Welcome to Introduction
to Psychology!

Required Textbook:
Carpenter, S. & Huffman, K. (2008)
Visualizing Psychology
Wiley publishers.
A little about me…
Like each of you in this course I started my
college experience at community college. I went
to Ocean County College and earned my
Associates Degree in Liberal Arts.
I transferred to Rutgers University in New
Brunswick and completed a Bachelors Degree in
psychology.
I pursued my passion for psychology in graduate
school and earned a Master’s Degree in Clinical
Psychology at Columbia University
Clinical Experience
After completing my Masters degree in clinical psychology, I began
working as a psychiatric screener for a local hospital. This position
allowed me to work with persons with psychiatric and behavioral
disorders.
I went on to work in Trenton for the next 3 years providing schoolbased counseling and mental health assessment in the public school
system. I worked with children from Kindergarten to 8th grade who
had severe behavioral and mental health issues, often in home
situations involving abuse and neglect. This position allowed me
experience school-based counseling and behavioral interventions.
During this time I also worked in youth shelters as a therapist
providing group therapy to adolescents with severe behavioral
problems and anger management problems.
I live at the shore with my
husband and my two dogs…
Jake and Gracie.
Currently I am pursuing
my Ph.D in Educational
Psychology at Temple
University
I began teaching full-time at Mercer County
Community College 4 years ago. I truly enjoy
teaching and hope to make each student’s
exploration of psychology a fun and valuable
experience.
My Most Recent Accomplishment!
Morgan Avery Jennings was born on January 17, 2008
weighing in at an impressive 9 lbs 13oz. 22 ½ inches
long!
This is Morgan now!
A Little About This Course
This class will provide you with the basic principles of
psychology which includes a wide-range of issues relating
to all areas of our lives.
This course will introduce you to each of the sub-areas of
psychology that you can pursue later on in more depth if
you wish, such as developmental, cognitive, social,
personality, and abnormal psychology. This will allow you
the opportunity to decide what specific topics within
psychology most excite you.
How Will I Be Assessed in this
Course?
Be sure to READ the syllabus provided on the
course website. There are two versions of the
syllabus available, both contain the same
information. Both a printable and an HTML
version are posted on the HOME PAGE and in the
general course information folder in our learning
modules.
All information about grading and expectation for
the course are outlined in detail.
‐ PLEASE read that information!!
Extra Credit?
The discussion board is the ONLY
extra credit opportunity for this
class. I will post a discussion board
question for each module.
The discussion board is a great way
to discuss the material and get to
know the other students in the class.
Review the details for this in the
course syllabus
All of the material for this
course will be presented in a
PowerPoint format.
Please be sure to review the course
notes thoroughly…it will help prepare
you for the module exams. The course
schedule and the course calendar are
posted to help keep you on track.
Course Schedule
This course will consist of 9 modules – a welcome
module which contains general course information
(module 0) and EIGHT topical modules (these
modules correspond to chapters in the textbook).
Review the course calendar and/or the course
schedule for the correct dates that each module will
be active.
What does it mean to be a
college student?
Answer the following
True or False questions…
True or False?
By registering for a college-level course you
automatically become a college student.
YOU will be solely responsible for your
performance in this class.
The expectations and intensity of this class
will be about the same as high school.
You have chosen this class and you want to be
here.
This class will be what you make of it
True or False?
By registering for a college-level course you
automatically become a college student.
FALSE!
YOU will be solely responsible for your
performance in this class. issues. TRUE!
The expectations and intensity of this class will be
about the same as high school.
FALSE!
You have chosen this class and you want to be here.
TRUE!
This class will be what you make of it
TRUE!
Many new students are not prepared
for the rigor and pace of a college
level course.
It is not uncommon for students to become frustrated when
they do not perform as well as expected. Please review the
study tips on page 24 of your textbook for some great
practices that will help improve learning and performance.
What Do You Know About
Psychology?
Test Your Knowledge!
Answer the following True or False
questions…
Test Your Knowledge about
Psychology
True or False?
Each night while asleep,
everyone dreams.
Test Your Knowledge about
Psychology
True or False?
Each night while asleep,
everyone dreams.
TRUE!
True or False?
Split personality is one of
the most severe forms of
schizophrenia.
True or False?
Split personality is one of
the most severe forms
of schizophrenia.
FALSE!!!
True or False?
Men use only one hemisphere of
their brains to listen while
women use both hemispheres.
So… women must be better
listeners than men.
True or False?
Men use only one hemisphere of
their brains to listen while
women use both hemispheres.
So… women must be better
listeners than men.
True!!
True or False?
Men use only one hemisphere of
their brains to listen while
women use both hemispheres.
So… women must be better
listeners than men.
JUST KIDDING…IT’S FALSE!
True or False?
Playing classical music (such as
Mozart) to newborn babies will
result in an increase in his or her
IQ.
True or False?
Playing classical music (such as
Mozart) to newborn babies will
result in an increase in his or her
IQ.
FALSE!
True or False?
Most people would obey an
authority who orders
them to hurt a stranger
True or False?
Most people would obey
an authority who
orders them to hurt a
stranger
TRUE!
True or False?
Opposites attract
True or False?
Opposites attract
FALSE!
True or False?
Mothers have more natural
or innate parenting skills
than fathers.
FALSE!
This is a psychology urban
legend! Women are not
naturally more nurturing or
better parents because of
their gender!
How did you do?
This quiz was a brief illustration of how
psychological information is often
misunderstood.
We will examine each of these questions
in detail through the course of this class
This course will introduce you to many sub-areas of
psychology and examine some of the following questions:
Why should I believe anything you say in this class?
How do we form thoughts?
How come we all see the world differently?
How do we develop a sense of identity?
Why does my sister always date the same losers?
Why does that person always stand SO close when we talk?
How come I can remember that song from 10 years ago, but not the
answers to the exam?!
What This Course Will Cover
What is Psychology?
How is Psychology a
science?
The Brain and
Behavior
Child Development
Personality and its
Assessment
Sensation and
Perception
Consciousness
Learning
Memory
Psychological
disorders
I sincerely hope that you find this
subject to be interesting and enjoy this
psychology course. It is my goal for
each of you to successfully learn in this
class, as well as, think critically about
issues related to Psychology. Please feel
free to contact me at any time during
the semester…stop by during office
hours, by phone or email with any
questions.
We will begin examining
Psychology by asking
questions…
Let’s Begin!
Move onto Module 1