PSY100 - Introduction to Psychology
| Semester | |
| School | |
| Last revision date | 2025-05-26 01:54:44.324 |
| Last review date | 2025-07-14 00:15:19.692 |
Subject Title
Introduction to Psychology
Subject Description
Psychology is the scientific study of mental processes and behaviour. Studying psychology can help us to expand and revise our understanding of our own and other people's thoughts, feelings, and behaviour. In this course, students will discover the foundations of psychological science, including basic research methods that are used in the field. Students will explore broad areas of study, such as the biological foundations of psychological processes, learning, memory, social influence, personality, and psychological disorders. Students will also apply psychological concepts and findings to life situations and social issues.
Credit Status
One General Education elective credit in the Sciences and Social Sciences category.
Students who have taken PSY125, PSY204 or any other introductory psychology course cannot take PSY100 as a general education credit.
This is a prescribed course for the following programs: BHS, ESC, FHP, LAW, PND and RLS and will not count towards a general elective credit
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this subject the student will be able to:
1. Compare scientific research methods that are used by psychologists to study mental processes and behaviour.
2. Describe the biological processes that underlie human behaviour and mental processes.
3. Apply the science of learning and memory to life situations.
4. Describe mental processes that regulate engagement with the social environment.
5. Analyze the effects of personality and social context on mental processes and behaviour.
6. Discuss diagnosis criteria and treatments commonly used for psychological disorders.
Academic Integrity
Seneca upholds a learning community that values academic integrity, honesty, fairness, trust, respect, responsibility and courage. These values enhance Seneca's commitment to deliver high-quality education and teaching excellence, while supporting a positive learning environment. Ensure that you are aware of Seneca's Academic Integrity Policy which can be found at: http://www.senecapolytechnic.ca/about/policies/academic-integrity-policy.html Review section 2 of the policy for details regarding approaches to supporting integrity. Section 2.3 and Appendix B of the policy describe various sanctions that can be applied, if there is suspected academic misconduct (e.g., contract cheating, cheating, falsification, impersonation or plagiarism).
Please visit the Academic Integrity website http://open2.senecac.on.ca/sites/academic-integrity/for-students to understand and learn more about how to prepare and submit work so that it supports academic integrity, and to avoid academic misconduct.
Discrimination/Harassment
All students and employees have the right to study and work in an environment that is free from discrimination and/or harassment. Language or activities that defeat this objective violate the College Policy on Discrimination/Harassment and shall not be tolerated. Information and assistance are available from the Student Conduct Office at student.conduct@senecapolytechnic.ca.
Accommodation for Students with Disabilities
The College will provide reasonable accommodation to students with disabilities in order to promote academic success. If you require accommodation, contact the Counselling and Accessibility Services Office at ext. 22900 to initiate the process for documenting, assessing and implementing your individual accommodation needs.
Camera Use and Recordings - Synchronous (Live) Classes
Synchronous (live) classes may be delivered in person, in a Flexible Learning space, or online through a Seneca web conferencing platform such as MS Teams or Zoom. Flexible Learning spaces are equipped with cameras, microphones, monitors and speakers that capture and stream instructor and student interactions, providing an in-person experience for students choosing to study online.
Students joining a live class online may be required to have a working camera in order to participate, or for certain activities (e.g. group work, assessments), and high-speed broadband access (e.g. Cable, DSL) is highly recommended. In the event students encounter circumstances that impact their ability to join the platform with their camera on, they should reach out to the professor to discuss. Live classes may be recorded and made available to students to support access to course content and promote student learning and success.
By attending live classes, students are consenting to the collection and use of their personal information for the purposes of administering the class and associated coursework. To learn more about Seneca's privacy practices, visit Privacy Notice.
Topic Outline
The topics covered include child behaviour, motivation, emotions, awareness, learning, psychological testing, personality, abnormal psychology, and social psychology.
