This is an ARCHIVED version of the Kwantlen University College Calendar for
2004-2005 and is provided for historical reference only. See the current version of the
Calendar for updated information.
The on-line version of the University College Calendar is the Official version.
In the event of conflict between the printed version and the online version, the
on-line version will prevail.
Effective date of this course calendar information, unless otherwise indicated, is Sept. 1, 2004 to Aug. 31, 2005.
Psychology
These courses are reading and writing intensive. For information
on the Psychology degree, please go to the program section of the
calendar.
Contemporary psychology is a constantly evolving and rigorous
scientific discipline. At Kwantlen University College, first-year
courses introduce students to the major content areas, theories and
research methodology in psychology.
Second year courses offer students opportunities for in-depth
exploration of specific areas in the study of psychology, including
historical and philosophical foundations; life-span development;
psychopathology; clinical and forensic; social and personality;
various aspects of brain function & effects on behaviour;
perception and cognition; and research design and statistical
techniques for evaluation of data.
PSYC 1100 cr-3
Introduction to Psychology: Basic Processes
Students will study topics related to basic psychological processes.
They will examine areas such as the biological basis of behaviour,
sensation, perception, states of consciousness, learning and
memory. Students will learn about the historical and philosophical
context behind the development of psychology and the research
methods used by psychologists.
Introduction to Psychology: Areas and Applications
Students will study topics related to applications of psychological
processes. They will examine areas such as cognition, motivation,
emotion, theories of personality, development over the life span,
the psychology of health and well-being, psychological disorders,
approaches to treatment and therapy, and principles of social and
cultural psychology.
Students will learn how normal and abnormal behavior in both
humans and animals may be understood through knowledge of the
function of the brain, and its underlying structure. They will
examine psychophysiologists’ current understanding of the brain
and nervous system involvement in areas such as sensation,
perception, movement, memory, psychopathology, and recovery
from brain damage.
Students will study the process of human development from
conception to adolescence, including major principles of
development and the descriptive changes in child growth and
behaviour. They will study the implications of theory and research
findings for areas such as leaning, personality, social behaviour, and
psychopathology.
Students will examine the psychological development that occurs
during adolescence. They will examine the major theories and
research findings about adolescent development with a view to
their relevance to the lives of adolescents
Students will become familiar with the developmental processes
from young adulthood through old age. They will study the
implications of specific periods/stages, such as parenting, career
choice, role changes and losses, including dying and death.
Students will explore psychological processes that occur in groups
and their influence on the individual around such topics as
prejudice, aggression, interpersonal attraction and intimate
relationships, attitudes and persuasion, self-esteem, conformity and
decision main in law, business and health.
Students will be introduced to the human factors involved in the
development and functioning of organizations and to the behavior
of individuals and groups comprising them with an emphasis on
the applications of psychological principles of basic human
behavior and group dynamics in organizations.
Students will examine the major theoretical approaches to
classification and diagnosis of mental disorders, including
neuropsychological, psychodynamic, behavioral, cognitive and
humanistic/existential perspectives. They will explain the
characteristics of specific categories of these disorders, and to the
biochemical and interactive effects of biological, social and
psychological factors in their development. They will critically
analyze the historical and contemporary assumptions underlying
individual and societal attitudes toward mental illness.
Students will survey western personality theorists, including the
Psychoanalytic school (Freud, Jung, Erikson, Adler), the Existential
school (Laing, May), the Behavioral-Cognitive school (Skinner,
Rolter, Kelly), and the Humanistic school (Rogers, Maslow, among
others).
Students will study the psychology of perception, and will learn
about depth perception, color perception, attention, spatial
processing, audition and smell.
Students will apply the theory, principles and methods of research
learned in Social Psychology 2330 by doing an in-depth research
investigation in their chosen area of interest. They will present a
final research report orally and in written form.
Students will explore the practice of clinical psychology. They will
learn about assessment techniques, legal and ethical issues,
effectiveness of therapy and major theoretical approaches to
therapy.
Students will examine how psychological research and knowledge
pertain to law, criminality and civil procedure, with particular
emphasis on the Canadian justice system. They will review current
knowledge in the field of forensic psychology in the areas of police
investigations, eyewitness testimony, fitness to stand trial, jury
selection and deliberation, sentencing and parole issues, violence
and risk assessment, and civil matters such as workplace
harassment and family law. Students will also evaluate the
usefulness and limitations of psychological assessment and
treatment of offenders and inmates.
