Università Roma Tre

The course will address the historical foundation of Psychology as a scientific discipline, the principal theoretical approaches and the research methods of psychology; the understanding of cognitive and affective functioning within the framework offered by experimental psychology and cognitive neuroscience. The third part of the course will focus on application of theory and procedures of general psychology through laboratory activities.

Main contents: 1) Historical introduction and research methods: It will be illustrated the historical origins of psychology as a scientific discipline, as well as the classic theoretical frameworks to the study of psychology. The research methods of experimental psychology and cognitive neuroscience will also be presented. 2) Brain and behavior: It will be introduced some basic concepts about the functioning of the brain, discussing how this knowledge has influenced the study of behavior in psychology. 3) Sensation and perception: Presentation of the main theoretical models to the study of sensation and perception; In-depth analysis of the mechanisms that control perception across sensory modalities for understanding our environment. 4) Attention: Introduction to the main theoretical models and mechanisms involved in the process of selecting information from the environment for subsequent processing. 5) Conditioning and learning: Introduction to the main theoretical models and in-depth analysis of the mechanisms that make it possible learning processes. 6) Memory: Introduction to the main theoretical models (i.e., memory systems) and in-depth analysis of the mechanisms that regulate the processing, storage and retrieval of information. 7) Thinking and reasoning: Introduction to the main theoretical models and in-depth analysis of the mechanisms that fulfil functions related to concept formation, decision making and problem solving. 8) Language: Introduction to the main theoretical models and analysis of language functions that allow communication and sharing of knowledge. 9) Intelligence: Introduction to the main theoretical models and analysis of the factors that determine intelligence, the component of the intelligence and instruments for measuring intelligence. 10) Motivation: Introduction to the main theoretical models and analysis of the main forms of motivation that guide the individual behavior. 11) Emotions: Introduction to the main theoretical models and mechanisms by which affective systems modulate human behavior. 13) Personality: Introduction to the main theoretical models describing and defining personality.

1) Coon, D., Mitterer, J.O. (2020, Edizione italiana a cura di Stefano Mastandrea e Sabrina Fagioli). "Psicologia generale". UTET, Torino
2) Mastandrea, S. (2017), Psicologia della percezione, Carocci (studiare solo i capitoli 2, 3, 6 e 7).


ATTENZIONE!
Del manuale “Psicologia Generale”, di Coon & Mitterer, sono indicate in dettaglio le parti da studiare:

• CAPITOLO 1, Introduzione alla psicologia e ai metodi di ricerca, Studiare TUTTO
• CAPITOLO 2, Cervello e comportamento, Studiare SOLO i seguenti paragrafi:
TUTTO il paragrafo 2.5, La corteccia cerebrale, con i sottoparagrafi:
2.5.1 Gli emisferi cerebrali
2.5.2 La specializzazione emisferica
2.5.3 I lobi della corteccia cerebrale
SOLO il sottoparagrafo 2.6.4 Il sistema limbico
• CAPITOLO 3, Sensazione e realtà, studiare SOLO i seguenti paragrafi:
3.2 La vista
3.3 Percezione dei colori
3.4 Adattamento al buio
3.5 L’udito
• CAPITOLO 4, Attenzione, studiare TUTTO
• CAPITOLO 5, Percezione, studiare TUTTO, TRANNE il paragrafo:
5.8 Percezione extrasensoriale e fenomeni paranormali
• CAPITOLO 6, Stati di coscienza, NON E’DA STUDIARE
• CAPITOLO 7, Condizionamento e apprendimento, Studiare TUTTO, TRANNE il paragrafo:
7.7 Rinforzo Parziale: Las Vegas, la gabbia di Skinner per l’uomo?
• CAPITOLO, 8, Memoria, studiare TUTTO
• CAPITOLO 9, Pensiero e immagini mentali, Studiare TUTTO, TRANNE i paragrafi:
9.2 (compresi i sottoparagrafi)
9.4.4 Ciclo inferenziale
9.6.3 Sillogismi lineari
• CAPITOLO 10, Linguaggio e comunicazione, Studiare TUTTO
• CAPITOLO 11, Intelligenza, Studiare TUTTO
• CAPITOLO 12, Motivazione, Studiare TUTTO, TRANNE il paragrafo:
12.2.2 Meccanismi cerebrali della fame
• CAPITOLO 13, Emozione, Studiare TUTTO
• CAPITOLO 14, Personalità, Studiare TUTTO