Overview

This unit provides students with a broad and eclectic view of the history and philosophy of psychology. It surveys a selection of interesting and influential events, people, and ideas and uses these as a focus to critically examine issues that directly and indirectly shape the discipline as it is practiced today.

Requisites

Prerequisites
PSY70015 Developmental Psychology
PSY70014 Cognition and Human Performance

Rules

Pre-requisite
PSY70015 Developmental Psychology
AND
PSY70014 Cognition and Human Performance

Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Teaching Period 3
Location
Online
Start and end dates
04-November-2024
09-February-2025
Last self-enrolment date
17-November-2024
Census date
29-November-2024
Last withdraw without fail date
27-December-2024
Results released date
04-March-2025
Teaching Period 2
Location
Online
Start and end dates
07-July-2025
05-October-2025
Last self-enrolment date
20-July-2025
Census date
01-August-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
22-August-2025
Results released date

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

  • Describe significant figures, events, and ideas in the history of psychology
  • Interpret the significance of these figures, events, and ideas with respect to their context
  • Identify the impact of these figures, events, and ideas on evolution of psychology as a discipline
  • Critically evaluate the philosophical, social, and scientific basis for psychological concepts and methods
  • Synthesise arguments concerning psychological opinion, theory, and practice

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
Live Online
Class		1.00 4 weeks 4
Online
Directed Online Learning and Independent Learning		12.17 12 weeks 146
TOTAL150

Hawthorn

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
Face to Face Contact (Phasing out)
Seminar		3.00 12 weeks 36
Specified Learning Activities (Phasing out)
Various		8.00 12 weeks 96
Unspecified Learning Activities (Phasing out)
Independent Learning		1.50 12 weeks 18
TOTAL150

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULO's
Assignment 1Individual 40% 1,2,3,4,5 
Assignment 2Individual 40% 1,2,3,4,5 
Online DiscussionIndividual 20% 4,5 

Content

Topics will be drawn from, but not limited to the following:

  • The nature and limits of psychology
  • Philosophical and physiological precursors to psychology
  • The emergence of modern scientific psychology
  • Big theories and movements in psychology, such as: psychoanalysis/psychodynamic, Gestalt, behaviourist, humanistic, cognitive, cognitive neuroscience
  • Philosophy of mind, philosophy of science, and psychology as a science
  • Psychological theory and methods
  • Philosophical, scientific, social aspects of issues in psychology, e.g., mental illness, therapy, gender, sex, culture, consciousness

Study resources

Reading materials

A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.