Module manager: Dr Richard Cook
Email: r.cook@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable
Year running 2025/26
Successful completion of all pass for progression modules in Level 2 of: BSc Psychology or MPsyc, BSc Advanced Psychology; BA Philosophy, Psychology and Scientific Thought (and its International and Industrial variants); or BSc Psychology with Education (and its variants)
PSYC3553 The Psychology of Faces
This module is not approved as a discovery module
Humans have developed sophisticated perceptual mechanisms that help us navigate our social environments. This module will explore these mechanisms. We will cover topics such as how we recognise faces and interpret expressions. We will ask questions that are important in society; for example, what underlies the perception of physical attractiveness and our ‘first impressions’ of others. We will consider how social perception is affected by different clinical conditions and neurodevelopmental disorders. Throughout, we will draw on convergent evidence from experimental psychology and cognitive neuroscience.
This module aims to:
• Provide students with detailed knowledge of the cognitive and neural mechanisms that mediate our perception of faces, bodies, expressions, actions, and social interactions.
• Make students aware of theoretical debates and controversies in the contemporary social perception literature.
• Equip students with knowledge of how social perception abilities can differ across individuals.
• Develop students’ written communication skills.
Teaching will be delivered via group lectures and a workshop on effective essay writing.
On successful completion of the module students will be able to:
1. Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the cognitive and neural mechanisms that mediate the perception of faces, bodies, expressions, actions, and social interactions.
2. Understand how these mechanisms are affected by neuropsychological, psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders.
3. Understand key theoretical debates in the contemporary social perception literature and offer an informed critical opinion.
4. Critically evaluate different lines of empirical evidence provided by behavioural experiments, neuroimaging, neuropsychology, and brain stimulation.
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:
5. Ability to retrieve, analyse and synthesise information.
6. Ability to think critically about the relevant theoretical and empirical literature.
7. High level of written communication skills.
Week 1: Do faces engage specialised neurocognitive mechanisms?
Week 2: Facial expressions and facial motion
Week 3: Development of face perception
Week 4: The effects of familiarity & expertise on face processing
Week 5: *Essay-writing workshop*
Week 6: First impressions of others
Week 7: Body perception
Week 8: Perception of actions and biological motion
Week 9: Perception of social interactions
Week 10: Disorders of social perception
Week 11: Perception of physical attractiveness
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lecture | 10 | 2 | 20 |
| Seminar | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Private study hours | 128 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 22 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 150 | ||
Following an essay-writing workshop (week 5), students will have the opportunity to submit an essay plan to the module leader and will receive formative feedback on its structure. Feedback will be delivered within 3 weeks to ensure that students can incorporate comments / suggestions when completing the final assessment.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Essay | Formative essay plan | 0 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 0 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
| Exam type | Exam duration | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Online Time-Limited assessment | 2.0 Hrs 0 Mins | 100 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Exams) | 100 | |
2 essays to be completed within 48 hours.
Check the module area in Minerva for your reading list
Last updated: 30/04/2025
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