Free online courseIntroduction to Psychology

Duration of the online course: 18 hours and 43 minutes

New course

Discover the fundamentals of psychology with Yale's free online course. Explore topics like brain function, language, emotions, morality, mental illness, and happiness.

Course Description

Welcome to "Introduction to Psychology," a comprehensive course led by the esteemed Professor Paul Bloom. Designed to provide students with a foundational understanding of psychology, this course spans an engaging 18 hours and 43 minutes. It is positioned within the Health category, specifically under the subcategory of Psychology, making it an essential journey for anyone interested in the human mind and behavior.

In the opening segment, "Introduction," Professor Bloom sets the stage for the fascinating exploration ahead, offering insights into what psychology encompasses and why it is an important field of study. This introductory section lays the groundwork, setting clear expectations for the entire course.

The journey then continues with "Foundations: This Is Your Brain," where you will delve into the biological underpinnings of the mind, exploring the complex structures and processes that enable human cognition and behavior. Moving forward, "Foundations: Freud" opens a window into the theories of one of psychology's most influential figures, Sigmund Freud. Here, you will contemplate the inner workings of the psyche, organized around Freud's model of the mind.

"Foundations: Skinner" shifts focus to B.F. Skinner's contributions, highlighting how the principles of behaviorism have shaped modern psychological practices. Next, the course addresses the question, "What Is It Like to Be a Baby: The Development of Thought," where you'll uncover the cognitive development stages from infancy through childhood.

In the segment, "How Do We Communicate?: Language in the Brain, Mouth," the intricacies of language development and usage are pronounced, demonstrating the neurological and physiological aspects of communication. This theme continues with "Conscious of the Present; Conscious of the Past: Language," examining how language influences our perception of time and memory.

The course then delves deeper into evolutionary psychology with "Evolution, Emotion, and Reason: Love," featuring a special guest lecture, followed by "Evolution, Emotion, and Reason: Evolution and Rationality." These sections provide a nuanced understanding of how evolution shapes human emotion and decision-making.

Further, "Evolution, Emotion, and Reason: Emotions, Part I and II" dissect the complexity and functions of human emotions. The segment "Why Are People Different?: Differences" addresses the nature versus nurture debate, exploring the factors contributing to individual behavioral differences.

In "What Motivates Us: Sex," motivations behind human sexuality are examined. Subsequent lectures, "A Person in the World of People: Morality," and "Self and Other, Part I and II," explore moral psychology and the concept of self in relation to others.

The course also tackles the darker aspects of psychology in "What Happens When Things Go Wrong: Mental Illness, Part I and II," offering a primer on mental health disorders and their impact on individuals and society. Finally, "The Good Life: Happiness," wraps up the course by investigating what constitutes happiness and how it can be achieved.

"Introduction to Psychology" with Paul Bloom is an enriching course that promises to provide a thorough grounding in psychology, enhancing your understanding of human behavior and mental processes.

Conteúdo do Curso

  • Video class: 1. Introduction

    0h29m

  • Exercise: What type of unusual motivations do some students have when they come to Intro Psychology that the course may actually help with?

  • Video class: 2. Foundations: This Is Your Brain

    0h53m

  • Exercise: _What is the main difference between dualism and the Astonishing Hypothesis?

  • Exercise: What is the 'Astonishing Hypothesis' proposed by Francis Crick?

  • Video class: 3. Foundations: Freud

    0h56m

  • Exercise: _Who developed an encompassing theory of mind over the span of many decades?

  • Exercise: In Freud's psychoanalytic theory, which component of the personality is responsible for dealing with reality?

  • Video class: 4. Foundations: Skinner

    0h58m

  • Exercise: _According to some psychologists and biologists, why would an unconscious evolve from an evolutionary standpoint?

  • Exercise: Why does the concept of the unconscious challenge the idea that all mental processes are conscious?

  • Video class: 5. What Is It Like to Be a Baby: The Development of Thought

    0h48m

  • Exercise: _According to Piaget, what are the two mechanisms of learning that drive a child through different stages of cognitive development?

