11/21/2024 7:46:41 AM	PSYC 1A Course Outline as of Summer 2025	Changed Course
CATALOG INFORMATION
Discipline and Nbr:  PSYC 1A	Title:  GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY
Full Title:  General Psychology
Last Reviewed:10/28/2024

Units		Course Hours per Week			Nbr of Weeks	Course Hours Total
Maximum	3.00	Lecture Scheduled	3.00		17.5 max.	Lecture Scheduled	52.50
Minimum	3.00	Lab Scheduled	0		4 min.	Lab Scheduled	0
		Contact DHR	0			Contact DHR	0
		Contact Total	3.00			Contact Total	52.50
		Non-contact DHR	0			Non-contact DHR Total	0

Total Out of Class Hours:  105.00

Total Student Learning Hours: 157.50

Title 5 Category:  AA Degree Applicable
Grading:  Grade or P/NP
Repeatability:  00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP
Also Listed As: 
Formerly:  PSYCH 1A

Catalog Description:

This course is an introduction to psychology where students will learn about the brain, consciousness, memory, stress, personality, and psychological suffering. Topics will be covered using methods including lecture, activities, storytelling, media, and discussion. The field of psychology will be approached from different perspectives including students' own life experiences, ideas from outside the field, and the impact of systemic oppression.

Prerequisites/Corequisites:

Recommended Preparation:
Eligibility for ENGL 1A or equivalent

Limits on Enrollment:

Schedule of Classes Information
Description:

This course is an introduction to psychology where students will learn about the brain, consciousness, memory, stress, personality, and psychological suffering. Topics will be covered using methods including lecture, activities, storytelling, media, and discussion. The field of psychology will be approached from different perspectives including students' own life experiences, ideas from outside the field, and the impact of systemic oppression.

(Grade or P/NP)
Prerequisites:
Recommended:Eligibility for ENGL 1A or equivalent
Limits on Enrollment:
Transfer Credit:CSU;UC.
Repeatability:00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP

ARTICULATION, MAJOR, and CERTIFICATION INFORMATION

Associate Degree:		Effective:	Fall 1981	Inactive:
Area:	D	Social and Behavioral Sciences
CSU GE:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
	D	Social Science		Fall 2010
	D9	Psychology
	D	Social Science		Fall 1991	Fall 2010
	D1	Anthropology and Archeology
	D4	Gender Studies
	D9	Psychology
	D	Social Science		Fall 1981	Fall 1991
	D1	Anthropology and Archeology
	D4	Gender Studies
IGETC:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
	4	Social and Behavioral Science		Fall 1981
	4I	Psychology
CSU Transfer:	Transferable	Effective:	Fall 1981	Inactive:
UC Transfer:	Transferable	Effective:	Fall 1981	Inactive:
C-ID:
CID Descriptor: PSY 110	Introductory Psychology	SRJC Equivalent Course(s): PSYC1A

Certificate/Major Applicable: Both Certificate and Major Applicable

COURSE CONTENT

Student Learning Outcomes:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Critically apply psychological perspectives to behavior and mental processes.

2. Understand how psychological inquiries are situated in various socio-cultural contexts.

3. Identify how psychological processes are impacted by context and historical inequalities.

 

Objectives:

At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Define Western psychology and place psychological knowledge in a historical and cultural context.

2. Describe and apply qualitative, quantitative, and mixed research methods and discuss their advantages and disadvantages.

3. Diagram the structure of the brain and its cells.

4. Describe typical developmental trajectories.

5. Define and understand different states of consciousness and their neural underpinnings.

6. Analyze the processes of sensation and perception.

7. Explore the interaction between learning and memory.

8. Determine how societal roles and structures, authority figures, and group opinions and behaviors affect an individual's thoughts, actions, and emotions.

9. Describe different cultural constructs of intelligence.

10. Apply health psychology principles that support physical and mental well-being.

11. Understand the display of emotions and experience of motivation.

12. Explore the complex interactions between the psychological experience of acute stress, chronic stress, trauma, and shame and their biological underpinnings.

