EPN-V2

MALKA215 Complex Human Behavior Course description

Course name in Norwegian
Kompleks menneskelig atferd
Study programme
Master's Program in Behavioral Science
Master’s Program in Behavioral Science - Specialisation in Innovation and Implementation
Master’s Program in Behavioral Science - Specialisation in Concepts and Applications
Weight
10.0 ECTS
Year of study
2025/2026
Curriculum
FALL 2025
Schedule
Programme description
Course history

Introduction

This course will provide a nuancing of various principles of behavior and relate these principles to the understanding of complex human behavior.

Required preliminary courses

For kull 2025: Coursework requirements from MALK4100, MALK4000-403, MALKA211, MALKA212, and MALKA214 or equivalent must be approved to participate and submit coursework requirements in MALKA215.

For tidligere kull: Coursework requirements from MALK4000-401, MALK4000-403, MALKA211, MALKA212, and MALKA214 or equivalent must be approved to participate and submit coursework requirements in MALKA215.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of the course the student has the following learning outcomes classified as knowledge:

Knowledge

The student can

  • describe and discuss radical behaviorism as a philosophy of science
  • describe and discuss important aspects of verbal behavior
  • describe and discuss verbal governance and contingency shaping of behavior
  • describe and discuss principles involved in joint control
  • describe and discuss important aspects of stimulus equivalence
  • describe and discuss the naming hypothesis
  • describe and discuss Relational Frame Theory
  • describe and discuss problem-solving, thinking, remembering, and higher-order classes of behavior

Skills

The student can

  • analyze variables influencing complex human behavior
  • present theories of complex human behavior and the scientific data underlying these theories in a manner striving for fairness, honesty, and excellence

Teaching and learning methods

Campus-based lectures, discussion from readings, exercises and Interteaching are the main teaching methods. Literature from the curriculum for the Interteaching sequences are announced at the university’s digital learning platform. Feedback is used on written assignments.

Course requirements

The following required coursework must be approved before the student can take the exam:

  • 3 individual written assignments submitted digitally, each with a maximum length of 6000 characters, including spaces. References are to be included in the 6000 characters.

Assessment

Individual school examination, 3 hours. Exam questions are in English. Students may submit their exams in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English.

Permitted exam materials and equipment

Authorized materials: Norwegian-English dictionary

Grading scale

Grade scale A-F

Examiners

All answers are assessed by one examiner.

An external examiner is used regularly, at a minimum of every third completion of the course. When selecting answers for external evaluation, a minimum of 10 percent of the answers shall be included, with no fewer than 5 answers. The external examiner’s assessment of the selected answers shall benefit all students.