Introduction to Psychology

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Online Psychology Course Overview

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If you’re considering a career in Psychology, Psychiatry, Therapy, Social Work, Teaching, or pursuing a Liberal Arts or any number of other degrees, you will probably end up taking Introduction to Psychology. In fact, it’s so popular the College Board offers an AP test for it – for which they have reviewed and authorized our course!

Intro to Psychology, or Psych 101, will provide you with a general survey of psychology, including the relationship between biology and behavior, such as how stress impacts personal health. Study intelligence and reasoning, personality, gender and sex, memory, ethics, and research methods. And become familiar with basic concepts like Nature vs. Nurture and more advanced subjects like Jung’s influence on the study of psychosexual development, projective personality and Rorschach tests, psychological disorders and the ethical standards of psychotherapy.

AP COURSE: Get a jump on college! StraighterLine’s Introduction to Psychology course has been reviewed and authorized by The College Board as an AP Program course (AP Psychology).

Introduction to Psychology is transferable for 3-credits and comes with everything you need:

  • 24/7/365 Online Access
  • 10 Hours of Free SMARTHINKING Tutoring Help
  • Transcript/Credit Transfer Assistance
  • Your own personal course advisor
  • Plus, you can buy your e-Textbooks at 50% off!
  • Proctored Testing Option available.

See what StraighterLine courses are like: Take a FREE TRIAL of one of 9 online college courses now!

Online Course Demos

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Psychology Course Text

Lahey, Benjamin B. Psychology: An Introduction, 10th edition. McGraw-Hill, 2009. ISBN 9780073531984 [buy the text]

Do I have to buy the textbook?
The StraighterLine courses use reading assignments and practice work from the textbook, but you will not be required to turn in anything from the book. StraighterLine recommends that all students purchase the appropriate text so they are equipped with as many resources as possible when taking a course (please note that e-books are generally less expensive but may have slight differences in page numbers and resources compared to a hard copy text). As in many college courses, purchasing the book is ultimately up to you.

Online Psychology Course Objectives

After completing this course, you will be able to:

  • Define psychology and describe the four goals of psychology.
  • Identify the origins of the field of psychology and analyze how various methods, people and theories have impacted early psychology to evolve into contemporary psychology. 
  • Propose ways in which psychologists can apply their expertise in society. 
  • Analyze how race, culture, and ethnicity influence behavior. 
  • Describe the discipline and practice of sociocultural psychology. 
  • Define the concept hypothesis and theory, analyze the requirements for using the scientific method in psychology, and identify the importance of objectivity in psychological research. 
  • Analyze research methods in psychology and explain the descriptive research designs. 
  • Identify experiments using correlational and experimental research methods. 
  • Define the nervous system and analyze how the body works with the nervous system to generate behavior. 
  • Compare and contrast the central, peripheral nervous systems, somatic, and autonomic nervous systems. 
  • Distinguish between the Gestalt principles and identify the process of sensory perception. 
  • Summarize the effects of drug addiction and dependence and produce real life scenarios resulting from drug abuse. 
  • Explain cognitive-social approaches to learning. Compare and contrast the characteristics of observational and latent learning. 
  • Create an original diagram showing the regions of the brain that influence memory.  
  • Identify Carl Jung's influence on the study of psychosexual development. 
  • Compare and contrast methods and theories for measuring and assessing personality. 
  • Identify the relationship between prejudice and stereotypes and describe how these constructions affect our attributions about other people's behavior.  
  • Distinguish among the explanations for prejudice and identify some effective techniques for combating prejudice.

Psychology Course Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites to take Introduction to Psychology.

Online Course Evaluation Criteria

StraighterLine does not apply letter grades. Students earn a score as a percentage of 100%. A passing percentage is 70% or higher.

If you have chosen a Partner College to award credit for this course, your final grade will be based upon that college's grading scale. Only passing scores will be considered by Partner Colleges for an award of credit.

There are a total of 1000 points in the course:

Topic Assessment Points Available
4 Graded Exam #1 175
8 Graded Exam #2
 175
12 Graded Exam #3 175
15 Graded Exam #4 175
Review Final Graded Exam
300
Total
1000

At the end of the course, each student will receive the number of points earned. The student's final letter grade is determined by the corresponding institution's grading scale.

