PS423-5-AU-CO:
Psychology of Health

The details
2024/25
Psychology
Colchester Campus
Autumn
Undergraduate: Level 5
Current
Thursday 03 October 2024
Friday 13 December 2024
15
18 March 2024

 

Requisites for this module
PS106
(none)
(none)
(none)

 

(none)

Key module for

BA 63C2 Psychological Studies,
BA 63C3 Psychological Studies (Including Year Abroad),
BA 63C4 Psychological Studies (Including Placement Year),
BA C801 Psychology (Including Year Abroad),
BA C802 Psychology,
BA C807 Psychology (Including Foundation Year),
BA C810 Psychology (Including Placement Year),
BSC C800 Psychology,
BSC C803 Psychology (Including Year Abroad),
BSC C811 Psychology (Including Placement Year),
BSC C812 Psychology (Including Foundation Year),
BSC C806 Psychology with Cognitive Neuroscience (Including Year Abroad),
BSC C808 Psychology with Cognitive Neuroscience,
BSC C809 Psychology with Cognitive Neuroscience (Including Placement Year),
BSC C813 Psychology with Cognitive Neuroscience (Including Foundation Year),
MSCIC999 Psychology with Cognitive Neuroscience,
MSCICA98 Psychology with Cognitive Neuroscience (Including Placement Year),
MSCICA99 Psychology with Cognitive Neuroscience (Including Year Abroad),
BSC C814 Psychology with Economics,
BSC C815 Psychology with Economics (Including Year Abroad),
BSC C816 Psychology with Economics (Including Placement Year),
BSC C817 Psychology with Economics (Including Foundation Year),
BA C841 Economics with Psychology,
BA C851 Economics with Psychology (Including Year Abroad),
BA C861 Economics with Psychology (Including Placement Year),
BSC C148 Economics with Psychology,
BSC C149 Economics with Psychology (Including Foundation Year),
BSC C158 Economics with Psychology (Including Year Abroad),
BSC C168 Economics with Psychology (Including Placement Year),
MSCIC998 Psychology with Advanced Research Methods,
MSCICB98 Psychology with Advanced Research Methods (Including Placement Year),
MSCICB99 Psychology with Advanced Research Methods (Including Year Abroad)

Module description

This module combines the areas of medical and health psychology to explore the biological, psychological and social processes implicated in the development of ill health.


We will address questions such as: What psychological processes are involved in modifying behaviours associated with health? How does disadvantage feed into negative health outcomes? Does living in line with our values improve well-being? How do people recognise symptoms in themselves and attribute them to illness? What is the link between early experience and brain development and parents' health-related behaviours? Questions will be addressed from different perspectives and will provide a comprehensive overview of how individuals think about health, how they experience health, and the role that social interactions play in this process.

Module aims

The aims of this module are:



  • To enable students to examine the interplay between biological, psychological and social factors in understanding and explaining health.

  • To introduce students to different ways to approach the psychology of health, including perceptual, cognitive, and social perspectives, and consider how this knowledge can be integrated into practice (e.g., through health promotion and behaviour change intervention).

Module learning outcomes

By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:



  1. Demonstrate knowledge and critical understanding in the field of psychology applied to health.

  2. Understand different aspects of health beliefs, behaviour and behaviour change and reflect on the relationship between them.

  3. Consider the interconnection between biological, psychological, and social factors in understanding health, illness, and health care delivery.

  4. Apply qualitative methodologies to understand attitudes, beliefs, and motivations driving health-related behaviours.

  5. Critically evaluate how research on psychology of health can inform real-world issues and healthcare practice.

Module information

No additional information available.

Learning and teaching methods

This module will be delivered via:

  • One lecture per week, and
  • Two additional coursework-related lectures (2 hour each)

The lectures will focus on answering fundamental questions in psychology of health. Each question will be addressed by providing background knowledge of the research area before focusing in on specific research questions and findings.

Students will be encouraged to participate in lectures though discussion groups, asking questions, and also through the use of digital interactive platforms. This will ensure that the learning environment is inclusive for all students. Discussion forums on Moodle will provide an additional platform for students to seek additional support and to identify areas that need further explanation.

Bibliography

This module does not appear to have a published bibliography for this year.

Assessment items, weightings and deadlines

Coursework / exam Description Deadline Coursework weighting
Coursework   Lab Report    100% 
Exam  MCQ exam: In-Person, Open Book (Restricted), 90 minutes during January 
Exam  Reassessment MCQ exam: In-Person, Open Book (Restricted), 90 minutes during September (Reassessment Period) 

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
50% 50%

Reassessment

Coursework Exam
50% 50%
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Dr Maria Filippetti, email: m.filippetti@essex.ac.uk.
Dr Maria Laura Filippetti
m.filippetti@essex.ac.uk

 

Availability
No
No
No

External examiner

Dr John Patrick Rae
Roehampton University
Reader in Psychology
Resources
Available via Moodle
Of 12 hours, 12 (100%) hours available to students:
0 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
Psychology

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