Undergraduate Course: Motivation and Emotion (PSYL10147)
Course Outline
| School | School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course provides an overview of theory and research on motivation and emotion. With an emphasis on empirical evidence, we will focus on how emotional states contribute to the expression of motivated goal-directed behaviors, and vice versa. We will examine these processes from a variety of psychological perspectives (e.g., biological, cognitive, developmental, social). This course will provide you with tools for understanding and regulating motivation and emotion, both intra- and interpersonally. |
| Course description |
Why do we do what we do, and why do we feel what we feel? At the present time, the study of motivation and emotion is characterized by an enormous breadth of content, several unique methodological and statistical challenges, and meta-theories around which various empirical findings are integrated and organized.
In this course, we will cover the major theoretical perspectives and methodologies related to the scientific study of motivation and emotion. With an emphasis on empirical evidence, we will focus on how emotional states contribute to the expression of motivated goal-directed behaviors, and vice versa. We will examine these processes from a variety of psychological perspectives (e.g., biological, cognitive, developmental, social). This course will provide you with tools for understanding and regulating motivation and emotion, both intra- and interpersonally.
Each week we will explore a different aspect of motivation and emotion and how these processes relate to human psychology. Classes will consist of a mixture of lectures, large and small group discussions, and other activities. Assessments will emphasize independent learning, critical analysis, writing skills, and communication with different audiences.
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Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | Visiting students who are Psychology majors and in their third or final year at their home university are welcome to take this course. |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2018/19, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: 0 |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 20,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
176 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Mini Research Proposal (1000 words; 30%, mid-term)
This assessment requires students to develop a research question related to the science of motivation and emotion and to write a proposal designed to test this question empirically. This assessment involves integration of theoretical and methodological approaches covered in class, and requires students to think independently and analytically.
Applied Project (1000 words plus visual product; 70%, end of course)
This assessment requires students to use their knowledge of the psychology of motivation and emotion to solve a real-world problem of their choice in a 1000-word piece of writing. Students must also create a visual product (e.g., leaflet) to accompany their written component. This assessment involves deep comprehension and synthesis of course content, and requires students to think independently, creatively, and critically. |
| Feedback |
Provided weekly in class in the form of brief discussion questions and other activities.
Feedback on the mid-term assessment will also feed forward to the final assessment by improving writing skills and understanding of the course material.
Feedback on the mid-term assessment will also feed forward to the final assessment by improving writing skills and understanding of the course material. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Examine motivation and emotion from an empirically-based, scholarly perspective, rather than from an intuitive or speculative perspective based solely on personal experience and observations.
- Understand a number of classical and contemporary theoretical frameworks and methodologies that characterize the scientific study of motivation and emotion.
- Recognize several ways in which motivational and emotional processes occur in daily life and evaluate situations relevant to motivation and emotion and make predictions about behavior.
- Identify critical questions that must be asked if a stronger, more complete, and more integrated science of motivation and emotion is to emerge, and develop an empirical project that could test these questions.
- Apply empirical findings related to motivation and emotion to solve real-world problems.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Keywords | psychology; motivation; emotion |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Sarah Stanton
Tel: (0131 6)50 8387
Email: Sarah.Stanton@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Ms Alexandra MacAndrew
Tel: (0131 6)51 3733
Email: alexandra.macandrew@ed.ac.uk |
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