SOST 60 Social Studies: Introduction to Psychology Provincial Level

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, the learner will be able to:

1. Introduction to Psychology a) Explore the history of psychology. b) Define psychology, and list and explain its goals. c) Describe and compare quantitative and qualitative research strategies. d) Explain how statistics are used in psychological research. e) Describe ethical issues in psychological research. f) Discuss the development of psychology as an empirical science.
2. Biological basis of behaviour and mental processes a) Describe the structure, function and organization of the nervous system. b) Describe the structure and function of the major regions of the brain. c) Evaluate scientific advances that have been developed to analyze brain behaviour and disease. d) Describe the relationship between the endocrine glands and the nervous system. e) Compare the effects of genetics, evolution and environment on behaviour.
3. Thinking, Language and Intelligence a) Explain how thinking involves the manipulation and understanding of information. b) Recognize that information is classified into categories, containing similar properties known as concepts. c) Compare the different strategies and obstacles involved in problem solving and decision-making. d) Discuss theories of intelligenc. e) Explain how intelligence and personality may be influenced by heredity and environment. f) Provide examples of how intelligence is measured.
4. Learning and Memory a) Define learning from a psychological perspective. b) Describe classical and operant conditioning. c) Explain observational and cognitive learning approaches. d) Discuss the roles of biology and culture in learning. e) Describe encoding. f) Describe sensory, short-term, and long-term memory systems. g) Describe retrieval. h) Investigate strategies for improving memory.
5. Social and Cultural Psychology a) Discuss the influence of cultural beliefs, values and attitudes on adjustment and personal growth. b) Discuss predominant sociological theories. c) Identify the various types of schemas and explain how they influence our perceptions of others. d) Monitor changes in thinking, understanding, and attitudes about yourself and others around you. e) Identify factors that help human beings adjust effectively to life’s challenges. f) Explain how ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status affect people and their behaviour. g) Distinguish between perception, attraction, social judgment, and attitude formation. h) Identify basic social and cultural categories and discuss how these affect behaviour. i) Explain the effects of the presence of others on individual behaviour. j) Describe how social structure can affect intergroup relations. k) Discuss the nature and effects of bias and discrimination toward groups such as indigenous. peoples, immigrants, and refugees. l) Discuss the circumstances under which conformity, compliance, and obedience are likely to occur.
6. Theories of Personality a) Define personality. b) Explain the characteristics of the psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioural, humanistic, and trait approaches. c) Compare and contrast various forms of personality assessment.
7. Motivation and Emotion a) Describe the theories of motivation. b) Apply motivational concepts to the behaviour of humans and other animals. c) Investigate the role of biology and learning in motivation and emotion. d) Describe theories of emotion. e) Discuss cultural factors in emotions and motivations.
8. Stress, Health and Healing a) Identify the sources of stress, and explain the psychological and physiological reactions to stress. b) Evaluate physiological, psychological and social aspects of stress. c) Identify and explain cognitive and behavioural strategies to deal with stress and promote health. d) Investigate different holistic approaches to deal with stress and promote health. e) Explain factors, prevention strategies and treatments related to the development of substance abuse or addictive behaviour.
9. Psychological Disorders and Treatment a) Define psychological disorders such as anxiety disorders, dissociative disorders, somatoform disorders, mood disorders, and personality disorders and identify the various criteria used to determine the diagnosis. b) Explain schizophrenia and describe the three subtypes. c) Discuss psychodynamic, humanistic-existential, behaviour, cognitive, and biomedical therapies. d) Describe the effectiveness of psychotherapy.