Psychology-I
Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia National Law University · LL.B. Semester 1
Unit I — Introduction to Psychology
Psychology as a science · Definition of psychology. · Scientific nature of psychology · Current perspectives of human behaviour · Biological, psychoanalysis, behaviourist, cognitive, humanist perspectives · Methods of Psychology · Experimental method, observational method, correlational method, clinical method · Sub-specialities of psychology and their application in law
Unit II — Perceptual Processes
Sensation, Attention & Perception - Determinants & Types · Form perception, depth perception, size perception · Perceptual constancies & illusions · Perceptual learning and expectancies · Top-down and bottom-up processes · Objectivity of perception and accuracy of eyewitness testimony
Unit III — Learning & Memory
Learning — Theories & Applications in criminal justice system. · Definition of behavioural learning · Theories and perspectives · Conditioning paradigm — classical conditioning, operant conditioning, observational learning · Cognitive paradigm — Insight Learning, latent learning · Learning of criminal behaviour · Memory — Theories & Types · Definition · Process theories of memory — Atkinson and Shiffrin Model · Forgetting — Theories & Types · Encoding failure, decay, interference, retrieval failure, motivated forgetting · Repressed and recovered memories · Reliability of Memories — Applications in Law, Eyewitness Testimony. · Fallibility of memory · Constructive and reconstructive processes · Encoding specificity, mood congruent effects, confabulation, effect of directive/leading questions, source monitoring etc
Unit IV — Attitudes & Attitude Change
Attitude formation and functions · Definition of attitudes · Components · Nature-nurture debate — Genetic factors, conditioning paradigm, observational learning · Attitude — Behaviour relationship · Situational constraints on attitudes · Attitude-related factors · Theory of planned behaviour · Attitude to behaviour process model · Cognitive Dissonance · Persuasion · Approaches · Elaboration likelihood model · Communication-persuasion model — sources, message and target variables
Unit V — Emotions & Aggression
Positive Psychology — Happiness, Wellbeing, Resilience, Prosocial Behaviour · Emotions — Nature, Expression and Impact. · Physiological underpinnings · James-Lang Theory, Cannon-Bard Theory · Aggression — Theories, Causes & Manifestations · Definition of aggression · Types of aggression · Nature-nurture debate. · Instinct Theories, Sociobiology, Behaviour Genetics · Conditioning Paradigm, Observational Learning · Gender Differences · Factors influencing manifestation · Frustration-aggression hypothesis · Affect/arousal models, excitation transfer theory · Cognitive neo-association, General aggression model · Aggression in Specific Contexts — Media and aggression, Bully-victim relationship, Workplace violence.