76043 - General Psychology

Learning outcomes

At the end of the module, students will have acquired basic knowledge of the organization of human behavior, the main psychological functions (memory, learning, thinking, language, emotions, and motivation), and communication, both verbal and non-verbal.

Course contents

OBJECTS AND METHODS OF GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY: Experimental paradigms and the study of cognitive processes; behavioral, psychophysiological, EEG, and ERP measures; neuroimaging techniques.

EMOTIONS: Physiological bases of emotions. Subcomponents of emotional responses. Primary (basic) and secondary emotions. Characteristics of basic emotions. Expression and recognition of emotions. Cultural modulation of emotions.

STRESS AND COPING: Stressful events: definition and characteristics. Acute and chronic stress. Physiological responses to stress. Psychological responses to stress. Coping strategies. Burnout syndrome. Stress and work motivation. Stress and conflict in the workplace.

LEARNING: Habituation and sensitization; classical and operant conditioning; observational learning.

Readings/Bibliography

Textbook: Schacter, Gilbert, and Wegner (2010). Psicologia Generale. Zanichelli.

In addition, students are required to study the handouts provided by the instructor (corresponding to the lecture slides). These materials not only summarize the information presented in the textbook but also include additional content that may be assessed during the examination.

Teaching methods

Teaching materials and methods: Slides, software for illustrating experimental tasks, videos, and practical exercises involving psychological tests.

Assessment methods

Assessment methods: The final grade for the course is determined through a written examination consisting of multiple-choice questions with four answer options, covering the main topics and learning objectives of the course. The test includes 31 questions, and students have 20 minutes to complete it.

The grade obtained for this module will be combined with the grades achieved in the other modules of the integrated course through a weighted average based on the number credits (CFU) assigned to each module.

Teaching tools

Teaching materials: The teaching materials presented during lectures will be made available in electronic format on the Virtuale page corresponding to the course.

Office hours

See the website of Maria Ida Gobbini