Overview of Course

Dive into the fascinating science of the mind and behavior. What can psychology teach us about how to be more effective students and live fuller, richer lives? This course is designed to introduce you to the major concepts and research that explain how humans think, feel, and act. We will compare our preconceived notions of psychology to the wide range of topics studied by psychologists, including perception, learning, memory, personality, social behavior, and mental health. We will connect psychological concepts with real-world experiences during our global voyage by examining social influences and group behavior while navigating the bustling markets of Asia or watching animal behavior in Africa. Through engaging lectures, interactive discussions, and hands-on activities, you’ll learn how psychological principles apply not just to your own life, but also to the diverse cultures and communities we’ll encounter. By the end of the course, you’ll have gained a solid foundation in psychology, developing critical thinking skills to analyze behavior, mental processes, and the social dynamics around you. One theme that runs through this course is how our genes and environment interact to make each of us unique. Our prior experiences shapes how they see the world and when we experience new cultures, it changes how we see the world in the future. We will seek evidence-based answers to explain how we perceive and interact with the world. This is course is for students considering a career in psychology or are curious about the mind.