UNDERSTANDING psychology DC II COURSE

Welcome to the DCII Course in Psychology This course offers you many useful applications in everyday life and YES many different career opportunities & choices. Provided you choose to work hard and take the course seriously!!!

Considerations before choosing the Course What Is Psychology? Psychology: the study of behavior and mental processes and how they are affected by an organism’s physical state, mental state, and environment. What does it entail Studying? Behavior is anything we do overt actions and reactions Mental processes are our internal experiences thoughts, feelings, memories…

Why should I study Psychology ? Psychology helps us scientifically evaluate common beliefs and misconceptions about behavior and mental processes. Can you identify which of the beliefs on the following slides are true or false?

The best way to learn and remember information is to “cram,” or study it intensively during one concentrated period. FALSE! This is the worst way to prepare for an exam! Don’t confuse this for a quicker method of study- students who cram often perform more poorly than those who do not study at all! Punishment is the most effective way to permanently change behavior. We will examine this ineffective practice when we begin our study of learning! Think about the prison system…a large scale example of punishment…does it work?

Eyewitness testimony is often unreliable. TRUE! Our memories are very fragile and subject to many variables. We will examine the influence of memory formation. Police often use psychics to help solve crimes. FALSE! It’s important to recognize the difference between psychology and pseudo-psychology, which includes the area of psychics.

A Pertinent Question Psychology is Scientific & Empirically Based Is Psychology the same as Common Sense? No, Psychology is not the same as Common Sense Information. As evident from the preceding slides psychological information is often misunderstood. Psychology is Scientific & Empirically Based We will examine each of these questions/ concerns in detail during this course.

Course Objectives & Organization To Introduce the field of psychology Help students develop an understanding of the Basic psychological processes Acquaint students with relevant applications of psychology as well as in everyday life. Organization It is organized in four units. The units bring forth the nature, scope diverse domains, and utility of different psychological processes in different fields as well as our day-to-day lives.

Unit I: Orientation to Psychology Nature, Fields & Applications Basic Psychological Processes Learning & Memory Motivation Positive & Negative Emotions

Multiple Intelligences UNIT II: Understanding Individual Differences Personality Intelligence Abilities & Interests and more … … Intelligence Personality Multiple Intelligences

Is there something called Emotional Intelligence? Hummm… I didn’t know this buddy!!!

How do we become who we are? Drive for Self- Actualization Culture Learning Experiences Unconscious Conflicts & Defenses Genetics PERSONALITY

Personality Personality: the distinctive pattern of behavior, mannerisms, thoughts, and emotions that characterizes an individual over time Someone’s personality is comprised of various traits Traits: habitual ways of behaving, thinking, and feeling (e.g., confident, pessimistic)

UNIT III: Understanding Developmental Processes

UNIT III: Understanding Developmental Processes

Cognitive Development: Piaget’s Theory Cognitive development consists of mental adaptations to new observations & experiences. Adaptation takes two forms: Assimilation: Absorbing new information into existing cognitive structures. “Bird” Accommodation: Modifying existing cognitive structures in response to experience and new information. “Bat”

Piaget’s Theory: Developmental Stages Sensorimotor (birth-2 years) Object permanence Preoperational (ages 2-7) Symbolic thought Egocentric Concrete Operational (ages 7-12) Conservation Reversible operations Formal Operational (age 12-adulthood) Abstract reasoning

Childhood: Kohlberg’sMoral Development Preconventional Level: doing the right thing is obeying authority and avoiding punishment. Later in this stage, there is the recognition of reciprocity (I’ll be good now because I might be rewarded for it later) Conventional Level: recognition that members of society must uphold its values, norms, and (later) laws Postconventional Level: people are less concerned with maintaining society for it own sake, and more concerned with the principles and values that make for a good society (e.g., justice, freedom, treating others as you’d like to be treated)

Erikson: Psychosocial Theory Trust vs. Mistrust Infancy (0-1 year) Autonomy vs. Shame and doubt Toddler (1-2 years) Initiative vs. Guilt Preschool (3-5 years) Industry vs. Inferiority Elementary School (6-12 years) Identity vs. Role confusion Adolescence (13-19 years) Intimacy vs. Isolation Young adulthood (20-40 years) Generativity vs. Stagnation Middle adulthood (40-65 years) Integrity vs. Despair Late adulthood (65 and older)

UNIT IV: Application of Psychology Work Law Health