GE-421 Introduction to Psychology

Every pastor, teacher and parent already studies people. Learn how psychology understands the mind and behaviour, and how to give a first, safe response to people in distress.

Following Fearfully and Wonderfully Made, with an open psychology textbook beside it, this course moves from psychology's questions and methods, through the brain, the senses and consciousness, to growth, learning, memory and emotion. It ends with personality, troubled minds and life together. You learn to tell research findings from philosophical assumptions and to give a first, safe pastoral response. Some chapters deal with painful subjects such as mental illness, suicide and abuse; if one touches your life, speak with someone you trust, your church or a qualified counsellor.

What you will study

• Psychology's questions, schools and research methods
• The brain, the body and the senses
• Sleep, consciousness and altered states
• Growing from the womb to old age
• Learning, memory and judgement
• Intelligence, language, emotion and motivation
• Personality, psychological disorders and their treatment
• Life together: social psychology, stress and coping

Course materials

• Fearfully and Wonderfully Made, a WWES textbook
• Introduction to Psychology (Stangor and Walinga), an open textbook