intro to psychology essay topics

Psychology Essay Topics

Get Inspired with Over 200 Psychology Essay Topics and Writing Tips

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Published on: May 2, 2023

Last updated on: Jan 30, 2024

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Are you struggling to come up with interesting and unique psychology essay topics? Do you find it challenging to write a compelling psychology essay that stands out from the rest?

Psychology is a fascinating subject. However, selecting a topic that is both engaging and informative can be a daunting task.

But fear not!

This blog provides a comprehensive guide to help you navigate the world of psychology essay topics. From general psychology topics to specific and interesting areas of research, we have got you covered. Additionally, we offer tips to help you write a successful essay, from choosing a topic to editing your final draft.

By the end of it, you will be able to write a standout psychology essay that fully showcases your understanding.

Let's dive in!

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Psychology Research Topics For High School Students

Here is a persuasive essay topics list to get you started:

The influence of social media on mental health
The psychology of dreams and their interpretations
Effects of stress on academic performance
Does childhood trauma impact mental health in adulthood, and if so, how?
How does meditation impact the brain and promote well-being?
Why do we make the choices we do, and how can we make better decisions?
How does spending time in nature impact mental health and well-being?
How does perception affect our interpretation of reality, and can it be changed
The power of music on human emotions and behavior
The relationship between exercise and mental health

Psychology Paper Topics For College Students

The psychology of addiction and effective treatments.
The impact of childhood experiences on adult mental health.
The psychology of prejudice and how to overcome biases.
The role of emotions in decision-making and behavior.
The effects of sleep deprivation on cognitive function and well-being.
Effective leadership traits and development.
The psychology of procrastination: Why we do it and how to overcome it.
The impact of social support on mental health.
The effects of mindfulness on stress and anxiety.
The psychology of motivation: What drives our behavior and how to stay motivated.

Research Topics In Psychology For University Students

The effects of social media on self-esteem and body image.
The impact of childhood trauma on brain development and function.
The psychology of happiness: What makes us happy and how can we cultivate it?
The role of genetics in mental health disorders and treatment implications.
How does social media affect self-esteem and body image?
What is the impact of childhood trauma on brain development and function?
What makes us happy and how can we cultivate happiness?
The psychology of mindfulness: Benefits and applications for well-being.
The impact of cultural differences on cognitive processes and behavior.
What are the dynamics of attraction, attachment, and relationships in the psychology of love?

Social Psychology Essay Topics

How do social roles and expectations affect behavior?
What is the role of social identity in intergroup relations?
How do attitudes and persuasion shape behavior?
What are the psychological factors that influence conformity?
What is the impact of social comparison on self-esteem?
The influence of culture on social behavior
The role of empathy in social interactions
The impact of social exclusion on mental health
The effects of social comparison on body image
The psychology of altruism and helping behavior

Forensic Psychology Essay Topics

How can forensic psychology contribute to criminal profiling?
What is the impact of psychological factors on criminal behavior?
How do juries make decisions in criminal cases, and what role does psychology play?
What is the impact of false confessions on the criminal justice system?
How can forensic psychologists help prevent and treat juvenile delinquency?
The psychology of criminal behavior and decision-making
The use of psychological assessment in criminal trials
The role of media in shaping public perceptions of crime
The impact of trauma on criminal behavior
The psychology of witness testimony

Criminal Psychology Essay Topics

How do psychological factors contribute to the development of criminal behavior?
What is the impact of childhood experiences on criminal behavior?
How can criminal psychology contribute to the prevention and treatment of criminal behavior?
What is the relationship between mental health and criminal behavior?
How can criminal profiling be used to aid criminal investigations?
The psychology of white-collar crime
The use of forensic psychology in criminal investigations
The impact of incarceration on mental health
The effectiveness of rehabilitation programs for offenders
The psychology of recidivism

Cognitive Psychology Essay Topics

How do cognitive processes shape our perceptions and decisions?
What are the neural mechanisms underlying cognitive processes such as attention and memory?
How do emotions and motivation affect cognitive processing?
What is the relationship between language and thought?
What is the impact of cognitive biases on decision-making?
The role of cognitive development in learning and education
The impact of technology on cognitive processing
The psychology of creativity and problem-solving
The effects of sleep on cognitive function
The psychology of expertise and skill acquisition

Developmental Psychology Essay Topics

How do genetics and the environment interact to shape development?
What are the stages of cognitive and emotional development in childhood and adolescence?
What is the impact of parenting styles on child development?
How do cultural differences impact child development?
What are the effects of early adversity on later development?
The psychology of attachment and bonding
The impact of technology on child development
The effects of divorce and separation on child development
The psychology of adolescent identity development
The role of play in child development

Abnormal Psychology Essay Topics

The impact of childhood trauma on the development of dissociative disorders
The role of genetics in the development of schizophrenia
The link between eating disorders and body image dissatisfaction
The impact of addiction on mental health
The effectiveness of psychotherapy for treating personality disorders
The relationship between anxiety and depression in bipolar disorder
The impact of trauma on the development of obsessive-compulsive disorder
The role of cognitive-behavioral therapy in treating phobias
The impact of culture on the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness
The effectiveness of mindfulness-based therapies for treating anxiety and depression

Child Psychology Essay Topics

The impact of attachment styles on child development
The role of play therapy in treating childhood trauma
The impact of parenting styles on adolescent mental health
The role of technology in children's social and emotional development
The impact of peer relationships on child development
The effectiveness of early intervention for children with autism spectrum disorder
The impact of divorce on child development
The role of schools in supporting children's mental health
The impact of childhood bullying on mental health in adolescence and adulthood
The effectiveness of family therapy in treating childhood anxiety and depression

Sports Psychology Essay Topics

The role of mental toughness in athletic performance
The impact of anxiety on sports performance
The relationship between goal setting and athletic success
The impact of visualization techniques on sports performance
The role of self-talk in athletic performance
The impact of team cohesion on athletic performance
The relationship between personality traits and sports performance
The impact of pre-performance routines on sports performance
The role of coaching in supporting athletes' mental health
The effectiveness of psychological skills training in improving athletic performance

Argumentative Psychology essay topics

Is intelligence innate or acquired?
Should psychotherapy be used as a first-line treatment for mental illness?
Is the use of medication in treating mental illness over-prescribed?
Is social media use linked to increased rates of anxiety and depression?
Is addiction a disease or a choice?
Should personality disorders be treated differently than other mental illnesses?
Is the use of restraints ethical in mental health treatment?
Is it ethical to use animals in psychological research?
Should parents be held responsible for their children's mental health?
Is there a link between childhood trauma and criminal behavior?

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Descriptive Psychology Essay Topics

The history and evolution of psychoanalytic theory
The role of culture in shaping our understanding of mental illness
The impact of attachment theory on contemporary psychology
The development of cognitive psychology as a discipline
The role of social psychology in understanding human behavior
The impact of behaviorism on modern psychology
The role of neuroscience in understanding mental illness
The development of positive psychology as a field
The impact of feminist psychology on contemporary practice
The role of evolutionary psychology in understanding human behavior

Biological Psychology Essay Topics

The role of genetics in addiction and substance abuse
The impact of hormonal changes on mood disorders
Neural mechanisms underlying decision making
The effect of sleep deprivation on brain function
The link between brain development and mental health disorders
The role of neurotransmitters in regulating emotions and behavior
The impact of stress on the immune system
The relationship between diet and brain function
The biological basis of schizophrenia
The role of epigenetics in mental health disorders

Controversial Psychology Essay Topics

The Ethics of using placebos in clinical trials
The Validity of repressed memories in Therapy
The controversy surrounding conversion therapy
The debate over the existence of multiple personality disorder
The controversy surrounding the use of medication to treat ADHD
The ethics of using animals in psychological research
The controversy surrounding the validity of personality tests
The debate over the use of cognitive enhancement drugs
The controversy surrounding the diagnosis of borderline personality disorder
The debate over the use of hypnosis in therapy

Cultural Psychology Essay Topics

The impact of cultural values on mental health treatment
Cross-cultural differences in emotion regulation
The role of cultural norms in shaping attitudes towards mental health disorders
The impact of acculturation on mental health
The role of cultural values in shaping parenting styles
Cross-cultural differences in attachment styles
The influence of culture on body image and eating disorders
The impact of cultural values on the experience of depression
The role of culture in shaping perceptions of happiness
The impact of cultural diversity on group dynamics

Good Psychology Essay Topics

The importance of social support for mental health
The benefits of mindfulness meditation for stress reduction
The role of exercise in improving mental health
The impact of gratitude on well-being
The role of humor in coping with stress
The benefits of nature exposure for mental health
The impact of social media on mental health and well-being
The benefits of expressive writing for emotional processing
The role of positive self-talk in building resilience
The impact of volunteering on mental health and well-being

Exciting Psychology Essay Topics

The psychology of thrill-seeking behavior
The impact of virtual reality on behavior and cognition
The relationship between music and mood
The psychology of conspiracy theories
The impact of social comparison on self-esteem
The psychology of persuasion and influence
The role of culture in shaping perceptions of beauty
The psychology of color and its effects on behavior
The impact of humor on creativity and problem-solving
The psychology of flow and peak performance

Psychology Essay Topics on Dreams

Why do we dream? The scientific and psychological explanations.
Can we control our dreams? The effectiveness and limitations of lucid dreaming.
The interpretation of dreams: Freudian theory vs. modern approaches.
The role of dreams in problem-solving and creativity.
How dreams impact our mental health and well-being.
The use of dream analysis in therapy: Benefits and limitations.
Nightmares: Causes, effects, and treatments.
The cultural significance of dreams and dream interpretation.
Sleep disorders and their impact on dreaming.
The ethical considerations of using dream manipulation for personal gain.

Psychology-Related Topics from Other Subjects

The intersection of psychology and neuroscience
The relationship between psychology and economics
The psychology of decision making in politics
The psychology of leadership and organizational behavior
The impact of technology on social psychology
The psychology of marketing and consumer behavior
The relationship between psychology and law
The psychology of education and learning
The impact of environmental factors on behavior
The psychology of creativity and innovation

Psychology Paper Topics for Any Assignment

The influence of video games on cognitive development
A case study analysis of borderline personality disorder
The role of cognitive psychology in treating depression
Historical perspectives on the evolution of cognitive psychology
Analyzing the impact of social media on mental health
An exploration of the psychology behind addiction
A comparative analysis of Freudian and Jungian theories of personality
Investigating the effects of mindfulness on anxiety disorders
The role of positive psychology in promoting well-being
A case study on the effects of childhood trauma on adult mental health
Examining the link between physical health and mental health
An overview of various psychological disorders and their treatment options
The role of cognitive-behavioral therapy in treating anxiety
Analyzing the use of art therapy in treating mental health disorders
The impact of culture on mental health and well-being

How To Choose A Psychology Topic?

Choosing a psychology topic can seem daunting, but there are some helpful steps you can take to make the process easier.

Here are some tips to consider:

Identify Your Interests

Start by considering what topics in psychology interest you the most. Are you fascinated by abnormal psychology, cognitive psychology, or social psychology?

By choosing a topic that you are interested in, you are more likely to be motivated to research and write about it.

Consider The Assignment Requirements

If you are choosing a topic for a specific assignment, make sure to read the instructions and guidelines carefully. Consider the length of the assignment, the required sources, and any other specific instructions that the professor may have provided.

Do Some Preliminary Research

Once you have identified your interests and considered the assignment requirements, start doing some preliminary research. Look for articles, books, and other resources on your topic to get a sense of what has already been written about it and to help refine your focus.

Narrow Down Your Topic

After doing some preliminary research, you may need to narrow down your topic. Try to focus on a specific aspect of the broader topic that you are interested in. This will help you to stay focused and write a more cohesive and effective paper.

By following these steps, you can choose a psychology topic that is interesting, manageable and meets the requirements of your assignment.

Tips To Write a Compelling Psychology Essay

Writing a good psychology essay requires attention to detail, critical thinking, and clear writing. Here are some tips to help you write a great psychology essay:

Understand The Essay Prompt

Make sure you fully understand the prompt before you start writing. Identify the key terms and concepts and make sure you have a clear understanding of what is being asked of you.

Conduct Thorough Research

Conduct thorough research using reliable sources such as academic journals, books, and reputable websites. Be sure to take detailed notes and keep track of your sources.

Organize Your Thoughts

Organize your thoughts and ideas before you start the writing process. Create an outline or a mind map to help you structure your essay and ensure your ideas flow logically.

Use Clear, Concise Language

Use clear, concise language to convey your ideas. Avoid using jargon or technical terms unless necessary, and make sure your sentences are well-structured and easy to understand.

Support Your Arguments

Use evidence to support your arguments and claims. This could include citing research studies or other sources to back up your points.

Edit and Proofread

Edit and proofread your psychology research paper to eliminate errors and ensure your writing is polished and professional. Check for grammar and spelling mistakes, and make sure your formatting and referencing are consistent and accurate.

By following these tips, you can write a compelling psychology essay that effectively communicates your ideas and arguments.

In conclusion, choosing a psychology essay topic can be a daunting task. But with the right approach, it can be an enjoyable and rewarding experience.

Consider your interests, current events, and the audience when selecting a topic. Be sure to conduct thorough research and organize your ideas before writing.

Additionally, keep in mind the tips for writing a compelling essay and crafting a strong thesis statement.

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Betty P. (Literature)

Betty is a freelance writer and researcher. She has a Masters in literature and enjoys providing writing services to her clients. Betty is an avid reader and loves learning new things. She has provided writing services to clients from all academic levels and related academic fields.

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How to Write a Psychology Essay

Saul Mcleod, PhD

Editor-in-Chief for Simply Psychology

BSc (Hons) Psychology, MRes, PhD, University of Manchester

Saul Mcleod, PhD., is a qualified psychology teacher with over 18 years of experience in further and higher education. He has been published in peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Clinical Psychology.

Learn about our Editorial Process

Olivia Guy-Evans, MSc

Associate Editor for Simply Psychology

BSc (Hons) Psychology, MSc Psychology of Education

Olivia Guy-Evans is a writer and associate editor for Simply Psychology. She has previously worked in healthcare and educational sectors.

On This Page:

Before you write your essay, it’s important to analyse the task and understand exactly what the essay question is asking. Your lecturer may give you some advice – pay attention to this as it will help you plan your answer.

Next conduct preliminary reading based on your lecture notes. At this stage, it’s not crucial to have a robust understanding of key theories or studies, but you should at least have a general “gist” of the literature.

After reading, plan a response to the task. This plan could be in the form of a mind map, a summary table, or by writing a core statement (which encompasses the entire argument of your essay in just a few sentences).

After writing your plan, conduct supplementary reading, refine your plan, and make it more detailed.

It is tempting to skip these preliminary steps and write the first draft while reading at the same time. However, reading and planning will make the essay writing process easier, quicker, and ensure a higher quality essay is produced.

Components of a Good Essay

Now, let us look at what constitutes a good essay in psychology. There are a number of important features.

Global Structure – structure the material to allow for a logical sequence of ideas. Each paragraph / statement should follow sensibly from its predecessor. The essay should “flow”. The introduction, main body and conclusion should all be linked.
Each paragraph should comprise a main theme, which is illustrated and developed through a number of points (supported by evidence).
Knowledge and Understanding – recognize, recall, and show understanding of a range of scientific material that accurately reflects the main theoretical perspectives.
Critical Evaluation – arguments should be supported by appropriate evidence and/or theory from the literature. Evidence of independent thinking, insight, and evaluation of the evidence.
Quality of Written Communication – writing clearly and succinctly with appropriate use of paragraphs, spelling, and grammar. All sources are referenced accurately and in line with APA guidelines.

In the main body of the essay, every paragraph should demonstrate both knowledge and critical evaluation.

There should also be an appropriate balance between these two essay components. Try to aim for about a 60/40 split if possible.

Most students make the mistake of writing too much knowledge and not enough evaluation (which is the difficult bit).

It is best to structure your essay according to key themes. Themes are illustrated and developed through a number of points (supported by evidence).

Choose relevant points only, ones that most reveal the theme or help to make a convincing and interesting argument.

Knowledge and Understanding

Remember that an essay is simply a discussion / argument on paper. Don’t make the mistake of writing all the information you know regarding a particular topic.

You need to be concise, and clearly articulate your argument. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences.

Each paragraph should have a purpose / theme, and make a number of points – which need to be support by high quality evidence. Be clear why each point is is relevant to the argument. It would be useful at the beginning of each paragraph if you explicitly outlined the theme being discussed (.e.g. cognitive development, social development etc.).

Try not to overuse quotations in your essays. It is more appropriate to use original content to demonstrate your understanding.

Psychology is a science so you must support your ideas with evidence (not your own personal opinion). If you are discussing a theory or research study make sure you cite the source of the information.

Note this is not the author of a textbook you have read – but the original source / author(s) of the theory or research study.

For example:

Bowlby (1951) claimed that mothering is almost useless if delayed until after two and a half to three years and, for most children, if delayed till after 12 months, i.e. there is a critical period.

Maslow (1943) stated that people are motivated to achieve certain needs. When one need is fulfilled a person seeks to fullfil the next one, and so on.

As a general rule, make sure there is at least one citation (i.e. name of psychologist and date of publication) in each paragraph.

Remember to answer the essay question. Underline the keywords in the essay title. Don’t make the mistake of simply writing everything you know of a particular topic, be selective. Each paragraph in your essay should contribute to answering the essay question.

Critical Evaluation

In simple terms, this means outlining the strengths and limitations of a theory or research study.

There are many ways you can critically evaluate:

Methodological evaluation of research

Is the study valid / reliable ? Is the sample biased, or can we generalize the findings to other populations? What are the strengths and limitations of the method used and data obtained?

Be careful to ensure that any methodological criticisms are justified and not trite.

Rather than hunting for weaknesses in every study; only highlight limitations that make you doubt the conclusions that the authors have drawn – e.g., where an alternative explanation might be equally likely because something hasn’t been adequately controlled.

Compare or contrast different theories

Outline how the theories are similar and how they differ. This could be two (or more) theories of personality / memory / child development etc. Also try to communicate the value of the theory / study.

Debates or perspectives

Refer to debates such as nature or nurture, reductionism vs. holism, or the perspectives in psychology . For example, would they agree or disagree with a theory or the findings of the study?

What are the ethical issues of the research?

Does a study involve ethical issues such as deception, privacy, psychological or physical harm?

Gender bias

If research is biased towards men or women it does not provide a clear view of the behavior that has been studied. A dominantly male perspective is known as an androcentric bias.

Cultural bias

Is the theory / study ethnocentric? Psychology is predominantly a white, Euro-American enterprise. In some texts, over 90% of studies have US participants, who are predominantly white and middle class.

Does the theory or study being discussed judge other cultures by Western standards?

Animal Research

This raises the issue of whether it’s morally and/or scientifically right to use animals. The main criterion is that benefits must outweigh costs. But benefits are almost always to humans and costs to animals.

Animal research also raises the issue of extrapolation. Can we generalize from studies on animals to humans as their anatomy & physiology is different from humans?

The PEC System

It is very important to elaborate on your evaluation. Don’t just write a shopping list of brief (one or two sentence) evaluation points.

Instead, make sure you expand on your points, remember, quality of evaluation is most important than quantity.

When you are writing an evaluation paragraph, use the PEC system.

Make your P oint.
E xplain how and why the point is relevant.
Discuss the C onsequences / implications of the theory or study. Are they positive or negative?

For Example

Point: It is argued that psychoanalytic therapy is only of benefit to an articulate, intelligent, affluent minority.
Explain: Because psychoanalytic therapy involves talking and gaining insight, and is costly and time-consuming, it is argued that it is only of benefit to an articulate, intelligent, affluent minority. Evidence suggests psychoanalytic therapy works best if the client is motivated and has a positive attitude.
Consequences: A depressed client’s apathy, flat emotional state, and lack of motivation limit the appropriateness of psychoanalytic therapy for depression.

Furthermore, the levels of dependency of depressed clients mean that transference is more likely to develop.

Using Research Studies in your Essays

Research studies can either be knowledge or evaluation.

If you refer to the procedures and findings of a study, this shows knowledge and understanding.
If you comment on what the studies shows, and what it supports and challenges about the theory in question, this shows evaluation.

Writing an Introduction

It is often best to write your introduction when you have finished the main body of the essay, so that you have a good understanding of the topic area.

If there is a word count for your essay try to devote 10% of this to your introduction.

Ideally, the introduction should;

Identify the subject of the essay and define the key terms. Highlight the major issues which “lie behind” the question. Let the reader know how you will focus your essay by identifying the main themes to be discussed. “Signpost” the essay’s key argument, (and, if possible, how this argument is structured).

Introductions are very important as first impressions count and they can create a h alo effect in the mind of the lecturer grading your essay. If you start off well then you are more likely to be forgiven for the odd mistake later one.

Writing a Conclusion

So many students either forget to write a conclusion or fail to give it the attention it deserves.

If there is a word count for your essay try to devote 10% of this to your conclusion.

Ideally the conclusion should summarize the key themes / arguments of your essay. State the take home message – don’t sit on the fence, instead weigh up the evidence presented in the essay and make a decision which side of the argument has more support.

Also, you might like to suggest what future research may need to be conducted and why (read the discussion section of journal articles for this).

Don”t include new information / arguments (only information discussed in the main body of the essay).

If you are unsure of what to write read the essay question and answer it in one paragraph.

Points that unite or embrace several themes can be used to great effect as part of your conclusion.

The Importance of Flow

Obviously, what you write is important, but how you communicate your ideas / arguments has a significant influence on your overall grade. Most students may have similar information / content in their essays, but the better students communicate this information concisely and articulately.

When you have finished the first draft of your essay you must check if it “flows”. This is an important feature of quality of communication (along with spelling and grammar).

This means that the paragraphs follow a logical order (like the chapters in a novel). Have a global structure with themes arranged in a way that allows for a logical sequence of ideas. You might want to rearrange (cut and paste) paragraphs to a different position in your essay if they don”t appear to fit in with the essay structure.

To improve the flow of your essay make sure the last sentence of one paragraph links to first sentence of the next paragraph. This will help the essay flow and make it easier to read.

Finally, only repeat citations when it is unclear which study / theory you are discussing. Repeating citations unnecessarily disrupts the flow of an essay.

Referencing

The reference section is the list of all the sources cited in the essay (in alphabetical order). It is not a bibliography (a list of the books you used).

In simple terms every time you cite/refer to a name (and date) of a psychologist you need to reference the original source of the information.

If you have been using textbooks this is easy as the references are usually at the back of the book and you can just copy them down. If you have been using websites, then you may have a problem as they might not provide a reference section for you to copy.

References need to be set out APA style :

Author, A. A. (year). Title of work . Location: Publisher.

Journal Articles

Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. (year). Article title. Journal Title, volume number (issue number), page numbers

A simple way to write your reference section is use Google scholar . Just type the name and date of the psychologist in the search box and click on the “cite” link.

Next, copy and paste the APA reference into the reference section of your essay.

Once again, remember that references need to be in alphabetical order according to surname.

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How to Write an Introduction for a Psychology Paper

Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

Emily is a board-certified science editor who has worked with top digital publishing brands like Voices for Biodiversity, Study.com, GoodTherapy, Vox, and Verywell.

Writing Tips

If you are writing a psychology paper, it is essential to kick things off with a strong introduction. The introduction to a psychology research paper helps your readers understand why the topic is important and what they need to know before they delve deeper.

Your goal in this section is to introduce the topic to the reader, provide an overview of previous research on the topic, and identify your own hypothesis .

At a Glance

Writing a great introduction can be a great foundation for the rest of your psychology paper. To create a strong intro:

Research your topic
Outline your paper
Introduce your topic
Summarize the previous research
Present your hypothesis or main argument

Before You Write an Introduction

There are some important steps you need to take before you even begin writing your introduction. To know what to write, you need to collect important background information and create a detailed plan.

Research Your Topic

Search a journal database, PsychInfo or ERIC, to find articles on your subject. Once you have located an article, look at the reference section to locate other studies cited in the article. As you take notes from these articles, be sure to write down where you found the information.

A simple note detailing the author's name, journal, and date of publication can help you keep track of sources and avoid plagiarism.

Create a Detailed Outline

This is often one of the most boring and onerous steps, so students tend to skip outlining and go straight to writing. Creating an outline might seem tedious, but it can be an enormous time-saver down the road and will make the writing process much easier.

Start by looking over the notes you made during the research process and consider how you want to present all of your ideas and research.

Introduce the Topic

Once you are ready to write your introduction, your first task is to provide a brief description of the research question. What is the experiment or study attempting to demonstrate? What phenomena are you studying? Provide a brief history of your topic and explain how it relates to your current research.

As you are introducing your topic, consider what makes it important. Why should it matter to your reader? The goal of your introduction is not only to let your reader know what your paper is about, but also to justify why it is important for them to learn more.

If your paper tackles a controversial subject and is focused on resolving the issue, it is important to summarize both sides of the controversy in a fair and impartial way. Consider how your paper fits in with the relevant research on the topic.

The introduction of a research paper is designed to grab interest. It should present a compelling look at the research that already exists and explain to readers what questions your own paper will address.

