PSYC& 100: General Psychology

Upon successful completion of the course, students should be able to demonstrate the following knowledge or skills:

1. Discuss key components of the history of psychology, name significant individuals and the schools of thought with which they were associated as psychology evolved as a science.
2. Describe the scientific method and know the various methods of research used in psychological science.
3. Identify the major divisions in the nervous system; name the major structures of the brain and the function of each; relate specific brain structures to behavior; label the parts of the neuron and describe the process of neural communication.
4. Identify and know the function of the basic structures of the eye and ear; name the two theories of color vision.
5. Understand the difference between sensation and perception; describe the steps involved in the perceptual process and some of the Gestalt organizing principles/laws related to this process.
6. Describe the processes and stages of classical conditioning; describe operant conditioning, the differences between reinforcement and punishment, and what negative and positive mean in this context; discuss social learning theory and how it relates to the
7. Describe the theories of information processing and ways to improve memory.
8. Discuss development from the following theorists' perspectives: Freud, Erikson, and Piaget.
9. Identify the major assumptions of psychodynamic, behavioral, biological, social-cultural, and cognitive perspectives of psychology
10. Name and describe the various types of biological and environmental influences and how these two basic factors interact. The nature vs. nurture debate.
11. Describe the major or common types of psychological disorders and their treatments.
12. Discuss the concepts of social norms
13. Discuss stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination and how to cognitively correct for stereotype thinking.