Psychology

We need to regulate our thoughts, feelings and behavior in order to achieve our goals and succeed in life. In this course, students consider the processes involved in self-regulation, the role of emotions in self-regulation, and the relationship between self-regulation and mental, physical, and social wellbeing. Students also discuss the factors that lead people to fail at self-regulation, and the interventions and techniques people can use to improve their regulation ability and thus achieve their goals. Students learn about controlling emotions, combating procrastination, forming good habits, and overcoming smoking, overeating, and overspending. Students gain theoretical and practical insights into how people successfully pursue their goals, and apply these insights to their own lives.

This course covers various applications of cognitive science to practical and theoretical problems in psychology. Lectures and research projects offered in the course are aimed at developing students’ appreciation and understanding of the research methodologies and real-world applications of cognitive science. Topics covered include connectionist architectures (neural networks), influences of biological cycles, drugs, and hormones on cognitive performance, the cognitive psychology of decision making, memory in the forensic arena, face recognition and reconstruction, clinical cognition, and evolutionary cognitive psychology among others. DP requirements: Completion of all coursework, as well as completion of 90 minutes in the Student Research Participation Programme (SRPP) or equivalent and attendance of at least 5 tutorials. Assessment: Coursework: counts a total of 50%. This coursework is broken down into weekly tests (25%), and a group field project (25%). Examination: the two-hour examination in June counts 50% towards the final mark Course entry requirements: Students must have passed PSY2015F and PSY2014S.

The course extends understanding of historical and contemporary theories in social psychology and challenge students to use their knowledge to engage with real-world issues. For example, what brings people together, and what keeps them apart? The emphasis is on fostering ethically minded and socially responsible psychology graduates, through critical reflection of our personal place in a social system. Students consider one’s potential to help others in need, and to be critically and responsively aware of known biases in social perception and judgement. The course equips students with enhanced employability skills through a focus on the ability to understand and articulate complex arguments, and to support claims by making sense of and explaining empirical evidence. Students are encouraged to engage with compelling experimental paradigms and debates in social psychology to move beyond directed textbook material and to become independent, active, and self-directed learners.  

This course covers in some detail theories and research on issues currently topical in Organizational Psychology from job motivation, leadership and stress to the future of work. The course provides an overview of the theorizing and research in organizational psychology and familiarizes students with the literature on aspects of behavior in the work-place.

This course examines the use of psychological assessment methods and psychotherapeutic approaches in treating individuals with psychological difficulties. It explores major theoretical frameworks, practical techniques, and key issues in clinical practice, providing insight into the application of psychological theory to assessment and intervention.

The course unit focuses on the historical development of psychology as a science and the way in which earlier philosophical ideas were transformed within the context of psychology, leading to the different approaches to psychology that can be discerned throughout its history. It also deals with the philosophy of science and consider how science develops over time, the extent to which one can define a scientific method, and the extent to which psychology exemplifies the characteristics of scientific method. Finally, it deals with the development of philosophical ideas about the mind that later fed into psychology.

This course has a central focus on the psychology of identities. It engages students to explore the role of psychology in examining issues of race, class, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, etc. Theoretical concepts from liberation psychology, postcolonial psychology and feminist psychology are taught and discussed in relation to current debates in South Africa, and the African diaspora around identity differences. Tutorials may include practical exercises and case presentations. DP requirements: Completion of all coursework and attendance at tutorials as required. Assessment: Coursework (Tutorial assignments, group projects and individual written assignments) counts 100%. Course entry requirements: Students must have passed PSY1004F and PSY1005S and at least one 2000-level social science course. 

This course provides an overview of the Science of Emotion with a focus on the behavioral and neurobiological processes underlying emotional experience and regulation. The course discusses how dysregulations in these processes relate to common mental disorders. In addition, the course introduces the experimental approaches and brain imaging techniques used to study emotions and provides an overview on recent progress and challenges. The course combines theoretical lectures, interactive discussions, and application in student-centered educational approaches that emphasize active learning to facilitate a deep understanding of the topic. Prerequisites: PSYC2022 or PSYC2101.

This course introduce students to the basics of personality and social psychology. It starts with an introduction to key dynamic personality theories of Freud, followed by Jung. Students learn about theories and research on aggression, pro-social behavior, and conformity. In addition, key fundamental topics in social psychology, attitudes and values, are introduced, as well as cross-cultural psychology and leadership. Topics include selected dynamic personality theories (e.g., Freud), leadership, attitudes values, and cross-cultural psychology.

The course provides a grounding in core theories, models, and concepts within the field of individual differences psychology, and then relates these to key health and wellbeing outcomes.  A major topic within the unit is personality. Critical and historical perspectives on key theories, approaches to, and models of personality are presented, along with details of the methodological tools that have been used to measure personality. A critical examination of theories and data linking personality to physical and mental health is then presented. Additional concepts from individual differences psychology, such as mood, intelligence, and motivation, are also introduced, and then examined in relation to physical and mental health outcomes.