Summarize Previous Research

The second task of your introduction is to provide a well-rounded summary of previous research that is relevant to your topic. So, before you begin to write this summary, it is important to research your topic thoroughly.

Finding appropriate sources amid thousands of journal articles can be a daunting task, but there are several steps you can take to simplify your research. If you have completed the initial steps of researching and keeping detailed notes, writing your introduction will be much easier.

It is essential to give the reader a good overview of the historical context of the issue you are writing about, but do not feel like you must provide an exhaustive review of the subject. Focus on hitting the main points, and try to include the most relevant studies.

You might describe previous research findings and then explain how the current study differs or expands upon earlier research.

Provide Your Hypothesis

Once you have summarized the previous research, explain areas where the research is lacking or potentially flawed. What is missing from previous studies on your topic? What research questions have yet to be answered? Your hypothesis should lead to these questions.

At the end of your introduction, offer your hypothesis and describe what you expected to find in your experiment or study.

The introduction should be relatively brief. You want to give your readers an overview of a topic, explain why you are addressing it, and provide your arguments.

Tips for Writing Your Psychology Paper Intro

Use 3x5 inch note cards to write down notes and sources.
Look in professional psychology journals for examples of introductions.
Remember to cite your sources.
Maintain a working bibliography with all of the sources you might use in your final paper. This will make it much easier to prepare your reference section later on.
Use a copy of the APA style manual to ensure that your introduction and references are in proper APA format .

What This Means For You

Before you delve into the main body of your paper, you need to give your readers some background and present your main argument in the introduction of you paper. You can do this by first explaining what your topic is about, summarizing past research, and then providing your thesis.

Armağan A. How to write an introduction section of a scientific article ? Turk J Urol . 2013;39(Suppl 1):8-9. doi:10.5152/tud.2013.046

Fried T, Foltz C, Lendner M, Vaccaro AR. How to write an effective introduction . Clin Spine Surg . 2019;32(3):111-112. doi:10.1097/BSD.0000000000000714

Jawaid SA, Jawaid M. How to write introduction and discussion . Saudi J Anaesth . 2019;13(Suppl 1):S18-S19. doi:10.4103/sja.SJA_584_18

American Psychological Association. Information Recommended for Inclusion in Manuscripts That Report New Data Collections Regardless of Research Design . Published 2020.

By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

200+ Psychology Essay Topics for College Students

Published by Denis on March 1, 2021 March 1, 2021

Psychology is an important science that explores human actions and behavior; what motivates a person to act in the way he/she does? What are the factors that influence a person’s outlook in life, and interactions with other people? Numerous behavioral scientists have delved into psychology, but there is still so much that presents research and discussion opportunities. There are evergreen areas for essay topics psychology to be explored and documented.

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Understanding the human brain is the primary goal of psychology. But, many scholars usually find it challenging to comprehend the mind entirely. As the body’s most mysterious organ, the brain requires in-depth studies. Scientists often put several sub-disciplines in psychology that help them understand human action and behavior. In this post, we have compiled a detailed list of the top 100+ psychology essay topics for college students and scholars.

Writing an Essay on Psychology

Studying a subject involves research and documentation on a term, idea, phrase, or concept. An essay on a psychology topic puts this in written form, where the author explains the literal or definite meanings of the findings.

Psychology is largely an abstract science as opposed to say Organic chemistry. This is why it is always important to remain objective while writing definitive essays on psychology. This is only possible with excellent research and careful analysis. Still, once in a while, you might need a fast turnaround for your essay. When it comes to that, consider hiring a Psychology essay writing service that takes into account professionalism, quality, and deadlines.

Psychology Research Essay Topics for You

Psychology research topics can be divided in tandem with the discipline. Some of the significant disciplines of psychology include; cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, clinical psychology, educational psychology, and analytical psychology. In this guide, we shall help you find specific essay topics for every branch of psychology:

Also once you have chosen a suitable topic for your essay, ensure that you comprehend how you should be able to write an excellent Psychology Paper.

Analytical Psychology Essay Topics

This theory of human personality and the human brain views individuals’ behaviors as the full collection of their conscious and unconscious mind. Analytical psychology allows for archetypes that determine individual personalities. Here are some interesting analytical psychology topics you can research or write about:

How money affects behavior in marriage and gender in different stereotypes.
How can social media change the morality of a society?
Describe the psychological concepts of Yang and Yin.
Why is it easy for women to confirm naturally than men?
In what ways can employers help the employees to reduce stress?
Explain how different scientists explain homosexuality in their era.
Explain the psychological challenges that single parents have when raising a child.
Define the concept of self, as described by William James.
What are personality and its structures, according to Sigmund Freud?
Describe the psychology of dreams as well as their origin and development.
Why is it that more men in the community are mad or commit suicide than women?
Outline the psychological advantages of a parent breastfeeding their kids.
Explain the multiple intelligences child development Theory as given by Howard Gardner.
Describe the concept of money in gender and marriages.
Explain how you can maintain and not lose your personality at your workplace.
Define psychological health.
What are the main characteristics of a person who psychologically healthy?
Which psychological processes come to play when a person wants to participate in an intentional buying exercise?
Why do the majority of people need long-term relationships with other people?
In which ways does bullying among adolescents become normal that abnormal for adults?
How can you make your kid unique?
In what ways can you make sure that your kid grows in a morally upright way?

Research Essay Topics for Developmental Psychology

In brief, developmental psychology ventures are trying to find out how people behave in different stages and ages of their lives. In the past, developmental psychology was limited to children, but; later, it started to cover adolescence and adults. It brings out the concept of surviving growing developing and aging. Here are some developmental psychology essay topics for you:

Why do toddlers and get in fights?
What is the role of games in the mental competence of an adolescent?
Explain how moral judgment and reflective judgment develop in the mind of an individual.
How can you prevent child suicides?
What is the best way to solve a family conflict?
Describe the psychological status of someone who has been abused at the family level.
Explain aggression and how it manifests in children.
In which ways are boys raised by single parents different from other kids?
Why do “mummy’s boys” tend to show aggressive behavior, and what does this manifest in their personal development?
How does self-confidence develop in middle childhood from the age of 7 to 11?
Explain the change in roles between men and women in society today.
Define personal and social-emotional development, especially in old-age.
Illustrate the influence that mass media has had on the formation of a kid’s personality.
What are the psychological characteristics of adolescents who live with divorced parents?
How do gender roles positively or negatively influence our relationships in a family set up?
Explain masculinity and paternity as the primary personal determinants in parenthood.
Give the history of dyslexia and its causes. Also, review different methods of diagnosis and treatment of dyslexia.

Cognitive Psychology Essay Topics

Cognitive psychology is a branch of science that deals with the human brain. The study tries to understand how the mind can process and execute different actions. For example, cognitive psychology deals with language use and acquisition, memory, creativity, perception, and critical thinking. Here are some of the best topics you can write about in your cognitive essay paper:

Explain how human beings make choices and illustrate the decision-making process.
Which of the psychological mechanisms involved, especially in a deja vu effect?
How does attention influence the effective development and execution of cognitive processes?
Discuss the dual-process theory of thinking.
How does power loads moving in different directions influence short-term memory?
Define cryptomnesia.
Explain confabulation and paramnesia.
Explain how you can offer socio-psychological training using art- therapeutic techniques.
How does music affect cognitive development in primary school children?
How do social expectations for gifted children influence the kids’ self-esteem?
Describe the cognitive psychology of loneliness.
Discuss the Buddhism approach to cognitive psychology.
How does the media influence adolescent behaviors?
Describe emotional responsiveness.
Explain the therapeutic and diagnostic importance of medical empathy in psychology and psychiatry.
Explain how to cope with rage and anger.
Explain how to encourage creativity among kids. Explain how you can help kids with a bad memory.

Read more: The best motivational speech topics .

Clinical Psychology Essay Topics

Clinical psychology encompasses the diagnosis, assessment, and treatment of psychological distress and mental disorders in individuals. These topics look to examine the complex interplay between biological, psychological, and social factors that lead to mental health issues. Some excellent examples could include:

What roles does clinical psychology play as far as mental health treatment is concerned?
What are some of the ethical considerations when handling clinical psychology?
An examination of the evolution and history of clinical psychology practice
Relevance of cultural competence
A clinical psychology perspective on treating anxiety disorders
Understanding trauma and how it impacts your psychological well-being
The efficiency of cognitive-behavioral therapy in depression treatment
Benefits and challenges of using psychotropic medications
What are the pros and cons of diagnostic and assessment tools as used in clinical psychology?
Understanding the theory and application of psychodynamic approaches
Examining and promoting healthy relationships through family therapy
Applying mindfulness-based techniques in clinical psychology practice
Psychological factors that lead to addiction and substance abuse and the treatment approaches
Clinical psychology roles’ in addressing stigma
Evaluating criminal responsibility and competency in forensic settings

Psychology Argumentative Topics

Psychology argumentative essays invite thought-provoking discussions and critical analysis with the topics covering diverse areas in human cognition, behavior, and mental processes. As the argumentative essay presents and defends a given issue, psychology will help examine and evaluate the contrasting theories and ethical considerations. Below are examples of such essay topics:

An examination of environmental and genetic influences in shaping human behavior
Does social media usage cause psychological distress?
Candid examination on the validity of the Freud’s psychoanalytic theory
What are the ethical effects of using cognitive enhancing drugs?
Should placebos be used in research and therapy by psychological experts?
How does parenting styles influence the child’s development? Permissive vs Authoritarian parenting
Could video game violence be the reason for aggressive behavior in adolescents and children?
Can we rely on personality tests to measure personality traits?
Psychological profiling as a tool for criminal investigations
What are the effects of childhood trauma?
Relevance of emotional intelligence in professional and personal success
Effects of gender stereotypes on the career choices
Does the media influence eating disorders in adolescents?
What is the relationship between cognitive performance and sleep deprivation?
Ethical considerations in virtual reality as exposure therapy

Educational Psychology Essay Topics

Educational psychology topics will focus on understanding how people develop in educational settings. Captivating psychology topics focus on student motivation, instructional methods, and the educational environment in general. Educators and researchers can gain insights by looking at these subjects and know how to optimize learning strategies for students. Here are great examples to check out:

How technology affects student learning outcomes
How the teacher-student relationship affects their academic motivation and performance
How does metacognition help in enhancing effective learning strategies?
Does motivation foster student success and achievement?
Classroom design and how it affects student learning and engagement
Effects of emotional and social learning programs on student’s academic performance
Effective strategies used to address diverse learning needs
Impact of feedback and praise on student self-esteem and motivation
Promoting social and cognitive development in early childhood education
How does self-regulated learning help in promoting academic success?
How does culturally responsive teaching affect their cultural competence and achievement?
Impact of multimedia learning on understanding and information retention
Effects of classroom management techniques on student engagement and achievement
How to promote inclusive education for the students living with disabilities
Strategies for promoting perseverance and resilience in students

Cultural Psychology Essay Topics

These essay topics focus on how culture influences human cognition, behavior, and mental process. They look at how different cultural factors shape collective and individual values, beliefs, and behaviors. Cultural psychology also showcases the relationship between the human mind and culture and show the complexities of human behavior in different cultural contexts. Below are example topics:

Cultural differences in emotion expression and regulation
Cultural variations according to different perceptions and how it affects understanding reality
What are the cultural influences on child development and parenting styles?
Impact of cultural factors on beauty ideals and body image
Influence of culture on educational practices and learning styles
What role does culture play in shaping gender expectations and roles?
Role of cultural stereotypes in intergroup biases and relations
What are the effects of globalization on cultural adaptation and cultural identity?
Examining cultural influences on decision-making and risk perception
Research on cultural differences in conflict resolution and negotiation styles
How cultural factors shape the attitudes of the aging and elderly
How does culture organizational behavior and leadership styles
Effects of cultural values on marketing strategies and consumer behavior
What are the cultural differences in attitudes towards power dynamics?

Social Psychology Essay Topics

Social psychology topics focus on human behavior in social contexts. They look to investigate how individuals’ feelings, thoughts, and actions are influenced by group dynamics and societal factors. Exploring these topics will let you understand the intricacies of social influence, human interactions and prejudice among others. Here are few topics to research on:

What roles does conformity play in molding individual behavior?
Impact of social media on body image and self-esteem
Understanding social identity and how it impacts intergroup dynamics
What are the psychological mechanisms in obedience to the authorities?
Role of social support in handling adversity and stress
Examining the consequences of stereotypes
What psychological factors lead to the development of discrimination and prejudice?
Understanding the bystander effect
Examining the psychology of persuasion
Impact of cultural norms on social cognition and behavior
Understanding the psychology of romantic relationships and attraction
What are the psychological dynamics of violence and aggression?
Understanding psychological processes in group decision-making
What behaviors and traits make a remarkable leader?
Impact of social learning and socialization on an individual’s personality

Abnormal Psychology Essay Topics

Some people have unusual behaviors, thoughts, and emotions. Odd mental conditions that seem challenging to understand for other people are classified as mental disorders. Abnormal psychology looks at strange behaviors and actions shown by different individuals. Here are some of the best unusual psychology research essay topics for you:

Which are the four main D’s in abnormal psychology, and how valuable are they to practitioners?
Define psychological abnormality.
Who started abnormal psychology studies, and what was his /her approach?
Give examples of unusual psychology cases?
List down the importance of understanding abnormal psychology.
Which are the types of abnormal psychology?
Give a history of abnormal psychology.
What is the scope of abnormal psychology?
How would you offer psychological protection to children whose mothers suffer personality disorders?
Which approaches would you take in treating panic disorder?
Which are the challenges of group therapy in complex treatment of patients, especially in hospitals that handle severe mentor conditions?
Conduct pathogenesis of panic disorder and describe personality features.
Which are the best systems to use when offering psychotherapy for families with personality disorders?
How do nocturnal panic attacks relate to depressive disorders?
Give a theoretical analysis of the Emotional Stroop Effect.
Describe the personality structure of a patient with eating disorders and obesity.
Describe the treatment of depressive psychological disorders.
What is the connection between menopause and depressive disorders among women?
To what extent do hereditary factors influence depressive disorders in kids and adolescents?
Describe a psychological model as well as diagnosis and treatment of social anxiety.
Give a full description of cognitive processes, especially in organic brain lesions.
Describe schizophrenic disorders.
Give examples of ways in which the essential components of cognition are violated in schizophrenic cases.
Which is the best way to diagnose and treat children with attention problems?
How can you protect drug addicts psychologically?
How do drug abuse influence personality traits and relationships in individuals?
Describe circular depression among people with a concomitant personality disorder.
How to diagnose personality disorders among adolescents.

Cause and Effect Psychological Paper Topics

How do dreams cause anxiety?
Do advertisements have any effect on eating disorders?
How does social media influence empathy?
Do long-term relationships affect social behavior?
What are the psychological factors that influence a mass shooting?
Give the effects both negative and positive of stereotyping gender.
How does family violence impact on a child’s mentality?
How do learning abilities affect a child’s self-esteem?
What causes infidelity in marriage?
How does a parent and kid relationship influence the romantic relationship of the child’s future?
What are the impacts of parental alcoholism um on a kid’s mentality?
Who are the adverse effects of Barbie dolls on the self-esteem of girls?
Do computer games with violence contribute to adolescent aggression?
How do mood disorders come about, and what are the psychological and biological causes?
How do external factors influence child development?
Explain how stress causes psychological disorders.
Describe the child development of kids from overprotective parents.
Explain communication barriers between different genders.
How do emotions influence performance in sports?
Explain the therapeutic effect of music on our moods.
Is parental negligence to blame for child obesity?
How does bullying influence the mentality of children?
What effects does chocolate have on your mood?
Will singing cheer you up and why?
Does watching a sad movie make you cry? Give a psychological analysis of this phenomenon.
What are the therapeutic effects of painting?
In what ways does a professional psychologist get their personal life affected by their job?

How to Choose a Topic for a Psychology Essay

There are several approaches you can use when writing essay topics psychology;

Pick an unexplored topic – If you have the time and resources, picking an unexplored topic will test your knowledge and establish you as an authority in the subject of interest.
Revisit a controversial topic – There is no shortage of controversial topics in psychology. This approach will help you better the body of knowledge in psychology.
Narrow down – As a life science, psychology is a broad enough subject to offer niche topics that present excellent research opportunities. Narrowing down will go a long way in helping you focus on a specific subject. However, you should be careful not to narrow down too much such that you will not get sources of information to explore your topic.
Choose a topic that interests you – One of the biggest mistakes that students make is picking topics that don’t interest them. If it is a subject that you like, you are going to enjoy working on it, and you will be motivated to do thorough research.
Consider the amount of information you will need for the essay – Most time, the professors tell you how many references they will need for a given assignment. Remember that different psychology subjects have varying content. The most explored ones could have more information compared to the areas that have not been tackled much. Keeping this in mind while choosing your topic will go a long way in preventing you from getting stranded in the middle of your write up.

Writing a psychology essay may look daunting. But solid research and careful analysis of what you want to write on does half of the work. Sometimes, you might write a well-informed essay but struggle to come up with a topic. Do not worry; you are like many out there. This creative essay title generator might be what you need. The challenges you face in writing the essay are worth the satisfaction of knowing that you have made a mark in this crucial life science.

Psychology is an exciting subject, and if you choose the right topic and do ample research, it is easy to nail that paper. To impress the reader further, do your work professionally by ensuring there are no grammatical errors, and your content is original: a plagiarism checker can help you with this.

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Introduction to Psychology

(22 reviews)

ISBN 13: 9781946135131

Publisher: University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing

Language: English

Formats Available

Conditions of use.

Learn more about reviews.

Reviewed by Linda Freeman, Professor of Psychology, Valencia College on 6/1/20

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

At our learning institution, the preponderance of our students select General Psychology in order to fulfill their general education requirement. Since most of our students are not psychology majors, texts oriented towards giving a student an adequate primer of the field are preferred. Hence, this text seems to be a good selection for this type of student. The author's approach to relevant topical areas is an overarching one. This text sufficiently covers the subfields in psychology, without bogging down the reader in the intricacies of our discipline. In particular, I appreciated this author's approach to human development, which tends to be a content heavy area. Additionally, the learning objectives at the beginning of the chapter give a clear roadmap to the reader. The content area named "key takeaways" give the reader a nice annotated summary of important topical areas. For professors who want to be more indulgent in the content, the author provides a section on "exercises and critical thinking." The questions posed appear to be sufficiently provocative and relevant.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

I find that the text content provides an accurate portrayal of the field. Topical areas are presented in an unbiased, factual manner; however, the exercises on critical thinking provide the student an opportunity to think more "contextually" about the information presented.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

There are topical areas in psychology that are ubiquitous to the field. For example, Freud's Personality Theory or Zimbardo's Social Psychological contributions. These theories form the bedrock of our disciple upon which new research is laid upon. For example, the emergence of Positive Psychology and Neuroscience have provided a new and fascinating lens through which we look at human behavior. To this extent, the text seems to present a conventional view of psychology with dash of 21st century psychology. There is a section dedicated to addressing "positive emotions," although it is limited. Additionally, the surgent topic of mindfulness practice is not covered nor the relevance of Neuroscience in our understanding the connection between the brain and human behavior.

Clarity rating: 5

The text is written with an adequate amount of clarity and directness. Frankly, I think the author does a superb job at addressing the heart of the theoretical matter. Also the demonstration videos provide further clarity on the content. The examples provided seem to be relevant and compelling. Further, the design of each chapter lends itself to clarity. The beginning of the chapter presents clear learning objectives, which serve as an expectational guide, and ends with a summary of key points to consider.

Consistency rating: 4

There are intra-correlations made within each chapter; however, there are few inter-connections made between different chapters. Within each chapter, there is consistency between the concept presented, its description, and the examples used to further elucidate its meaning. For those seeking to give a student a more holistic view of psychology, the text is limited. For example, if you are seeking to provide students a broader sense of how internal emotions and cognitions along with external social events interface, you will have to create your own addendum to the chapter content.

Modularity rating: 5

Each chapter covers a specific topical area in psychology that is later expanded upon in the chapter. The content areas are directly aligned with the learning objectives presented at the beginning of the chapter and flow into the key summary points very well. The chapter gives a sufficient amount of information to the reader to answer the critical thinking questions posed at the end of the chapter.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The organization of the text is superb and consistent throughout the text. The author appears to have set up a predictable cadence to each chapter beginning with learning outcomes, chapter content, and ending with a synopsis of key points.

Interface rating: 5

The text does not appear to present issues related to interface. Navigation through the chapter is clear and direct. The examples and features are crisp and clear. There are no elements that may distract the reader from the topical area being covered. There is a high amount of congruency between the outcomes, the content, examples, exercises, and key points.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I do not see any significant grammatical errors in the text.

Cultural Relevance rating: 2

Although the text is not culturally offensive, it does lack cultural depth. Today's classrooms, comprised of students from various cultures, text material needs to appeal to a wider audience and challenge students to think more deeply about the broader social context. Overall, I would've liked to have seen more culturally relevant information in the chapters on Personality, Social Psychology, Psychological Research, and Psychological Disorders. For example, details about the cultural determinants of personality, the role of culture in prejudices and stereotyping, the ability of researchers to generalize their investigational results to culturally diverse populations, and how the cultural context needs to be accounted for in psychological disorders would have highlighted the all important role of diversity in our discipline.

Reviewed by Kathleen Cain, Professor of Psychology, Gettysburg College on 4/21/20

The book doesn't necessarily cover every conceivable topic in psychology, but it covers all of the main subfields in psychology and presents at least a few of the central findings, concepts, and theories in each subfield. In some respects, the book strikes me as more focused and less sprawling than many introductory psychology textbooks. A student who reads this book may be less likely to be overwhelmed with information, but at the same would be able to grasp a clear sense of general issues, research issues, and research findings in each topic. According to the introduction, the author has focused intentionally on presenting topics in a way that leaves students with a sense of coherence about the field rather than with a set of random facts. The critical thinking questions at the end of the sections are helpful in addressing this focus.

The book was accurate and clear. I particularly liked the way that it described key research and illustrated research findings with graphs and other images. It definitely provides an accurate overview of the field.

I'm slightly concerned that the latest edition is from 2015, as psychology changes rapidly based on new research findings. However, the book certainly covers the classic studies very well. Sometimes we can be overly concerned with giving students the latest information when the reality is that they're lacking many of the basics - so my concern about the date of publication is not a deep one. Certainly 21st century psychology is represented effectively in the book, too, so it's not just a book on the history of psych by any means. However, I do hope that the author continues to update material included in the book.

The writing is clear both at the micro level of individual sentences and paragraphs and at the macro level of lucid organization. The writing style aims for a literate audience and in that sense may challenge students who need simpler prose and multiple real life examples to make concepts clear. Some of the mainstream publisher textbooks excel in examples that make the concepts come alive, and this book has less of those. There are also fewer helpful additions such as definitions of terms in the margins that one would see in other textbooks. However, each chapter in this book includes several compelling examples that are explained well, and the writing is crisp and clear, which I greatly appreciate. There is also a bit more depth than many books provide about psychological research, which I personally love about this book, but which may not work for every student audience. Some other textbooks are pitched at a simpler level - but these books can still let students get bogged down in the sheer volume of information, a problem that this book often avoids successfully. Finally, this book includes numerous video clips, which are a terrific addition and really strengthen the clarity of the information provided.

Each chapter is internally consistent in terminology and framework, and the book is organized consistently. I do wish that there were a bit more of an effort to link content in individual chapters with content in other chapters so that students can see some of the broader connections in what they're reading.

Each chapter covers one subfield of psychology (e.g, developmental, cognitive) and in turn is divided into several subsections of several pages each. One could easily rearrange or even drop a few chapters, and within a chapter, while one would want to go in order of concepts from basic at the beginning to more complex at the end, one could easily drop a subsection.

The organization is a significant positive feature of this book. The material is presented consistently in a clear and concise way, and topics flow logically from one to the next.

Interface rating: 4

I didn't have any major navigation problems, and the video links that I clicked worked well. A few figures didn't show up, though, and once in a while there was a blank or nearly blank page (not missing text, just a slightly awkward arrangement of the text with blank space in between).

I found a very small handful of typographical errors, but I didn't notice grammatical errors. In fact, the writing was quite strong.

I thought that cultural presentation was one of the weaker areas of this book. While there are some references to a variety of cultures and some photos of people from a variety of backgrounds, some of the written statements about culture were simplistic (e.g., on p. 26, a sentence reads, "Psychologists have found that there is a fundamental difference in social norms between Western cultures (including those in the United States, Canada, Western Europe, Australia, and New Zealand) and East Asian cultures (including those in China, Japan, Taiwan, Korea, India, and Southeast Asia)." There is no mention of nuance, of common ground, or of the variability among individuals within cultures.). In the section on intelligence, the author mentions variation among US racial and ethnic groups in IQ scores, but offers only a superficial explanation of why these differences exist. There is no mention of the role that discrimination plays in perpetuating some of these differences. In the chapter on social psychology, the material on stereotyping and prejudice was accurate, but again presented with less depth than I would prefer. While I did not see offensive material, I thought the author could have done more to present cultural variation and various cultural issues with nuance and depth.

