HEN597 Psychological perspectives on People and Environment

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2013
Extent and Intensity
0/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Einar Strumse (lecturer), doc. Mgr. Bohuslav Binka, Ph.D. (deputy)
Guaranteed by
doc. Mgr. Bohuslav Binka, Ph.D.
Department of Environmental Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Ing. Zbyněk Ulčák, Ph.D.
Supplier department: Department of Environmental Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Timetable
Tue 9. 4. 8:00–9:40 U34, Wed 10. 4. 8:00–9:40 U35, Thu 11. 4. 16:00–19:30 U33, Fri 12. 4. 12:00–15:30 U53, Mon 15. 4. 8:00–11:40 U34, Tue 16. 4. 12:00–15:40 P24, Thu 18. 4. 16:00–19:30 U33
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 22 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/22, only registered: 0/22, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/22
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The course provides basic understanding of health and environmental psychology, including historical perspectives and the status of the field today. In addition, it seeks to facilitate increased understanding and improvement of people – environment relations and to make psychology more relevant to everyday life situations. The human response to the natural environment will be particularly focused upon, primarily through theoretical models from evolutionary psychology. Environmental aesthetics from a psychological perspective will also be focused upon. Aims: Both theoretical and applied. The students will gain basic insights into areas such as environmental perception and cognition, personality and environment, personal space, territoriality, crowding, housing issues, urban environmental psychology, physical and psychological work environments, as well as therapeutic interventions such as “Green care” and preventive strategies related to lifestyle diseases
Syllabus
  • The course is organised in four major sections: 1. A series of lectures focusing on an Introduction to Environmental Psychology and to a number of major themes within the field: Environmental perception and cognition, environmental attitudes and appraisals, environmental personality, crowding, privacy, urban issues, workplace environmental psychology, natural environmental psychology and sustainable development issues. This section is mainly based on Robert Giffords (2007) textbook Environmental psychology Principles and Practice. Between lectures the students will be working with lab exercises developed by prof. Gifford between lectures. The labs provide a first experience with research within the field of environmental psychology. 2. A series of lectures on Mental Health and the Built Environment based on the book by David Halpern (1995) with the same title. 3. A seminar series focusing on Restorative Environments. The readings for the seminars is found in the course packet, a collection of scientific journal articles mainly focusing on the effects of nature on health and well-being. The class will be divided in two groups (seminar group 1 and seminar group 2). Each seminar session will be devoted to a thorough examination of two papers (first half of the session) and discussion and research workshop based on the presentation (second half of the session) In advance of each seminar a group of students will be assigned the responsibility of preparing a presentation of the papers. The presentations should focus upon research questions, design, findings and on possible further research, both theoretical or and empirical. The latter point may be particularly useful for preparation of the bachelor thesis during the spring semester. The seminars may serve as a workshop for the development of research design inspired by the paper presentations. These designs may provide the basis for thesis work, either in the lab or in the field. 4. Preparation of the project paper, which also is a requirement for the final examination. A set of questions/themes will be provided to aid in the process of selecting theme and purpose for the paper. The questions will also serve as preparations for the final examination. The paper should be written in English. Further requirements will be provided later.
Teaching methods
The course is based on lectures and individual work with the study recourses. Students are required to participate on a group project.
Assessment methods
Preparation of the project paper, which also is a requirement for the final examination. A set of questions/themes will be provided to aid in the process of selecting theme and purpose for the paper. The questions will also serve as preparations for the final examination. The paper should be written in English. Further requirements will be provided later.
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught only once.
Information on the extent and intensity of the course: 3 x 3 hodiny tydně.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2002, Autumn 2010, Autumn 2011, Spring 2014.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2013, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/spring2013/HEN597