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PSYCH101: Introduction to Psychology

Course introduction.

• Time: 46 hours
• College Credit Recommended ($25 Proctor Fee) -->
• Free Certificate

Course Syllabus

First, read the course syllabus. Then, enroll in the course by clicking "Enroll me". Click Unit 1 to read its introduction and learning outcomes. You will then see the learning materials and instructions on how to use them.

Unit 1: Scientific Foundations of Psychology

"Psychology has a long past, but a short history." This statement by Hermann Ebbinghaus (1850–1909), a pioneer of psychological research, captures the history of psychology as a discipline. Although it is a relatively new, formal academic subject, psychology seeks to answer questions that have been around since the beginning of humanity.

In this unit, we review the history of psychology as a discipline. We explore its ancient philosophical, prescientific roots and recent reincarnation as a scientific field of study.

Completing this unit should take you approximately 4 hours.

Unit 2: Biological Bases of Behavior

What makes you "you"? This question gets to the heart of one of the longest-running debates in psychology: the nurture versus nature dispute, which asks whether humans are a product of their environment or of their biological makeup. While it is unlikely that we will ever conclusively answer this question, research has provided us with some important insights that will help you understand the arguments on both sides of the debate.

Early psychologists considered the brain a black box that controlled certain processes, although they did not know how to identify these processes or how the brain controlled them. This is no longer the case; now, scientists insist that the psychological mind and physiological body are fully integrated with one another. Today, knowledge of the biological origins of our psychological states is integral to the study of psychology.

In this unit, we explore biopsychology, which includes the role of genes, the structure and functions of neurons, the parts of the nervous system, and the endocrine system. Finally, we examine the role and function of sleep and the use of substances that may alter our states of consciousness.

Completing this unit should take you approximately 7 hours.

Unit 3: Sensation and Perception

Our five senses – smell, taste, sight, hearing, and touch – provide us with information about the world. We must convert this information into a form that is usable by the brain, so it can interpret what those sensations mean. The process of collecting information through the sense organs is known as sensation, and the process of making sense of that information is known as perception.

We usually think of sensation as a physiological process, whereas perception is psychological. Since sensation relies on the elements of information that are out in the world, we consider it a bottom-up process. Since perception relies on past experience and knowledge to aid in understanding, we call it a top-down process.

In this unit, we highlight vision and hearing because humans tend to rely most heavily on these senses. Most of the research on sensation and perception has focused on these two senses, so these are the senses we understand the most fully. We will wrap up with the remaining senses, plus a sense that may not seem like a sense – the sense of balance.

Completing this unit should take you approximately 2 hours.

Unit 4: Learning

Psychologists are concerned with how people learn from experience and create memories. During the first half of the 20th century, behaviorists focused on how animals and humans made associations between stimuli and between their own behavior and its consequences. In this unit, we draw from behaviorism to learn the basic principles of learning.

Completing this unit should take you approximately 10 hours.

Unit 5: Cognitive Psychology

Psychologists are concerned with how people create memories. During the second half of the 20th century, psychologists established the field of cognitive psychology, which explored topics such as decision-making and problem-solving; language acquisition and use; intelligence and creative thinking; memory formation, storage, and retrieval; In this unit, we draw from cognitive psychology and neuropsychology to learn the basic principles of cognitive psychology.

Unit 6: Developmental Psychology

The physical, mental, and emotional changes an individual undergoes throughout the course of their lifetime raise a number of questions about who we are and how we develop as human beings. One question is whether our traits are stable or changeable throughout our lifetime; another is whether development is a continuous, gradual process or a set of discrete stages.

Although these questions remain unresolved, we impart some ways you can think critically about these issues in this unit. We also provide an overview of human development, from infancy to old age.

Completing this unit should take you approximately 3 hours.

Unit 7: Motivation, Emotion, and Personality

In this unit, we focus on personality psychology, which studies how our personalities develop and how our experiences and circumstances shape who we are. We will examine some theories that explain why we behave and think in consistent ways and discover how psychologists assess personality traits.

Completing this unit should take you approximately 5 hours.

