What are people most afraid of? What do our dreams mean? Are we natural-born racists? What makes us happy? What are the causes and cures of mental illness? This course tries to answer these questions and many others, providing a comprehensive overview of the scientific study of thought and behavior. It explores topics such as perception, communication, learning, memory, decision-making, persuasion, emotions, and social behavior. We will look at how these aspects of the mind develop in children, how they differ across people, how they are wired-up in the brain, and how they break down due to illness and injury.
Meet Paul Bloom, your instructor.
What's included
2 videos3 readings1 discussion prompt
Show info about module content
2 videos•Total 8 minutes
How to take this course•3 minutes
The astonishing hypothesis•5 minutes
3 readings•Total 50 minutes
About this course•10 minutes
Introductory readings•30 minutes
Optional Happiness Survey•10 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 10 minutes
Your Interest in this course•10 minutes
Foundations
Module 2•4 hours to complete
Module details
In this module, you will learn about foundational psychological theories and findings in psychology. We will start with the discovery that our mental lives have a physical basis, introducing the field of neuroscience. And then we will turn to two major psychological theories that have come to shape the world that we now live in—Freud’s psychodynamic theory and Skinner’s theory of behaviorism.
What's included
16 videos3 readings1 assignment
Show info about module content
16 videos•Total 131 minutes
Dualism•15 minutes
Neurons•14 minutes
Parts of the brain•9 minutes
Our two brains•6 minutes
A bit of humility•6 minutes
Sigmund Freud•3 minutes
The psychodynamic approach•10 minutes
Stages of development•6 minutes
Defense mechanisms•7 minutes
Scientific assessment of Freud•8 minutes
Taking Freud seriously•4 minutes
B.F. Skinner•4 minutes
Habituation•2 minutes
Classical conditioning•12 minutes
Instrumental conditioning•15 minutes
Scientific assessment of Skinner•11 minutes
3 readings•Total 95 minutes
The Brain•35 minutes
Freud•25 minutes
Skinner•35 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
Foundations•30 minutes
Development and Language
Module 3•3 hours to complete
Module details
In this module, you will learn about foundational psychological research into development and language. Specifically, you will learn about methods for studying how infants and children think and the core discoveries that they have led to. Then you will learn about the structure of language, how language is learned, and end with a little bit on animal communication, language processing, and relationship between language and thought.
What's included
14 videos2 readings1 assignment
Show info about module content
14 videos•Total 111 minutes
Big questions about development•6 minutes
Piaget•5 minutes
Piaget's Developmental Stage Theory•8 minutes
Scientific evaluation of Piaget•4 minutes
Methods for studying infants•14 minutes
How are children different from adults?•6 minutes
Explanations for development•11 minutes
What is language?•3 minutes
Basic facts about language•11 minutes
Phonology•3 minutes
Morphology•5 minutes
Syntax•8 minutes
Language acquisition•14 minutes
Language and thought•11 minutes
2 readings•Total 30 minutes
Development•20 minutes
Language•10 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
Development and language•30 minutes
Cognition
Module 4•2 hours to complete
Module details
In this module, you will learn about cognitive psychology. Specifically, you will learn about how we perceive the world, how attention works, and we store our experiences in memory.
What's included
12 videos2 readings1 assignment1 plugin
Show info about module content
12 videos•Total 65 minutes
From the world to the mind•2 minutes
Problems of perception•6 minutes
Perception of brightness•2 minutes
Perception of objects•4 minutes
Perception of depth•6 minutes
Attention•9 minutes
Important memory distinctions•3 minutes
Memory storage•7 minutes
Learning•6 minutes
Remembering•5 minutes
Failures of memory•10 minutes
False memories•6 minutes
2 readings•Total 20 minutes
Perception and attention•10 minutes
Memory•10 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
Cognition•30 minutes
1 plugin•Total 21 minutes
TED - Joshua Foer - Feats of memory anyone can do•21 minutes
Self and others
Module 5•3 hours to complete
Module details
In this module, you will learn about psychology examining the self and others. Specifically, in the first half, you will learn about social and non-social emotions. In the second half, you will learn about how we deal with other people—social psychology.
