Summary
Highlights
Professor Paul Bloom welcomes students to 'Introduction to Psychology,' a comprehensive course on the human mind. Topics will span brains, child development, language, sex, memory, madness, disgust, racism, and love. Discussions include differences between genders, animal language, causes of disgust, overeating, group behavior, childhood memories, and depression.
The course involves two weekly lectures and required readings. Students must attend lectures and complete readings, as content may not always overlap. Lecture slides will be available online for printing, but class attendance is crucial. Required texts are Peter Gray's 'Psychology, 5th edition' and 'The Norton Reader' edited by Gary Marcus. Used copies may be available.
Evaluation includes a midterm and a final exam. The final exam will be held on the last day of class. Exams are multiple-choice and short answer; previous exams will be posted for preparation, and review sessions will be held. Weekly short questions, due to teaching fellows, are pass/fail and designed to encourage engagement. Other requirements include a book review and experimental participation to expose students to psychological research.
To succeed, students should attend all classes, keep up with readings (ideally before class), and form study groups. Professor Bloom encourages students to establish contact with him or teaching fellows during office hours, before/after class, or via email to address intellectual or course-related questions, emphasizing the option to stay anonymous or engage.
Psychology offers insights into real-world problems, from study habits and social interactions to therapy effectiveness. The course aims to provide a state-of-the-art introduction to how the human mind works. Traditionally, psychology is divided into neuroscience, developmental, cognitive, social, and clinical sub-areas, all of which will be covered. The course will also draw from related fields like evolutionary biology, economics, philosophy, and computer science.
The course will delve into the brain's role in mental life, starting with cases like Terri Schiavo to illustrate the physical basis of consciousness, free will, morality, and emotions. This foundational discussion will explore how a physical entity like the brain gives rise to mental experiences.
Child development will be explored, focusing on how humans acquire knowledge, language, and understanding of the world and others. Key questions include the extent to which traits are innate versus learned, and the continuity of personality from childhood to adulthood. The course will also examine the origins of individual differences, considering the influence of genes, environment, and parenting, as well as the controversial impact of parents.
The course will examine what makes someone attractive, analyzing features of aesthetically pleasing faces across cultures through computer-generated images. It will also delve into morality, exploring the nature of good and evil through examples like institutional evil, mass murderers (Osama bin Laden, Ted Bundy), and heroic figures (Oskar Schindler, Paul Rusesabagina), questioning whether good and bad behavior stems from nature or situation.
Mental illness will be discussed, including common disorders like depression and anxiety prevalent among college students, and less common but insightful conditions. Examples include memory disorders, personality changes due to brain damage (Phineas Gage), multiple personality disorder, Capgras syndrome (believing loved ones are replaced), and Cotard's syndrome (believing oneself to be dead). These extreme cases offer profound insights into normal mental life and the brain-mind connection.
The course will feature four guest lecturers: Dr. Marvin Chun on cognitive neuroscience of faces, Dr. Susan Nolen-Hoeksema on depression and sex differences, Kelly Brownell on the psychology of food and eating disorders, and Dean Peter Salovey on the psychology of love. The professor invites questions and looks forward to the next week's class.