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PS5011: BIOLOGICAL PSYCHOLOGY (2015-2016)

Last modified: 25 Mar 2016 11:39


Course Overview

Psychological assessment is used by psychologists in a number of areas, including clinical, occupational and forensic settings. The aim of this course is to introduce students to psychometric theory, real life applications of psychological assessment, and the legal and ethical issues surrounding test administration. Topics covered on this lecture based course include: IQ and mood assessment, clinical neuropsychological tests of cognitive function and memory, assessment of dementia, and forensic aspects of assessment (legal malingering).

Course Details

Study Type Postgraduate Level 5
Term First Term Credit Points 15 credits (7.5 ECTS credits)
Campus Old Aberdeen Sustained Study No
Co-ordinators
  • Dr David Sutherland

Qualification Prerequisites

None.

What courses & programmes must have been taken before this course?

  • Any Postgraduate Programme (Studied)
  • MSc Psychological Studies (Studied)

What other courses must be taken with this course?

None.

What courses cannot be taken with this course?

None.

Are there a limited number of places available?

No

Course Description

The lectures on psychopharmacology will provide accounts of the neural mechanisms underlying the effects of common psychotropic medicines (including drugs used to treat schizophrenia, depression and anxiety) and recreational drugs (including alcohol, cocaine and ecstasy).
The lectures on Cognition and the Brain will consider the structuralist and funtionalist approaches within Biological Psychology. They will consider the way that each approach influences the kinds of research questions that are asked, and the answers that research provides to these questions. Throughout, they will consider the specific example of Memory, viewed from each perspective and, finally, consider ways of merging and reconciling both approaches.

Contact Teaching Time

Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.

Teaching Breakdown

More Information about Week Numbers


Details, including assessments, may be subject to change until 30 August 2024 for 1st term courses and 20 December 2024 for 2nd term courses.

Summative Assessments

1st Attempt: 1 two hour written examination (60%); One 2000 word essay (40%)

Resit: Students will resubmit any failed work or re-sit any failed examination. Each element's contribution will remain the same.

Formative Assessment

There are no assessments for this course.

Feedback

None.

Course Learning Outcomes

None.

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