,Introduction to Psychology
Charles Stangor (Published 2011)
Adapted by: Houston Community College Faculty: Carol Laman, Sandra Greenstone, Huong
Ho, Jennifer Suarez, Sheila Weick, Kenneth Woodruff, Robert Morecook, Eileen Mello, Saundra
Boyd, Ilija Gallego, Karen Saenz (Revised May, 2013)
Adapted by: College of Lake County Faculty: Martha Lally and Suzanne Valentine-French
(Revised July, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014)
This project was funded by a grant from the College of Lake County Foundation.
Adapted College of Lake County text can be found at:
http://dept.clcillinois.edu/psy/IntroductionToPsychologyText.pdf
Original text materials for Introduction to Psychology by Stangor 2011 (non-HCC version) at:
http://www.saylor.org/site/textbooks/Introduction%20to%20Psychology.pdf
Houston Community College 2013 revision for Introduction to Psychology by Stangor, 2011 at:
http://learning.hccs.edu/faculty/robert.morecook/free-psychology-2301-textbook-dsm-5-version-2013
Original Publication Under the following license:
This work is licensed under the
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 unported license to view a copy
of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ or send a letter to Creative
Commons, 171 Second Street, Suite 300, San Francisco, California, 94105, USA.
i
, Table of Contents
• Chapter 1 -- Introducing Psychology
• Chapter 2 -- Psychological Science
• Chapter 3 – Brain and Behavior
• Chapter 4 – Learning
• Chapter 5 – Memory and Cognition
• Chapter 6 -- Intelligence and Language
• Chapter 7 -- Growing and Developing
• Chapter 8 – Personality
• Chapter 9 -- Psychology in Our Social Lives
• Chapter 10 -- Defining Psychological Disorders
• Chapter 11 -- Treating Psychological Disorders
2
, Contents
.................................................................................................................................................................. 1
Introduction to Psychology ............................................................................................................................ i
Table of Contents ...................................................................................................................................... 2
Chapter 1 Introducing Psychology................................................................................................................. 5
Psychology as a Science............................................................................................................................. 6
The Evolution of Psychology: Central Questions, History, and Contemporary Perspectives ......... 10
The Many Disciplines of Psychology ..................................................................................................... 25
Chapter 2 Psychological Science.................................................................................................................. 33
Psychologists Use the Scientific Method to Guide Their Research ..................................................... 34
Psychologists Use Descriptive, Correlational, and Experimental Research Designs to Understand
Behavior ................................................................................................................................................. 42
Factors that Contribute to Credible Research ..................................................................................... 53
Chapter 3 Brain and Behavior ..................................................................................................................... 61
The Neuron Is the Building Block of the Nervous System................................................................... 61
The Brain ................................................................................................................................................ 68
Psychologists Study the Brain Using Many Different Methods ........................................................... 78
The Nervous System and the Endocrine System ................................................................................. 83
Sleeping and Dreaming ......................................................................................................................... 89
Chapter 4 Learning .................................................................................................................................... 105
Classical Conditioning ......................................................................................................................... 106
Operant Conditioning ......................................................................................................................... 113
Cognition and Conditioning ................................................................................................................ 121
Other Forms of Learning..................................................................................................................... 123
Chapter 5 Memory and Cognition ............................................................................................................. 135
Encoding and Storage: How Our Perceptions Become Memories .................................................... 136
Retrieval ............................................................................................................................................... 148
The Biology of Memory ....................................................................................................................... 151
Cues to Improving Memory................................................................................................................. 154
Cognition and Cognitive Biases .......................................................................................................... 156
Problem-Solving Strategies ................................................................................................................. 166
Chapter 6 Intelligence and Language ........................................................................................................ 175
Defining and Measuring Intelligence .................................................................................................. 175
Group Differences in Intelligence ....................................................................................................... 186
The Development and Use of Language ............................................................................................. 194
3
Charles Stangor (Published 2011)
Adapted by: Houston Community College Faculty: Carol Laman, Sandra Greenstone, Huong
Ho, Jennifer Suarez, Sheila Weick, Kenneth Woodruff, Robert Morecook, Eileen Mello, Saundra
Boyd, Ilija Gallego, Karen Saenz (Revised May, 2013)
Adapted by: College of Lake County Faculty: Martha Lally and Suzanne Valentine-French
(Revised July, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014)
This project was funded by a grant from the College of Lake County Foundation.
Adapted College of Lake County text can be found at:
http://dept.clcillinois.edu/psy/IntroductionToPsychologyText.pdf
Original text materials for Introduction to Psychology by Stangor 2011 (non-HCC version) at:
http://www.saylor.org/site/textbooks/Introduction%20to%20Psychology.pdf
Houston Community College 2013 revision for Introduction to Psychology by Stangor, 2011 at:
http://learning.hccs.edu/faculty/robert.morecook/free-psychology-2301-textbook-dsm-5-version-2013
Original Publication Under the following license:
This work is licensed under the
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 unported license to view a copy
of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ or send a letter to Creative
Commons, 171 Second Street, Suite 300, San Francisco, California, 94105, USA.
i
, Table of Contents
• Chapter 1 -- Introducing Psychology
• Chapter 2 -- Psychological Science
• Chapter 3 – Brain and Behavior
• Chapter 4 – Learning
• Chapter 5 – Memory and Cognition
• Chapter 6 -- Intelligence and Language
• Chapter 7 -- Growing and Developing
• Chapter 8 – Personality
• Chapter 9 -- Psychology in Our Social Lives
• Chapter 10 -- Defining Psychological Disorders
• Chapter 11 -- Treating Psychological Disorders
2
, Contents
.................................................................................................................................................................. 1
Introduction to Psychology ............................................................................................................................ i
Table of Contents ...................................................................................................................................... 2
Chapter 1 Introducing Psychology................................................................................................................. 5
Psychology as a Science............................................................................................................................. 6
The Evolution of Psychology: Central Questions, History, and Contemporary Perspectives ......... 10
The Many Disciplines of Psychology ..................................................................................................... 25
Chapter 2 Psychological Science.................................................................................................................. 33
Psychologists Use the Scientific Method to Guide Their Research ..................................................... 34
Psychologists Use Descriptive, Correlational, and Experimental Research Designs to Understand
Behavior ................................................................................................................................................. 42
Factors that Contribute to Credible Research ..................................................................................... 53
Chapter 3 Brain and Behavior ..................................................................................................................... 61
The Neuron Is the Building Block of the Nervous System................................................................... 61
The Brain ................................................................................................................................................ 68
Psychologists Study the Brain Using Many Different Methods ........................................................... 78
The Nervous System and the Endocrine System ................................................................................. 83
Sleeping and Dreaming ......................................................................................................................... 89
Chapter 4 Learning .................................................................................................................................... 105
Classical Conditioning ......................................................................................................................... 106
Operant Conditioning ......................................................................................................................... 113
Cognition and Conditioning ................................................................................................................ 121
Other Forms of Learning..................................................................................................................... 123
Chapter 5 Memory and Cognition ............................................................................................................. 135
Encoding and Storage: How Our Perceptions Become Memories .................................................... 136
Retrieval ............................................................................................................................................... 148
The Biology of Memory ....................................................................................................................... 151
Cues to Improving Memory................................................................................................................. 154
Cognition and Cognitive Biases .......................................................................................................... 156
Problem-Solving Strategies ................................................................................................................. 166
Chapter 6 Intelligence and Language ........................................................................................................ 175
Defining and Measuring Intelligence .................................................................................................. 175
Group Differences in Intelligence ....................................................................................................... 186
The Development and Use of Language ............................................................................................. 194
3