13. Compare and contrast diverse approaches to understanding personality.

14. Describe human sexuality, sexual orientations, and gender identities.

15. Understand the diverse explanations of psychological imbalances and distress.

16. Identify and critically reflect on interventions that promote psychological well-being and healing.

Topics and Scope

I. History of Western Psychology in Comparative Context

    A. Western psychology vs. Traditional Ecological Knowledge and other cultural knowledge systems

    B. Professional roles of psychologists

II. Psychology as Science - Varieties of Research Methods

    A. Research strategies

    B. Applying research to everyday life

    C. Ethical perspectives

    D. Moral perspectives

    E. Historical perspectives

    F. Decolonial perspectives

    G. Traditional ecological knowledge

III. Neurons, Hormones, and the Brain - Evolutionary and Cultural Changes

    A. Neural and hormonal systems

    B. The central and peripheral nervous systems

    C. Tools of discovery

    D. Structures of the brain

    E. Hemispheric specialization and differentiation

    F. Interaction between biology, development, and environment

IV. Cycles of Life - Lifespan Development

     A. Influence of culture

    B. Influence of history

    C. Influence of biology

     D. Developmental challenges and opportunities

V. States of Consciousness

    A. Sleep and dreams

    B. Free will and agency

    C. Imagination

    D. Evolution of consciousness

    E. Processes of altering consciousness

VI. Sensation and Perception

    A. Sensory systems

    B. Effects of abilities

    C. Effects of beliefs, lived experiences, and emotions on perception

VII. Learning and Memory

    A. Components of memory

     B. Levels of learning

     C. How memory is shaped by socio-cultural experience

VIII. Mind and Behavior in Social and Cultural Context

    A. Internal and external manifestations

    B. Stereotypes

    C. Prejudice

    D. Discrimination

    E. Anti-discrimination and equity-minded interventions

IX. Thinking and Intelligence

    A. Decision making, judgment, and intelligence

    B. Interactions with environment

     C. Inherent challenges and biases when measuring intelligence

X. Body, Mind, and Cultural Well-Being

    A. Mind and body

    B. Cultural well being

XI. Emotion and Motivation

    A. Influences of body, mind, and culture

     B. Experience and display of emotions

     C. Origins and experience of motivation

XII. Stress and Trauma

    A. Physiological and psychological responses

    B. Epigenetics

    C. Intergenerational trauma

    D. Early adversity

    E. Strategies for coping

     F. Building resilience

XIII. Theories of Personality, Self, and Identity

    A. Biological

     B. Cultural

     C. Historical

     D. Ecological

     E. Developmental

     F. Trait perspectives

    G. Transpersonal perspectives

    H. Gender, self, and individualism

XIV. Human Sexuality

     A. Sexuality

    B. Sexual orientations

    C. Gender identities

    D. Historical and socio-cultural factors

XV. Psychological Distress and Suffering

    A. Western approaches to diagnosis

    B. Indigenous approaches to diagnosis

    C. Role of systemic oppression  

     D. Culture-bound definitions of ab/normal

XVI. Interventions for Psychological Distress

    A. Biologically based

    B. Psychotherapeutic

    C. Culturally based

    D. Socio-cultural context

Assignments:

1. Weekly reading (approximately 35 pages)

2. Writing assignment(s) (a total minimum of 1,250 words) that may include:

    A. Personal reflection

    B. Research

    C. Experiential

    D. Response

     E. Project

3. Exams (2 minimum)

4. Other assignments, such as:

    A. Quizzes

    B. Presentation

    C. Group project

Methods of Evaluation/Basis of Grade.

Writing: Assessment tools that demonstrate writing skill and/or require students to select, organize and explain ideas in writing.		Writing 30 - 60%
Writing assignment(s)
Problem solving: Assessment tools, other than exams, that demonstrate competence in computational or non-computational problem solving skills.		Problem Solving 0 - 0%
None
Skill Demonstrations: All skill-based and physical demonstrations used for assessment purposes including skill performance exams.		Skill Demonstrations 0 - 0%
None
Exams: All forms of formal testing, other than skill performance exams.		Exams 30 - 50%
Exams
Other: Includes any assessment tools that do not logically fit into the above categories.		Other Category 0 - 20%
Other assignments; attendance and participation

Representative Textbooks and Materials:

Psychology. 6th ed. Ciccarelli, Saundra and White, Nolan. Pearson. 2020.

Understanding Psychology. 14th ed. Feldman, Robert S. McGraw-Hill. 2019.

Discovering Psychology. 9th ed. Hockenbury, Sandra and Nolan, Susan. Worth. 2022.

Diversity in Psychology, Psychology in Diversity: Psychology for the 21st Century. Kremer, Ju¨rgen Werner. Kendall-Hunt. 2017 (classic).

Psychology: Themes and Variations, 11th ed. Weiten, Wayne. Cengage. 2022.

Psychology in your life, 4th ed. Grisson, Sarah and Gazzaniga, Michael. W.W. Norton. 2021.

Experience Psychology 5th ed. King, Laura, McGraw-Hill. 2022.

 

Open Educational Resource (OER):

Introduction to Psychology: The Noba Collection. https://nobaproject.com/

Print PDF