PSYCH XBW1 – GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY
3 semester units (45 instructional hours)
Asynchronous Online
BASIC COURSE INFORMATION
Course Meeting Dates & Times:
Asynchronous Online
Communication and Office Hours:
While you should use the Student Lounge for questions/answers that can benefit all
students, of course you can always get in touch with the instructor during the course. You can access course email by clicking on the Inbox link on the Corner Help toolbar (see also Canvas Overview Video). You can expect the instructor to respond to email within 48 hours of receiving messages unless he or she has notified the class otherwise (e.g., because of vacation or other reasons).
Please note: all course communication between students/instructors must occur within
the course.
Course Online Resources (CANVAS):
https://onlinelearning.berkeley.edu/
Technical Requirements and Access to Online Resources:
Please check your computer technical specifications. This course uses the Learning Management system (LMS) called CANVAS. In order to use Canvas, your computer will need to meet these technical specifications. Additionally, instructors will use the Zoom web conferencing tool to live-stream their classes. Please also check your computer technical specification to use Zoom and ensure that you have a stable Internet connection. Please review our online classroom orientation resource to learn about how to access and use CANVAS.
Canvas allows you to record audio or video files of yourself and upload them in the course. Although doing so is not required for any of the activities, using these features will enhance your engagement in the course. If you would like to use these features, you will need to have a webcam and a microphone installed on your computer.
Important Deadlines:
Drop: Must be done before the drop deadline
Withdraw or Grade Option Change: Must be submitted before the last class meeting.
You can add, drop, or withdraw by logging into your student portal.
COURSE OVERVIEW
Course Prerequisites:
There are no prerequisites for this course.
Description of Course:
Psychology is the scientific study of behavior. In a sense, each of us is a psychologist; we are curious, we explore our surroundings, we observe ourselves and others, and we try to understand and explain our behavior. Although psychology is definitely a science, it presents challenges not found in the other sciences. The ultimate focus of psychology's study is human subjects, who cannot be controlled as easily as plants, chemicals, or computer programming code. Nevertheless, as students of psychology, we will try to remain as objective as possible as we interpret human behavior.
Learning Objectives:
The purpose of this class is to:
● Identify the origins of modern psychology
● Identify different research methods in psychology
● Discuss the biological foundations of psychology
● Explain the concepts of sensation and perception
● Describe basic principles of learning
● Describe the psychology of memory
● Describe the relationship between stress and illness, discuss ways of coping with stress and describe lifestyle. influences on disease risk
● Describe the developmental stages from conception to death
● Describe the psychological perspectives in personality theory
● Describe recognized psychological disorders and therapy models
● Recognize the social influences on behavior.