Course syllabus

Psychology on an Individual and Societal Level, 30 credits

Course code: PS711G Credits: 30
Main field of study: Psychology Progression: GXX
    Last revised: 13/09/2019
Education cycle: First cycle Approved by: Head of school
Established: 21/12/2017 Reading list approved: 13/09/2019
Valid from: Spring semester 2020 Revision: 2

Aims and objectives

General aims for first cycle education

First-cycle courses and study programmes shall develop:

  • the ability of students to make independent and critical assessments
  • the ability of students to identify, formulate and solve problems autonomously, and
  • the preparedness of students to deal with changes in working life.

In addition to knowledge and skills in their field of study, students shall develop the ability to:

  • gather and interpret information at a scholarly level
  • stay abreast of the development of knowledge, and
  • communicate their knowledge to others, including those who lack specialist knowledge in the field.

(Higher Education Act, Chapter 1, Section 8)

Course objectives

Method and Analysis in Psychological Science, 6 Credits

Knowledge and Understanding
The student:

  • Understands introductory inferential statistics,
  • Understands the assumptions of different basic statistical analytical techniques (e.g., t-test, correlation, analysis of variance [ANOVA]) as well as the inferences that can be made with the use of these techniques,
  • Understands how psychometrics is used to construct psychological scales and how such scales are used in psychological practice.

Skills and Abilities
The student:

  • Adequately applies basic statistical analytical techniques to answer research questions related to specific research designs,
  • Reviews results based on basic statistical analytical techniques in empirical studies with specified research designs,
  • Reports the results of basic statistical analytical techniques in APA format
  • Uses psychometrical statistical techniques (including explorative factor analysis) to construct psychological scales.

Evaluation Ability and Approach
The student:

  • Motivates choice of statistical analytical techniques for a given research question,
  • Evaluates empirical studies with regards to used statistical analytical techniques,
  • Interprets the results from psychometric analyses and individual test results on psychological scales,
  • Identifies central methodological and ethical issues related to clinical research and practice (the scientist-practitioner perspective).

Emotion and Motivation, 6 Credits

Knowledge and understanding
The student:

  • Describes and explains central concepts and theories on emotion and motivation,
  • Describes and explains empirical research in the area, and ties the research to central concepts and theories,
  • Describes and explains how theories of emotion and motivation can be applied in different areas such as health, education or work psychology.

Skills and Abilities

  • The student searches, finds, and reports back empirical results supporting or questioning theories of emotion and motivation.

Evaluation Ability and Approach
The student:

  • Uses empirical findings to argue for and against different theories of emotion and motivation,
  • Reflects upon the role of emotion and motivation as driving factors in normal psychology as well as psychopathology.

Developmental Psychology: Adulthood and Aging, 6 Credits

Knowledge and Understanding
The student:

  • Describes basic assumptions about lifespan developmental psychology,
  • Describes basic application of various methods used to study development,
  • Describes central lifespan developmental theories regarding development, from the transition into adulthood through death,
  • Describes physical, perceptual, cognitive, emotional, psychological, and social changes that occur during adulthood, and how they relate to each other (e.g., perceptual changes relate to changes in social behavior),
  • Demonstrates understanding of how biological underpinnings and environmental conditions contribute to development across adulthood.

Skills and Abilities
The student:

  • Uses basic knowledge in quantitative and qualitative research methodology to assess research on adulthood and aging,
  • Applies knowledge of adulthood and aging to understand interpersonal relationships and relations between individuals and society,
  • Applies the APA's publication style in written text.

Evaluation Ability and Approach

  • The student demonstrates a professional approach in written text, in collaborations and in communication with others throughout the course.

Health Psychology, 6 Credits

Knowledge and Understanding
The student:

  • Understands and defines the concepts of health and unhealth
  • Uses models to understand such as stress/vulnerability, symptom perception and, health behaviors
  • Describes how psychological mechanisms affects health and unhealthy
  • Describes how unhealth can develop from a psychological perspective
  • Describes how health can be promoted by psychological methods
  • Describes and understands how social factors and models, such as demographic factors, mens violence towards women and, intimate partner violence, affects health and unhealthy.

