Introductory Psychology
Introductory Psychology Exam Info
The Introductory Psychology exam covers material that is usually taught in a one-semester undergraduate introductory course in psychology. It stresses basic facts, concepts, and generally accepted principles in history; approaches and methods of psychology; biological bases of behavior, sensation, and perception; states of consciousness; learning; cognition; motivation and emotion; personality; psychological disorders and treatment; social psychology; and statistics, tests, and measurements.
50Recommended Score for Credit
3Semester Hours
Knowledge and Skills Required
History, Approaches, and Methods11%
- History of psychology
- Approaches: biological, biopsychosocial, behavioral, cognitive, humanistic, and psychodynamic
- Research methods: experimental, clinical, and correlational
- Ethics in research
Biological Bases of Behavior8%
- Endocrine system
- Etiology
- Functional organization of the nervous system
- Genetics
- Neuroanatomy
- Physiological techniques
Sensation and Perception7%
- Attention
- Other senses: somesthesis, olfaction, gustation, and vestibular system
- Perceptual development
- Perceptual processes
- Receptor processes: vision and audition
- Sensory mechanisms: thresholds and adaptation
States of Consciousness5%
- Hypnosis and meditation
- Psychoactive drug effects
- Sleep and dreaming
Learning8%
- Biological bases
- Classical conditioning
- Cognitive process in learning
- Observational learning
- Operant conditioning
Cognition8%
- Intelligence and creativity
- Language
- Memory
- Thinking and problem solving
Motivation and Emotion5%
- Biological bases
- Hunger, thirst, sex, and pain
- Social motivation
- Theories of emotion
- Theories of motivation
Developmental Psychology Across the Lifespan8%
- Dimensions of development: physical, cognitive, social, and moral
- Gender identity and sex roles
- Heredity-environment issues
- Research methods: longitudinal, and cross-sectional
- Theories of development
Personality7%
- Assessment techniques
- Growth and adjustment
- Personality theories and approaches
- Self-concept and self-esteem
Psychological disorders and health8%
- Affective disorders
- Anxiety disorders
- Dissociative disorders
- Eating disorders
- Health, stress, and coping
- Personality disorders
- Psychoses
- Somatoform disorders
- Theories of psychopathology
Treatment of psychological disorders6%
- Behavioral therapies
- Biological and drug therapies
- Cognitive therapies
- Community and preventive approaches
- Insight therapies: psychodynamic and humanistic approaches
Social Psychology9%
- Aggression/antisocial behavior
- Attitudes and attitude change
- Attribution processes
- Conformity, compliance, and obedience
- Group dynamics
- Interpersonal attraction
- Stereotypes, prejudice, discrimination, prosocial behavior
Statistics, Tests, and Measurement3%
- Descriptive statistics
- Inferential statistics
- Measurement of intelligence
- Reliability and validity
- Samples, populations, and norms
- Types of tests