Unit 1: Foundations & Theoretical Perspectives
● Definition of Psychology: The scientific study of both observable behavior and the
underlying mental/physical processes.
● The Six Perspectives:
○ Behavioral: Focuses on how the environment and stimulus-response relations
dictate behavior; only observable events are considered scientific.
○ Psychoanalytic (Freud/Jung): Behavior is governed by unconscious motives
and early childhood experiences.
○ Humanistic: Views humans as free, rational beings with potential for growth,
fundamentally different from animals.
○ Cognitive: Focuses on how we acquire, store, and process information.
○ Biological: Explains functioning through bodily structures and biochemical
processes.
○ Evolutionary: Behavioral patterns are seen as adaptations favored by natural
selection to solve survival problems.
Unit 2: Personality & The Five-Factor Model
● Conceptual Definition: A unique, relatively consistent set of emotional, cognitive, and
behavioral tendencies. Personality must be consistent across time and situations.
● The Big Five (OCEAN):
1. Openness: Highs are creative and unconventional; lows are traditional and like
routine.
2. Conscientiousness: Highs are organized and reliable; lows are irresponsible or
"sloppy".
3. Extraversion: Highs are boisterous and vivacious; lows are quiet and shy.
4. Agreeableness: Highs are flexible and accommodating; lows are stubborn and
argumentative.
5. Neuroticism: Highs are anxious and "high-strung"; lows are calm and steady.
Unit 3: Freudian Theory (The Psychoanalytic Path)
● Structure of Personality:
○ Id: Present at birth; driven by the "Pleasure Principle" (instant gratification).
○ Ego: The rational negotiator; follows the "Reality Principle." Professor's
Metaphor: The Ego is the rider on a horse (the Id), trying to tame its power.
○ Superego: Emerges around age 5–6; represents internalized moral standards
and acts like a rigid "slave master" over the Id.
○ Ex. Is the iceberg:
● Definition of Psychology: The scientific study of both observable behavior and the
underlying mental/physical processes.
● The Six Perspectives:
○ Behavioral: Focuses on how the environment and stimulus-response relations
dictate behavior; only observable events are considered scientific.
○ Psychoanalytic (Freud/Jung): Behavior is governed by unconscious motives
and early childhood experiences.
○ Humanistic: Views humans as free, rational beings with potential for growth,
fundamentally different from animals.
○ Cognitive: Focuses on how we acquire, store, and process information.
○ Biological: Explains functioning through bodily structures and biochemical
processes.
○ Evolutionary: Behavioral patterns are seen as adaptations favored by natural
selection to solve survival problems.
Unit 2: Personality & The Five-Factor Model
● Conceptual Definition: A unique, relatively consistent set of emotional, cognitive, and
behavioral tendencies. Personality must be consistent across time and situations.
● The Big Five (OCEAN):
1. Openness: Highs are creative and unconventional; lows are traditional and like
routine.
2. Conscientiousness: Highs are organized and reliable; lows are irresponsible or
"sloppy".
3. Extraversion: Highs are boisterous and vivacious; lows are quiet and shy.
4. Agreeableness: Highs are flexible and accommodating; lows are stubborn and
argumentative.
5. Neuroticism: Highs are anxious and "high-strung"; lows are calm and steady.
Unit 3: Freudian Theory (The Psychoanalytic Path)
● Structure of Personality:
○ Id: Present at birth; driven by the "Pleasure Principle" (instant gratification).
○ Ego: The rational negotiator; follows the "Reality Principle." Professor's
Metaphor: The Ego is the rider on a horse (the Id), trying to tame its power.
○ Superego: Emerges around age 5–6; represents internalized moral standards
and acts like a rigid "slave master" over the Id.
○ Ex. Is the iceberg:
