The bachelor thesis is the result of the student's own work. It must not show elements of academic fraud and must meet the criteria of good research practice defined in the Rector's Decision no. 21/2021, which lays down the rules for assessing plagiarism at Pavel Jozef Šafárik University in Košice and its components. Fulfillment of the criteria is verified mainly in the training process and in the process of job defense. Failure to do so is grounds for disciplinary action.

Slovak

Presentation of the results of the bachelor's thesis, answering the opponent's questions, answering the questions of the examination commission.

The bachelor's thesis demonstrates mastery of the basics of theory and professional terminology of the field of study, acquisition of knowledge, skills and competencies in accordance with the declared profile of the graduate of the study program, as well as the ability to apply them creatively in solving selected field problems. The bachelor thesis may have elements of compilation. The student demonstrates the ability of independent professional work in terms of content, formal and ethical. Further details on the bachelor thesis are determined by Directive no. 1/2011 on the basic requirements of final theses and the Study Regulations of UPJŠ in Košice for the 1st, 2nd and joint 1st and 2nd degree.

Topics for the Bachelor’s State Examination in the course “Psychology of Cognition and Emotions in the Context of Ontogenesis”

1. Cognitive psychology as a scientific discipline and its subject matter. History of the study of cognitive processes before, during, and after the emergence of psychology. Conditions for the emergence of cognitive psychology (CP). Paradigms of thinking, approaches to the study of cognitive processes, and characteristics of human cognition. Overview of theories of cognitive development (J. Piaget, R. Case, J. Pascual-Leone, etc.).

2. Sensory and perceptual processes – information reception, sensory organs, and the distinction between sensation and perception. Psychophysics. Higher-level perception – organization of the perceptual field and theoretical approaches to perception.

3. Attention – properties and functions of attention. Theories of selective attention and divided attention. Development of attention across ontogenesis.

4. Memory – functions of memory; memory in the context of the information-processing model. Types of memory and their specific characteristics. Organization of information in long-term memory, memory processes, and forgetting. Working memory (Baddeley’s model of working memory). Development of memory across developmental stages.

5. Conditioning and other forms of learning – classical conditioning, operant conditioning, complex learning, and social learning.

6. Imagery and imagination – basic characteristics of mental images and imagination, types of mental images, and cognitive maps. Theories of imagery formation. Development of imagination in ontogenesis.

7. Thinking – basic cognitive operations, types of thinking with emphasis on conceptual thinking, and approaches to concept categorization. The relationship between thinking, language, and speech. Development of thinking, language, and speech in the context of ontogenesis.

8. Reasoning, decision-making, and problem solving – characteristics of deductive and inductive reasoning; description of the decision-making process; overview of theories and models of decision-making. Creativity – definition, types, its relationship to thinking, and description of the creative process.

9. Contemporary understanding of the nature and origin of emotions (with emphasis on core components and basic categories of emotions). Dominant contemporary theories of emotions – cognitive approaches (Schachter and Singer’s theory, Lazarus’s appraisal theory). Subjective aspects of emotions and the psychological structure of emotion.

10. Traditional approaches to emotions – physiological and neurological approaches (James–Lange theory, Cannon–Bard theory); evolutionary-psychological and neurophysiological approaches to explaining emotions (Plutchik’s contribution; conceptualizations of emotions by Henry and LeDoux).

11. Emotional expression – universality and individuality in facial expressions. Scherer’s appraisal-based model of emotions focusing on the perception of emotional expression (vocal characteristics and facial expressions of emotions).

12. Functions of emotions in human life – intrapersonal, social, and developmental functions. Definition and theories of attachment and their significance from the perspective of ontogenesis.

13. Concept of emotion regulation – Gross’s process model. Strategies and types of emotion regulation and their consequences. Coping and emotions.

14. Understanding motivation with emphasis on defining core concepts and models of motivation. Achievement motivation and achievement motives (Atkinson’s and McClelland’s conceptions). Attributional approaches to explaining motivation (Kelley’s theory; Weiner’s model of intrapersonal and interpersonal motivation).

15. Selected contemporary theories of motivation (E. L. Deci & R. M. Ryan – Self-Determination Theory; A. Bandura – self-efficacy theory; Eccles’s expectancy–value model). Theories of motivation and volition (contributions of Heckhausen and Kuhl).

The state examination consists of the following courses: Personality Psychology, Personality Psychology II, Social Psychology, Social Psychology II

Content of the State Examination Subject

The state examination consists of the following courses: Personality Psychology, Personality Psychology II, Social Psychology, Social Psychology II

1. Subject matter and history of social psychology. Preconditions for the emergence of social psychology (SP) as a scientific discipline. Main stages of the development of SP. Intellectual sources of SP: basic explanatory principles of social behavior (philosophy), crowd psychology, psychology of nations, group mind. The emergence of SP and the first stage of its development (1908–1945). The golden age of SP (1945–1970). The crisis of the discipline and the development of SP in the post-crisis period (since 1970).

2. Cognition of the social world. Social cognition: perception of people and social situations. Categorization and stereotyping. Observation: elements of social perception. Attribution: from elements to dispositions. Integration: from elements to impression formation. From impressions to reality: stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination.

3. Social communication. Understanding communication in social psychology. Types of social communication. Nonverbal communication: its specificity and types. Verbal communication.

4. Identity. Approaches to the study of identity in social psychology. Definition of identity. Development of individual identity. Social and cultural determinants of identity.