Unit 8: Clinical Psychology

Today, we commonly think of psychology as a way to treat mental disorders. However, psychopathology , the field of study Sigmund Freud made famous, is the branch of psychology that addresses these disorders. Clinical psychologists have since refined the field, developing more sophisticated methods for diagnosis and treatment so clients can maintain a normal lifestyle.

Millions of people live with various types of mental illness and mental health problems, such as social anxiety , obsessive-compulsive disorder , drug addiction , and personality disorders . Treatment options include medication and psychotherapy.

In this unit, we explore different perspectives on psychological disorders and learn to identify characteristic symptoms for each. Think about all the factors that may contribute to and alleviate the major mental disorders discussed. What is the interplay between biology, social support systems, and other environmental factors in how human beings cope?

Unit 9: Social Psychology

Human beings are social animals. As psychologists, we acknowledge this fact by studying how our social environment impacts our emotional and mental functioning. This discipline is called social psychology – the focus of this unit. We will discuss the social behavior of individuals, groups, and entire societies, as well as how our relationships with these entities influence us as individuals.

Unit 10: Industrial and Organizational Psychology

In this unit, we investigate industrial and organizational psychology , also known as I/O psychology . This subfield is concerned with studying behavior in an organizational setting (such as in the workplace) and using principles of psychology to understand work behaviors. This is a rather new subfield within psychology, but it is growing quickly due to its interesting line of inquiry.

Psychologists divide the subfield of I/O psychology into industrial and   organizational psychology – the terms are not interchangeable. Industrial psychology focuses on job analysis, such as describing and measuring a task or a job. As such, people specializing in industrial psychology are often tasked with writing job requirements, interviewing and hiring employees, training new employees, evaluating performance, and assuring that an organization abides by equality laws.

Organizational psychologists, on the other hand, are mostly concerned with the social aspects of work life. This includes determining how we ensure job satisfaction, examining the effectiveness of different leadership or management styles, exploring work-family balance options, and conducting diversity training.

Unit 11: Health and Stress Psychology

In this unit, we focus on health and stress in the workplace and in our everyday lives more broadly. First, we define stressors, and then we connect stress and illness. As you work through this unit, think about the stressors in your life and the coping mechanisms you use to handle them. How does the information presented here shed insight into how you handle stress? Is stress always negative?

Study Guide

This study guide will help you get ready for the final exam. It discusses the key topics in each unit, walk through the learning outcomes, and list important vocabulary terms. It is not meant to replace the course materials!

Course Feedback Survey

Please take a few minutes to give us feedback about this course. We appreciate your feedback, whether you completed the whole course or even just a few resources. Your feedback will help us make our courses better, and we use your feedback each time we make updates to our courses.

If you come across any urgent problems, email [email protected].

Certificate Final Exam

Take this exam if you want to earn a free Course Completion Certificate.

To receive a free Course Completion Certificate, you will need to earn a grade of 70% or higher on this final exam. Your grade for the exam will be calculated as soon as you complete it. If you do not pass the exam on your first try, you can take it again as many times as you want, with a 7-day waiting period between each attempt.

Once you pass this final exam, you will be awarded a free Course Completion Certificate .

Saylor Direct Credit

Take this exam if you want to earn college credit for this course . This course is eligible for college credit through Saylor Academy's Saylor Direct Credit Program .

The Saylor Direct Credit Final Exam requires a proctoring fee of $5 . To pass this course and earn a Credly Badge and official transcript , you will need to earn a grade of 70% or higher on the Saylor Direct Credit Final Exam. Your grade for this exam will be calculated as soon as you complete it. If you do not pass the exam on your first try, you can take it again a maximum of 3 times , with a 14-day waiting period between each attempt.

We are partnering with SmarterProctoring to help make the proctoring fee more affordable. We will be recording you, your screen, and the audio in your room during the exam. This is an automated proctoring service, but no decisions are automated; recordings are only viewed by our staff with the purpose of making sure it is you taking the exam and verifying any questions about exam integrity. We understand that there are challenges with learning at home - we won't invalidate your exam just because your child ran into the room!

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Saylor Direct Credit Exam

This exam is part of the Saylor Direct College Credit program. Before attempting this exam, review the Saylor Direct Credit page for complete requirements.