What's included
15 videos2 readings1 assignment
Show info about module content
15 videos•Total 122 minutes
Evolution of emotion•10 minutes
Why evolution matters•13 minutes
Facial expressions•7 minutes
Fear•5 minutes
Kinship•7 minutes
Attachment•9 minutes
Prisoner's dilemma•13 minutes
Irrationality and culture•9 minutes
Social animals•3 minutes
Self•13 minutes
Attribution•5 minutes
Liking•8 minutes
The psychology of groups•4 minutes
Social categories•5 minutes
Social categories II•11 minutes
2 readings•Total 45 minutes
Emotions•35 minutes
Social•10 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
Self and others•30 minutes
Variation
Module 6•3 hours to complete
Module details
In this module, you will learn human variation. The focus will focus on personality and intelligence, and the role of genes and environment in explaining individual differences. The second half will focus on clinical psychology by reviewing prominent mental illnesses and therapies.
What's included
13 videos2 readings1 assignment
Show info about module content
13 videos•Total 87 minutes
How are we different?•3 minutes
Personality•7 minutes
Intelligence•6 minutes
Behavioral genetics•7 minutes
Major discoveries about genes and environment•6 minutes
Parenting•8 minutes
Mental illness•7 minutes
Schizophrenia•10 minutes
Mood disorders•9 minutes
Anxiety disorders•6 minutes
Dissociative Disorders•7 minutes
Personality disorders•4 minutes
Therapy•8 minutes
2 readings•Total 45 minutes
Differences•10 minutes
Clinical psychology•35 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
Variation•30 minutes
The good life
Module 7•1 hour to complete
Module details
In the final module, you will learn how psychologists measure happiness and what factors contribute to the good life
What's included
7 videos2 readings1 assignment
Show info about module content
7 videos•Total 26 minutes
Positive psychology•2 minutes
What is happiness?•4 minutes
Happiness set point•10 minutes
Happiness is relative•3 minutes
Judgments about past events are skewed•3 minutes
Humility and Optimism•3 minutes
Now what?•2 minutes
2 readings•Total 20 minutes
Happiness•10 minutes
Optional Happiness Survey - Follow Up•10 minutes
1 assignment•Total 20 minutes
Happiness •20 minutes
Instructor
Instructor ratings
Instructor ratings
We asked all learners to give feedback on our instructors based on the quality of their teaching style.
For more than 300 years, Yale University has inspired the minds that inspire the world. Based in New Haven, Connecticut, Yale brings people and ideas together for positive impact around the globe. A research university that focuses on students and encourages learning as an essential way of life, Yale is a place for connection, creativity, and innovation among cultures and across disciplines.
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Learner reviews
4.9
32,583 reviews
5 stars
87.72%
4 stars
10.94%
3 stars
0.85%
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Showing 3 of 32583
G
GK
5·
Reviewed on Aug 6, 2020
I cannot wait to enrol for my next course !! I feel like a different person, much more enlightened and educated. I cant begin tot hank the designers of this course and our very sweet professor Bloom.
A
AS
4·
Reviewed on Nov 29, 2020
I have always wondered how human psychology works. This module has helped to learn so much about psychology in a systematic way. The content is very descriptive and one can grasp the concept easily.
N
NC
5·
Reviewed on Sep 19, 2020
The course was helpful in gaining the foundation of psychology. It was clearly structured so that a person with any background can understand it. Thanks for helping me to gain knowledge on psychology.
Wow, the animations in this course are great! Who did them?
This course combines complex subject matter with high-end animation. Learn about Julia Veldman, a visual storyteller at http://www.juliaveldmanc.nl/
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. 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.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.