PL4S132 - Principles and Concepts in Behaviour Analysis 22 Feb 2019 - 31 Aug 2027 | Version 1

Associated Module Information

Module Code: PL4S132
Module Title: Principles and Concepts in Behaviour Analysis
Faculty: Faculty of Life Sciences and Education
Faculty Group: Psychology
Faculty Sub Group: Youth and Community
Module Leader: Richard May
Module Team: Kirsty Richards, Dan Bowers, Alexis Jones, Leigh Attwood
First Intended Intake: SEP 2019 Final Year of Intake: 2024
Date Closed:
Credit Value: 20 Credit Level: 7
Language: English
Percentage of Module Taught in Welsh: 0
Equivalent Module:
HECOS codes: 100497 - psychology
HECOS Code Weighting: 100

Document Version Information

Version 1
Valid From 22 Feb 2019
Valid To 31 Aug 2027

Module Aims

To foster a critical appreciation of principles, processes and concepts of the science and technology of behaviour analysis.

Content Summary

This module will introduce students to the science of behaviour and teach the core principles of behaviour analysis (e.g., reinforcement, punishment, extinction, schedules, stimulus discrimination, stimulus equivalence, generalisation).

Additionally, the module will encourage a sophisticated appreciation of the experimental analysis of behaviour and applied behaviour analysis. This will be achieved by presenting content which contrasts these two perspectives. Specifically, each of the principles above will be presented from both experimental and applied perspectives, thus teaching students the importance of each approach to our understanding of behaviour.

Learning and Teaching Methods

Activity Type Hours
Lecture 35
Seminar 10
Independent Study 111
Directed Study 40
Formative Assessment - Scheduled 4
Total Hours Selected 200

Learning Outcomes

# Learning Outcome
LO1 Critically appraise core principles of behaviour that underlie the applied and experimental analysis of behaviour
LO2 Apply core principles of operant and respondent conditioning to articulate how organisms learn

Module Requisites

N/A

Assessment Criteria

Assessment Category Assessment Type Description Duration Word Count Weight (%) Best of? Pass Mark
Asynchronous Assessment Portfolio 1 Collection of brief practical assessments, including analysing a series of virtual operant learning experiments and completing reading comprehension exercises 0 3000 50 No 50
Synchronous Onsite Assessment Classroom Test - Time Constrained (Onsite) 1 MCQ Class Test: Comprehensive test across all module content 90 N/A 50 No 50

Assessment Matrix

Assessment Type Learning Outcomes
LO1 LO2
Portfolio 1
Classroom Test - Time Constrained (Onsite) 1

Reading List

Cooper, J. O., Heron, T. E., & Heward, W. L. (2007). Applied behaviour analysis (2nd ed.). Columbus, OH: Merrill.

Catania, C. A. (2013). Learning (5th ed). New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

Skinner, B. F. (1953). Science and human behaviour. New York: Macmillan.

Journal of Applied Behaviour Analysis

Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behaviour