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• The passing grade is 70% or higher.
• This exam consists of 52 multiple-choice questions.

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10 Places to Find Free Psychology Courses

Whether you’re considering earning a degree in psychology or just want to freshen up your knowledge in the field, there are plenty of free courses available to explore psychology. These courses are offered by top universities from around the world. Whether you want to check out a course from MIT or explore psychology from an international perspective, free online courses are available. We created this list of 10 great places to find free psychology courses online. Some courses are offered directly from the school and some can be found through searchable databases, so we have included both in our list. The variety of free courses in psychology is vast and we think you’ll be impressed at what you can access at no charge.

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Social problems: Who makes them?

Anti-social behaviour, homelessness, drugs, mental illness: all problems in today's society. But what makes a problem social? This free course, Social problems: Who makes them?, will help you to discover how these issues are identified, defined, given meaning and acted upon. You will also look at the conflicts within social science in this area.

Social construction and social constructionism

Within the field of social sciences the terms 'social construction' and 'social constructionism' are frequently used, particularly in relation to social policy. This free course, Social construction and social constructionism, will enable you to achieve a greater definition and understanding of these terms.

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Online Training on “Cyber Parenting”

Online Training on

“cyber parenting”.

The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 strongly emphasizes the integration of cyber safety education into school curriculums, recognizing its critical role in equipping students with the digital literacy skills needed for safe and responsible internet use. As we move through an era of rapid digital transformation, cultivating awareness about Cyber Parenting becomes increasingly essential. Cyber Parenting is vital in our technology-driven society, promoting a sustainable and harmonious relationship between humans and technology. It not only safeguards the well-being of children in the digital age but also contributes to a balanced and secure future for all.

The importance of cyber parenting training in today's digital world cannot be overstated. This training equips parents with the essential knowledge and skills to protect their children from various online threats, including cyberbullying, online predators, and exposure to inappropriate content. By fostering open communication, setting clear boundaries, and encouraging responsible online behavior, cyber parenting training ensures that children can explore the digital world in a safe and positive manner. Also, it empowers parents to stay informed about the rapidly evolving digital landscape, allowing them to effectively navigate new challenges and technologies. This proactive approach helps parents not only protect their children but also instill in them the values and practices necessary for responsible digital citizenship. All in all, cyber parenting training is about fostering a healthy, balanced, and informed relationship with technology, ensuring that children grow up in a digital world that is both exciting and safe while also preparing them to become responsible and thoughtful digital citizens in the future.

As part of the online training series on ‘ Cyber Safety and Security’, for the month September, 2024 CIET-NCERT in collaboration with ISEA, CDAC, MeitY, Hyderabad is organising a five-hours online training on “Cyber Parenting” from September 2 - 6, 2024 in English version and September 9 - 13, 2024 in Hindi version from 4.00 pm - 5.00 pm, to enhance the understanding of teachers, students, teacher official educators, and various stakeholders. The online training will be live on NCERT YouTube Channel- https://www.youtube.com/c/NCERTOFFICIAL and also be simulcast through PMeVidya DTH TV Channels numbered #6-12 and Jio TV mobile app.

Objectives :

After completion of the training series, the learner will be able to:

• understand the policies and viewpoints surrounding Cyber Parenting.
• recognize the necessity of Cyber Parenting.
• grasp the key elements of Cyber Parenting.
• identify strategies for managing relationships between parents and children in the digital environment.
• outline the responsibilities of different stakeholders in fostering cyber wellness.

Who Can Participate?

Students, Teachers, Teacher Educators, Parents, Administrators and all those who are interested.

Program Schedule

How To Participate?

