BSc Psychology / Course details

This is a compulsory Year 2 unit for the BSc Psychology programme, falling within the  

Adaptability and Wellbeing theme. It provides a foundation for further study and independent project work in the Adaptability and Wellbeing theme at level 6, and takes a blended approach to teaching and learning delivery  

In keeping with its position in the Adaptability and Wellbeing theme, this innovative unit first provides a grounding in core theories, models, and concepts within the field of individual differences psychology, and then relates these to key health and wellbeing outcomes.  

A major topic within the unit is personality. Critical and historical perspectives on key theories, approaches to, and models of personality are presented, along with details of the methodological tools that have been used to measure personality. A critical examination of theories and data linking personality to physical and mental health is then presented. Additional concepts from individual differences psychology, such as mood, intelligence, and motivation, are also introduced, and then examined in relation to physical and mental health 

Introduce students to key concepts, models, measurement tools, and theories within the field of individual differences psychology, and enable them to consider how individual differences can contribute to important physical and mental health outcomes.

This course is delivered through a blend of self-paced asynchronous and real-time synchronous learning activities.  

The unit comprises ten asynchronous online lecture modules (each comprising a series of short, pre-recorded lecture videos, and/or interactive activities that total approximately 1 hour), and six, synchronous, ‘introduction and review’ sessions (of approximately 50 mins each). The first of the six synchronous sessions will comprise an introduction to the field of study, as well as an overview of the unit, and how it will work. Each of the following five synchronous sessions will then involve a mix of activities, including formative checks of understanding; reviews of students’ responses to the online interactive activities; discussions about lecture content; and worked examples of essay answers to exam questions; as well as brief introductions to the following week’s topic. These sessions will also provide opportunities for students to ask questions about the lecture content.  

Suggested starting points for further study (including book chapters, journal articles, and other online resources) will be provided for all lectures modules. A monitored discussion board will also be provided via Blackboard. 

• Define key concepts, theories, and models in the field of individual differences, and describe how they have been developed
• Describe the contribution of historical perspectives to current understanding of individual differences
• Identify the advantages and disadvantages of different methods for measuring individual differences, and the importance of psychometrics to this field of study  
• Describe the potential role of individual differences in predicting important life outcomes
• Outline some of the controversies inherent to the conduct and interpretation of individual differences research 

• Describe and interpret the findings of individual differences research
• Synthesise theories and evidence from the individual differences literature in order to draw conclusions about human behaviour
• Critically evaluate the strength of conclusions that can be drawn from individual differences research 

• Plan and write an essay on an individual differences topic  
• Select appropriate tools for measuring individual differences 

• Recognise the value of individual differences in contributing to a diverse society
• Communicate complex material in a clear, concise and coherent manner
• Identify relevant literature on a specified topic 

Exam (48 hour take home essay) - 50%

MCQ Exam - 50%

Students will receive a grade and can request basic marker feedback  

A guided reading list will be provided for all lecture modules. However, the following textbooks provide a good indication of some of the general topics that will be covered in this unit:

• Chamorro-Premuzic, T. (2013). Personality and Individual Differences (3rd edn). London: BPS Blackwell.  
• Haslam, N. (2007). Personality and Mental Disorder. In N. Haslam. Introduction to Personality and Intelligence (pp.204-232). London: Sage.  
• Maltby, J, Day, L. & Macaskill, A. (2017). Personality, Individual Differences and Intelligence (4th edn.). Harlow: Pearson.