Students will learn to apply principles of psychology to create well-
functioning and efficient organizations. They will focus on
objectives, personnel selection and evaluation, employee
development and relationships, with an emphasis on the
application of psychological principles of individual behavior and
group dynamics in various types of community and industrial
organizations.
Students will learn about research designs and statistical analyses
commonly used in behavioural research, including analysis of
variance (ANOVA) models, correlation, regression and multiple
regression, as well as chi-square procedures, focusing on both
conceptual understanding and practical application. They will learn
computer software applications commonly used by potential
employers to analyze data sets and interpret results.
Students will become familiar with applying behavioural principles
and human factors methodologies to assessing and optimizing
human performance, well-being and safety in the work place. An
interdisciplinary systems perspective is used to examine inter-
relationships between workers, tasks and work environments.
Domains of application include manufacturing, transportation and
service industries.
Prerequisites: PSYC 1200 and 2300 or IDSN 2310 or permission of
instructor
Historical and Philosophical Foundations of Psychology
Students will critically analyze selected themes and thinkers within
the intellectual history of western civilization from early origins to
the 19th century, with particular emphasis on ideas that form the
background for modern psychology.
Prerequisites: PSYC 1200 or third year standing required (60 credits min.)
Students will examine and analyze original readings within the area
of Personality Theory. They will discuss and evaluate readings
from the following areas: psychoanalytic, analytical, object
relations, individual, interpersonal, existential and
phenomenological, humanistic, transpersonal, trait, behavioural,
feminist, biological, cognitive, somatic, and eastern perspectives.
Students will learn how to carry out research in the community
using experimental as well as quasi-experimental designs. They will
learn how to design and implement a study, analyze the results, and
communicate the findings to a variety of different audiences.
Students will survey select issues of interpersonal relations relevant
to working effectively with others and interacting successfully with
customers and clients. They will critically examine interpersonal
influence, theories of attitudes, persuasion, compliance and
leadership, and will learn to recognize their applications.
Students will learn how the discipline of psychology addresses the
prevention and treatment of illness, and the promotion of
psychological and physical health. They will explore the nature of
stress, illness-prone personality types, and health management
from a psychobiological perspective.
Students will learn the basic principles of neuropsychology as they
relate to brain function and behaviour, especially in the context of
the workplace and rehabilitation. Topics will include experimental
and clinical neuropsychology and neurology. Upon completion of
this course, students will understand sensory, motor, cognitive and
affective disturbances resulting from brain damage and
dysfunction, as well as their relationship to industrial accidents and
industrial rehabilitation programs.
Students will examine fundamental psychological processes from
mid-life onward, including current research with emphasis on
physical changes, sensation and perception, work, social
relationships, the self and sense of well-being. They will develop
skills and awareness of issues related to working with older adults.
Students will examine the psychology of consumer behavior and
advertising. They will review the cognitive and social psychological
literature with an emphasis on experimental research.
Students will learn theories, research findings, and techniques
applicable to training adult learners. They will explore a variety of
contexts within which adult students learn, and will practice
training techniques in simulated or actual settings.
Prerequisites: PSYC 1200 and 60 University Transfer credits.
Students will study cognitive processing as it relates to human-
machine interactions. They will examine information theory,
attention and spatial displays, language and communication,
memory, decision making, manual control, human error, process
control, automation, and human computer interaction, and will
explore several case studies in reference to these issues.
Students will learn to evaluate the effectiveness of human service
programs. They will learn to identify the elements of effective
programs, conduct needs assessments, and learn how to design and
implement evaluations of these programs. Additionally, students
will learn to liaise with different stakeholders.
Students will learn about social institutions and their policies and
how they affect the mental and physical health of individuals and
groups living within communities. They will learn about primary,
secondary and tertiary preventive strategies and measures that can
be used for promoting health used by community-based
multidisciplinary and multicultural agencies and programs.
Students will explore career opportunities within these programs.
Students will manage, design, prepare, and present a
comprehensive applied psychology project that will meet the
requirements of a client organization under the co-supervision of
the employer and a faculty member. They will meet regularly
throughout the semester with a faculty member to discuss their
progress, and will produce a final report describing their project
and its result upon completion of the practicum.
