PSYC1001R

iPSYC Assignment

Name:

Student ID:

Date:

Carleton University

Assignment Question: 1. What do you think PSYC1001R can do for you? (Ch. 0A)
What do you think PSYC1001R can do for you?

PSYC1001R is a course that is required to fulfil the demands of my bachelor’s degree.

However, during the course selection for this semester, this class has intrigued me as I wanted to
try something new due to the fact that I have never taken a course in Psychology. I also wanted
to take this course as I was curious to learn and understand some aspects of the human brain
hoping that I would be able to relate and apply the gained knowledge in my life.
Furthermore, this course has helped me understand the nature of human behavior as well as the
psychological approaches of the human nature. For example, there are several themes in studying
psychology and one of them explains that human behavior can depend on culture, genetics and
environment (Tsuji, Bruce. Evolution of Psychology, Chapter 01 (AF), Slide 5).
Throughout this psychology course I have learned about the strength of human ability, for
example, our abilities can either be fluid or fixed, meaning as we are fluid the harder we work
the more we can achieve or as we are fixed there is a limit to our abilities, no matter how hard we
try, once we reach our limit there is no more gain (Tsuji, Bruce. Evolution of Psychology,
Chapter 01. B, Slide 8). Furthermore, as the study of psychology progressed throughout history,
there was a time when the mentally-ill were considered to be possessed by demons. This
intrigued me as in my opinion, it is the perfect example of human beings being able to use
mental process to adapt as without any research about psychology their mental process was
fixed. As a result, people at time provided an explanation for mental-illness by using the stream
of consciousness.
During this course, I have also learned Freud’s structures of personality, for example,
there are two different instincts present in our personality, superego which deals with our
morality and ego which are demands of reality and is partially conscious (Tsuji, Bruce.
Evolution of Psychology, Chapter 01.D, Slide 30). On another note, Abraham Maslow explains
the humanistic psychology that resides in human nature (Tsuji, Bruce. Evolution of Psychology,
Chapter 01.D, Slide 36). Maslow’s hierarchy of human needs explain that there are five stages of
our needs, for example, self-actualization, self-esteem, love and belongingness, safety and
security and lastly physiological (Tsuji, Bruce. Evolution of Psychology, Chapter 01.D, Slide 37).
On a personal note, as my sister is a patient of Anxiety, Depression as well as Schizophrenia,
taking this course has helped me understand biological psychology. For example, biological and
mental processes as well as, the role of genetics in our behavior. Due to the fact that my sister’s
doctors have informed us that Schizophrenia is a genetic illness and as for Anxiety and
Depression which can be caused by the environment in which we reside.
A research conducted by James Olds in 1956 demonstrated that electrical stimulation of
the brain evoked emotional responses in animals (Tsuji, Bruce. Evolution of Psychology, Chapter
01.E, Slide 49). Behavioral neuroscience has grabbed my attention as we can learn what parts of
the brain and how is it associated with our behaviors (Tsuji, Bruce. Evolution of Psychology,
Chapter 01.E, Slide 48). In addition, evolutionary psychology explains the natural selection of
behavior and physical characteristics. For example, sexual behavior, jealousy, aggression, etc
(suji, Bruce. Evolution of Psychology, Chapter 01.E, Slide 50). And as mentioned earlier
sociocultural aspects influences the human behaviour.
To conclude, this course has offered me knowledge about human nature and helped me
understand human behaviour while providing the chance to complete my bachelor’s degree. The
materials which I have learned in this course has not only help me understand human nature, but
also helped me apply my knowledge in my personal life due to the fact that my family and I were
struggling with my sister’s mental health.