Online Psychology Course Topics and Objectives

Topic Lesson Topic Subtopics Objectives
1 The History of Science In Psychology
  • Origins of Psychology Theories and Methods
  • Applied Psychology
  • Nature Versus Nurture

  • Define psychology and describe the 4 goals of psychology.
  • Identify the origins of the field of psychology and analyze how various methods, people and theories have impacted early psychology to evolve into contemporary psychology.
  • Identify career options in the psychology field, predict future opportunities in the field, and discuss how each career advances or improves the discipline of psychology.
  • Describe the phrase “nature vs. nurture” and explain how biological and environmental factors influence and determine behavior.
  • Describe the discipline and practice of sociocultural psychology.
  • Propose ways in which psychologists can apply their expertise in society.
  • Analyze how race, culture, and ethnicity influence behavior.
  • Compare and contrast sub-fields of psychology.

    • 2 Scientific Method In Psychology
    • Scientific Method
    • Research Methods
    • Ethics and Research In Psychology

  • Define the concept hypothesis and theory, analyze the requirements for using the scientific method in psychology, and identify the importance of objectivity in psychological research.
  • Analyze research methods in psychology and explain the descriptive research designs.
  • Identify experiments using correlational and experimental research methods.
  • Compare and contrast ethical and unethical research, analyze the use of nonhuman animals in research, and identify the ethical principles associated with these studies.


    • 3 Biology and Behavior
    • The Nervous System
    • Genetics and Behavior

  • Define the nervous system and analyze how the body works with the nervous system to generate behavior.
  • Compare and contrast the central, peripheral nervous systems, somatic, and autonomic nervous systems.
  • Compare and contrast the affects of heredity and experience on behavior.
  • Identify genes and chromosomes and explain how dominant and recessive genes affect physical and behavioral traits.


    • 4 Sensation and Perception
  • Understanding Sensory Processes
  • Sensory Perception

  • Define sensation and analyze the relationship between sensation and stimuli.
  • Distinguish among the Gestalt principles and identify the process of sensory perception.
  • Give examples demonstrating how individual and cultural factors influence perception.
  • Define Weber's Law and examine how Weber influenced the study of sensory perception.
  • Identify the effects of sensory restriction.

    • 5 States of Consciousness
  • Sleeping and Dreaming
  • Altered States of Consciousness
  • Drug Use

    • Define the stages of sleep and explain the cyclical nature of sleep.
    • Compare and contrast REM and non-REM sleep features.
    • Distinguish between the states of consciousness and identify and how scientists study psychological states.
    • Identify how hypnosis and meditation can affect consciousness.
    • Summarize the effects of drug addiction and dependence and produce real life scenarios resulting from drug abuse.
    6 Cognitive Development
  • Classical Conditioning
  • Operant Conditioning
  • Social Cognition


  • Identify the key features of the definition of learning.
  • Define classical conditioning and summarize Ivan Pavlov's influence on psychology.
  • Compare and contrast the conditioning principles of human behavior.
  • Identify and explain the process of operant conditioning including its connection to the law of effect.
  • Distinguish between positive and negative reinforcement.
  • Explain cognitive-social approaches to learning.
  • Compare and contrast the characteristics of observational and latent learning.
    		•
    7 Memory
  • Remembering and Information Processing
  • Forgetting
  • The Biological Memory

  • Identify the three systems of memory theory: sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory.
  • Classify the stages of information processing.
  • Compare and contrast the four major theories associated with forgetting: decay theory, interface theory, schema theory, and motivated or memory trace theory.
  • List the synaptic theories of memory. Create an original diagram showing the regions of the brain that influence memory.
    • 8 Intelligence and Reason
  • Thinking and Reasoning
  • Problem Solving
  • Intelligence
    		•
  • Define cognition and identify the processes that underlie decision-making.
  • Distinguish between concept and prototypes.
  • Classify and describe the stages of problem solving.
  • Identify the importance of framing and emotional factors in decision making.
  • Define intelligence and compare and contrast opposing theories regarding intelligence. Differentiate among the biological, genetic, and cultural explanations for intelligence.
    		•
    9 Motivation and Emotion
  • Perspectives On Motivation
  • Levels of Motivation
  • Emotions
  • Distinguish between motivation, emotion, and instinct.
  • Explain the biological and psychological regulation of hunger and thirst.
  • Distinguish between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.
  • Identify Maslow's hierarchy of motives and describe each approach.
  • Explain the function of emotions.
  • Identify and classify the James-Lange theory, the Cannon-Bard theory, and the cognitive theory of emotion.
    • 10 Developmental Psychology
  • Theory of Basic Processes
  • Embryo to Childhood
  • Developmental Stages of Adolescence
  • Adulthood

