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Academic Goals
Psychology 101 is a gateway course that introduces students to the broad scope of modern day scientific psychology. Typical coverage includes the role of biological, learning, cognitive, personality, and sociocultural influences on behavior, as well as the nature of human development, psychological disorders, and therapy. Instructors who teach the course seek to increase students' understanding of the types of questions that psychologists ask about behavior, the methods psychologists use to examine these questions, the knowledge gained from psychological research, and the diverse ways in which psychological knowledge has benefited society. Course goals fall into three broad categories.
- Knowledge of Psychology: Psychology 101 instructors seek to increase students' knowledge of the field of psychology. This typically is the most basic goal of the course and may be the only goal that, given the size of the class and available staff, feasibly can be evaluated directly. This goal may include enhancing students' knowledge and understanding of: a) major psychological approaches to the study of behavior; b) major issues in psychology; c) concepts, basic terminology, research findings, and applications of psychological work; d) the research process and its limitations; and e) psychology's important contributors.
- Scientific Values and Critical Thinking: Psychology 101 instructors seek to stimulate students' intellectual curiosity about human behavior, increase their appreciation of the scientific method, help students recognize factors that can lead to faulty or biased research, and enhance students' ability to critically evaluate scientific information.
- Applications to Everyday Life: Psychology 101 instructors seek to increase students' understanding of how principles learned through psychological science apply to everyday life. Examples include helping students to appreciate how psychological science a) enhances human welfare, b) enables people to better understand their own and others' behavior, c) promotes an awareness of the complexity of human behavior, and d) promotes an intelligent skepticism about accepting psychological "facts" and "truths" that are presented in the mass media.
