GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY

Academic Year 2025/2026 - Teacher: SIMONE VARRASI

Expected Learning Outcomes

Expected Learning Outcomes, with reference to the Dublin Descriptors

1. Knowledge and Understanding (Dublin Descriptor 1)
The course aims to provide students with foundational knowledge of the main topics in General Psychology, presented through a scientific and interdisciplinary approach. In particular, the principal theoretical models and core concepts of the discipline will be introduced, with specific attention to the integration of psychological, biological, and environmental factors that contribute to the understanding of human behavior and mental processes. In addition, some of the major adaptive challenges faced by the human species will be discussed.

2. Applying Knowledge and Understanding (Dublin Descriptor 2)
Students will be able to apply the main concepts and models of General Psychology to the analysis of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral phenomena, using the conceptual tools of the discipline to interpret psychological processes and to establish connections among different thematic areas of psychology.

3. Making Judgements (Dublin Descriptor 3)
The course promotes the development of students’ critical and functional analysis of psychological phenomena, encouraging them to evaluate theoretical models and findings from psychological research in an informed and reflective manner.

4. Communication Skills (Dublin Descriptor 4)
Students will acquire the ability to use the specialized language of psychology appropriately in order to describe and discuss the main concepts and theoretical models of the discipline.

5. Learning Skills (Dublin Descriptor 5)
The course fosters the development of autonomous learning skills and the ability to further deepen knowledge of the main thematic areas of psychology, encouraging scientific curiosity and sustained interest in the discipline.

Course Structure

In-presence lectures.

Required Prerequisites

Motivation to study, intellectual curiosity toward the discipline, together with an active approach to learning, are considered by the professor to be essential prerequisites.

Attendance of Lessons

Attendance is recommended but not mandatory.

Detailed Course Content

  1. The Science of Psychology (4 hours)
  2. Genes, Environment, and Behavior (5 hours)
  3. Brain and Behavior (5 hours)
  4. Sensation and Perception (4 hours)
  5. Attention and Consciousness (4 hours)
  6. Learning: The Role of Experience (5 hours)
  7. Memory (5 hours)
  8. Language (4 hours)
  9. Thinking and Reasoning (5 hours)
  10. Intelligence (5 hours)
  11. Motivation (4 hours)
  12. Emotion (5 hours)
  13. Personality (5 hours)
These topics remain unchanged for both attending and non-attending students; they also remain the same for students enrolled in other degree programs.

The knowledge acquired will enable students to understand the main psychological processes underlying human behavior, cognitive and emotional functioning, and social dynamics, thereby contributing to the promotion of individual and collective well-being and to the development of critical skills in the analysis of human behavior. In this respect, the course contents are consistent with the objectives of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in particular with Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being), related to the promotion of psychological well-being and mental health; Goal 4 (Quality Education), through the development of critical skills and scientific knowledge about psychological processes; and Goal 10 (Reduced Inequalities), insofar as understanding cognitive, emotional, and social processes fosters greater awareness of individual differences and processes of social inclusion.

Textbook Information

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 - MacGraw Hill, terza edizione.


Chapters:

Chapter One: pages 2–43.

Chapter Two: pages 48–51.

Chapter Three: pages 91–126.

Chapter Four: pages 128–170.

Chapter Five: pages 172–178 and pages 201–228.

Chapter Six: pages 230–286.

Chapter Seven: pages 288–337.

Chapter Eight: pages 340–393.

Chapter Nine: pages 396–417.

Chapter Ten: pages 420–450.

Chapter Eleven: pages 452–467, and pages 476 (starting from section 11.3.5) to page 489.

Chapter Twelve: pages 492–501 and pages 520–529.

Chapter Thirteen: pages 532–571.

Chapter Sixteen: pages 616–678.