- history of psychology, including behaviourism, cognitive, psychodynamic and humanist perspectives;
- psychological research, methods and issues including psychological tests: questionnaires, experiments, interviews, naturalistic observation, case studies, etc.;
- biological bases of behaviour: genetics, environmental influences, hormones, the nervous system (central and autonomic), neuronal electrochemical transmission (electrical and chemical);
- the brain and its relationship to sensation and perception;
- learning: classical, operant and observational. Human memory (the short and the long of it);
- motivation and emotion: drive reduction, emotional expression;
- need for food, sex, belonging and achievement: stress and personality (e.g.: type A);
- Maslow and other humanistic theorists with a focus on self-actualization;
- major theories of emotion; (James-Lange, Cannon-Bard etc.)
- drugs and altered states of consciousness (sleep, dreams etc.);
- intelligence testing;
- personality theories including a brief outline of Freud's psychosexual stages;
- Carl Rogers and other psychotherapists and their therapeutic approaches: Gestalt, behaviour modification;
- abnormal psychology: schizophrenia, manic depression, etc.;
- influence of group dynamics on behaviour.
Mode of Instruction
There are two modes of delivery for this course:
1. In-class: Students attend classes on campus each week. All instruction is delivered in a face to face environment.
2. Online: All class work is completed in a fully online environment. Students do not attend any classes on campus.
Teaching and Learning Methods:
To ensure that students are engaged as much as possible in the learning process, instructors can use such teaching methods as class and small group discussions, essays and research, individual and group presentations, readings, lectures, workshops, in-class exercises, and/or web-based instruction. The mode of delivery will dictate the most appropriate teaching methods available to an instructor.
Prescribed Texts
Required Texts (Online Synchronous):
Recommended Text (Online Asynchronous):
Speilman, R., Jenkins, W. & Lovett, M. (Senior Contributing Authors). Psychology, 2nd edition, OpenStax. ISBN # 978--1-951693-23-7 (digital version).
Effective Winter 2022, text is supplementary reading materials. Access for free at openstax.org (directlink - http://openstax.org/details/psychology-2e). Text is viewable online or can be downloaded as a pdf.
Note that students should ensure their computer meets all operational and browser requirements before purchasing the e-Text.
To find out the cost of books and learning material go here.
Any courses not listed on the bookstore webpage do not require any resources for purchase. All resources will be provided by your instructor.
Reference Material
Students are referred to the following web site for the Seneca College Library APA Style Guide and Guide to Integrating Quotations (APA Style):
http://seneca.libguides.com/apa
Required Supplies
None.
Student Progression and Promotion Policy
http://www.senecapolytechnic.ca/about/policies/student-progression-and-promotion-policy.html
Grading Policyhttp://www.senecapolytechnic.ca/about/policies/grading-policy.html
| A+ | 90% to 100% |
| A | 80% to 89% |
| B+ | 75% to 79% |
| B | 70% to 74% |
| C+ | 65% to 69% |
| C | 60% to 64% |
| D+ | 55% to 59% |
| D | 50% to 54% |
| F | 0% to 49% (Not a Pass) |
| OR | |
| EXC | Excellent |
| SAT | Satisfactory |
| UNSAT | Unsatisfactory |
For further information, see a copy of the Academic Policy, available online (http://www.senecapolytechnic.ca/academic-policy) or at Seneca's Registrar's Offices..
Modes of Evaluation
To be successful in this course, you must complete all course work as specified and achieve an overall grade of 50% or higher. For further information on evaluation and academic standing, see a copy of the Academic Policy available at Seneca registration offices.
Term Work:
All term work assignments must be completed prior to the last class. Students must contact faculty in advance of the assignment due date to discuss the possibility of an extension. Late assignments may be subject to the awarding of a penalty resulting in a lower grade assigned.
Make-up opportunities for assignments must also be made in advance of the scheduled due date. If an assignment is missed due to class absence, official documentation must be submitted to the faculty member on or before the next scheduled class. Make-up opportunities may not apply to all graded assignments.
Online synchronous/asychronous (OB):
| Discussion & Assignments | 30% |
| Midterm Test | 20% |
| Research Project | 25% |
| Final Assessment | 25% |
Online Asynchronous (OA):
| Discussion (4 x 5%) | 20% |
| Quizzes (5 x 4%) | 20% |
| Projects/Assignments ( 4 x 15%) | 60% |