  • Exercise: Which theoretical concept did Piaget contribute to psychology that involves the understanding that objects continue to exist even when they can't be seen?

  • Video class: 6. How Do We Communicate?: Language in the Brain, Mouth

    0h56m

  • Exercise: What is the term used to describe the smallest meaningful unit in a language?

  • Video class: 7. Conscious of the Present; Conscious of the Past: Language

    0h59m

  • Exercise: Based on the lecture content, which statement accurately reflects the nature of human perception?

  • Video class: 8. Conscious of the Present; Conscious of the Past:

    0h59m

  • Exercise: What is the concept of change blindness in psychological studies?

  • Video class: 9. Evolution, Emotion, and Reason: Love (Guest Lecture by

    1h09m

  • Exercise: According to psychological research presented by Dean Peter Salovey, which of the following is NOT one of the factors that significantly influences the initial attraction between people?

  • Video class: 10. Evolution, Emotion, and Reason: Evolution and Rationality

    0h59m

  • Exercise: What does the 'endowment effect' suggest about how we value possessions?

  • Video class: 11. Evolution, Emotion, and Reason: Emotions, Part I

    0h53m

  • Exercise: _What is one advantage of an evolutionary perspective on the mind, according to Professor Paul Bloom?

  • Exercise: Why do evolutionary psychologists believe humans have instinctual fears of animals like snakes and spiders?

  • Video class: 12. Evolution, Emotion, and Reason: Emotions, Part II

    0h56m

  • Exercise: _What is the main difference between nonhuman primate smiles and human smiles according to the second world's expert on smiling?

  • Exercise: According to the studies by Richard Nisbett and Dov Cohen, which region in the United States is more associated with a 'culture of honor'?

  • Video class: 13. Why Are People Different?: Differences

    1h05m

  • Exercise: According to contemporary research in behavioral genetics, which factor has been found to contribute the least to individual human differences in traits such as intelligence and personality?

  • Video class: 14. What Motivates Us: Sex

    0h52m

  • Exercise: According to the data presented by Professor Paul Bloom, how much time does the average American spend on sex per day?

  • Video class: 15. A Person in the World of People: Morality

    1h01m

  • Exercise: Which of the following concepts were discussed by Professor Paul Bloom in his lecture on the Introduction to Psychology?

  • Video class: 16. A Person in the World of People: Self and Other, Part I

    0h58m

  • Exercise: _What is the individual difference in our social natures that Professor Paul Bloom talks about before introducing the test?

  • Exercise: Based on the psychology lecture, which of the following factors is typically NOT associated with why we like other people?

  • Video class: 17. A Person in the World of People: Self and Other, Part II;

    1h04m

  • Exercise: Based on the Introduction to Psychology course lecture, which of the following aspects about dreams is NOT accurate?

  • Video class: 18. What Happens When Things Go Wrong: Mental Illness, Part I

    0h54m

  • Exercise: _What is the most fundamental question in clinical psychology according to Dr. Susan Nolen-Hoeksema's lecture?

  • Exercise: What are some of the characteristics that are used to label behaviors as abnormal or unhealthy in the field of clinical psychology?

  • Video class: 19. What Happens When Things Go Wrong: Mental Illness, Part II

    0h56m

  • Exercise: _What is the scope of mental disorders discussed in the lecture?

  • Exercise: Which of the following statements best reflects the topic that is greatly emphasized in the final part of the Introduction to Psychology course?

  • Video class: 20. The Good Life: Happiness

    0h47m

  • Exercise: _What is the "regression to the mean" phenomenon in psychology?

  • Exercise: Based on the content provided regarding clinical psychology and the evaluation of therapy's effectiveness, which of the following best describes the concept of 'regression to the mean' in the context of psychological therapy?

This free course includes:

18 hours and 43 minutes of online video course

Exercises to train your knowledge

Certificate of course completion

100% free, from content to certificate

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