Students will study the basic principles of psychological testing
including norms, reliability, validity, item response theory, scaling,
scoring methods, item analysis, and ethical standards. They will
experience taking and interpreting tests. They will focus on the use
of appropriate standardized occupational tests and the
development of evaluation instruments in the work setting.
Students will study the human role in modern systems, with a focus
on the design of systems that optimize performance, productivity,
and human well-being. They will examine the history of human
factors and ergonomics; human and system capabilities and
limitations (physical, perceptual, and cognitive); environmental
stress effects; task analysis; performance measurement; human
error, and workspace design. Students will examine several case
studies that exemplify various types of human factors problems
and intervention strategies.
Students will learn how to design and administer research projects
using methodologies such as surveys, focus groups and archival
data. They will learn how to analyze qualitative data using
appropriate computer software applications
Students will survey select issues of interpersonal relations relevant
to working effectively with others and interacting successfully with
customers and clients. Students will critically examine interpersonal
problems and solutions involved in working with, understanding,
and getting along with others. Topics will include conflict,
cooperation, prejudice, cultural diversity, and community
psychology.
Students will examine the purpose, methods, and findings of
psychologists who compare behaviours across diverse cultures,
including parenting practices, the perception and diagnosis of
illness, marital and sexual relations, and intercultural contact and
conflict. They will experience cultural differences and similarities
through interviews, guest speakers, and volunteer placements, and
will increase their understanding of the reasons for different
behaviours and beliefs across cultures, and develop greater
intercultural sensitivity and respect.
Students will examine ethical codes/requirements and issues in
applied research, and regulations governing the practice of
psychology in Canada and the US and, more specifically, in British
Columbia. Students will also prepare for job searching by creating
effective portfolios and resumes, and by developing effective job
search techniques and interviewing styles.
Students will engage in an intensive study of a selected topic in
psychology. This study will include the development of a proposal,
writing reports and presenting the results.
Note: The area of study will be established in advance by the
department.
Students will learn the basic principles of neuropsychology as they
relate to brain function and behaviour, especially in the context of
the workplace and rehabilitation. Topics will include experimental
and clinical neuropsychology and neurology. Upon completion of
this course, students will understand sensory, motor, cognitive and
affective disturbances resulting from brain damage and
dysfunction, as well as their relationship to industrial accidents and
industrial rehabilitation programs.
Students will study human factors procedures for analyzing job and
task requirements and for translating this information into design
criteria. They will learn procedures for ensuring that computer
interface design specifications meet end user requirements in terms
of safety, performance criteria and job satisfaction. Students will
study main topic areas that include identification of user
requirements, system design, procedures and tools to design
human computer interfaces and usability testing.
Students will carry out a detailed investigation of a topic of interest
relevant to the community, workplace or other related areas of
psychology. They will carry out the investigation, under the
supervision of a faculty member with expertise in the area, in the
form of a literature survey and review. Students will be required to
identify relevant sources of information and to develop a
comprehensive understanding of their topic, in addition to
submitting a final paper. Students will also be expected to design a
research experiment and offer hypotheses based on their literature
review. The final paper for this course will be useful for subsequent
development of a thesis in PSYC 5010. In addition, students will
attend a class that deals with thesis issues and graduate school
applications.
Note: The final paper for this course will be useful for subsequent
development of a thesis in PSYC 5010. In addition, students will
attend a class that deals with thesis issues and graduate school
applications. Students are strongly advised to seek methodological
advice in the development of their proposal. Advisors may be
chosen from Kwantlen PSYC Instructors who teach PSYC 3300,
3400, 4100 or 4400.
Prerequisites: PSYC 3300, 3400 and 4400 and overall CGPA of B+ in 3rd
and 4th year PSYC courses.
PSYC 5010 cr-6
Honours Thesis II
Students will review literature on a topic in community, work place,
or related areas of psychology. They will carry out applied research
under the supervision of a faculty member with expertise in the
area selected. Students will use the information obtained from the
literature review in PSYC 5000 to help identify specific issues for
applied research. Students will, using appropriate methods, collect
and interpret data, and write a thesis report on the results of the
project.
Note: Students are strongly advised to seek methodological advice in
the development of their proposal. Advisors may be chosen from
Kwantlen PSYC Instructors who teach PSYC 3300, 3400, 4100 or
4400.
Prerequisites: PSYC 5000
Psychology Faculty
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