Psychology

The course covers human psychological development from childhood to old age and methods used in research in development psychology. It describes theoretical perspectives on personality and related fields of application. The course consists of four modules, this is the second module: Development in Adults. The module covers development during adulthood and the aging process based on theories of developmental, personality, and social psychology. Different aspects of aging are addressed, such as stress, mental and physical health, and ill health.

This course is an introduction to the burgeoning field of philosophy of psychiatry. Against a solid historical background, the course sets out to present, examine, and discuss concepts fundamental to our understanding of mental illness (mind, body, self, person, rationality, emotion, normality/disorder), the meaning of psychopathology, the relationship between biology (genetics, evolutionary biology, and neuroscience in particular) and subjectivity, and the question of therapy (the values and norms of well-being).

This course examines the interaction between humans and technology. On an applied level, it discusses how systems should be designed to promote the greatest possible degree of efficiency, safety, and health. The course largely focuses on complex socio-technical systems, such as control room systems, navigation in maritime environments, railway systems, and tunnels. It also considers the design of less complex systems such as websites and software, consumer electronics, and signage systems. The course discusses how human-technology interaction informs wider organizational systems, such as training, selection, reward systems, stress management programs, and deviation regulation. Risk and risk perception, as well as safety culture, are also central themes in the course. On a deeper academic level, the course is central to the study of consciousness, and forms part of a wider discussion within cognitive science.

This course deals with dating, mating, and close (intimate) relationships. Although other relationships such as family and friendship are addressed, the main focus is on adult romantic relationships. It discusses core concepts and frameworks of close relationships (attachment, interdependence, love); cycles of close relationships from stages of initial attraction (and underlying mechanisms) to relationship formation, maintenance, repair, and in some cases dissolution; important aspects of close relationships such as trust, commitment, satisfaction, and sacrifice; communication and interaction patterns, conflict, and the relationship’s social context; and dishonesty in romantic relationships and ongoing research. Throughout the course and more in-depth towards the end, it also addresses crucial contemporary matters such as cross-cultural differences and multi-ethnic couples; the LGBTQIA+ community; technology and online dating; and casual, short-term, and non-monogamous relationships. 

PSYE60 is an introductory course to human and artificial cognition. During the course, students learn about how artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to understand human behavior and how psychological phenomena in people can be found in artificial intelligence. The course emphasizes understanding of how natural cognition can be understood with the help of artificial cognition and how psychological phenomena arise in artificial cognition. Application is made in neural networks, natural language processing, AI-generated images, and how AI affects society.

This course provides an overview of the field of clinical psychology. It focuses on the profession, science, and practice of clinical psychology through lectures, readings, and video clips. Lectures highlight major aspects of clinical psychology, including historical background and current controversies; professional activities of clinical psychologists, such as assessment, diagnosis, and intervention of mental illnesses, and  methods of clinical science.

This course provides the opportunity for students to engage critically with the philosophical literature on the concept of political liberty. Students read and discuss key texts in modern political philosophy, beginning with Thomas Hobbes's Leviathan. Students critically analyze the various ways in which liberty has been conceptualized by the most important political thinkers in the modern era.