Program Overview

Introduction to Psychology Course

Course Description

This course is an introduction to the study of psychology, a scientific approach to understanding the human mind. It is designed for students with a limited background in psychological studies and may serve as a foundation for more advanced level courses in psychology. Students will delve into the fascinating realm of the human mind, exploring the intricacies of behavior, cognition, social interactions, and emotion, contextualizing their understanding within psychological theories and insights.

Learning Objectives

• Describe basic psychological concepts and themes.
• Identify major psychological perspectives on common human behavior.
• Apply basic research skills in their course project.
• Communicate effectively, both in verbal and written form, in interactive academic discussions and group presentations, and research project reports.

Measurable Outcomes

• Articulate the basic psychological dimension of human experiences, such as the biological basis of the human mind, classical and instrumental conditioning, thinking errors and biases.
• Compare and contrast major theoretical perspectives on common psychological phenomena, such as short-term vs. long-term memory, conformity vs. compliance vs. obedience.
• Apply research skills gained from the course through the development and conduct of their own research project (e.g., literature search, research hypothesis formation, data collection, statistical analysis, report writing and project presentation).
• Communicate their knowledge gained from the course via delivering an oral and a written presentation of their own research project targeted at peers and instructors.

Course Requirements

Assessment | Percentage
---|---
WEC – Course Participation: WEC – Attendance (10%) WEC – Research Participation (8%) WEC – Course Evaluation (2%) | 20
WEC – Midterm Exam | 20
WEC – Article Analysis Paper | 20
WEC – Research Project Report | 20
WEC – Research Project Presentation | 20

Weekly Schedule

• Week 1 – Overview
• Week 2 – Brain, Sensation, and Perception
• Week 3 – Learning
• Week 4 – Memory and Cognitive Processes
• Week 5 – Intelligence and Language
• Week 6 – Human Development; Mid-Term Exam
• Week 7 – Recess Week
• Week 8 – Social Psychology
• Week 9 – Motivation and Emotion
• Week 10 – Personality
• Week 11 – "Abnormality"
• Week 12 – Health
• Week 13 – Project Presentations

Instructor

Ryutaro Uchiyama

Alignment with UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

• Goal 3: Good health and well-being
• Goal 11: Sustainable cities and communities

Course Tags

• Term 5
• Elective / Technical Elective
• HASS