Stage II courses

S2 C: (15 points)

The Course Coordinator for this course is Dr Barry Hughes.

This course provides a broad overview of the psychology of perception and cognition. Topics covered may include: visual and auditory perception, attention, memory, language, and cognitive development. Emphasis is placed upon the value of approaching these topics from an interdisciplinary perspective known as cognitive neuroscience. This course is highly recommended for those interested in taking Psych 303.

Prerequisite: 30 points in Stage I Psychology.
Restriction: PSYCH 261, 461.220
Laboratories: Weekly two hour laboratories/tutorials.
Coursework: 40% TBA
Final exam: 60%

Plussage:

• Must attend all laboratories
• Must submit all four laboratory reports;
• Must obtain passing grade overall (i.e. 20/40 or better).

There is a limit of 320 places in this course.

S1 C: (15 points)

The Course Coordinator for this course is Associate Prof Ian Kirk.

How is the brain structurally and functionally organised to carry out the functions of the human mind? How can a man mistake his wife for a hat? What have cases of human amnesia taught us about memory? Is testosterone the cause of male violence? This course addresses these questions whilst providing a basic introduction to the structure and function of the brain, neuropsychology, and hormonal influences on behaviour. Specific topics include basic neuroanatomy, cellular signaling, psychoactive drugs, the biological underpinnings of vision, visual agnosias, emotion, memory and language representation in the brain, cerebral asymmetry and evaluation of arguments about the role biology plays in determining human behaviour.

Prerequisite: 30 points in Stage I Psychology or 15 points from BIOSCI 101, 103.
Restriction: 461.230
Laboratories: Weekly two hour laboratories/tutorials.
Coursework: 40%: one test (20%), and one essay (20%)
Final Exam: 60%

Plussage:

• Must attempt all pieces of coursework and obtain a passing grade overall.
• Up to two laboratories may be missed without producing satisfactory evidence for absence.

Prescribed Text: Pinel, J.P.J. (2009). Biopsychology (7th edition). Boston: Pearson Education.

There is a limit of 350 places in this course.

S2 C: (15 points)

The Course Coordinator for this course is Dr Douglas Elliffe.

This course takes into consideration the environmental factors that control and modify human and non-human behaviour. Generally, an experimental laboratory based approach is taken, and quantitative theories are stressed. Topics include: Single subject experimental design, classical and operant conditioning, and behavioural analyses of problem solving, concept learning, language, choice, self-control and remembering. This course is highly recommended for those intending to study Applied Behaviour Analysis at postgraduate level.

Prerequisite: 30 points in Stage I Psychology.
Restriction: 461.250
Laboratories: Weekly two hour laboratories will be held in HSB 316.
Coursework: 50%: 3 partial laboratory reports 10% each, and 5 tests 4% each.
Final Exam: 50%

Plussage:

• Must attain an in-course mark of at least 50%.

Prescribed Text: Davison, M, Jones, M, Elliffe D., & Krageloh, C. (2009). Learning and Behaviour
Course Notes: Available from Scispace Student Resource Centre G16, Maths/Physics Building, 38 Princes Street, City Campus.
Recommended Text: Mazur, J.E. (1998). Learning and Behaviour (4th edn). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

There is a limit of 250 places in this course.

S2 C: (15 points)

The Course Coordinator for this course is Dr Chris Sibley.

This course covers central concepts in social psychology such as social cognition, attitudes, group processes, interpersonal relationships, aggression, political psychology and ideology. There are three hours of lectures per week and a two-hour laboratory/tutorial in most weeks.

Prerequisite: 30 points in Stage I Psychology.
Restriction: PSYCH 263, 461.240
Coursework: 50%: test 20%, draft lab report 5%, final lab report 25%
Final Exam: 50%

Plussage:

• Must do all coursework and obtain a passing grade overall.
• Up to two laboratories/tutorials may be missed without producing satisfactory evidence for absence.

Recommended texts: Vaughan, G. & Hogg, M. (2005). Introduction to Social Psychology. Pearson

There is a limit of 360 places in this course.

S1 C: (15 points)

The Course Coordinator for this course is Dr Elizabeth Peterson.

The major theories of personality and development are presented. The hypotheses generated by these theories, about development from early childhood onwards and about ‘normal’ and ‘abnormal’ behaviour will be discussed and evaluated in terms of empirical evidence and utility. Attention will be paid to cultural issues of relevance in a New Zealand context.

Prerequisite: 30 points in Stage I Psychology.
Restriction: PSYCH 206, 461.205
Lectures and Tutorials: There will be three hours of lectures per week, and one, 1 hour tutorial.
Coursework: 50%: 1 test (25%) and 1 essay (25%).
Final Exam: 50%

Plussage:

• Must do all coursework and obtain a passing grade overall for coursework.

