Form AR 140
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Subject Description Form
Subject Code APSS111/ APSS1A07
Subject Title Introduction to Psychology
Credit Value 3
Level 1
GUR Requirements This subject intends to fulfill the following requirement(s) :
Intended to Fulfill
Healthy Lifestyle
AI and Data Analytics (AIDA)
Innovation and Entrepreneurship (IE)
Languages and Communication Requirement (LCR)
Leadership Education and Development (LEAD)
Service-Learning
Cluster-Area Requirement (CAR)
Human Nature, Relations and Development [CAR A]
Science, Technology and Environment [CAR D]
Chinese History and Culture [CAR M]
Cultures, Organizations, Societies and Globalization [CAR N]
China-Study Requirement
Yes or No
Writing and Reading Requirements
English or Chinese
Pre-requisite / Co- Exclusion:
requisite/
For students taking APSS111, the exclusion subject is APSS1A07.
Exclusion
For students taking APSS1A07, the exclusion subject is APSS111.
For students taking APSS298, the exclusion subjects are APSS111 &
APSS1A07.
Assessment Methods
100% Continuous Individual Assessment Group Assessment
Assessment
Practice Quizzes 10% --
Written Assignments 50% 25
Class Participation 40% --
• The grade is calculated according to the percentage assigned;
• The completion and submission of all component assignments are
required for passing the subject; and
• Student must pass all component(s) if he/she is to pass the subject.
Last updated in July 2023 APSS111/1A07 Introduction to Psychology
Objectives 1. Harness systematic knowledge in the field of psychology with both
historical and contemporary perspectives
2. Understand the research methods in psychology
3. Acquaint with contemporary trends and recent development in psychology
4. Develop critical thinking skills and use psychological method of enquiry
to evaluate claims and ideas in popular media
5. Apply the acquired psychological concepts and theories in everyday life
Intended Learning Upon completion of the subject, students will be able to:
Outcomes
(Note 1) a. Gain an understanding of the fundamentals of psychology
b. Survey and appreciate research in psychology
c. Develop their interest and critical thinking in human thought and behavior
d. Relate psychology to applications in their everyday life
e. Exercise their presentation, academic research and writing skills in
collaboration with peers
1. The Dimensions of Psychology
Subject Synopsis/
- Aspects of Psychology
Indicative Syllabus
- A Brief History of Psychology
(Note 2) - Value and Contributions of Psychology to Human Life
2. The Neuro-biological Foundations of Psychology
- Central Nervous System (CNS) / Limbic System / Endocrine System
- Genetic Influence on Behavior / Major functions of CNS / Neuro-imaging
3. Sensation and Perception
- Sensory Processes
- Principles of Perceptual Organization
- Perceptual Constancy and Development
4. Learning
- Classical Conditioning
- Operant Conditioning
- Social and Cognitive Approaches to Learning
5. Memory
- Memory Processes from Sensory Input to Long-term Memory
- Improving Memory
- Constructive Memory
6. Intelligence, Cognition and Language
- Intelligence: Classical and Contemporary theories
- Forming Concepts and Solving Problems
- Development of Language, Reason and Thought
7. Perspectives of Human Development
- Cognitive Development
- Social and Personality Development
- Emotional Development / Moral Development
Last updated in July 2023 APSS111/1A07 Introduction to Psychology
8. Social Influence and Human Behaviors
- Perceiving Others and Attribution
- Attitudes and Behavior
- Interpersonal Attraction
- Social and Group Influences
9. Personality Theories, Research and Assessment
- Personality Development
- Personality Assessment
10. Psychological Disorders – Diagnosis & Treatment
- Brief Overview of Abnormal Behavior: Myths, Realties and Controversies
- Culture and Psychopathology
- Elements of the Treatment Processes / Current Trends and Issues in Treatment
Both face-to-face lectures and online lecture materials are directly delivered and
Teaching/Learning
prepared by the subject teaching team. Blended learning activities are designed to
Methodology
encourage students’ self-study beyond lecture contact hours. The subject teaching
(Note 3) team strive to reach a flexible balance of interactive activities through direct
student-teacher contact, online self-assessment, in-class exercises, small group
discussions, role-play, and case illustration where applicable. Multi-media
materials and immersive learning environment would be introduced to facilitate
learning where applicable.
Web-assisted quizzes are arranged to enhance students’ understanding of the
psychological concepts acquired from the lectures, web-assisted deliverables and
assigned readings. These methods are considered as both a supplement to 13
lectures and a self-learning tool for reinforcing students’ integration and
internalization. Prompt feedback can be provided for each student after taking
the web-based assessment and practice quizzes. The on-line forum may also
provide a platform for interactive discussions among students, and for
exchanging views with the subject lecturer.
Flipped Classroom sessions are incorporated to promote constructivist and
collaborative learning in this subject. Students will engage in 2-3 sessions on the
learning units through the flipped classroom approach, in which they will view
learning materials before classes and engage in problem solving and experiential
learning activities in physical class sessions.
Students are also required to take part in 3 hours of psychological experiments,
so that they learn how empirical studies are conducted in real contexts.
