Introduction to Psychology - Lecture Notes

Course Introduction

• Instructor: Dr. Paul Bloom
• Course Overview: Comprehensive study of the human mind.
• Topics Covered:
  • Brains
  • Child development
  • Language
  • Sex
  • Memory
  • Mental illness
  • Disgust
  • Racism
  • Love
  • Other related topics

Course Logistics

• Lectures: Two per week
• Course Readings: Essential to complement lectures
  • Textbook: Peter Gray’s Psychology, 5th edition
  • Supplemental Reading: The Norton Reader, edited by Gary Marcus
• Attendance: Mandatory to attend lectures and do readings.
  • Slides available online for reference
  • Missing a class requires getting notes from peers
• Evaluation:
  • Midterm and Final (last day of class)
  • Exams: Multiple choice, short answer
  • Weekly Questions: Submitted to Teaching Fellow, marked pass/fail
  • Book Review: Details provided later
  • Experimental Participation: Experience psychological research

How to Succeed in the Course

• Attend all classes and keep up with readings
• Form study groups
• Engage with instructor and teaching fellows
• Office hours available for discussion

Course Content and Goals

• Goal: Provide a state-of-the-art understanding of human psychology
• Subfields of Psychology:
  • Neuroscience: Study of the brain
  • Developmental Psychology: Focus on growth and learning
  • Cognitive Psychology: Mind functions, analogy with a computer
  • Social Psychology: Group behavior
  • Clinical Psychology: Mental health and illness
• Related Disciplines: Economics, Game theory, Philosophy, Computer Science

Sample Topics

1. The Brain

   • Case study: Terri Schiavo
   • Relationship between physical brain and mental life

2. Child Development

   • Example: Dr. Bloom's son, Zachary
   • Innate knowledge vs cultural influence
   • Continuity and change in personality
   • Differences in human attributes

3. Attractiveness

   • Computer-generated faces study
   • Cultural and cross-cultural standards

4. Morality

   • Examples of good and evil
   • Nature vs nurture in moral behavior

5. Mental Illness

   • Common disorders: Depression, Anxiety
   • Unique disorders: Memory disorders, Multiple Personality Disorder, Capgras Syndrome
   • Insight into normal life by studying extremes

Guest Lectures

• Dr. Marvin Chun: Cognitive neuroscience
• Dr. Susan Nolen-Hoeksema: Depression
• Kelly Brownell: Psychology of food
• Dr. Peter Salovey: Mysteries of love

Conclusion

• Engage with the course material and faculty
• Next class will cover the human brain