2024/25 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

PSYC3557 The Visual Interpretation of the Social World

15 creditsClass Size: 85

Module manager: Dr Richard Cook
Email: r.cook@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable

Year running 2024/25

Pre-requisite qualifications

Successful completion of all pass for progression modules in Level 2 of: BSc Psychology or MPsyc, BSc Advanced Psychology; BA Philosophy, Psychology and Scientific Thought (and its International and Industrial variants); or BSc Psychology with Education (and its variants)

Module replaces

PSYC3553 The Psychology of Faces

This module is not approved as a discovery module

Module summary

Humans have developed sophisticated perceptual mechanisms that help us navigate our social environments. This module will explore these mechanisms. We will cover topics such as how we recognise faces and interpret expressions. We will ask questions that are important in society; for example, what underlies the perception of physical attractiveness and our ‘first impressions’ of others. We will consider how social perception is affected by different clinical conditions and neurodevelopmental disorders. Throughout, we will draw on convergent evidence from experimental psychology and cognitive neuroscience.

Objectives

This module aims to:
• Provide students with detailed knowledge of the cognitive and neural mechanisms that mediate our perception of faces, bodies, expressions, actions, and social interactions.
• Make students aware of theoretical debates and controversies in the contemporary social perception literature.
• Equip students with knowledge of how social perception abilities can differ across individuals.
• Develop students’ written communication skills.

Teaching will be delivered via group lectures and a workshop on effective essay writing.

Learning outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will be able to:
1. Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the cognitive and neural mechanisms that mediate the perception of faces, bodies, expressions, actions, and social interactions.
2. Understand how these mechanisms are affected by neuropsychological, psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders.
3. Understand key theoretical debates in the contemporary social perception literature and offer an informed critical opinion.
4. Critically evaluate different lines of empirical evidence provided by behavioural experiments, neuroimaging, neuropsychology, and brain stimulation.

Skills outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:
5. Ability to retrieve, analyse and synthesise information.
6. Ability to think critically about the relevant theoretical and empirical literature.
7. High level of written communication skills.

Syllabus

Week 1: Do faces engage specialised neurocognitive mechanisms?
Week 2: Facial expressions and facial motion
Week 3: Development of face perception
Week 4: The effects of familiarity & expertise on face processing
Week 5: *Essay-writing workshop*
Week 6: First impressions of others
Week 7: Body perception
Week 8: Perception of actions and biological motion
Week 9: Perception of social interactions
Week 10: Disorders of social perception
Week 11: Perception of physical attractiveness

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Lecture	10	2.00	20.00
Seminar	1	2.00	2.00
Private study hours			128.00
Total Contact hours			22.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			150.00

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Following an essay-writing workshop (week 5), students will have the opportunity to submit an essay plan to the module leader and will receive formative feedback on its structure. Feedback will be delivered within 3 weeks to ensure that students can incorporate comments / suggestions when completing the final assessment.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Essay	Formative essay plan	0.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		0.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Exams

Exam type	Exam duration	% of formal assessment
Online Time-Limited assessment	2 hr 00 mins	100.00
Total percentage (Assessment Exams)		100.00

2 essays to be completed within 48 hours.

Reading list

There is no reading list for this module

Last updated: 04/09/2024

Disclaimer

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