2024/25 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

PSYC1618 Psychology in the Media

10 creditsClass Size: 350

Module manager: Dr Ed Sutherland
Email: e.j.sutherland@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable

Year running 2024/25

This module is mutually exclusive with

PSYC1611

Psychology and the Media

Module replaces

PSYC1611

This module is approved as a discovery module

Module summary

This module introduces all of the main areas of contemporary psychology: cognitive, social, health and developmental. In doing so, it addresses common misconceptions about psychology: eg 'You know what I'm thinking.'In turn, it describes how media influences programmes of scientific research, how public opinion is altered by media representations, and how Psychology has plotted a course through intense media interest and has ensured its strong scientific base.Central to the course is the discussion of how it is necessary to be critical of science in the media, and how common sense explanations need a basis in scientific evidence.

Objectives

This module aims to provide an overview of key concepts in Psychology and its depiction in the Media. Students will be introduced to a range of information within this discipline.

Learning outcomes
- To introduce students to key concepts in contemporary psychology.
- To situate psychology within the disciplines of health and medicine.
- To examine psychological methods of investigating the 'human condition'.
- To encourage the application of psychological concepts to students' experience.
- To foster a critical appreciation of psychology.
- To explain the utility of Psychology in explaining and modifying real world behaviours.
- To reflect on how media representations affect well-being.
- To evaluate the media's impact on science.

Skills outcomes
- Acquiring discipline-specific knowledge
- Relevant reading and research
- Evaluating evidence
- Applying material to'real-life'
- Critical thinking.

Syllabus

1. Mythbusting Psychology: Common misconceptions in Psychology
2. Popular Science and Psychology: Sex, Drugs and Rock and Roll
3. Parapsychology: Science and pseudo-science
4. Relationships: More than just common sense?
5. Use-it-or-lose-it: The psychology of older adults in the media
6. Representations of Gender in the Media
7. Stress and Health in the Media
8. The brain: Pretty pictures of the mind?
9. The Eternal Sunshine: Models of memory in contemporary film
10. Overview: Eternal myths in psychology.

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Lecture	10	1.00	10.00
Independent online learning hours			30.00
Private study hours			60.00
Total Contact hours			10.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			100.00

Private study

- All students will be issued with a blog account and will be encouraged to post comments and questions to the blog, as well as using it as a forum to communicate with other students about their learning on the module [chapters, papers read etc].
> The module leader will check the blog on a bi-weekly basis and provide feedback.
> The students will provide each other with links to relevant articles and materials on the relevant topics, plus note any media coverage of psychological events on a week-on-week basis.

- Students will be advised to do three hours reading per lecture (30 hours) and 30 hours exam preparation.

- Independent on-line learning - 30 hours.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Students will be monitored via the blogsite every two weeks.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Reflective log	On-line blog - weekly	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
Standard exam (closed essays, MCQs etc)	1 hr 00 mins	100.00
Total percentage (Assessment Exams)		100.00

Psychology MCQ sheet required.

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 29/04/2024 16:19:52

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