Skills and Abilities
The student:

  • Applies the concepts health and unhealth on contemporary health issues.
  • Applies models on among other things stress/vulnerability, symptom perception and health behaviors on case studies
  • Applies models over development of health and unhealthy on case studies
  • Identfies clinically relevant scientific studies in health psychology

Evaluation Ability and Approach
The student:

  • analyzes and appraises models on among other things stress/vulnerability, symptom perception and, health behaviors.
  • Analyzes and appraises clinically relevant scientific studies in health psychology
  • Analyzes and appraises models of development of health and unhealth
  • Analyzes and appraises social factors and models, such as demographic factors, mens violence towards women and intimate partner violence, and their effect on health and unhealthy
  • Shows a professional and scientific approach in group discussions and in writing


Psychology and Sustainable Development, 6 Credits

Knowledge and Understanding
The student:

  • Describes the role of psychology in understanding human behavior related to the environment, culture, politics and religion and in reaching a more sustainable society,
  • Describes how societal phenomena such as environment/nature, culture, political ideologies and religious views affect psychological phenomena such as well-being and cognitions.

Skills and Abilities

  • The student applies psychological concepts and theories on current societal phenomena related to e.g. environment, culture, politics and religion.

Evaluation Ability and Approach
The student:

  • Analyzes critically similarities and differences among theories and studies describing the complex relationship between societal phenomena and psychological phenomena,
  • Reflects upon the meaning of adopting a sustainable perspective on psychology for future professional practice.

Main content of the course

Method and Analysis in Psychological Science, 6 Credits

This course runs throughout the semester, one day a week. The course focuses on basic statistical techniques used in psychological research. The students are taught to use the techniques, and to understand analyses used in research articles. The students are trained in SPSS for statistical calculations. The course also includes development and use of psychological scales.

Emotion and Motivation, 6 Credits

This course regards emotion and motivation as basic psychological processes. Central concepts and theories of emotion and motivation are presented. Within the emotion part emotional reactions are studied from two main perspectives: The cognitive and perceptual perspective and the physiological perspective. Within the motivation part driving forces and regulation of human behavior such as actions and thinking are studied.

Developmental Psychology: Adulthood and Aging, 6 Credits

This course presents development from a lifespan perspective. Adulthood and aging is in focus, including normal psychological processes as well as psychopathology.

Health Psychology, 6 Credits

This course presents the foundations of Health Psychology, and the principles and mechanisms within the subject that concern promotion of health and prevention of ill-health. Some focus will be on understanding preventive work from a Health Psychology perspective.

Psychology and Sustainable Development, 6 Credits

In this course psychological knowledge is used to understand societal phenomena such as human behavior in relation to climate and environment, culture, politics and religion. Included in the course is a small applied project covering the psychology of sustainable development.

Teaching methods

Teaching formats include lectures, seminars, group work, laboratory practicals, and workshops. The course will be offered in English.

Students who have been admitted to and registered on a course have the right to receive tuition and/or supervision for the duration of the time period specified for the particular course to which they were accepted (see, the university's admission regulations (in Swedish)). After that, the right to receive tuition and/or supervision expires.

Examination methods

Method and Analysis in Psychological Science

Method and Analysis, 4 credits (Code: A001)
Written individual examination.

Method and Analysis, Research Design, 1 credits (Code: A002)
Homework assignments.

Method and Analysis, Group Project, 1 credits (Code: A003)
Participation and completion of the group project, and oral presentation.

Emotion and Motivation

Emotion and Motivation, 3 credits (Code: B001)
Written individual examination.

Emotion and Motivation, Laboratory Practical, 2 credits (Code: B002)
Participation and completion of the lab-assignment. Written lab-report.

Emotion and Motivation, Seminars, 1 credits (Code: B003)
Attendance and performance during seminars are compulsory. Absence from a compulsory education element could mean that the student cannot complete this part of the course until the next time the course is offered.

Developmental Psychology: Adulthood and Aging

Adulthood and Aging, 5 credits (Code: C001)
Written individual examination.

Adulthood and Aging, Seminars, 1 credits (Code: C002)
Attendance and performance during seminars are compulsory. Absence from a compulsory education element could mean that the student cannot complete this part of the course until the next time the course is offered.

Health Psychology

Health Psychology, 5 credits (Code: D001)
Written individual examination.

Health Psychology, Seminars, 1 credits (Code: D002)
Attendance and performance during seminars are compulsory. Absence from a compulsory education element could mean that the student cannot complete this part of the course until the next time the course is offered.

