Introduction to Psychology

Introduction to Psychology

Instructor: Steve Joordens

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527,720 already enrolled

12 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

5,418 reviews

2 weeks to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

98%

Most learners liked this course

12 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

5,418 reviews

2 weeks to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

98%

Most learners liked this course

Skills you'll gain

Details to know

Shareable certificate

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Assessments

2 assignments¹

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Taught in English

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There are 12 modules in this course

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?!

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

What's included

2 readings

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.

What's included

7 videos

7 videos Total 107 minutes

Lecture 1 - Psychology Emerges... (14:38 min) 15 minutes
Lecture 2 - Before Freud (17:46 min) 18 minutes
Lecture 3 - Freud (14:26 min) 14 minutes
Lecture 4 - After Freud (16:25 min) 16 minutes
Lecture 5 - Truth Seeking (12:35 min) 13 minutes
Lecture 6 - Knowledge Association (15:49 min) 16 minutes
Lecture 7 - Knowledge by Contrast (15:23 min) 15 minutes

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.

What's included

8 videos

8 videos Total 121 minutes

Lecture 1 - Brain Matter (20:20 min) 20 minutes
Lecture 2 - Your Light Switch (12:40 min) 13 minutes
Lecture 3 - Subcortical Regions (13:27 min) 13 minutes
Lecture 4 - The Occipital Lobe (10:59 min) 11 minutes
Lecture 5 - The Temporal Lobe (14:51 min) 15 minutes
Lecture 6 - The Parietal Lobe (16:07 min) 16 minutes
Lecture 7 - The Frontal Lobe (18:10 min) 18 minutes
Lecture 8 - Split Brain (14:40 min) 15 minutes

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.

What's included

8 videos

8 videos Total 133 minutes

Lecture 1 - Outside In (14:26 min) 14 minutes
Lecture 2 - Point of Contact (20:24 min) 20 minutes
Lecture 3 - Perceiving What: Part 1 (18:38 min) 19 minutes
Lecture 4 - Perceiving What: Part 2 (17:50 min) 18 minutes
Lecture 5 - Perceiving Where (17:35 min) 18 minutes
Lecture 6 - Selection (16:38 min) 17 minutes
Lecture 7 - Self Awareness (13:21 min) 13 minutes
Lecture 8 - Theory of Mind (13:40 min) 14 minutes

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!

What's included

8 videos1 assignment

8 videos Total 117 minutes

Lecture 1 - Forces of Nature (15:18 min) 15 minutes
Lecture 2 - Rise of Behaviorism (15:59 min) 16 minutes
Lecture 3 - Learning (14:09 min) 14 minutes
Lecture 4 - Learning by Consequence (17:32 min) 18 minutes
Lecture 5 - How to Flirt (17:38 min) 18 minutes
Lecture 6 - Conditioned Superstition (10:02 min) 10 minutes
Lecture 7 - Passing the Test (14:40 min) 15 minutes
Lecture 8 - Observational Learning (11:52 min) 12 minutes

1 assignment Total 30 minutes

Midterm Test 30 minutes

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.

What's included

8 videos

8 videos Total 126 minutes

Lecture 1 - Memory is Not Singular: Part 1 (15:55 min) 16 minutes
Lecture 2 - Memory is Not Singular: Part 2 (24:34 min) 25 minutes
Lecture 3 - Reconstructive Memory (13:18 min) 13 minutes
Lecture 4 - False Memory (9:40 min) 10 minutes
Lecture 5 - Deja Vu (19:23 min) 19 minutes
Lecture 6 - Familiarity (12:33 min) 13 minutes
Lecture 7 - Amnesias (15:45 min) 16 minutes
Lecture 8 - What is Not Forgotten (14:39 min) 15 minutes

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.

What's included

8 videos

8 videos Total 129 minutes

Lecture 1 - Conformity (13:51 min) 14 minutes
Lecture 2 - Authority (16:29 min) 16 minutes
Lecture 3 - Protecting the Self (15:04 min) 15 minutes
Lecture 4 - Good People Do Bad (16:25 min) 16 minutes
Lecture 5 - Bystander Interference (12:00 min) 12 minutes
Lecture 6 - Schemas, Stereotypes and Prejudice (16:16 min) 16 minutes
Lecture 7 - Competition, Ignorance, Fear and Prejudice (18:28 min) 18 minutes
Lecture 8 - Attraction (20:15 min) 20 minutes

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!)

What's included

8 videos

8 videos Total 162 minutes

Lecture 1 - Diagnosis (21:22 min) 21 minutes
Lecture 2 - Anxiety Disorders (21:58 min) 22 minutes
Lecture 3 - Disorders of Emotion (20:32 min) 21 minutes
Lecture 4 - Schizophrenia (22:24 min) 22 minutes
Lecture 5 - Personality Disorders (15:48 min) 16 minutes
Lecture 6 - Insight Therapies (17:53 min) 18 minutes
Lecture 7 - Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (20:30 min) 21 minutes
Lecture 8 - Biological Treatments (21:44 min) 22 minutes

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.

What's included

8 videos1 assignment

8 videos Total 220 minutes

Lecture 1 - Sleep (24:59 min) 25 minutes
Lecture 2 - Dreams (20:58 min) 21 minutes
Lecture 3 - Hypnosis (38:49 min) 39 minutes
Lecture 4 - Stages of Development (26:21 min) 26 minutes
Lecture 5 - Parent-Child Relationships (27:14 min) 27 minutes
Lecture 6 - Intelligence (27:29 min) 27 minutes
Lecture 7 - PTSD (23:20 min) 23 minutes
Lecture 8 - Love (31:19 min) 31 minutes

1 assignment Total 30 minutes

Final Exam 30 minutes

Final Peer Assessment Assignment

What's included

1 peer review

This reading item has links to resources referenced in the course

What's included

1 reading

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

What's included

8 videos

Instructor

Instructor ratings

(1,327 ratings)

Steve Joordens

University of Toronto

4 Courses 730,221 learners

Offered by

University of Toronto

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Reviewed on Feb 7, 2019

it was quite an interesting course, the instructor was entertaining yet delivered the course intensively. i had a good time even though i felt some lectures could have been shorter. kudos!

Reviewed on Aug 27, 2025

Wonderful course! It is not alone the introduction to psychology. This course cover almost all the aspect of psychology and briefs everything. Thakns to the mentor Prof. Joordens for this content.

Reviewed on Jun 7, 2020

Dr. Steve creates a fun learning environment and is very relatable in his delivery. His approach to an online modality is very natural and engaging. I highly enjoyed the material and the approach.

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