PSY 155: Introduction to Psychology and Brain Sciences

Egocentrism, a cognitive bias, causes individuals to prioritize their perspectives, influencing decisions and interactions. Using relatable scenarios with college students and vacation planning, we examine how egocentrism operates and ways to challenge this bias through empathy and perspective-taking.

Explore the techniques of effortful processing to improve memory retention and understanding. Learn strategies like chunking, mnemonic devices, and spaced repetition. Understand the essence of actively engaging with material for lasting knowledge.

Discover various psychological interpretations of dreams, from Freud's repressed desires to cognitive processes. Learn about the activation-synthesis model that attributes dreams to random neural activity. Understand how the mind crafts narratives from seemingly random dream sequences.

Unpack the significance of operational definitions in research. Learn how these clear explanations of variables ensure study replicability, boost reliability, and fortify credibility. Understand their pivotal role in standardizing scientific studies.

Discover the intricacies of associative learning in psychology. Differentiate between concepts like classical conditioning and operant conditioning. Gain insights into how our brains form patterns and shape responses based on experiences.