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Introduction To Psychology

The document provides an overview of key topics in psychology, including definitions, research methods, biological bases of behavior, sensation and perception, learning, memory, cognition, development, motivation, emotion, personality, social psychology, psychological disorders, and treatment approaches. Each section outlines foundational concepts, theories, and important figures in the field. It serves as a comprehensive guide for understanding the various aspects of psychology.

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26 views3 pages

Introduction To Psychology

The document provides an overview of key topics in psychology, including definitions, research methods, biological bases of behavior, sensation and perception, learning, memory, cognition, development, motivation, emotion, personality, social psychology, psychological disorders, and treatment approaches. Each section outlines foundational concepts, theories, and important figures in the field. It serves as a comprehensive guide for understanding the various aspects of psychology.

Uploaded by

singomillionaire
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Introduction to Psychology - Course Notes

Foundations & Research Methods


 Psychology definition: Scientific study of mind and behavior
 Key approaches: Biological, cognitive, behavioral, psychodynamic, humanistic
 Research methods: Experiments, correlational studies, naturalistic observation, case
studies
 Ethics in research: Informed consent, debriefing, confidentiality
 Statistical concepts: Mean, median, mode, standard deviation, correlation vs.
causation

Biological Bases of Behavior


 Neurons: Structure and function (dendrites, axons, myelin, synapses)
 Neurotransmitters: Dopamine, serotonin, GABA, glutamate
 Brain structures: Cerebral cortex, limbic system, brainstem
 Hemispheric specialization and lateralization
 Endocrine system and hormonal influences on behavior
 Genetics and behavioral traits

Sensation & Perception


 Sensory thresholds: Absolute vs. difference thresholds
 Vision: Structure of the eye, color processing, depth perception
 Audition: Structure of the ear, pitch, loudness
 Other senses: Touch, taste, smell, vestibular, proprioception
 Perceptual organization: Gestalt principles
 Perceptual constancies and illusions

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

Cognition & Language


 Problem-solving strategies and obstacles
 Decision-making heuristics and biases
 Language acquisition and development
 Linguistic relativity hypothesis
 Animal communication vs. human language
 Intelligence: Theories, measurement, controversies

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

Motivation & Emotion


 Theories of motivation: Drive reduction, arousal, Maslow's hierarchy
 Hunger, thirst, and sexual motivation
 Achievement motivation and self-determination theory
 Components of emotion: Physiological, cognitive, behavioral
 Universal emotions and cultural variations
 Theories of emotion: James-Lange, Cannon-Bard, Schachter-Singer

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

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