IA175-3-FY-CO:
Introduction to Psychology

The details
2024/25
Essex Pathways
Colchester Campus
Full Year
Foundation/Year Zero: Level 3
Current
Thursday 03 October 2024
Friday 27 June 2025
30
04 November 2024

 

Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)

 

(none)

Key module for

BA C807 Psychology (Including Foundation Year),
BSC C812 Psychology (Including Foundation Year),
BSC C813 Psychology with Cognitive Neuroscience (Including Foundation Year),
BSC C817 Psychology with Economics (Including Foundation Year),
BSC C149 Economics with Psychology (Including Foundation Year)

Module description

Psychology is a broad subject, containing many disciplines. This module is designed to give an overview of these different core disciplines, encouraging students to explore how these different areas are informed by theory and research.

The module will cover a range of classic and contemporary pieces of psychological research, exploring the methods adopted by psychologists to investigate the human mind and behaviour. Through this module, students are encouraged to think critically about the theories and research studies that are covered and begin to consider how psychological findings apply to everyday life.
This module will look at theory and research in areas such as cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, individual differences, biopsychology and social psychology. Along with psychological theories

Module aims

This module aims to introduce students to key theories and research across a range of psychological areas that students will cover in more detail if they follow the psychology degree programme. As research is key to psychology, the module will also introduce research methods commonly used in psychological research. Students will apply their methodological understanding in a research project.

The module will also foster student’s communication skills by writing an essay and a research report. It will also enhance students’ interest in psychology and prepare students for undergraduate study in psychology.

Module learning outcomes

1. For students to develop a secure understanding of the basic theoretical perspectives across the core disciplines in psychology and the associated research that has tested these assumptions.
2. To equip students with the skills to be able to interpret, analyse, evaluate and apply psychological research.
3. To equip students with the skills to apply key issues and debates (primarily nature nurture and cultural bias) to the theories and research studies covered.
4. To provide students with an understanding of common research methods used in psychological research.
5. For students to be able to use their methodological understanding to design research plans and hypotheses to answer a research question.
6. To provide students with a clear understanding of the importance of ethical considerations in designing psychological research.

Module information

Syllabus

The syllabus is intended to introduce students to the core psychological disciplines, providing a good basic knowledge of the various theoretical positions and research methods skills including topics such as:

Debates in Psychology – Considering the wider philosophical debates that inform psychological research
Physiological Psychology - The biological basis of behaviour, for example the influence of the brain, neurotransmitters and hormones on behaviour.
Cognitive Psychology - The mental processes that guide human behaviour, for example memory, language, thought, perception
Developmental Psychology - How people grow and change over their lifetime, for example attachment, cognition, parenting.
Individual Differences - The psychology of the person, for example motivation, intelligence, personality.
Social Psychology - The effects of social interactions on the person, for example the influence of others, relationships, group processes.
Research Methods in Psychology – How psychologists design research and the different methodological considerations they need to make.

Skills for your professional life (Transferable Skills)

By the end of this module, you will have been offered opportunities:

1. To improve your numeracy and literacy skills;
2. To develop your IT skills by learning to work in Word to complete assignments and Excel for basic statistical analysis;
3. To develop subject specific writing through completing an essay and a laboratory report;
4. To develop critical thinking skills in the context of psychological research;
5. To enhance your communication skills in class discussions and in written work;
6. The develop your reflective skills through class time dedicated to engaging with feedback on assignments;
7. To develop your personal plan of setting targets and time management to undertake coursework and exam.

Learning and teaching methods

Teaching and learning on Essex Pathways modules offers students the ability to develop the foundation knowledge, skills, and competences to study at undergraduate level, through a curriculum that is purposely designed to provide an exceptional learning experience. All teaching, learning and assessment materials will be available via Moodle in a consistent and user-friendly manner. This module is delivered via a weekly 1 x 2-hour lecture, 1 x 1-hour seminar and 1 x 1-hour research methods class. Lectures cover the core material, and the seminars provide an opportunity to discuss the topics and to develop additional skills necessary to succeed in the assignments. The research methods classes cover the research methodologies that psychologists use to collect and analyse experimental data. A research project will be produced during these classes.

Bibliography

The above list is indicative of the essential reading for the course.
The library makes provision for all reading list items, with digital provision where possible, and these resources are shared between students.
Further reading can be obtained from this module's reading list.

Assessment items, weightings and deadlines

Coursework / exam Description Deadline Coursework weighting
Coursework   Participation    5% 
Coursework   Method Section  11/12/2024  25% 
Coursework   Introduction Section  05/03/2025  35% 
Coursework   Discussion Section  07/05/2025  35% 

Additional coursework information

Formative assessment One 500-word essay - The formative assessment does not count towards the final module mark, however, it provides the students with a valuable opportunity to obtain detailed feedback on this piece of work which is submitted in the Autumn Term. Summative assessment Essay (1,000 words, 25%) - students will submit an essay on a theme from module, which allows students to draw on a range of topics from within the syllabus. Lab report (1,500 words, 30%) - students will produce a lab report as is standardly used within Psychology, containing an Abstract, Introduction, Methods and Results sections. Participation mark (5%) - participation will be assessed through the completion of active psychological research via the SONA system. Faser timed exam (40%) – the exam consists of two parts. The first part will be an essay style exam. Questions will cover a selection of the topics taught during the module and students will be required to answer one. The second part will require students to use understanding of research methods to design a piece of psychological research for a selected topic, from those covered in the module. Reassessment strategy Failed timed exam - Resit the exam which is re-aggregated with existing coursework mark to create a new module mark. Failed coursework - Resubmit a piece of coursework (1,250 words) which is re-aggregated with existing exam mark to create a new module mark. The reassessment task will replace the coursework component and will enable the relevant learning outcomes to be met. Failed timed exam and coursework - Resit the exam and resubmit a piece of coursework (1,250 words) to be aggregated to create a new module mark.

Exam format definitions

  • Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
  • In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
  • In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
  • In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary, for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.

Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.

Overall assessment

Coursework Exam
100% 0%

Reassessment

Coursework Exam
100% 0%
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Mrs Amanda Morris, email: a.j.morris@essex.ac.uk.
Amanda Morris (a.j.morris@essex.ac.uk)
Helen Hearn (hhearn@essex.ac.uk)

 

Availability
No
No
No

External examiner

Dr Austin Tomlinson
University of Birmingham
Lecturer
Resources
Available via Moodle
Of 26 hours, 24 (92.3%) hours available to students:
2 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s), module, or event type.

 

Further information
Essex Pathways

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