Introduction to Psychology

University of Toronto

About this Course

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This course will highlight the most interesting experiments within the field of psychology, discussing the implications of those studies for our understanding of the human mind and human behavior.  We will explore the brain and some of the cognitive abilities it supports like memory, learning, attention, perception and consciousness.  We will examine human development - both in terms of growing up and growing old - and will discuss the manner in which the behavior of others affect our own thoughts and behavior.  Finally we will discuss various forms of mental illness and the treatments that are used to help those who suffer from them.   
The fact of the matter is that humans routinely do amazing things without appreciating how interesting they are.  However, we are also routinely influenced by people and events without always being aware of those influences.  By the end of this course you will have gained a much better understanding and appreciation of who you are and how you work.  And I can guarantee you that you'll learn things that you'll be telling your friends and family about, things that will fundamentally change the way you think of yourself and others.  How can you resist that?!

Learner Career Outcomes

24%

started a new career after completing these courses

24%

got a tangible career benefit from this course

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Approx. 23 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: Arabic, French, Portuguese (European), Chinese (Simplified), Italian, Vietnamese, Korean, German, Russian, Turkish, English, Spanish

Skills you will gain

Psychological IssuesPsychologySocial PsychologyMental Illness

Learner Career Outcomes

24%

started a new career after completing these courses

24%

got a tangible career benefit from this course

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Approx. 23 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: Arabic, French, Portuguese (European), Chinese (Simplified), Italian, Vietnamese, Korean, German, Russian, Turkish, English, Spanish

Instructor

Instructor rating

4.93/5 (572 Ratings)

Steve Joordens

Professor

Department of Psychology

468,345 Learners

3 Courses

Offered by

University of Toronto

Established in 1827, the University of Toronto is one of the world’s leading universities, renowned for its excellence in teaching, research, innovation and entrepreneurship, as well as its impact on economic prosperity and social well-being around the globe.

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating98%(36,933 ratings)

Week

Week 1

20 minutes to complete

Welcome and Orientation to the Course

This section is about your orientation to the Coursera interface and the logistics of the course.

20 minutes to complete

2 readings

2 readings

Course Logistics10m

Links to Outside Resources10m

Week

Week 2

2 hours to complete

History & the Scientific Method

This section is about exploring the introduction to the Science of Psychology. At the end of this first section you'll be able to identify and discuss some of the major movements in the Science of Psychology.

2 hours to complete

7 videos (Total 107 min)

7 videos

Lecture 1 - Psychology Emerges... (14:38 min)14m

Lecture 2 - Before Freud (17:46 min)17m

Lecture 3 - Freud (14:26 min)14m

Lecture 4 - After Freud (16:25 min)16m

Lecture 5 - Truth Seeking (12:35 min)12m

Lecture 6 - Knowledge Association (15:49 min)15m

Lecture 7 - Knowledge by Contrast (15:23 min)15m

Week

Week 3

2 hours to complete

The Matter of the Mind

There was a time when one could study Psychology without linking phenomena back to the brain itself, but those days are slowly disappearing. Now every Psychology student, yourself included, is expected to have at least a general knowledge of brain organization and structure. At the end of this section you will be able to locate structures of the brain and discuss its organization.

2 hours to complete

8 videos (Total 121 min)

8 videos

Lecture 1 - Brain Matter (20:20 min)20m

Lecture 2 - Your Light Switch (12:40 min)12m

Lecture 3 - Subcortical Regions (13:27 min)13m

Lecture 4 - The Occipital Lobe (10:59 min)10m

Lecture 5 - The Temporal Lobe (14:51 min)14m

Lecture 6 - The Parietal Lobe (16:07 min)16m

Lecture 7 - The Frontal Lobe (18:10 min)18m

Lecture 8 - Split Brain (14:40 min)14m

Week

Week 4

2 hours to complete

Sensation, Perception, Attention and Awareness

This section is all about the systems our brain uses to get input from the world ... you will be able to recognize what those things around us are and where they are ... and be able to interpret who we are and how we fit.

2 hours to complete

8 videos (Total 133 min)

8 videos

Lecture 1 - Outside In (14:26 min)14m

Lecture 2 - Point of Contact (20:24 min)20m

Lecture 3 - Perceiving What: Part 1 (18:38 min)18m

Lecture 4 - Perceiving What: Part 2 (17:50 min)17m

Lecture 5 - Perceiving Where (17:35 min)17m

Lecture 6 - Selection (16:38 min)16m

Lecture 7 - Self Awareness (13:21 min)13m

Lecture 8 - Theory of Mind (13:40 min)13m

Week

Week 5

2 hours to complete

Learning

This section is all about learning and behaviourism. When you're done the videos you'll be able to name and describe the topic of learning and behaviour in contexts such as flirting and gambling!

