Learning objectives
- Main objective of the Course is the development of a study path that will enhance the student’s critical attitude and ability to compare the basic study of the Psychology with the fundamental psychological functions in human. To reach this objective the acquisition of psychological competencies will be crucial, so these notions will be widely discussed during the lessons.
- Knowledge of the main psychological theories, to analyse their theoretical and conceptual frames
- Knowledge and ability to interpret the transformation in all psychological systems, including in human societies.
- Acquire descriptive and analytical competencies on the core role of psychological processes.
- Ability to interpret in psychological key, i.e. according of mental functions, the human behaviour.
Prerequisites
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Course unit content
The first section of the course will deal with the history of schools of psychology. The second part specifically will deal with the study of psychological functions, research methods and measurement
Full programme
Historical personalities that given scientific
basis to Psychology: Fechner, von Helmholtz, Wundt,
Ebbinghaus, Brentano, Külpe, Pavlov, Vygotskij, Galton,
Ribot, Binet, Piéron, James, Hall, Cattell, Titchner, Dewey,
Thorndike, Watson and the Theory of Gestalt. The
measurement of psychological functions. Psychophysic.
Anatomy and plasticity of brain. Audotory and visual
perception. Imagery, attention and consciousness.
Conditioning principles. Remembering and forgetting. Verbal
and non-verbal comunication. Language and pathology.
Bibliography
Mecacci. Manuale di psicologia generale. Giunti, Firenze 2007.
Tartabini e Giusti. Origine ed evoluzione del linguaggio. Liguori, Napoli 2006.
Testo consigliato:
Tartabini. Psicologia evoluzionistica, McGraw-Hill-Milano 2003.
Teaching methods
- The main teaching method will be frontal lesson. During the Course multimedia and interactive resources will be used to integrate contents and promote an active dialogue with students.
Assessment methods and criteria
- Final assessment will consist in oral examination on lesson’s contents and specific literature made available to the student.
- Ability to establish relationship between psychological and biological aspects of animal behaviour will be assessed. This ability is the main focus both of frontal lessons and bibliography.
- Written examination will be based on open questions with limitation in length for answers (7 lines). They will not be limited to content assessment, but will be formulated in order to understand if the candidate is able to establish relationships between the various theoretical and methodological frameworks, according to lessons content and bibliography.
- The assessment criteria are three:
1. Knowledge of the main topics of the lessons articulated in thematic paths, and of the bibliography.
2. Ability to understand historical, theoretical and methodological problems for the subject matter.
3. Ability to establish relationships between the different contents and aspects of the subject matter.
If the student complies with all of these three criteria, he will be evaluated with 18/30 mark or more.
Other information
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