Reviewed by Colette Jacquot, Adjunct Professor, University of Texas at Arlington on 3/4/20

Comprehensiveness rating: 1 see less

I was hoping I could adopt this textbook for my classes because I realize how expensive books are and the tremendous stress that this expense alone can place on my students. However, I would use only some of the content in this textbook as supplementary material but would need to spend an inordinate amount of time supplementing it to cover major themes which my students need to master.

Content Accuracy rating: 1

From what I read, the textbook seems accurate as far as its content. However, it is inaccurate regarding representing an Introductory to Psychology textbook. The chapters discuss only a few topics instead of addressing a number of vital subjects that introductory psychology students need to master.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 1

First, the Social chapter tackles classic experiments well (e.g., Milgram, Asch, Zimbardo, Sherif) and social influence but fails to address other central topics, such as sexism, ageism, heterosexism, and others. Instead, this chapter discusses bystander effect which is a tangential topic at best. Learning is another insufficient topic that is touched on but it is across two chapters: direct and indirect learning. Moreover, instead of devoting an entire chapter to memory, the textbook discusses it at the end of the Indirect Learning chapter. Furthermore, the Cognition and Intelligence chapter covers how to teach a child shape and numbers and how prior learning (i.e., memory) can interfere with problem solving but that is all regarding cognition. As far as discussing therapy, there is a chapter titled, “The Science of Psychology and Human Potential” which addresses only a few therapeutic interventions: ABA, learned helplessness, CBT, relapse, and conduct disorder interventions.

Clarity rating: 2

The way that these chapters are organized seems arbitrary and therefore unclear. Again, in order for a textbook to be considered for adoption, it must not only be clear but also be thorough to cover all of the material needed for an introductory class.

Consistency rating: 3

The textbook fails to address major psychological issues that an introductory class needs to cover.

Modularity rating: 1

The smaller sections are insufficient. Not only are major themes left out of the book but also tangential topics are included (e.g., bystander effect instead of sexism, ageism, and other vital topics).

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 1

A more complete textbook including respected information that other Introduction textbooks cover should be created. Specifically, it is organized differently from any other psychology textbook I have seen. Instead of the typical chapters – Motivation, Learning, Cognition, Social, and others – the book parcels chapters into inadequate topics.

Interface rating: 2

I could not find the search option anywhere.

I did not see any grammatical errors.

By omitting major themes in psychology, the text is actually insensitive to some misunderstood groups, e.g., older adults, women, overweight people, and other underrepresented groups.

Perhaps it is a good starting point, but I suggest adding a significant amount of material that introductory psychology students need to learn.

Reviewed by David Foster, Professor, Open Oregon Educational Resources on 4/19/19

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

The text aligns well with APA standards for Introductory Psychology. The devil is in the details, however. I have reviewed a number of intro textbooks in developing the curriculum for a dual enrollment psychology course. I have found no one text that covers every possible aspect of the standards. That being said, this text provides materials covering the APA standards on a level commensurate with leading introductory texts. One constructive criticism would be to add a list of key terms for each section and/or chapter. Such lists are provided in other open source texts and seem very useful.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

The material seems to be accurately conveyed, again, on a level commensurate with leading intro textbooks.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The text provided relevant info that corresponds to APA learning standards. Additionally, the open nature of the text automatically lends itself to easy updating and customization.

Clarity rating: 4

The text is written at a level that is accessible for introductory psychology students.

Consistency rating: 5

The book used a consistent approach in displaying the materials in separate submodules within each chapter and providing a chapter summary at the end.

I appreciate the modularization of text in to smaller, more accessible units.

The topics are presented in a clear and logical fashion. I especially appreciated the organization of the developmental chapter by increasing age rather than theorist.

Interface rating: 3

I reviewed the pdf version of the text. There were some display issues as some pictures and logos were a little blurred and therefore distracting. Additionally, this version of the text did not appear to be paginated correctly. At times, the figure heading would appear at the bottom of the page while the figure itself would be on the following page by itself (leaving 3/4's of the page blank)

Grammatical Errors rating: 4

I did not detect any grammatical errors. However, proofreading is not my strong suit.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The text appeared to be culturally appropriate.

Great value for the price!

Reviewed by Bridget Coddou, Instructor, Nicholls State University on 4/12/19

In my opinion, this book does an excellent job of covering all of the areas and ideas of the subject of Psychology. The index is appropriate, but I was not able to find the glossary. I like the depth of the information and how it is displayed. I believe that the course should absolutely match the level of the students. As an Instructor that teaches both Intro and higher level Psychology courses, I think that it is imperative for us to be parallel with the students level of interest and strive to motivate them to learn. Too much information can become overwhelming for students as well as sway them away from the content. When teaching intro, I try very hard to teach my students the basic concepts as well as pose a "to be continued" mindset, in order to increase the likelihood that they will be eager to continue their education in Psychology courses. This book does just this.

Overall, the accuracy is error-free and unbiased based off of my observations. I do want to point out that in Chapter 12, when discussing the DSM, it is important that we continue to explain our classification system in terms of how it is used today. The author talks about the different Axis in the DSM due to this being a 2015 version of the text. This classification system no longer exists. It would be important for those teaching this material to be up-to-date and aware of the changes.

As stated above, the book does seem to be up-to-date except for Chapter 12 where they go into detail about the Axis system of the DSM. We are now in the DSM-V where we do not have an Axis classification system. This will be the one area that the author will need to keep up-to-date when discussing diagnoses.

This textbook does an excellent job in writing and is lucid. The language and picture examples make it very easy to read and understand. One advantage to moving to a digital textbook is that the student can use internet resources to connect the content. The videos that are included throughout the text are convenient. We like convivence when learning. It is one less step to that the student has to do; therefore, it increases the likelihood that the student will learn that particular concept.

There were no inconsistencies noted in this text.

I think that the Modularity of the text is appropriate; however, I do think that having some thumbnails to show the Chapters would be really nice for the student as well as the Instructor. It will make it easier to sort through the material if you have multiple Chapters on an exam.

I love the organization of this text. It is very easy to follow. Considering that I am a person that usually likes paper, I think that this digital text is attractive and organized. We want to make learning inviting and I really feel like this text does just this.

As stated above, this text is very clear and easy to understand. I think that the text could use more end of chapter questions/quizzes and I would like to see glossary words at the end of each particular chapter. I think that this helps the student organize and structure their ideas.

No grammatical errors were noted.

No note of any insensitive or offensive language/content in this text. In order to prevent such accusations, the author may want to include something the Introduction or Acknowledgements that a lot of the information provided is based off of research and findings in particular studies. I think that this is the rule not the exception when teaching Psychology. So many topics can and due become controversial, but if we preface these ideas at the outset of our discussions/writings, people tend to remain open-minded and accepting of new ideas.

Overall, I think that this textbook is absolutely appropriate for an Introductory course. I found it very easy to use which I believe is the absolute first step of engagement for students. I tell my students all of the time in Intro, I want to set the foundation for you in this course. I want them to see it as just that. Learning enough to understand the basic concepts and promoting interest in order to fuel the mind to explore Psychology more in-depth in subsequent courses.

Reviewed by Melissa Cannon, Assistant Professor, Western Oregon University on 3/6/19

The text seems fairly comprehensive in how it introduces the domains of psychology and roots them in empirical research. Several areas lack depth, which is understandable for an introductory text, but many also seem to lack cultural breadth and could be strengthened by adding more contemporary perspectives. Taking “Growing and Developing” as an example, the author does not address the full bio-psycho-social nature of development across the life course, skips over middle childhood, and misses key theories such as Brofenbrenner’s ecological systems theory and Carstensen’s selectivity theory in later life. The Learning Objectives in each section help to prepare students for what they will be learning, and the Key Takeaways following each section help to summarize concepts, but I find that it is really helpful for students to have a glossary of terms as well which would then be indexed at the back of the book.

I did not find inaccuracies or errors, but some cultural bias (see below under “Cultural”) and issues with relevance of the information and ample citation. For example, on page 225, the paragraph introducing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease includes only a single citation, dated 1995. There are several examples where adding citations (especially more recent ones) would enhance the credibility of the author’s content (e.g., describing structuralism on page 16; ethics in section 2.1; neuroplasticity on page 88; stimulants in section 5.2; psychotherapy in section 13.4).

Some of the references are out of date (e.g., the references in section 6.5 are all from 10 years ago or earlier, with several from the 1990s). Videos that are accessed through hyperlinked text may have been taken down (e.g., the “Stepping Reflex” video on page 220).

The writing seems to be at an appropriate level and not too heavy in jargon/technical language for an introductory course. I felt that some of the text boxes dropped into the chapters were not contextualized sufficiently, however. For example, the “War of the Ghosts” example on page 23 is used to illustrate Bartlett’s research on the cognitive and social processes of remembering. The story itself is confusing, however, and inserting it into the text doesn’t seem to help accomplish the author’s goal. Also, in the beginning of Chapter 6, “The Repository for Germinal Choice” is used to present the classic “nature versus nurture” argument, but it seems like an odd choice given the problematic nature of the story itself: essentially, the efforts of an American millionaire to create a more superior human race. Using a critical lens, a student would be able to detect the outrageously unethical rationale for this millionaire’s “experiment,” but that point should be highlighted more clearly and it seems like a more appropriate example could have been used in the first place.

The text is fairly consistent in terms of organization and framework. I had a hard time understanding why some of the chapter summaries were not at the ends of the chapters (e.g., Chapters 4 and 7).

I appreciate the way that the text is broken into subsections and short paragraphs without feeling disconnected or choppy. The author did a very nice job with this.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

The first several chapters are presented in a logical fashion. My preference would be to have “Growing and Developing” follow Chapters 8-11, then be followed by the chapters on psychological disorders. Social cognition should also be presented earlier, perhaps after “Learning” and “Remembering and Judging.”

Depending on the format in which the book was downloaded, this book seems to have a relatively user-friendly interface. The Contents at the beginning are hyperlinked (e.g., in PDF and iBook formats), making it easy to navigate to different sections.

So far as I can tell, there are few (to no) grammatical errors.

The text relies heavily on dominant cultural perspectives and lacks emphasis on the diversity of human nature. It would be helpful to explain differences in race, ethnicity, and nationality (especially as the author uses categories such as “Jews” “East Asians” and “African Americans” for comparison) as well as differences in sex, gender, and sexual orientation, and to cite contemporary sources (e.g., a 1984 one was used on p. 371 to describe discrimination, and a 1994 one was used on p. 439 to explain sexual orientation). The author uses the outdated term “mentally retarded” or “retardation” (p. 367). They also use the binary gender schema (i.e., men versus women) and equate gender identity disorder with transsexualism without effectively explaining gender identity (i.e., transgender/non-binary gender identification are not discussed). They refer to LGBTQ individuals as “homosexuals” (p. 439) and apply a heteronormative lens in discussing sexuality. They also explain that eating disorders can lead people to be “too fat or too thin” (p. 436) which some may perceive as body shaming.

Overall, I found this to be a good text for introducing students to the vast, complex field of psychology. In the classroom I would draw attention to areas of the text that need updated/augmented and describe the most current research findings, adding cross-cultural and international perspectives. I would generally encourage students to use a critical lens while reading this text and to contribute their own personal insight/ideas particular with regard to issues such as culture, race, ethnicity, gender, age, and socioeconomic status.

Reviewed by Kristin Flora, Associate Professor of Psychology, Franklin College on 1/23/19

A few emerging areas of psychology, such as health psychology and I/O psychology are not represented. While I/O is not currently commonplace in other introductory texts, Stress and Health typically warrants a chapter. Stress is included in the chapter on Emotion and Motivation, which perhaps negates the need for a separate chapter (since stress is a major component of health psychology). Additionally, there is little mention of Vygotsky in Chapter 6. If that is important to an instructor, s/he will need to augment. Finally, there does seem to be a lot of attention paid to PTSD; it is significantly discussed in 3-4 chapters. This is not necessarily a critical comment, but something that stood out in my review of the text.

Content Accuracy rating: 3

In the spirit of simplification and parsimony, the author omits some information that better shows the complexity and nuance of some of the phenomenon. For example, when discussing REM there is no mention of muscle paralysis that accompanies this stage of sleep. Or when explaining Ainsworth’s Strange Situation, the author states there are 4 attachment styles. While there are, only 3 of them came from Ainsworth’s initial research. Disorganized was identified later. More critically, it is evident that this edition has not been updated to reflect changes in the DSM. When moving from DSM-IV to DSM-V the Axes system was eliminated yet the text still spends ample time explaining this old diagnostic system. Relatedly, in Chapter 10 when eating disorders are explained only Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa are presented; Binge Eating Disorder is now a recognized eating disorder. There are multiple other examples that would require the instructor to update this information so that the students are learning the most accurate material.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 3

At various places in the text the references seem outdated (e.g. Chapter 3 where most stem from the 1990s). A more egregious example is in Chapter 11 where the author cites a study from 1928 when describing the stability of personality in children. Certainly this could be effectively used from a historical perspective, but the contextual language does not suggest that is the intent of using this article. In Chapter 13, the pie chart depicting the proportion of types of therapy practiced is from 2001, making it nearly 20 years old. Finally, some more contemporary issues such as e-cigarettes and binge drinking could be incorporated in Chapter 5, along with recent legislative changes regarding recreational marijuana

Overall I think the language is clear and straightforward, with a few exceptions. For example, Chapter 4 explains how the trichromatic theory and opponent-process theory of color vision are correct, but the author could elaborate by explaining what part of the visual process each theory best explains. Additionally, some of the information in tables or figures could be better expressed. Two examples would be Marcia’s theory of identity in Chapter 6 which is presented as a table but would work better as a matrix and Figure 3.11 which demonstrates that bodily regions that require greater motor control are afforded more space on the motor cortex. The homunculus would be a better visual.

In the author’s preface there is note that each chapter begins with an ‘attention grabbing story’ yet I didn’t see one for Chapter 2. Additionally, the inclusion of video clips and other ancillary material varies across chapters, with some having a lot of embedded resources while others have relatively few.

The sections seem appropriate in length to serve as standalone ‘units’. I very much appreciate the key takeaways and critical thinking questions found at the end of each section instead of the end of the chapter. This eases the use of this text by instructors.

This text follows the general format of most introductory texts, with the exception of ending with social psychology instead of disorders and treatment. Otherwise, there were a few spots within chapters – specifically chapters 4 and 6 – where some of the information seems a bit disjointed or out of order.

Some of the images seem a bit odd with respect to formatting (small, offset to the left, leaving a lot of white space to the right). Unsure if this is a pedagogical tool to allow those students who print the chapters room to annotate or if it was just a stylistic decision by the editorial team? When images aren’t small and left justified, they are very large images of prominent psychologists which I’m not sure are helpful or necessary (size, not overall inclusion). The tables are drab: black and white, small font. Students may very well skip over them.

As noted earlier, the text is very well written. The only grammar error I noted was that when discussing the work of the Harlows that the author notes they were affiliated with Wisconsin University rather than the University of Wisconsin.

Cultural Relevance rating: 3

I certainly didn’t find evidence of offensive language, but also thought there weren’t intentional attempts to integrate cross-cultural research. A specific example of this is when referencing the Muller-Lyre illusion noting the finding that cultures that utilize different housing structures that don’t use 90 degree angles are less likely to be susceptible to this illusion (carpentered world hypothesis) Or in Chapter 5 when discussing cocaine to note that some indigenous tribes chew on the leaves of the coca plant to maintain alertness. I think there is opportunity for the author to point out cultural differences in the presence of some of the more common psychological disorders. For instance, depression often manifests as more somatic symptoms in Asian cultures rather than sadness and despair that we tend to see in Western cultures.

Overall the key concepts are present. In its current format, instructors could augment areas that are weaker and/or pull in more contemporary examples. The greatest weaknesses are the outdated information re: psychological disorders and diagnosis and a relatively light integration of cultural differences. Graphics could be enhanced to be more engaging for students, but the text itself is well-written.

Reviewed by Dr.Aradhana Mehta, Adjunct Faculty, Rhode Island College, Providence, RI on 6/19/18

This book cover most of the topics for the introduction to Psychology course. though the topic of stress, Coping and Health Psychology. The text and easy to understand and presented in a great manner. There are 14 chapters in total giving a... read more

I found this open Library Textbook to be accurate, error free apart from a few topics like Stress and Coping. Some of the terms used in chapter 12 and 13 are not in use in this present age. They can improvise some examples from Cross culture as well.

The content is good and up-to-date. As mentioned earlier a few terms need to be changed in Chapter 12 & 13 to the new terms used in DSM V. In addition they can enhance the interactive learning process of the student by adding some videos and quizzes to the book.

The content is very well written and have clarity. It present the theoretical and the applied perspective very clearly.

It maintains the consistency and the flow throughout the book.

Modularity rating: 4

Each chapter is broken into several different sections in a very simple and understandable manner. All the subtopics are well connected.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 3

Organization of the text is good. Though the topic of emotions and stress can be separate. As the topic of health and stress is very important in interesting for the young population. The content table should be there in the beginning of each chapter to give the clarity to the students what the chapter will be covering.

There are some graphs and visual aids in the book. Though I will recommend the addition of a few videos and quizzes to promote the interactive learning for the students.

Grammar of the book is great.

Author was very careful and sensitive about the cultural relevance. Additions of some more cross cultural videos/example will enhance the over all perspective of these topics through the world.

Over all it seems adequate and cover most of the topics for the college level course. In addition to the content if some more cross cultural example, videos and interactive quizzes are added to it, this text book will be great for a college level course. Though most of the examples int he text are based on the american culture.

Reviewed by Troy Ertelt, Instructor, Lake Superior College on 5/21/18

Provides comprehensive coverage read more

Provides comprehensive coverage

Content was error-free and without clear bias.

Content was relevant and appropriately updated. Text should be usable for a long period of time.

At times the tone was very academic and might limit accessibility for undergraduate non-majors, but overall, clearly written.

No problems with consistency were noted.

It seemed an instructor could pick the most important sections and exclude those that were less relevant without any problems.

Standard but appropriate organization and structure

The only drawback is the relatively limited number of photos, illustrations, tables, charts, and graphs.

No concerns

No offensive or insensitive content. Clear attempts at inclusion.

Reviewed by Kendra Miller, Psychology Instructor, Anoka-Ramsey Community College on 6/20/17

I compared this textbook with the textbook I currently use, "Discovering Psychology, 7th edition," by Hockenbury, Nolan, and Hockenbury. The textbook I currently use has only 14 chapters and two Appendices. I have seen textbooks with more chapters that may perhaps also be more comprehensive, but may also be overwhelming to get through in a traditional 16 week course. Therefore, I prefer the more brief or concise versions of introductory textbooks. I think this textbook is comparable in comprehensiveness to the textbook I currently use, with one major exception: "Introduction to Psychology has no separate chapter on "Stress, Health, and Coping." Although this topic is addressed in Chapter 8 with "emotion," my preference would be to have an entirely separate chapter devoted to stress (especially since combining motivation and emotion into one chapter is already a lot of material). Here are a few of my thoughts on the comprehensiveness of each chapter:

Chapter 1: Missing from the "Schools of Psychology" table: Biological, Humanistic, Positive Psychology, and Evolutionary Psychology. The text I currently use discusses Structuralism and Functionalism within the section on the history of psychology, but separates out the "origins of psychology" (where Structuralism and Functionalism are discussed) from "contemporary psychology." Also, although I realize that it would be impossible to include everyone, I feel like there are too many important psychologists missing from the timeline, and the timeline should add in what some of the early theorists did. I do like how Chapters 1 and 2 give separate attention to the history of psychology and the scientific method (my current textbook combines the two). I like how this chapter differentiates between values and facts, and discusses the potential limitations of way we collect and interpret data to understand behavior in our everyday lives.

Chapter 2: I would like to see a little more focus on critical thinking in this chapter, though it is briefly discussed. I would also add in why it's necessary to replicate research, and how a journal article is different than other reports of studies seen in the media. I think the table that lists the conceptual variable and the operational definition would be very useful to students.

Chapter 3: I didn't see norepinehrine discussed. Plasticity is discussed, but would also like to see separate definitions of functional and structural plasticity. I also did not see Broca's and Wernicke's areas discussed.

Chapter 4: I did not see a definition of "transduction." Also missing are the monocular cues of texture gradient and motion parallax, as well as any discussion on bottom-up vs. top-down processing. The "carpentered world hypothesis" could be included discussion of the effects of experience on perceptual interpretations.

Chapter 5: Needs some attention to research on multi-tasking. A table with examples of circadian rhythms throughout the day would be helpful. Some concepts are discussed but terminology related to those concepts are not mentioned, such as sleep paralysis, hypnagogic hallucinations, and myoclonic jerk. Sleep-related eating disorder was also not covered. I enjoyed the information provided on the "need to escape everyday consciousness." Very interesting.

Chapter 6: I would like to see some discussion on genotype vs. phenotype and epigenetics. I also didn't see research on types of temperament or theories of gender development presented.

Chapter 7: Some concepts were discussed without the associated terminology (such as "biological preparedness" and the "overjustification effect"). I would also like to see discussion on "learned helplessness."

Chapter 8: The "semantic network model" was discussed somewhat but not labeled as such.

Chapter 9: "Thinking" was not included in this chapter (as it is in the textbook I currently use), and was addressed somewhat instead in the previous chapter, though not in a comprehensive way. I prefer "thinking" to be addressed in the same chapter as intelligence and language.

Chapter 10: I did not see theories of motivation, such as instinct, drive, incentive, arousal, humanistic theories) discussed.

Chapter 11: This chapter was about as comprehensive as it is in the textbook I currently use.

Chapter 12 and some of 13: Needs to be updated to align with the newest edition of the DSM.

Chapter 14: Sufficiently comprehensive.

There was no chapter or appendix covering Industrial/Organizational Psychology.

I found this textbook to be accurate in comparison with the information provided in the textbook I currently use, aside from the need to update the information in Chapter 12 to reflect changes to the DSM.

For the most part, up-to-date (aside from Chapter 12), but a few more relevant examples would catch the attention of students (especially related to media use).

I liked the exercises/critical thinking questions found at the end of the sections. This gives students an opportunity to find ways to make the material relevant to their own lives with personal examples.

I think that concepts were adequately defined and found the textbook easy to read.

The textbook has no consistency issues that I could find.

I found the modularity to be adequate.

For the most part, the organization/structure/flow of this text was good. I only have a few minor recommendations. Within Chapter 3, I feel like the material about how the brain is studied could be placed at the beginning of the chapter; where it is placed seems to disrupt the flow of the chapter, in my opinion. In Chapter 10, I would like to see evidence for the facial feedback hypothesis tied in with the James-Lange theory.

Most of the links to the videos provided within each chapter did not work. I love the use of videos to illustrate course material. However, links seem to change so quickly on the internet that this is a significant issue.

I would recommend adding in a banner above each chapter number for visual interest.

I did not find any grammatical errors.

I feel this is an area that could be expanded, as there seemed to be very few examples that provided a cross-cultural perspective.

Overall, I think the scope of this text was adequate for an introduction to psychology course, though I'm not sure how much updating has occurred since it was distributed in 2010. I would recommend updating the links to the videos within the material and updating Chapter 12 to align with the changes in the new DSM. I would also like to see supplements (PowerPoints and test bank) created for this textbook.

Reviewed by Michelle Shelton, Assistant Professor, George Fox University on 4/11/17

This book provides the content and information that many general psychology textbooks do. In comparing it with three other general psychology textbooks I have used over the years, it is equal to all of them in terms of the topics covered and the... read more

The content appears to be accurate and error-free. There is a slight bias, as there is with most textbooks, but it in no way clouds the content or the information.

In terms of relevance, the author does a good job with providing information, resources, and citations for the pioneering works in the field. With any general psychology textbook there is a large emphasis on the historical context of the field, theorists, physiology, and behavior. I found the sections on the brain to include some of these seminal works, but very little current information and research on this important structure.

The book's clarity is strong and well-designed. It is very reader-friendly and easy to navigate. The structure of each section lends itself to a good dialogue of the material. The opening story of each chapter is an excellent way to engage students in the material in a very practical sense.

The book is consistent in both terminology and framework. The key terms are highlighted for ease of use, and the figures and tables are labeled and placed in appropriate areas of the text.

I enjoyed the chapters being broken down into different, distinct sections. While I assigned the entire chapter as reading, I planned my activities and assignments to include a graded item from each of the sections. By doing this I knew students were engaged in each of the sections, and for my planning as a professor, it worked very well.

As previously mentioned, the book is well organized, easy to use, and has a great flow to it.

For the most part the interface had no glaring issues. My only criticism of the interface was that there were no page numbers within the body of the book. When I open the book on my laptop, there are no page numbers listed even in the table of contents. When I open the text on my iPad there are numbers for the start of each chapter, but not on the individual page. This made it very difficult to help students navigate to a certain page for information. I also had student complaints about not having page numbers when needed for a citation.

If there were grammatical errors in the book they did not stand out.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

There was not a strong emphasis on cultural relevance. On a positive note there were no issues with cultural insensitivity either. General psychology textbooks tend to be a bit culturally neutral, however there could be added cultural implications to the topics.

