| Unit name | Myths and Misconceptions about Psychology |
|---|---|
| Unit code | PSYC10005 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | C/4 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24) |
| Unit director | Professor. Hood |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
Registered on Single Honours Psychology |
| Co-requisites | |
| School/department | School of Psychological Science |
| Faculty | Faculty of Life Sciences |
This unit is designed to counter common misconceptions that are currently pervasive in our society and explain why they are wrong or inaccurate. Not only are popular psychology myths misleading about human nature, but they also lead many to make unwise decisions. For example, many myths are exploited by some individuals for financial gain whereas others can be dangerous or lead to injustice. The aim of this unit is to consider common myths from a scientific perspective, and in doing so, cover many of the key empirical studies in the history of psychology.
On completion of this unit, students will have acquired a conceptual understanding and appreciation that psychology is not just common sense but rather, a necessarily scientific approach to dealing with the foibles of human thought and behaviour. They will also have learnt about the key studies in psychology over the last 100 or so years, and some of the notable issues which are still of interest to psychologists today.
This unit comprises 24 x 1 hour lectures with 2 hours per week scheduled for developing the portfolio. Tutorials (1 hour bi-weekly run through the personal tutoring system) also feed into this unit.
1. Portfolio and critique (50%) Students collect information on myths and misconceptions on a weekly basis and build a portfolio which they submit at the end of the unit with a 1600 word critique of their material.
2. Written examination (50%) mid-term.
Essential
Recommended