Psychology and Sustainable Development

Psychology and Sustainable Development, 4 credits (Code: E001)
Written individual examination.

Psychology and Sustainable Development, Project Work, 1 credits (Code: E002)
Participation and completion of the project work, and oral presentation.

Psychology and Sustainable Development, Seminars, 1 credits (Code: E003)
Attendance and performance during seminars are compulsory. Absence from a compulsory education element could mean that the student cannot complete this part of the course until the next time the course is offered.


For students with a documented disability, the university may approve applications for adapted or other forms of examinations.

For further information, see the university's local examination regulations (in Swedish).

Grades

According to the Higher Education Ordinance, Chapter 6, Section 18, a grade is to be awarded on the completion of a course, unless otherwise prescribed by the university. The university may prescribe which grading system shall apply. The grade is to be determined by a teacher specifically appointed by the university (an examiner).

According to regulations on grading systems for first- and second-cycle education (vice-chancellor's decision 2019-01-15, ORU 2019/00107), one of the following grades is to be used: fail, pass, or pass with distinction. The vice-chancellor or a person appointed by the vice-chancellor may decide on exceptions from this provision for a specific course, if there are special reasons.

Grades used on course are Fail (U), Pass (G) or Pass with Distinction (VG).

Method and Analysis
Grades used are Fail (U), Pass (G) or Pass with Distinction (VG).

Method and Analysis, Research Design
Grades used are Fail (U) or Pass (G).

Method and Analysis, Group Project
Grades used are Fail (U) or Pass (G).

Emotion and Motivation
Grades used are Fail (U), Pass (G) or Pass with Distinction (VG).

Emotion and Motivation, Laboratory Practical
Grades used are Fail (U) or Pass (G).

Emotion and Motivation, Seminars
Grades used are Fail (U) or Pass (G).

Adulthood and Aging
Grades used are Fail (U), Pass (G) or Pass with Distinction (VG).

Adulthood and Aging, Seminars
Grades used are Fail (U) or Pass (G).

Health Psychology
Grades used are Fail (U), Pass (G) or Pass with Distinction (VG).

Health Psychology, Seminars
Grades used are Fail (U) or Pass (G).

Psychology and Sustainable Development
Grades used are Fail (U), Pass (G) or Pass with Distinction (VG).

Psychology and Sustainable Development, Project Work
Grades used are Fail (U) or Pass (G).

Psychology and Sustainable Development, Seminars
Grades used are Fail (U) or Pass (G).

For further information, see the university's local examination regulations (in Swedish).

Comments on grades

To pass the full course, all examinations need a passing grade. In order to pass the full course with distinction, at least 16 credits need to be awarded a Pass with Distinction grade.

Specific entry requirements

Psychology, Basic course 30 credits and Psychology, Intermediate course 30 credits

For further information, see the university's admission regulations (in Swedish).

Transfer of credits for previous studies

Students who have previously completed higher education or other activities are, in accordance with the Higher Education Ordinance, entitled to have these credited towards the current programme, providing that the previous studies or activities meet certain criteria.

For further information, see the university's local credit transfer regulations (in Swedish).

Reading list and other teaching materials

Method and Analysis in Psychological Science, 6 Credits

Required Reading

Field, Andy (2013) / latest edition
Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS statistics
London, UK: Sage Publications

Emotion and Motivation, 6 Credits

Required Reading

Reeve, Johnmarshall (2018) / latest edition
Understanding motivation and emotion
Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Developmental Psychology: Adulthood and Aging, 6 Credits

Required Reading

Cavanaugh, John C., & Blanchard-Fields, Fredda (2015) / latest edition.
Adult development and aging
Stamford, CN: Cengage Learning.

Health Psychology, 6 Credits

Required Reading

Taylor, Shelly E. (latest edition)
Health psychology
McGraw-Hill Higher Education.

Psychology and Sustainable Development, 6 Credits

Required Reading

Steg, Linda, Van Den Berg, Agnes E. & De Groot, Judith I.M. (2012)
Environmental Psychology: An Introduction
Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell, 240 pages

Additional reading such as scientific articles will be added. In the sub-course: Psychology and Sustainable Development, 10-12 scientific articles covering societal phenomena such as religion, environment, culture and politics will be added. If a more recent edition of a required book is available, the latest edition is recommended.