MLO 1

Theory and Content of Psychology

The department of psychology at California State University, Monterey Bay has created a set of major learning outcomes for students majoring in psychology.  There are five major learning outcomes; each learning outcome is like a step on a ladder.  You must step up the ladder one step at a time until you get to the last step and by that time you will have successfully completed all five of the departments major learning outcomes.  The first major learning outcome is titled theory and content of psychology.  This major learning outcome allows students to learn how to demonstrate familiarity with major concepts, theoretical perspectives, empirical findings and historical trends.  Outcomes include describing and applying psychology’s concepts, language and theories, explaining its major perspectives and demonstrating understanding of its breadth and depth.  This major learning outcome is important because without completing this major learning outcome students will be unable to complete the second, third, fourth, and fifth learning outcomes successfully.  By saying this it is important to learn about major concepts in psychology as well as different theories.  Although there are no specific required courses for this major learning outcome but I would believe that I covered this major learning by taking introduction to psychology (PSY100) as well as introduction to research methods and data analysis (PSY200/200L).  Before attending California State University, Monterey Bay I attended De Anza Community College.  At De Anza College I took introduction to psychology (PSY100) where I learned about various factors that influence human behavior including: biological and neurological processes and structures, evolution, genetics, gender, life span development, consciousness, attention, sensation, perception, learning, memory cognition, intelligence, motivation, emotion, stress, personality, psychopathology, psychotherapy, social and cultural determinants.  I fulfilled this major learning outcome requirement by learning basic psychological terms as well as all of those factors in psychology that were listed above.  After obtaining a brief explanation of these psychological factors I was then successfully ready to take PSY200 after being admitted to Cal State Monterey Bay.

The introduction to psychological design and data analysis also known as (PSY200) is where students learn how to demonstrate the ability to assess published research and express arguments orally and in writing according to the professional standards, such as the APA publication manual.  Students will also learn how to conduct hypothesis testing using the scientific process and appropriate statistical data analyses.  To be able to pass the course we had to conduct a research experiment as well as come up with a hypothesis that we would either accept to be true or reject to be false.  By doing this assignment I felt that I successfully completed this major learning outcome and am able to move on to the second step of the major learning outcome ladder.  The second step of this ladder is titled research methods in psychology in this major learning outcome students are able to understand and apply basic research methods including research design and data analysis.  With being able to complete the previous major learning outcome successfully, it would lead me to be able to successfully complete the second major learning outcome.  Overall this learning outcome is quite important because after fulfilling this major learning outcome I then felt more comfortable about basic research methods as well as data analysis.