THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - 2021/2
Module code: PSYM067
Module Overview
This module provides students with an understanding of the major theoretical formulations and models in the area of risk in order to provide a conceptual underpinning to inform their approach to research and practice, and to provide students with a knowledge of individual, organisational and social aspects of approaches to environmental risks.
Module provider
Psychology
Module Leader
GATERSLEBEN Birgitta (Psychology)
Number of Credits: 15
ECTS Credits: 7.5
Framework: FHEQ Level 7
Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A
Overall student workload
Workshop Hours: 11
Independent Learning Hours: 96
Seminar Hours: 11
Tutorial Hours: 10
Guided Learning: 11
Captured Content: 11
Module Availability
Semester 2
Prerequisites / Co-requisites
None.
Module content
- Social barriers and motivations for pro-environmental behavior (e.g., Social dilemma paradigm, Theory of Planned Behavior, Norm Activation Model).
- Public perceptions of environmental problems (Knowledge, Values and attitudes, Risk perception – public perceptions of climate change, the role of social and symbolic aspects, Are people rational thinkers?).
- Education and persuasion (Persuasive communication, Education, persuasion, social Influence).
- Behavior change (behavior change strategies studied in psychology).
- Consumption and wellbeing (materialism, compulsive buying, consumption and wellbeing).
Assessment pattern
| Assessment type | Unit of assessment | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Oral exam or presentation | GROUP REPORT AND PRESENTATION | 25 |
| Coursework | ESSAY | 75 |
Alternative Assessment
Alternative assessment for assignment 1 is a poster with a 1,000 word outline.
Assessment Strategy
The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate their ability to design evidence based interventions for the promotion of sustainable behaviours and critically assess the theories and empirical evidence in psychology that addresses sustainable and unsustainable consumer behaviours.
Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:
Poster presentation: (assesses learning outcomes: 1-4) Week 7
Essay: (assesses learning outcomes: 1-4) Submission: Week 10
Formative assessment
Students will be encouraged to discuss topics in class and conduct presentations of their group and individual work.
Feedback
Feedback will be provided in class through discussions and peer and tutor feedback on discussions and in class presentations.
Module aims
- This module aims to provide students with an understanding of the theories and research evidence in psychology that help contribute to understanding and changing individual sustainable behaviours. To provide students with the ability to develop evidence based interventions for the promotion of sustainable lifestyles and behaviours
Learning outcomes
| Attributes Developed | ||
| 1 | To have an understanding of psychological theories that help understand environmentally relevant behaviour, consumer behaviour and quality of life issues | KCPT |
| 2 | To be trained in problem analysis and formulation, intervention, assessment and evaluation as appropriate to environmental and consumer behaviour in order to enable them to conduct empirical research of their own | KCPT |
| 3 | To be able to link theoretical and empirical questions to social and environmental issues with a view to understanding the behavioural and psychological applications and action implications of environmental psychological theories and empirical findings | KCPT |
| 4 | To be knowledgeable of procedures and practices for the ethical conduct of research | KCPT |
Attributes Developed
C - Cognitive/analytical
K - Subject knowledge
T - Transferable skills
P - Professional/Practical skills
Methods of Teaching / Learning
The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:
To provide students with an understanding of the theories and research evidence in psychology that help contribute to understanding and changing individual sustainable behaviours.
To provide students with the ability to develop evidence based interventions for the promotion of sustainable lifestyles and behaviours.
The learning and teaching methods include:
- 2 hour seminar x 11 over one week as this module is shared with the Centre for Environmental Strategy and is part of their MSc programme in which students attend one-week moduls. This will involve a combination of lecturing, presentations and discussion.
- 128 hours independent study largely comprising reading key texts as well as the preparation of materials for the assignments
Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.
Reading list
https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: PSYM067
Programmes this module appears in
| Programme | Semester | Classification | Qualifying conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Environmental Psychology MSc | 2 | Compulsory | A weighted aggregate mark of 50% is required to pass the module |
| Social Psychology MSc | 2 | Optional | A weighted aggregate mark of 50% is required to pass the module |
| Corporate Environmental Management MSc | 2 | Optional | A weighted aggregate mark of 50% is required to pass the module |
| Environmental Strategy MSc | 2 | Optional | A weighted aggregate mark of 50% is required to pass the module |
| Sustainable Development MSc | 2 | Optional | A weighted aggregate mark of 50% is required to pass the module |
Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2021/2 academic year.