Course coordinator
Professor Fiona Barlow
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2024 (22/07/2024 - 18/11/2024)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Psychology School
Enrolment Note:This course has maximum quota of 25 students per semester, seminars with less than 10 students may not run.
Enrolment for Seminars opens in O Week following the Honours Orientation information session. Enrolment will close once the quota has been reached.
This course provides students with the opportunity to gain in-depth knowledge of the primary research literature within the context of the wider theoretical framework in relation to relevant topics that vary from year to year.
What makes us who we are? The vexed case of genes vs the environment
There are big questions within psychology, one foundational one of which is: “what makes us us?”. Philosophers have been striving to answer this question for millennia, turning to spirituality, thought, and experience. Throughout history the blank slate approach to human psychology has been popular, positioning infants as untouched pieces of paper upon which experience writes. A blank slate approach to human nature, however, is often at odds with that very experience that we posit shapes us. Parents of multiple children, for example, often describe them behaving differently from birth. A blank slate approach is also at odds with our increasing knowledge of behavioral genetics. And yet, whole areas within developmental, social, and even clinical psychology look at the effect of experience on human thought and feeling without even considering potential genetic influences or even confounds. In this seminar we will tackle the vexed issue of nature vs nurture in psychology, explore refrigerator mothers, question what infant attachment really is, and wonder whether and how our genes might contribute to our social attitudes, mental health, and even taste in music.
Course requirements
Assumed background
There is no assumed background knowledge for this seminar.ﾠ
Restrictions
BPsySc(Hons), BSc(Hons) in Psychology, BA(Hons) in Psychology students only.
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Professor Fiona Barlow
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Aims and outcomes
This course aims to develop skills in critical evaluation and to deepen understanding of contemporary research on a topic in psychology.
ﾠ
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Demonstrate a critical and in-depth understanding of key topics in an area of psychology.
LO2.
Demonstrate an ability to communicate orally and in writing about a topic in an area of psychology.
LO3.
Demonstrate an understanding of how different types of research methods can contribute to our understanding of an area of psychology.
LO4.
Effectively engage with others to discuss and evaluate empirical research.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Presentation | Oral class presentation | 40% 35% instructor/5% peer |
31/07/2024 - 23/10/2024 |
| Participation/ Student contribution | Preparation, participation and peer review | 20% |
31/07/2024 - 24/10/2024
2 questions by 11am |
| Essay/ Critique | Essay | 40% |
25/10/2024 4:00 pm |
Assessment details
Oral class presentation
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance
- Category
- Presentation
- Weight
- 40% 35% instructor/5% peer
- Due date
31/07/2024 - 23/10/2024
Task description
Every week, up to three students will present one paper each to the class. Note that consistent with the UQ Assessment Policy these presentations will be recorded by the course coordinator and the files destroyed once the window for appeal of marks has passed. The details of the presentation will be given via Blackboard and in class. Each student will present one paper during the semester. These papers have been chosen because they demonstrate how social psychological theories, models, and concept have been applied to understand the effect of genes vs environment on people. All are interesting in one way or another. None of the papers are perfect and some less so than others. Do not be fooled by the length of the paper (some of the short ones are tricky) and do not be afraid to criticise the paper that you are presenting.
Tips for presenting the paper you've been assigned and the marking criteria can be found in the Presentation Criteria and Marking sheet on the course Blackboard site.
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
Preparation, participation and peer review
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance
- Category
- Participation/ Student contribution
- Weight
- 20%
- Due date
31/07/2024 - 24/10/2024
2 questions by 11am
Task description
Obviously, participation is critical for an interesting discussion and it’s much more enjoyable and interesting to present to an audience that is engaged. We ask that you attend each of the presentations and come prepared to discuss the topic at hand. If you attend each of the presentations (in their entirety), actively contribute to the discussions, ask the speaker constructive and considered questions, demonstrate in your comments and questions that you clearly understand the topics that we’ve discussed, then you’ll be awarded full marks for participation. This element is worth 5% of your final grade.
