University of St Andrews

Key information

SCOTCAT credits : 10

ECTS credits : 5

Level : SCQF level 9

Semester: 2

Availability restrictions: Available to General Degree students with permission of the Psychology Honours Adviser

Planned timetable: Lectures: Tuesdays 9-11; Workshops: Tuesdays one of 2-3:30, 3:30-5 (Module runs in Weeks 7-11 only).

This module will address evolutionary and comparative approaches to psychology. The aim is to provide an understanding of major evolutionary forces and how they have shaped animal and human behaviour and psychology. Key principles, concepts and methodologies will be introduced and related to specific topic areas such as the evolution of social behaviour and the evolutionary origins of language and cognition.

Relationship to other modules

Pre-requisite(s): Before taking this module you must pass PS2002

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact: 1 x 2-hour lecture and 1 x 1.5-hour laboratory class or seminar (Weeks 7 - 11).

Scheduled learning hours: 17

Guided independent study hours: 82

Assessment pattern

As used by St Andrews: Take-home format Written Examination = 100%

As defined by QAA
Written examinations : 100%
Practical examinations : 0%
Coursework: 0%

Re-assessment: Take-home format Written Examination = 100%

Personnel

Module coordinator: Dr C L Hobaiter
Module teaching staff: Dr C Hobaiter
Module coordinator email clh42@st-andrews.ac.uk

Intended learning outcomes

• describe how selection can act to shape our behaviour, as well as our bodies, over evolutionary time
• describe to what extent behavioural heuristics adapted to our environment of evolutionary selection are relevant to describe modern human behaviour in the 21st Century
• describe which cognitive processes are involved in human language, and how human language fits into the broad spectrum of animal communication systems
• develop a hypothesis about animal and/or human behaviour and describe the different steps needed to implement a suitable method for testing it. These steps include taking into account theoretical, practical, and ethical considerations.