FSS:PSY268 Contemporary Issues in Psy. - Course Information

PSY268 Contemporary Issues in Psychology

Extent and Intensity

1/1. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).

Teacher(s)

Mgr. Michaela Porubanová (lecturer)

Guaranteed by

Mgr. Michaela Porubanová
Department of Psychology – Faculty of Social Studies

Prerequisites

Contemporary Issues in Psychology This course will introduce psychology as well as non-psychology students to a wide range of contemporary issues in the field of psychology. The topics will vary from lecture to lecture and will be assigned to students always two weeks in advance. For illustration some of the topics will be: Positive psychology (Martin Selingman) Flow Phenomenon (Mihaly Czikszentmihalyi) Morality and Psychology (Philip Zimbardo) Language and thought; Are we “a blank slate?” (Steve Pinker) “Science” of happiness (Dan Gilbert); Psychology of compassion (Daniel Goleman) Psychology of advertisement (Rory Sutherland) Visual hallucinations (Oliver Sacks) Memes (Susan Blackmore versus Dan Dennett versus Richard Dawkins) The nature of consciousness (Dan Dennett), Mind (V.Ramachandran) Human mind and health (Marvin Minsky) Phantom limbs (Walter Reed and V.Ramachandran) The character of the course: every class a group of students (4-5) will be assigned to a specific topic. Since the class capacity will be maximum 25 students, students will be two or three times a semester present the topic that will be followed by a discussion. The goal of the class: to learn about new topics and current topics in psychology to acquire knowledge about broader range of topics in psychology to be able to critically evaluate field of psychology Class evaluation: The overall grade will reflect the performance in the class, i. e. active participation, the presentations of the selected topics, the attendance (2 classes can be missed with prior excuse), and at the end of the semester you will write 3-5 page research paper on a specific topic in psychology. In case of lack or absence of any of the mentioned criteria, your grade will suffer. The final test will be held during the last class in the semester. Literature: Kosslyn, S. M. & Rosenberg, R. S. (2001). How to read, critically evaluate and write research papers (Appendix B, pp. 605 – 610). Psychology: The brain, the person and the world. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon. Smith, R. A (2007). The psychologist as detective : an introduction to conducting research in psychology. Prentice Hall. (available at the library of FSS) Gerow, J. (1992) Psychology: an introduction. New York: Harper Collins. (available at the library of FSS)

Course Enrolment Limitations

The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.

fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with

there are 9 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display

Course objectives

The goal of the class: to learn about new topics and current topics in psychology to acquire knowledge about broader range of topics in psychology to be able to critically evaluate field of psychology

Syllabus

• This course will introduce psychology as well as non-psychology students to a wide range of contemporary issues in the field of psychology. The topics will vary from lecture to lecture and will be assigned to students always two weeks in advance. For illustration some of the topics will be: Positive psychology (Martin Selingman) Flow Phenomenon (Mihaly Czikszentmihalyi) Morality and Psychology (Philip Zimbardo) Language and thought; Are we “a blank slate?” (Steve Pinker) “Science” of happiness (Dan Gilbert); Psychology of compassion (Daniel Goleman) Psychology of advertisement (Rory Sutherland) Visual hallucinations (Oliver Sacks) Memes (Susan Blackmore versus Dan Dennett versus Richard Dawkins) The nature of consciousness (Dan Dennett), Mind (V.Ramachandran) Human mind and health (Marvin Minsky) Phantom limbs (Walter Reed and V.Ramachandran) The character of the course: every class a group of students (4-5) will be assigned to a specific topic. Since the class capacity will be maximum 25 students, students will be two or three times a semester present the topic that will be followed by a discussion.

Literature

• Kosslyn, S. M. & Rosenberg, R. S. (2001). How to read, critically evaluate and write research

Teaching methods

lecture and seminar

Assessment methods

Class evaluation: The overall grade will reflect the performance in the class, i. e. active participation, the presentations of the selected topics, the attendance (2 classes can be missed with prior excuse), and at the end of the semester you will write 3-5 page research paper on a specific topic in psychology. In case of lack or absence of any of the mentioned criteria, your grade will suffer. The final test will be held during the last class in the semester.

Language of instruction

English

Further comments (probably available only in Czech)

Study Materials
The course is taught annually.

• Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2010, recent)
  
• Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/spring2010/PSY268