512-410 Special Topics in Psychology A

Credit Points

Coordinator

Semester

Contact

Subject Description

This subject comprises completing two of three units:

Special Topics in Developmental Psychology

In order to meet unit objectives, seminars will be organised around three themes, namely: (1) adaptability and change; (2) the effects of relationships (e.g. partners, peers, parents) and social contexts (culture and its institutions) on development; and (3) patterns of reasoning competencies within and between domains. Themes will be explored by examining variability in development across the life-span.

Special Topics in Biological Psychology

The seminar/lectures will be arranged around a number of current topics within biological psychology. These may include: endocrinological effects on gender-related behaviour and cerebral lateralisation; information processing approaches to cerebral asymmetry; electrophysiological approaches to the study of sleep; the role of 'K' complexes in brain activity; and perceptual asymmetries and their relation to functional cerebral asymmetries.

Theories in Psychology

Examines a number of important theoretical issues in psychology. Rather than simply treat these issues in the abstract, a number of specific contemporary examples will also be studied. These will be selected from a variety of content areas of psychology, and may include examples from such areas as memory, reasoning, clinical psychology, cognitive neuropsychology, social and developmental psychology.

Assessment

2 x 1,500 word essay/laboratory report or a 1.5 hour examination.