Psychologies of Eating Behaviour, 7.5 credits

Main field of study

Course level

Advancement level

Course offered for

• Psychologist Programme

Entry requirements

General entry requirements for undergraduate studies
and
Social Studies and Mathematics  corresponding to the level in Swedish upper secondary education (Samhällskunskap 1b or 1a1 and 1a2 and Matematik 2a/2b/2c or Matematik B)
and
90 ECTS credits passed from the Psychologist Programme

Intended learning outcomes

After completion of the course, students should be able to:

• Describe the breadth of perspectives and theories of eating behaviour as a research area in psychology
• Explain and discuss theoretical and methodological approaches with respect to core concepts in the field, such as food preferences, neophobia, taste/distaste, and eating disorders.
• Identify and explain how eating behaviours have relevance for subjects in various psychological areas, such as clinical, health, social, and developmental psychology.
• Reflect on the psychology of eating behaviour in a cultural and historical context with a focus on topics such as edibility, food preferences, and food choices.
• Explain how psychology could be used to tackle future challenges within food production and consumption in an international context.

Course content

The course is concerned with eating behaviour as a research area within psychology, with a focus on different theoretical and methodological perspectives on eating. The subject area is situated in a broad research field and includes a consideration of the relation between theory, method, and the application of research findings. The course includes consideration of the core concepts: food preferences/food choice, neophobia, taste/distaste, social interaction, and eating disorders. The psychology of eating behaviour is considered within a cultural and historical context, as well as in relation to future challenges of food production and consumption. 

Teaching and working methods

Teaching will be undertaken in the form of lectures, seminars and practical exercises. In addition to the scheduled classes, students will be expected to study independently, both individually and in groups. 

Examination

The course will be examined by:

• active participation in seminars, pass/fail
• oral presentation of practical work in groups, pass/fail
• Individual written examination, pass with distinction/pass/fail

To pass the course requires that students pass all three parts of the course. A pass with distinction is then achieved through the individual written examination.  Detailed information will be provided in the course guide.

If there is a special case, the examiner can decide to replace some obligatory moments in the course with an equivalent assignment. 

If the LiU coordinator for students with disabilities has granted a student the right to an adapted examination for a written examination in an examination hall, the student has the right to it. If the coordinator has instead recommended for the student an adapted examination or alternative form of examination, the examiner may grant this if the examiner assesses that it is possible, based on consideration of the course objectives.

Students failing an exam covering either the entire course or part of the course twice are entitled to have a new examiner appointed for the reexamination.

Students who have passed an examination may not retake it in order to improve their grades.

Grades

Other information

Planning and implementation of a course must take its starting point in the wording of the syllabus. The course evaluation included in each course must therefore take up the question how well the course agrees with the syllabus. 

The course is carried out in such a way that both men´s and women´s experience and knowledge is made visible and developed.

Department