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Psychology for the Public Good - PSY00020I

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  • Department: Psychology
  • Module co-ordinator: Dr. Bailey House
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: I
  • Academic year of delivery: 2023-24
    • See module specification for other years: 2024-25

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Semester 2 2023-24

Module aims

As individuals our actions are guided by many different psychological systems and processes, yet our individual actions can collectively have major consequences for other people and society at large. What are the different psychological factors – both individual and social – which can motivate people to change real-world behaviour in ways that benefit themselves…and which also increase public good? This module introduces a number of psychological factors which have been studied by fields within Psychology, Health Sciences, Environmental Sciences and Economics (among others) as tools for motivating beneficial changes in behaviour.

Module learning outcomes

  • To describe theoretical models of the psychology of behaviour change.
  • To explain how psychological factors can motivate real-world behaviours relevant to the public good.
  • To describe and apply methods for empirically studying the links between psychology and real-world behaviours.

Module content

This module introduces a number of psychological factors which have been studied by fields within Psychology, Health Sciences, Environmental Sciences and Economics (among others) as tools for motivating beneficial changes in behaviour. Some of these factors are individual, they concern our own knowledge and beliefs about a behaviour, its costs and benefits to us personally. Other factors are social, they concern our beliefs about what others are doing or what others want us to do, and how this might affect us. Some specific examples of factors are: Perceived Susceptibility to disease, beliefs about Self-Efficacy for overcoming barriers, Attitudes about a behaviour itself and its outcome, the Intention-Behaviour Gap, Descriptive Norms and Social Norms. Students will use their understanding of these (and other) factors to (i) generate proposals for how interventions can change real-world behaviours, and (ii) to conduct their own research on how psychological factors predict real-world behaviour.

Assessment

Task Length % of module mark
Closed/in-person Exam (Centrally scheduled)
Psychology for the Public Good		 1.5 hours 50
Essay/coursework
Practical Report		 N/A 50

Special assessment rules

None

Reassessment

Task Length % of module mark
Closed/in-person Exam (Centrally scheduled)
Psychology for the Public Good		 1.5 hours 50
Essay/coursework
Practical Report		 N/A 50

Module feedback

The marks on all assessed work will be provided on e-vision.

Indicative reading

None specified.


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University is constantly exploring ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary by the University. Where appropriate, the University will notify and consult with affected students in advance about any changes that are required in line with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.