Introduction to Psychology

Welcome to PSYC 2028AED Introduction to Psychology! This is a six-credit, 2000-level DL undergraduate course within the Bachelor of Social Sciences (BSSC), Bachelor of Social Sciences with Honours (BSSCH), Bachelor of Social Sciences in Psychology Studies (BSSCPS) and Bachelor of Social Sciences with Honours in Psychology Studies (BSSCHPS) programmes.

This course intends to introduce the scientific study of psychology, and establish a solid foundation for further exploration in psychology. It broadly covers the major concepts, theories, theoretical approaches, and empirical findings in different areas of specialisation. It also demonstrates the applications of psychology in our daily contexts.

This course will be delivered in a custom textbook format, supplemented by a Study Guide, online multimedia components, and face-to-face sessions.

Course aims

PSYC 2028AED Introduction to Psychology aims to provide you with a critical understanding of the:

• major concepts and theories of psychology;
• major theoretical approaches of psychology;
• research of psychology;
• applications of psychology in daily contexts; and
• current development and debates in psychology.

Course learning outcomes

Upon the completion of PSYC 2028AED Introduction to Psychology, you should be able to:

• explain basic concepts and theories of psychology;
• outline the methods and findings of basic psychological research;
• compare and contrast the major theoretical approaches of psychology, and examine their significance and limitations;
• apply basic concepts and theories of psychology in daily contexts; and
• examine the current development and/or debates in psychology.

In this custom textbook approach, different learning modules have been carefully selected by the course team from two leading psychology textbooks and organised into a single volume specifically designed for PSYC 2028AED students. By incorporating the latest editions of book chapters, exercises and self-tests, the custom textbook will provide you with comprehensive coverage of the major concepts, theoretical perspectives and real-world applications in psychology.

In addition to the custom textbook, you will be working through the course using an HKMU- produced Study Guide. The Study Guide leads you along your study pathway unit by unit, providing commentary on each textbook chapter and supplementary self-learning and self- assessment opportunities.

The third main point of reference for learning resources during the course is HKMU's Online Learning Environment (OLE). There, you will have access to multimedia materials and you will be able to discuss topics with other students and your tutor on the course discussion board. This course is further supported by regular face-to-face meetings in the form of tutorials and day schools.

The custom textbook

The title of the custom textbook is PSYC 2028AED Introduction to Psychology. The chapters are selected from the following textbooks:

• King, L. A. (2020). The science of psychology: An appreciative view (5th ed.). McGraw- Hill Education.
• Feldman, R. (2020). Understanding psychology (15th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.

The Study Guide will indicate at which point you should read each chapter of the custom textbook.

The Study Guide

The Study Guide sets out your study pathway through the custom textbook and other course learning resources. It serves as a guide to the textbook chapters, helping you to organise major ideas with tools like tables and diagrams. It also contains activities and self-tests to facilitate your learning and revision. You'll therefore need to keep it by your side as you work through the course.

The Study Guide is divided into ten units. The titles of the units and the custom textbook chapters they will cover are set out in the following table.

E-Library E-Reserve readings

In the Study Guide, you may be instructed to read articles in the E-Library E-Reserve. To read these items, go to the University's E-Library homepage and click on 'E-Reserve'. Log in, click 'Accept/Agree' on the Copyright Restrictions page, fill in the 'Course Code' box, and click 'Search'. Alternatively, you may access the readings via a hyperlink in the online course materials.

The Online Learning Environment (OLE)

This course is supported by HKMU's Online Learning Environment (OLE). You will find course materials and the latest course information on the OLE. You can also communicate with your tutor, the Course Coordinator and classmates through the OLE discussion board.

Face-to-face support

You will be supported throughout the course by regular face-to-face meetings in the form of tutorials and day schools. Ten tutorials will be arranged to highlight the key concepts of the units whilst two day schools will be held. Details of the dates and times of these sessions can be found in the Course Schedules page of the OLE.

Assessment

This course is designed to enable you to move easily from the stated objectives, through the study units to the assignments. During the course, you will have your progress assessed both formally (through summative assessment) and informally (through formative assessment).

• Formative assessment includes various self-assessment activities (e.g. self-tests, activities, and online discussions) that you will undertake while working through the study units. These activities allow you to develop and monitor your own progress.
• Summative assessment consists of three assignments.

Assignments

Your performance is assessed by continuous assessment, taking up 100% of course grade.
There are three assignments for the course. You will be expected to apply concepts and techniques acquired during the course when completing assignments.

• Assignment 1, worth 40%, evaluates materials covered in Units 1 to 4.
• Assignment 2, worth 30%, evaluates materials covered in Units 5 to 7.
• Assignment 3, worth 30%, evaluates materials covered in Units 8 to 10.

How to submit assignments

You must use word processing software (such as Microsoft Word) to prepare the assignments. The Assignment File gives you details on how to present and submit your assignments. Please refer to the OLE Assignments → General Information section. Please also read the Student Handbook for HKMU's policy on late assignments.

Assignments must reach your tutor by the due date shown on the presentation schedule (available on the OLE). If, for some good reason, you are unable to submit your assignment on time, you should, before the due date, ask your tutor or Course Coordinator for permission to submit it late. In general, you are expected to submit your assignments via the OLE. Assignments will be returned to you, marked and with commentary, as soon as possible.

Please note that there is no extension of the due date for the final assignment. For more information, please refer to your Student Handbook.

Course overview

The following table gives a general overview of the course structure. It suggests the amount of time you should allow for completing units and provides a broad schedule for you to plan your work. This estimation includes time for reading the units and custom textbook, completing activities, self-tests and assignments, and attending tutorials and day schools.

PSYC 2028AED aims to introduce the scientific study of psychology and provides a solid foundation for your further exploration in the subject. The units in this course cover the major concepts, theories, theoretical approaches, and empirical findings from different areas of specialisation, including biological psychology, cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, personality psychology, social psychology, health psychology and clinical psychology. After finishing this course, you may be amazed by how psychology contributes to our understanding of the human mind and behaviours. This course opens the door for you to better understand yourself and others by applying the knowledge you will gain.