UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS

COLLEGE OF TOURISM and HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT

Course number and title PSY 1: GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY

Course description A three-unit course which deals with the fundamental concepts
and principles in the study of physiological foundation of
behaviour, human development, sensation, perception,
learning, emotion, motivation, and personality.

Course objectives At the end of the semester, the students will be able to:
1. discuss the foundations of psychology as a science, its
nature, goals, methods and field.
2. identify the parts and functions of the physiological
basis of behaviour.
3. explain the significance of human behaviour in the
process of development.
4. illustrate the mechanisms involved in sensation and
perception
5. relate the influence of learning, motives, emotions and
personality on human behavior.

Course outline:

I. Introduction to the Science of Psychology (6 hours)

A. Goals of Psychology
B. History
C. Modern approaches
D. Schools of Psychology
E. Other branches of Psychology
F. Methods of Psychology

II. Physiological Bases of Behaviour (6 hours)

A. Nervous System
B. Endocrine System

III. Human Development (6 hours)

A. Concepts and Principles of Development
B. Prenatal Period
C. Infancy
D. Childhood
E. Adolescence
F. Adulthood
G. Old Age

IV. Sensation (4.5 hours)

A. Vision
B. Audition
C. Touch
D. Chemical senses
E. Other senses
V. Perception (4.5 hours)
A. Sensation vs Perception
B. Perceptual threshold
C. Organizational rules
D. Perceptual constancy
E. Depth perception
F. Illusion

VI. Motivation (3 hours)

A. Instinct theory
B. Drive-reduction theory
C. Incentive theory
D. Cognitive theory
E. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

VII. Emotion (3 hours)

A. Universal facial expressions
B. James-Lange Theory
C. Facial Feedback Theory
D. Cognitive Appraisal Theory
E. Affective-Primacy Theory

VIII. Learning and Memory (6 hours)

A. Types of Memories
B. Pavlov’s Classical Conditioning
C. Skinner’s Operant Conditioning
D. Bandura’s Social Learning Theory

IX. Personality and Social Influence (12 hours)

A. Freud’s Psychodynamic Theory
B. Jung’s Analytic Psychology
C. Adler’s Individual Psychology
D. Allport’s Trait Theory
E. Roger’s Actualizing Tendency
F. The Filipino Personality

X. Health, Stress and Coping (3 hours)

A. Appraisal
B. Physiological responses
C. Stressors
D. Coping
E. Stress management

General Psychology 2
Grading system: Reporting, Recitation, Quizzes and Assignments (60%)
Preliminary and Final Examinations (40%)

Reference books:

Ciccarelli, S. & Meyer, G. (2006). Psychology. NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.

Coon, D. (2003). Essentials of Psychology. (9th ed.). CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning
Hinrichs, B. (2005). Psychology: The Essence of a Science. MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
Lahey, B. (2002). Essentials of Psychology. NY: McGrawHill
Nevid, J. (2007). Psychology: Concepts and Application. (2nd ed.). NY: Houghton Mifflin Company
Pinel, J. (2000). Biopsychology. (4th ed.). USA: Allyn & Bacon.
Plotnik, R. (2005). Introduction to Psychology. (7th ed.). Ca: Wadsworth Publishing Company
Smith, E., Nolen-Hoeksema, S., Fredrickson, B. & Loftus, G. (2003). Atkinson & Hilgard’s Introduction to
Psychology. Singapore: Thomson Learning.
Teh, L. & Macapagal, E. (Eds.) (2007). General Psychology. Quezon City: The Ateneo De Manila
University Press

Prepared by: Ms. Marian M. Miguel

Date: June 2010

General Psychology 3