Step 1: Registration : Participants need to register using the following link or the QR code:- https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf2ZAr4gjBLTarikiKe0akllsch11ML9L4zxNEy8pVjXl5gAg/viewform?usp=sf_link or scan the QR Code-

Step 2: Watch live training sessions and learn about the topic: Attend training sessions, which will be live-streamed on NCERT Official YouTube channel - http://youtube.com/ncertofficial from 2 - 6 September 2024 at 4:00- 5:00 pm (Monday to Friday). The session will also be telecasted live on the following:

• PM eVIDYA channels #6-12
• DD Free Dish channel #28-34
• DISH TV channel #2027-2033
• Jio TV mobile app

If you missed the live sessions, you can watch the recording using the playlist link given below :

Step: 3 Take up the online course, participate in post assessment and get certified:

If you are interested to earn a certificate, you need to do the following:

• Join the online course that will be launched on DIKSHA portal. Course link : https://diksha.gov.in/explore-course/course/do_31413628523233280018380 This course will be open till 30 March, 2025.  
• Join the course, go through all the five videos.
• Take up the final assessment in the course. You can attempt the assessment only thrice . 
• If you score 70% and above in the final assessment, you will get a certificate. You can access your certificate in your DIKSHA profile page itself. It may take 15-20 days to receive the certificate. 
• If there is any problem in portal, raise your complaint in teacher help in the DIKSHA portal

For further information on accessing the course and certification refer to the guideline. https://ciet.ncert.gov.in/storage/app/public/files/17/Workshop_and_training_files/cyth/User_guidelines_for_DIKSHA_Portal.pdf

Step 4: Submit Your Feedback : Submit your feedback using the link or the QR code- https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc4KpUvz54WpAS_wmyuW7Ph9vaUVt-RTNc5naw_8pNpXBHHiA/viewform?usp=sf_link

This feedback form is intended to know your experiences, learning, and suggestions regarding the online training. Kindly share your experiences and suggestions with us. This will help us in further improvement of the virtual training process. Confidentiality of your responses will be ensured.

For any queries, reach us at  [email protected]  or call : 8800440559

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Projects selected for dB-SERC Course Transformation Awards

The Discipline-Based Science Education Research Center (dB-SERC) has awarded 12 Course Transformation Awards to faculty in natural sciences.

Since 2014, dB-SERC has supported natural sciences faculty members in developing projects to transform the way classes are taught by adopting evidence-based teaching practice to improve student learning outcomes.

Award recipients receive funds for equipment, student support or summer salary for faculty. Two mentor-mentee awards also were given out to support classroom innovation projects conducted by students and faculty working together.

Course Transformation Awards

Young Ahn, Department of Biological Sciences: Designing a high-structure course combining frequent low-stakes assessments with inclusive teaching for a large-enrollment introductory biology class

This proposal aims to test the “heads and hearts” hypothesis which suggests that both students’ cognitive (heads) and affective (hearts) learning experiences must be purposefully constructed in classroom environments. This project will investigate whether a course structure that combines frequent low-stakes assessments (heads) and inclusive teaching (hearts) can improve student performance and reduce achievement gaps in a large-enrollment introductory biology course thereby promoting retention in STEM.

Anusha Balangoda, Department of Geology and Environmental Science : Use of a Collaborative Online Reading Platform for Pre-class Reading Assignments in a Large Enrollment First-Year Undergraduate Class

The proposed work seeks funding to implement pre-class reading assignments through a social annotation platform allowing active reading on assigned course materials outside the class. A free social platform, Perusall, provides an interactive experience for students to engage with peers asynchronously and facilitates a space to teach and learn from peers. This collaborative social platform allows students to work on assignments outside the classroom to promote productive discussions and produce high-quality peer interactions.

Seth Childers, Department of Chemistry: Development of Interdisciplinary Courses for a New Chemical Biology Major

In the Department of Chemistry, the PI is proposing a chemical biology major, including two new lecture courses and one laboratory course, proposed to launch in Fall 2025 or 2026. This timeline allows them to craft a curriculum while deploying evidence-based learning practices to enhance job readiness. Based on student surveys, the program aims to accommodate approximately 48 majors annually and engage non-majors as a desirable scientific elective campus wide.

