Fundamentals of Psychology
Required Text
Rathus, S.A. (2020). PSYCH Introductory Psychology (6th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
ISBN: 9780357135983
Course Description
Fundamentals of Psychology presents an introductory overview of psychology. Students will explore the foundations of the field along with current applications to development, personality, and disorders. The purpose of this course is to guide students' critical thinking regarding psychological issues and concepts. Students will apply what they learn to their daily lives and the world around them.
Course Objectives
· Demonstrate the basic processes of critical thinking, including objectively form and analyze positions on behavioral phenomenon
· Evaluate evidence in support or opposition of positions and conceptualize positions within formal theory
· Distinguish basic psychological research design and methods used to investigate various psychological phenomenon
· Explain how the two disciplines of evolutionary psychology and behavioral genetics account for individual differences in personality, mental ability and other characteristics.
· Identify how norms of immediate and global environments contribute to any approach proposed to describe, explain, predict and control human behavior and development
· Describe basic processes that are essential for one to establish self-awareness, self-esteem, independent thinking and self-actualization
· Summarize the major contributions of psychological history and current systems to the understanding of human behavior
Credit Hours: 3
Prerequisites: None
Tentative Course
Schedule
|
Course Week |
Weekly Content |
|
Week 1 |
· Read Chapter 1 · Read Lecture “The History of Psychology” · Watch Lecture “Nature vs. Nurture” · Discussion “Perception of Psychology” · Assignment “Critical Thinking” · Week 1 Quiz |
|
Week 2 |
· Read Chapters 2-3 · Watch TED Talk “Optical Illusions Show How We See” · Watch Lecture “Sensation” · Watch Lecture “Neuroscience” · Read Lecture “Biological Perspective” · Read Lecture “Behavioral Genetics and Evolutionary Psychology” · Discussion “Research on Psychology” · Assignment “Sensations” · Week 2 Quiz |
|
Week 3 |
· Read Chapter 9 · Watch Lecture “Attachment” · Watch Lecture “Parenting” · Read Lecture “Developmental Psychology” · Read Lecture “Erik Erikson’s Psychosocial Stage Theory” · Discussion “Piaget and Vygotsky” · Assignment “Attachment” · Week 3 Quiz |
|
Week 4 |
· Read Chapters 4-5 · Watch Lecture “Classical Conditioning” · Watch Lecture “Operant Conditioning” · Read Lecture “Consciousness” · Read Lecture “Positive Reinforcement, Negative Reinforcement, and Punishment” · Discussion ”Conditioning and Learned Helplessness” · Assignment “Changing Behaviors” · Midterm Exam |
|
Week 5 |
· Read Chapters 6-7 · Watch Lecture “Short-term Memory, Part I” · Watch Lecture “Short-term Memory, Part II” · Watch Lecture “Long-term Memory” · Read Lecture “Cognitive Psychology” · Read Lecture “Measuring Intelligence: History, Considerations, and Issues” · Discussion “Memories and Creativity” · Assignment “Intelligence Tests” · Week 5 Quiz |
|
Week 6 |
· Read Chapters 8 & 10 · Watch Lecture “Personality & Freud” · Watch Lecture “Personality Traits” · Read Lecture “Personality” · Read Lecture “Defense Mechanisms: Description and Application” · Discussion “Motivation and Cognitive Factors” · Assignment “Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs” · Week 6 Quiz |
|
Week 7 |
· Read Chapters 12-13 · Watch TED Talk “A tale of mental illness – from the inside” · Watch Lecture “Abnormal Behaviors” · Watch Lecture “Anxiety” · Read Lecture “Psychological Disorders” · Read Lecture “Phobias” · Discussion “Diagnosis and Evidence-based Practices” · Assignment “Psychological Disorders – Demographics and Treatments” · Week 7 Quiz |
|
Week 8 |
· Read Chapters 11 & 14 · Watch Lecture “Stress” · Watch Lecture “Social Psychology” · Read Lecture “Health and Social Psychology” · Read Lecture “Groupthink” · Discussion “Genetics and Happiness” · Assignment “Habits, Stress and Health” · Final Exam |
Grading Policy
|
Grading Category |
Grade Weight |
|
Discussions |
25% |
|
Assignments |
35% |
|
Quizzes |
15% |
|
Midterm |
12.5% |
|
Final |
12.5% |
Estimated Student
Workload
The following table outlines the academic effort required by students to become successful in this course. While the times in the table are hourly approximations, it is presented to help students with their time management. Please note, depending on the student’s background knowledge and experience of the course subject, and an individual student’s academic capabilities, these times will vary.
|
Course Week |
Activity and Time Required |
|
Week 1 |
· Reading/Watching: 1.7 · Discussion: 4.0 · Homework: 8.0 · Total Time Estimated: 13.7 |
|
Week 2 |
· Reading/Watching: 3.2 · Discussion: 4.0 · Homework: 8.0 · Total Time Estimated: 15.2 |
|
Week 3 |
· Reading/Watching: 1.7 · Discussion: 4.0 · Homework: 8.0 · Total Time Estimated: 13.7 |
|
Week 4 |
· Reading/Watching: 2.9 · Discussion: 4.0 · Homework: 8.0 · Total Time Estimated: 17.9 |
|
Week 5 |
· Reading/Watching: 2.9 · Discussion: 4.0 · Homework: 8.0 · Total Time Estimated: 14.9 |
|
Week 6 |
· Reading/Watching: 2.8 · Discussion: 4.0 · Homework: 8.0 · Total Time Estimated: 14.8 |
|
Week 7 |
· Reading/Watching: 3.0 · Discussion: 4.0 · Homework: 14.0 · Total Time Estimated: 21.0 |
|
Week 8 |
· Reading/Watching: 2.5 · Discussion: 4.0 · Homework: 11.0 · Total Time Estimated: 17.5 |
