Introduction to Psychology (CO1007Z)

Content

Counselling and psychology are allied, but different, professions within a broader mental health industry. Counselling is more practical whereas psychology is more scientific. That said, psychology gives you 'the why' for what you do in session with a client. Therefore its importance cannot be under-estimated. Given this, in the present unit you will learn about: (1) how we are constructed from biological principles; (2) what motivates clients to change their behaviour; (3) how clients learn to change their behaviour; (4) the plasticity of memory as it may be observed in session; (5) the nature of emotions expressed by clients; (6) ways to understand a client’s personality; (7) the multi-facetted nature of human lifespan development; (8) issues in abnormal psychology; and (9) how living as a community influences client behaviour. The bio-psycho-social model will also be extended to include the spiritual given that many clients hold a religious worldview. By engaging these topics you will develop an awareness for the value of evidence-based practice.

Learning outcomes

Unit sequence

Offering: This unit is to be taught in year 1, semester 2 (term 4). Prerequisites: NA Prohibited combinations: NA

Pedagogy

Scaffolded learning In practice: This is a collaborative way of learning that takes note of the learner’s zone of proximal development (ZPD). By repeatedly extending the learner’s ZPD they develop a comprehensive and integrated system of knowledge/skills. Scaffolded learning is achieved through the provision of online modules which clearly guide a student’s learning; through activities of increased complexity during intensives; by face-to-face seminars which are tailored to induce academic/professional growth in an ordered and coherent way; and by assessments which not only seek to identify that key knowledge/skills have been learnt, but that the student is developing an integrated understanding of counselling.

Indicative Bibliography

1. Allen, B. (2005). Personality theories: Development, growth, and diversity. Routledge.
2. Baddeley, A. (2004). Your memory: A user’s guide. Firefly.
3. Burton, L., Westen, D., & Kowalski, R. (2018). Psychology: Fifth Australian and New Zealand Edition. John Wiley & Sons Australia.
4. Heaven, P. (2001). The social psychology of adolescence. Pelgrave.
5. Malaty, T. (2003). Let me grow!: A realistic view into the world of youth. St Mary and St Mina’s Coptic Orthodox Church.
6. Moore, D. (2015). The developing genome: An introduction to behavioral epigenetics. Oxford University Press.
7. Osborne, R., Esterline Lafuze, J., & Perkins, D. (2016). Case analyses for Abnormal Psychology: Learning to look beyond the symptoms (2nd edition). Routledge.
8. Reimer, M., Reich, S., Evans, S., Nelson, G., & Prilleltensky, I. (Eds.). Community Psychology: In pursuit of liberation and well-being (3rd edition). Bloomsbury.
9. Stevens, F. (2022). Affective Neuroscience in psychotherapy: A clinician's guide for working with emotions. Routledge.
10. Sunstein, C., & Thaler, R. (2022). Nudge: Improving decisions about health, wealth and happiness. Penguin.

Textbook is: Burton, L., Westen, D., & Kowalski, R. (2022). Psychology: Sixth Australian and New Zealand edition. John Wiley & Sons Australia.

Assessment