Module: Experimental Analysis of Behaviour

Module Specifications.

Current Academic Year 2024 - 2025

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Date posted: September 2024

Module Title	Experimental Analysis of Behaviour
Module Code	PSYC203 (ITS) / PSY1026 (Banner)
Faculty	Science & Health	School	Psychology
Module Co-ordinator	Emma Delemere
Module Teachers	Sinead Smyth
NFQ level	8	Credit Rating	5
Pre-requisite	Not Available
Co-requisite	Not Available
Compatibles	Not Available
Incompatibles	Not Available

None

Description

Module Aims: To explore the key concepts and issues in behavioural psychology, with a particular focus on learning and human language and cognition. To explore the contribution that behaviour analysis can make to the whole field of psychology.

Learning Outcomes

1. outline the main features of conceptual framework of behaviour analysis as an a approach to psychology
2. describe key methods of investigation in behaviour analysis
3. explain the key principles of behaviour analysis
4. critically analyse experimental studies in behaviour analysis
5. identify reinforcing consequences that will change behaviour in experimental and applied settings.
6. use behaviour principles to interpret psychological processes

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full-time hours per semester
Lecture	22	In person lecture
Tutorial	10	A combination of seminars, tutorials and practical exercises delivered synchronously
Online activity	10	A number of additional activities including practical and online exercises.
Assignment Completion	50	Completion of the assignments associated with the module
Independent Study	33	Reading core text, studying for end of semester exam, other independent study
Total Workload: 125

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Experimental analysis of behaviour is a scientific approach to the study of human behaviour and psychology.
It differs from a range of other contemporary approaches to the same issues in that it identifies the crucial process as the interaction between the person and their social and physical environment. This module covers the main areas of behaviour analysis with a particular focus on human language and cognition:

Philosophy and concepts

Classical conditioning

Reinforcement

Operant Conditioning,

Stimulus control

Conditional discrimination

Stimulus Equivalence

Transfer of functions

Verbal behaviour

Recent advances

Assessment Breakdown
Continuous Assessment	50%	Examination Weight	50%

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Course Work Breakdown
Report(s)	Students will complete a number of practical exercises and write these up as a report.	50%	n/a
Essay	Students will complete an essay. Essays titles will be provided by the lecturer.	50%	n/a

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories: Resit category 1: A resit is available for both* components of the module. Resit category 2: No resit is available for a 100% continuous assessment module. Resit category 3: No resit is available for the continuous assessment component where there is a continuous assessment and examination element.
* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a Continuous Assessment/Examination split; where the module is 100% continuous assessment, there will also be a resit of the assessment
This module is category 1

Indicative Reading List

Leslie, J. C.: 2002, Essential behaviour analysis., Arnold., London,
Leslie, J. C.: 1996, Principles of behavioral analysis., Psychology Press, Hove,
Hayes, S.C., Barnes-Holmes, D. & Roche, B. (Eds.).: 2001, Relational frame theory: A post-Skinnerian account of language and cognition., Plenum Press, New York,
Niklas, M.D. Torneke,: 0, Learning Rft: An Introduction to Relational Frame Theory and Its Clinical Applications, 1572249064
Hayes, S. C.: 2004, Rule-Governed Behavior, New Harbinger Publications, CA, 1878978489
Murray Sidman: 1994, Equivalence relations and behavior, Authors Cooperative, Boston, MA, 0962331163

Other Resources

None