5. Social attitudes. Internal structure of attitudes. Organization of attitudes into systems. The triad of attitudes – value orientations – ideology. Theory and research on persuasion. Stages of the persuasive process: source of information, message content, communication channel, recipient factors, and goals of persuasion. Other (non-persuasive) strategies aimed at attitude change.

6. Conformity. Social influence and conformity. Cooperation and compliance. Obedience and Milgram’s experiments. The continuum of social influence.

7. Dyadic relationships. Dyads in social psychology. Personal relationships (H. H. Kelley). Relationship closeness and its measurement. The role of commitment in personal relationships. The principle of equity. Phenomenology of intimacy. Structure of close relationships. Social networks.

8. Affiliation, attractiveness, and love. Affiliation and its sources. Attractiveness: situational factors and personal (object-related) factors. Love and types of love.

9. Prosocial behavior. Meaning of prosocial behavior and altruism in social psychology. Why do we help? When do we help? Whom do we help? Does genuine altruism exist?

10. Aggression and aggressiveness. Aggression, aggressiveness, and related concepts. Types of aggression. Theories of aggression. Situational, biological, personal, and social environmental factors of aggression.

11. Gender psychology. Gender – the social psychology of women and men. Traditional approaches to the study of men and women in psychology. Overview of key findings in psychological research on sex differences.

12. Social intelligence and social competence. Social intelligence and the development of its study. Social intelligence and other types of intelligence. Issues of measuring social intelligence. Social competence. Wisdom.

13. Small social groups and group influences. Definition of small social groups. Group structure and composition. Types of small social groups. Group development. Socialization of the individual within the group. Social facilitation. Social loafing. Deindividuation. Group polarization.

14. Leadership. Nature of leadership. Leadership styles. Leader traits. Situational factors and leadership.

15. Conflict. Definition of conflict. Types of conflict in social psychology and their dynamics. Conflict resolution. Negotiation.

16. Large social groups. Psychology of mass phenomena. Classification of mass phenomena. Research on crowd behavior.

17. Cross-cultural psychology and the psychology of ethnic communities.

18. Subject matter and history of personality psychology. Core questions and approaches to the study of personality. Stages in the development of personality psychology and causes of its developmental crises. Contemporary topics and current research trends in personality psychology.

19. Classical psychoanalysis of Sigmund Freud. Phases of psychoanalytic theory (affect and trauma phase, topographic model, structural model). Research focus and methods. Evaluation within psychodynamically oriented personality theories.

20. Psychoanalytic tradition and ego psychology. Evaluation of contemporary psychoanalytic theory. Ego as an equal partner. Autonomous ego. The need for ego competence. Research focus and methods. Evaluation within psychodynamically oriented personality theories.

21. Analytical psychology of C. G. Jung. Structure, dynamics, and development of personality. Research focus and methods. Evaluation within psychodynamically oriented personality theories.

22. Individual psychology of A. Adler. Inferiority complex. Striving for superiority. Fictional goals. Masculine protest. Lifestyle. Creative Self. Social interest. Research focus and methods. Evaluation within psychodynamically oriented personality theories.

23. Interpersonal dynamics and its evaluation in personality psychology. Personality concepts of K. Horney, E. Fromm, and H. S. Sullivan. Evaluation within psychodynamically oriented personality theories.

24. Focus on the experiencing person. Personality concepts of A. Maslow and C. Rogers. Motivation from Maslow’s perspective. Personality dynamics according to Rogers. Research focus and methods. Evaluation of the humanistic and holistic approach.

25. The personal world: K. Lewin and G. Kelly. Structure of personality according to Lewin. Motivation from Lewin’s perspective. Research focus and methods in Lewin’s theory. George Kelly’s personal construct theory. Evaluation of Lewin’s and Kelly’s theories.

26. Emphasis on enduring personality characteristics. Personology: H. Murray. Enduring aspects of personality. Personality dynamics and motivation. Research focus and methods. Individual uniqueness: G. Allport. Structure and dynamics of personality, motivation. Research focus and methods. Evaluation.

27. Emphasis on enduring personality characteristics. R. Cattell: personality as a trait structure. H. J. Eysenck: definition of personality and enduring traits. Evaluation of Cattell’s and Eysenck’s theories in personality psychology.

28. Five-Factor Model of personality trait structure. Description of the model. Lexical and questionnaire approaches to studying the five-factor structure. Five-Factor Theory of personality. Evaluation of the Five-Factor Model.

29. Temperament theories based on research in child populations. Thomas and Chess’s temperament theory. Buss and Plomin’s EAS theory. Goldsmith and Campos’s emotional theory of child temperament. Kagan’s temperament theory.

30. Temperament theories based on research in adult populations. Cloninger’s neurobiological model of temperament. Gray’s neuropsychological theory of temperament. Zuckerman’s theory of temperament.

31. Circumplex models of interpersonal personality traits. T. Leary. J. Wiggins. Common characteristics of circumplex models. Comparison of circumplex models of interpersonal traits.

32. Behavioral approach to personality and social learning theory in the context of contemporary personality psychology. Personality from the perspective of behaviorism. Personality from the perspective of social-cognitive theory. Contributions of A. Bandura, M. Seligman, and W. Mischel to the development of personality psychology.

33. Positive psychology. Subject matter of positive psychology. Well-being. Dispositional optimism. Hope. Meaning in life and V. E. Frankl’s logotherapy. Evaluation of positive psychology.

34. Intelligence. Definitions of intelligence. History of assessing intellectual abilities. Approaches and theories of intelligence.