Course overview
The aim of this course is to enable students to critically explore conservation issues from a psychological perspective and apply psychological principles of advertising and behaviour change to facilitate behaviour change in support of conservation of threatened species and environments.
Assessments in this course provide evidence that students have demonstrated achievement of Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) Foundational Competency 1.1: Comprehend and apply a broad and coherent body of knowledge of psychology, with depth of understanding of underlying principles, theories and concepts in the discipline, using a scientific approach (Accreditation Standards for Psychology Programs Effective 1 January 2019, Version 2). Students will develop an advanced understanding of the conservation and biodiversity crisis in the 21st century; and theories and psychological principles of behavioural change and ethical issues associated with the application of these principles. They will apply their understanding of wicked problems in conservation to develop new ways of thinking to address these problems by the use of science and communication through new media to portray conservation issues accurately and effectively in order to facilitate community action and behaviour change to support conservation of threatened species and environments. They will develop the ability to tailor messages to suit expert and lay audiences.
Course learning outcomes
- Analyse current conservation and biodiversity crisis (global and local), and psychological principles relevant to conservation issues and sustainable behaviour change (individual and group)
- Demonstrate an advanced understanding of psychological principles of advertising and persuasion, and principles of behaviour change, and the ethical issues related to applications of these principles
- Apply the concept of wicked problems in conservation, and new ways of thinking to facilitate creativity and innovation to address these problems
- Critically evaluate current research in an area of conservation, identifying a threat or problem relevant to conservation of a species or environment that may be addressed through ethical human behaviour change
- Critically evaluate a conservation issue, develop a behaviour change message related to the conservation issue, and present this message through means appropriate to the relevant audience