**Class Notes: "Introduction to Psychology"**

**Week 1: Introduction to Psychology**

- Definition of psychology and its historical roots.
- Major schools of psychology: structuralism, functionalism, behaviorism, psychoanalysis,
cognitive psychology, and humanistic psychology.

**Week 2: Research Methods in Psychology**

- Overview of scientific research methods used in psychology, including experimental,
correlational, and descriptive research.
- Ethical considerations in psychological research and the role of institutional review boards
(IRBs).

**Week 3: Biological Bases of Behavior**

- Introduction to neuroscience and the structure and function of the nervous system.
- Discussion on genetics, evolution, and their influence on behavior.

**Week 4: Sensation and Perception**

- Examination of sensory processes, including vision, hearing, taste, smell, and touch.
- Perception and the organization and interpretation of sensory information.

**Week 5: Learning and Conditioning**

- Classical conditioning and operant conditioning theories.
- Applications of conditioning principles in behavior modification and therapy.

**Week 6: Memory and Cognition**

- Types of memory: sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory.
- Cognitive processes such as attention, encoding, storage, and retrieval.

**Week 7: Motivation and Emotion**

- Theories of motivation, including Maslow's hierarchy of needs and self-determination
theory.
- Emotion theories and the physiological and psychological components of emotion.

**Week 8: Developmental Psychology**

- Overview of lifespan development from infancy to old age.
- Theories of development: psychosocial, cognitive, and moral development.

**Week 9: Personality Theories**

- Major theories of personality, including psychoanalytic, humanistic, trait, and
social-cognitive theories.
- Assessment of personality through tests and inventories.

**Week 10: Social Psychology**

- Study of how individuals' thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by the presence
of others.
- Topics include conformity, obedience, attitudes, prejudice, and interpersonal relationships.
**Week 11: Psychological Disorders**
- Classification and diagnosis of psychological disorders according to the DSM-5.
- Overview of common disorders such as anxiety disorders, mood disorders, schizophrenia,
and personality disorders.

**Week 12: Therapy and Treatment**

- Overview of psychotherapy approaches, including psychoanalytic, cognitive-behavioral,
humanistic, and group therapies.
- Biological treatments, including medication and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).

**Week 13: Review and Exam Preparation**

- Review of key concepts covered throughout the course.
- Exam preparation tips and practice questions.

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These class notes provide a comprehensive overview of introductory topics in psychology,

including research methods, biological bases of behavior, sensation and perception, learning
and conditioning, memory and cognition, motivation and emotion, developmental
psychology, personality theories, social psychology, psychological disorders, therapy, and
treatment.