Introduction to Psychology
Full course description
“It pays to keep an open mind, but not so open your brains fall out.” – Carl Sagan
The American Psychological Association (APA) defines psychology as the scientific study of mind and behavior. This course aims to elucidate what the APA means by this. Psychologists wish to understand how and why we think, feel, perceive, and act in a certain way. Psychological research results quite often defy conventional wisdom and insights from psychology have proven useful for other fields such as management and marketing, law and justice, education, and (mental) health. This introductory course will cover topics ranging from the workings of the brain to consciousness, from intelligence to abnormal behavior, and from elementary sensations to idiosyncratic beliefs. It will tackle questions like: Do we have free will? Can we trust our own memory? Are men better in math than women?
Course objectives
- You can define what psychology is exactly.
- You can illustrate how psychological concepts (e.g., love, intelligence) can be transformed into something that can be measured and studied.
- You can name, list, and distinguish key ideas within psychology.
- You can explain and reflect on psychological ideas and research.
Recommended reading
The relevant literature references will be provided through KeyLinks, and are listed in the syllabus.