Course Planning

 SubjectsText References
1The science of PsychologyNigel Holt, Andy Bremner, Ed Sutherland, Micheal Vliek, Micheal Passer,Ronald Smith, Edizione Italiana a cura di Giorgio Gronchi, Tessa Marzi e Andrea Peru (2023). Psicologia Generale - Capire la mente osservando il comport, TERZA EDIZIONE, Mc GrawHill
2Genes, Environment, and BehaviorNigel Holt, Andy Bremner, Ed Sutherland, Micheal Vliek, Micheal Passer,Ronald Smith, Edizione Italiana a cura di Giorgio Gronchi, Tessa Marzi e Andrea Peru (2023). Psicologia Generale - Capire la mente osservando il comport, TERZA EDIZIONE, Mc GrawHill
3Brain and BehaviorNigel Holt, Andy Bremner, Ed Sutherland, Micheal Vliek, Micheal Passer,Ronald Smith, Edizione Italiana a cura di Giorgio Gronchi, Tessa Marzi e Andrea Peru (2023). Psicologia Generale - Capire la mente osservando il comport, TERZA EDIZIONE, Mc GrawHill
4Sensation and PerceptionNigel Holt, Andy Bremner, Ed Sutherland, Micheal Vliek, Micheal Passer,Ronald Smith, Edizione Italiana a cura di Giorgio Gronchi, Tessa Marzi e Andrea Peru (2023). Psicologia Generale - Capire la mente osservando il comport, TERZA EDIZIONE, Mc GrawHill
5Attention and ConsciousnessNigel Holt, Andy Bremner, Ed Sutherland, Micheal Vliek, Micheal Passer,Ronald Smith, Edizione Italiana a cura di Giorgio Gronchi, Tessa Marzi e Andrea Peru (2023). Psicologia Generale - Capire la mente osservando il comport, TERZA EDIZIONE, Mc GrawHill
6Learning: The Role of ExperienceNigel Holt, Andy Bremner, Ed Sutherland, Micheal Vliek, Micheal Passer,Ronald Smith, Edizione Italiana a cura di Giorgio Gronchi, Tessa Marzi e Andrea Peru (2023). Psicologia Generale - Capire la mente osservando il comport, TERZA EDIZIONE, Mc GrawHill
7MemoryNigel Holt, Andy Bremner, Ed Sutherland, Micheal Vliek, Micheal Passer,Ronald Smith, Edizione Italiana a cura di Giorgio Gronchi, Tessa Marzi e Andrea Peru (2023). Psicologia Generale - Capire la mente osservando il comport, TERZA EDIZIONE, Mc GrawHill
8LanguageNigel Holt, Andy Bremner, Ed Sutherland, Micheal Vliek, Micheal Passer,Ronald Smith, Edizione Italiana a cura di Giorgio Gronchi, Tessa Marzi e Andrea Peru (2023). Psicologia Generale - Capire la mente osservando il comport, TERZA EDIZIONE, Mc GrawHill
9Thinking and ReasoningNigel Holt, Andy Bremner, Ed Sutherland, Micheal Vliek, Micheal Passer,Ronald Smith, Edizione Italiana a cura di Giorgio Gronchi, Tessa Marzi e Andrea Peru (2023). Psicologia Generale - Capire la mente osservando il comport, TERZA EDIZIONE, Mc GrawHill
10IntelligenceNigel Holt, Andy Bremner, Ed Sutherland, Micheal Vliek, Micheal Passer,Ronald Smith, Edizione Italiana a cura di Giorgio Gronchi, Tessa Marzi e Andrea Peru (2023). Psicologia Generale - Capire la mente osservando il comport, TERZA EDIZIONE, Mc GrawHill
11MotivationNigel Holt, Andy Bremner, Ed Sutherland, Micheal Vliek, Micheal Passer,Ronald Smith, Edizione Italiana a cura di Giorgio Gronchi, Tessa Marzi e Andrea Peru (2023). Psicologia Generale - Capire la mente osservando il comport, TERZA EDIZIONE, Mc GrawHill
12EmotionNigel Holt, Andy Bremner, Ed Sutherland, Micheal Vliek, Micheal Passer,Ronald Smith, Edizione Italiana a cura di Giorgio Gronchi, Tessa Marzi e Andrea Peru (2023). Psicologia Generale - Capire la mente osservando il comport, TERZA EDIZIONE, Mc GrawHill
13PersonalityNigel Holt, Andy Bremner, Ed Sutherland, Micheal Vliek, Micheal Passer,Ronald Smith, Edizione Italiana a cura di Giorgio Gronchi, Tessa Marzi e Andrea Peru (2023). Psicologia Generale - Capire la mente osservando il comport, TERZA EDIZIONE, Mc GrawHill

Learning Assessment

Learning Assessment Procedures

Assessment of learning takes place exclusively through the final examination, which verifies the acquisition of the expected knowledge and skills through a written test lasting 45 minutes. The written test consists of 31 multiple-choice questions (each correct answer is awarded 1 point). Both an incorrect answer and an unanswered question receive 0 points. If all 31 questions are answered correctly, the final grade is 30 with honors. If 30 questions are answered correctly, the final grade is 30. The exam is passed with a minimum score of 18 points.

Examples of frequently asked questions and / or exercises

What are the structures that make up the limbic system; what is neural plasticity; within perception research, how recognition-by-components occurs according to Biederman; within classical conditioning, what mechanisms underlie conditioned responses; what Thorndike’s law of effect consists of; within memory research, what the dual coding theory consists of; what the basic or primary emotions are; within personality models, what the Five-Factor Model (or Big Five) consists of.