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The Introduction to Psychology portion of this module provides an introduction to the broad field of psychology and the many approaches that psychologists take to understanding human behavior. We will consider how psychologists conduct scientific research, with an overview of some of the most important approaches used and topics studied by psychologists, and also consider the variety of fields in which psychologists work and the careers that are available to people with psychology degrees.
In the Science of Psychology portion of this module you will learn how psychologists develop and test their research ideas; how they measure the thoughts, feelings, and behavior of individuals; and how they analyze and interpret the data they collect. To really understand psychology, you must also understand how and why the research you are reading about was conducted and what the collected data mean. Learning about the principles and practices of psychological research will allow you to critically read, interpret, and evaluate research. (Image Credit Jean-Pol Grandmont Wikimedia licensed CC-BY-SA 4.0)
Note the checkboxes to the right that help you track your progress: some are automatic, and some are manual.
The Physiological Aspects of Psychology segment of this module strives to explain the biological mechanisms that underlie behavior. These physiological and anatomical foundations are the basis for many areas of psychology. In this chapter, you will learn how genetics influence both physiological and psychological traits. You will become familiar with the structure and function of the nervous system. And, finally, you will learn how the nervous system interacts with the endocrine system.
This module will provide an overview of how sensory information is received and processed by the nervous system and how that affects our conscious experience of the world. We begin by learning the distinction between sensation and perception. Then we consider the physical properties of light and sound stimuli, along with an overview of the basic structure and function of the major sensory systems. A discussion of a historically important theory of perception called Gestalt is included.
The Learning segment of this module focuses on the primary ways in which learning occurs.
We have an amazing capacity for memory, but how, exactly, do we process and store information? Are there different kinds of memory, and if so, what characterizes the different types? How, exactly, do we retrieve our memories? And why do we forget? The Memory segment of this module will explore these questions as we learn about memory.
In the Emotion and Motivation segment of this module, we will explore issues relating to both motivation and emotion. We will begin with a discussion of several theories that have been proposed to explain motivation and why we engage in a given behavior. You will learn about the physiological needs that drive some human behaviors, as well as the importance of our social experiences in influencing our actions. This segment will close with a discussion of emotion. You will learn about several theories that have been proposed to explain how emotion occurs, the biological underpinnings of emotion, and the universality of emotions. (Credit: Modification of work by Cory Zanker)
Upon completion of this module, you will be able to:
In the Personality segment of this module, we will consider the wide variety of personality traits found in human beings. We’ll consider how and when personality influences our behavior, and how well we perceive the personalities of others. We will also consider how psychologists measure personality, and the extent to which personality is caused by nature versus nurture. The fundamental goal of personality psychologists is to understand what makes people different from each other (the study of individual differences), but they also find that people who share genes (as do Paula Bernstein and Elyse Schein) have a remarkable similarity in personality.
The Social Psychology segment of this module explores how the presence of other people influences the behavior of individuals, dyads, and groups. Social factors can determine whether human behavior tends toward conflict or harmony. (Image Credit: Modification of work by Nicolas Alejandro)
The goal of the Treatment of Psychological Disorders segment of this module is to review the techniques that are used to treat psychological disorders. Just as psychologists consider the causes of disorder in terms of the bio-psycho-social model of illness, treatment is also based on psychological, biological, and social approaches.
Upon completion of this module, you will be able to:
1) Outline and differentiate the psychodynamic, humanistic, behavioral, and cognitive approaches to psychotherapy.
2) Classify the different types of drugs used in the treatment of mental disorders and explain how they each work to reduce disorder.
3) Critically evaluate direct brain intervention methods that may be used by doctors to treat patients who do not respond to drugs or other therapy.
4) Explain the advantages of group therapy and self-help groups for treating disorders.
5) Recognize the goal of substance-related and addictive disorders treatment
6). Summarize the ways that scientists evaluate the effectiveness of psychological, behavioral, and community service approaches to preventing and reducing disorders.