Experimental Psychology

Are you fascinated by how the brain shapes human thoughts, emotions, and behaviour? Do you want to explore cutting-edge psychological research and its impact on society? Our Experimental Psychology Summer School invites ambitious students to dive into one of the most exciting scientific fields today.

Through hands-on investigations, expert-led discussions, and real-world case studies, you’ll explore key areas of modern experimental psychology—from cognitive and social psychology to neuropsychology and personality science. You’ll study the brain, mind, and behavior while applying psychological theories to real-world challenges, such as combating misinformation and improving mental healthcare.

This programme introduces research methodologies and data analysis, equipping you to design ethical experiments. Whether you’re interested in research, therapy, healthcare, or beyond, this course offers valuable insights into psychology’s many career paths.

For students who attended our Medicine Summer School with a deeper interest in psychology and behaviour, this is a perfect opportunity to explore a related but distinct scientific field.

This course is perfect for you if...

You are curious about how the brain influences human thoughts, emotions, and behaviour and want to explore psychology from a scientific perspective.
You are considering a degree in Psychology, Sociology, Medicine, or a related field and want to gain insight into key psychological theories and research methods.
You enjoy critical thinking and problem-solving and want to develop skills in data analysis, research design, and ethical experimentation.
You want to discover the real-world applications of psychology, from understanding social behaviour and mental health to exploring career paths in research, therapy, and beyond.

What you'll learn

: The course begins with an introduction to experimental psychology, exploring the scientific method and its role in understanding human behavior. You’ll gain insight into career pathways in psychology before moving on to experimental research design, analysing famous studies and ethical considerations. You’ll then design and conduct your own experiment as part of an assessed project.
: This module delves into how the brain processes information, covering key concepts such as top-down vs. bottom-up processing and memory systems (short-term, long-term, and working memory). You’ll evaluate cognitive psychology experiments, explore language and psycholinguistics, and participate in studies that help shape your own memory research hypothesis.
: Explore the brain’s structure and functions, debunking myths like the left-brain vs. right-brain divide. You’ll learn about key neurotransmitters, how the brain processes memory, emotion, and pain, and examine biological rhythms and sleep cycles. Finally, you’ll explore the body’s response to pain through the cold pressor test (CPT).
: This module explores how humans develop psychologically throughout life. You’ll start with attachment theory, studying the work of John Bowlby and how early relationships shape personality. Then, you’ll analyse identity formation in Gen-Z, using a critical lens to explore adolescence and emerging adulthood.
: Social psychology examines how group dynamics influence behaviour. You’ll explore the difference between experimental and critical social psychology, analyse interpersonal perception, and study famous obedience experiments, including Milgram’s study and the Stanford prison experiment.
: Investigate what defines good and poor mental health, examining different approaches to understanding disorders, from the medical model to the biopsychosocial approach. You’ll explore classification systems like the DSM, research autism’s aetiology, and review treatments ranging from talk therapy to medication.
: This module focuses on how personality and intelligence vary between individuals. You’ll explore theories of personality, different methods of assessing psychological traits, and the evolution of intelligence theories. You’ll also evaluate the reliability of IQ tests and alternative measures of intelligence.
: Discover how psychology is used to solve real-world problems. You’ll explore educational psychology, examining how psychologists support children’s development, particularly in the wake of the pandemic. Then, you’ll delve into clinical psychology, learning about different therapeutic approaches and evaluating the effectiveness of medication vs. cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).
: In this final module, you’ll consider the real-world applications of experimental psychology. You’ll critically assess the replication crisis in psychological research, compare experimental and qualitative approaches, and explore how different subfields of psychology address pressing societal issues, such as internet trolling and climate change perception.