception theories, perceptual constancy, perceived 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. Thinking processes, problem solving, decision making. Intelligence: from the g factor to factorial theories, measuring intelligence, intelligence tests, and IQ. Motivation: instincts, drives and incentives, primary and secondary motivations Maslow’s theory. Emotions: basic emotions, expressive behaviour, peripheral, central and cognitive theories on emotions. 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 well being.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. G. Amoretti, Progetto Create: Psicologia generale, Scienze e Tecniche Psicologiche, McGraw-Hill Education, Milano, 2021
2. D. Gatti, T. Vecchi, Che cos’è la memoria, Carocci, Roma, 2020.
3. Papers and other materials provided during each lecture.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

DAVID GIOFRE' (President)

CATERINA ARTUSO

GUIDO FRANCO AMORETTI (President Substitute)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

First semester.

Students are required to register on Aula web to download teaching materials and to sign up to the assessments.

Class schedule

GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Multiple choice test in Italian.

An oral examination can be requestedby international students.

To sit for an exam you must enrol to students' portal.

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 will provide a comprehensive collection of teaching materials in English 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.