Course Information
Semester: Spring 2026
Instructor: Alexander Rand
Time: Mon/Wed. 3:40-4:55 pm
Email: [email protected]
Room: James 2207
Phone: 917-880-9576
Office Hours: By appointment
Office: James Hall 5303
Textbook
This course adopts OER Learning Resources; students may use the OpenStax Psychology 2e text for readings and reference (free online): Spielman, Rose M., William J. Jenkins, and Marilyn D. Lovett. Psychology 2e | OpenStax. 2nd ed. OpenStax, 2020. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e.
Course Description
An introduction to the major facts, principles, methods, and theories of psychology. Topics include the (a) history of psychology and research methods (b) understanding learning and behavior, (c) sensory and perceptual processes, (d) how we learn (e) psychological development, motivation and emotion, (f) biological, social, and personality determinants of behavior, (g) and clinical and abnormal psychology. The course will utilize multimedia lectures, class activities, and discussions.
Course Goals and Learning Objectives
The primary goal of this course is for students to gain an understanding of the major areas of study in the field of psychology. For each of these topic areas, students should develop a general understanding of:
- How psychologists have approached and organized relevant issues
- The techniques used to investigate principles and details that underline the topic
- Our current understanding of each area of study.
- A further goal is to provide sufficient foundational knowledge of the areas of psychology to allow students to succeed in more advanced courses that are specific to each area of study.