Overall this textbook is of the same caliber that most general psychology textbooks are, but it has the significant advantage of being free to the end user.

Reviewed by Troy Pilgrim, Adjunct Instructor, Rogue Community College on 4/11/17

The text covers many key components typically found in an introduction of psychology class. read more

The text covers many key components typically found in an introduction of psychology class.

Content is in keeping with the cannon. I observed no errors.

Content is in keeping with the traditional approach to introducing psychology to community college or undergraduate students. The format of the text allows for an introduction to a variety of domains covered in the field of psychology.

The text is written is such a manner as to reflect college-level expectations. Though it can be dry reading at times (as with most texts), it is far from boring.

This text is not only consistent, but it's progression of subjects easily build upon each other.

The text is easily divisible into sections conducive for a trimester system.

The topics provide a nice overview of the many facets of psychology and easily build on each other.

Navigation is straightforward. The images provided are relevant and are not obtrusive.

I observed no glaring grammatical issues.

I observed no areas of concern in this domain.

Reviewed by Vanessa Washington, Adjuct Instructor , Concordia University, Portland on 2/15/17

This textbook covers a large range of subjects within the field of psychology; however, some chapters were shortened and brief in their coverage, while others were thorough and extensive in depth of material. Some aspects of the material did not include most recent research and changes in our fields understanding (for example, the discussion around emotion, arousal and the fight/flight system did not include an introduction to trauma or how the growing body of research shows consistently the impact of early trauma on physical/biological and emotional/mental development). The questions for critical thinking facilitated active learning of what was discussed in the chapter. The progression of chapters followed a logical order from a learning and instructing point of view

The content presented and discussed was accurate; however, certain topics were much more skim in the information provided; this could be resolved through accessing additional learning materials. As a learner in an introductory course, the errors detected would likely go unnoticed. As an instructor and with more comprehensive understanding, the errors were minimally noticeable; nothing observed was falsely reported, simply lacking as comprehensive discussion as possible. The coverage on drugs and addiction was inclusive of updated research that goes against our prior understanding of the impacts of illicit drugs; I was happy to read this inclusion. The prenatal development section briefly covered environmental contributions to birth defects and harmful developmental impacts, including only a sentence or two on the damage of various substances. The discussion around whether our actions are largely due to nature or nurture did not include material around various theories of heritability, leaving the discussion to sound largely based from a personal perspective. The chapter discussing intelligence appeared slightly biased; while reviewing the differences in intelligence between men and women and different races, there was more heavy material presented to support these differences in IQ being partially based in genetics, without a discussion around how social norms and environmental factors also come into play when looking at the findings around differences between social groups and intelligence. Information around the fight or flight system and the brain processes involved in responding to threats was minimal and insufficient, again discussing differences between men and women in their biological arousal response systems, and without addressing the growing body of knowledge around activation of these processes.

Much of the information included in an introductory course is historical, and therefore relevance and longevity should not be a concern. The critical thinking questions and the boxes with real life examples are great in that they reflect updated culturally relevant examples in terms of topics, current themes around the United States political, cultural (etc) climate; however, as culture and times changes, these would be easily adaptable/changeable

This text was very clear and engaging. The layout was inviting, the use of font adjustments (italics, bold face, etc) supported focused learning and signaled when definitions/jargon were given/explored. Each chapter section starts with clear objectives for the reader, and key takeaways, followed by critical thinking questions. Each chapter concludes with a summary of key concepts covered.

The book is written in an engaging manner; difficult concepts are balanced with engaging examples from lived experience. Discussion questions are written to invoke thoughtful responses and personal engagement with the material. Even chapters that may be more challenging for students (research and statistics) are written and therefore read with ease and discussed with engaging and relevant examples.

The chapter lengths were really remarkable for what was covered; they were chunked out in a manner that were short to read and that encouraged engagement with the text. I was shocked at the depth of material and the quality of engagement for also having short and brief chapters - this I think will go a long way with students who are just being introduced to the field of psychology. There were links provided throughout the text; however, I was unsuccessful in getting these links to work and so I cannot report on the usefulness or appropriateness of these learning supplements.

Chapters followed a logical progression of material and each chapter included engaging examples and prompts for future learning or current critical engagement with the material. It was easy to read, easy to follow, and easy to move between chapters. Each chapter provided useful materials in terms of definitions and clarity in previously discussed material

Display features were clear and useful. Links however, were not working for me regardless of how I tried to open them. I was excited to see the option of having youtube videos, examples of personality tests, etc; however, ultimately they were not accessible for use. I was able to highlight the text; however, in the format I was using, I was unable to highlight multiple sections; once I tried, my previous highlighted portion was removed.

This was very well written; there were no grammatical errors that I observed.

Culture in terms of inclusiveness was absent; there was not much included in terms of information that may vary between cultures. When there was discussion of differences between groups of people in regard to race, sex and gender, these differences were named and yet poorly explored; therefore, readers lost opportunities to engage the material with a global view, and potentially could have formed biased or incomplete information about various groups.

Reviewed by Dr. Natikca Robinson, Associate Professor, J Sargeant Reynolds Community College on 2/8/17

This book covers all the chapters needed to give students an understanding of psychology. The chapters are of adequate length and relates to life situations. The concepts in each chapter are explained in a way which is easier for students to... read more

In this area, the book is very accurate. The content does not differ from introductory concepts in psychology.

In this area, the book is very relevant and will have longevity. The way the text is written, new information can be added with ease. Through the short chapters, there is room to expand the chapters and display the relevance of each chapter to daily life.

The book uses psychology jargon correctly and in a way in which students can gain understanding.

The consistency in this textbook is awesome. The text and concepts flow throughout each chapter.

Through the use of shorter chapters, concepts can be easily explained. Class discussions can easily be formed.

The chapters are broken down in a fashion which are easy to read and create lectures. One chapter is broken down into elements which connect to one another. There aren't any gaps in the information that is being presented.

The textbook meets this element very well. No interface issues. The images were accurate and pertained to the chapters.

The textbook did not have any grammatical errors.

The textbook incorporated various elements of cultural relevance. The examples provided enhanced the chapters.

Reviewed by Mary Ann Woodman, Adjunct Professor, Rogue Community College on 8/21/16

Text covers all the areas of Psychology for an introductory course except for Health Psychology. This is always the first chapter I teach so that students can begin to practice a more healthy lifestyle and learn how to manage stress and anxiety. The glossary, index, table of contents are great. I especially like the chapter openers with real world examples, key takeaways, the applications for everyday life and the empirical research examples. The text is easy to read, has relevant visuals and easy comprehension for community college level. I appreciate the references and occasional video clips. The learning objectives and summaries are concise and valuable.

Most of the content seems accurate. The chapter on Psychological Disorders needs to be upgraded to reflect the DSM V. Such terms as "mental retardation," "hypochondriasis" and "pain disorder" for example are no longer used. Autism spectrum disorder needs updating as well. The statistics graph is taken from 2001-3 and not from 2015-16. The statement that "Most Psychologists go into research" does not seem accurate. Students are exploring their career options in the fields of Social Science. The statement that "emotional IQ texts are unreliable" in summary of chapter 9 also does not seem accurate, unless unreliability is defined and also applied to intelligence IQ tests.

This text is written and designed well in a format that would be easy to implement updates. I would include more female psychologists and their work. It is missing cultural diversity. I would also add some of the new movements in Psychology, such as Positive Psychology, Epigenetics, Neurogenesis, Cultural Psychology, Energy Psychology, Health Psychology and alternative treatments in Naturopathic Medicine for healing illness. The book could use more examples that are related to young people and their daily life. I appreciate the section in chapter 6 on Parenting as an example. The section on nature/nurture, free will/determinism, consciousness/unconsciousness, offers an opportunity to introduce students to a both/and as well as a paradoxical mindset rather than an either/or viewpoint.

The text is well written and in language that student's can easily understand. Technical terms are explained well and references related to content. The book does not seem overwelming which many college textbooks seem to be. Based on the amount of time given to teach an Introductory course, this book has some advantages.

Consistency and framework of the text are great. Terminology well defined and used in a consistent fashion Author's dual theme of behavior and empiricism flows well throughout his work. Structure of presenting each topic is the same in each chapter.

The sub units in the textbook make it easy to teach and to break into lesson plans. There is a smooth flow to the subject matter. It would be helpful to have a section bridging one subject to the next so that students could see the interface and relationship of each topic; very little disruption moving from one topic to the next. In some places, the font seems a bit small.

Organization, structure and topical format seems very logical and clear. Text is missing a chapter on Health and Stress Management which highly relevant to the life of a college student.

The textbook includes graphs and visuals that are appealing and easy to study. History of Psychology section has a great chart. Like the videos spotted throughout the text. I would include a chart on the various careers in Psychology since young people are exploring job options.

I could not find any grammar or spelling errors.

The author appears to be careful about cultural sensitivity. However, it lacks examples, case studies research and critical thinking exercises that would bring forth more cultural education for the reader. Young people are growing up with global consciousness and curiosity about ethnic and cultural diversity. Important to include Native American perspectives also. Some excellent video clips from around the world that pertain to every subject studied in an introductory Psychology course.

I appreciate this textbook and would consider using it at the community college level. All of the sections have clear content, great graphs and visuals, and stories pertinent to the subject matter. I would include a section on lucid dreaming in chapter 5 on consciousness. I would also include some of the research on the evolution and phenomenology of consciousness separate from the brain. Student's are fascinated by these topics and it is very relevant to their developmental processes. Integrating practices in Positive Psychology, such as meditation, mindfulness and references to this field of study would be very valuable. Kohlberg's work on Moral Development and Bronfenbrenner's Model could also be included in the chapter on developmental Psychology.

Reviewed by Beth Dietz, Professor, Miami University on 8/21/16

The book covers in great detail all of the chapters that would appear in a typical introduction to psychology textbook, with the exception of a chapter on stress and coping. The book starts with an introductory chapter that includes the definition of psychology, as well as an interestingly-written history of psychology. I appreciate that the author devotes an entire chapter (chapter two) to psychology as a science/ research methodology. The remaining 12 chapters cover psychology in the same order I do in my course – from the level of the cell (Brains, Bodies, and Behavior) to the social world (Psychology in Our Social Lives). So, with the exception of a chapter on stress and coping (which I cover in my course) the breadth of coverage is excellent, with all of the typical and expected chapters. But the depth of coverage is also excellent. Each chapter is deceivingly dense with material. Breaking each chapter into smaller “modules” and topics makes the chapters seem shorter than they actually are. In fact, I cannot say enough about the book’s organization. Each chapter consists of four to five logically-flowing sections, which, among other things, makes this textbook available as a “brief” version for those interested in less coverage.

Pedagogically, the text uses some learning aids, including a list of learning objectives at the outset of each section, visual aids, including embedded videos, chapter summaries, and “Exercises and Critical Thinking” activities at the end of each section. While not entirely comprehensive, these learning aids help to support some learning goals of an introductory course.

If accuracy is defined as being free of errors in reporting, then, overall, the coverage of material in the text is accurate. There were no obvious errors that were detected. If accuracy is defined as the absence of bias, there is nothing that would likely be glaring to the typical undergraduate reading the text. The author approaches introduction to psychology from a scientific perspective, which is evident in the coverage of research (both breadth and depth). Because I teach the course from the same perspective, I appreciate this position. The author did a good job of including timely and important research.

The textbook is quite research-oriented. At an undergraduate level, a strong focus on research can be intimidating and at times, confusing and frustrating. The author balanced the amount of research, the type of research, and examples very well. The amount of coverage is appropriate for an introductory textbook. The research and examples are relevant for undergraduates taking an introductory course. It is noteworthy that the author did not shy away from including and explaining complex experimental research. The author did an excellent job of breaking down the pieces and including the relevant parts. With regard to longevity, this text could have used for several years without needing updates, but it was published six years ago and is in need of inclusion of more recent research and examples.

The book’s strength is the clarity of the writing. The author uses language and jargon that is accessible to most undergraduates. For key terms, it might be helpful to have an index or a glossary for each chapter. Each chapter starts with an example, which helps to provide relevant context for students. The author then lays the groundwork and builds upon it as the chapter unfolds. The use of excellent examples also helps to provide the context.

The book is consistent in its content, organization, and style of writing. Each chapter begins with an example that is likely to be relatable to most readers. Subsequent sections begin with student learning outcomes, which should also help to frame the material for students. The chapter summaries are also consistent from chapter to chapter.

One of the strengths of the text is its modularity. Each chapter is broken into several different sections, which could probably stand on their own (ie., an instructor could assign sections of a chapter, rather than the entire chapter). One advantage of modularity is that is allows for a customized text, where an instructor could pull various sections of the text to create a customized textbook for students. A disadvantage of modularity is that flow and connectedness is compromised. By design, this text is very modular and, although topics can build on one another, there is an intentional lack of connection between chapters. Of course, this necessary shortcoming can be resolved by instructor intervention.

The organization and flow of the text is good, with the already-noted issue of the modularity compromising the connection between chapters. The text is organized in a logical fashion, starting with analysis of behavior at the level of the cell and moving up to the final chapter, which is an analysis of behavior from a social perspective. Within each chapter, the structure and flow is also good. Each chapter/section starts with learning objectives and ends with critical thinking exercises. There are enough visuals and video links in each chapter to break up the narrative portions and reinforce the content.

I read the text as a pdf and did not attempt to download or read it on an iPad or Kindle, for example; nor did I print it. The translation of the text and visuals was good. The visuals showed up well in a pdf and the video links worked well. The bookmark feature in the pdf was also helpful and made it easy to move from section to section. A missing piece was the ability to mark up the text, takes notes, highlight, and save the place where I finished reading. These issues might be resolved if I had downloaded it to an iPad or e-reader. Because other ebooks have these features, I think students will miss this and be potentially disadvantaged.

The book is written very well. I did not notice any grammatical errors. I think I found a few typos, but nothing that disrupted or compromised the integrity of the text.

A focus on culture is not a strength of the text. While there were mentions of culture in some chapters, it was not included in every chapter despite the availability of the research. Even though the text is a bit outdated (2010), there are ample opportunities to include culture and diversity.

Reviewed by Mike Mensink, Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin-Stout on 8/21/16

Two versions of this text were compared across formats, the open source 1.0 http://open.lib.umn.edu/intropsyc/ version as well as the updated 2.1 version, located at... read more

Two versions of this text were compared across formats, the open source 1.0 http://open.lib.umn.edu/intropsyc/ version as well as the updated 2.1 version, located at http://catalog.flatworldknowledge.com/catalog/editions/stangor_2_1-introduction-to-psychology-2-1 . As a competitor comparison, I referenced the introductory text our institution currently uses (Myers & DeWall, 2015). For those who are curious, the unattributed author is Dr. Charles Stangor, who prefaces the textbook by stating that the focus of Introduction to Psychology is on behavior and empiricism. This emphasis is further supported with chapter openers that focus specifically on real-world examples in applied domains, as well as additional exercises and critical thinking activities for readers. Generally, this text compared favorably in terms of comprehensiveness to other introduction to Psychology textbooks. Research methods, biological psychology, neuroscience, sensation and perception, consciousness, human development, learning, memory, intelligence, language, emotion, motivation, social process, personality, and psychological disorders are all represented. The represented areas of psychology all align with other introductory texts (e.g., Myers & DeWall, 2015). I did not note any major areas of psychology missing; however some other users have suggested that the social processes chapter may be more appropriate as the final chapter in the text. A test-bank, instructor manual, and lecture slides are also available with version 2.0, however I did not see these materials available with version 1.0. A table of contents is available, as is a marginal glossary for each chapter.

I did not encounter any glaring accuracy errors in theoretical or research content. As with any introductory psychological textbook, the author typically demonstrates the greatest conceptual accuracy and strength in their own content area (social psychology, in this instance). In other areas (for example, cognitive processes), I found some issues with how certain aspects were described, however these are better related to clarity than accuracy (see below).

In terms of content relevance, the author provided adequate citations of seminal studies that one would expect in an introductory textbook. I also appreciated the applications to everyday life that appeared at the end of each chapter, which also contained many recent studies to help students better understand cutting-edge work in the field.

Clarity rating: 3

I generally found the writing clarity to be adequate, although there were some areas that either didn’t flow as well as other introductory texts or contained a basic explanation I did not find effective. For example, as a cognitive psychologist, there were some concepts within the learning and memory chapters that I would generally explain differently to students to increase clarity. Specifically, I would suggest a cleaner distinction between cognitive processes and memory storage areas; and a better explanation of the important differences between working memory and short-term memory. Due to the nature of publication in this source, replacements of the author’s name with ‘unnamed author’ and publisher with ‘unnamed publisher’ cause some breaks in coherence for the reader.

Each chapter contains the same organization and layout: A real-world showcase of the chapter content, an application in the chapter of applications to real world problems, and a focus on empirical research studies.

Generally, later chapters that build on understanding psychological research methods can be replaced or reorganized as seen fit by the instructor. However Chapters 1-3 are better left in their original order so students can build on basic descriptions of psychological science, research methods, and biological origins of behavior. As noted earlier, some users have reported a preference for moving Chapter 11: Psychology in Our Social Lives to the end of an instructional sequence.

Chapter organization is well replicated across the textbook and appears in a similar sequence as other introductory texts. Content generally builds upon less complicated content to more complex theories and findings. As noted by the author, this text is somewhat shorter than other introductory texts, which may be of interest to instructors.

The html version of 1.0 is basic in nature but generally well organized and easy to navigate. However there is no option for a full text search within the native html environment. Several reference links did not function, suggesting that this version may need updating (see the 2.1 version mentioned earlier).

While some sentences were awkward for introductory readers, I did not find any major grammatical issues.

Apart from specifically focused content on socio-cultural issues, the focus of this text is not on specific differences between cultures; but on differences of individuals across cultures. This is generally appropriate for an introductory psychology text.

Reviewed by Donna Weber, Senior Lecturer, University of Wisconsin-Stout on 1/7/16

The textbook included the topics and chapters that I expect to be included in a General Psychology course. My attempt was to see this textbook from the perspective of a college freshman. Some may be psychology majors, however most will not. This may be the one chance for them to understand that psychology is important and to know the value of studying and appreciating human behavior. I think this text meets that goal.

The content appears to be accurate.

The dramatic examples given to make the points known, will be remembered for a long time. Time passes quickly and with the digital speed of changing, few things can remain relevant for long periods of time. The book seems to be organized in a fashion so that the content can be updated quite easily when needed.

The text is written and arranged in a user friendly manner so that a freshman could quite easily read and comprehend the material.

The consistency of the format and layout of the chapters allows the reader to know what to expect and thus provides a level of comfort going into a chapter that might otherwise be new and difficult for the reader.

The topics can be arranged or reordered if desired by the instructor.

The topics are arranged in an appropriate order. With the instructor bridging the topics, the precise order can be reordered to the preference of the teacher or needs of the students. The order can easily be changed to match a relevant current event, [local or world] that might call a topic to be in the spotlight.

The layout is impressive including: the introduction with the purpose of the chapter; the learning objectives; key words highlighted; charts; videos; key takeaways; experiences and critical thinking; everyday application examples; easy to locate reference citations at the point of topic; and the summary at the end of the chapter. These all add variety, excitement, interest, and repetition of the concepts to be learned.

Everything seems to be in order.

The diversity of culture is somewhat lacking.

I liked the textbook, had fun and enjoyed the review! I think students will like it.

Reviewed by Stephanie Judson, Visiting Assistant Professor, Cleveland State University on 1/12/15

The text covered most expected areas that would be in an introduction to psychology text, however there was no chapter devoted to the field of industrial/organizational psychology nor an introduction to essential statistical knowledge and less depth regarding others topics (i.e., language and intelligence combined into one chapter). In-depth information for each topic was provided and each chapter included questions that would facilitate active learning.

Information provided was generally accurate however I took issue with the overuse of the word “psychologist” in a particular chapter in that the term was applied to non-psycholoigsts. The consistent reference to research and scientific literature was helpful and would allow students understand the importance of scientific inquiry in the field. I felt that more citations were needed throughout though, given the attempt of the author to reinforce the importance of scientific literature, particularly for highly charged information (i.e., racial differences in IQ, rates of sexual minorities in the US population). In particular, an unusually low statistic of LGBTQ individuals was provided at one point and it was unclear where this information was drawn from.

Text was published in 2010 and the most recent citations are from 2011. The text did discuss temporally relevant examples such as current TV shows which would likely draw students in. I also appreciated the helpful information about how to evaluate websites which is quite relevant given that students increasingly use and will use the internet to find information. However, this text references to outdated DSM and therefor much information (particularly related to the five axis system of diagnosis and that related to autism spectrum disorder) is outdated.

Text was written at an appropriate reading level of college students and avoided the overuse of technical jargon. The writing style and reading level of this text would be accessible to most first year college students.

The text was consistent in its presentation of information regarding formatting, depth, and use of real life and research related examples.

Text was broken up into easily readable sections. Also, chapters are an appropriate length and are broken into reasonable length modules.

The text was missing a table of contents and index (in the PDF version) which made it difficult to quickly review the flow of the book or where to find information. The broad based introductions to chapters were inviting and provided an easy way to ease into a new topic area. Information flowed logically regarding the order of the topics across chapters.

Sometimes key words were italicized and sometimes phrases were - text would have benefited from a consistent use of bolding to emphasize key terms. Some tables were somewhat lackluster whereas some were more engaging (i.e., different colors). Some figure headings were not close to the actual figure in the PDF version. Pictures would have made the text more engaging. There was also a missing figure at one point. There were references to video clips however it's unclear how to access them through the PDF version.

I found minimal grammar errors however, there were several typos (i.e., existence of unneeded text, missing spaces).

My largest critique of this text is in reference to the male and Euro-centric approach the material. This is seen through examples used and pictures (i.e., figures predominantly presented images of white, male bodies). There was very little discussion of the importance of oppression, discrimination, power, and privilege related to human behavior and research. There was little to no discussion of the historical impacts of psychologists of color or women psychologists. LGBTQ individuals were referred to as "homosexuals" which is outdated and offensive to many. This text would greatly benefit from more diversity in cultural examples and discussion of how human behavior is impacted by cultural identities.

Reviewed by Linda Lee, Assistant Professor, California Polytechnic State University on 7/15/14

I agree with other reviewers that while the book is concise and provides a good introduction to different domains of psychology the breadth and depth of discussion on certain topics (i.e. motivation) is lacking. I am a developmental psychologist in training and will therefore focus my comments on Chapter Six (Growing and Developing). In this chapter, the author provides a review of classic theories in developmental psychology (e.g. behaviorism, psychodynamic, Piaget's cognitive development) but fails to adress some of the more modern theories (e.g. Bronfenbrenner's bioecological model). The discussion of Vygtosky's sociohistorical theory also lacks depth. I feel that an inclusion of current criticisms (e.g. most pariticipants in developmental research are White) and progress in the field of development psychology (e.g. multidisciplinary in nature) helps to challenge students to go beyond the basic knowledge and think critically about issues in psychology.

The content is accurate and for the most part unbiased. However, as mentioned previously, the failure to include examples from a diverse cultural context and/or to use only examples from one particular cultural context can be misleading.

For the book to be relevant, examples must be up-to-date and meaningful to students. I find the many examples in this book interesting but from students' point of view, the examples may not be as appealing. For example, there are few examples of relevant issues such as the use of mobile devices or social media throughout the chapters. However, for instructors who adopt the book, I do see the updates relatively easy and straightforward to implement.

The written text is lucid and easy to understand. The flow from paragraph to paragraph is clear and intuitive.

The text is internally consistent.

The book is well organized and does not overwhelm the readers with enormous blocks of text. The key takeaways are useful for students to review important concepts in each section. The exercises and critical thinking are to some extent helpful to build on the concepts learned. I also like some of the opening vignette (e.g. the case of PTSD in Chapter 7). However, I also agree with other reviewers that the modularity lacks transition between chapters and can send the unintended message that the different disciplines in psychology are compartmentalized instead of intertwined.

The chapters are well organized. Depending on the discipline of the instructor who adopts the text, the order of the textbook can be moved around. The graphs, images, diagrams, and illustrations are helpful to clarify difficult concepts (e.g. IV and DV; assimilation vs. accommodation). Although the video clips are classics in any introduction to psychology courses and the inclusion of them a bonus, more recent video clips should be incorporated to improve the engagment of students.

Other than some minor inconsistencies in font size with printed PDF version of the text, the text is easy to navigate and features are helpful.

No grammatical errors.

The examples provided throughout the chapters are not culturally diverse and are therefore limited in their applicability. As previously mentioned, the introduction to Vygotsky's theory in Chapter Six (Growing and Developing) is brief and does not include a discussion on the cultural component of human development. The lack of emphasis on the cultural nature of human development is problematic especially in the United States when ethnic diversity is on the rise.

