This course will provide a broad, general introduction to psychology—its basic subject matter, its approach to gathering and evaluating evidence about the causes and correlates of behavior, and the means by which psychological knowledge is (or can be) applied to improve the quality of individual and communal life.

    Introduction to Psychology is the prerequisite to more advanced courses in the department, which, in general, develop in greater breadth and depth the chapter topics you will read about and discuss in this basic course.

    Although it may seem a little overwhelming at first, let me share my objectives. When this course is completed, I would like to have increased your:

a) awareness of major psychological approaches to studying behavior;

b) awareness of some major problems and issues in psychology;

c) knowledge of psychology's origins and important contributors;

d) knowledge of basic findings, concepts, and terminology;

e) understanding of psychology's methodology and limitations;

 f) understanding of scientific values and skills, including the ability to discriminate such values from non-scientific ways of knowing;

g) ability to apply this new knowledge to daily living by beginning to "think psychologically" about behavior and events;

h) competence in oral and written communication, problem solving and research skills, and critical analysis of life experiences, and competence in navigating the Internet to find psychological information.