Podcast Categories: Science

UC Davis psychology lecturer Victoria Cross delivers this course on the developmental account of human behavior from conception through adolescence with emphasis on motor skills, mental abilities, motivation, and social interaction.

The study of age-related cognitive, social and emotional behavior focusing on theories of development during infancy and childhood. Students learn how social factors—such as one’s family, socioeconomic status, and culture—impact upon human development, and the current state of affairs in America for factors (e.g., divorce, child care, single-parenting) that impact child development. The focus of the course is on human development within the American culture, but both book and lecture materials will also present cross-cultural comparisons. This course provides a foundation for other courses within the psychology department, such as child psychopathology, cross-cultural psychology, and the exceptional child.

UPDATE: This General Psychology course has been updated and the new series will be available Spring 2015. The new series contains much of the same information, but any discussion of mental health issues will be based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) published by the American Psychiatric Association in May 2013.

This course is intended to provide an examination and application of major principles of psychology including: an introduction to scientific and research methods, biological foundations, sensation and perception, learning and conditioning, human development, motivation and emotion, thinking, memory and intelligence, personality theories, stress and coping, social psychology, psychological disorders and their treatment.

The material in this series related to mental health diagnoses is based on the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision which was published in 2000.

The podcasts presented in this series will include live class recordings of lecture presentations and additional pre-recorded segments that focus on frequently asked questions and concepts that often provide a challenge for many students. These recordings may also be supplemented by PDF files or handouts designed to further enhance the student’s understanding of the field of general psychology. These materials are intended to supplement the traditional classroom approach of my courses and to enhance the student’s learning experience.

Target audience should include current students and others who wish to know more about the topic areas. The materials will not be textbook specific so that they will be useful to others. For HACC students, the purpose is to allow them an opportunity to review or catch up on lectures/class periods that they may have missed or misunderstood. For other learners outside of HACC, the purpose is to supply another resource for their learning that is both entertaining and educational.

The course was originally recorded during the Spring Semester 2011 with some updates as necessary.

PLEASE NOTE: The section on Psychological Disorders refers to diagnostic classifications based on The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) in 2000.

Please send any suggestions/feedback to drbailey@hacc.edu.

I hope you enjoy listening and thanks for exploring the world of psychology with me.

This course is a survey of the scientific study of human nature, including how the mind works, and how the brain supports the mind. Topics include the mental and neural bases of perception, emotion, learning, memory, cognition, child development, personality, psychopathology, and social interaction. Students will consider how such knowledge relates to debates about nature and nurture, free will, consciousness, human differences, self, and society.