Psychology: Foundations to Application

Course Modules & Syllabus

1. Module 1: Module 1: Research Methods & Scientific Foundations

   • Distinguish between correlational, experimental, and quasi-experimental designs; apply to real-world questions (e.g., does market trader stress predict health outcomes?)
   • Evaluate validity threats, sampling bias, and ethical constraints in psychological research; critique claims in Nigerian media health reporting
   • Interpret descriptive and inferential statistics; construct and critique graphs and statistical summaries from psychological datasets

2. Module 2: Module 2: Biological Bases of Behaviour

   • Map neural structures (cortex, limbic system, brainstem) to functions; explain neurotransmitter action in mood, motivation, and learning
   • Integrate genetics and environment in trait expression; apply to understanding individual differences in stress resilience and personality
   • Connect brain plasticity and development to learning and recovery; relate to educational and rehabilitation contexts in Nigeria

3. Module 3: Module 3: Sensation, Perception & Consciousness

   • Explain psychophysical principles (thresholds, adaptation) and perceptual organization; apply to sensory marketing in Nigerian retail environments
   • Analyze states of consciousness (sleep, attention, meditation); evaluate evidence on sleep deprivation effects in shift workers and students
   • Distinguish top-down and bottom-up processing; critique perceptual biases in eyewitness testimony and social judgment

4. Module 4: Module 4: Learning & Conditioning

   • Compare classical, operant, and observational learning; design behaviour change interventions (e.g., reducing littering, improving study habits)
   • Apply reinforcement schedules and extinction principles to real contexts; critique reward systems in Nigerian schools and workplaces
   • Evaluate cognitive and biological constraints on learning; explain why some fears persist despite contradictory experience

5. Module 5: Module 5: Memory & Cognition

   • Model encoding, storage, and retrieval; explain forgetting curves and interference; apply to study strategies and eyewitness reliability
   • Analyze problem-solving, reasoning, and decision-making heuristics; identify cognitive biases in financial decisions and health beliefs
   • Integrate working memory capacity limits into design of educational materials and workplace instructions

6. Module 6: Module 6: Developmental Psychology Across the Lifespan

   • Synthesize Piaget, Erikson, and attachment theories; evaluate cultural variation in parenting, education, and family structure in Nigerian contexts
   • Analyze cognitive, social, and moral development; apply to understanding adolescent risk-taking and intergenerational conflict
   • Examine aging, identity formation, and life transitions; relate to Nigerian extended family systems and elder roles

7. Module 7: Module 7: Social Psychology & Group Behaviour

   • Explain attribution theory, attitude formation, and persuasion; analyze social influence in Nigerian market negotiations, religious communities, and political discourse
   • Evaluate conformity, obedience, and group polarization; critique mob behaviour and collective action in social movements
   • Apply intergroup dynamics and prejudice reduction strategies; address stereotyping and discrimination in Nigerian workplaces and education

8. Module 8: Module 8: Individual Differences, Mental Health & Clinical Application

   • Assess personality theories (trait, psychodynamic, humanistic) and measurement; evaluate cultural validity of personality constructs across Nigerian populations
   • Classify anxiety, mood, and psychotic disorders using diagnostic criteria; distinguish normal distress from clinical disorder; address mental health stigma in Nigeria
   • Evaluate evidence-based treatments (CBT, pharmacotherapy, community interventions); design culturally-informed mental health promotion strategies