Your Skill Set and Psychology: An Introduction to Reflective Studying
The Value of Studying Psychology
Thoughtful Engagement: How to Simplify Required Reading
Note to Self: Reflect!
Reflective Studying: Strategies for Success
1 Underpinning Psychology as a Science
Science or Pseudoscience
Role and Responsibilities of Psychologists
Looking Back: The Evolution of Psychological Science
Modern Psychological Perspectives
The Building Blocks of Psychological Science
Demonstrating Cause-and-Effect: Experimental Research
Alternative Research Methods: Nonexperimental Designs
Your Skill Set and Psychology: Information Literacy
2 Behavioral Aspects and the Human Brain
The Command Centre of the Body: The Nervous System
Looking Inside the Brain
The Largest Part of the Brain: The Cerebral Cortex
The Lower Portions of the Brain and the Hormonal System
Your Skill Set and Psychology: Staying Accountable
3 The Stages of Human Development
Change and Growth: Nature vs. Nurture
Physiological and Cognitive Development
The Affective and Social Domains of Change
Cognition: Verbal Abilities, Reasoning Skills, and Ethical Behavior
Your Skill Set and Psychology: Ethical Conduct
4 Sensory Awareness and Perceptual Processing
Sensing the World Around You
Sight: The Visual System
The Auditory System
The Sense of Taste and Smell
Attention
Perception
Your Skill Set and Psychology: How to Communicate Effectively
5 Consciousness: Different Levels of Awareness
Levels of Awareness
Altered States of Consciousness: Hypnosis and Meditation
The Nature of Sleep
Psychoactive Drug Use and Consciousness
Your Skill Set and Psychology: Metacognition
6 Fundamentals of Learning
The Foundations of Learning
Pair Up! Classical Conditioning
Shape Up! Operant Conditioning
Watch and Learn! Observational Learning
Think About It! Cognitive Learning
Your Skill Set and Psychology: Behavioral Self-Management
7 Remembering: How Memory Works
An Overview of Memory
Sensory and Short-Term (Working) Memory
Long-Term Memory
Recall and Failure to Recall
The Fallible Nature of Long-Term Memory
Strategies to Enhance Memory
Your Skill Set and Psychology: Delivering Memorable Presentations
8 Thinking, Language, and Innovation
The Basic Elements of Cognition
Problem Solving
Insight, Decision-Making, and Biases
Innovative and Creative Thinking
Your Skill Set and Psychology: Innovative Thinking and Creativity
9 Intelligence
Human Intelligence Conceptualized
Assessing Intelligence
Intellectual Talent and Dysfunction
Nature vs. Nurture and Intelligence
Ethics and Intelligence
Your Skill Set and Psychology: The Emotional Quotient
10 Motivation: Purpose and Passion
Introductory Models of Motivation
Biological Motives
Acquired and Incentive Motivation
Emotion: The Four Basic Aspects
General Theories of Motivation
Your Skill Set and Psychology: Positivity and Optimism
11 Sex, Gender, and Sexuality
Sexual Development and Orientation
Gender Identities and Roles
Sexual Responses, Attitudes, and Behaviors
Sexual Relationships
Your Skill Set and Psychology: Civic Engagement
12 Individual Differences in Personality
Personality: Popular Theories
Traits: The Building Blocks of Personality
Personality Testing and Tools
Factors Influencing Personality
Your Skill Set and Psychology: Leadership
13 Health Psychology
The Biological, Psychological, and Social Factors of Health
The Relation between Stress and Health
The Value of Treatment to Boost Health
Coping Mechanisms and Health
Your Skill Set and Psychology: Coping with Stress
14 Psychological Disorders
Aetiology and Classification of Mental Health Disorders
Psychotic Disorders
Mood and Personality Disorders
Anxiety and Anxiety-Related Disorders
Your Skill Set and Psychology: Perseverance
15 Therapeutic Interventions
The History of Psychotherapy
Behavior Therapies
Cognitive and Humanistic Therapies
Medical Therapies
Your Skill Set and Psychology: Managing Mental Health Issues
16 Social Thinking and Behavior
Social Groups and Individuals
All About the Attitudes
Peer and Social Influences
Your Skill Set and Psychology: Teamwork
17 Prosocial and Antisocial Behavior
The Need to Belong
Helping Others
Aggression, Conflict, and Prejudice
Your Skill Set and Psychology: Diversity and Inclusion
18 Applied Psychology
The World of Work
Environmental Psychology
Legal, Community, and Sports Psychology
Your Skill Set and Psychology: Career Preparation
Appendix— The Psychologist’s Skill Set: Statistical Literacy
A.1 Descriptive Statistics: Features of a Dataset
A.2 Correlational Statistics: Size and Direction of Relationship
A.3 Inferential Statistics: Significant Numbers