University of Padua

This course consists of an introduction to the major areas of interest in developmental psychology. The course explores topics such as biological, cognitive, emotional, and social development, by conceptualizing the individual as a whole at different stages of the lifespan. With an emphasis on the scientific nature of psychology, the course presents common research methodologies employed by developmental psychologists. Primary attention is devoted to the period of infancy through adolescence with some coverage of adulthood, and late life. The course focuses on questions such as: What psychological changes occur during infancy, childhood, and adolescence? What psychological processes drive the development of children? What are the psychological, neurobiological, and genetic/environmental causes of developmental disorders, such as language impairment, autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and dyslexia? What can psychologists do to promote healthy development in neurotypical individuals and support development among individuals with developmental disorders? The course requires students have basic knowledge on general cognitive functions such as perception, attention, language, and memory as a prerequisite.

This course is for students who have already studied Italian and can easily express themselves on familiar topics. It runs at the B1/B2 level according to the CEFR level. This communicative course develops oral skills in Italian.

The course discusses theoretical knowledge, research methods, and innovative techniques to study, design, and evaluate human-computer interaction (HCI). The targeted knowledge is such that makes the resulting HCI effective and efficient, and the user experience simple, pleasant, and overall satisfactory. The skills acquired pertain to the domain of HCI and cognitive ergonomics; more specifically: user-centered design; basic principles of cognitive ergonomics; user experience evaluation and products usability; visual communication and data visualization; accessibility and universal design (e.g. design for older adults); and social computing and social ergonomics.

The first part of the course introduces the concepts of evolution and adaptation applied to an animal and human behavior and the fundamental principles for the study of development, evolution, and genetics of behavior. Then follows the eco-ethology that deals with the ecology of behavior in natural environments, from territorial, predatory, alimentary, sexual, and social behavior both in animals and in humans. In the third phase, topics of sociobiology are explored. The adaptive value of sociability, sexual behavior, and reproductive strategies (both in animals and humans) is further explored. Wedding strategies such as polygamy, polyandry, and monogamy is investigated. The course compares the underlying genetics to the ecology of animal behavior and introduce evolutionary psychology. The course compares the underlying genetics to the ecology of animal behavior and introduce evolutionary psychology. The course requires students to have basic knowledge of genetics and biology as a prerequisite.

This course explores the theoretical background of the development of the neural basis of cognitive function, and basic knowledge of neural development of cognitive functions and methods to study the neural mechanism of cognitive development. The course considers questions such as: What is the nature of developmental change? What are the brain mechanisms underlying cognitive, perceptual, social, and emotional development during infancy and childhood? The course evaluates implications of findings from developmental cognitive neuroscience for broader scientific issues including nature vs. nurture, critical periods in development, and the modularity of mental functions. An integral part of the course is careful consideration of the major methods of developmental cognitive neuroscience including functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), recordings of evoked response potentials (ERPs), and behavioral marker tasks. The course devotes particular attention to the unique challenges of applying these methods to the study of infants and children in typical and atypical development. The course requires students to have basic knowledge on general cognitive functions such as perception, attention, language, and memory as a prerequisite.

The course covers the main topics of social psychology and of the psychology of communication, modernized by reference to social relations mediated by new technology. The course addresses the classic, most influential concepts and models in social psychology and communication; the pioneer, landmark studies that made the history of these disciplines; and recent approaches to mediated communication. The course discusses topics including the main theoretical and methodological frameworks; social perception and reasoning; self-schemas, self-esteem and self-presentation; models and measures of attitudes; persuasion and social influence; group processes; prosocial behavior; and mediated interaction. The course requires students to have basic knowledge of research methodology in psychology as a prerequisite.

This course discusses the role of power and power relations in psychology and mental health. Course topics include: health, mental health, status, and inequality; embodiment of inequality, power, and status; the experience of injustice and powerlessness; power and manipulation in interpersonal relationships; the power of passion and purpose; the power of compassion and empathy; psychopathologies of omnipotence and impotence; psychopathologies and the global financial crisis; media manipulation, propaganda, and mind control; the psychology of neoliberal ideology; perceptions of inequality and redistribution preferences; and empowerment and liberation psychology. The course recommends students have completed a course in global health psychology and have good knowledge of statistics, epidemiology, and econometrics, as prerequisites.

This course examines the relation between a series of brain disorders and their consequences on behavior, emotion, and cognition. The course clarifies the nature, the development, and the consequences of organic disorders acquired after brain lesions, neurological diseases, or other non-neurological syndromes and their consequences. Using case studies culled from clinical work, the course provides first-hand accounts of neuropsychology and how brain illness or injury can manifest across different cultures. This application-based approach to neuropsychology provides a clear, comprehensive, understanding of what happens in a human mind after an organic damage. The course addresses the principal neurological disorders and their impact of the patient life, as well as how to recognize symptoms and their manifestation in diverse cultures. The course discusses the main pathologies with organic base in all their aspects and consequences on behavior, emotions, and cognition including cerebrovascular disease, epilepsy, traumatic brain injury, dementia and neurodegenerative disease, multiple sclerosis and demyelinating disorders, neuropsychology of oncology, neurotoxicology, alcohol-related neuropathology, cultural neuropsychology, and analyses of clinical cases. The course requires background knowledge of brain and behavior relationships and a previous course in neuropsychology as a prerequisite.

The course offers a study of the fundamental theoretical bases and practical methodology to carry out a neuropsychological assessment in order to obtain a clear neuropsychological diagnosis. The course discusses how to collect the neuropsychological anamnesi including all relevant information on the personal history of the patient; how to observe the patient, his/her behavior and how to interview him/her; how to select and administer the appropriate psychometric tests; and how to integrate all the information in a diagnostic reasoning. The course examines topics including behavior assessment and measurement, neuropsychological anamnesi, interview techniques, psychometric instruments, diagnostic conclusion, and the neuropsychological report. There are no prerequisites, but knowledge of brain and behavior relationship and the bases of neuropsychology are important for following the course.

This course introduces advanced issues of the Psychology of Music. Whenever possible, the course introduces the application of the concepts of psychology of music in the everyday life. The course highlights the positive aspects of music listening (e.g., inducing a positive mood, relaxation, etc.) and the positive aspects connected to musical practice (e.g. better memory skills, spatial skills, etc.). The course is divided in two parts. The first part of the course includes an overview of acoustics, music theory, methodology, and physiology as linked to music psychology. The first part of the course provides the necessary tools to understand the literature of auditory perception and psychology of music. The course discusses topics including basic concepts such as sound, sound waves, acoustics, sound in music and music theory, methods of psychology of music, anatomy and physiology of the auditory system, and loudness and absolute threshold; as well as psychology of music topics including music training in hearing loss and aphasia; psychoacoustics and mp3; music and cognition: Mozart effect, background music and cognition, music talent and cognition, and the cognitive abilities of musicians and non-musicians; pitch: illusions, pitch coding of simple and complex tones, musical intervals, harmonic, melodic, consonance, the representation of pitch, amusia, and absolute pitch; and music as a universal language: music perception in infants and animals. The course requires a strong background in the main concepts of cognitive psychology such as perception, attention, memory, learning, and intelligence, and a solid methodological background as a prerequisite.