Reviewed by Jennifer Poole, Chair, Department of Psychology, Langara College on 10/9/13

Comprehensiveness rating: 3 see less

In the author's preface, he states that the typical length of introductory psychology textbooks serves as a detriment to student learning. Consistent with his concern, his text is not as comprehensive as others I have used to teach introductory psychology. Whereas a typical text in this area might include 16 to 18 chapters, his text has only 14 – specifically, it is missing a separate chapter on Stress, Health, and Coping (stress receives some coverage in Ch. 10 but other topics in that chapter on Emotion and Motivation are not covered as a result). Many of his chapters are also shorter in length and contain less content than the texts I would typically use. Some of the chapters combine topics (e.g., Ch. 9 - Intelligence and Language) that are often treated in separate chapters in other texts. I suspect that this text may have initially been designed for use in an American one-semester introduction to psychology course. In BC, introductory psychology is offered across two semesters, often as two separate courses (e.g., Psych 101 and Psych 102). Some missing topics include an introduction to inferential statistics (Ch. 2), an in-depth discussion of the application of psychological principles to the workforce, achievement motivation (Ch. 10), etc. The text contains a Table of Contents but no Index. Although the author states (in the Preface) that the text contains a marginal glossary of key terms, I could not find such a glossary. However, when I hover my cursor over a key term, a box with the key term's definition pops up.

For the most part, I found the content to be accurate, error-free, and unbiased. However, I took issue with Stangor's initial presentation of the "Science" of psychology (in Chapter 1). I found his use of Dr. Phil as an example of a psychologist to be misleading. Such an example seems to contradict the author's stated pedagogy of emphasizing psychology's empiricism and seems to feed student misconceptions about what psychology is. He also seems to mention Freud a lot (end of section 1.1, Ch. 5) – again, not a good example of the empirical aspect of psychology. Although Stangor presents criticisms of Freud's Psychodynamic theory in Chapter 11, he still overemphasizes this theory's contribution to the field and glosses over the major concern of lack of falsifiability. Also, PTSD seems to be over-represented in terms of problem behaviours (two of 12 chapter openers describe cases related to PTSD; PTSD is discussed in four chapters - 7,10, 12, and 13).

Relevance/Longevity rating: 2

Some of the content of this text is out-of-date. For example, in section 1.2, Stangor refers to APS as the American Psychological Society, as opposed to the Association of Psychological Science. The discussion on the DSM (and associated Figure 12.6, and Table 12.3) needs to be updated to the DSM-V (see also criteria for ADHD in box at beginning of Chapter 13). Also, whenever Stangor discusses the influence of nature and nurture, he tends to pit them against each other – the old "nature versus nurture" jargon (see Chapter 11 on Personality - is personality more nature or nurture?; Chapter 9 on Intelligence – is intelligence nature or nurture? ). A more contemporary viewpoint is "nature through nurture" which would be exemplified by the inclusion of a discussion on epigenetics. The text presents some recent research in the area of neuroscience – but it needs more, otherwise it risks becoming obsolete in the next few years. The text would also benefit from the inclusion of more research on the impact of technology on student behaviour (e.g., how/ why does the use of cell phones impact our driving?; are our personalities evident in our online spaces , like facebook?). If we want to show students why psychology matters, we need to present more research that is personally and contextually relevant to them (e.g., how does stress impact today's students?). Although I appreciated the attempt to insert appropriate videos and images, I found this book's screen display to be very text heavy and not very engaging. I currently use ebooks to teach my hybrid introductory psychology classes and I think the images used in those books are superior to Stangor's – the images occur more frequently throughout the text, and they are more colourful and in many cases, more relevant to the student lifestyle. Also, the ebooks I use tend to be more interactive – students can actually complete an exercise on a particular concept right after they have read about it by clicking on an icon in the ebook.

The text is well-written and easy to understand. Adequate context is provided when introducing new psychological concepts and explaining them. One exception is in the box on emotional intelligence at the end of section 9.1. The terms reliability and construct validity are used without being previously discussed or defined. They are defined later in Chapter 11.

The text is mostly internally consistent. Each chapter (with the exception of Chapters 1 and 2) begins with a "chapter opener" that describes an interesting case study. Learning objectives are presented at the beginning of each section of a chapter (alth

This text could easily be subdivided into smaller reading sections – instructors could assign particular sections within a chapter. Chapters could be assigned in any order to accommodate introductory psychology courses which are typically offered as two courses. However, I think this modularity comes at a price. Psychology is a discipline where there are recurring themes. I find the lack of delineated connection between chapters disconcerting.

The topics are presented in a logical, clear fashion. The one exception is the inclusion of a discussion of social dilemmas at the end of Chapter 7 on Learning. This discussion doesn't really fit with the rest of the chapter; a clear explanation of how/ why it fits into this chapter is missing.

The full reference for each citation in the text seems to be embedded in the body of the text throughout the whole book. I am not sure if this was some glitch in the formatting of the version of the text I downloaded but it was exceedingly disruptive to the flow of reading. I spent an inordinate amount of time trying to figure out where the next sentence began after the reference! Also the font in a number of the Figures is too small to read (for example, Fig. 1.5, 2.2, 3.17, 4.29, 5.9, 9.4, 10.4, 10.6, 10.8, 13.7, 14.9, 14.13, 14.15). There is an issue with the formatting of Table 5.1 (the latter part of the table is cut-off).

The text contained few grammatical errors - I think I only found two typos!

The text is fairly ethnocentric. It does not include any introduction to or discussion of the differences between individualistic and collectivist cultures. Although the author provides some research on ethnic and cultural differences (e.g., discussion of stereotype threat and ethnic differences on IQ test performance in Chapter 9, etc.), I think it would benefit from the inclusion of more research findings on cultural diversity, especially given the multicultural composition of our Canadian post-secondary institutions. The following are some examples of where the discussion of cultural differences could be expanded: i) How do cultural perceptions influence the onset and prognosis of psychological disorders? (Chapter 12) ii) In Chapter 9, the author states that "Intelligence is defined by the culture in which it exists," but there is no elaborative discussion on the meaning of intelligence in collectivist cultures. iii) At the end of Section 11.1, the author states that "there is evidence that the Big Five factors are not exactly the same across all cultures" but he doesn't elaborate on these differences. Such a statement seems to contradict an earlier observation that "Big Five dimensions seem to be cross-cultural, because the same five factors have been identified in participants in China, Japan, Italy, Hungary, Turkey, and many other countries." iv) Chapter 10 would benefit from the inclusion of a discussion on cross-cultural differences in the perception and expression of emotion, as well as cross-cultural differences/ similarities in happiness. For example, many argue that happiness is only important in societies that emphasize individualism. v) Likewise, Chapter 13 would benefit from an inclusion of the effect of culture on treatment outcomes. vi) Research presented on causal attributions in Chapter 14 is only true for individuals in individualistic cultures. What type of self-serving attributions do people from collectivist cultures make? What does cross-cultural research reveal about the fundamental attribution error?

This text is very American in content. No Canadian reviewers are listed. All American statistics would need to be replaced with Canadian ones (e.g., Table 12.1, Figure 13.2, etc.). Specifically, the section on ethics in Chapter 1 would need to be revised to be consistent with Canadian policies. The discussion of Bilingualism and Cognitive Development in Chapter 9 needs to be modified to include the Canadian example of French Immersion. The case at the beginning of Chapter 11 could be replaced with a Canadian twin example - there are many to choose from. Also, it would be nice to include some examples from our Aboriginal culture. This review originated in the BC Open Textbook Collection and is licensed under CC BY-ND.

Reviewed by Denise Iacobucci, Faculty, Camosun College on 10/9/13

When conducting this review I compared this text to four other introductory textbooks (Gerrig, Zimbardo, Desmarais, & Ivanco, 2010; Myers, 2013; Passer, Smith, Atkinson, Mitchell, & Muir, 2011; Schacter, Gilbert, & Wegner,2013). The Preface and Approach and Pedagogy sections of this text do a good job of declaring the focus on both human behaviour and empiricism and how this focus limits coverage of topics found in many other introductory textbooks. Limited coverage reduces number of chapters and chapter size. For example, it is customary to find an overview of all perspectives of psychology within the first chapter or two (ie. as in Myers, 2013; Passer, Smith, Atkinson, Mitchell, & Muir, 2011). Stangor provides a table (Table 1.3) of different areas of psychology in Chapter One, but does not review humanistic psychology, the biological/neuroscience perspective, and/or Gestalt Psychology as one might expect. Although humanistic psychology is covered in Chapter 11(Personality) on page 631 it comes much later in the text and is discussed in terms of personality theory development. Although Stangor on p. 23 in Chapter 1 comments on the growing number of women in psychology, he does not highlight historical contributions of women and other cultures (i.e., Margaret Washburn, Maime Phipps Clark) to the field of psychology. Similarly, in Chapter Six (Growing and Developing) there is less focus on gender development, aging well, and later adult development with no reference to systems theory/bioecological theory in development (i.e. Bronfenbrenner, 2004) (i.e., Gerrig, Zimbardo, Desmarais, & Ivanco, 2010). Generally, Stangor's text has limited coverage of health psychology, stress and well-being, motivation & achievement, and Canadian researchers. There is also limited discussion of cultural differences and similarities regarding topics and research throughout the text. On-line versions of the text as noted here http://www.saylor.org/courses/psych101/ have a nicely laid out Table of Contents, the printed version or pdf version does not. Including this in the printed copy would be helpful to students in order to navigate the material. Similarly, chapter summaries that include a list of key terms covered within a chapter have been very helpful to introductory psychology students. The insertion of key terms at the end of a chapter along with an addition of a glossary for terminology would make this text more accessible and easy to navigate.

The inclusion of video clips on concepts, research, and applicable stories enables students to see psychology as they read through each chapter online. This is an advantage over commercial texts; however, these links are not always easily accessible via the pdf, WORD, downloaded versions. The HTML zip file did have these links. Although this text has a moderate number of basic images to illustrate concepts throughout each chapter, these could be updated and increased in number to keep students engaged with the material. Many other commercial introductory texts have more realistic and colourful images to depict concepts throughout each chapter. For example, Chapter 7 (Learning) has four images including charts and graphs while other commercial introductory texts have 30 or more images on learning (i.e., Myers, 2013; Passer et al., 2011). Addition of pictures of researchers would also highlight the people contributing to psychological science. I noted some issues with image consistency within a chapter. For example, in Figure 3.6 – Cross-section of the brain is not very clear with the green space indicating the frontal lobe being very small. However, in Figure 3.10 frontal lobe location is more clear and consistent with other texts.

The lack of information on certain topics, such as epigenetics, gender development, work/achievement motivation, cultural perspectives in combination with the static vs. active phrasing of definitions can, at times, date this text. Stangor's definition of learning "the relatively permanent change in knowledge or behaviour that is the result of experience" (p. 348) is static when according to the definition offered by Myers (2013, p. 266) "the process of acquiring new and relatively enduring information or behaviours". The active/present tense phrasing of this definition, in my opinion, is more dynamic. Given the Houston Community College (2011)example of editing this text, updating this version by adding sections is possible.

The text is clear and easy to understand. For the topics covered, they are well explained.

The text is internally consistent in terms of terminology and framework. Stangor indicates in the Preface that each chapter has a "chapter opener" (p.8). This is not the case and I would add this feature to Chapters 1 and 2.

The modularity of this text lends itself well to updates and edits.

Generally, Chapters 1 through 10 flow well. My preference would be to move the social psychology chapter (Stangor's Chapter 14) to follow the personality chapter (Stangor Chapter 11), rather than having social psychology last in this text.

Although it is helpful to see italicized words in the body of the text, bolded words draw student's attention to the importance of these concepts. Adding a bolded type face along with a list at the end of the chapter would be helpful to introductory students. In the hard copy and downloaded pfd/Word copies I noted many that the Psychology in Everyday Life sections were written in a smaller font and subsequently not as easy to read. As noted in previously, not all video links worked when reviewing the text online – if information was provided about the source in the text it was easy to look this up and review these clips. As well, this online resource could have more interactive online exercises for students throughout the text. As noted in previous answers, diagrams and figures could be improved to provide more realistic images of biological components of psychology (i.e., the neuron, brain, synapse).

Grammatical errors did not stand out as I read for content, organization, consistency et cetera. I did note spacing issues between words a few times in the text. For example, on page 30 on my hardcopy and WORD document/pdf downloaded copies the words "ofevolutionary" required a space between the words, p. 310 "usinglongitudinal" and on p. 657 "Thesocial". These spacing issues between words seemed to be in the pdf, WORD and hard copies. Perhaps this comment is better suited in the interface answer.

For me, the text is culturally dated (ethnocentric) based on what is not discussed and some of the examples used in the text. Of the 12 chapters that have Chapter Openers, only 3 of these used examples from outside the United States. The other examples were from Canada and Australia. Highlighting research from psychologists in different countries and cultures would add to this text as would more discussion on cultural as context for behaviour. For example, Chapter 11, does not discuss in detail how collectivist cultures differ on personality research versus more individualistic cultures. Chapter 14 on group behaviour does not address how culture mediates group behaviour as discussed in many other commercial texts (i.e. Myers 2013, Gerrig et al, 2010). Today's students in British Columbia are from all over the world and I think this text could do a much better job of including cultural perspectives and examples within each chapter. Although Stangor mentions the importance of culture in Chapters, he does not extend the discussions on how & why culture is important to psychology theory and research. For example, in Chapter 12 - the social cultural influences provided are socioeconomic status, homelessness, abuse, and discrimination are all culturally specific. There is limited discussion on disorders unique to different cultures (i.e., phobias), disorders more predominantly found in certain cultures et cetera. The focus is on the American population. Commercial texts often cover the cultural variations in disorders (i.e. Gerrig et al, 2010). Based on the review I would recommend changing the White Ghost story in Chapter 1 and supplementing Canadian and more International examples in the Chapter Openers.

I believe it is important to provide an overview of all the major psychological perspectives in the first chapter or two. I would add those sections/content noted in answer to question 1 and 3 of this review. In particular additional content on student/worker motivation, health psychology and stress incorporating student examples would be useful. As noted in question 11 highlighting Canadian researchers Canadian researchers on topics discussed in text. As well, I think it would be helpful to create a student guide to the text as did Houston Community College (2011)or add student glossary, index of terms to the text. As well, the chapter summaries require more active reviews - such as multiple choice question review or something similar that has answers somewhere in the text or online where students can check their understanding of material. This review originated in the BC Open Textbook Collection and is licensed under CC BY-ND.

Chapter 1: Introducing Psychology
Chapter 2: Psychological Science
Chapter 3: Brains, Bodies, and Behavior
Chapter 4: Sensing and Perceiving
Chapter 5: States of Consciousness
Chapter 6: Growing and Developing
Chapter 7: Learning
Chapter 8: Remembering and Judging
Chapter 9: Intelligence and Language
Chapter 10: Emotions and Motivations
Chapter 11: Personality
Chapter 12: Defining Psychological Disorders
Chapter 13: Treating Psychological Disorders
Chapter 14: Psychology in Our Social Lives

Ancillary Material

About the book.

When you teach Introduction to Psychology, do you find it difficult — much harder than teaching classes in statistics or research methods? Do you easily give a lecture on the sympathetic nervous system, a lecture on Piaget, and a lecture on social cognition, but struggle with linking these topics together for the student? Do you feel like you are presenting a laundry list of research findings rather than an integrated set of principles and knowledge? Have you wondered how to ensure your course is relevant to your students? Introduction to Psychology utilizes the dual theme of behavior and empiricism to make psychology relevant to intro students. The author wrote this book to help students organize their thinking about psychology at a conceptual level. Five or ten years from now, he does not expect his students to remember the details of most of what he teaches them. However, he does hope that they will remember that psychology matters because it helps us understand behavior and that our knowledge of psychology is based on empirical study.

This book is designed to facilitate these learning outcomes, and he has used three techniques to help focus students on behavior:

Chapter Openers: Each chapter opens showcasing an interesting real world example of people who dealing with behavioral questions and who can use psychology to help them answer them. The opener is designed to draw the student into the chapter and create an interesting in learning about the topic.

Psychology in Everyday Life: Each chapter contains one or two features designed to link the principles from the chapter to real-world applications in business, environment, health, law, learning, and other relevant domains. For instance, the application in Chapter 7 on Development, ”What makes good parents“ applies the concepts of parenting styles in a mini-handbook about parenting, and the application in Chapter 3 is about the difficulties that left-handed people face performing everyday tasks in a right-handed world.

Research Foci: Introduction to Psychology emphasizes empiricism throughout, but without making it a distraction from the main story line. Each chapter presents two close-ups on research — well articulated and specific examples of research within the content area, each including a summary of the hypotheses, methods, results, and interpretations. This feature provides a continuous thread that reminds students of the importance of empirical research. The research foci also emphasize the fact that findings are not always predictable ahead of time (dispelling the myth of hindsight bias), and also help students understand how research really works. The author's focus on behavior and empiricism has produced, Introduction to Psychology, a text that is better organized, has fewer chapters, and is somewhat shorter than many of the leading books. Now, you don't have to believe us. Check the book out online or order your desk copy today.

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Psychology 102/Assessment/Essay

Chapter 1. Introducing Psychology

Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior . The word “psychology” comes from the Greek words “psyche,” meaning life , and “logos,” meaning explanation . Psychology is a popular major for students, a popular topic in the public media, and a part of our everyday lives. Television shows such as Dr. Phil feature psychologists who provide personal advice to those with personal or family difficulties. Crime dramas such as CSI , Lie to Me , and others feature the work of forensic psychologists who use psychological principles to help solve crimes. And many people have direct knowledge about psychology because they have visited psychologists, for instance, school counselors, family therapists, and religious, marriage, or bereavement counselors.

Because we are frequently exposed to the work of psychologists in our everyday lives, we all have an idea about what psychology is and what psychologists do. In many ways I am sure that your conceptions are correct. Psychologists do work in forensic fields, and they do provide counseling and therapy for people in distress. But there are hundreds of thousands of psychologists in the world, and most of them work in other places, doing work that you are probably not aware of.

Most psychologists work in research laboratories, hospitals, and other field settings where they study the behavior of humans and animals. For instance, my colleagues in the Psychology Department at the University of Maryland study such diverse topics as anxiety in children, the interpretation of dreams, the effects of caffeine on thinking, how birds recognize each other, how praying mantises hear, how people from different cultures react differently in negotiation, and the factors that lead people to engage in terrorism. Other psychologists study such topics as alcohol and drug addiction, memory, emotion, hypnosis, love, what makes people aggressive or helpful, and the psychologies of politics, prejudice, culture, and religion. Psychologists also work in schools and businesses, and they use a variety of methods, including observation, questionnaires, interviews, and laboratory studies, to help them understand behavior.

This chapter provides an introduction to the broad field of psychology and the many approaches that psychologists take to understanding human behavior. We will consider how psychologists conduct scientific research, with an overview of some of the most important approaches used and topics studied by psychologists, and also consider the variety of fields in which psychologists work and the careers that are available to people with psychology degrees. I expect that you may find that at least some of your preconceptions about psychology will be challenged and changed, and you will learn that psychology is a field that will provide you with new ways of thinking about your own thoughts, feelings, and actions.

This collage contains pictures of a man doing a handstand on a beach, a man playing guitar with two friends, two men having a conversation, two women smoking at a table, and two old men and a woman sitting on the side of a building.

Psychology is in part the study of behavior. Why do you think these people are behaving the way they are?

Dominic Alves - Café Smokers - CC BY 2.0; Daniela Vladimirova - Reservoir Dogs debate, 3 in the morning - CC BY 2.0; Kim Scarborough - Old Ladies - CC BY-SA 2.0; Pedro Ribeiro Simões - Playing Chess - CC BY 2.0; epSos .de - Young Teenagers Playing Guitar Band of Youth - CC BY 2.0; Marco Zanferrari - 1... - CC BY-SA 2.0; CC BY 2.0 Pedro Ribeiro Simões - Relaxing - CC BY 2.0. ↵

Introduction to Psychology Copyright © 2015 by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

388 Hot Psychology Essay Topics for 2024 & Writing Tips

Make yourself comfortable. We are now entering a free unique ideas zone.

Jokes aside, in 2024, nearly every other person took a psychology course. Today, in the New Ethics era, it is necessary to know the fundamentals of psychology, right?

Branches of Psychology. Behavioral, clinical, cognitive, social, child, cultural, developmental, sports.

We are not going to teach you psychology. Instead, in this article, you will find a compilation of the greatest topics that can be used in various ways.

First, the list is for those who seek psychology essay topics to write about. We offer a vast range of topics on psychology subdisciplines; you can use them right away or as inspiration.

Second, it might seem unobvious, but those who have no clue about psychology can use our text to familiarize themselves with the discipline’s subfields . Read our topics attentively, and maybe you will find the sphere of life.

In the end, you can find tips on writing a good psychology essay and excellent psychology speech topics.

Let’s not waste a minute. We are starting right now 🏁

📍 Definition
2️⃣0️⃣ Top 20 Topics
🧠 Topics by Subfields
💡 More Essay Topics
🧨 Writing Tips
🗣️ Speech Topics

📍 Essay on Psychology. Definition

A psychology essay is a primary type of research that does not require you to develop new practical solutions to existing issues. Therefore, it is all purely theoretical. If you are curious to explore the characteristics of a psychology essay, read the list below attentively.

An essay is mainly about expanding knowledge , not finding solutions.
There is no need to take active steps since this type of research is theoretical and analytical.
Experts usually use scientific methods to collect and analyze data when it is required.

Comparison of essay writing and reasearch paper writing.

During this research, some scientific methods preserve objectivity, which is essential for adding to the scientific knowledge base.
There may be challenges because making predictions and assumptions in psychology is difficult due to individual differences.

2️⃣0️⃣ Top 20 Psychology Argumentative Topics

Here are examples of psychology essay questions that might help you get an idea of what area you would like to work on:

Can a sleeping schedule influence your ability to associate memories with emotions?
A case study of brain processes: how does the brain deal with sign language?
How to explain the compulsive use of social media and the Internet by teenagers?
What is the most popular legal psychoactive substance?
How can one bad experience with a dish make people refuse to try it ever again?
What are the positive effects of a low-meats diet on thinking skills in later life?
Should mothers with depression choose touch patterns with their babies, such as breastfeeding?
How does the synchronization of brain hemispheres affect the way we hear?
The main reasons why economic growth in developing countries does not boost citizens’ happiness.
Why doesn’t secure and happy childhood guarantee good mental health?
How do social interactions help individuals with food or tobacco addictions handle their cravings?
How is brain activity different when we use simple and complex grammar?
Is trauma-focused psychotherapy the best approach to treating patients with PTSD?
Why do we value friendship the most only when we know it may be highly needed or useful?
What causes procrastination, and can meditation techniques help get rid of that harmful habit?
What is the male bias regarding autism spectrum disorder?
Can behavior be passed through generations?
What is the role of fear and tension in childbirth?
Why do we experience twitches in various body parts while sleeping ?
The adverse effects of arguments and disagreement on the individual’s mental well-being.

🧠 Behavioral Psychology Argumentative Essay Topics

Behavioral psychology studies focus on the connection between our minds and behavior. The specialists in this area are trying to figure out what causes us to act in specific ways. Moreover, they keep discovering behavior patterns that may help predict how humans will behave. This way, there are more chances for us to build better social communities.

Which typical human traits can also be found in socially active animals?
The Cognitive Behavioral Family Therapy Concept .
How do family relationships affect behavior patterns in kids in various human development stages?
The Role of Mental and Physical Health in Eating Disorders.
The art of love: are there any typical mating activities that humans exhibit when they try to win their love interests?
Behavior Influence on Attitudes in Social Psychology .
How do marketing companies use human behavior patterns for their benefit , and do we know about it?
The secrets of cults: how do they involve people, and how do their minds work inside the organization?
Hormones and Behavior Interaction .
How does being in large groups of people affect our behavior?
The process of our reaction to danger: can we choose to ignore the escape or fight instinct?
Cognitive Dissonance Effects on Attitudes and Behavior .
The elements of nonverbal communication can be understood in various countries around the world. How do these mechanisms work?

The only unniversal body signs are facial expressions - anger, happiness, sadness, disgust, surprise and fear.

What causes culture clash, and how do people of mixed cultures behave in the new social environment?
Functional Behavior Assessment and Intervention Plan .
What is the correlation between the individual’s behavior patterns and self-esteem?
Religion and psychology: how do our religious beliefs dictate our behavior?
The Use of Behavioral Therapy .
What are the most common signs of depression that can help you recognize it immediately?

Clinical Psychology Essay Topics

Clinical Psychology is related to all mental illnesses and abnormalities. It is a beneficial study for people who suffer from mental health issues, especially if they are chronic or severe. This field of psychology is quite challenging but extremely rewarding.

