Introduction to psychology

Subject classification: this is a psychology resource.

Search for Psychology on Wikipedia.

Welcome to Introduction to Psychology which provides learning resources that can be used to introduce learners to psychology.

At the end of the course the student will be able to:

• Describe the scientific methods utilized in the study of human behavior;
• Appreciate the diversity of the field of psychology and the dynamic nature of its continuing development and growth;
• Understand the influence of biology, learning histories, situations, cognition, personality, and cultural factors, in the shaping and development of human behavior;
• Understand the concepts, histories, methods of investigation, and theories of the different subfields of psychology;
• Appreciate the importance of psychological principles as they apply to everyday life.

1. Introduction to psychology as a science
2. Biological basis of behavior
3. Consciousness
4. Human development
5. Intelligence
6. Language and cognition
7. Learning
8. Memory
9. Media and communications psychology
10. Motivation and emotion
11. Personality and individual differences
12. Psychological disorders
13. Psychotherapy and intervention
14. Research methods in psychology
15. Sensation and perception
16. Social psychology

Introductory psychology textbooks tend to cover a similar range of topics. It is recommended that this course use Introduction to Psychology (Wikibooks), as well as other online resources.

OpenStax has a free online introductory psychology textbook: Psychology 2e

• Saul Kassin's 'Psychology'.
• Psychology by Alan J. Fridlund, Daniel Reisberg, Henry Gleitman. This textbook has been used for Stanford, Penn, MIT, and Harvard Introduction to Psychology courses.
• Bernard J. Luskin, Casting the Net Over Global Learning, New Developments in Workforce Training and Online Psychologies, Griffin Publishing Group, 2002.

• Questions and comments

• Chapter 1: Definition and History - Key words - Questions
• Chapter 2: Research Methods - Key words
• Chapter 3: Biological foundations - Key words
• Lecture 4: Developmental Psychology (briefly)
• Lecture 5: Sensation and Perception
• Lecture 6: Consciousness
• Lecture 7: Learning
• Lecture 8: Retention and Forgetting
• Lecture 9: Cognitive Processes
• Lecture ten: Motivation and Emotion
• Lecture 11: Psychological Testing and Individual Differences
• Lecture 12: Personality Principles
• Lecture 13: Abnormal Personality Patterns
• Lecture 14: Therapies
• Lecture 15: Social Psychology

• Psychology
• Introduction to psychology/Psy102
• Psychologists (Wikipedia)
• List of publications in psychology (Wikipedia)
• List of psychologists (Wikipedia)
• List of psychology organizations (Wikipedia)

• Aristotle, On the Soul
• Tabula rasa
• Empiricism
• Rationalism
• Scientific method
• Evolution
• Moral value
• Systems theory
• Complex systems
• Game theory
• Discourse analysis
• Multilevel model
• Structural equation modeling
• Howard Gardner's Nine Types of Intelligence
• Szaszian studies

• Dictionary of Psychology
• Encyclopedia of Psychology
• Learn Psychology Glossary
• Simply Psychology
• AQA A Psychology Resources

• The Archives of the History of American Psychology
• A Century of Psychology (APA)
• Classics in the History of Psychology

• Psychology Wiki
• PsychWiki - Wiki for psychology researchers (theory, findings, research methods, funding sources, and more)
• Find a Therapist - Psychology Today
• AmoebaWeb Psychology Directory
• Psychology at the Open Directory Project