SSC 121 Introduction to Psychology (= UCSSCPSY11)

Content

This course treats psychology as a science and a profession. The emphasis is on scientific theories, empirical research, and their applications. We begin with the development of psychology as a discipline devoted to answering centuries-old questions about human nature and behavior. Traditional fields of psychology are covered, including biological psychology, sensation and perception, learning and motivation, cognition, emotion, child development, personality, psychopathology, psychotherapy, social psychology, and applied psychology.

Aim

The primary aim of this course is to enable the student to think and converse 'like a psychologist.' That is, to understand the key concepts, theories, and classical studies in psychology, and to use them when appropriate. At the end of this course the student will:

• know the key psychological concepts, theories, and methods that comprise contemporary psychology.
• be able to pose questions amenable to empirical study.
• acquire skill and experience in designing and conducting psychological research.
• be able to use the information acquired in appropriate circumstances.

Course Proceedings

The class meets twice a week. Students are expected to have read the assigned chapters prior to class. One weekly meeting is a lecture. The other weekly class is devoted to student research projects, in-class experiments and demonstrations, videos, and exams. There is a midterm exam (week 7) and a final exam (week 15). Each consists of multiple choice and open (essay) questions.

Evaluation/Assessment

The breakdown of the final grade in the course is as follows:

• Midterm exam:             20 %   
• Final exam:                 25 %
• Term paper:                20 %
• Class presentation:       10 %
• Class participation
  and other assignements 25%

Course Material

Psychology by Peter Gray, ed. Worth publ. 2007, 5e ed.. ISBN  0716706175

Required for

This course is required in order to take the following courses:

• SSC 221 Social Psychology (= UCSSCPSY21)
• SSC 222 Lifespan Development Psychology (= UCSSCPSY22)
• SSC 223 Clinical Psychology (= UCSSCPSY23)
• SSC 224 Media Psychology (= UCSSCPSY24)
• SSC 225 Psychology Lab Course (= UCSSCPSY25)
• SSC 227 Cross-Cultural Psychology (= UCSSCPSY27)

• HUM 233 Psycholinguistics (= UCHUMLIN22)
• SSC 212 Contemporary Solidarity: Social Ties and Social Exclusion (= UCSSCSOC22)
• SSC 226 Criminology: the Nature and Origins of Crime (= UCSSCPSY26)
• SSC 231 Violence, Trauma and Memory in the 21st Century (= UCSSCANT21)

Weekly Overview

week	topic
1	Introduction: The emergence of psychology/Schools of psychology/Research methods
2	Biological basis of behaviour
3	Sensation & Perception: States of consciousness
4	Learning: Types of learning. Theories of learning
5	Memory
6	Intelligence
7	Review for exam / Midterm exam
8	Developmental psychology
9	Emotions
10	Motivation
11	Theories of personality / Tests and measurement
12	Psychopathology. Psychotherapy / Student presentations
13	Social psychology / Student presentations
14	Social processes / Student presentations
15	Review for final exam / Final exam