Prescribed Text: Cervone, D. & Pervin, L. (2008). Personality: Theory and research (11th ed. ). NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

There is a limit of 380 places in this course.

S1 C: (15 points)

The Course Coordinator for this course is Dr Virginia Braun.

How do you go about answering a research question? What is a research question anyway? Which research methodology and method will best provide the types of answers you are looking for? The material covered in this course deals with the central question of how we produce psychological knowledge. It examines what we do and can know in psychology, and why and how we come to know it. As an introduction to research, it examines the research process in its broadest context, covering areas such as: philosophy of science, theories of knowledge, research methodologies, ethical processes, and research outcomes. Some specific research methods, which generate answers to specific research questions, will also be covered.

Prerequisite: 30 points in Stage I Psychology.
Restriction: PSYCH 262
Lectures and Laboratories: There will be three hours of lectures every week, and a one-hour laboratory every week.
Coursework: 50%: 1 presentation (5%), 2 lab reports (20%, 10% each), 1 research report (25%)
Final exam: 50%

Plussage:

• Must do all coursework and obtain a passing grade overall, and attend laboratories.
• Up to two laboratories may be missed without providing satisfactory evidence for absence.

There is a limit of 250 places in this course.

You need to have passed PSYCH 108 (or PSYCH 128) and PSYCH 109 (or PSYCH 129) to take Stage II psychology courses. You may take PSYCH 202 and/or PSYCH 203 if you have passed BIOSCI 101 or BIOSCI 103.

All Stage II courses are limited entry. In most cases, students who enrol in plenty of time and who have passed their Stage I prerequisites will obtain places in the courses of their choice. Students with low GPAs (less than 2) may be put on a waiting list and only receive a place if the course is not full at the end of the enrolment period.

During the enrolment period some courses may become full and no more students will be admitted. Affirmative action for Māori and Pacific Island students will be applied. PSYCH 201, 202, 203, 204, 207 and 208 also require you to enrol for a laboratory and/or a tutorial online. These are filled on a first come first served basis. You are therefore strongly advised to complete your enrolment as early as possible.

Students who are transferring from another university need to apply well in advance to have their previous psychology courses assessed for crediting purposes. Please note that you may enrol at the beginning of the year for one or two Stage I prerequisites in Semester One and Stage II courses in Semester Two. However, your enrolment in the Stage II courses is conditional on passing the prerequisites. You will be required to withdraw from your Stage II courses if this requirement is not met.

What happens if you enrol and are put on the waitlist? There are four reasons why students are placed on waitlists:

• the course is full
• you have not met the GPA requirements for the course
• you have a timetable clash
• you do not have the pre-requisites for the course.

Student Services Online may generate an ‘error message’ in some of these cases - read it carefully.

If there is the space in a course for students on the waitlist who attempted to enrol after the course was full, or who are below the GPA requirement, they will be enrolled approximately two weeks prior to semester starting. Such students may also gain a place closer to the start of semester if other students withdraw. Wait listed students must check Student Services Online for their status. If you no longer remain on the waitlist and do not appear as enrolled then you were not given a place in the course.

Note: Some courses may have restrictions. A restriction is a course which is so similar to another that you cannot take them both. Refer to the 2010 Calendar for details of these.

Level Coordinator Stage 2 

Dr Elizabeth Peterson 
Room: 614, HSB
Phone: +64 9 373 7599 ext 89693
Email: e.peterson@auckland.ac.nz

Students must pass three Stage II PSYCH courses (45 points) and one Stage I Statistics course (STATS101-125) to be eligible to enrol in Stage III PSYCH courses.

Under current regulations, it is not essential that you take any specific Stage II courses in order to go on to a particular branch of psychology at Stage III and postgraduate level. However, you will find that many courses at Stage III and above assume that you have acquired the basic knowledge of that area contained in the relevant Stage II course. It is recommended therefore that you consider what branches of psychology may interest you in the future when choosing your Stage II courses.

For more information or general enquiries please contact:

Level Coordinator Stage 3

Dr Lynette Tippett
Room: 635, HSB
Phone: +64 9 373 7599 ext 88551
Email: l.tippett@auckland.ac.nz

Course coordinators

Michelle Burstall
Room 344, HSB
Phone: +64 9 373 7599 ext 88526
Email: m.burstall@auckland.ac.nz

Andrea Mead
Room 535, HSB
Phone: +64 9 373 7599 ext 86253
Email: a.mead@auckland.ac.nz

Download the Psychology Handbook below or visit The University of Auckland Calendar.