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
PSY20006 Cognition and Human Performance
PSY20007 Developmental Psychology

Rules

Pre-requisite
PSY20006 Cognition and Human Performance
AND
PSY20007 Developmental Psychology

Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Semester 2
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
29-July-2024
27-October-2024
Last self-enrolment date
11-August-2024
Census date
31-August-2024
Last withdraw without fail date
13-September-2024
Results released date
03-December-2024
Study Period 3
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
26-August-2024
24-November-2024
Last self-enrolment date
08-September-2024
Census date
16-September-2024
Last withdraw without fail date
11-October-2024
Results released date
17-December-2024
Study Period 3
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
26-August-2024
24-November-2024
Last self-enrolment date
08-September-2024
Census date
16-September-2024
Last withdraw without fail date
11-October-2024
Results released date
17-December-2024
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

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/ideas with respect to their context
  • Identify the impact of these figures/events/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		2.00 12 weeks 24
Specified Activities
Various		6.00 12 weeks 72
On-campus
Class		1.50 6 weeks 9
Unspecified Activities
Various		3.75 12 weeks 45
TOTAL150

All Applicable Locations

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
Live Online
Class		1.00 13 week 13
Online
Directed Online Learning and Independent Learning		11.42 12 weeks 137
TOTAL300

Assessment

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

Content

  • 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, behaviorist, 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
  • Graduate Attribute 2 (Communication 2 - Communicating using different media)
  • Graduate Attribute 5 (Digital Literacies 1 - Information literacy)

Study resources

Reading materials

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