Introduction To Psychology
Introduction To Psychology
Learning
Classical conditioning: Pavlov's experiments, acquisition, extinction, generalization
Operant conditioning: Skinner's work, reinforcement, punishment
Schedules of reinforcement
Observational learning: Bandura's social learning theory
Cognitive factors in learning
Biological constraints on learning
Memory
Multi-store model: Sensory, short-term, and long-term memory
Working memory model
Encoding processes: Acoustic, visual, semantic
Memory consolidation and retrieval
Forgetting: Decay, interference, retrieval failure
False memories and eyewitness testimony reliability
Development
Prenatal development and birth
Piaget's cognitive developmental stages
Vygotsky's sociocultural theory
Attachment theory: Bowlby and Ainsworth
Moral development: Kohlberg and Gilligan
Erikson's psychosocial stages across the lifespan
Personality
Trait theories: Big Five personality factors
Psychodynamic theories: Freud's psychoanalysis
Humanistic theories: Rogers and Maslow
Social-cognitive theories: Bandura and Rotter
Personality assessment methods
Person-situation debate
Social Psychology
Social influence: Conformity, compliance, obedience
Group dynamics: Social facilitation, group polarization, groupthink
Attitudes and persuasion
Attribution theory and biases
Prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination
Helping behavior and aggression
Psychological Disorders
Defining abnormality and the DSM system
Anxiety disorders: Generalized anxiety, phobias, panic, OCD
Mood disorders: Major depression, bipolar disorder
Schizophrenia spectrum disorders
Personality disorders
Diathesis-stress model of psychopathology
Treatment Approaches
Psychotherapy: Psychodynamic, humanistic, cognitive-behavioral
Biomedical treatments: Medications, ECT, psychosurgery
Evidence-based practice in psychology
Factors influencing treatment effectiveness
Cultural considerations in treatment
Institutional vs. community-based treatment approaches