Introduction to Psychology Course Overview and Key Topics

This course, "Introduction to Psychology," taught by Dr. Paul Bloom, offers a comprehensive exploration of the human mind. It will cover a vast array of topics, from the biological underpinnings of the brain to complex social phenomena and mental health.

Course Content and Themes

The course will delve into diverse subjects, including:

• Brain Function: How the physical brain gives rise to mental life, consciousness, and morality.
• Child Development: The origins of knowledge, the interplay of nature vs. nurture, and the continuity of personality from childhood to adulthood.
• Language: The capacity for language in humans and animals.
• Sex and Attraction: What makes individuals attractive, both culturally and universally.
• Memory: The mechanisms of memory and various memory disorders.
• Mental Health: Understanding depression, anxiety, and other psychological disorders, including their causes and treatments.
• Social Behavior: Why people behave differently in groups, and the psychology of food and eating disorders.
• Morality: The nature of good and evil, and the factors influencing moral behavior.
• Racism and Love: Exploring the psychological dimensions of these powerful human experiences.

Specific questions the course will address include:

• The proper explanation for differences between men and women.
• The puzzle of what causes disgust.
• Why some individuals overeat and how to address it.
• The dynamics of group behavior and "going crazy in groups."
• The reliability of childhood memories.
• The reasons behind individual differences in depression.
• The extent to which parents shape their children's personalities.
• The debate surrounding the existence and nature of multiple personality disorder.
• The insights gained from studying rare conditions like Capgras and Cotard's syndromes.

Course Structure and Requirements

The course involves two lectures per week and required readings. Both lectures and readings are essential for success, as there will be content in the readings not covered in lectures, and vice-versa.

Materials

• Textbook: Peter Gray's Psychology, 5th edition.
• Reader: The Norton Reader edited by Gary Marcus.

Both are available at Labyrinth bookstore or online. Students are encouraged to seek out used copies.

Evaluation

• Midterm Exam: Multiple-choice and short answer/fill-in-the-blank format.
• Final Exam: Held on the last day of class (not during the official exam period), with the same format as the midterm.
• Weekly Questions: Starting in the third week, a brief question or set of questions will be posted each Monday, due to teaching fellows. These are pass/fail and designed to encourage engagement with the material.
• Book Review: A short book review due near the end of the semester (details to be provided later).
• Experimental Participation: A requirement to gain experience with psychological research, details will be provided next week.

Previous exams will be posted online, and review sessions will be held to help students prepare.

Tips for Success

• Attend all classes.
• Keep up with the readings, ideally before each class.
• Form study groups (formal or informal) to discuss material and prepare for exams.
• Engage with the instructor and teaching fellows. Dr. Bloom will be available before and after class, during office hours, and via email for appointments.

The Broader Scope of Psychology

The course emphasizes that understanding the mind requires looking beyond the traditional boundaries of psychology. It will draw connections to:

• Neuroscience: The study of the mind through the brain.
• Developmental Psychology: How individuals grow, learn, and develop.
• Cognitive Psychology: A computational approach to the mind, focusing on processes like language comprehension and object recognition.
• Social Psychology: How people interact in groups and with each other.
• Clinical Psychology: The study of mental health and illness.
• Evolutionary Psychology: How the mind has evolved.
• Economics and Game Theory: Tools for understanding human thought and behavior.
• Philosophy, Computer Science, Anthropology, Literature, and Theology: Other domains that offer insights into the human mind.

Illustrative Topics and Case Studies

The course will explore various fascinating cases to illuminate psychological concepts:

• Terri Schiavo: Her case highlights the physical basis of mental life and consciousness.
• Child Development: Examining how knowledge is acquired, the role of innate abilities versus culture, and the continuity of personality.
• Attractiveness: Investigating what makes faces attractive, using computer-generated images.
• Morality and Evil: Discussing different forms of evil (institutional, political, psychopathic) and the factors that contribute to good and bad behavior, referencing figures like Osama bin Laden, Ted Bundy, Oskar Schindler, and Paul Rusesabagina.
• Mental Illness: Beyond common disorders like depression and anxiety, the course will explore less common but highly insightful conditions.
  • Memory Disorders: Conditions that prevent new memory formation or cause amnesia.
  • Phineas Gage: A 19th-century construction worker who, after a metal pipe pierced his brain, lost his sense of right and wrong, demonstrating the brain's role in personality and moral control.
  • Multiple Personality Disorder: Examining the debate surrounding its authenticity and what it reveals about the nature of the self.
  • Capgras Syndrome: A delusion where individuals believe loved ones have been replaced by imposters, often linked to specific brain damage, offering insights into recognition and emotional connection.
  • Cotard's Syndrome: The delusion of being dead, also linked to specific brain regions, highlighting how extreme cases can illuminate normal mental processes.

These extreme cases, while rare, provide crucial insights into the workings of the normal mind, helping to understand concepts like free will, responsibility, the nature of the self, and the distinction between recognition and knowing.

Guest Lecturers

The course will feature four guest lecturers, experts in their respective fields:

• Dr. Marvin Chun: Cognitive neuroscience, particularly the neuroscience of faces.
• Dr. Susan Nolen-Hoeksema: Depression, with a focus on sex differences.
• Kelly Brownell: The psychology of food, obesity, eating disorders, and dieting.
• Dr. Peter Salovey: The mysteries of love (on Valentine's Day).