Psychology Fundamentals – An Introduction Course Guide

This course will provide an introduction to the broad definition of Psychology and the basic precepts of the study of Psychology. It will include but not be limited to the different approaches to the study of human behaviour, the different areas or disciplines of Psychology and specific influences on human behaviour.

This course will cover important knowledge related to the neurological basis of behaviour, including but not limited to how the biological make-up of our brain and nervous system contributes to our behaviour and a look at the Central Nervous System (CNS) and the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS).

This course identifies different kinds of environmental influences on learned behaviour and will include but not be limited to key learning processes and theories, intrinsic and extrinsic reinforcers and the influence environment and learning processes can have on human development.

This course discusses the processes and theories of human consciousness and perception, including but not limited to the nature of consciousness, the relationship between consciousness and behaviour and the relationship between perception and attention.

This course explains the effect of personality on behaviour and will include but not be limited to personality traits, theoretical approaches to human personality, the different types of defence mechanisms and types of personality disorders.

This course will explore psychological development through the lifespan and will include but not be limited to the concept of nature versus nurture, the role that environmental influences have on development, Piaget’s theory of cognitive development as well as Freud’s Psycho-Sexual Stages.

This course takes a look at what motivates people to behave the way they do and theories that explain these motivations. It will include but not be limited to key terms used in the study of human motivation, the Behaviourist Drive Theory of human motivation, Freud’s psychoanalytical approach to human motivation as well as Maslow’s theory and the concept of self-actualisation.