  • Define developmental psychology and identify major research approaches.
  • Describe the interplay of nature and nurture in development.
  • Identify stages of development from fertilization to infancy.
  • Identify the cognitive, emotional, and social aspects of development during childhood.
  • Identify the cognitive, emotional, and social aspects of development from childhood to adolescence.
  • Identify and describe the research results on adolescent development.
  • Explain physical and psychological changes during puberty.
  • Identify the cognitive, emotional, and social aspects of development during adulthood.
  • Identify and describe the psychological, biological, and cognitive changes involved with aging.

    • 11 Gender and Sex
  • Gender Identity
  • Gender Differences
  • Sexuality

  • Distinguish among the definitions of sex and gender.
  • Define gender identity and gender role and develop real life scenarios that explain how these constructions impact individual behavior.
  • Identify and describe research regarding gender similarities and differences.
  • Distinguish between biological and evolutionary theories of gender differences.
  • Define the psychoanalytic and social learning theories of gender differences.
  • Analyze and describe the different forms of forced sexual behavior.
  • Identify the sexual anatomy of males and females.
  • Identify the human sexual response cycle and explain the biological and evolutionary function of sex.
  • Describe how AIDS impacted sexual practices and identify the infectious agents that cause STD's .
    • 12 Personality
  • Trait Influence
  • Biological and Social Influence
  • Personality Assessment Methods
  • Define personality and explain how trait theory accounts for individual personality.
  • Compare and contrast Allport's trait theory with the “five-factor” trait theory.
  • Identify and describe biological, evolutionary, social, and psychodynamic approaches to understanding personality.
  • Identify Carl Jung's influence on the study of psychosexual development.
  • Compare and contrast methods and theories for measuring and assessing personality.
  • List the ethical issues concerning the usefulness, accuracy, and validity of personality tests.
  • Discuss the use of objective tests such as the MMPI-2, projective personality test, and the Rorschach test.
    • 13 Stress and Health
  • Stress and Coping
  • Effects of Stress on Health
  • Define stress and List examples of each of the sources of stress.
  • Distinguish between the levels of stress.
  • List and describe the stages of coping. Identify and describe the methods psychologists use to measure stress.
  • Define pain and develop pain management techniques.
  • Describe the human response to stress and list factors that influence reactions to stress.
  • Explain the relationship between health and stress.
  • Identify Type A personality and describe the relationship between Type A personality and heart disease.
    		•
    14 Psychological Disorder
  • Normal and Abnormal Behavior
  • Types of Disorders
  • Treatment of Psychological Disorders
  • Define abnormal behavior and identify different views of abnormal behavior, including biological, cognitive, social, and medical theories.
  • Distinguish between phobia, social phobia, and agoraphobia.
  • Distinguish between anxiety disorder and panic anxiety disorder and identify causes for anxiety. Distinguish among psychological and organic brain disorders.
  • Compare and contrast somatoform and dissociative disorders.
  • Define psychotherapy and describe the ways it is used to help people.
  • List the ethical standards for psychotherapy.
    • 15 Social Psychology
    • Social Influence
    • Attitude and Behavior
    • Prejudice

    • Define social psychology describe its application.
    • Define attitude and identify three components of attitudes.
    • Compare and contrast the characteristics of the speaker, the message, and the listener that affect persuasive communication.
    • Identify the relationship between prejudice and stereotypes and describe how these constructions affect our attributions about other people's behavior. Distinguish among the explanations for prejudice and identify some effective techniques for combating prejudice.

    Psychology Course Tutoring Included

    Introduction to Psychology includes 10 hours of free tutoring help— live, one-on-one, on-demand instructional support from SMARTHINKING.

    TRANSFERABLE COLLEGE CREDITS: 3

    This program provides you with 6-months of course access.