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Unit of study_

PSYC2015: Brain and Behavioural Psychology

This unit is designed for students who would like to learn about the core concepts of clinical and biobehavioural psychology, and their applications to therapies, and an individual's behaviour. The emphasis is on behaviour, emotions, and motivational processes. You will learn how to analyse the environmental cause of behaviours, and how to use reinforcements, punishments and incentives to modify and motivate behaviour. Clinical Psychology will focus on emotional and motivational disorders, such as anxiety and depression, addiction, sexual disorders, and eating disorders. The way in which these processes arise and are shaped in people will be presented in the section on Developmental Psychology. Neuroscience will focus on the evolutionary, genetic, neurobiological, and pharmacological mechanisms underlying the phenomena taught in the other sections. The practical classes are designed for students with an interest in clinical and applied Psychology, and will train students to design and implement a behaviour modification programme.

Code PSYC2015
Academic unit Psychology Academic Operations
Credit points 6
Prerequisites:
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PSYC1002
Corequisites:
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None
Prohibitions:
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PSYC2010 or PSYC2910 or PSYC2011 or PSYC2911 or PSYC2915

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. understand and describe the core concepts that underpin clinical and biobehavioural psychology, and their applications to therapies, organisations, and an individual's behaviour
  • LO2. analyse the environmental determinants of behaviour, and create and implement a behaviour modification therapy
  • LO3. understand and describe the core research design principles and statistical approaches used throughout psychology, to apply them in a critical manner, and to understand the main ethical principles guiding research in this discipline
  • LO4. apply the APA style of scientific writing to the generation of a research report
  • LO5. evaluate and debate the interactions between the individual, their environment, developmental, and neurobiological processes in complex contemporary issues around mental illness or socio-legal controversies
  • LO6. understand and describe how psychology is applied in clinical settings, and the roles of clinical psychologists within the broader health system and within our communities.