A survey of the basic principles, research concepts, and psychological science problems. The biological, cognitive, social perspectives of human thought and behavior are addressed. Topics include neuroscience, learning and conditioning, sensation and perception, memory, motivation, language and intelligence, personality and social behavior, and psychopathology and therapy. Applications of psychology are also presented.
Competency
Behavioral and Social Understanding
Course Outcomes
After successfully completing the course, the learner will be able to:
- Describe the cyclical nature and possible functions of sleep.
- Identify the major sleep disorders.
- Discuss hypnosis, noting the behavior of hypnotized people and claims regarding its uses.
- Describe the physiological and psychological effects of depressants, stimulants, and hallucinogens.
- Describe the general process of classical conditioning as demonstrated by Pavlov’s experiments.
- Explain the processes of acquisition, extinction, spontaneous recovery, generalization, and discrimination as they apply to behaviorism
- Describe the process of operant conditioning, including the procedure of shaping, as demonstrated by Skinner’s experiments.
- Identify the different types of reinforcers, and describe the major schedules of partial reinforcement.
- Discuss the effects of punishment on behavior.
- Describe the process of observational learning as demonstrated by Bandura’s experiments.
- Describe memory in terms of information processing, and distinguish among sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory.
- Distinguish between automatic and effortful processing, and discuss the importance of rehearsal.
- Describe the capacity and duration of sensory, short-term, and long-term memory.
- Distinguish between implicit and explicit memory, and identify the different brain structures associated with each.
- Explain how an understanding of memory can contribute to effective study techniques.
- Describe what is meant by personality, and explain the major theories of personality including the psychoanalytic, humanistic, trait, and social-cognitive perspectives.
- Describe personality structure in terms of the interactions of the id, ego, and superego.
- Explain how projective and objective tests are used to assess personality.
- Identify the criteria for judging whether behavior is psychologically disordered.
- Describe the aims of DSM-IV, and discuss the potential dangers associated with the use of diagnostic labels.
- Identify the major categories of mental illness including the anxiety disorders, dissociative disorders, mood disorders and schizophrenia.
- Appreciate the different theoretical perspectives and the contribution of each toward understanding behavior and mental processing.
- Appreciate the need for tolerance and understanding of those who suffer from various forms of mental illness.