Psychology

This course cultivates, through theoretical study, the necessary skills for working in child welfare. It covers fundamental concepts and values, history, policies, organizations, services and skills required in the field of child welfare. The course also provides the foundational knowledge of child and youth development, critical perspectives for analyzing child and youth related social problems, and the understanding of key issues related to child welfare policy and programs. It uses a comparative framework to evaluate the current state of major child and youth development problems and the policies and programs aimed to address them.

This course presents some basic techniques for the analysis of the uncertainty inherent in statistical information, with the goal of providing a correct evaluation and communication of risk. Basic notions of elementary probability theory and of Bayesian probability are introduced and discussed, and their application is illustrated in problems connected with the medical and psychological practice, also within the framework of recent Italian legislation on informed consent which imposes to all health care professionals a correct risk assessment and the adequate communication of it to patients. The course discusses topics including uncertainty in statistical information; problems related to the evaluation of risk and communication of risk; real-world examples; Bayesian inferences through the use of probabilities and by means of natural frequencies; suitability of the natural frequencies for a more intuitive and direct insight in both risk estimation and in a transparent representation of risk; examples focusing on the correct judgement of the probabilistic predictive value of medical diagnostic tests, and aiming at avoiding misleading risk information; cases related to the ongoing Covid-19 public-health emergency; evaluation of the effect of interventions, including relative risk and absolute risk, and relative and absolute risk reduction (or increase); and number needed to treat or to harm.

During the course the main topics in Health Psychology will be considered including health definition; health-risk and protective behaviors; reducing risk of disease at individual and population levels; symptoms perception, interpretation, and response from the psychological perspective; the consultation in health psychology; stress health and illness; the impact of illness on quality of life; pain perception and response; and the improving the quality of life in illness. The course addresses topics in health promotion including health risk and protective behaviors, health and illness definition and conceptualization, promoting health-protective behaviors and reducing risk behaviors, and promoting and developing intervention programs in health psychology. The course discusses health psychology in clinical contexts such as assessing psychosomatic issues including causal, maintaining, and exacerbating factors; definition of stress, stress effects on health, and stress management; effects of the illness on patients’ and caregivers’ quality of life; the psychological effect of pain on patients’ and caregivers’ quality of life; main illness model and illness perception; and understanding interventions in psychosomatic patients and caregivers. The course requires students to have basic clinical psychology knowledge and basic epidemiological knowledge as a prerequisite.

The course provides a study of theories of human development and social functioning at the individual, family, small group, community, organizational, and societal levels, with application in explaining complex interactions between individuals and the social environment. The course covers human development in infancy, childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, with respect to the developmental scientific knowledge base regarding opportunities and vulnerabilities present during the different stages of the life cycle and the biopsychosocial and cultural factors that can influence individual development—values, beliefs, worldviews, and identities. 

The course is divided into four parts. In the first part of the course students gain an overview of the most important theories, techniques, and methods used by psychologists in the context of personality and intelligence research. What are common conceptualizations of personality and intelligence? Secondly, students learn about antecedents or explanations of individual differences. Why are there differences between humans? How does evolution come into play? What role does heredity play? In the third part, students focus on outcomes of personality in terms of life experiences. What is the role of personality and intelligence in the prediction of life events? How important is intelligence for your career? Do personality traits predict the duration of a marriage? In the fourth part, students focus on applications of personality theory and findings in practice. How is knowledge on personality and intelligence applied in clinical and organizational settings? What kind of practical implications can be derived from personality research?

Students pursue an area of study in their major which is not available in the normal framework of the Undergraduate Study Abroad Program. Applicants for such study are expected to develop a sound rationale for their individual research project which requires faculty guidance and must reflect an intensive research project. This course is supervised one hour weekly for the duration of the 11 week semester.