PSY 100: Intro to Psychology and Human Behavior
Spring 2025
Instructor Arman Ashraf
Room No.
Office Hours
Email [email protected]
Telephone
TA
TA Office Hours
Course URL (if any)
Course Teaching Methodology
● Teaching Methodology: synchronous or asynchronous or a blend of both
● Lecture details: In person class
Course Basics
Credit Hours 4
Lecture(s) Nbr of Lec(s) Per 2 Duration 110 minutes
Week
Recitation/Lab (per week) Nbr of Lec(s) Per No Duration No
Week
Tutorial (per week) Nbr of Lec(s) Per No Duration No
Week
Course Distribution
Core No
Elective Elective
Open for Student Category All first years and sophomores
Close for Student Category
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Understanding the mind and how it affects human behavior is at the
heart of many disciplines. Understanding human behavior
and other valuable psychological concepts are not only useful for a career in psychology, but these concepts are applied while making economic
policies, and marketing decisions etc. It helps you understand yourself and the people around you better. Why do they make the choices they
make? What derives human behavior? How do humans learn and how can these theories be used to understand and modify behavior?
This course starts with an overview of psychology, debunking myths, attempting to identify branches in the field of psychology, and learning to
research. We will then progress to learning about the brain and the mind, and then delve deeper into psychological concepts such as learning and
behavior theories, human development, cognition, emotion, personality, and motivation. The final part of the course will explore mental health,
disorders, and treatment.
This general introduction is useful for any student who is i) wishing to pursue a specialization in psychology; ii) wishes to explore career pathways
in the field of psychology; and iii) wants a rudimentary introduction to psychological concepts
MGSHSS, LUMS and particularly this class, is a harassment free zone. There is absolutely zero tolerance for any behavior that is intended or has
the expected result of making anyone uncomfortable and negatively impacts the class environment, or any individual’s ability to work to the best
of their potential.
If you think that you may be a victim of harassment, or if you have observed any harassment occurring in the purview of this class, please reach
out and speak to me. If you are a victim, I strongly encourage you to reach out to the Office of Accessibility and Inclusion at [email protected] or
the sexual harassment inquiry committee at [email protected] for any queries, clarifications, or advice. You may choose to file an
informal or a formal complaint to put an end of offending behavior.
None
∙
COURSE OBJECTIVES
By the end of the course, student should be able to: have a basic
∙ understanding of psychological theories and research
understand psychological research and distinguish evidence-based psychology from pop-psychology
∙
distinguish between different subdivisions in psychology
∙ be familiarized with the brain and the mind, and how it impacts behavior
Grading break up: Component Details and weightages
6 (n-1) Quizzes (50%)
Mid-term (25%)
Final exam (25%)
Examination Detail
Yes/No: Yes
Midterm Combine Separate:
Exam Duration: 2 hours
Exam Specifications: MCQ’s, followed by written section
Final Exam Yes/No: Yes
Combine Separate:
Duration: 2 hours
Exam Specifications: MCQ’s, followed by written section
Ethics
The strength of the university depends on academic and personal integrity. Students are expected to abide by the rules of academic and personal
honesty. Serious ethical violations include cheating, plagiarism, reuse of essays, improper use of the internet and electronic services,
unauthorized collaboration, alteration of graded essays, forgery, lying, and unfair competition. For more information on ethics, please refer to the
student handbook and the plagiarism document distributed by the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences. You are expected to be aware
of general guidelines that violate the principals of academic honesty.
Textbook(s)/Supplementary Readings
Wade, Carole & Tavris, Carol. (2017) Psychology, 12th edition. Prentice Hall, NJ.
COURSE OVERVIEW
Lecture Topics Assigned
Readings / Notes
Introduction to the course and overview of Textbook Chapter 1
1.
psychology as a profession
Nature and nurture: Evolution, Genes, Textbook Chapter 3
2.
Hereditary
3. Research and Ethics in Psychology Textbook Chapter 2
Textbook Chapter 4 and 5
Brain and behavior: Mapping the brain,
4.
Biological Rhythms, Sleep
Psychology and Drugs; Sensation and
5. Perception Textbook Chapter 5 and 6
Quiz 1
6. Behavior: Learning, Conditioning Textbook Chapter 7
7. Behavior: Learning, Condition (contd) Textbook Chapter 7
8. Behavior: Social and Cultural context
Quiz 2 Textbook Chapter 8
9. Thinking and Intelligence Textbook Chapter 9
10. Thinking and Intelligence cont Textbook Chapter 9
Memory
11. Textbook Chapter 10
Quiz 3
12. Mid Term
13. Memory Contd
14. Emotion Textbook Chapter 11
15. Stress, Health, and Coping Textbook Chapter 11
Motivation
16. Textbook Chapter 12
Quiz 4
17. Theories of Personality Textbook Chapter 14
18. Theories of Personality contd Textbook Chapter 14
19. Psychological Disorders Textbook Chapter 15
20. Psychological Disorders Textbook Chapter 15
Textbook Chapter 15
21. Psychological Disorders
Movie: A Beautiful Mind
22. Approaches to treatment and therapy Textbook Chapter 16
Quiz 5
23. Approaches to treatment and therapy contd Textbook Chapter 16
24.
