ID:
PSICOM38
Duration (hours):
30
CFU:
3
SSD:
PSICOBIOLOGIA E PSICOLOGIA FISIOLOGICA
Located in:
CHIETI
Url:
PSYCHOLOGY/CORSO GENERICO Year: 1
Year:
2025
Course Catalogue:
Overview
Date/time interval
Primo Semestre (29/09/2025 - 20/12/2025)
Syllabus
Course Objectives
The course contributes to achieving the educational objectives of the Degree Programme by providing students with theoretical knowledge and methodological tools that are essential for understanding and analyzing the main topics of the relevant discipline.
The course provides advanced knowledge on the theoretical and psychophysiological mechanisms of stress and performance, with reference to the effects of stress on cognition, emotion, decision-making, behavior and physical performance, and aims to provide knowledge on stress resilience and coping mechanisms, such as improving self-efficacy and reducing anxiety, biofeedback training, mindfulness and physical exercise interventions.
Expected learning outcomes:
1) Knowledge and understanding:
To develop a comprehensive framework for understanding cognitive, emotional, and behavioral functioning at both individual and group levels.
To gain a solid grounding in theoretical concepts and methodological approaches appropriate for continuing the carreer.
2) Applying knowledge and understanding:
To develop the ability to identify cognitive, emotional, and behavioral functioning. Apply selected methods and tools commonly used by psychologists to explore individual and group functioning across developmental stages.
3) Making judgements:
To develop the capacity to compare different theoretical perspectives.
To develop knowledge acquisition on scientifically rigorous standards.
4) Communication skills:
To demonstrate the ability to communicate acquired knowledge through oral presentations and written assignments on specific topics or open-ended questions.
5) Learning skills:
To develop reflective thinking and metacognitive awareness regarding learning strategies and academic content.
Course Prerequisites
Students should possess logical and reasoning abilities; basic knowledge of the anatomy and the physiology of the nervous system; knowledge of experimental methodology; ability to understand texts in English.
Teaching Methods
The 30-hour course is delivered in person and combines different teaching approaches that align with the expected learning outcomes. The main methods include:
Classroom lectures using Power Point slides (which are made available to students), reading and discussion of scientific articles in the classroom, and watching videos in English, aimed at presenting theoretical frameworks and key concepts, and providing a structured overview of the course content;
Practical sessions using digital tools, to help students apply their knowledge and develop analytical and critical thinking skills;
Seminars with invited speakers, offering in-depth exploration of specific topics and opportunities to engage with professionals and researchers;
Group activities and presentations, designed to enhance teamwork, communication, and independent judgement.
Attendance is not mandatory, but it is strongly recommended, as active participation in the various learning activities greatly supports the achievement of the course’s intended learning outcomes.
Assessment Methods
The exam is composed of two parts:
Oral exam (learning objectives 1-3)
Scientific talk (learning objectives 4-5)
The oral exam allows to verify the acquisition and understanding of knowledge, as well as the ability of critically linking and integrating knowledge (learning objectives 1-3).
The scientific talk to public (professor and colleagues) provides for a critical presentation (in Power Point or other software, max 5 slides) of a topic chosen among those of the class (learning objectives 4-5).
The weight of each part will be as following:
50% Oral; 50% Scientific talk.
The final grade is expressed out of thirty.
Texts
Slides, scientific papers and supplementary teaching material.
The teaching material (PowerPoint slides, video and additional learning resources) is available on the e-learning platform of the course (https://elearning.unich.it/course/index.php?categoryid=601).
Contents
The course covers the main theories on stress and its psychophysiological bases, the effect of stress on cognition and decision-making, as well as on performance, both mental and physical, in order to understand the relationship between stress and performance. The course offers a general view on stress resilience and the coping mechanisms.
By developing a critical thought in both theoretical and methodological domains, the course provides the knowledge for a productive integration within a multidisciplinary environment.
Course Language
English
More information
Office hours are held weekly, either in person or remotely via Microsoft Teams, by appointment. Students are invited to check the instructor’s institutional webpage for updated office hours and contact details.
For any questions, students can contact the instructor at: marika.berchicci@unich.it.
In addition to the standard teaching hours, students may take part in optional supplementary activities, including:
Tutoring sessions to support exam preparation and reinforce key concepts;
Optional lab sessions or practical activities, scheduled during the semester and communicated during class or via the e-learning platform;
External seminars or guest lectures on topics relevant to the course, when available.
Participation in these activities is voluntary and does not affect the final grade, but it is strongly recommended to enhance the learning experience and deepen the practical understanding of course content.
It is possible to participate to the scientific meetings organized by the Laboratory of Psychophysiology.
Degrees
Degrees
PSYCHOLOGY
Master’s Degree
2 years
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