Michael Collin Billingsley, Ph.D. Billingsley

This Introduction to Psychology course includes a broad range of general psychological (cognitive, emotional, behavioral, psychosocial, biopsychological, and developmental) terms, concepts, principles, methods, and theories. It will involve the promotion of critical and independent thinking through reading, advanced writing, and discussion activities among students in these respective topic areas associated with current research and ethical issues.

TEXTBOOK:
Open Source

TUTORING & INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS:
1. Lectures on the various reading assignments topics (Interactive video apps, e.g. Zoom or other apps )
2. Illustrations (PowerPoint slides, Interactive video apps, e.g. Zoom or other apps and Video clips, e.g, TED Talks or TEDx) of the various concepts, principles, methods, and theories
3. Class discussion (online) of the various reading assignment topics
4. Small group discussion of the various reading assignment topics
5. Instructor feedback on written assignments
6. Library research and online assignments

SUPPORTING MATERIALS: Online Instructional Software, Online Library Databases

COURSE OUTCOMES:
After completion of the course, each student should be able to perform the following:

1. Demonstrate three of the basic processes of critical thinking, (such as objectively forming and analyzing positions/assertions on the psychological phenomenon, searching and evaluating evidence in support of or opposition to positions/assertions, and conceptualizing positions/assertions within the formal theory (i.e., apply assertions, empirical evidence, and theoretical explanations in intellectual arguments).
2. Identify attitudes and value systems essential to establishing human dignity, respect, and tolerance for cultural diversity and differing worldviews.
3. Identify how norms of immediate and global cultures contribute to any approach proposed to describe, explain, predict, and control human thinking, emotion, behavior, and development.
4. Describe basic processes that are essential for one to establish self-awareness, self-esteem, autonomy, and self-actualization (specific cognitive processes and experiences associated with attaining these attributes).
5. Identify the major contributions of psychological history and current systems to the understanding of human behavior.
6. Identify basic psychological research methods and designs used to investigate various psychological phenomena.
7. Demonstrate understanding of major conceptual positions, principles, issues, limitations, theories, and respective models of the major psychological (psychoanalytical, behavioral, cognitive, humanistic, and biopsychological) schools of thought.
8. Demonstrate independent, empirical, and theoretical thinking when evaluating the major psychological theories