Overview

Delivered by two sport and exercise psychologists who have worked with Olympic performers and coaches, stock exchange businesses, etc., this module will include a variety of “hands-on” exercises that will help us cover a broad array of theories of personality, including: Theories of personality such as psychodynamic theories and derivatives, and different methods of assessment and application, self theories (e.g., self determination, self discrepancy), the Big Five, the Giant Three; specific personality traits (e.g., neuroticism, narcissism, perfectionism, optimism) in relation to performance; body-centre personality theories and their relation to performance and health; "high-risk" sports, including affect/emotion regulation and individual differences in sensation seeking and risk-taking.

Assessment Strategy

-threshold -(D) Students will demonstrate an acceptable level of understanding in relation to the theoretical framework that underpins the relevant areas of personality and individual differences. They will provide a fairly superficial account of the main theories and research findings in relation to the question with superficiality combined with some fairly significant errors, omissions, and/or inconsistencies. This synthesis will incorporate some of the relevant areas that were covered in the module. Students will demonstrate understanding in a fairly superficial manner with reference mainly to secondary sources or only basic understanding of primary sources. The written communication style will be acceptable, albeit somewhat unclear in places.

-good -(B) Students will demonstrate a good understanding of the theoretical framework that underpins the various areas of personality and individual differences. They will provide a fairly concise, critical, and accurate synthesis of the main theories and research findings in relation to the question with some minor errors, inconsistencies, omissions, and/or superficiality. This synthesis will incorporate most of the relevant areas that were covered in the module. Students will answer questions in a fairly in-depth manner with sound reference to primary sources. The written communication style will be fairly clear with limited redundancy.

-excellent -(A) Students will demonstrate an in-depth understanding of the theoretical framework that underpins the various areas of personality and individual differences. Students will provide a concise, critical, and accurate synthesis of the main theories and research findings in relation to the question. This synthesis will incorporate all or most of the relevant theoretical explanations and empirical findings that were covered in the module. Students will answer questions in a concise, critical, and accurate fashion drawing upon the relevant scientific literature with sound reference to primary sources. The written communication style will be clear, precise and concise.

Learning Outcomes

• Critically discuss different theoretical approaches to personality.

• Demonstrate a critical understanding of research findings.

• Demonstrate a critical understanding of the relationship between personality, individual differences, and behaviour/performance.

• Demonstrate a critical understanidng of different theoretical approaches to sensation seeking and risk-taking.