The course aims to provide the basic tools to address the complex panorama of contemporary psychology studies and research in the context of Cognitive Sciences. Students will be offered study paths on the most important topics studied by Experimental Psychology, such as attention, memory, thinking, learning, motivation and emotions.
At the end of the course, students will be able to compare Psychology with the other disciplines that characterize Cognitive Sciences, identifying methodological differences and epistemological foundations.

More specifically, the course has the following objectives:
- Knowledge and understanding:
make students acquire general basic knowledge on scientific psychology and cognitive processes. The aim of the course is also to develop students' ability in critical analysis and understanding in order to allow them a subsequent independent use of textbooks and more advanced scientific articles. The proposed topics are aimed to provide targeted bases for their future specific professional work domain, for a more general personal growth and to serve as a starting point for further insights into the discipline or others related to it;
- Ability to apply knowledge and understanding:
provide students with a path that enables them to apply the knowledge and understanding skills acquired during the course also in future work contexts;
- Autonomy of judgment:
ensure that students develop the ability to independently find, discern and use objective information and scientific data that can help them formulate answers to clearly defined problems, both concrete and abstract, and that they develop a certain degree of autonomous reflection on social, scientific and ethical issues connected to them;
- Communication skills:
empower students to be able to communicate about discipline-related understanding, skills and activities with their peers, superiors and clients / patients;
- Learning ability:
indicate to students learning methods and strategies that support them in undertaking more advanced studies of the subject with a certain degree of autonomy.

None

Psychology, like all other experimental disciplines, is a rapidly evolving science. The course, starting from some hints of historical delineation, will show the contemporary panorama of the theories and methods used. In addition to the brief historical and disciplinary framework, the studies and researches on the main cognitive functions will be addressed, comparing the different historical approaches of the greatest schools of thought, with the aim of analyzing and understanding what the main mechanisms are and how they work in determining the processes of the elaboration of our experience of ourselves and of the world, and which allow the organization and development of the cognitive system, the guidance and control of behavior, the interaction with objects and other organisms, and the planning of our goals.

Recommended reference texts (choose one):

- Bassi M., Delle Fave A. (2019). Psicologia generale per le professioni medico-sanitarie. Utet, Torino
- Gerrig R. J., Zimbardo P. G., Anolli L. M., Baldi P. L. (2018). Psicologia generale. Pearson, Milano-Torino
- Feldman R. S., Amoretti G., Ciceri M.R. (a cura di) (2013). Psicologia generale. McGraw-Hill, Milano
- Atkinson W. W., Hilgard E. R. (2017). Introduzione Alla Psicologia. Piccin-Nuova Libraria, Padova
The slides presented in class will be available at the end of the course, as a support for exam preparation.

-Overview of scientific psychology discipline, hints on historical and epistemological foundations
-Hints on the biological bases and main topics of the discipline
-Tools to critically compare the different approaches
-General overview of the principles underlying thinking, reasoning, decision making and problem solving, with practical examples applied to clinical setting
- Classification of the functionalities and limitations of the cognitive system in terms of memory, attention, vigilance
- Basics of conditioning and learning
-Role and regulation of emotions and motivation in human performance and behavior
- Demotivation and burn out phenomena
- Management of cognitive resources
- Basics of communication in the clinical setting, definition and peculiarities of the clinician's role, effective and problematic ways of interacting with patients

Main teaching methods:
- Frontal lessons (24 hours)
Accessory methods:
- Practical examples with group discussion
- Short group experimental exercises
- Critical viewing of original films / experiment reconstructions
- Analysis of video demonstrations

The slides presented in class will be available at the end of the course, as a support for exam preparation.
Any changes to the methods described here, which may be necessary to ensure the application of the security protocols related to the COVID19 emergency, will be communicated on the website of the Department.

The student assessment is made by a written exam lasting 30 minutes, in which 15 multiple choice questions are proposed (4 alternatives, only 1 correct) and 16 in "fill-in" questions, in which the missing word must be inserted in block letters. The score will be assigned as follows: correct answer +1 point, incorrect answer -0.25 points, unanswered question 0 points. The exam score is assigned by means of a grade expressed in thirtieths, the maximum score achievable is 31, corresponding to 30 cum laude. To pass the exam, and therefore obtain a grade of no less than 18/30, students must demonstrate that they have acquired sufficient basic knowledge of the topics in the exam program and that they possess the basic terminology specific to the discipline. To obtain a score of 30/30 cum laude, students must instead demonstrate that they have acquired excellent knowledge of all the topics covered during the course, answering all the questions correctly. Eventual in itinere tests could be agreed.

This course explores topics closely related to one or more goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (SDGs)