The course surveys the areas of motivation, perception, learning, personality, and development. Consideration is given to various philosophical presuppositions underlying contemporary psychology, and an attempt is made to understand the various problems in terms of a biblical view of man. This is the first course in a two-course sequence with particular emphasis on the prenatal through early adolescent development stages. A continuation of Psychology 205 with particular emphasis on the adolescent through adult stages of development. An elementary course in statistical techniques and methods and their application to the field of psychology.
Spreadsheet knowledge is suggested.
Topics include cognitive biases, the relationship between attitudes and behavior, conformity and persuasion, interpersonal attraction, altruism, prejudice and aggression. Primary emphasis will be on relating brain and nervous system functioning with basic psychological processes, such as motivation, emotion, sleeping, learning, memory, and abnormal behavior. Topics covered will include neurosis, schizophrenia, sexual deviation, affective disorders, personality disorders, psychosomatic disorders, and the process of adjustment to stress. Attention will be given to personality, social and religious factors, and their role in mental health. An introduction to research methods with a review of statistical analytic techniques.