Russell Clark and Aidan Payton, Department of Physics & Astronomy: Gender Equity in Introductory Physics Lab Group Roles

This is a continuation of a dB-SERC award from 2020 (Development of Teacher Guides and Rubrics for Introductory Physics Labs). The original plan for that award was to develop better rubrics and other materials to help the TA graders provide more valuable feedback to the students. However, the University was forced into quarantine midway through the first semester of the project, and so the character of it changed.  They know from a previous study that student groups tend to have gender bias in which men tend to work with the experimental apparatus and women are relegated to secretarial roles (recording data, writing the report, etc.). They attempted to mitigate this by asking the students to cycle through the roles week to week so that each student would get to participate in each role multiple times.

Erika Fanselow, Department of Neuroscience: Incorporating digital and physical 3D brain models into interactive online and in-class activities to enhance student engagement and mastery in neuroanatomy courses

The goal of this course transformation is to develop interactive, online and in-class exercises that incorporate digital and printed 3D models of nervous system structures. These 3D model-based exercises and in-class activities are intended to enhance students’ visualization and conceptualization of neuroanatomical structures. The rationale for this course transformation proposal is based on the fact that neuroanatomy students are commonly overwhelmed by the complexity of the nervous system, resulting in a condition Jozefowicz (1994) referred to as “neurophobia,” which he concluded actually keeps students from choosing fields such as neurology.

Sean Garrett-Roe, Department of Chemistry: Activity redesign and mindset intervention based on growth-oriented testing in Chem-0110 General Chemistry I

“Grading for Growth” is a movement to encourage students to embrace deeper intellectual engagement with their studies by revolutionizing the way that their learning is assessed. Student-focused active learning pedagogies, such as Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL), are well-established; student-focused assessments, on the other hand, are a new frontier. The PIs have formulated, implemented and assessed a student-focused assessment system that they call “Growth-Oriented Testing.” As successful as the system has been, the assessment results have illuminated ways in which their in-class materials have not optimally supported students, and the student opinion surveys suggest ways in which they have not optimally framed the learning process. As a result, students may not get the full benefits of the learning environment. A long-range goal of their teaching is to help students embrace a life of growth and learning; they want the students to learn both Chemistry and the metacognitive and metaemotional skills they need to succeed beyond the Chemistry classroom.

Sean Gess, Department of Biological Sciences: Supporting richer class-wide discussion and promoting the use of scientific argumentation in Foundations of Biology laboratory courses

This project focuses on class-wide discussion in a guided, authentic research lab. In this course students engage in science education by performing authentic research science to address active research questions being investigated within the department. The course is designed to mimic the research process, including discussions of data to try and understand it better. These discussion-based activities often struggle to support the learning objectives due to low participation from students or students not really listening and engaging with others during the discussions. To improve these discussions, they have previously introduced an explicit framing to attempt to help students understand the norms around this activity, normalize it as a professional practice, and encourage engagement and participation. This approach to science learning has shown gains in critical thinking skills and supports epistemic learning of STEM content.

Burhan Gharaibeh, Natasha Baker and Bridget Deasy, Department of Biological Sciences: Enhancing student engagement in anatomy and physiology courses through regenerative medicine primary science literature

Students of anatomy and physiology in different majors often report difficulty in these courses due to the need for memorizing lists of structures and comprehending complex physiological processes. They have preliminary data demonstrating that adding discussions of current, clinically relevant therapies and biotechnology articles related to regenerative medicine studies were effective in enhancing the biology student’s engagement during anatomy lectures. More importantly, the addition of these discussions to the curriculum appeared to improve exam grades.

Melanie Good and Eric Swanson, Department of Physics & Astronomy: The Use of Comprehensive PACE (Pseudoscience and Conspiracy-theory Education) in Physics and Society

Phys0087: Physics and Society was a course developed by Eric Swanson to help students examine the conceptual foundations of modern science with the goal of understanding how science affects our daily lives and our impact on the environment. At the intersection of science and society lies the issue of popular belief in the claims of pseudoscience and conspiracy theories. These beliefs are fairly common and often can be difficult to dislodge with education in science alone. However, past work has shown that explicit instruction on topics related to pseudoscience and conspiracy theory beliefs may be effective in reducing endorsement of these beliefs. The PIs have seen this among their own students, based on pilot data and data from a previous dB-SERC Course Transformation Award. The success of their earlier work has captured the attention not only of our university media, but also the Lilienfeld Alliance, a group of higher education professionals across the nation that is committed to promoting critical thinking skills in the face of the claims of pseudoscience, who invited them to join their cause. With the momentum they have built, they are inspired to more comprehensively overhaul Phys0087: Physics and Society to expand upon their original transformation. Their new proposed course transformation would extend the pseudoscience module into a comprehensive PACE (Pseudoscience and Conspiracy-theory Education) curriculum in Phys0087–Physics and Society during the 2024-2025 school year.