Clinical Psychology: History and Nature .
Childhood trauma: the most effective therapies for helping children with behavioral disorders.
Intelligence Testing in Clinical Psychology .
Drug abuse: how does it affect other family members , and how can they participate in the treatment?
What are the long-lasting effects of childhood trauma, and how late in life can they show up?
The Mozart Effect Debate and Clinical Psychology .
The health risks of clinical depression and the preventative measures that can be used.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder vs. Attention Deficit Disorder.
Depression Screening Tool in Acute Setting .
What are the impacts of the individual’s anxiety disorders on their daily and social life?
Media violence appearing in TV and video games and its influence on kids.
Moderate Depression Symptoms and Treatment .
Pros and cons of using online therapy from the client’s point of view.
Bipolar Disorder’s Causes and Treatment.
Major Depressive Disorder in a Child .
What issues can social pressure from peers cause in adolescent mental health?
The particular concerns for aging patients with the mental disorder of your choice.
Postpartum Depression Educational Program Results .
Websites promoting eating disorders and the ways people can overcome their influence.
How do approaches in diagnosis and treatment differ for the two chosen disorders?
Narcolepsy: Description and Treatment Options .
How are different types of therapy developed and their effectiveness checked?
The impact of social media addiction on people’s behavior.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in War Veterans .

Cognitive Psychology Essay Topics

Cognitive psychology is about studying human cognition and how it is correlated with learning and behavior. Therefore, anything that has to deal with information processing, memory, attention, or perception falls under cognitive psychology research. In case it all sounds interesting, you are welcome to check out the following topics in this area.

Are positive emotions a result of happiness, or do they contribute to this state?
Cognitive Theory: History, Strength, and Weaknesses .
How can we be sure that some long-term memories are real and not created by our imagination?
Business and psychology: what learning strategies and processes prevail in successful entrepreneurs?
What Is the Role of Language in Cognitive Psychology?
Cognitive psychology: is the process of maintaining a habit stronger than the one that creates it?
What is the role of visual stimulation and smells in the process of positive memory creation?
Cognitive Behavioral Counseling .
Cognitive psychology and the digital age: the changes of children’s attention spans.

Excessive visual stimuli weakens a child's developing imagination. It is essential to play imaginative games.

Human Cognitive Development .
The differences between the genders in the perception of death and anxieties related to it.
Psychology of conspiracy theories: what are the main differences between the cases occurring nationwide and in individuals?
Current Experiment of False Memory .
Advantages and Disadvantages of Electronic Education .
What are the mechanisms behind selective attention behavior in kids and adults?
Is there something that stops us from achieving goals physically after emotional motivation is gained?
Improving Your Short-Term Memory .
Being mature adults from the perspective of cognitive psychology: why do some of us stay kids forever?
The Relationship between Age and Second Language Acquisition.
The differences between children and adults using arguments in a discussion.
What is the process of cognitive shifting , and what is the psychology behind it?
The Application of Trans-Cranial Magnetic Stimulation to Improve Memory .

Educational Psychology Essay Topics

The educational psychology branch specializes in the factors that affect learning. Therefore, professionals in this field are particularly interested in how people gain new information and why academic achievement differs for everyone. Writing an essay on one of the following psychology essay questions may be especially useful for high school and college students who want to know more about effective and efficient learning skills!

What makes a meaningful message from a mentor helpful and easy to remember?
Stress as the Main Cause of Students’ Academic Failure .
The most effective methods of support for students with autism spectrum disorder implemented in schools.
The critical aspects of academic success in exchange students coming from different countries.
How do harsh parenting and the absence of discipline at home affect school students’ performance?
Self-Efficacy and Self-Concept of Students in the Process of Acquiring Skills and Knowledge .
Different learning methods and capabilities of college students with the same academic achievements.
Practical learning approaches : should students learn by heart or build concepts while perceiving new information?
Effects of Sleep on Academic Performance .
How do various forms of bullying influence the academic achievements of high school students?
Educational psychology and sports: what is the role of educational psychology in training school athletes?
Importance of Motor Learning for Human Development .
Personal attributes in the class: how does attention-seeking behavior impact a child’s performance in the group?
Educational psychology : the correlation between the parents and child’s perceptions of homework.
The feeling of boredom and burnout at the workplace of choice: the main reasons.
Adult Learning and Cognitive Field Theories in Nursing .
Should all school teachers be assessed by their students , and what would be the effects?
Do special workshops for anxiety and stress management help medical staff and lawyers?

77% of respondents have experienced burnout at the current workplace.

Personality Psychology Argumentative Essay Topics

Personality is a fascinating topic in psychology. Specialists are interested in studying the individual’s way of thinking, typical acting, and feelings. Since personality is a pretty stable thing and usually does not change much with time, all the research in this area allows professionals to predict social behavior.

Self-Concept Development and Personality Evolution .
Is it true that people tend to pick their pets based on their personalities?
What is the correlation between personality type and the kind of preferred art?
The theory of Type A and Type B personalities : who is more successful?
The influence of personality type on the use of social media: extroverts vs. Facebook.
Personality Theory: Humanistic and Dispositional Methods .
Personality types in school: does lack of conscientiousness affect cheating rates?
Stress as a Psychological Factor of Physical Health .
Low and high self-esteem individuals: who is likely to be more competitive?
Certain personality traits that people who go into sports tend to develop.
Do people with the same personality types share their tastes in music, and why?
Birth order and personality of children : are firstborns more responsible than their younger siblings?
Dissociative Identity Disorder, Etiology, and Theories .
Marriage and personality psychology: do couples with similar personality traits tend to stay together longer?
What are the different personality assessment approaches, and what are the differences?
Prosocial behaviors and personality psychology: traits that are considered related to being selfless and heroic.
Managing Patients with Personality Disorders.
Different types of temperaments and their correlation with exhibiting creativeness.

Social Psychology Essay Topics

Social Psychology is the field of study that looks into people’s behavior within the social context. Therefore, it allows seeing how others influence our thoughts, beliefs, and feelings. There are many critical social issues in this area, and they cover stereotypes, discrimination, attribution theory, and others.

What is a halo effect , and what traits do we tend to assign to physically attractive people?
Social Psychology Theories: The Most Important and Useful Theories .
Social psychology and workplace: how does a halo effect influence our judgment during the hiring process?
Stereotypes about Physical Appearance – Gender Studies .
How does the way we dress affect the way people respond to us?
The changes in the attitude to the office workers wearing more casual outfits.
Sexual Minorities, Social Acceptance, and Mental Health .
Connecting with others online: does social networking help us spend more time with others in real life?
What is the correlation between the time spent online and time spent interacting in real life ?
The typical reaction of people who witness social norms being violated in your country.
Prejudice and Discrimination: Types and Causes .
Social psychology and marketing: what types of advertisements are the most effective nowadays?
Dependent Personality Disorder; Symptoms and Treatment.
What types of cognitive and persuasive techniques are typically applied in commercials?
Gender Inequality and Stereotypes in the Society .

What are the factors that affect people's ability to judge the facts and detect lies?

The factors that affect people’s ability to judge the facts and detect lies.
Forming Attitudes and Implicit Personal Biases Issues .
When nonverbal signals do not match verbal behavior, how do people react?
Intercultural Assumptions, Prejudices, and Viewpoints.
What are implicit attitudes , and why do they matter for our social behavior?
The surprising things about social behavior show that it is not as simple as we expected.
Cultural and Traditional Values’ Importance in Society .
How do social psychologists use neuroscience techniques to study stereotypes?
Application of social psychology in the study of conformity within behavioral finance research.

Cultural Psychology Essay Topics

Cultural psychology is all about how cultural practices and meanings affect us as humans. This study involves many specialists from other fields, such as linguists, anthropologists, and even philosophers. The main difference between cultural psychology and other branches is that the theories developed within it are considered very variable depending on the culture.

Family, Cultural Legacies and Identity Formation .
What are the relationships of cultural psychology with other subfields, and how are they different?
How are certain emotions interpreted differently in the chosen cultures from around the world?
Do start-ups and new businesses in big cities use cultural differences for their benefit?
Hispanic Population: Culturally Competent Care Delivery
How do specific local verbal and nonverbal insults spread and become internationally recognized ?
Can you use the same persuasion methods in different cultures, and why do they work or fail?
Gender Inequality: Cultural or Psychological Issue?
Why do some social media vary in popularity in different cultures, and what does it say about people’s personalities?
Socio-Cultural Contributions to Gender Roles .
What are collectivistic cultures , and how interdependent are people living in them?
Emotional disorders associated with cultural disintegration and the most common symptoms to notice.
Refugees and Socio-Cultural Barriers in Health Care .
How do cultural elements such as typical family traditions affect children from the early stages of development?

Family traditions help form stronger bonds.

Ethnocentrism and cultural biases as common yet harmful to mental health occurrences in countries with multiple ethnic minorities.
How do specific institutional structures in multicultural counties help people adapt faster and avoid cultural shock ?
Intercultural Relationship and Communication.
Distinct cultural factors included in treating culture-bound disorders in a particular ethnocultural group.
Food Anthropology as the Study of Food in Diverse Cultures .

💡 More Amazing Psychology Essay Topics

Cross-cultural psychology essay questions.

Cross-cultural psychology is quite similar to the cultural sub-field. However, there are some differences. Instead of focusing on one culture at a time, the cross-cultural study juxtaposes and analyses the behaviors of people who grew up in distinct cultures. At the same time, it may be hard to distinguish them since this definition fits both areas.

How can the study of cross-cultural psychology help people around the world to solve universal education challenges?
Cross-cultural Differences and Interactions; Overview Essay.
Why are cultural patterns such as individualism and collectivism the focus of psychology now?
The applications of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions in optimizing the work of multicultural corporations.
Cross-Cultural Communication and Barriers .
Counseling and cross-cultural psychology: why is it vital for counselors to have multicultural competence?
What are the main issues of the five-factor model of personality , and is it a universal structure?
Cross-Cultural Psychology: Definition and Elements .

The crucial differences between treating negative emotions in American and Asian cultures.
Multicultural Competence and Cultural Identity .
Subjective well-being and cross-cultural psychology: how do people evaluate their life satisfaction in different countries?
Conflict management from a cross-cultural psychology perspective: why can the Japanese be considered the most skilled in resolving group conflicts?
The importance of gender roles across cultures and how do cultures shape the behavior of males and females?
What Are the Effects of Cross-Culture Communication in the Context of Chinese Culture?
Cultural environment as one of the main factors affecting child development in countries with active war zones.
Emerging Issues in Multicultural Psychology .
Cultural priming approach as the way to look into self-concept in bi-culture.

Media Psychology Topics

As more and more new technologies appear, the need to understand how we interact with them is also rising. It seems to be the main focus of media psychology . Even though this branch is relatively new, its relevance is on the top since most of the world’s population has contact with media and technology.

How is the study of media psychology used in creating engaging and compelling content?
Issues of Portraying Women in Advertisements and Media as Weak and Fragile.
The influence of various media on the development of interpersonal conflicts within social groups.
Media Psychology and marketing : how are some psychology approaches used to create a compelling brand story?
Why is it so essential to create the correct content on the right platform for a target audience?
Positive and Negative Effects of the Internet and Social Media Technology Use on the Family.
The phenomenon of emotional contagion showing in regular Instagram users and its effects on subjective well-being.
How serious is the issue of self-objectification among the youth and its relation to posting selfies?
The Representation of African Americans in Modern Media .
Media psychology and addictions: the influence of social media usage on alcohol consumption in adolescents.
The feelings of being rejected and ignored aggravated by a decrease in popularity on social media.
Media psychology: what tricks do food advertising campaigns use to trigger people to buy more and overeat?
What Is the Impact of Media Violence on the Social Behavior?
Promoting self-expression: what are the effects of the excessive spread of personalization on mental health?
Do media promote multi-tasking, and how does it influence our lives from psychology perspective?
Social Media Effect on Identity Construction .

Social Media Psychology Essay Topics

There is another subfield of psychology that deals with media, but this one is narrowed down to the influence of social networks on people. The development of new technology and social media has brought us broad opportunities to learn and connect with each other. However, there is also the other side of the coin, which disturbs psychologists quite a lot.

What makes a person write a post on social media but delete it before even publishing it?
How Does the Level of Students’ Concentration Correlate with Active Social Media Use?
Contagious behavior and social media psychology: do emotions published online spread the same way as offline?
How long does it take for a stranger to draw conclusions about you from your profile picture?
Social Media Usage and Impact on Society
The correlation between personality type and particular posting in social media.
How does sharing something on social media make us feel more worthy and connected?
How Does Social Media Use in the Corporate Space Affect the Relationship between Job Seekers, Employees, and Organizations Alike?
Why does content that triggers strong emotions tend to be shared more often?
Addiction to talking about ourselves leads to posting most of the content related to our direct experiences.
What is the correlation between the age of users and the average time spent on social media per day?
Abuse or opportunities: how are social media related to people’s reward systems from the point of view of psychology?
Violence in Social Media and Its Impact on Society .
What are the adverse effects of online social exclusion on the development of children and teens?
What Are the Positive Aspects of Teenage Use of Social Media?
Do people consider their physical and mental security when sharing content on social media?
Do children from the younger generations feel like their identities are being shattered by social media usage?
Social Media Addiction and Self-Esteem .
Is the fear of missing out one of the symptoms of social media addiction?

Sports Psychology Essay Topics

If other branches study how our environment influences our feelings and emotions, sports psychology mainly focuses on the opposite. Specialists learn how psychological aspects might affect athletes’ performance. Even though some of them are interested in showing how sports can improve our well-being, professional psychological help for athletes is getting more and more in demand.

Achievement Motivation Theory in Sports Psychology .
Does the approach of persuading oneself to succeed work for team sports players?
Sports Psychologist: Working With Athletes .
Giving an additional option that allows the athletes to quit is a way to help them work harder.
Sports Team Participation and Academic Performance of Students.
Sport psychology in the field: what are the different coaches’ methods of motivating athletes ?
The psychology of successful athletes : why is being mentally tough so important?
How does aging influence the mental state of professional athletes, and what might help them?
Does Participation in Youth Sports Play a Role in Character Formation?
Why do some athletes forget about the importance of balance in sports, and what does it cost them?
Using the help of Steve Jobs’ most famous quotes in motivating athletes.

If today were the last day of your life, would you want to do what you are about to do today? (Steve Jobs)

Why do accomplished athletes not plan ahead, and how do they still achieve their goals?
Teaching and Coaching Techniques Used by Coaches for Effective Athlete Behavior Management.
Addiction in sports psychology: how to tell that you are addicted to exercise and recover?
The difference between elite athletes and the rest from the perspective of sports psychology.
Sport Psychology: Biases and Influence of External Rewards .

Funny Psychology Argumentative Essay Topics

In case you do not intend to write a thesis in psychology, you might as well have some fun. Some topics for your psychology argumentative essay don’t make any sense but are still worth researching!

Why does it seem like food tastes better when someone else cooks it ?
Are there any legit psychological reasons why people want to squeeze anything cute?
Optimism in Building a Romantic Relationship .
Familiar smells and depression: the scent of your grandmother’s house and cooking as the way to treat a bad mood.
What do the differences between book-carrying styles in men and women reveal?
Laughter and Humor in Therapeutic Application .
The list of reasons why our brains make us lazy which are supported by psychology.
Our brains are not programmed to believe that long-term goals are important as the reason why we fail.
Why Hollywood Still Has a Great Cultural Influence ?
The theory of contagiousness of yawns and the ways it helps people connect and bond.
Why do we care more about the problems of an individual than about mass tragedies?
Do Chimpanzees Really Have a Culture?
How do we hold hands : what is the psychology behind men having the uppermost hand while holding hands with their partner?
Memory and psychology: why do we remember the intro and the end of the speech but not the central part?
Human and Animal Language .
The effect of believing you are excellent at multi-tasking while your brain says the opposite.
What is the optimism bias , and why do we keep believing that the future is bright?
Service Dogs and Emotional Support .

🧨 Tips for Writing a Good Psychology Essay

Let’s now take a little pause and look at some essential advice we want to give you about psychology essay topics.

It is not that hard to write an impressive essay on a psychology topic if you know our tips and tricks . Even though the rules for academic writing are generally the same, this type requires additional attention to some aspects.

Here is what you need to know to get the most effective results:

Narrow down the topic. Never pick a too general topic; most likely, it won’t be as relevant and exciting as the narrowed one.

Zimbardo’s Stanford prison experiment
How has the Stanford experiment changed the understanding of human behavior when it is under situational pressure?

Follow the structure. If you want to be coherent and sensible, follow the standard sequence of the essay structure. There should always be an introduction, main body, and conclusion .

Know your topic. Including a list of well-known and reliable sources can help you look more knowledgeable and respectable writer. Besides, it is a great chance to find and study even more information on the chosen psychology topic.

Double-check the facts. Even if it seems like a simple and well-known truth, every argument you make needs to be supported by relevant evidence from the literature of other reliable sources.

Authoritative sources:

Publicly accessible databases and documents
Recognized professional publications and experts of the field
Peer-reviewed publications and journals

Be specific . Try not to write generalized sentences and paragraphs. Going off the topic might cause the readers to lose interest and even your track of thought.

Pay attention to the quality of your writing. Proofreading and checking your grammar should be a significant step in your writing process.

Be mindful of the context. Some psychological aspects might be universal, but not all. It is always better to consider all the cultural, economic, and even superficial biological differences between people.

🗣️ Psychology Speech Topics

Psychology persuasive speech topics.

In general, while working on your persuasive speech, you need to remember a few things. First of all, it should sound trustworthy, so don’t forget to include reliable references. Then, it is good to use hook sentences to keep your audience in contact with your speech. And last but not least, just turn on your natural charisma. Your main goal is to make people agree with your opinion on some psychology topic!

The way our thoughts have a direct influence on our body by creating specific reactions in the cells.
Marketing used by IKEA and psychology: objects created or put together by ourselves as more valuable.
Physician-Assisted Suicide: Patient’s Right or Hippocratic Oath Violation?
The tendency to choose beach vacations when we need rest is the result of a psychological trigger.
What are the main reasons behind the spread of the hikikomori phenomenon in Japan?
Euthanasia Should Be Illegal Because of Its Harm .
A new reflex or mental disorder: why do we keep hearing our phones buzzing when they are not?
Depression treatment : therapy or medications, pros and cons of each method.
Juveniles Should Not Be Tried As Adults .
Media giants and psychology: how do social media use tricks to play our minds into keep using their network?
Why do we need to pay more attention to our mental health as the average levels of anxiety increase?
What Obligation Do We Have to Improve Ourselves?
Psychology of well-being : can people be trained to become more optimistic?
Long-term social isolation and its direct effects on our health.
Why should marijuana be legalized?
Teaching the basics of self-care in schools is the way to improve mental health in later life.
Hypnosis: Fake or Real?
Why is our brain the least helpful tool in judging fake facts on social media?
Implementing mandatory counseling as the way to deal with drug abuse in colleges.
Should People Have a Right to Own a Gun?
How can the excessive use of social media lead to eating disorders in adolescents ?
What is the psychology behind becoming a successful entrepreneur?
Parental Divorce Has Negative Effects on Children .

Psychology Informative Speech Topics

While preparing for an informative speech topic, you don’t have a goal to persuade anyone. Your main aim should be just to deliver information and leave all the opinions behind. At the same time, it is still essential to use reliable sources while preparing for an informative psychology speech if you want to stay a respectable professional in your field.

Is there a need to reevaluate the standard of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs ?

Maslow's hierarchy of needs describes how human needs are divided into levels.

What are the reasons for people to believe that adolescence is the most challenging stage of development?
Bipolar Disorder Overview and Analysis .
The way short-term and long-term memory works and how can our brains hijack it sometimes.?
Anxiety Disorders, Their Definition, and Treatment.
The most potent external stimuli can cause temporary shifts in our usual behavior patterns.
What is the importance of emotional intelligence , and why is it more valuable than other skills?
Human and Ethics Relations Analysis .
The most effective persuasion techniques successful speakers tend to use.
How does meditation work, and what are the most powerful tools it uses for relaxation?
Substance Abuse Problem Overview .
Mental Health Services in the United States.
Why do eliminating biological and environmental factors fail to treat severe depression?
What Are the Major Issues in Interracial Adoption?
Teaching intercultural non-verbal communication in schools is a way to prevent the appearance of cultural biases.
Modern Theories of Motivation in Psychology .
Why is the fear of public humiliation stronger than the fear of death for most of the population?
Is it true that violence appearing in video games has a negative influence on child development?
Storming Stage of Psychotherapeutic Group Development.
Psychology of subjective well-being: does making more money help people feel happier?
Why are the wealthiest and most successful people so interested in charity and donations?
Case Study Analysis: Individual Psychology .
The most effective methods to treat childhood trauma used by counselors in schools.
What type of change should people make in their lives to keep progressing as personalities?

Weird Persuasive Speech Topics about Psychology

You might think that you have seen all of it. However, you are mistaken! Some really weird psychology essay questions are hard to justify. Most of them are just theories, of course, and you might try your luck and find reasonable arguments to support them.

Is there any correlation between negative thoughts and the growth of facial hair ?
Detecting which eye drops the tear first is how you check if the person is happy or upset.
Are Art, Music, and Dance More Effective in Therapeutic Treatment ?
The length of your tongue and the ability to lick your elbow as the way to determine your sexual preferences .
Putting a question mark at the end of your daily affirmations will make them more motivational.
Divorce and Remarriage: Why Is It Important ?
Why do governments make us commit more crimes when they implement stricter laws and policies?
Why would people rather look forward to something terrible happening than not know what to expect?
Wasting Time With Strangers Online: For What Purpose and for Whose Benefit?
Baby fever is a phenomenon related to the scarcity sensitivity of our brains.
Why do people try to look for human faces on the wallpapers while sitting in the toilet?
Why Reality Shows Are So Popular ?
Intuition or brain stimulation: the feeling of being right despite the lack of solid proof and evidence.
The psychology behind the fear of happiness due to the anticipation of unfortunate events following.
Why Facts Don’t Change Our Minds ?
How do we know that the typical Internet troll can be either a psychopath or a narcissist?
Horsemeat Scandal in Professor Elliott’s Review .
The reasons you should see your psychologists if you think that a celebrity has a crush on you.

Child Psychology Speech Topics

As much as we would like to think that children are like tiny versions of adult humans, there are too many differences. It appears to be the exact aspect that specialists tend to study in child psychology . They look into all the psychological processes emerging and developing from infancy till adolescence.

What are the main reasons that may contribute to the child’s lack of sleep?
Gender Bias in Child Care and Child Health: Global Patterns .
Why is it more important to focus on teaching gratitude to children than encouraging grudges with punishment?
Time-out is the parenting technique that is not almighty: when should we use it?
Cognitive Abilities Development of Children and the Role of Communication.
Acknowledging the child’s feelings is the way to go over their emotional dependency.
The way that children process the reality of fears and the importance of parents’ support .
What Are the Traumatic and Positive Effects of Divorce on Children?
How to support and guide children the right way when they face footage of physical violence?
Siblings’ relationship and psychology: the influence of having fun with siblings on your sense of humor in adulthood.
Children’s Development and Domestic Violence .
What are the most correct and gentle ways to inform your child about a divorce?
Favorite toys and child psychology : when should parents start worrying about the strong attachment to comfort items?
Teaching children how to go through a challenge as a way to prepare them for school life.
How Does Playing Influence Children’s Development and Learning Skills?
The Role of the Father in the Child’s Life .
How to prevent your child from forming negative stereotypes resulting from your generalizations?
Why is it better to continue lying even though your children know the truth about Santa?
The Analysis of the School-Aged Children’ Needs .
The importance of normalizing children’s feelings and helping them to cope with death.

Speech Topics about Developmental Psychology

Developmental psychology studies how humans develop from the first seconds of their lives up until their final years. Therefore, it is quite a vast subject. You are welcome to get some inspiration from the speech topics on developmental psychology below.

Positive reinforcement strategy and developmental psychology: do tangible rewards work as a better motivation for students than social ones?
What are the effects of bullying from peers on students’ academic achievement?
Role Development in Professional Nursing Practice .
The correlation between the parenting styles and the level of child activity.
Developmental psychology and language: how does sign language influence the language acquisition process in infants?
Biopsychology: Attention and Perception Interactions .
Who are the laziest and the most productive children in the family – firstborns or their younger siblings?
Is it true that not skipping breakfast positively affects a child’s performance?
Child Observation with Piaget’s and Freud’s Development Theories .
The benefits and potential disadvantages of listening to music while doing homework for the student.
Infancy and Early Childhood Development .
Are children more motivated to eat healthy lunches if they are packed in a visually appealing way?
How do the explanations of the behavior alter with age: blaming internal aspects or external ones?
Erik Erikson’s Theories of Human Development.
The correlation between the level of self-efficacy and the state of memory in older adults.
Developmental psychology and adults: playing simple mental games and solving puzzles to keep cognitive skills working.
Emerging Adulthood: Cognitive Development .
What is the correlation between the limits of short-term memory and people’s age?
Child’s Language Development and Joint Attention .
Resilience and developmental psychology: when does it develop, and when is it better to start working on this ability?
The main internal and external factors that affect the changes of personality with time.
Classifications of Life-Span Development .
Do the mother’s mental health and stress levels influence the child’s cognitive development?

Interesting Psychology Topics

Are you struggling to find an engaging and thought-provoking essay topic for your psychology assignment? Look no further! Here are some topics that will spark your interest and provide many opportunities for in-depth exploration.

