SUBJECT (MODULE) DESCRIPTION. Form of implementation Period Language of instruction Classroom Autumn semester Lithuanian

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1 PSYCHOLOGY SUBJECT (MODULE) DESCRIPTION The name of the academic subject (module) Code Staff Co-ordinator: Irena Žukauskaitė Other(s): Faculty of Economics Division First Cycle of studies Elective Type of the subject (module) Form of implementation Period Language of instruction Classroom Autumn semester Lithuanian Prerequisites: Requirements for student Additional requirements (if any): Volume of the subject (module) in credits Total student s workload Contact hours Independent work hours Aims of the subject (module): competences to be built by the study programme To provide the knowledge about the principal mental phenomena, the methods, branches, and theories of psychology; to teach to understand and to scientifically explain different mental and social phenomena and the opportunities of application of the science of psychology; to teach to collect information, to critically assess it, and to present it to others in an understable way. Intended outcomes of the subject (module) Student will know about the object of psychology as a science and professional activity, its function and the place in the system of sciences; they will know the principal research methods of psychology and the opportunities of their application, as well as a diversity of mental phenomena. Students will understand and will be able to explain different mental and social phenomena and their causes on the basis of major theories and laws of psychology; they will understand the opportunities of application of the science of psychology in the solution of theoretical issues and practical problems of mental health. They will be able to collect information on a relevant theme from the area of psychology, to assess the validity of information, to analyze the collected information and on the basis of the analysis to prepare and make a on the chosen theme. Themes Study methods Lectures (problem-based teaching with visual demonstration, watching extracts from films and discussing them), discussions, assignment solution (analysis of case studies, thinking of examples, comparison of theories, idea generation, and critical analysis) in seminars and independently; discussion of studentprepared s. Preparing and of a report on a chosen subject, debate, discussion of student-prepared s assignment solution (analysis of case studies, thinking of examples, comparison of theories, idea generation, and critical analysis) in seminars and independently; discussion and explanation of visual Preparing and of a report (work with a text, research into a problem and its ), the defence of the presented theses, explanation to others, and argumentation. Contact hours Assessment methods A written test (open and / or closed questions) A written test (open and / or closed questions) Assessment of the text and its oral and written Independent work assignments

2 Lectures Consultations Seminars Practical classes Practical classes Lab works Practice Total contact hours 1. Introductory. Definition of psychology and its structural parts. The nature of psychology, its structure, subbranches, and major categories. 2.The soul-body problem in pre-scientific psychology. Students are introduced to the development of the science of psychology and principal statements of the thinkers of Antiquity, Middle Ages, and Renaissance. Independent work Assignments (1) p. 4-29, (2) p.6-20, (5) p. 8-26, (5) p. 8-11,. 3. Nature and experience. Feature theories. Biogenetic and sociogenetic psychology. The ideas of F. Galton, A. Binet, W. Sheldon, and E. Kretchmer. The five factor approach. 4. Psychodynamic psychology. Students are introduced to the ideas of psychodynamic psychology. S. Freud s theory: the conception of subconsciousness, personality structures, the conceptions of personality development, the formation of mental difficulties, and therapy. Post-Freudist ideas are presented. 5. Humanist and existential psychology. The ideas of humanist psychology (works of C. Rogers, A Maslow), their application and criticism. statements of existential psychology and their assessment (V. Frankl, M. Seligman). 6. Behaviourism (behaviour theories). Learning. Students are introduced to major principles of behaviourism. Laws of classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and learning by observing are analyzed. Punishment efficiency and reinforcement possibilities are discussed. 7. Memory. Memory operation principles and functions are discussed. Students sensory and short-term memory is assessed. Patterns of forgetting are explained. 6 (1) p , (2) p , (5) p , (1) p , (5) p , (5) p , (1) p , (2) p , (1) p , (2) p ,

3 8. Senses. Perception. Types of sensory systems and basic principles of their operation are discussed. Sensory thresholds and characteristics of adaptation are introduced. The problems of the perception of space, form, faces, and time are analyzed. Perception illusions are presented. 9. Attention. Levels and states of consciousness. Functions of attention and factors that affect attention are analyzed. Students are introduced to consciousness and the ways of its studies. Theories of the stages of sleep and their change are discussed. Students learn about meditation, hypnosis, and mental states caused by psychotropic substances. 10. Thinking. Imagination. Students are introduced to operations of thinking. Thinking is analyzed as the development of concepts and as problem solution. Different ways of search for solution are analyzed: trial and error method, heuristics and algorithms. Introduction to the nature of images and the opportunities of imagination application (1) p , (2) p , (3), (5) p , (2) p.56-67, material. (1) p , (2) p , (5) p , 11. Language and intelligence. Students

4 are introduced to principal functions of language and explained different types of speech. Various theories of intelligence are analyzed, the ways of IQ calculation are explained, and intelligence tests used in Lithuania are presented. 12. Emotions. Stress. Students are introduced to the functions of emotions and their principal components. The phenomenon of stress and the ways of its management are discussed. 13.Motivation. Students are introduced to the theories of homeostasis, stimulation, social justice, and psychoanalytical motivation, as well as to the links between motivation, the complexity of the task, and performance quality. Internal and external motivation factors and the opportunities of motivation enhancement are analyzed. 14. Social psychology. Students are introduced to the principal categories of social psychology: social needs, social perception, and group psychology. They are presented classical experiments of S. Milgram (obedience to authority), P. Zimbardo (prison roles), and S. Asch (1) p , (2) p , (5) p , (1) p , , (2) p , (5) p , (1) p , (2) p , (1) p , (4), (5) p , ,

5 (conformism). 15. Mental phylogenesis and ontogenesis. Students are introduced to the periodization of mental development and characteristics of each stage of the development. Sensitive periods and crisis in the personality development are analyzed Psychology as a science. Psychology research strategies. Summary of the course. strategies of psychological research are introduced and differences between them are explained. Research stages, the ways of data collection, and formulation of conclusions are explained Total (2) p.47-53, (2) p.22-34, Assessment strategy A written test (it may be taken in the E-studies and Examination Centre of VU) Share Time of in % assessment 70 During the exam session Assessment of s 30 During the semester Criteria of assessment The test consists of questions on the materials presented in s; each correct answer is assessed by 1 point. The points are translated into a 10-point system, by including the numbers after the decimal point, e.g.: 10; 9,5; 9; 8,6, etc. ). The criteria of assessment of student-prepared s: 1. The knowledge of literature and its understanding, distinguishing between reliable and unreliable information sources; justification of the ideas, argumentation (the content of the 40% of the grade, from 0 to 10 points). 2. Fluency, clarity, attractiveness of the and involvement of the audience (30% of the grade). 3. Activity and participation in listening to peer s (30% of the grade). Author Compulsory literature 1 Meyers D. G Published in 2000, Lapė J., Navikas G Title Psichologija (Psychology) Psichologijos įvadas (Intro to Psychology) Volume of a periodical or publication Place of publishing, publishing house, or Internet reference Kaunas : Poligrafija ir informatika Vilnius : LTU

6 Supplementary literature 3 Vaitkevičius H. P Pojūčiai ir suvokimas (Senses and Perception) Socialinė psichologija: vadovėlis aukštųjų mokyklų studentams ir ne tik jiems 4 Suslavičius A 2006 (Social Psychology: a textbook for university students, and not only to them). 5 Red. G. Matulienė 202 Psichologija studentui (Psychology for Student). 6. Red. Almonaitienė J Bendravimo psichologija (Communication Psychology) Vilnius: VU leidykla Vilnius: VU leidykla Kaunas: Technologija Kaunas: KTU