BKPL031p Psychology - lecture

Faculty of Medicine
autumn 2021
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 2 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Taught in person.
Teacher(s)
PhDr. Mgr. Milena Blažková (lecturer)
PhDr. Pavel Humpolíček, Ph.D. (lecturer)
MUDr. Šárka Kárová, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Terézia Knejzlíková, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Barbora Kóša (lecturer)
Mgr. Tatiana Malatincová, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. PhDr. Alena Slezáčková, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Pavel Strašák (lecturer)
doc. PhDr. Miroslav Světlák, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Tatiana Malatincová, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Blanka Suchá (assistant)
Guaranteed by
doc. PhDr. Miroslav Světlák, Ph.D.
Department of Medical Psychology and Psychosomatics – Theoretical Departments – Faculty of Medicine
Contact Person: Blanka Suchá
Supplier department: Department of Medical Psychology and Psychosomatics – Theoretical Departments – Faculty of Medicine
Timetable
Tue 14. 9. 9:00–10:50 B11/334, Tue 21. 9. 9:00–10:50 B11/334, Tue 5. 10. 9:00–10:50 B11/334, Tue 12. 10. 9:00–10:50 B11/334, Tue 19. 10. 9:00–10:50 B11/334, Tue 26. 10. 9:00–10:50 B11/334, Tue 2. 11. 9:00–10:50 B11/334, Tue 9. 11. 9:00–10:50 B11/334, Tue 16. 11. 9:00–10:50 B11/334, Tue 23. 11. 9:00–10:50 B11/334, Tue 30. 11. 9:00–10:50 B11/334, Tue 7. 12. 9:00–10:50 B11/334, Tue 14. 12. 9:00–10:50 B11/334
Prerequisites
Lectures are only in the Czech language.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
- Provide science-based insight into the principles and systematic biases of human perception and cognition and distinguish between more and less malleable and flexible aspects of human functioning
- Introduce students to principles and aspects of human development and psychopathology that will help them better understand and respond to special needs of different individuals and enhance their interaction skills
- Provide students with basic science-based knowledge to help them study more efficiently and possibly improve their own everyday functioning
Learning outcomes
After completing the course, the students will:
- Understand the basic principles of how human mind processes, transforms and interprets information about the world based on stable biasing mechanisms and past experience;
- Be able to use effective learning strategies in their studies;
- Be more effective at recognising stereotypes and misconceptions regarding personality traits, perception, memory, cognitive ability or mental disorders;
- Understand the basic principles of psychological assessment;
- Be more sensitive to and compassionate towards special needs of different individuals, especially children, people with diminished cognitive abilities or people suffering from a mental illness;
- Be familiar with potential causes of and motivations for behaviours that might compromise physical and mental health and adaptive social functioning (overeating, pathological food restriction, substance abuse, problematic internet use, etc.)
- Be able to recognize symptoms of mental problems common in young people and signs that professional help might be needed;
- Be familiar with different ways of maintaining and improving one's mental health and well-being and coping with stress adequately.
Syllabus
  • - The psychology of perception and attention: Do we see the world as it actually is? What are the common misconceptions about how we process information?
  • - Definitions of health, comparison of biomedical and biopsychosocial approaches
  • - Memory, thinking and imagery: How can we memorize material effectively? Is human memory reliable? How do we work with the information that we store?
  • - Learning: How does experience shape our behaviour and view of the world?
  • - Problem-solving and decision-making: How do we come up with solutions to problems? Is our judgment reliable? What are our judgment and decisions influenced by?
  • - Intelligence: What are cognitive abilities, and how they can be distinguished from cognitive skills? How can abilities be tested? What are the limits of communication and competence in people with diminished intelligence?
  • - Personality: What are stable traits? Where do they come from? How do they affect our lives? Can we predict people's behaviour based on levels of traits obtained through psychological assessment?
  • - Healthy development: How do nature and nurture contribute to what becomes of a child in the future? What does healthy cognitive and social development look like? What can we expect of children of various ages and how can we interact with them effectively?
  • - Parenting and disharmonious development: What does research show about effective parenting strategies to help the child become a well-functioning person? What are the essential ingredients of healthy personality development, and what happens when these are absent at the crucial points? What are the consequences of psychological deprivation, neglect and abuse in childhood?
  • - Mental disorders: What are the basic types of mental disorders and what do they look like? Which social stigmas are mental patients faced with, and how do stereotypes compare to reality? What does psychosis look like? How does one know one has become pathologically addicted to something?
  • - Food intake in humans: Which factors regulate and motivate food intake in human individuals? What determines whether one finds a particular food type tasty or inedible and which eating behaviours are acceptable or unacceptable? What are the hypothesized and studied causes of increased population obesity nowadays?
  • - Eating disorders: What are the major causes and symptoms? How can they be diagnosed and treated?
  • - Depression and anxiety disorders: What are the major causes and symptoms? How can they be diagnosed and treated? What are the risk factors and best prevention strategies? What are the social aspects of emotional problems?
  • - Stress and coping: What is stress, and when does stress turn from a friend to a foe? What are the causes and consequences of psychological distress? Which coping mechanisms and strategies are more and less adaptive?
Literature
    recommended literature
  • Psychologie. Edited by Rita L. Atkinsonová. 2. aktualiz. vyd. Praha: Portál. xxiii, 751. ISBN 80-7178-640-3. 2003. info
  • EYSENCK, Michael W. and Mark T. KEANE. Kognitivní psychologie. Translated by Miroslav Filip. Vyd. 1. Praha: Academia. 748 s. ISBN 9788020015594. 2008. info
Teaching methods
The course involves lectures on fundamental topics of psychology relevant for everyday functioning as well as professional practice. Discussions on selected topics might be initiated during the lectures. Before each lecture, students are asked to submit a brief reflection on a particular question related to the lecture topic. A quiz at the end of the semester helps students make sure they understood the key concepts correctly.
Assessment methods
Attendance records and timely submission of regular homework assignments serve as the basis for awarding credits for the course. The credits will be awarded automatically if homework submissions and attended lectures together add up at least 80% of fulfilled requirements. If requirements are met in at least 60% but less than 80%, the student can still be awarded the credits if s/he obtains the required score in the final test. No course credits will be awarded if the student achieves less than 60% for the attendance and homework submissions. Exceptions might be discussed with students whose absences are officially excused due to serious reasons (e.g., protracted illness).
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course can also be completed outside the examination period.
The course is taught annually.
Information on the extent and intensity of the course: 30.
Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
Teacher's information
Study materials, course information, assignments as well as submission links can be found in the interactive syllabus of the course in the IS.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2000, Autumn 2001, Autumn 2002, Autumn 2003, Autumn 2004, Autumn 2005, Autumn 2006, Autumn 2007, Autumn 2008, Autumn 2009, Autumn 2010, Autumn 2011, Autumn 2012, Autumn 2013, Autumn 2014, Autumn 2015, Autumn 2016, Autumn 2017, autumn 2018, autumn 2019, autumn 2020, autumn 2022, autumn 2023.
  • Enrolment Statistics (autumn 2021, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/med/autumn2021/BKPL031p