Course Description
The course is an overview of the major areas of psychology, what psychologists do, and the methods employed in the investigation of basic psychological processes underlying human behavior. Areas reviewed may include: history, physiological psychology, learning theories, cognition, motivation, emotion, perception and sensation, human development, social psychology, abnormal psychology, therapy, and psychological issues of current debate in popular culture. The concepts examined will be linked to everyday reasoning and life.
Course Objectives:
The goal for this course is to provide an overview of the concepts, theories, research methods, and research findings central to the field of psychology. The scope of the field is very broad; this class will introduce you to a number of topics. You will be encouraged to think about applications of psychological theory and research in everyday life and to your future career.
Class will consist of lectures, discussions, demonstrations, and activities. The text will allow you to explore the broad list of topics in this course and class time will allow us to investigate selected topics in more depth.
Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate basic understanding of the fundamental concepts, theoretical perspectives,empirical findings, and historical trends in psychology and have the ability to see how theseconcepts can be applied.
- Identify the different types of research methods employed by psychologists.
- Recognize the role of ethics and socially responsible behavior in the field of psychology andhow psychological principles play out with individuals from diverse backgrounds.
- Demonstrate the ability to communicate about psychological concepts and theory.
- Identify ways in which psychology-specific content and ideas relate to future career plans.
