Handbook

Have you ever wondered why some people become addicted to drugs or alcohol while others do not? Is addiction nature or nurture? Has the War on Drugs been effective at reducing illicit drug use? Is substance use a modern cultural phenomenon?  Will using drugs really fry your brain?  These questions and more will be explored in The Psychology of Addiction. 

PSYC1022 is a first-year introductory course with no prior knowledge of Psychology required.  The course content is accessible to both science students and those in non-science programs.  PSYC1022 provides foundational understanding of biopsychosocial issues relevant to licit and illicit drug use, the development and maintenance of addiction, and the treatments and systems in place to counteract the impact of substance use.  The content begins with exploring sociocultural perspectives and historic origins of drugs.  We then address psychological and biomedical harms, neuropharmacology, and the effects that drugs of abuse have on learning, motivation, cognition and behaviour.  We conclude the course by covering behavioural and pharmacological interventions, preventative education programs and prohibition, and the role of scientific evidence in government policy.   

Learning activities and assessments are fully online with no face-to-face attendance required.  Activities are designed to facilitate active and collaborative learning in small online study groups to enhance your learning experience and foster a supportive online community.  Emphasis is placed on students developing Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) strategies, which are particularly beneficial to those who are transitioning into university.  PSYC1022 is delivered to a diverse university-wide cohort, giving students the opportunity to meet students outside their own discipline who share similar intellectual interests, whilst benefiting from diverse perspectives and approaches to studying and learning.