University of Padua

This course examines the recent psychological literature on the antecedents and consequences of economic inequality, which develop and have an impact very early in childhood, and analyzes social class differences in personality, motivation, and cognition. The course also identifies the reasons why people often don’t engage in collective action to change the situation and why some redistribution strategies are more likely to be endorsed than others. The course is organized around four broad themes: 1) The social and psychological consequences of economic inequality; 2) Beyond possessions: psychological differences between social classes; 3) Perceiving and understanding wealth and income distribution; and 4) Collective action and redistributive strategies The course requires students to have basic knowledge of experimental methods in psychology as a prerequisite.

This class covers the field of judgment and decision-making, which is the collection of cognitive, social, and emotion studies that analyze how people make decisions and evaluate the alternatives available. In particular, the class covers dual-process models of thinking, which distinguish between automatic information processing and conscious, deliberative processing. Related to these theories is the understanding of the pivotal role emotions have in driving our everyday actions. Finally, the class covers a series of applications of judgment and decision-making in different economic fields.

The course describes some of the key models, concepts and applications of clinical psychology. The course discusses topics including theories and models in clinical psychology; multidimensional assessment in clinical psychology; clinical features and etiopathogenetic mechanisms of some of the most prevalent mental disorders; description of the main interventions and their mechanisms in clinical psychology; and examples of clinical formulation and discussion of clinical cases. The course requires students to have completed at least one year of study in the field, specifically on courses in General Psychology, Brain and Behavior, and Developmental Psychology across Cultures, as a prerequisite.

The course offers an overview of social studies of technologies (science and technologies studies), with particular reference to the social dimensions of digital media and communication technologies, providing a set of historical, conceptual, and methodological tools to analyze the relationship between technologies and society. The course is structured in two parts: a first theoretical part presents some of the main concepts and theories for the study of the social implications of technologies, with particular reference to the field of Science and Technology Studies (STS); a second part is dedicated to the deepening of the social and cultural implications that have characterized some of the most important technologies for digital communication and in particular the Internet, the smartphone, and online platforms. More specifically, the topics addressed are: an introduction to the basic concepts and terminology for the study of the relationship between technologies and society; the critique of “technological determinism;” the “social construction of technologies” approach; the role of end users in shaping technologies; the history of the Internet in a social and cultural perspective; the process of innovation of the smartphone and its uses in society; and the social role and technical mechanisms of digital platforms.

This course offers a study of the main psychological theories on human development as well as the changes that occur in behaviors and psychological functions from birth to young adulthood. The course focuses on different domains encompassing motor, perceptual, cognitive, social, and emotional development. Furthermore, research methodologies and cultural-contextual influences are presented. The course discusses topics including an introduction to developmental psychology; the importance of culture; brain, motor, and perceptual development; cognitive development; the development of language and communication; emotional development; social development; contexts of development; and development in the context of emergency and trauma. At the end of the course, students are able to express knowledge about major developmental psychology theories, methods, and processes underlying change across the stages of human development. Moreover, students understand and apply key concepts in developmental psychology within the areas of perceptual, motor, cognitive, social, and emotional development in different cultural contexts.

The course introduces key concepts of culture anthropology, and diversity and provides tools to analyze different approaches to the study cultural differences. Particular attention is devoted to current issues, positionality (race, class, gender, sexual orientation) and the processes of globalization, migration, and intercultural relations. The course discusses topics including, an introduction to cultural anthropology (theoretical approaches); cultures, cultural differences, and diversity; local and global dimensions, borders, and contact areas; migration processes and intercultural relations; language and communication, arts, media, and sports; and concepts of identity and issues of positionality. The course explores these topics in relation to psychology.

This course provides a cultural perspective on human development. Specifically, the course emphasizes the usefulness of a (cross-)cultural approach to understand parenting and psychological functioning, to assess culturally diverse children and families, and to implement culturally sensitive interventions. The course discusses the role of culture in human development and in socialization processes, as well as identifying the risk and protective factors involved in the adaptation of migrant families. The course addresses topics including theoretical approaches to culture and human development; cross-cultural and cultural psychology; individualism and collectivism; parenting, cultural models, and socialization practices; cognitive and socio-emotional development across cultures; immigration and acculturation processes; and assessment and interventions in multicultural settings. The course requires basic knowledge of developmental psychology concepts as a prerequisite.

This course focuses on the structure of the central nervous system, with particular reference to the morphological bases of clinical and functional neuroanatomy. The course discusses topics including the development of the nervous system; cells of the nervous system; the ventricular system and the liquoral system; the meninges; macroscopic anatomy of the spinal cord; functional anatomy of the spinal cord; spino-thalamic pathways; spino-cerebellar pathways; posterior column pathways; pyramidal pathway; extrapyramidal pathways; esopyramidal pathways; the brainstem; the cerebellum; the diencephalon; the telencephalon; functional anatomy of the telencephalon and of the limbic system; and the anatomical foundations of neurological and neuropathological conditions. The course requires basic knowledge of physiology, biology and biochemistry, and knowledge of cytology, histology, and general embryology as a prerequisite.

The course provides a systematic review of the psychobiological bases of the main psychotic spectrum disorders (in particular Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, and Paranoid, Schizoid, and Schizotypal Personality Disorders). Results from genetic, electrophysiological, neurochemical, and structural/functional neuroimaging are discussed for all disorders. As much as possible, the principal models proposed to explain the pathogenesis of each disorder are presented, to integrate information from the multiple approaches of neurosciences. The course discusses topics including a brief introduction to Psychotic Spectrum Disorders, methods and experimental techniques in psychobiological research, Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, and Cluster A Personality Disorders. This advanced level course is at the second cycle degree, or masters degree level at the University of Padua. Students are required to have knowledge of cognitive processes and anatomo-physiological bases of the central nervous system as a prerequisite.

This is course is a study of cross-cultural issues in personnel psychology. The course discusses topics including an overview of recruitment and selection (methods, cognition, personality, motivation), job performance (appraisal and management), training, and career development (career calling); key concepts, theories, and issues of the cross-cultural approach to the study of personnel: effect of culture on organizational process (recruitment, selection and assessment) and individuals’ characteristics (personality, cognition, values, motivation and career calling); applying personnel psychology, cross-cultural psychology, and diversity management to real-world contexts and issues (e.g., diversity training, staffing and selection bias); and reflecting on the role of culture in working with culturally diverse personnel. The course requires a basic knowledge of personality traits, motivation, intelligence, psychological testing, and industrial and organizational psychology as a prerequisite.