96468 - Communication Psychology

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, students will know the main psychological models of communication, the characteristics of verbal and non-verbal communication, and the mechanisms underlying persuasive communication. They will also understand the role of perceptual, attentional, memory, emotional, and decision-making processes in communication and consumer behaviour.

Students will acquire basic knowledge of the main methods used in neuromarketing and will be able to apply the concepts covered in the course to the analysis of messages, advertising campaigns, products, and consumer contexts, with particular reference to the food and wine sector.

Course contents

The course introduces the main psychological approaches to the study of communication, with particular emphasis on the following topics:

• models of communication and main theoretical approaches;
• verbal communication, communicative intention, context, and pragmatics;
• non-verbal communication: voice, facial expressions, gaze, gestures, posture, and proxemics;
• persuasive communication: source characteristics, message structure, framing, and the main models of persuasion;
• principles and methods of neuromarketing;
• perceptual, attentional, and memory processes relevant to communication;
• emotions, emotional communication, and consumer behaviour;
• decision-making processes, heuristics, and cognitive biases;
• applications to advertising, packaging, restaurants, and the communication of food products.

Readings/Bibliography

• Lotto, L., & Rumiati, R. (Eds.), Introduzione alla psicologia della comunicazione, Il Mulino.

• Baldocchi, M., Neurofood. Il neuromarketing applicato al mondo dell’enogastronomia.

•  Slides, scientific articles, and additional materials made available by the lecturer on the Virtuale platform.

•  Materials uploaded to Virtuale are an integral part of the examination syllabus.

Teaching methods

The course consists mainly of lectures supported by the presentation and discussion of examples, images, videos, advertising campaigns, and applied case studies. Particular attention will be devoted to applications of communication psychology and neuromarketing to the food, wine, gastronomy, and restaurant sectors.

Short exercises, demonstrations, and guided discussions may also be included to help students apply theoretical concepts to real-life communication situations.

Assessment methods

The final examination consists of a written test covering the topics addressed during the course.

The test includes 17 multiple-choice questions and 2 open-ended questions, to be completed within a maximum of 90 minutes.

Each multiple-choice question includes three response options, only one of which is correct. Scores are assigned as follows:

• 1 point for each correct answer;
• 0 points for each incorrect or unanswered question.

Each open-ended question is worth up to 7 points. The maximum overall score is therefore 31 points. The examination is passed with a score of at least 18 points. A score of 31 corresponds to 30/30 with honours.

For example, a student obtaining 14 points in the multiple-choice section, 3 points in the first open-ended question, and 2 points in the second open-ended question will receive a final grade of 19/30.

Assessment criteria

The assessment will take into account:

• knowledge of the theories, concepts, and key authors covered in the course;
• ability to apply the acquired knowledge to practical contexts and case studies, including examples from neuromarketing and persuasive communication;
• ability to analyse and establish logical connections between different topics;
• clarity of expression and appropriate use of technical terminology;
• independent study of selected topics, where required, including scientific articles provided during the course.

Students with learning disorders and\or temporary or permanent disabilities: please, contact the office responsible (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students ) as soon as possible so that they can propose acceptable adjustments. The request for adaptation must be submitted in advance (15 days before the exam date) to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of the adjustments, taking into account the teaching objectives.

Teaching tools

Lecture slides, scientific articles, images, videos, exercises, and applied case studies will be made available through the Virtuale platform.

Office hours

See the website of Andrea Pavan