Introduction to Psychology
Adapted by Martha Lally and Suzanne Valentine-French
,Introduction to Psychology
Adapted by: College of Lake County Faculty: Martha Lally and Suzanne
Valentine-French
(Revised July 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014)
This project was funded by a grant from the College of Lake County Foundation.
Adapted College of Lake County text can be found at:
http://dept.clcillinois.edu/psy/IntroductionToPsychologyText.pdf
Original text materials for Introduction to Psychology by Stangor 2011 (non-HCC version) at:
http://www.saylor.org/site/textbooks/Introduction%20to%20Psychology.pdf
Adapted by: Houston Community College Faculty: Carol Laman, Sandra Greenstone, Huong Ho,
Jennifer Suarez, Sheila Weick, Kenneth Woodruff, Robert Morecook, Eileen Mello, Saundra Boyd, Ilija
Gallego, Karen Saenz (Revised May, 2013).
Houston Community College 2013 revision for Introduction to Psychology by Stangor, 2011 at:
http://learning.hccs.edu/faculty/robert.morecook/free-psychology-2301-textbook-dsm-5-version-2013
Original Publication Under the following license:
This work is licensed under the
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 unported license to view a copy of this
license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, 171
Second Street, Suite 300, San Francisco, California, 94105, USA.
2
, Table of Contents
• Chapter 1 -- Introducing Psychology
• Chapter 2 -- Psychological Science
• Chapter 3 – Brain and Behavior
• Chapter 4 – Learning
• Chapter 5 – Memory and Cognition
• Chapter 6 – Intelligence and Language
• Chapter 7 – Lifespan Development
• Chapter 8 – Personality
• Chapter 9 – Social Psychology
• Chapter 10 – Defining Psychological Disorders
• Chapter 11 – Treating Psychological Disorders
3
, Contents
...................................................................................................................................................................... 1
Introduction to Psychology ........................................................................................................................... 2
Table of Contents ...................................................................................................................................... 3
Chapter 1 Introducing Psychology................................................................................................................. 7
Psychology as a Science............................................................................................................................. 8
The Evolution of Psychology: Central Questions, History, and Contemporary Perspectives ......... 12
The Many Disciplines of Psychology ..................................................................................................... 27
Chapter 2 Psychological Science.................................................................................................................. 36
Psychologists Use the Scientific Method to Guide Their Research ..................................................... 37
Psychologists Use Descriptive, Correlational, and Experimental Research Designs to Understand
Behavior ................................................................................................................................................. 45
Factors that Contribute to Credible Research ..................................................................................... 56
Chapter 3 Brain and Behavior ..................................................................................................................... 64
The Neuron Is the Building Block of the Nervous System................................................................... 64
The Brain ................................................................................................................................................ 71
Psychologists Study the Brain Using Many Different Methods ........................................................... 81
The Nervous System and the Endocrine System ................................................................................. 86
Sleeping and Dreaming ......................................................................................................................... 92
Chapter 4 Learning .................................................................................................................................... 108
Classical Conditioning ......................................................................................................................... 109
Operant Conditioning ......................................................................................................................... 116
Cognition and Conditioning ................................................................................................................ 124
Other Forms of Learning based on Cognition ................................................................................... 125
Chapter 5 Memory and Cognition ............................................................................................................. 137
Encoding and Storage: How Our Perceptions Become Memories .................................................... 138
Retrieval ............................................................................................................................................... 150
The Biology of Memory ....................................................................................................................... 152
Cues to Improving Memory................................................................................................................. 155
Cognition and Cognitive Biases .......................................................................................................... 158
Problem-Solving Strategies ................................................................................................................. 168
Chapter 6 Intelligence and Language ........................................................................................................ 176
Defining and Measuring Intelligence .................................................................................................. 176
Group Differences in Intelligence ....................................................................................................... 187
The Development and Use of Language ............................................................................................. 194
4
Adapted by Martha Lally and Suzanne Valentine-French
,Introduction to Psychology
Adapted by: College of Lake County Faculty: Martha Lally and Suzanne
Valentine-French
(Revised July 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014)
This project was funded by a grant from the College of Lake County Foundation.
Adapted College of Lake County text can be found at:
http://dept.clcillinois.edu/psy/IntroductionToPsychologyText.pdf
Original text materials for Introduction to Psychology by Stangor 2011 (non-HCC version) at:
http://www.saylor.org/site/textbooks/Introduction%20to%20Psychology.pdf
Adapted by: Houston Community College Faculty: Carol Laman, Sandra Greenstone, Huong Ho,
Jennifer Suarez, Sheila Weick, Kenneth Woodruff, Robert Morecook, Eileen Mello, Saundra Boyd, Ilija
Gallego, Karen Saenz (Revised May, 2013).
Houston Community College 2013 revision for Introduction to Psychology by Stangor, 2011 at:
http://learning.hccs.edu/faculty/robert.morecook/free-psychology-2301-textbook-dsm-5-version-2013
Original Publication Under the following license:
This work is licensed under the
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 unported license to view a copy of this
license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, 171
Second Street, Suite 300, San Francisco, California, 94105, USA.
2
, Table of Contents
• Chapter 1 -- Introducing Psychology
• Chapter 2 -- Psychological Science
• Chapter 3 – Brain and Behavior
• Chapter 4 – Learning
• Chapter 5 – Memory and Cognition
• Chapter 6 – Intelligence and Language
• Chapter 7 – Lifespan Development
• Chapter 8 – Personality
• Chapter 9 – Social Psychology
• Chapter 10 – Defining Psychological Disorders
• Chapter 11 – Treating Psychological Disorders
3
, Contents
...................................................................................................................................................................... 1
Introduction to Psychology ........................................................................................................................... 2
Table of Contents ...................................................................................................................................... 3
Chapter 1 Introducing Psychology................................................................................................................. 7
Psychology as a Science............................................................................................................................. 8
The Evolution of Psychology: Central Questions, History, and Contemporary Perspectives ......... 12
The Many Disciplines of Psychology ..................................................................................................... 27
Chapter 2 Psychological Science.................................................................................................................. 36
Psychologists Use the Scientific Method to Guide Their Research ..................................................... 37
Psychologists Use Descriptive, Correlational, and Experimental Research Designs to Understand
Behavior ................................................................................................................................................. 45
Factors that Contribute to Credible Research ..................................................................................... 56
Chapter 3 Brain and Behavior ..................................................................................................................... 64
The Neuron Is the Building Block of the Nervous System................................................................... 64
The Brain ................................................................................................................................................ 71
Psychologists Study the Brain Using Many Different Methods ........................................................... 81
The Nervous System and the Endocrine System ................................................................................. 86
Sleeping and Dreaming ......................................................................................................................... 92
Chapter 4 Learning .................................................................................................................................... 108
Classical Conditioning ......................................................................................................................... 109
Operant Conditioning ......................................................................................................................... 116
Cognition and Conditioning ................................................................................................................ 124
Other Forms of Learning based on Cognition ................................................................................... 125
Chapter 5 Memory and Cognition ............................................................................................................. 137
Encoding and Storage: How Our Perceptions Become Memories .................................................... 138
Retrieval ............................................................................................................................................... 150
The Biology of Memory ....................................................................................................................... 152
Cues to Improving Memory................................................................................................................. 155
Cognition and Cognitive Biases .......................................................................................................... 158
Problem-Solving Strategies ................................................................................................................. 168
Chapter 6 Intelligence and Language ........................................................................................................ 176
Defining and Measuring Intelligence .................................................................................................. 176
Group Differences in Intelligence ....................................................................................................... 187
The Development and Use of Language ............................................................................................. 194
4
