Leader: Professor S Bloch and Dr L Rodriguez

Offered

Clayton Second semester 2008 (Day)

Synopsis

Topics include the concept of personality, different theoretical approaches to the conceptualisation of personality and psychological functioning and the relationship between these approaches and the empirical study of personality. Relevance of theory to the clinical situation, especially psychotherapeutic implications. Although the unit will not serve as an introduction to practical psychotherapy, there will be a regular opportunity to study relevant aspects of the different schools of psychological treatment.

Objectives

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

1. Formulate a person's internal and interpersonal psychological world in terms of relevant theories of personality and psychological functioning;
2. Critically appraise these theoretical approaches in terms of their commonalities and differences;
3. Recognise how research into this subject is conceptualised and carried out;
4. Critically analyse the literature in this field;
5. Relate the role of these approaches in the psychotherapies and clinical psychiatry overall.

Assessment

Essay on an assigned topic (approx. 4,000 words)

Contact hours

First Year