Introduction to Psychology

Ever wonder why certain things are funny, some things make you sad, why you fall in love or just the reason why people say and do sometimes inexplicable things? The study of Psychology offers students a comprehensive look inside human thought and behavior. The Introduction to Psychology course takes students through the basic concepts, theories, research methods, and contributions to the understanding of human behavior taking students through the various complexities of human development, the motivations for our thoughts, feelings and behavior as well as the role of sexuality, gender, heredity and genetics as applied to human behavior overall. Students will have the opportunity to analyze various psychological disorders, “normal” behaviors and the basis of the psychology behind learning, memory and experience. Psychology is a broad field that examines hundreds of different areas but this course drills down into those most commonly addressed topics including the nervous system, perception, learning and memory, personality, motivation, developmental and clinical psychology.

Students who complete this course will have firm understanding of the theories and concepts of psychology including the scope of psychology, biological foundations and the brain, sensation, perception, motivation, personality, learning/memory, emotion, states of consciousness, personality theories, cognition, life-span development, and applied psychology.

Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to:

• Examine the field of psychology in terms of history, key perspectives and issues, current trends, scientific and research methods
• Explain the anatomical structures and physiological functions related to psychology
• Examine sensation, perception, heredity, and genetics
• Analyze consciousness, sleep, sleep disorders, and hypnosis as related to psychology
• Analyze the underlying principles and basis of the psychology behind learning, memory, and experience
• Explain cognitive abilities and intelligence from a psychological perspective
• Examine the different phases and stages in human development
• Examine the different motivation theories and the psychological basis of emotions
• Explain sexuality and gender in relation to psychology
• Examine psychoanalytic approaches and humanistic theories to explain behaviors and traits in personalities
• Evaluate health psychology and approaches to health management
• Investigate different mental disorders as related to psychology
• Analyze psychotherapy, the different methods, and their effectiveness
• Investigate the importance of thoughts, trends in social behavior, and impact of social influences

This class includes the following eText:
Ciccarelli and White. (2012). Psychology; 3/E; ISBN: 0205832571

This course does not include tutoring.