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  2. Introduction to Psychology [PSY1101]

Faculty of Health, Engineering and Science

School: Psychology and Social Science

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

  • Unit Title

    Introduction to Psychology

  • Unit Code

    PSY1101

  • Year

    2015

  • Enrolment Period

    1

  • Version

    3

  • Credit Points

    15

  • Full Year Unit

     N

  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
    Online

Description

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 a range of psychological domains. Psychological literacy is also introduced.

Equivalent Rule

Unit was previously coded PSY4101

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Describe major areas of applied psychology (e.g., clinical, counselling, health).
  2. Describe the role of the scientific method in the study of psychology.
  3. Explain the importance of the development of knowledge in the discipline of psychology through scientific research.
  4. Identify 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.
  5. Use simple descriptive statistics to describe, interpret and present experimental data.

Unit Content

  1. Biological bases of behaviour.
  2. Consciousness, sleep, hypnosis, altered states of consciousness.
  3. Human development.
  4. Intelligence, measuring intelligence, IQ distributions, use and misuse of IQ tests, the concepts of reliability and validity.
  5. Language, thought, motivation and emotion.
  6. Learning and application of learning principles in everyday and clinical settings.
  7. Psychology and health.
  8. Psychology as a science including the use of experimental and correlation/field techniques as research methods.
  9. Theories of personality, psychological disorders, issues of adjustment and maladjustment, issues of diagnosis.
  10. Visual, auditory and other sensory systems.

Additional Learning Experience Information

Lectures and online materials.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant Board of Examiners.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
TestMultiple Choice Questionnaire15%
AssignmentShort and Long answer questions35%
ExaminationEnd of semester examination50%
ONLINE
TypeDescriptionValue
TestMultiple Choice Questionnaire15%
AssignmentShort and Long answer questions35%
ExaminationEnd of semester examination50%

Text References

  • ^ O'Shea, R. P. & McKenzie, W. A. (2013). Writing for psychology (6th ed.). Melbourne: Cengage.
  • ^ Bernstein, D. A, Pooley, J.A., Cohen, L., Gouldthorp, B., Provost, S., Craney, J., Penner, L.A., Clarke-Stewart, A., & Roy, E.J. (2013). Psychology: An International Discipline in Context (Australian & New Zealand 1st ed.). Melbourne Australia: Cengage Learning Australia.

Journal References

  • Psychological Reports
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Journal of Applied Psychology
  • Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
  • Annual Review of Psychology
  • American Psychologist
  • Australian Journal of Psychology

^ Mandatory reference

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Academic Misconduct

Edith Cowan University has firm rules governing academic misconduct and there are substantial penalties that can be applied to students who are found in breach of these rules. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • plagiarism;
  • unauthorised collaboration;
  • cheating in examinations;
  • theft of other students' work;

Additionally, any material submitted for assessment purposes must be work that has not been submitted previously, by any person, for any other unit at ECU or elsewhere.

The ECU rules and policies governing all academic activities, including misconduct, can be accessed through the ECU website.

PSY1101|3|1

Faculty of Health, Engineering and Science

School: Psychology and Social Science

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

  • Unit Title

    Introduction to Psychology

  • Unit Code

    PSY1101

  • Year

    2015

  • Enrolment Period

    2

  • Version

    3

  • Credit Points

    15

  • Full Year Unit

     N

  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
    Online

Description

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 a range of psychological domains. Psychological literacy is also introduced.

Equivalent Rule

Unit was previously coded PSY4101

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Describe major areas of applied psychology (e.g., clinical, counselling, health).
  2. Describe the role of the scientific method in the study of psychology.
  3. Explain the importance of the development of knowledge in the discipline of psychology through scientific research.
  4. Identify 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.
  5. Use simple descriptive statistics to describe, interpret and present experimental data.

Unit Content

  1. Biological bases of behaviour.
  2. Consciousness, sleep, hypnosis, altered states of consciousness.
  3. Human development.
  4. Intelligence, measuring intelligence, IQ distributions, use and misuse of IQ tests, the concepts of reliability and validity.
  5. Language, thought, motivation and emotion.
  6. Learning and application of learning principles in everyday and clinical settings.
  7. Psychology and health.
  8. Psychology as a science including the use of experimental and correlation/field techniques as research methods.
  9. Theories of personality, psychological disorders, issues of adjustment and maladjustment, issues of diagnosis.
  10. Visual, auditory and other sensory systems.

Additional Learning Experience Information

Lectures and online materials.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant Board of Examiners.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
TestMultiple Choice Questionnaire15%
AssignmentShort and Long answer questions35%
ExaminationEnd of semester examination50%
ONLINE
TypeDescriptionValue
TestMultiple Choice Questionnaire15%
AssignmentShort and Long answer questions35%
ExaminationEnd of semester examination50%

Text References

  • ^ O'Shea, R. P. & McKenzie, W. A. (2013). Writing for psychology (6th ed.). Melbourne: Cengage.
  • ^ Bernstein, D. A, Pooley, J.A., Cohen, L., Gouldthorp, B., Provost, S., Craney, J., Penner, L.A., Clarke-Stewart, A., & Roy, E.J. (2013). Psychology: An International Discipline in Context (Australian & New Zealand 1st ed.). Melbourne Australia: Cengage Learning Australia.

Journal References

  • Psychological Reports
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Journal of Applied Psychology
  • Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
  • Annual Review of Psychology
  • American Psychologist
  • Australian Journal of Psychology

^ Mandatory reference

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Academic Misconduct

Edith Cowan University has firm rules governing academic misconduct and there are substantial penalties that can be applied to students who are found in breach of these rules. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • plagiarism;
  • unauthorised collaboration;
  • cheating in examinations;
  • theft of other students' work;

Additionally, any material submitted for assessment purposes must be work that has not been submitted previously, by any person, for any other unit at ECU or elsewhere.

The ECU rules and policies governing all academic activities, including misconduct, can be accessed through the ECU website.

PSY1101|3|2