The role of empathy in building meaningful relationships.
The psychology of addiction and recovery.
“Digital detox” practices for managing screen time and mental well-being.
The psychology of procrastination and ways to overcome it.
The link between personality traits and career success.
The psychological effects of color and its influence on mood.
The effects of technology on cognitive abilities and attention span.
The psychology of love and different attachment styles.
The influence of online gaming on social skills and psychological resilience.
The psychology of conspiracy theories and their effects on individual and collective behavior.
The role of nostalgia in mental health and coping mechanisms.
The impact of urban noise pollution on stress levels and mental health.
How positive psychology fosters resilience and happiness.
The psychology of friendship and factors that influence close relationships.
Gender differences in cognitive abilities and decision making.

Psychology Presentation Topics

For your inspiration, we’ve collected intriguing presentation topics that delve into various aspects of psychology. Get ready to captivate your audience!

The relationship between childhood trauma and adult mental health.
The role of attachment theory in adult relationships.
The neurobiology behind substance abuse.
The influence of virtual reality on mental health.
The psychological effects of chronic stress on the body and mind.
The link between nutrition and mental health.
Effective study techniques and memory retention.
The impact of childhood poverty on cognitive development.
The psychological effects of chronic pain and illness.
Psychodynamic therapy in treating personality disorders.
The intersection of psychology and economics.
The psychological benefits of pet therapy and animal-assisted interventions.
The impact of meditation and mindfulness on brain function.
The relationship between emotional intelligence and success in the workplace.
The psychological impact of parental divorce on children and adolescents.

Wow! Did you read all of them?

Now. If you haven’t picked THE topic, you should have found a psychology subdiscipline that caught your attention.

Social psychology? Developmental psychology? Or clinical psychology?

Have some rest, read other articles on how to write a good psychology essay topic, and come back to our topics compilation.

And we are done here! Post any questions below in the comments section.

Good luck 🍀

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50 outstanding psychology paper topics

Sep 27, 2019 | psychology paper , Writing , Writing guide

Sometimes coming up with a good idea on which you can develop paper can be daunting. Anyone who wants to try the field of psychology will, at one point, be expected to write an essay or a research paper based on a specific topic. To develop psychology topics for your papers, you need to find inspiration because it can be one daunting task. Fortunately, many areas present potential and interesting psychology topics to talk about. However, before delving into the best psychology research paper topics that you can use it is good first to understand what a psychology paper is. It will give you the best idea of what to expect and how you can go about coming up with the best paper that will not only win you a good grade but also demonstrate your writing skills to the audience.

Understanding psychology papers

When dealing with psychology topics, your paper is supposed to di the following:

If you are handling psychology research papers topics, you will be telling a story it should have the beginning, the body, and the conclusion. When writing a psychology paper, it should read how you speak. One of the major mistakes that students make is to write in a high language because they are addressing their professor. Do not use fancy words because that will not earn you good grades. It will not even make you look smart; because that is what you are targeting.

There are certain standards of formality that have to be followed, meaning you are trying to communicate to the audience through your ideas. As such, you need to consider the following tips when dealing with any psychology topics:

Brainstorm for any psychology topic

You can think of many topics and write them down. This will help you to narrow your ideas based on the question that you are supposed to answer in your assignment. Come up with ideas that you can relate to. Sometimes your professor will provide you with ideas. This makes it easier for you to start researching the paper. Do not go for psychology topics that are too broad or too narrow to deal with; your idea needs to be reasonable and one for which you can find sources.

Develop your thesis statement

Whether you e writing a psychology essay or a psychology research paper, you must develop a thesis statement. This is the central theme of your work, and it should be much focused. It should try to answer the question of the research paper. Formulate a thesis statement that will be interesting. It should be a maximum of two sentences. Depending on the instructions provided, your thesis statement ought to come at the end of the introduction paragraph.

Formulate an outline

The way you discuss your psychology topics depends on how you have outlined your paper. The outline is a skeleton of your paper. It should be written in the flow that you want to put your ideas. You should start with your thesis statement, followed by the topic sentences that you will use in your work. Ensure that your outline is ad detailed as possible to make the writing process easier.

Start from the top

You need to think about the question of interest and start your psychology paper there. Your writing should be clear and coherent to the audience. The way you introduce your psychology research papers topics should be interesting enough to grab the attention of the audience.

Writing the body of your psychology papers

When handling interesting psychology topics to talk about, the paragraphs that you write must utilise topic sentences. Each topic sentence should relate to the central idea that you are discussing in your paper. You need to be very clear about what you are writing. The paragraphs should have supporting evidence that discusses the topic sentence. More so, your paragraphs need to connect. Simply put, you have to use transitional words that signal the closure of the discussion in one paragraph and the opening of a new one in the subsequent paragraph. This creates flow and helps the audience to follow your thought process. Psychology papers have to be as interesting as any other paper that you write.

Write in the manner that you speak

You should imagine that you are telling your ideas to someone, especially a layperson who is not an expert in the field of psychology. In other words, as you discuss your psychology topics, you should use a simple language. Write the way you would speak to your friend. Using too many technical words or jargons will not make your work easy to understand. If you want to accomplish the goal of your paper, ensure you use words that are not complex.

Sick to the length of the paper

Different psychology research papers topics will require different lengths. If it is a research paper, it will be a lengthy piece of writing as opposed to a psychology essay. You should make it as long as it is supposed to be and ensure you tell your story within that length. The story should be effective and full. Page limit or word count should not limit the way you discuss your interesting psychology topics to talk about. You can use too many words and say nothing, or use few words and say too much.

Try to equalise everything

When dealing with psychology topics, you can write a higher number of brief sentences as opposed to long sentences. In some cases, you might even mix the two as a better approach. However, you should not write long sentences such that you confuse the points that you are discussing. Ensure there is a balance between the two aspects. It makes you work look neat and easy to understand.

Use the APA style of formatting

When writing about cognitive psychology research topics or even essays in this field, you have to use the APA format. You need to master its guidelines, which, in the first instance, may seem daunting. Once you master those guidelines, whether you are handing an essay or a research paper, you will know the format to follow and write a very good paper. This enables even the professor to make a good judgement on the various quality of papers based on content. You cannot write any psychology paper in any other format except APA.

Now, dealing with psychology topics may not be as hard as getting an excellent one. You need to be very serious with the topics that you come up with in the field of psychology. This field is very broad, meaning you cannot cover it in a singe topic. You need to be very resourceful with the psychology research papers topics that you originate. You need to get those topics that you can handle and develop a good paper that will guarantee you good grades.

More so, you need to consider the guidelines that have been set by your instructor. Sometimes in a general psychology class, you might get that chance of choosing any psychology topics within the broad reaches of the field. During other times, like in an abnormal psychology course, you might be required to handle interesting psychology topics to talk about in a more specific way. You could be required to write a paper based on a subject in a psychological disorder. As such, you need to be sure that you can handle that area very well remember that the paper must follow the APA format .

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Focusing on a topic within a specific branch of psychology.

The best way to get good psychology topics is to select something narrow enough so that you can focus on the subject and discuss it exhaustively. However, it should not be too narrow such that it is hard to find sources

Since psychology is a broad field, you need to know the areas and topics that you can use to compose an excellent paper. Consider the following examples of topics for inspiration:

Cognitive psychology research paper topics

These examples of topics can help you to come up with a good paper. They include:

How autism affects the modern society
The best ways to recover memory loss
The influence of judgement in decision-making ability
How people can measure the attention span of children
Reasons why people encounter memories
The underlying factors that would cause a person to repress parts of their memory
The main factors that affect problem-solving abilities in children
The use of colour psychology in cognitive development studies
The impact of speech disorders in children’s life and their cognitive development
Can cognitive psychology experiments be used to measure the critical thinking ability

Developmental psychology research papers topics

In this area, you can discuss the following topics:

The role of the media in facilitating violence
How psychology development can be used to tackle bullying
The underlying factors of psychopathic behaviour in youth
Factors that help in creating violence in children
The place of gender roles in the modern society
Factors that increase the likelihood of child abuse
The psychological reasons as to why the ageing process exits
The fundamental ways of parenting that have cast a bad light in developmental psychology lately
How parental development influences child development
Factors that affect language learning and language learning capabilities

Social psychology research paper topics

Some of the interesting psychology topics to talk about include the following:

the major factors that can affect the social cognition within a family
the role of aggression and violence in social psychology
how family group’s behaviour affects children
the underlying causes of prejudice and discrimination
the major social influences on children today
What is the use of the bystander effect in social psychology today?
How to adjust t physical illness
How families can adjust to bereavement
How the society can adjust to physical disabilities
Some of the most harrowing learning challenges and how they influence the people in the workplace

Clinical psychology topics

You can explore the clinical psychology topics using the following inspiration:

The cognitive behavioural therapy practices for criminals
The effects of trauma on abusive situations and relationships
The factors that lead to eating disorders in adolescents
Cognitive-behavioural therapy practices for people suffering from depression
The best time to refrain from taking antidepressants
Using cognitive therapy to treat anxiety disorders and panic attacks
The best time to refrain from taking the ADHD medicine
cognitive behavioural therapies for addiction
the effects of insomnia in a clinical context
the best approach to cure agoraphobia

Abnormal psychology research paper topics

Some of the psychology research papers topics you can explore here include the following:

asexuality as a sexual orientation
why some people experience multiple personality effect
the narcissistic attitude in today’s world
factors that contribute to suicidal tendencies
the study of suicide in adolescents in the context of cognitive brain change
the rise of antisocial behaviour due to the advanced modern capitalism
mood conditions in children and adolescent
reasons that make phobias their characteristics a struggle to live with
What are some of the cases of being deviant?
Factors that contribute to the rise of anorexia in children

image 07 abnormal psychology research paper

The above psychology topics can serve as a good motivation to write an excellent paper. You can try to explore them or any other field of psychology that you think is good for you. You will not lack one of the above topics that you can use to formulate a good paper. More so, do not restrict you to the above list. Broaden your search for topics and ensure you come up with competent papers.

Psychology is a field that should be fascinating to anyone who considers themselves a conscious individual. If you want help with generating interesting psychology topics to talk about, you can contact us through our website. Our writers will help you with topic generation process. We also offer psychology paper writing services . If you wish, we can take care of your assignment. As of now, visit our page to see what we offer.

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140+ good argumentative essay topics psychology [updated], dr. wilson mn.

August 1, 2022
Essay Topics and Ideas , Samples

There are plenty of good argumentative essay topics on Psychology to choose from. Whatever you choose to write about, make sure you back up your claims with evidence and research. Here are just a few examples:

What You'll Learn

Argumentative Essay Topics Psychology

Discuss how eating disorders can make life hard for a young girl
Depression sets in as a result of so many reasons. Explain some of the causes of depression, highlighting how to deal with them effectively.
What brings about phobia?
What is a borderline personality disorder? Describe it, citing relevant examples
Explain how seasonal affective disorder affects individuals in society and cite some of the challenges that they go through
Discuss schizophrenia and how it affects those in the community who have to live with it
Antisocial personality disorder has been prevalent, especially with many people getting addicted to their computers and the internet. Discuss how this challenge can be solved
Profile cognitive behaviour therapy and discuss the challenges that are associated with this treatment
Describe the chronology of events in dreams, and cite the meaning and importance of each?
Is emotional intelligence as important as other forms of intelligence?
What method of communication is best for children?
Why is it that teenagers blame themselves and internal factors for negative events in their lives but as they age people blame external factors?
Do children grow up more mature and socialized if they have siblings?
Are certain addictions more serious than others?
Are children with ADHD being given too many drugs?
Should the court system be changed with regard to child custody cases in favor of the father equally to the mother?
Should attachment parenting be stopped?

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There are plenty of good argumentative essay topics on Psychology, Psychology essay prompts, Persuasive psychology topics, Psychology essay prompts, and Psychology persuasive Essay topics to choose from.

Argumentative Essay Topics Psychology and mental Health

The impact of social media on mental health.
The relationship between mental health and addiction.
The effects of trauma on mental health.
The connection between mental health and physical health.
The role of family and friends in supporting mental health.
The importance of self-care for maintaining mental health.
The impact of stress on mental health.
The link between mental health and chronic illness.
The relationship between mental health and work productivity.

You can also check out 150+ Top-Notch Argumentative Essay Topic Ideas

The psychological issues that we face today are more complex and multifaceted than ever before. And, as a result, there are a lot of great arguable topics in psychology. Here’s a list you can use;

Arguable topics in psychology

Should surrogacy be legalized or illegalized completely?
People belonging to the same sex should be allowed to marry anywhere in the world
Should the use of nuclear weapons be shunned by all countries once and for all?
Any company that test products on animals should be made to pay double the tax
Plastic surgery should be allowed for only accident victims
A professional actor cannot be a professional poker player at the same time
Outlawing of leather and fur made products
Teens should be able to use birth control pills when they need to
The church and the state should be made completely exclusive

Here are additional 60+ Top And Best Argumentative Essay Topics For Different Contexts

There is no shortage of ideas when it comes to writing a Persuasive essay on psychology. The key is to find a topic that is interesting to you and that you can make a strong case for. Here are some potential topics to get you started:

Persuasive psychology topics

How Sexual Perversion Develops
Socio-psychological typology
Possible Solutions To Death Anxiety
Seasonal Affective Disorder
Self-Mutilation
Social Pathology
Psychological features of adolescents with neurogenic anorexia.
Clinical manifestations of postpartum psychoses
The Early Symptoms Of Bipolar Disorder
Phobic disorders in a person with schizophrenia
How Psychological Issues Lead To Suicide
Diagnostics of sexual perversion
Sleepwalking disorder among young people
How can music serve as a form of therapy for mental health disorder?
The Characters Of A Typical Example Of A Person With Schizophrenia
Does a typical serial killer suffer from a psychological disorder?
Parapsychology and paranormal phenomenon
The Causes Of Mood Disorders
Investigating the causes of alternative reality
The interrelation of traumatic experience
Professional burnout as a particular form of professional destruction
The primary cause of abnormal brain development
Influence of advertising on people with mental pathology
The relationship between brain development and abnormal behaviors

Arguments in psychology

Gender identity disorder- The main controversy about gender disorder is about its treatment. Individuals wonder whether it is okay to allow people to define themselves if they feel their gender is mismatched or should they be encouraged to accept their physical gender.
Marriage Equality- Supporters of marriage equality argue that individuals who do not qualify for traditional marriage should still be given equal rights as traditional couples. However, those who oppose marriage equality argue that a recognized marriage is only between a man and a woman. Also, the marriage equality opponents view nontraditional romantic marriages a sin according to the Bible.
Homosexuality-
Childhood bipolar disorder- Diagnosing children with a disorder that is thought to occur in adults is psychologically controversial.
Child developmental factors- Child development has been debated over a long time.
Abortion- Supporters argue that pregnant women have the right to seek pregnancy termination because they are in control of their bodies. Other individuals believe that no one should have the right to access an abortion and they consider it murder.

Social psychology argumentative topics

How peer pressure affects behaviors.
What causes bullying?
Effects of negative reinforcement on behavior
How to handle grief.
Should therapists be in romantic relations with their clients?
Reconciliation after betrayal.
How culture cushions behavior.
The psychological effect of dealing with a terminal illness.
Causes Of Personality Disorders
Borderline Personality Disorder
Therapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder.
A psychotherapeutic approach in investing Antisocial Behavior
Bipolar Disorder
The Psychological Aspect Of Suicide
Treatment of anorexia nervosa
The cause of persistent hallucination

The good news is that there are plenty of great Psychology essay prompts topics for college students. The key is to pick a topic that is both interesting and informative. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Psychology essay prompts

Psychology and Its Importance for the Sports TeamFrom an early age, people compete and assert themselves. The development of various sports training methods is impossible without studying, on the one hand, the characteristic features, and sports activities, and, on the other, the personality of the athlete as a subject of this activity.
Social Influence Psychology Summarization- When one thinks of social influence, the usual type of example that readily comes to one’s mind is a direct attempt at persuasion, which is when one person deliberately tries to change another person’s behavior or attitude.
Cognitive Psychology Discussion: Long-Term Memory- In my life, the Biblical knowledge that I possess at the moment has come from various sources, including previous experiences. In my episodic memory, there are very illustrative cases of deviations from values promoted in the Bible.
Developmental Psychology: Nature or Nurture? There are six major questions that can be addressed in developmental psychology. One of the most interesting themes is the role of nature in the development of child psychology. The reason is that I was always excited about how some people are so good at some things.
The Psychology of Faith in False Sources – The information space during the pandemic contains conflicting and overabundant information about the coronavirus in various forms, from reports to YouTube commentary. Regardless of age, gender, or education, patients may come to believe in conspiracy theories and false data.
Qualitative And Quantitative Research Methods In Psychology – Introduction Psychologists use different research methods to study sex and relationships. These methods can be either quantitative or qualitative. Quantitative research may consist of surveys, self-report questionnaires, measurements, experimental studies, correlational designs, laboratory and ethological studies, psychometric scales, etc. Qualitative research gathers data through interviews, document and text analyses, observations.
The Documentary “Origins of Us”: Environmental Psychology – Watching the documentary “Origins of us” elicits the thought of where we have come from as a species. It is impossible to watch this documentary without wondering how our ancestors looked like millions of years ago.
Personality Psychology: Relation to Nursing Home Residents – What is personality psychology? For this presentation, I have decided to talk about personality psychology and describe it specifically in relation to nursing home residents. Therefore, it is first necessary to understand what personality psychology is, what it does, and how popular it is.
Cognitive Psychology: Processes of the Brain – The three main components of memory are sensory, short-term, and long-term memory. In this essay, I shall concentrate on how the information travels in the three components and on how the brain process this information.
Social Psychology: Race, Racism, and Discrimination – The fact that human beings belong to the same species is undoubted. Moreover, understanding race, racism, and discrimination are equally important, since the whole matter of race and racism revolves around the human ethnic background.
Mother Teresa’s Analysis in Humanistic Psychology – Mother Teresa was a missionary and nun in the Catholic Church, born in Albania, Macedonia, in 1910 to the family of Nikola and Dranafile Bojaxhiu. She became a teacher in India for more than 17 years before becoming the headmistress of Loreto convent, Calcutta, in 1944.
Health Psychology and Activists’ Views on Obesity – Among the latest common and serious health challenges that people face globally is obesity or overweight. It occurs not only in cities but also in rural areas, affecting people of all ages and social statuses.
Psychology: Sensation and Perception – Sensation and perception are distinct, interlinked, and complementary processes that enable people to interact with and interpret the world. The former denotes a sensory receptor’s stimulation resulting in the production of nerve impulses, which travel to the brain for subsequent interpretation as visual images, pain, touch, sound, or odor.
Educational Psychology in Teaching – The process of identity development in children can be supported in the school environment. Erikson’s perspective on the subject matter would pertain to his theory of the stages of psychosocial development.
Landmark Studies in Psychology and Ethical Concerns- In the execution of analysis, ethics applies to the proper rules of procedure. Persons have a legal duty to avoid damage to study participants. The landmark studies in psychology mentioned the episode of “Redefining the reality: the intellectual Implications of Modern Science” will be considered unethical in modern days.
Crime Explanation Using Biology and Psychology – Comprehensive explanations on the theory of Cesare Lombroso’s have been discussed indicating that criminals could be picked out and determined by their physique, attributes and appearance.
Psychodynamic Perspective of Psychology – In the past, people’s knowledge of psychology was limited to their visits to marriage counselors, religious leaders, family therapists, and traditional dispute handlers. Psychologists were considered to be those who resolved conflicts and offered guidance during distress.
Forensic Psychology and Criminal Profiling – Abstract Criminal profiling and forensic psychology have become vital tools in solving mysteries of crimes for many law enforcement agencies across the world. Criminal profiling employs psychology to access the minds of offenders, bringing them to justice.
How the Main Theoretical Perspectives in Psychology Explain Human Behavior -So far, there are several main theoretical perspectives that dominate in the field of psychology and that are being studied by scholars. In various ways, they all explain human behavior in particular conditions and situations, although this same behavior may be interpreted differently in these theories.
The Role of Psychology in Othering of Disability – The distinction of people as those related to a dominating group and others has been a subject of an ongoing discussion of sociology and psychology. As the contemporary world becomes more inclusive in terms of eliminating discrimination, the discussion of othering as a concept becomes particularly relevant.
Terrorists’ Motives: The Psychology of the Individual -Society today is threatened with organized terrorism that is perpetrated by various groups. Terrorists’ motives are influenced by individual psychology as well as the sociological impact of the group. The psychological make up of a person is the natural tendency to act in certain ways.

How do you think sexism and racism have changed since the 1950s?

Psychology persuasive Essay topics

Does body pain come from the mind?
What is behavioral therapy?
Can living standards lead to depression?
The latest development in the field of clinical psychology.
The role of watching video games on aggressive behaviors.
Does domestic violence lead to mental illness among victims?
Does stress lead to fast aging?
Triggers of psychopathic conducts among adolescents.
Underlying issues that produce serial killers.
Factors that increase the likelihood of child abuse.
Does money increase mental stability?
Do women suffer less from mental illness?

Psychology Persuasive Essay Topics

Multiple personality disorder.
Anorexia in children.
The connection between self-esteem and self-damaging behavior
The ethics behind the Stanford prison experiment
Teenage Suicide As A Form Of Psychological Disorder
The causes of recurrent depression
How Math Anxiety Is A Psychological Issue
The Diagnosis Of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Past life regression therapy
Self-mutilation for coping.
Features of hypochondriac and senestopathic disorders
The connection between temperament and the way adolescents incline towards deviant behavior
The causes of a surge in suicide rates.
How to control anxiety and depression.
Effects of drug abuse on mental health.
Clinical treatment of addictions.

There are plenty of good argumentative essay topics on Psychology, Psychology essay prompts, Persuasive psychology topics, Psychology essay prompts, and Psychology persuasive Essay topic s to choose from.

In addition we will highlight what you should include in your research paper introduction.

1. present your topic.

In simple terms, start by writing what your topic is about. We recommended that you start with the broad/general topic and narrow it down. It is also advisable to include a personal reference – if there is one. You should also include your insights, opinions, and personal views. If our topic has jargon that the reader may not be familiar with, make sure that you explain them briefly and clearly.

2. Provide background information or context

Of course, you have conducted plenty of research on your topic, and you are very familiar with it. You should provide appropriate and relevant information to your readers so that they can be able to understand what your topic is about. Focus on what the reader needs as far as the research paper goes. However, avoid giving too much information.

3. Define your reasoning

Your readers need to know how and why your research paper topic is relevant to them. Your topic should also be pertinent to your field and society. This is vital since it shows your research paper’s importance to the readers.

There are plenty of good argumentative essay topics on Psychology , Psychology essay prompts, and Persuasive psychology topics to choose from.

4. Highlight your thesis statement

The thesis statement usually comes at the end of the research paper’s introduction. It refers to the main point or main idea of your research paper. In other words, it highlights what your paper is about. A thesis statement is crucial since it sets the tone for the rest of the research paper. It should be clear, assertive, engaging, and easily understandable by all your readers.

5. Finalize with the outline

An outline is a paragraph of three or four sentences that details your research paper’s plan. An outline helps you organize your thoughts, ensure that there is nothing you are forgetting, and help your research paper’s information continuity.

Here are additional things you should know after selecting a Good Argumentative Essay Topics on Psychology

There are plenty of good argumentative essay topics on psychology, psychology essay prompts, and persuasive psychology topics to choose from.

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How to Make the Most of Intro Psychology

Intro psychology is jam-packed. here's how to make sure your time is well-spent..

Posted August 30, 2021 | Reviewed by Devon Frye

Introductory psychology and abnormal (clinical) psychology are different courses.
Introductory psychology covers a large number of topics, most very briefly.
Asking questions, identifying areas of interest, and learning about research can help students get the most out of introductory psychology.

So you just started intro psychology and are excitedly thinking, “I’m going to learn why people are crazy!” (Now don’t ever use that word again—ask your professor why.)

This Isn’t Abnormal/Clinical Psychology

High school AP psychology courses tend to be about half “abnormal” psychology (I prefer “clinical”) and half “all the other psychology stuff.” College intro psychology, however, is much different. In my experience, a majority of students come to class thinking they’re going to take a clinical class. They aren’t. That’s its own class that has intro psychology as a prerequisite. You’ll probably get a lesson on clinical/abnormal psychology in an intro psychology course, but you’ll also get so much more.

Psychology Covers So Much

You’ll figure this out if you look at the table of contents in your textbook. If you don’t do that, you’ll definitely figure it out by about the third or fourth week of class, when you’re like, “Hey! When do we get to talk about depression and schizophrenia?!” That usually comes at the end of most textbooks (in the abnormal/clinical psychology chapter, sometimes “psychological disorders” and “treatment” chapters) if not at the end of most classes (depending on how the instructor organizes class).

Intro to Psychology a Survey Class

I’ll never forget walking around campus and, as I passed an information table for a local university, I heard the person staffing the table say to a student, “Oh yeah, intro psych was hard! It covered so much .” It’s considered a “survey“ class for a reason.

Here’s how I explain survey classes: They cover a lot of information a little bit. In other words, you’ll cover about a billion and one topics and only scratch the surface of each topic… and there are about a billion more topics out there that you won’t have time to cover. You might think you studied neurons in depth, but just wait for a biopsychology course.

