PL2S131 - From Cells to Consciousness 01 Sep 2023 - 31 Aug 2030 | Version 5

Associated Module Information

Module Code: PL2S131
Module Title: From Cells to Consciousness
Faculty: Faculty of Life Sciences and Education
Faculty Group: Psychology
Faculty Sub Group: Youth and Community
Module Leader: Gareth Miles, Sarah Evans
Module Team: Biao Zeng, Shakiela Davies, Kirsty Richards, Dan Bowers, Alexis Jones, Leigh Attwood
First Intended Intake: SEP 2018 Final Year of Intake: 2029
Date Closed:
Credit Value: 20 Credit Level: 5
Language: English
Percentage of Module Taught in Welsh: 0
Equivalent Module:
HECOS codes: 100497 - psychology
HECOS Code Weighting: 100

Document Version Information

Version 5
Valid From 01 Sep 2023
Valid To 31 Aug 2030

Module Aims

To provide students with a deep understanding of key concepts, theories and research in biological and cognitive Psychology and how they relate them to their specific course

Content Summary

Building on work from Perspectives in Psychology and Critical Readings in Psychology this module will provide students with a critical understanding of how behaviour relates to bodily processes and how the brain in influences behaviour. This will be contextualised with reference to individual differences and historical debates informing key topics in biological and cognitive Psychology. 

The content of this module will include the biological basis of human and non-human animal behaviour, the influence of hormones on behaviour, behavioural genetics and neuroscience. Topics in cognitive Psychology such as attention, perception, memory and language will be covered along with a consideration of higher cognitive processes such as decision-making, problem solving and consciousness. Finally this module will provide students with information about individual difference approaches to Psychology; specially evolutionary Psychology approaches, personality and intelligence. 

Both formative assessment opportunities and directed study tasks are included in this module to support students’ completion of summative assessments.

Learning and Teaching Methods

Activity Type Hours
Practical classes and workshops 36
Independent Study 100
Directed Study 64
Total Hours Selected 200

Learning Outcomes

# Learning Outcome
LO1 Critically evaluate research and theory in biological and cognitive Psychology
LO2 Critically evaluate the role of cognitive and biological processes in determining behaviour

Module Requisites

N/A

Assessment Criteria

Assessment Category Assessment Type Description Duration Word Count Weight (%) Best of? Pass Mark
Asynchronous Assessment Practical Coursework 1 (Asynch) An methods report based on a class project within biological or cognitive psychology 0 2000 50 No 40
Synchronous Online Assessment Classroom Test - Time Constrained (Online) 1 An open-book class test covering content from biological and cognitive psychology, using Multiple Choice Questions and Short Answer Questions. 120 N/A 50 No 40

Assessment Matrix

Assessment Type Learning Outcomes
LO1 LO2
Practical Coursework 1 (Asynch)
Classroom Test - Time Constrained (Online) 1

Reading List

Eysenck, M.W. and Keane, M.T. (2015) Cognitive Psychology: A Student’s Handbook (7th Edition). Psychology Press

Kolb, B. and Whishaw, I. (2016). An Introduction to Brain and Behaviour. Worth Publishers

Maltby, J., Day, L., and Macaskill A. (2017). Personality, Individual Differences and Intelligence (4th Edition). Pearson

Plus journals related to Biological Psychology, Cognitive Psychology and Individual Differences such as:

Applied Cognitive Psychology

British Journal of Psychology

Biological Psychology

Cognitive Psychology

Personality and Individual Differences