Assessment Methods in
Alignment with Specific assessment % Weighting Intended subject learning
Intended Learning methods/tasks outcomes to be assessed (Please
(Individual
Outcomes tick as appropriate)
%/ Group %)
(Note 4)
a b c d e
1. Practice Quizzes 10% (10% /0%) ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
2. Written Assignments 50% (25% /25%) ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
3. Class Participation 40% (40% /0%) ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Total 100 %
Last updated in July 2023 APSS111/1A07 Introduction to Psychology
Explanation of the appropriateness of the assessment methods in assessing the
intended learning outcomes:
Practice Quizzes
Practice quizzes (10%) assigned through the Learn@PolyU learning
management system cover the subject syllabus and essential reading
requirements. They may be designed in the form of multiple-choice and/or short-
question formats. These practice quizzes are designed to assess students’
learning at the recall, comprehension, analysis and application levels, that are
adaptable for a wide range of course contents and learning outcomes.
Written Assignments
Students will be able to reflect on application of psychology concepts and theories
by selecting one thematic lecture topic for writing a reflective journal (25%) and
reflect on how psychology helps the study of their disciplinary domain and
professional practice.
To promote collaborative and constructivist learning, students in small groups
will engage in group forum discussions (25%) via the Learn@PolyU learning
management system. Discussing asynchronously on selected issues and debates
in psychology and its application, it is expected that students would demonstrate
abilities to adopt perspectives in psychology towards problem solving and
develop skills in making and substantiating augments with empirical support from
the psychology research literature. Both reflective journal writing and group
forum discussions enable students to apply and integrate psychological theories
into the real-life practice.
Class Participation
Learning artefact engagement via Learn@PolyU learning management
system and in-class lecture participation (20%): Participation in learning
activities including preparation by reading class materials online via
collaborative annotations tool, and in-class engagement through responses
via Students’ Response System (SRS), will reflect students ongoing
progress and engagement in class learning activities.
Engagement in Flipped Classroom Sessions (15%): To evaluate the effort in
flipped classroom sessions, students’ preparation on learning materials
before class via Learn@PolyU and their subsequent engagement in problem
solving and experiential learning activities in physical class sessions will be
assessed towards flipped classroom sessions participation.
Research participation (5%): Research-integrated learning allows students to
learn how psychological research is designed and implemented from an
experiential approach. Through research participation, students will be
provided with hands-on opportunities in participating in psychological
research studies. Participating in psychological research enable students to
apply and integrate psychological theories into the real-life practice. Students
earn the participation marks by completing an experiment or surveys and
consolidating their participation with a brief review on the research project
participated. All these experiential learning and evidence-based research
experience would enhance students’ understanding of the essential theoretical
and empirical knowledge of the psychological theories acquired in lectures as
well as their indigenous and global trends.
Coursework is based on continuous assessment. Quizzes, written assignments,
and class participation activities are set for all students who are required to demonstrate
Last updated in July 2023 APSS111/1A07 Introduction to Psychology
their level of psychological knowledge learned from this introductory subject.
Assessment is also moderated through various means: (1) setting clear and
specific assessment guidelines; (2) regular discussions among the subject lecturer
and all supportive staff concerned; and (3) moderation by an internal moderator for
this subject.
Academic Integrity
https://www.polyu.edu.hk/ar/academic-integrity/introduction/
We expect students to honor and practice academic integrity on their academic
work in an honest and ethical manner, following the conventions and code of
practice of their chosen discipline or profession.
Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) in learning and assessments
https://www.polyu.edu.hk/edc/explore-a-topic/generative-ai/
PolyU takes an open and forward-looking stance on the use of generative
artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools as a positive and creative force in education,
and the incorporation of such use in innovative learning, teaching, and
assessment practices.
While embracing the use of new technology in education, PolyU upholds the
principle that students must adhere to high standards of academic integrity in all
forms of assessments. The Student Code of Conduct and the policy on academic
integrity apply to the use of GenAI in student work.
Student Study Effort Class contact:
Expected
Lecture 39 Hrs.
Other student study effort:
Web-based quizzes 3 Hrs.
Self-reading 28 Hrs.
Preparation for written assignments and web-
47 Hrs.
based quizzes
Psychological experiments 3 Hrs.
Total student study effort 120 Hrs.
Textbook
Reading List and
References Psychology 2/E. Open source textbook provided by OpenStax. Available under a
Creative Commons Attribution License v4.0. © 2022. Available at
https://openstax.org/details/books/psychology-2e
References
Sun, C. T.-L. (2015). Psychology in Asia: An Introduction (1st ed.):
Cengage. (ISBN: 9789814441384)
Bond, M. H. (Ed.). (2010). The Oxford handbook of Chinese psychology.
New York: Oxford University Press. (ISBN: 9780198738572).
Last updated in July 2023 APSS111/1A07 Introduction to Psychology
Note 1: Intended Learning Outcomes
Intended learning outcomes should state what students should be able to do or attain upon completion of the subject. Subject
outcomes are expected to contribute to the attainment of the overall programme outcomes.
Note 2: Subject Synopsis/ Indicative Syllabus
The syllabus should adequately address the intended learning outcomes. At the same time over-crowding of the syllabus should be
avoided.
Note 3: Teaching/Learning Methodology
This section should include a brief description of the teaching and learning methods to be employed to facilitate learning, and a
justification of how the methods are aligned with the intended learning outcomes of the subject.
Note 4: Assessment Method
This section should include the assessment method(s) to be used and its relative weighting, and indicate which of the subject intended
learning outcomes that each method purports to assess. It should also provide a brief explanation of the appropriateness of the
assessment methods in assessing the intended learning outcomes.
Last updated in July 2023 APSS111/1A07 Introduction to Psychology
