01230 - General Psychology I

Learning outcomes

The course intends to offer an analytic panorama of the actual knowledge in the field of general psychology and cognitive processes. Fundamental concepts will be introduced for being able to correctly appraise the history and the development of the fundamental concepts of cognitive sciences. Furthermore the students will study, during the course, basic methological aspects related to the study of the human behaviour.

Course contents

The course is designed to provide knowledge of the cognitive basis   of human behaviour. Topics related to history, methods of research, memory, learning, thinking, knowledge representation, cognitive processes in different states of consciousness (with particular attention to the study of mental activity during sleep).

The contents are the following schedule:

Historical introduction to scientific psychology: phenomenology, behaviorism, cognitivism, recent developments in neuroscience with particular reference to the mind-brain problem;

Methods in psychological research;

Cognitive processes: learning, memory, thinking, consciousness;

Specific aspects of behaviour: cognitive processes during sleep will be investigated within the study of states of consciousness.

The course will take place during the first cycle of lectures (from September to December 2020)

Readings/Bibliography

Occhionero M. (a cura di). Introduzione alla Psicologia Generale. Carocci, 2018. Capitoli: 1, 2, 5, 6, 8

Turatto, M. (a cura di). Psicologia Generale. Mondadori Università, 2018. Capitolo 9

Ficca G., Fabbri M. (a cura di). Psicologia del sonno. Maggioli Editore, 2019. Capitoli 1, 4, 5, 6,

D'Urso V., Giusberti F. Esperimenti di Psicologia. Zanichelli, 2000. (Capp. 1,6,9,10,11,12,13,17,18)

Teaching methods

Frontal lectures

Assessment methods

Instruments such as calculation aids or vocabularies are not permitted assessment of learning takes place only through the final exam that tests the acquisition of knowledge and skills expected by a written test lasting 45 minutes without the help of notes or books.
The written test consists of 60 multiple choice questions. For each correct answer the score is 0.50. Both a wrong answer and a question not answered are worth 0 points. Scores are rounded up. If you provide a correct answer to all 60 questions, the final score is 30 marks cum laude

The test is passed if the score obtained is at least 18 points.

Instruments such as calculation aids or vocabularies are not permitted.

Enrollment in the tests will always take place through the Alma Esami application.

Teaching tools

During the lectures, slides will be projected and discussed. The slides will be available to students on the University's web platform Virtuale (specific directions will be given during class and also made available by email).

Office hours

See the website of Miranda Occhionero