Standard

rev. 11/26/03 

PSY 191 Introductory Psychology

Course Description

Emphasizes the basics of psychology. Topics include: science of psychology; social environments; life stages; physiology and behavior; personality; emotions and motives; conflicts, stress, and anxiety; abnormal behavior; and perception, learning, and intelligence.

 

Competency Areas

Hours

 

Science of Psychology

Class

5

Social Environments

D. Lab

0

Life Stages

P. Lab/O.B.I.

0

Physiology and Behavior

Credit

5

Personality

 

 

Emotions and Motives

 

 

Conflicts, Stress, and Anxiety

 

 

Abnormal Behavior

 

 

Perception, Learning, and Intelligence

 

 

 

 

 

Prerequisite:

Program admission

Corequisite:

 

 

Course Guide

 

Competency

After completing this section, the student will:

Hours

Class

D.Lab

P.Lab/

O.B.I.

SCIENCE OF PSYCHOLOGY

3

0

0

Definitions

Define psychology.

 

 

 

History and methods

Identify the founders of the major schools of psychology.

 

 

 

Careers in psychology

Describe methods used in psychological research.

 

 

 

 

Identify career options in psychology.

 

 

 

SOCIAL ENVIRONMENTS

5

0

0

Definitions

Define social psychology and attitude.

 

 

 

Attitudes

Differentiate between types of conformity to social norms.

 

 

 

Attribution theory

Relate attitudes, reputations, and stereotypes to person perceptions.

 

 

 

Attraction

Describe factors that link attraction and liking.

 

 

 

Conformity, compliance, obedience, altruism, and deindividuation

Describe how the attribution theory explains behavior and some of its errors.

 

 

 

Communications

 

Identify the four main factors in the communication process.

 

 

 

 

Differentiate between verbal and nonverbal communication.

 

 

 

 

Provide examples of the use of effective and ineffective communications.

 

 

 

 

Practice active listening and nonjudgmental paraphrasing of statements.

 

 

 

 

Define personal space and tell how it affects behavior.

 

 

 

Group processes

List factors in group effectiveness.

 

 

 

 

List stages of group performance.

 

 

 

LIFE STAGES     

5

0

0

Physical development

Identify stages of growth and development throughout life span.

 

 

 

Moral development

Identify theories of moral development.

 

 

 

Cognitive development

Identify theories of cognitive development.

 

 

 

PHYSIOLOGY AND BEHAVIOR

6

0

0

Nervous and endocrine systems

Describe roles of the nervous and endocrine systems on behavior.

 

 

 

Altered states of consciousness

Identify altered states of consciousness.

 

 

 

PERSONALITY

7

0

0

Definition

Define personality.

 

 

 

Theories

Match major theorists with their approaches to personality.

 

 

 

Assessment

List three methods of assessing personality.

 

 

 

 

Differentiate between objective and projective personality tests.

 

 

 

 

Name and describe personality disorders and types of therapy for each.

 

 

 

EMOTIONS AND MOTIVES

4

0

0

Definitions

Define motive and emotion.

 

 

 

Needs theory

Relate needs and motives.

 

 

 

Theories of emotion

List Maslow's hierarchy of needs.

 

 

 

Expression of emotion

Relate motivation to study habits and career choices.

 

 

 

 

Give examples of verbal and nonverbal means of communicating emotions.

 

 

 

CONFLICTS, STRESS, AND ANXIETY

7

0

0

Definitions

Define stress, anxiety, and adjustment.

 

 

 

Locus of control

Define locus of control and recognize own characteristics as internal or external locus of control.

 

 

 

Types of conflict

Identify the major types of conflict.

 

 

 

Effects of stress

Relate conflict to pressure and frustration.

 

 

 

Coping mechanisms

Identify three stages of stress and physiological changes in each.

 

 

 

ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR

5

0

0

Abnormal behavior

Identify direct and defensive coping mechanisms.

 

 

 

 

Name four criteria for labeling behaviors abnormal.

 

 

 

 

Name disorders that result from stress or anxiety and treatments for them.

 

 

 

PERCEPTION, LEARNING, AND INTELLIGENCE    

8

0

0

Definitions

Differentiate between sensation and perception.

 

 

 

Classical conditioning

Identify perceptual constancies.

 

 

 

Operant conditioning

Identify observer characteristics in perception.

 

 

 

Memory

List examples of distance, depth, and movement perceptions and of visual illusions.

 

 

 

Cognition

Define learning.

 

 

 

Theories of learning

Identify theories of learning.

 

 

 

 

Define latent learning, block, and insight.

 

 

 

 

Define memory.

 

 

 

 

Differentiate between short-term and long-term memory.

 

 

 

 

Define cognition, image, and concept.

 

 

 

 

Suggested Resources

Suggested Resources include textbooks shown below or most current edition.

Books

 

Benjamin, L. T., et al. (1999). Psychology (2nd ed.). New York: Macmillan.

Calhoun, J. F., & Acocella, J. R. (1990). Psychology of adjustment and human relationships (3rd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.

Carver, C., & Scheier, M. (1988). Perspectives on personality. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Dworetzky, J. P. (1991). Psychology (4th ed.). St. Paul: West.

Morris, C. G. (1990). Psychology: An introduction (7th ed.). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Scarr, S., & Zanden, J. V. (1997). Understanding psychology (5th ed.). New York: Random House.

Shaffer, D. R. (1998). Social and personality development (2nd ed.). Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks-Cole.

Spear, P. D., et al. (1998). Psychology: Perspectives on behavior. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

Stanovich, K. E. (1999). How to think straight about psychology (2nd ed.). Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman.

Verderber, R. F., & Verderber, K. S. (1999). Interact: Using interpersonal communication skills (5th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.