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Unit of study_
PSYC4004: Applied Psychology in the Workplace
2023 unit information
Most of us will spend at least one third of our lives in the workplace. Psychology has given us considerable insights into how people think, feel and behave as they do, and this has great implications for the workplace. Workplace psychology, sometimes called business psychology, refers to the practice of applying psychological principles and practices to a work environment. The goal is to identify and solve problems, increase employee satisfaction and well-being, improve workplace dynamics and to generally make the workplace a better place in which to spend one third of your life. In this unit of study there will be a particular focus on using positive psychology in the workplace. You will be equipped to use psychological principles in the workplace to make the workplace a more productive, fairer and a more need-satisfying experience. Drawing on Self-determination Theory you will explore the concept of the Positive Built Workplace Environment and how the interface between leadership, building design and workplace culture can produce sustainable, flourishing workplaces. You will also explore issues like overcoming procrastination and increasing productivity; positively influencing and leading people in organisations; the formation of effective teams; the psychology of negotiation and conflict resolution; facilitating wellness; preventing stress and burnout; psychopaths in the workplace and the creation of positive workplace experiences. You will also cover issues such as the evaluation of positive workplace interventions with data collection methods including questionnaires, surveys, focus groups, interviews and case studies. This theoretically-grounded but very practical unit of study gives you the tools to enhance the work experiences of yourself and others.
Unit details and rules
Managing faculty or University school:
Science
| Study level | Undergraduate |
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| Academic unit | Psychology Academic Operations |
| Credit points | 6 |
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Prerequisites:
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(144 cp of which a minimum needs to be 24 cp of 3000-level or 4000-level units of study) or (12 cp PSYC3XXX) |
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Corequisites:
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None |
| Prohibitions:
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PSYC4730 |
| Assumed knowledge:
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Students should have the ability to read and interpret findings from scientific research, and have a basic familiarity with the empirical process |
At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:
- LO1. Appraise the core principles of psychology in the workplace.
- LO2. Critically evaluate and classify models of applied psychology in the workplace.
- LO3. Evaluate positive workplace environments.
- LO4. Apply psychological theories to real life workplace situations.
Unit availability
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Modes of attendance (MoA)
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