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Introduction to Psychology

  • Psychology studies behavior and mental processes; Sociology studies human society and social behavior.
  • Major psychological perspectives:
    • Psychodynamic: unconscious drives
    • Behavioral: observable responses
    • Humanistic: personal growth
    • Cognitive: information processing
    • Biological: physical structures and substances
  • Research methods: Quantitative vs. Qualitative; Naturalistic Observation; Correlational studies; Causal Comparative; Experimental designs.

Biological Foundations

  • Nature vs. Nurture: Genetics vs. Environment influence on behavior.
  • Variables:
    • Independent Variable (IV) causes change.
    • Dependent Variable (DV) shows effects of IV.
    • Control vs. Experimental Groups.
  • Sampling Types: Random, Representative, Biased.
  • Errors influencing experiments: Halo effect, Hawthorne effect, etc.

Brain Structure

  • Brain Stem: Core of the brain; includes medulla, pons, etc.
  • Limbic System: Regulates memory, emotions; includes hippocampus, amygdala.
  • Cerebral Cortex: Information processing center; has four lobes.
  • Plasticity: Brain's ability to reorganize itself after damage.
  • Sensation vs. Perception: Raw sensory experience vs. meaningful interpretation.

Memory Processes

  • Three processes: Encoding, Storage, Retrieval.
  • Rote vs. Elaborative Rehearsal; Retrieval cues enhance memory.
  • Context-Dependent Memory: Better retrieval in similar settings.
  • Short-term Memory (STM) vs. Long-term Memory (LTM).
  • Chunking: Organizing information into meaningful units.
  • Decay Theory, Misinformation Effect.

Intelligence

  • Multiple intelligences: Varied types, including linguistic, logical-mathematical, bodily-kinesthetic, etc.
  • Reliability and Validity of tests; Intellectual Disability and Giftedness defined.
  • Stanford-Binet Test used to measure intelligence.

Learning Theories

  • Classical Conditioning: Learning through association (Pavlov's experiment).
  • Operant Conditioning: Behavior influenced by rewards and punishments.
  • Key concepts: Reinforcement (positive/negative) and Punishment (positive/negative).
  • Stimulus Generalization, Discrimination, Extinction, and Recovery.

Child Development

  • Schema: Mental frameworks for organizing information.
  • Assimilation vs. Accommodation in learning.
  • Piaget’s Stages of Development described.
  • Parenting Styles: Authoritarian, Authoritative, Permissive, Uninvolved.

Personality

  • Theories:
    • Psychodynamic (Freud),
    • Humanistic (Rogers, Maslow),
    • Social Cognitive (Bandura),
    • Trait Theory (Allport).
  • Related concepts of personality development including big five traits.

Abnormal Psychology

  • Criteria for disorders: Maladaptive, unjustifiable, disturbing, atypical.
  • DSM-V as diagnostic guide.
  • Types of disorders include mood disorders, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, dissociative disorders, and personality disorders.

Sociology

  • Sociology's development influenced by the Industrial Revolution.
  • Major sociological perspectives:
    • Functionalist,
    • Conflict,
    • Interactionist.
  • Culture, Social Stratification, Mobility and Poverty concepts.
  • Collective Behavior and Social Movements defined, including types and features of each.

Deviance

  • Deviance defined as behavior violating norms.
  • Concepts of serial killers and cults referenced in social context.