FOUNDATIONS OF PSYCHOLOGY M - Z

Academic Year 2023/2024 - Teacher: CONCETTA PIRRONE

Expected Learning Outcomes

The course aims to promote knowledge of the main themes of general psychology through a scientific, didactic and informative approach in order to present to the student the integration of the different biological, psychological and environmental factors that make up psychological themes. Furthermore, the main adaptive problems faced by mankind will be discussed. The objective is to allow students to improve their capacity for critical-functional analysis and learning of the main thematic areas of Psychology.

Course Structure

The teacher will cover the entire program through lectures, interventions and considerations from the students are welcome.

Required Prerequisites

Motivation to study, curiosity towards the discipline and active learning method represent the essential prerequisites for the teacher.

Attendance of Lessons

Attendance not mandatory but strongly recommended

Detailed Course Content

The following topics will be explored in depth: nature of psychology; genetics, environment and behavior; brain and behavior; perception; attention, consciousness and sleep; learning and role of experience; memory; language; thinking and reasoning; intelligence; reasons; emotions; physical, cognitive and social development; social behavior, personality. The main adaptive problems faced by mankind will also be covered: survival, mating, parenting and group life (cooperation, aggression and social hierarchies), explaining the theoretical background and providing the student with concrete examples resulting from recent empirical research.

Textbook Information

General Psychology: Understanding the mind by observing behavior (2023). Authors: Nigel Hilton, Andy Bremner, Michael Vliek, Ed Sutherland, Michael W. Passer, Ronald E. Smith - Italian edition edited by Giorgio Gronchi, Tessa Marzi and Andrea Peru - Mac Graw Hill, third edition.

Chapter one: pages 2-43. Chapter two: pages 48-57. Chapter three: pages 91-126. Chapter Four: pages 128-170. Chapter five: pages 172-page 178 and pages 201-228. Chapter Six: pages 230 -286. Chapter Seven: pages 288-337. Chapter Eight: pages 347-393. Chapter Nine: pages 396 -417. Chapter 10: pages 420-451. Chapter 11: pages 452-469, and pages 476 (starting from paragraph 11.3.5)-489. Chapter 12: pages 492-501 and pages 520-529. Chapter 13: pages 532-571. Chapter 16: pages 616-678.

2) David M. Buss, Evolutionary Psychology, 6/Ed., Pearson eText, Pearson (2020). Three chapters to be chosen by the student from: Chapter 1 (pages 1-33); Chapter 2 (pages 34-60); Chapter 3 (pages 61-90); Chapter 4 (pages 91-121); Chapter 5 (pages 123-150); Chapter 6 (pages 151-178); Chapter 7 (pages 179-198); Chapter 8 (pages 199-225); Chapter 9 (pages 227-245); Chapter 10 (pages 247-275); Chapter 11 (pages 277-296).

Author	Title	Publisher	Year	ISBN
	1) Psicologia Generale: Capire la mente osservando il comportamento (2023). Autori: Nigel Hilton, Andy Bremner, Michael Vliek,Ed Sutherland, Michael W. Passer, Ronald E. Smith- Edizione italiana a cura di Giorgio Gronchi, Tessa Marzi e Andrea Peru - Mac Graw Hill, terza edizione.
		2) David M. Buss, Psicologia evoluzionistica, 6/Ed., Pearson eText, Pearson (2020).

Course Planning

	Subjects	Text References
1		Tre capitoli a scelta dello studente tra: 1° cap. (pag. 1-33):Le basi della moderna psicologia evoluzionistica. 2°cap (pag. 34-60): Opporsi alle forze ostili della Natura Cap. 3 (pag. 61-90 Strategie femminili di scelta del partner a lungo termine 4. Strategie maschili di scelta del partner a lungo termine 5. Strategie sessuali a breve termine 6. Le cure parentali 7. Problemi di parentela 8. Alleanze di cooperazione 9. Aggressività e guerra 10. Conflitto tra sessi 11. Status, prestigio e dominanza sociale

Learning Assessment

Examples of frequently asked questions and / or exercises

The questions concern knowledge of the main theories contained in textbooks, of the authors and of the operating principles of cognitive processes. Examples of questions relating to the topics listed in the syllabus may concern the various theoretical models on intelligence and their authors, the various theories on learning and related insights. other questions may concern models of memory, working and long-term memory, forgetting and why it occurs. Questions relating to learning models and comparisons between them are proposed. Other examples concern emotions and the various theories compared. In general, questions are proposed that concern the ENTIRE program and the various chapters present in the program. To enrich one's preparation, comparisons and insights are welcome as they indicate understanding on the part of the student. The examples, of which the texts are full to better enable the student to understand the theoretical constructs, must be used by students as a means of explaining a hypothetical theory and must not exclusively exhaust the answer to the question posed by the teacher.

For the purposes of the evaluation the teacher takes into account:

- the adequacy and correctness of expression regarding contents and methods,

- the ability to re-elaborate knowledge and compare it,

- the ability to organize theoretical knowledge according to specific objectives,

- the breadth of thematic awareness and lexical correctness,

- the ability for critical analysis, interdisciplinary connection and to transfer knowledge to operational contexts.

Degree Course in

Psychological Sciences and Techniques