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Psychology of Personality
UndergraduateSWI-PSY300082024
Course information for 2024 intake
Take learning, narrative and psychoanalytic approaches to studying personality. Look deep into the unconscious. Learn how early childhood experiences can shape personality traits. Gain an understanding of how personality disorders are characterised.
Enrolments for this course are closed, but you may have other options to start studying now. Book a consultation to learn more.
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Entry requirements
- Prior study needed
- Duration
- 13 weeks
- Loan available
- HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP available
Psychology of Personality
About this subject
Students who successfully complete this subject will be able to:
- Explain the main features of some of the major perspectives on the psychology of personality (e.g., psychoanalytic/neoanalytic; trait, motive, learning and social-cognitive approaches, and the narrative approach).
- Describe elements of historically important theories within each perspective.
- Discuss some major elements of contemporary theories within each perspective.
- Critically evaluate how various approaches to personality explain specific issues such as the unconscious, the self, personality change, the effect of early childhood experiences, the effect of motivation on personality.
- Explain how an integration of many of these theories leads to a better understanding of individual differences in personality.
- Theories of personality
- Assessment of personality
- Application of personality theory
This subject explores key themes in the development of personality theory. The psychodynamic, psychosocial, biological, trait, humanistic, and social cognitive approaches to understanding personality are compared and critically evaluated according to the available evidence. Assessment of individuals according to each theory is also critically evaluated. Applications of the personality theories to real-world problems are emphasised in the subject so that students begin to appreciate the importance of understanding differences between people and how these differences drive behaviour.
Please note: assessment values are indicative only, details will be advised at the start of the subject.
- Assignment — Written Assignment (40%)
- Final Assessment (TBC) (40%)
- Mid-study period test — Online (20%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
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Entry requirements
Prior study
You must have successfully completed the following subject(s) before starting this subject:
one of
SWI-STA20006-Analysis of Variance and Regression (no longer available)
SWI-STA20007 (Not currently available)
Others
You must also complete two of the following three subjects: SWI-PSY20006, SWI-PSY20007 and/or SWI-PSY20016
Additional requirements
No additional requirements
Study load
- 0.125 EFTSL
- This is in the range of 10 to 12 hours of study each week.
Equivalent full time study load (EFTSL) is one way to calculate your study load. One (1.0) EFTSL is equivalent to a full-time study load for one year.
Find out more information on Commonwealth Loans to understand what this means to your eligibility for financial support.
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