Exploring psychological worlds: thinking, feeling, doing
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Ready to take your first steps into the world of psychology and counselling? This module introduces you to the fundamentals of these distinct but related disciplines. It explains how you can apply them to real-world problems – in contexts such as mental health, personal relationships, crime and education. You’ll begin to think like a psychologist or counsellor – scrutinising evidence, interrogating data, and questioning how our brains interpret the world around us. Along the way, you’ll explore research concepts and develop your communication and problem-solving skills, giving you a solid foundation for your future studies and career.
What you will study
You’ll cover the core areas of psychology (social, cognitive, developmental, biological, individual differences), along with learning some basic principles of counselling and mental wellbeing. You’ll also develop essential research skills, which will help you to understand and evaluate evidence – the foundation of any scientific subject. Importantly, you’ll learn all of this in real-world contexts that reflect the research and practice that psychologists and counsellors do.
The module is organised into the following six blocks:
Block 1
This short introductory block will settle you in with some basic foundations, such as how psychology and counselling are related to each other and how they differ. You’ll also learn how psychological knowledge can be used and abused, find out the truth about some psychology and counselling myths, and how studying psychology can help you to study.
Block 2
This is set within the context of an election with some contentious issues. You’ll learn about persuasion, leadership, prejudice, discrimination, drugs and addiction, and social division.
Block 3
This is framed around seeking self-knowledge. You’ll learn about personality theory, anxiety, mental health and wellbeing, positive psychology, and person-centred counselling.
Block 4
You’ll explore the scenario of a new child in a family. You’ll learn how children’s minds develop, how they come to make sense of the world around them, how attachments form and affect people, and how families work not just as a group of related individuals but as a complex system.
Block 5
This takes you into the realm of crime, as you’ll learn about aggression and violence, how witnesses to crimes remember them, how easy (or hard) it is for eyewitnesses to recognise suspects later on, and the emotional effects of crime on victims.
Block 6
The final block is based around environmental issues, using the context of climate protest. You’ll learn about environmental psychology and why some people become activists while others engage in denial.
Throughout all of these, you’ll also learn about a wide range of research concepts that will help you to understand where knowledge comes from and to evaluate claims and evidence. You’ll also develop your skills in using academic information and communicating your knowledge in a variety of ways.
Entry requirements
This is an OU level 1 module. OU level 1 modules provide core subject knowledge and study skills needed for both higher education and distance learning to help you progress to OU level 2 study.
If you have any doubt about the suitability of the module, please speak to an adviser.
What's included
You'll be provided with two textbooks and have access to a module website which includes:
- a week-by-week study planner
- module materials
- audio and video resources (including short films and animations)
- interactive activities
- assignment information and assessment guide
- online tutorials and discussion forums
- access to the Open University Library.
Computing requirements
- Primary device – A desktop or laptop computer. It’s possible to access some materials on a mobile phone, tablet or Chromebook; however, they will not be suitable as your primary device.
- Peripheral device – Headphones/earphones with a built-in microphone for online tutorials.
- Our OU Study app operates on supported versions of Android and iOS.
- Operating systems – Windows 11 or latest supported macOS. Microsoft will no longer support Windows 10 as of 14 October 2025.
- Internet access – Broadband or mobile connection.
- Browser – Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge are recommended. Mozilla Firefox and Safari may be suitable.