Lesson 1: Introduction to Psychology


Attention

Dr. Phil
Who is this guy?

Is this the popular face of Psychology today? Is Dr. Phil the person you think of when you think of Psychology?
While Dr. Phil has done much to popularize an already popular topic, counseling and psychology, he represents only part of what psychology is. This class will both reinforce what you already know about psychology and widen your understanding!


Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this lesson's material, students will be able to:

  • Familiarize yourself with the technology of Blackboard through email and discussions.
  • Reflect on your own perceptions of the field of Psychology

Teaching

Since this is your first lesson in this class I will take a bit of time to tell you what you are looking at! For each lesson in the class you will be provided a page similar to this one. It will consist of an "attention grabbing" introduction at the top, an outline of the Learning Outcomes for the lesson, a notes section (where you might find written notes, slide shows, recordings, etc.), and Assessments (these are the graded assignments and "stuff" you need to do).

Different lessons will provide you with different resources to consume...but it is always expected that you are going to read your textbook and get MOST of the information you need from there!

So, take a look below at the Assessment section to see what it is you need to do in this Lesson!


Assessment

Potential Class Discussion - Otherwise ignore this material

For this discussion I want you to reflect upon the field of psychology. When you think of what psychology is or what psychologists do, what comes to mind? As you look at the book and see all the different things that psychologists study, does this surprise you?

Potential Class Discussion - Otherwise ignore this material

For this discussion I want you to reflect upon the research methods that Psychology uses to understand the world. While each of us has an opinion about why things happen, Psychology has an "informed" opinion because of the methods it uses to ask the same questions we ask ourselves every day..."Why do people do that?" How can you see this perspective impacting your own thought processes and critical thinking when you go through life asking these questions after this class?