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An introduction to the brain and its role in thought and behaviour, and to perception, learning and cognition.
Psychology is a popular choice among a wide variety of students. Psychology can be included in degrees in arts, science, law, commerce, education, music, and fine arts. Anyone eligible to attend university may enrol in first year psychology. Psychology is commonly chosen as the majoring subject for students graduating Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BSc).Two 15-point introductory courses are available. Together they provide a general introduction to the major fields within psychology.PSYC105 (S1) and PSYC106 (S2) are the prerequisite courses for advancement to any PSYC 200 course.Major domains covered in PSYC105 include:• Neuroscience and Behaviour – an introduction to the brain structures and processes that underlie behaviour, language and human cognition and how normal brain functioning may be affected by drugs, disease and injury. • Learning and Behaviour Change – how the principles of observational, learning and operant and respondent conditioning are used to acquire and maintain desirable behaviours in the behaviour repertoire and how they can be used to modify behaviours that are maladaptive and antisocial. • The senses and perception – how sensors and associated brain systems (e.g. vision, hearing, pain) detect and process information about our physical environment and our bodies in adaptively useful ways.• Memory, Reasoning and Intelligence. How the human memory system is organized to retain information from the present that will be useful later to solve problems, make inferences and reason and how intelligence tests are constructed and used.WHAT BACKGROUND IS NEEDED TO STUDY PSYCHOLOGY?Curiosity and an eagerness to acquire new information along with regular attendance at lecture and laboratory classes and the self discipline required to undertake unsupervised personal study are essential. No particular subject backgrounds are required if you have met the general university entrance requirements via NCEA or an equivalent route but students who have studied biology or any other science, or statistics or maths to NCEA levels 2 or 3 will find these useful preparation, but they are NOT essential. If you are more than 20 years of age and without university entrance qualifications, then competence in mathematics to NCEA level 1 and reading and writing in English to NCEA level 2 are assumed along with the ability to use a computer for word processing and internet access.WHAT PSYC105 AND PSYC106 LEADS TO: Any PSYC200 level Psychology courses.Comprehensive information is available about all courses in psychology in the Psychology Department's Handbook which can be downloaded as a pdf from the Department's Home Page/Quick Links, or you can request a hard copy by emailing: psychology@canterbury.ac.nz
On successfully passing this course, students will:(a) Have learned some of the key terms used in the study of brain and behaviour, learning and behaviour change, human sensation, perception and cognition.(b) Have gained an understanding of key concepts and theories in psychopharmacology and neuropsychology, learning and behaviour change, the human senses and perception, human memory, reasoning and intelligence testing. (c) Have through laboratory classes gained experience and an elementary understanding of how experimental methods are used to gain scientific knowledge in psychology.(d) Have demonstrated elementary abilities in handling quantitative data in psychology.(e) Have demonstrated abilities to write clearly about research procedures and data in a research report.(f) Have practiced effective study skills.
PSYC103, PSYC104
For further information see School of Psychology, Speech and Hearing Head of Department
Please be aware you will need the current edition (6th) of Peter Gray's 'Psychology' from the very first lecture (required reading) but it is not essential to own the 'recommended reading' book of 'Writing for Psychology' until after the course has started.
Library portalCourse Information Summary
Domestic fee $748.00
International fee $3,388.00
* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.
For further information see School of Psychology, Speech and Hearing .