This unit provides an introduction to psychology and to the role of scientific method. It equips students with a basic understanding of the subject matter of psychology by examining the biological bases of behaviour including consciousness, sensation and perception; learning and cognition including memory, thinking, and language; emotion and motivation; personality and individual differences; psychological health and well-being; and psychological disorders.

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

1. describe the role of the scientific method in the study of psychology;
2. explain the importance of the development of knowledge in the discipline of psychology through scientific research;
3. identify the investigating techniques and major concepts which are studied in the areas of the biological bases of behaviour including consciousness, sensation and perception; learning and cognition including memory, thinking, and language; emotion and motivation; personality and individual differences; psychological health and well-being; and psychological disorders;
4. analyse the issues that arise from laboratory exercises;
5. use simple descriptive statistics to describe, interpret and present experimental data;
6. describe major areas of applied psychology (e.g., clinical, counselling, health);
7. apply psychological principles and knowledge to promote personal development through achieving career and personal goals;
8. demonstrate oral communication skills.

1. Psychology as a science including the use of experimental and correlation/field techniques as research methods.
2. Biological bases of behaviour, structure of the brain and nervous system, chemistry of behaviour, genetics, bio-feedback and bio-behavioural methods.
3. Consciousness, sleep, hypnosis, altered states of consciousness.
4. Visual, auditory and other sensory systems.
5. Information processing: Perceptual and cognitive processes.
6. Learning: classical and operant conditioning including acquisition, maintenance and extinction; verbal learning; motor learning; application of learning principles in everyday and clinical settings; motivation in learning.
7. Language and thought, concepts and concept development, problem solving and creativity.
8. Intelligence, measuring intelligence, IQ distributions, use and misuse of IQ tests, the concepts of reliability and validity, heredity and environment.
9. Theories of personality, psychological disorders, issues of adjustment and maladjustment, issues of diagnosis.
10. Theories of emotion and motivation. Emotion and motivation in everyday life.
11. Psychology and health. Stress: its psychological and physiological concomitants. Stress and health problems. Management of stress in everyday life.

The following graduate attributes will be developed in this unit

• Ability to communicate
• Ability to work in teams
• Critical appraisal skills

• Cross-cultural and international outlook