Experimental psychology, 15 credits

Ma B, Sh A with at least the Pass grade/3.

Part 1

On completion of the course, the student should be able to

• account for how our sensory organs and our brain interpret the environment in psychological meaningful units and various theories about this
• account for the principles of how we pay attention to certain information but not other
• give examples of working tasks for clinical psychologists and discuss different aspects of this profession

Part 2

On completion of the course, the student should be able to

• account for basic driving forces such as for instance hunger, thirst and sexuality based on a psychological, evolutionary and neuro-scientific perspective
• account for basic emotions and reflect on in what way, feelings (or emotions) such as joy, anger or shame play a central role in the life of people • account for the stress concept from a biopsychosocial perspective

Part 3

On completion of the course, the student should be able to

• define and understand the meaning of descriptive statistical concepts (e.g. population, random samples, measures of central tendency, variance) and statistical inferences (e.g. significance, significance level, intra-person and inter-person comparisons, t-tests), and be able to discuss and carry out statistical analyses of simple experimental data

• account for the principles of experiment planning and analyse strengths and weaknesses of experimental methodology in different research contexts
• plan and carry out a laboratory session in the form of a small experiment and in writing be able to analyse, report and discuss the results of this
• discuss his own as well as another student's report of an implemented experiment in a seminar

The main part of the teaching takes place in the form of lectures/seminars where the students are encouraged to active participation. Further, demonstrations and statistical calculation exercises, and an implementation of a laboratory work, are included. This implies that the students in groups formulate a question for an experiment, and plan, implement, analyse, report and discuss this.

The course is examined separately for each part. The grades Fail (U), Pass (G) and Pass with distinction (VG) are applied:

Part 1 and 2:
1) These two parts are examined separately in a common written examination at the end of the course. The two part examinations are graded separately with Fail/Pass/Pass with distinction.

1)

Part 3:
1) This part is examined through a) two written examinations (grades Fail/Pass/Pass with distinction), and b) a written report of an implemented group laboratory session, and oral public review of this in a seminar. It is also required that the group acts as a critic of another group's report (grades Fail/Pass). For a Pass grade in this part, a Pass grade is required both in a) and b). A Pass with distinction requires a Pass with distinction in one of the written exams and a Pass in the group laboratory session.
2)

Participation in laboratory sessions and calculation exercises, and certain seminars are compulsory for a Pass grade. For a Pass grade in the whole course, at least a Pass in all the parts of the course is required. For Pass with distinction in whole course, Passed with distinction is required in at least two of the three parts of the course.

Make-up opportunities for examinations are provided according to KI's guidelines.

The interim regulations follow KI's local guidelines.

Course evaluation, based on the expected learning outcomes of the syllabus, takes place according to KI's local guidelines. Results and possible actions are communicated to the students in the course web page.