PSY4131 Developmental and biological psychology
Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences
PSY4131 Developmental and biological psychology is a level 4, 6-credit-point, postgraduate unit from the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences. It isn't offered in 2021. It needs PSY4111 and PSY4122 and unlocks 7 units.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2021
- Other periods
- Monash Online
- Assessment
- No exam
- 4 tasks
This is the 2021 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.
Reviews
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Requisites
Before PSY4131
Prerequisites
Pass these before you enrol.
After PSY4131
7 units list PSY4131 as a prerequisite or corequisite.
- PSY4032Abnormal psychologyNo reviews yet
- PSY4041Psychological testing and ethicsNo reviews yet
- PSY4062Research methods and theoryNo reviews yet
- PSY4081Perception and cognitionNo reviews yet
- PSY4140Introduction to counsellingNo reviews yet
- PSY4151Personality and social psychologyNo reviews yet
- PSY4170Neuroscience of cognition and behaviourNo reviews yet
Enrolment rules
Overview
Psychology is a scientific discipline which spans a diverse range of areas. This unit provides a continuation of two psychology topics that you will have learnt about in the foundational units. Developmental psychology encompasses physical, cognitive, and social-emotional changes across the life span and how these are shaped by macrosystems such as culture, and microsystems such as peers and the family. Biological psychology includes states of consciousness, mental disorders and addiction, mechanisms and disorders of learning and memory, and the regulation of emotional and motivated states. Unit activities provide further training in research techniques, report writing, oral presentations and teamwork.
Offerings in 2021
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Teaching period 2 | Monash Online | Mo |
| Teaching period 4 | Monash Online | Mo |
| Teaching period 6 | Monash Online | Mo |
Assessment
- Quasi-Lab report (1,400 words)25%
- Oral presentation (4 mins)20%
- Developmental assessment report (1,000 words)20%
- 6 x Secure online tests35%
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
Describe how the range of human thoughts, feelings, and behaviours are underpinned by physiological and neural processes.
- 2
Identify the structural, chemical, and functional changes in the brain that accompany normal human development.
- 3
Evaluate the interplay between familial and cultural factors in determining the course of development from birth through to old age.
- 4
Compose a cohesive account of the etiology, neuropathology, and behavioural sequelae of a select developmental disorder, using current research.
- 5
Develop a literature review and interpret research results through comparison with past studies on a biological psychology topic.
- 6
Apply widely used psychological tests to an assessment of human behaviour.
Workload and teaching
Students should expect to spend a minimum of 20 hours per week on this unit to achieve the learning outcomes.
This time will cover:
a) video lecture materials;
b) synchronous & asynchronous discussion;
c) synchronous web-based 'class-time' for skills-based activities;
d) weekly readings;
e) weekly skills-based assessment tasks; and
f) content-based assessment, including revision and formative assessment.
Learning resources
Required resources
See Moodle for details about required resources.
Contacts
- Chief Examiners
- Miss Leah Braganza
- Unit Coordinators
- Ms Eloise Perini
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for PSY4131?
You need PSY4111 and PSY4122 before you enrol. Enrolment rules also apply.
What can I take after PSY4131?
PSY4131 is a prerequisite or corequisite for 7 units, including PSY4032, PSY4041, PSY4062, PSY4081, PSY4140 and PSY4151.
When is PSY4131 offered?
PSY4131 has no offerings listed in the 2021 handbook.
Does PSY4131 have an exam?
No. PSY4131 has 4 assessment tasks and no exam.