PS510-6-AU-CO:
Positive Psychology: The Science of Well-Being
2023/24
Psychology
Colchester Campus
Autumn
Undergraduate: Level 6
ReassessmentOnly
Thursday 05 October 2023
Friday 15 December 2023
15
06 May 2021
Requisites for this module
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Positive psychology is the scientific study of well-being. It seeks to find out more about the conditions under which people and society thrive and flourish. It focuses on the things that make human life worth living.
This course will provide a broad overview of positive psychology, and will cover exciting and contemporary topics based on the latest empirical research. There is no textbook; you will be expected to read several journal articles every week. You will also do a mini homework assignment each week, which will contribute to the questions we will consider during lecture, such as `Do we know what makes us happy?`, `Can I get happier?` and `Does Facebook make us sad?` Special consideration will be given to key methodological issues, so that the scientific rigour behind claims about what makes people happy can be critically evaluated.
A key part of this course will involve reflecting on and critically thinking about how the science of well-being applies to you and your life. You will be expected to take an active role in your learning. This will not only involve completing the weekly reading and homework activities, but actively participating in workshops and lecture-based activities.
Students who take this module will learn about the scientific study of well-being. They will reflect on and think critically about their own well-being
At the end of the module, students should:
1. Be aware of the breadth and depth and critiques of the science of well-being
2. Think critically about how the science of well-being applies to their own life
3. Be able to perform and critically evaluate a comprehensive review of the relevant literature.
4. Understand the research methods used to study well-being, including interventions
No additional information available.
This module will consist of 10 two-hour lectures, but in one week there will also be a two-hour statistics workshop. Students will be expected to participate during in-class activities in each lecture.
Students will have small homework activities to complete every week (e.g., track and report their mood, keep a gratitude log, carry out and report on acts of kindness…)
Students will try out a happiness intervention, and write up a report about it. There will be a workshop to help students to design their intervention projects, through discussion with their classmates. There will be another workshop to help students to analyse and report their intervention projects, through discussion with their classmates.
This module does not appear to have a published bibliography for this year.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Exam |
Main exam: Remote, Open Book, 60 minutes during January
|
| Exam |
Reassessment Main exam: Remote, Open Book, 60 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
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Dr Gillian Sandstrom and Dr Kathryn Buchanan
pospsy@essex.ac.uk (or positivepsyc@essex.ac.uk)
Yes
No
No
No external examiner information available for this module.
Available via Moodle
No lecture recording information available for this module.
Psychology
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