Understanding Psychology: The Science of Mind and Behaviour

Course outline

A clear route from first principles to practical confidence

1. 01

   What Is Psychology?

   • Psychology as a science: myths and realities
   • A brief history: from philosophy to laboratory
   • Major approaches: biological, behavioural, cognitive, and humanistic
   • Research methods: experiments, surveys, and observations
   • Ethics in psychological research
2. 02

   The Brain and Nervous System

   • The brain's structure: lobes, hemispheres, and key areas
   • Neurons and how they communicate
   • The autonomic nervous system: fight or flight
   • Hormones and their effects on mood and behaviour
   • Brain plasticity: how experience shapes the brain
3. 03

   Sensation and Perception

   • The senses: sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell
   • How we perceive depth, colour, and motion
   • Attention: why we miss things right in front of us
   • Illusions: when perception plays tricks
   • Sensory adaptation and habituation
4. 04

   Learning and Conditioning

   • Classical conditioning: Pavlov's dogs and everyday examples
   • Operant conditioning: rewards, punishments, and consequences
   • Observational learning: how we learn from others
   • Habit formation and breaking bad habits
   • Practical applications: learning in education and therapy
5. 05

   Memory and Forgetting

   • The three stages: encoding, storage, and retrieval
   • Short-term and long-term memory
   • Types of memory: episodic, semantic, and procedural
   • Why we forget: decay, interference, and retrieval failure
   • Improving memory: practical tips and techniques
6. 06

   Thinking, Problem-Solving, and Language

   • Concepts, schemas, and mental shortcuts
   • Problem-solving strategies and common obstacles
   • Decision-making: biases and heuristics
   • Creativity: what it is and how to encourage it
   • Language development and the link to thought
7. 07

   Motivation and Emotion

   • Theories of motivation: drives, incentives, and goals
   • Hunger, thirst, and biological needs
   • Achievement, power, and social motivation
   • What are emotions? Basic emotions and their functions
   • Stress, coping, and emotional regulation
8. 08

   Personality: What Makes You You?

   • Trait theories: the Big Five and other models
   • Psychodynamic approaches: Freud and beyond
   • Humanistic perspectives: self-actualisation and growth
   • Social-cognitive views: how situation shapes personality
   • Personality tests: what they can and cannot tell us
9. 09

   Social Psychology: The Power of Others

   • Conformity: why we follow the crowd
   • Obedience to authority: Milgram's famous study
   • Attribution: how we explain behaviour
   • Prejudice, stereotypes, and discrimination
   • Helping behaviour: why we help or stand by
10. 10

    Development Across the Lifespan

    • Prenatal development and early infancy
    • Piaget's stages of cognitive development
    • Attachment and social relationships in childhood
    • Adolescence: identity, peers, and risk-taking
    • Adulthood and ageing: continuity and change
11. 11

    Psychological Disorders and Wellbeing

    • What is 'normal'? Defining mental health and disorder
    • Anxiety disorders: phobias, panic, and OCD
    • Mood disorders: depression and bipolar
    • Schizophrenia and psychosis: an overview
    • Therapy approaches: talking, behavioural, and biomedical
12. 12

    Applying Psychology in Everyday Life

    • Psychology at work: motivation, leadership, and teamwork
    • Building better relationships: communication and empathy
    • Managing stress and building resilience
    • Making smarter decisions and avoiding common traps
    • Lifelong learning: how to keep your mind active