About this Course

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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.

Learner Career Outcomes

13%

started a new career after completing these courses

20%

got a tangible career benefit from this course

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Beginner Level

Approx. 15 hours to complete

English

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Skills you will gain

reasoning
Problem Solving
abstract thinking
analytical thinking
Critical Thinking

Learner Career Outcomes

13%

started a new career after completing these courses

20%

got a tangible career benefit from this course

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Beginner Level

Approx. 15 hours to complete

English

Could your company benefit from training employees on in-demand skills?

Try Coursera for Business

Instructor

Instructor rating

4.86/5 (9,645 Ratings)

Paul Bloom

Brooks and Suzanne Ragen Professor of Psychology and Cognitive Science at Yale University

Psychology

1,138,830 Learners

2 Courses

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating99%(155,711 ratings)

Week

1

Week 1

1 hour to complete

Welcome to Introduction to Psychology

1 hour to complete

1 video (Total 3 min), 3 readings

3 hours to complete

Foundations

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.

3 hours to complete

17 videos (Total 136 min), 3 readings, 1 quiz

17 videos

The astonishing hypothesis4m

Dualism14m

Neurons14m

Parts of the brain9m

Our two brains5m

A bit of humility5m

Sigmund Freud3m

The psychodynamic approach10m

Stages of development5m

Defense mechanisms6m

Scientific assessment of Freud7m

Taking Freud seriously3m

B.F. Skinner4m

Habituation2m

Classical conditioning12m

Instrumental conditioning14m

Scientific assessment of Skinner11m

3 readings

The Brain10m

Freud10m

Skinner10m

1 practice exercise

Foundations30m

Week

2

Week 2

3 hours to complete

Development and Language

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.

3 hours to complete

14 videos (Total 111 min), 2 readings, 1 quiz

14 videos

Big questions about development6m

Piaget4m

Piaget's Developmental Stage Theory7m

Scientific evaluation of Piaget4m

Methods for studying infants14m

How are children different from adults?6m

Explanations for development11m

What is language?2m

Basic facts about language11m

Phonology3m

Morphology5m

Syntax8m

Language acquisition13m

Language and thought10m

2 readings

Development10m

Language10m

1 practice exercise

Development and language30m

Week

3

Week 3

2 hours to complete

Cognition

2 hours to complete

12 videos (Total 65 min), 2 readings, 1 quiz

Week

4

Week 4

3 hours to complete

Self and others

3 hours to complete

15 videos (Total 122 min), 2 readings, 1 quiz

Reviews

4.9

5509 reviews

5 stars
87.18%
4 stars
11.55%
3 stars
0.87%
2 stars
0.14%
1 star
0.24%

TOP REVIEWS FROM INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY

by FRSep 26, 2019

I absolutely enjoyed taking this course! Professor Bloom did an incredible job explaining the course material and providing additional reading materials to further my knowledge throughout this course.

by OBJul 27, 2020

This course is very insightful and I have learned quite a lot. My favourite area though is Clinical Psychology and Positive Psychology. I believe I will be better able to understand persons around me.

by HSMay 25, 2020

Was very useful and insightful. Being an educator, t allowed to delve into various aspects which allows to understand differences i children .and underlying reasons.

Thanks for wonderful experience

by SAApr 26, 2021

To be honest, it was an overwhelming course for me. It has expanded my eyesight and way of thinking. Hopefully, the acquired knowledge from this course will help me in my personal and practical life.

View all reviews

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. 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.
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/

More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.

Introduction to Psychology