To be able to participate in this way it is necessary to adequately prepare for each session. In the sessions that you are not presenting in you will need to come to class having read two of the papers that will be presented. These papers will be assigned to you. Prior to the session you will need to submit via Turnitin two questions for each paper that have occurred to you as a function of reading the paper assigned. These questions need to be submitted by 11am on the morning of the class. Questions sent late will not be accepted to count towards your preparation mark. The questions you pose may be specifically about the paper (and may be asked of the presenter to clarify understanding) or they may be bigger philosophical questions about the area that could be used to provoke debate in the class. During the ‘open discussion’ part of the session for each paper you should feel able to ask your questions and/or contribute to the debate to earn your participation marks. Note: You do not need to prepare and send questions for the week in which you are presenting. This element is worth 10% of your final grade.
Note that the preparation and participation marks are independent of one another. There may be occasions where you fail to send through the questions as evidence of your preparation, but then manage to contribute meaningfully to the class. Similarly, there may be weeks where you have generated questions and emailed them through but do not attempt to contribute meaningfully in class.
In each seminar class, students will present. Each member of the audience (who has not presented in that session) will be asked to provide a rating out of 15 for each of the speakers along with feedback on the presentation (grade sheets will be distributed in each class). Each talk will be rated on Research and Delivery. These grades will be weighted and compiled with my assessment into a single mark. The feedback from the audience will be contribute to the 5% for the “Presentation Peer Review” and the comments will be returned to each speaker. This element is worth 5% of your final grade.
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
Essay
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique
- Weight
- 40%
- Due date
25/10/2024 4:00 pm
Task description
Essay (40%; between 2,000 - 3,000 words [and note, no 10% leeway...])
Each student will write an essay between 2,000 and 3,000 words (for the main body of the essay, so excluding title page, title, and end of text references) focusing on one of the two blocks that they did not present on. Full information will be given on Blackboard and in class.
Submission guidelines
Via Turnitin in MS Word format.
NOTE: You will no longer receive an automatic submission receipt from Turnitin confirming your assignment has been received. You should download a copy of the digital receipt from the Assignment Dashboard and keep this as a record.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 7 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0 - 19.99 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 2 (Fail) | 20 - 39.99 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 40 - 49.99 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64.99 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74.99 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84.99 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
Additional course grading information
Note that there is a requirement to attend at least 7 of the 10 sessions in order to obtain a grade of 4 or more in the class.ﾠﾠ
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Additional assessment information
Attendanceﾠ– Studentsﾠmust attend at least 7ﾠof the 10ﾠclasses in order to obtain a grade of 4 or more forﾠthe course as a whole. If a student cannot attend a seminar (due to an acceptable reasonﾠ - see https://my.uq.edu.au/information-and-services/manage-my-program/exams-and-assessment/applying-assessment-extension?p=1#1)ﾠthey should contact the course coordinator as soon as they can (ideally before the class) and provide the required documentation (see https://my.uq.edu.au/files/11502/evidence-assessment-extension-application.pdf).
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Library resources are available on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
n/a
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 (22 Jul - 28 Jul) |
Seminar |
Introduction and Overview Introduction to the course |
Week 2 (29 Jul - 04 Aug) |
Seminar |
Presentations and Discussion |
Week 3 (05 Aug - 11 Aug) |
Seminar |
Presentations and Discussion |
Week 5 (19 Aug - 25 Aug) |
Seminar |
Presentations and Discussion |
Week 6 (26 Aug - 01 Sep) |
Seminar |
Presentations and Discussion |
Week 7 (02 Sep - 08 Sep) |
Seminar |
Presentations and Discussion |
Week 8 (09 Sep - 15 Sep) |
Seminar |
Presentations and Discussion |
Week 9 (16 Sep - 22 Sep) |
Seminar |
Presentations and Discussion |
Week 10 (30 Sep - 06 Oct) |
Seminar |
Presentations and Discussion |
Week 12 (14 Oct - 20 Oct) |
Seminar |
Presentations and Discussion |
Week 13 (21 Oct - 27 Oct) |
Seminar |
Presentations and Discussion |
Additional learning activity information
Reading lists will be made available in class and via Blackboard, as will talk and essay criteria.
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.