Psychology, University of Southampton

The module provides a selective overview of critical studies in Psychology. The topics are taken from the broad sweep of sub-disciplines within psychology, ranging from abnormal, behavioural cognitive, developmental, health, and neuropsychology.

It is available as an option for Year 1 students on other degree programmes and to Erasmus students, subject to timetabling and any other conditions.

The aim of the unit is to demonstrate the enduring importance of classic studies, placing them in their appropriate historical context and to demonstrate their continuing influence of the discipline.

Each lecture will deal with a classic psychological study. The historical antecedents of the study will be articulated as will be the impact and enduring legacy of study. In doing so, the historical basis for much of modern-day psychology will be revealed allowing the current discipline to be placed in its appropriate historical context. The choice of classic studies will be left to the professorial teaching team, and so is designed to allow a personal reflective element on the value of each classic study to their own intellectual development.

Weekly lecture plus handouts. The use of video and other materials as appropriate. Each lecture will be delivered by a different person will who determine the appropriate teaching and learning style appropriate for the material being delivered.

The course will be assessed by a fifty item multiple choice examination (50%) plus a poster describing a classic study of your own choice (50%).