Survey classes are a great introduction to any discipline but they do come with their plusses and minuses. So, here’s some advice on how to get the most out of your intro psychology course:

Don’t Give Up/Just Wait

In a lot of introductory psychology courses, professors often say, “Don’t like the topic? Just wait! We’ll be moving on to a new one shortly.” That’s because, again, these classes cover a range of topics, but not in depth. So, don’t give up. Make it through that topic you hate, trying to understand why it’s important to the study of psychology, and then you’ll inevitably end up on a topic you love.

Identify Your Interests

Relatedly, in my opinion, there is nothing better than an intro psychology course to help identify and narrow down your interests, especially (but not only) if you are a psychology major. No idea what courses to take next semester? Pick a class based on a chapter/lesson that interested you (in intro psychology, most chapters or topics are full classes themselves). No idea what to specialize or concentrate in within the major? Again, what part of intro psychology was your favorite? What did you want to learn more about?

Participate in Research

If you attend a research university, you’ll likely be required to participate in a certain number of on-campus research studies, as a subject, for points (I was required to be a subject in at least ten on-campus studies). You may also be able to participate in on-campus studies for pay (it’s how I got my pizza money). Then, when you start reading, “Participants were 100 introductory psychology students at a large Midwestern university” in journal articles, you’ll think, “That might have been me!”

Even if you don’t attend a research university and you can’t head down to the basement of the psychology building to check out and participate in some studies, it’s still a good idea to become familiar with research. This will help you both in your research methods class (always a requirement) and in your future career .

Honestly, I never really “got” research until I participated in studies. So ask your professor. Those of us who teach at non-research institutions often enjoy finding ways for our students to become more involved in research… and we love talking about our own research (lucky you!).

Ask Questions

The more you engage with the material, the more you will learn, so don’t ever hesitate to ask questions. Of course, respect your professor’s lesson plans and time, but professors often appreciate cues and questions from students. We know you have a-billion-and-one concepts to learn and we want to help you get there. We also know, from our own journeys, that you’re probably at that overwhelming “Whoa! Psychology covers so much” point of your journey and, if I can speak for my fellow professors, most of us love nothing more than to help you find your way.

Asking questions may seem like an all-too-common and simple suggestion, but I can’t tell you just how many students hesitate to do so (we actually study this in social psychology). Chances are, if you have a question, someone else has that same question, too. Help out by being the person who actually asks it.

A Whole New World

This is the start of an exciting journey that just may change your educational path. If you’re not a psychology major, let me tell you, you may become one. In fact, I started out as an English major and changed to psychology during my first semester, while taking intro psychology. That class opened up a whole new world and I hope it does the same for you.

Ashley Maier teaches psychology at Los Angeles Valley College.

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88 Personality Psychology Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best personality psychology topic ideas & essay examples, 📌 simple & easy personality psychology essay titles, 🔍 good research topics about personality psychology, ❓ personality psychology research questions.

Personality Psychology: Cinderella’s Personality A lot of Cinderella time is spent working in the house, and she exhibits a high degree of submission. Cinderella behaviour is not linked to her personality but the immediate environment that she lives in.
The Psychology of Personality: Maya Angelou’s Case In this regard, the study of the life of Maya Angelou brings into sight different factors that contributed to her character and personality. We will write a custom essay specifically for you by our professional experts 808 writers online Learn More
Psychology: Birth Order and Personality For instance, Bleske-Rechek and Kelley used Big Five personality data to assess the effect of birth order on personality in the within-family and between-family contexts.
Psychology of Personality: Role Models I must admit that the CEO’s style of leadership, combined with the way he interacts with employees at a personal level, is what inspired me to change my personal behavior.
Social Psychology and Personality: Lessons Learnt Conformity can help one understand why it is expected in society not to be different and align one’s interests with those of the public.
Psychology and Personality: The Main Theories Freud proposed that the consciousness is divided into three elements known as the id, ego, and superego and that the relations and conflicts among these components created personality.
Personality Psychology Overview In light of this theory, the love and nurture which Potter received from his parents enabled him to develop a secure attachment and trust.
Personality and Psychology of the Motivation The fourth principle states that the degree to which rules on the procedure can be accessed and used to coordinate trust and dedication between partners is often dynamic so as to be compatible with the […]
The Concept of Personality in Psychology This could be because the topic of personality is complex, and more time was necessary for explanation by the lecturer. From my perspective, this is both the product and the producer of a weak personality.
The Theory of Personality Psychology During Depression The study concerns personality pathology, and the results of the treatment given to patients who are under depression, and how personalities may have adverse effects on the consequences of the cure.
Psychology: Leadership and Personality A leader has to be visionary and be able to articulate the wishes of the majority. A leader also has to transcend the individual barriers to decision-making and be able to articulate a vision that […]
Personality Psychology in the Workplace Human actions and behavior can well be understood if we are aware of the fact that the prism of the mind orders the experience of the situation.
Introduction to Psychology: Personality of an Architect Individuals with a high score in this dimension tend to be attentive to details and frequently engage in planning and scheduling activities.
Psychology of Personality, Work and Organizations One of the biggest distinctions between intelligence and personality is that the former is a cognitive process while the latter is non-cognitive.
Psychology of Work & Organisation and Personality In this paper, employee behaviors and performance at work will be discussed through the prism of the existing theories of intelligence and personality and other important aspects of organizational psychology.
Psychology: Retrospective Personality Analysis Human behavior and the development of personality traits has always puzzled psychology researchers and scholars: “The development of individual differences has always been a primary focus of psychological research, and it continues to be an […]
Personality Psychology: Theory, Techniques and Assessment The MBTI instrument is a tool, which is based on Jung’s theory and with the help of a series of questions can make a conclusion about a personality type the respondent has.
Personality Psychology: A Guide to Rational Living At the same time, this chapter supports the idea that extraversion is appropriate for the leadership of a group of people within the social set-up.
The Psychology of Personality: Counselling Process Therefore, in the session, I did ask her to state goals that she sought to achieve at the end of the counselling.
Pieces of the Personality Puzzle: Individual Psychology Theory It is essential to make sure that we understand the reasons of Toshimi and Martin’s actions. Being able to think strategically, both Martin and Toshimi understood that in the future they were to be successful.
Psychology of Personality: Theories This paper will explore the similarities and differences of pairs of these theories as well as my views on them. View of personality development These theories are important in establishing the forces that drive individuals.
Personality Tests in the Field of Psychology In addition to that, the test’s questions touch on various aspects of a person’s life thus analyzing their personality from different angles.
Analyzing the Personality Psychology Phenomenon
Character: Personality Psychology and School
Communication: Personality Psychology and Person
Convict: Personality Psychology and Valerie Coats Winston
Defensive Personality Study Through Personality Psychology Trait Theories
Definition and Related Theories of Personality Psychology
The Analysis of Developmental Psychology and Personality Psychology
The Importance of Personality Psychology
Psychological Factors Affecting Personality Development
How Conscientiousness and Its Sub Factors Affect Personality Psychology
Integrating Personality Psychology Into Economics
Personality Psychology and Stress Management Activities
How Background Shapes Personality Psychology
Motivation: Personality Psychology and Wireless Information
Music: Personality Psychology and Telescope Effect
The Relationship Between Personality Psychology and Body Language
The Importance of Personality in Psychology
Relations of Personality Psychology and Existentialism Relations
Analysis of Personality Psychology and Hans Eysenck ‘s Trait Theory
Overview of the Characteristics of Personality Psychology
Relations of Personality Psychology and Reciprocal Determinism
Shrek Analysis From the Point of View of Personality Psychology
The Relationships Between Personality Psychology and Social Life
A Comparison of the Main Approaches to Personality Psychology
The Reflection of Psychology: Three Aspects of Personality
Reciprocity and Trust: Personality Psychology Meets Behavioral Economics
Personality Psychology and Moderate Preference Relations
Japan: Personality Psychology and Attitude
The Definition and Determinants of Personality Psychology
The Two Different Tasks of Personality Psychology
Trait and Psychodynamic Theories of Personality Psychology
Vision: Personality Psychology and Introvert Sensing Feeling
Factors Influencing Personality Psychology
Personality as the Basis of Psychology
Paranormal: Personality Psychology and Carl Jung
Analysis of the Personality Psychology and Experimental Psychology Approaches
Personality Psychology: Sigmund Freud’s Psychoanalytic Theory
Relations of Personality Psychology and Rorschach Inkblot
Vygotsky’s Theory of Psychology: The Definition of Personality
Jungian Psychology Type Athletes: Carl Jung’s Theory Of Personality
What Is Personality Psychology and Why Is It Important?
What Does Personality Psychologist Do?
What Are the Factors Affecting Personality?
What Are the Stages of Personality Development?
What Are the Main Structures of Personality?
What Are the Types of Personality Psychology?
What Is the Main Source of Personality Psychology?
What Factors Determine Personality Psychology?
How Is Personality Psychology Developed?
What Affects Personality Psychology the Most?
What Are Characteristics of Personality Psychology?
What Is Structure of Personality?
Is There a Correlation Between Personality Type and the Tendency to Cheat According to Personality Psychology?
What Is the Integration of Personality Psychology Into the Economy?
What Are the Main Theories of Personality?
What Are the Main Tasks of Personality Psychology?
How Conscientiousness and Its Sub Factors Affect Personality Psychology?
What Are the Big Questions of Personality Psychology?
What Are the Main Influences on Personality Psychology?
What Are the Theories and Perspectives Involving Personality Psychology?
Is There a Connection Between Personality Types and Musical Tastes According to Personality Psychology?
How Does Temperament Relate to Creativity in Personality Psychology?
What Are the Components of Personality?
How Personality Develops and Changes Through Life According to Personality Psychology?
What Are the Basics of Personality?
How Personality Is Tested in Personality Psychology?
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5 Topics Covered in an Introduction To Psychology Course

Subjects studied in psychology 101.

Regardless of where the class is taught and the degree for which it is being taken, every introduction to psychology course essentially covers the same topics. It is a survey of all things psychology, from its development as an area of study to applications in education to research, statistics, and, of course, the study of human nature.

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If you’re set to enroll in an intro to psych course, the topics below are all but guaranteed to be on the course syllabus.

The History of Psychology

Among the psychological topics covered in an introductory psychology course will be how psychology developed as a discipline out of philosophy and natural sciences. You’ll learn about the early:

practitioners

This will include a look at such people as William James, author of the foundational The Principles of Psychology , which is one of the most important psychology texts ever written.

You’ll also learn about Sigmund Freud, whose theory of psychoanalysis is one of the most important to the practice of psychology. Ivan Pavlov, whose behavioral experiments opened the door to the scientific study of behavior will be studied as well.

Typically, humanistic psychology, including the work of Abraham Maslow and his hierarchy of needs, as well as cognitive psychology will also be discussed as part of the field’s history.

Other psychology topics might include the development of personality and intelligence tests, like the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Quotient. You’ll likely learn how genetics influence personality and how psychologists assess personality traits. You’ll learn about different treatments for mental illness, too, including some like lobotomies and electroconvulsive therapy that are highly controversial. More accepted treatments (i.e., lithium for bipolar disorder) for mental illness will also be reviewed.

Scientific Methods in Psychology

Once psychology began to move out of the realm of philosophy and into that of scientific research, the use of the scientific method became important in psychology research.

Introductory psychology students will probably learn the basics of designing a psychological research project. This might include basic instructions on how a researcher might formulate and test a hypothesis. This part of the course would also look at creating experimental and control groups – the former receives an experimental treatment and the latter which does not.

When devising experiments, the participants in the study are randomly assigned to the experimental and control conditions. This is done to minimize potential bias and ensure that the two groups are as similar as possible, save for the experimental condition being applied only to the experimental group.

Another significant portion of this line of study is statistics. Designing and implementing an experiment is just the first part. You must also collect and analyze data and interpret those results. Statistical procedures allow you to do this.

Psychological statistics is covered only in broad terms in an introductory psychology course. However, you will likely still learn about a wide range of statistical procedures like:

measures of central tendency
Chi squares

The Human Brain

As an article in Psychology Today explains, neuroscience may eventually eclipse psychology altogether or it may simply become another subfield. But it will generally always be one of the interesting psychology topics covered in an introductory course.

Again, the depth with which you will study the human brain will be fairly limited in scope in Psych 101 . You will likely learn about brain structures, like the different lobes, and what psychologists understand those brain structures to be associated with.

For example, the frontal lobe is responsible for a variety of tasks, from motor control to emotional regulation to language to personality characteristics. Psychologists understand this to be true due in large part to an injury sustained by a man named Phineas Gage.

Gage was a railroad worker who was severely injured when an explosion sent a metal rod through his head under his left cheekbone, behind his left eye, through his frontal lobe, and out the top of his head. Amazingly, he survived. In fact, he was able to walk and talk immediately after the accident.

But in the months after the accident, Gage’s personality reportedly changed. He went from being soft-spoken and mild-mannered to being unpredictable with a lack of self-control. His case was the first time that scientists were able to pinpoint personality as being controlled by the frontal lobe.

Sensation and Perception

Perspectives in Learning, Perception, and Cognition

Related to the study of the brain is the study of sensation and perception.

What we perceive in the world around us is based on our senses – sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. Furthermore, we have systems in the body that:

control balance
interpret pain
sense temperature
control body position and movement

The interplay between our senses and perception is extremely complex. We are constantly taking in sensory information and our brain is constantly processing that information. Beyond that, our brain then has to determine what to do with the information it receives.

For example, if pain receptors in your hand tell your brain that your hand is experiencing heat, your brain will send a signal to the appropriate muscles to move your hand away from the heat source. Of course, all this is done in a matter of milliseconds – and without you having to think about making any of it happen.

Usually, an exploration of sensation and perception will also include brief discussions of:

Subliminal messaging
Types of information processing

Course materials will enable you to develop a stronger understanding of physical systems within the human body – and how they influence human behavior.

Memory and Learning

Your intro to psychology course will also include a unit on memory and learning.

Like sensation and perception, these processes have physiological underpinnings yet can greatly influence one’s psychology. Early studies of memory and learning – from iconic figures in psychology like B.F. Skinner and Ivan Pavlov – helped form what would become known as behaviorism.

You will learn about two theories of learning that grew out of behaviorism. First is classical conditioning, which posits that behavior is the result of environmental stimuli. Pavlov, for example, discovered that a dog would begin to salivate before they were presented with food. In fact, salivation began when the people who fed them arrived in the room.

Pavlov hypothesized that he could elicit the same response with another stimulus. So, he began ringing a bell when the dogs were presented with their food. Eventually, he only rang the bell. The dogs did not get any food, yet they still salivated.

Skinner, on the other hand, devised a learning theory called operant conditioning. Rather than explaining learning as a result of environmental stimuli, Skinner believed that rewards and punishments could be used to condition certain behaviors to occur.

For example, when you tell a joke to your friends and they laugh, their laughter is positive reinforcement. This reinforcement will make it more likely that you’ll tell a joke again in the future. Behaviors can be made more likely by removing something unpleasant, too. This is called a negative reinforcer. If your professor tells you that anyone with an A in the class at the end of the semester can skip the final, your behavior of getting a good grade is reinforced by the removal of something unpleasant – the final test.

Operant conditioning also involves punishers. A positive punishment, like being yelled at by your parents, is added to a situation to make a behavior less likely. A negative punishment makes a behavior less likely to occur because something desirable has been removed, like a parent taking away their child’s cell phone for breaking curfew.

These few examples only scratch the surface of memory and learning. These are deeply complex – and highly interesting – topics that you’ll explore in introduction to psychology .

Psychological Theories and Perspective

Over the years, various psychological theories and perspectives have emerged to explain human behavior. These theories are as different as they are many.

Behaviorism is a learning theory that posits that behavior is acquired as the result of conditioning. Behaviorism was extremely popular in the early 20th century, and is still used by many psychologists today as a therapeutic approach to learning new behaviors.
Humanism focuses on the essential goodness of people. Its goal is to help people fulfill their potential. It is forward-thinking and does not focus on eliminating dysfunction as many other psychological theories do.
The Psychoanalytic approach emphasizes the importance of one’s unconscious and its influence over behavior. One’s past experiences have great control over how you behave today. Psychoanalysis helps people discover what’s in their unconscious mind, thus allowing them to address those past experiences and change their behavior for the better.
Cognitive theories zero in on things like one’s motivation, thinking, attention, and decision-making. Cognitive psychologists look specifically at how we acquire information, process it, store it, and use it.
Biological theories posit that behavior is the result of physical and biological processes. Biological psychologists examine the role of genetics, for example, in human behavior. They also explore how damage to certain parts of the brain results in changes in behavior.
The evolutionary perspective focuses on how evolution and physiological processes can account for certain behaviors. For example, this perspective might examine a specific human behavior, like mate selection, through the lens of its evolutionary purpose to the survival of the species.

These are just a few of the theories and perspectives you will learn about in an introductory psychology course. There are many other perspectives – both old and new – that offer vastly different explanations for human behavior.

Psychology Subfields

There are many different concentrations within the broader field of psychology. Some, like experimental psychology and clinical psychology, are much older than others. Newer disciplines are emerging, and additional specialties are being developed. More recent subfields include:

trauma psychology
international psychology
pediatric psychology

There is not time to delve deeply into any of these concentrations in an introductory course. But it will usually briefly examine some of the most common disciplines within this field.

For example, introductory courses typically offer an overview of:

Educational psychology
Psychotherapy
Forensic psychology
Developmental psychology
Physiological psychology
Gestalt psychology
Counseling psychology
Social psychology
Industrial and organizational psychology
Health psychology
Neuropsychology

Additionally, you will learn about:

psychopharmacology
quantitative and qualitative research methods
substance abuse

Psychological Disorders

Another topic covered in an introductory psychology course is psychological disorders. This might include a discussion of:

what is considered abnormal psychology
how disorders are diagnosed
how they are treated
how that diagnosis and treatment have changed over time

The disorders covered may include:

personality disorders
anxiety disorders
mood disorders

For example, you’ll learn about borderline personality disorder, antisocial personality disorder, and obsessive compulsive disorder. You’ll also get an introduction to generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, and phobias. Mood disorders like major depression and cyclothymia will be discussed.

There will also be a look at schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. These disorders are characterized by a person’s break from reality. They typically suffer from hallucinations, delusions, or both. In some cases, as with dissociative identity disorder, a person will have multiple distinct personalities.

The purpose of an introductory psychology course is to prepare psychology students for a full course of study in the topic and to give other students a good grounding in the basics of the field. The topics covered in an introductory psychology class give a sense of the history, scope, and methods used in the field, and the knowledge you will gain will help you further your education either in psychology or in another topic.

Sean Jackson

B.A. Social Studies Education | University of Wyoming

M.S. Counseling | University of Wyoming

B.S. Information Technology | University of Massachusetts

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50+ Research Topics for Psychology Papers
Topics of Psychology Research Related to Human Cognition. Some of the possible topics you might explore in this area include thinking, language, intelligence, and decision-making. Other ideas might include: Dreams. False memories. Attention. Perception.
629 Psychology Essay Topics & Examples
Psychology Essay Topics. From self-analysis and obedience to nonverbal communication and various mental disorders, most subjects may seem interrelated and reflective of each other. ... The body paragraphs between your introduction and conclusion, as per you outline, should each address a single theme, creating a unique, interflowing narrative.
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Controversial Psychology Essay Topics. The Ethics of using placebos in clinical trials. The Validity of repressed memories in Therapy. The controversy surrounding conversion therapy. The debate over the existence of multiple personality disorder. The controversy surrounding the use of medication to treat ADHD.
Unlocking the Mind: A Guide to Psychology Essay Topics
Structure your essay logically, with a strong introduction, body paragraphs that each make a point related to your thesis, and a conclusive summary that ties your findings back to the main ...
How to Write a Psychology Essay
Identify the subject of the essay and define the key terms. Highlight the major issues which "lie behind" the question. Let the reader know how you will focus your essay by identifying the main themes to be discussed. "Signpost" the essay's key argument, (and, if possible, how. this argument is structured).
A Guide for Writing in Psychology
A Guide for Writing in Psychology - 6 - - 7 - The Loyola Writing Center Introduction The following guide is designed to help psychology majors throughout their academic experience. The guide focuses on three of the main psychological papers: the psychological literature review, the article critique, and the classic research paper.
How to Write an Introduction for a Psychology Paper
At a Glance. Writing a great introduction can be a great foundation for the rest of your psychology paper. To create a strong intro: Research your topic. Outline your paper. Introduce your topic. Summarize the previous research. Present your hypothesis or main argument.
200+ Psychology Essay Topics for College Students
Cognitive psychology is a branch of science that deals with the human brain. The study tries to understand how the mind can process and execute different actions. For example, cognitive psychology deals with language use and acquisition, memory, creativity, perception, and critical thinking. Here are some of the best topics you can write about ...
Introduction to Psychology
Introduction to Psychology utilizes the dual theme of behavior and empiricism to make psychology relevant to intro students. The author wrote this book to help students organize their thinking about psychology at a conceptual level. ... This book cover most of the topics for the introduction to Psychology course. though the topic of stress ...
Introduction to psychology/Psy102/Assessment/Essay
Psychology 102 Essay Writing Guide. In theory, everything you need to know (including the marking criteria) about writing the Psychology 102 essay can be found in this guide! In practice, of course, that may or may not be true. So, if you can't find what you want, post to the Essay discussion forum. Also see the essay section on Moodle.
PDF Psychology 1: Introduction to Psychological Science Spring 2021 Harvard
Course Description (official): An introduction to psychology, including foundational concepts about the brain, evolution, genetics, and computation, and specific topics including perception, memory, imagery, consciousness, concepts, reasoning, language, development, emotion, social ... Late papers: Ordinarily, mini-assignments that are late ...
100 Great Psychology Research Paper Topics With Research Links
What is the difference between Alzheimer's and mental illness? 2. How can mental illness change as a person ages? 3. Does mental illness cause dementia? 4. What is the best treatment for older people with mental illness and dementia? 5. Can you distinguish between symptoms of dementia and other mental illnesses?
How to Write a Psychology Essay
THE STRUCTURE. The most common way of structuring an essay is to base it around three parts — an introduction, main body, and conclusion. I suggest that you stick that structure! It works well, and is also what a marker will be expecting to see. At the same time, you should remember that this structure is only a foundation.
Chapter 1. Introducing Psychology
Chapter 1. Introducing Psychology. Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. The word "psychology" comes from the Greek words "psyche," meaning life, and "logos," meaning explanation. Psychology is a popular major for students, a popular topic in the public media, and a part of our everyday lives.
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388 Hot Psychology Essay Topics for 2024 & Writing Tips. UPD: Feb 16th, 2024. 151,723. 10. Our Experts. can deliver a custom essay. for a mere 11.00 9.35/page 304 qualified. specialists online Learn more. Make yourself comfortable.
50 Outstanding Psychology Paper Topics
Abnormal psychology research paper topics. Some of the psychology research papers topics you can explore here include the following: asexuality as a sexual orientation. why some people experience multiple personality effect. the narcissistic attitude in today's world. factors that contribute to suicidal tendencies.
Selecting content for introductory psychology: Recommendations from the
Instructors can take solace in the newly proposed recommendations for teaching introductory psychology coming out of the APA Introductory Psychology Initiative (APA IPI n.d., Gurung and Neufeld, 2021). Most importantly, the recommendations move the onus from content to key themes in psychology.
140+ Good Argumentative Essay Topics Psychology [Updated]
Bipolar Disorder. The Psychological Aspect Of Suicide. Treatment of anorexia nervosa. The cause of persistent hallucination. The good news is that there are plenty of great Psychology essay prompts topics for college students. The key is to pick a topic that is both interesting and informative.
How to Make the Most of Intro Psychology
Introductory psychology covers a large number of topics, most very briefly. Asking questions, identifying areas of interest, and learning about research can help students get the most out of ...
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The cognitive theory has been found to be a blend of the human and behavioral theories. Past research shows that the origin of cognitive psychology is in the behavior of a human being. From birth to about the age of two years, a child goes through the sensorimotor phase of development.
88 Personality Psychology Essay Topic Ideas & Examples
Social Psychology and Personality: Lessons Learnt. Conformity can help one understand why it is expected in society not to be different and align one's interests with those of the public. Psychology and Personality: The Main Theories. Freud proposed that the consciousness is divided into three elements known as the id, ego, and superego and ...
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5 Topics Covered in an Introduction To Psychology Course
The topics covered in an introductory psychology class give a sense of the history, scope, and methods used in the field, and the knowledge you will gain will help you further your education either in psychology or in another topic. Sean Jackson. B.A. Social Studies Education | University of Wyoming. M.S. Counseling | University of Wyoming

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Identify Your Interests

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Do Some Preliminary Research

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Components of a Good Essay

Knowledge and Understanding

Critical Evaluation

Methodological evaluation of research

Compare or contrast different theories

Debates or perspectives

What are the ethical issues of the research?

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Animal Research

The PEC System

For Example

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Referencing

How to Write an Introduction for a Psychology Paper

At a Glance

Before You Write an Introduction

Research Your Topic

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