Edison Hauptman and Jeffrey Wheeler, Department of Mathematics: Contract Grading in Calculus 2

In summer 2024, Edison Hauptman’s section of Analytic Geometry & Calculus 2 (Math 0230) was taught with a different set of assignments and grading structure. The grading structure for the class resembled a contract between the instructor and their students: the instructor provided many different assignments, and for a student to earn a desired grade, they had to score enough points on various assignments of their choice to reach that grade’s point threshold. This course structure can have many variations and is called a “grading contract.” Compared to the current (default) course structure for Calculus courses at the University of Pittsburgh, a grading contract is a more equitable way to evaluate a diverse set of students, allows the instructor to be more accommodating to students without sacrificing the course’s rigor, and encourages more student buy-in. This project develops and evaluates a set of assignments offered to students in  Hauptman’s Summer 2024 12-week section of Math 0230 and focuses on mathematical skills emphasized in each assignment.

Zuzana Swigonova, Department of Biological Sciences: Combining computer visualizations with 3D printed models to engage students in active study of molecular structure and function

All biological processes in a living system depend on proper functioning of molecules. Understanding the principles of molecular structure, the three-dimensional spatial arrangements of atoms and functional groups that allow for intra- and intermolecular interactions, is crucial for grasping the fundamentals of structure-function relationships. Despite the many benefits of physical 3D models, printing intricate biological molecules has several limitations, such as low level of atomic detail in complex structures, depiction of a single static molecular representation, and labor-intensive post-printing processing. Computer visualization allows for the development of abundant resources that complement physical models with no added material cost. They propose to develop teaching resources using computer visualization to supplement the physical 3D models.

Margaret Vines, Department of Chemistry: Learning to learn chemistry

The purpose of this project is to help students learn. Most students come to college with the desire to learn. They want to be successful and learn the material presented to them in their classes. Unfortunately, many of them engage in activities that do not help with their learning. The PI’s goal is to help students begin to learn how to learn. They will do this as part of their regular lecture and recitation in general Chemistry. They will educate them about learning techniques and explain why they will aid in their learning. They will then demonstrate these techniques in class, and the students will be given opportunities to use these techniques inside and outside the lecture and recitation. Finally, they will encourage their students to develop those techniques for use in their other classes.

Mentor/Mentee Award

Mentor: Anusha Balangoda / Mentee: Beth Ann Eberle. Department of Geology and Environmental Science: Use of Cooperative Learning Approach in Recitations to Untangle Pressing Environmental Issues in Introductory Environmental Science Class

Cooperative learning is a student-centered active learning strategy in which a small group of students is responsible for their own success and that of their team by holding themselves accountable for the process and outcomes of the activities. In this project, they propose to use a cooperative learning strategy in the GEOL 0840 Introductory Environmental Science course, which is a large enrollment three-credit class, and both lectures and recitations are required.

Mentor: Ben Rottman / Mentee: Rebecca McGregor. Department of Psychology; Learning Research and Development Center: Using a Consulting Model and Project-Based Learning to Teach Psychology Research Methods

In the field of psychology, research methods form the foundation of students’ knowledge during the remainder of their undergraduate degree and beyond. Students in PSY 0036: Research Methods Lecture at the University of Pittsburgh have three course objectives: learn how to read, interpret and discuss research design and conclusions, learn how to critique research, and learn how to design valid research. There are currently few opportunities for students to apply this knowledge to real-world experiences, as this is an introductory course in which students have not yet developed the skills to analyze and interpret their own data. Thus, this course design through the dB-SERC would provide a semester-long collaborative assignment in which students would develop a project proposal to investigate a real-world research problem for a fictional client.