PSY 101 - Introduction to Psychology [SUN# PSY 1101]

3 Credits, 3 Contact Hours
3 lecture periods 0 lab periods

Survey of psychology including history, perspectives, and methods; structure and functions of the nervous and endocrine systems; development; perception; learning; memory; intelligence, thinking and language; motivation and emotion; personality; psychopathology; psychotherapy; stress and health; and social cognition and behavior.

Gen-Ed: Meets AGEC - SBS; Meets CTE - SBS.

2.     Demonstrate knowledge of major psychological concepts and theories by identifying major theorists and describing the basic tenets of major theories and concepts in the subfields of psychology.

3.     Demonstrate how the material learned within the course is relevant to today’s world and explain, through current applications, how psychological concepts could be applied to everyday life, relationships, and interactions with others.

1. Describe the history of psychology, including psychological perspectives and research methods.
2. Explain how the nervous system and other biological systems influence behavior.
3. Summarize the stages and major theories of life span development.
4. Describe the processes of perceptual organization and interpretation.
5. Compare and contrast the major learning theories.
6. Discuss memory formation, retention and loss.  Explain how memory can be improved.
7. Elucidate the connections between thinking, language, and intelligent behavior.
8. Summarize the major concepts of motivation and emotion and how they relate to behavior.
9. Compare and contrast the major personality theories.
10. Describe the characteristics and causal factors associated with major psychological disorders.
11. Identify and discuss the theoretical underpinnings of approaches to psychotherapy.
12. Describe the stress process and explain the interaction between stress and health.
13. Appraise social psychology research findings related to social thought, behavior, and relations.

1. History, Systems, and Methods
   1. Major events in psychology’s history
   2. Psychological perspectives
   3. Observational, correlational, and experimental methods
2. Biological Basis of Behavior
   1. Brain and the nervous system structures and functions
   2. Overview of endocrine system
3. Development
   1. Infancy and childhood
   2. Adolescence and adulthood
4. Perception
   1. Perceptual organization
   2. Perceptual interpretation
5. Learning
   1. Classical and operant conditioning
   2. Observational learning
6. Memory
   1. Information processing, storage, retrieval, and forgetting
   2. Memory improvement strategies
7. Intelligence, Thinking and Language
   1. Intelligence:  Source, structure, assessment, and controversy
   2. Thinking, problem solving, and decision making
   3. Processes of language development and thought
8. Motivation and Emotion
   1. Biological and psychological motives and drives
   2. Experiencing and expressing emotion
9. Personality
   1. Theories of personality development
   2. Personality assessment
10. Psychopathology
    1. Psychopathology: Definitions, classifications, and assessments
    2. Major categories and types of disordered behavior
11. Psychotherapy
    1. Perspectives and approaches to psychotherapy
    2. Biomedical therapies
12. Stress and Health
    1. Experiencing and reacting to stress
    2. Reducing and coping with stress
13. Social Psychology
    1. Social thinking and influences
    2. Social relations