Psychology 2301
OBJECTIVES: General Psychology is a fundamental introduction into the science of Psychology. The general goals and
objectives for the course are to 1) provide a survey of the field of Psychology, 2) establish a solid foundation in theory
and methodology, 3) introduce useful information on psychological principles, 4) explore the historical context of
psychological study, and 5) establish a correlation between different physiological states and their effects on behavior.
Topics which will be discussed include(but are not limited to)research methods, theories of development, biological
causes of behavior, conditioning and learning, memory, life span development, personality mental disorders and
maladjusted behavior, gender and sexuality and social behavior.
EXAMS, QUIZZES, AND ASSIGNMENTS: There will be 5 exams, each over 3 weeks of material. Each exam will consist of
multiple choice questions and essays. Each exam will be worth 100 points. There will be 14 quizzes. The highest 10
quizzes will count in the final grade. Each quiz will be worth 5 points. Each quiz will consist of 5 multiple choice
questions. There will be 5 assignments and each will be worth 10 points. Assignments will vary in composition from inclass discussion to internet research to introspection.
RECOMMENDED READINGS: The text: Introduction to Psychology: Gateways to Mind and Behavior (Coon, 12th edition)
is recommended. All other readings will be supplied by the instructor.
Week 1: Lecture: An introduction to Psychology, defining important terms, assessing prior knowledge, historical context.
Assignment: Theorist research.
Lecture: Questions in Psychology, Normality, research methods.
Quiz: Research Methods
Week 2: Lecture: The Brain and Behavior, neurons, nervous system,
Lecture: Central and Peripheral nervous system, how the brain works, different regions and
Quiz: Brain information
Week 3: Lecture: The Endocrine System, glands and hormones, their functions and effects.
Quiz: Endocrine System
Lecture: Drugs: Amphetamines, Depressants, Hallucinogens
Video: Drugs and their effects.
Quiz: Drug Information
Week 4: Major Exam #1: Introduction through Drugs
Lecture: Human Development: heredity, genetics, reflexes, genetic disorders
Assignment: Genetic Abnormalities Questionnaire.
their functions.
Week 5: Lecture: Development, parenting styles, Jean Piaget
Quiz: 4 stages of Cognitive Development (Piaget)
Lecture: Additional views of development (Kohlberg, Erikson)
Quiz: stages in Erikson’s development theory
Week 6: Lecture: Personality Development (Freud)
Assignment: Internet research on Freud
Lecture: Continue Freud: stages of theory.
Assignment: Research on Freudian theory.
Quiz: Freudian Psychology
Week 7: Major Exam #2: Human Development through Freudian Psychology
Lecture: States of Consciousness: stages of sleep, REM and NREM sleep,
Quiz: Sleep information
Week 8: Lecture: Psychodynamic Dream Theory, hypnosis
Lecture: Learning and Conditioning, Pavlov
Assignment: Classical Conditioning Scenarios
Week 9: Lecture: Watson, generalization, flooding, systematic desensitization
Quiz: Classical Conditioning
Lecture: Thorndike, Law of Effect, Skinner, Reinforcement
Video: Conditioning
Quiz: Operant Conditioning.
Week 10 Major Exam #3: States of Consciousness through Operant Conditioning.
Lecture: Memory: definitions, short-term/long-term, forgetting
Video: Remembering and Forgetting
Quiz: Memory
Week 11: Lecture: Methods to improve memory, serial position effect, interference
Assignment: research memory improvement techniques.
Lecture: Creativity and Intelligence, concepts, inductive/deductive reasoning,
Types of intelligence tests.
Week 12: Lecture: Motivation and Emotion, definitions, brain and related drives,
Physiological responses to arousal.
Quiz: Motivation definitions and physiological responses.
Lecture: Gender and Sexuality: definitions, Gender Role Socialization,
Sexual orientation, paraphilias, fetishisms
Week 13: Major Exam #4: Memory through Gender and Sexuality.
Lecture: Personality: definitions, concepts, introvert, extrovert, traits
Quiz: personality definitions and concepts
Week 14: Lecture: Psycholanalytic Personality Theory, Id, Ego, Super Ego, contrast with theories of
Adler, Horney, and Jung
Quiz: Components of Freud’s Personality Theory
Lecture: Psychological Disorders: DSM-IV, 4 categories of disorders,
Anxiety, Mood Disorders
Quiz: Categories of Mental Disorders, specifics on anxiety and mood disorders.
Week 15: Lecture: Schizophrenia and Personality Disorders.
Video: Mental Disorders
Quiz: Video and lecture information
Lecture: Therapies: Freud’s therapies, Humanistic therapies, Behavior Modification,
Psychodrama, pharmacotherapy, electroconvulsive therapy
Week 16: Major Exam #5: Personality through Therapies.