Psychology

This course examines leadership effectiveness from a psychological perspective, covering a range of theories developed and utilized by psychologists. Topics include job characteristc theory, self-determination theory, expectancy theory, and equity theory. Students participate in group discussions and projects, analyzing real-world leadership issues and propose intervention plans to resolve issues. 

This course focuses on the protocols for the evaluation and diagnosis of individuals in work and social settings. It discusses social evaluation, job performance, and professional competencies. Topics include: areas of evaluation in the social and work context-- individual, group, and organizational; evaluation process in the context of work; personnel evaluation models; psychometric requirements of evaluation methods and techniques; evaluation in personnel selection and training; ergonomics, performance, and occupational health assessment; social interaction assessment; consumer psychology assessment.

The course introduces the psychology of religion, focusing on insights from contemporary cognitive and evolutionary psychology into human religious belief and behavior. It explores questions such as: Can science explain religious belief? What do cognitive and evolutionary theories reveal about belief in God? Is religion universal or a product of human evolution? How does religious belief develop in childhood? What social functions does religion serve? The course combines research from psychology and religious studies to examine topics including the psychology of atheism, terrorism, and the effects of religion on prejudice and tolerance.

This course covers advanced topics in areas such as sensation, perception, attention, consciousness, memory, language, and decision making. It focuses on behavioral and neuroscience methods and findings, and critically examines theories that account for key empirical results.

This course aims to provides a cultural perspective on human development. Specifically, the course emphasizes the usefulness of (cross-)cultural approaches to understanding parenting and psychological functioning, to assess culturally diverse children and families, and to implement culturally sensitive interventions. The course draws from specific examples from the Italian culture, and particularly the Roman one. This means that students are given the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the culture and the characteristics of the city and its peoples. Upon completion of the course, students are expected to be knowledgeable about the role of culture in human development and in socialization processes, as well as to identify the risk and protective factors involved in the adaptation of relocated families.

This social psychology course is designed for international relations majors to understand the role of psychosocial processes in the field of international relations. It explores the conceptual relationship between social psychology and international relations. This course discusses the processes of social influence, identity, perception, and memory, as well as attitudinal, cognitive, and behavioral processes. 

Memory is a precondition for taking responsibility for one’s past and being morally accountable. The connection between autobiographical memory processes and moral reasoning is crucial to the scientific understanding of what is commonly referred to as “moral conscience.” This course covers relevant scientific literature, empirical data, thought experiments, real-life examples, to promote students’ critical understanding of the subject matter. The scientific literature included in the course focuses on the following subject areas: autobiographical memory (key theoretical models, methods, empirical evidence); moral reasoning (key theoretical models, methods, empirical evidence); individual differences and moral reasoning (relevant literature examining Dark Triad Traits, as well as mood disorders in relation to moral reasoning); autobiographical memories and moral transgressions; autobiographical memories and moral emotions. Students are progressively encouraged to discuss the limitations and/or contributions of some of the presented articles.

This course examines how cognitive and behavioral neuroscience can be applied in clinical settings. It examines the ways in which neurological illness can affect functions such as attention, memory, speech, decision making and emotion regulation. It covers the principles underlying neuropsychological assessment, and the problems that are typically observed following specific illnesses such as stroke, traumatic brain injury and dementia. It also explores how neuroscience can provide insights into problems that present in the psychology clinic, such as depression, anxiety, addiction and schizophrenia.  

This course teaches how to design ethically and culturally responsive psychological experiments in the context of Aotearoa New Zealand. It covers the analysis of data collected using common experimental designs and the reporting of results according to the conventions of scientific writing.

This course examines biopsychology, sensation and perception, and cognitive processes. Topics will include sensation and perception, learning and memory, executive function and motor control. It considers these abilities and their underlying brain mechanisms across the developmental spectrum (from infancy to advanced ageing), as well as in populations with neurological conditions.