2 hours to complete

8 videos (Total 117 min)

8 videos

Lecture 1 - Forces of Nature (15:18 min)15m

Lecture 2 - Rise of Behaviorism (15:59 min)15m

Lecture 3 - Learning (14:09 min)14m

Lecture 4 - Learning by Consequence (17:32 min)17m

Lecture 5 - How to Flirt (17:38 min)17m

Lecture 6 - Conditioned Superstition (10:02 min)10m

Lecture 7 - Passing the Test (14:40 min)14m

Lecture 8 - Observational Learning (11:52 min)11m

1 practice exercise

Midterm Test30m

Week

Week 6

2 hours to complete

Memory

This topic is Memory, and it's a big topic, and one I know a fair amount about. It was hard to figure out what to present and what to leave out. I tried to include some of the most interesting stuff. I hope you agree. After this section you'll be able to define and summarize topics such as False Memory and Amnesia.

2 hours to complete

8 videos (Total 126 min)

8 videos

Lecture 1 - Memory is Not Singular: Part 1 (15:55 min)15m

Lecture 2 - Memory is Not Singular: Part 2 (24:34 min)24m

Lecture 3 - Reconstructive Memory (13:18 min)13m

Lecture 4 - False Memory (9:40 min)9m

Lecture 5 - Deja Vu (19:23 min)19m

Lecture 6 - Familiarity (12:33 min)12m

Lecture 7 - Amnesias (15:45 min)15m

Lecture 8 - What is Not Forgotten (14:39 min)14m

Week

Week 7

2 hours to complete

The Social Mind

This topic is Social Psychology and it features some of the most controversial experiments in psychology. Some of these will having you thinking very deeply for a long time after you see them. You'll have time to analyze and interpret our experience with conformity and authority.

2 hours to complete

8 videos (Total 129 min)

8 videos

Lecture 1 - Conformity (13:51 min)13m

Lecture 2 - Authority (16:29 min)16m

Lecture 3 - Protecting the Self (15:04 min)15m

Lecture 4 - Good People Do Bad (16:25 min)16m

Lecture 5 - Bystander Interference (12:00 min)12m

Lecture 6 - Schemas, Stereotypes and Prejudice (16:16 min)16m

Lecture 7 - Competition, Ignorance, Fear and Prejudice (18:28 min)18m

Lecture 8 - Attraction (20:15 min)20m

Week

Week 8

3 hours to complete

Mental Illness

This topic is Clinical Psychology and you'll learn both about various clinical disorders, and about the therapies commonly used to treat them.You'll be able to extend this knowledge to different disorders. Be careful to not start diagnosing all your friends or family (or yourself!)

3 hours to complete

8 videos (Total 162 min)

8 videos

Lecture 1 - Diagnosis (21:22 min)21m

Lecture 2 - Anxiety Disorders (21:58 min)21m

Lecture 3 - Disorders of Emotion (20:32 min)20m

Lecture 4 - Schizophrenia (22:24 min)22m

Lecture 5 - Personality Disorders (15:48 min)15m

Lecture 6 - Insight Therapies (17:53 min)17m

Lecture 7 - Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (20:30 min)20m

Lecture 8 - Biological Treatments (21:44 min)21m

Week

Week 9

4 hours to complete

Videos by Request

This module is all about you and is about extending our foundational knowledge in the field of psychology so you can discover and describe to others more of what's interesting to you. These curated videos are based on past course requests. We will add new ones as well from time to time as new cohorts make requests.

4 hours to complete

8 videos (Total 220 min)

8 videos

Lecture 1 - Sleep (24:59 min)24m

Lecture 2 - Dreams (20:58 min)20m

Lecture 3 - Hypnosis (38:49 min)38m

Lecture 4 - Stages of Development (26:21 min)26m

Lecture 5 - Parent-Child Relationships (27:14 min)27m

Lecture 6 - Intelligence (27:29 min)27m

Lecture 7 - PTSD (23:20 min)23m

Lecture 8 - Love (31:19 min)31m

1 practice exercise

Final Exam30m

Week

Week 10

1 hour to complete

Final Assignment

Final Peer Assessment Assignment

1 hour to complete

Week

Week 11

10 minutes to complete

Links to Outside Resources

This reading item has links to resources referenced in the course

10 minutes to complete

1 reading

1 reading

Links to Resources10m

Week

Week 12

2 hours to complete

Super Optional Videos

These are extras and side videos that you are not tested on. Feel free to watch if you're interested.

2 hours to complete

8 videos (Total 109 min)

8 videos

MOOC2 - Week 1 - Side Dish 113m

DanVoyer23m

Complex Brains working and not12m

Halloween Side Dish Treat24m

Synesthesia Side Dish7m

Anthony Rucco Interview13m

Jessica Dere Interview13m

Until Next Time Beans!1m

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes, Coursera provides financial aid to learners who cannot afford the fee. Apply for it by clicking on the Financial Aid link beneath the "Enroll" button on the left. You’ll be prompted to complete an application and will be notified if you are approved. Learn more.

More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.

Introduction to Psychology