How to Use this GuideThis guide provides information and resources on instroducting the field of psychology as a science in an Introduction to Psychology course.  All resources are Open Access and can be downloaded or added to a Course Management System (LMS) via the hyperlinks.IntroductionThis section will explore intelligence. In line with the APA recommendations and the Ohio TAG, Intelligence falls in Pillar 2 (Cognitive) along with Cognition, Memory, and Perception. Memory is required in Ohio TAG courses, so courses that cover Intelligence in addition to Memory have met the requirement for that pillar. Thus, it may not be necessary to cover Intelligence as a full topic in your course if you already cover Cognition or Perception.  

This OER Adoption Guide, sponsored by the Ohio Department of Education, provides teachers of Introduction to Psychology in Ohio with a collection of free, openly accessible online resources for use in your course.  The authors of this guide have reviewed and compiled free online readings, resources, and activities for Introduction to Psychology. Further, these resources are aligned with the learning objectives outlined in the Ohio Department of Higher Education’s Transfer Assurance Guides (TAG) for Introduction to Psychology so that they meet the needs of instructors teaching general education courses in the Ohio Transfer Module.

How to Use this Guide This guide provides information and resources on introducing the field of psychology as a science in an Introduction to Psychology course.  All resources are Open Access and can be downloaded or added to a Course Management System (LMS) via the hyperlinks.IntroductionThis section covers the topic of language.  We will explore how psychologists define language as well as the key components of language. In addition, will describe how language develops. 

How to Use this GuideThis guide provides information and resources on teaching learning concepts in an Introduction to Psychology course. All resources are Open Access and can be downloaded or added to a Course Management System (LMS) via the hyperlinks.According to the TAG, Lifespan Development falls within Pillar 3 (Development) and is a required topic for all Ohio Introduction to Psychology courses, along with Lifespan Development. These two chapters meet the APA recommendations for Strengthening General Psychology (Gurung, et al., 2016).IntroductionThis section introduces students to the basic principles that govern learning.  Specifically, students will be introduced to the concepts of classical and operant conditioning.

How to Use this GuideThis guide provides information and resources on teaching learning concepts in an Introduction to Psychology course. All resources are Open Access and can be downloaded or added to a Course Management System (LMS) via the hyperlinks.Introduction This section introduces students to different ways to conceptualize memory..  Specifically, students will be introduced to memory processes, theories of memory, forgetting, and ways to examine memory.  Memory is a core topic in the APA’s recommendations for Strengthening General Psychology, and is also a core topic in the Ohio TAG learning objectives. This topic is required for all Introduction to Psychology courses in Ohio as part of Pillar 2: Cognitive.  The Ohio TAG requirements call for a second topic to be included from this pillar, which can be Cognition, Perception, or Intelligence.

How to Use This GuideThis guide provides information and resources on introducing the field of psychology as a science in an Introduction to Psychology course.  All resources are Open Access and can be downloaded or added to a Course Management System (LMS) via the hyperlinks.IntroductionThis section covers the topic of motivation.  We will define motivation and explore the 4 major theories:  Evolutionary, Drive Reduction, Optimum Arousal, and Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.  In addition, we will distinguish intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Finally, we will discuss our motivation for hunger and sex.

 How to Use this GuideThis guide provides information and resources on teaching learning concepts in an Introduction to Psychology course. All resources are Open Access and can be downloaded or added to a Course Management System (LMS) via the hyperlinks.Although nature/nurture is not specifically addressed as a topic that falls under a Pillar, according to the TAG, these concepts can be applied across a number of required topics, such as Brain and Behavior, Lifespan Development, and Intelligence.   IntroductionThis section introduces students to the concepts of nature and nurture, and provides examples of psychological topics in which an understanding of the impact of both nature and nurture is crucial.  

How to Use this GuideThis guide provides information and resources on introducing the topic of Theories of Personality. All resources are Open Access and can be downloaded or added to a Course Management System (LMS) via the hyperlinksIntroductionTheories of Personality can be one of the more interesting sections covered in the Introduction to Psychology Class. Besides being one of the other Ohio TAG course, Personality falls within Pillar 4: Social and Personality, which also includes Social, Emotion, Multicultural, Gender, and Motivation.  Social and Personality are both required topics under the Ohio TAG, so instructors should plan to cover this along with social psychology, and other topics if time permits. There are several areas that can be covered in this section so faculty will have to be selective in how are what they cover in the Intro course.

How to Use this GuideThis guide provides information and resources for teaching psychological disorders in an Introduction to Psychology course. All resources are Open Access and can be downloaded or added to a Course Management System (LMS) via the hyperlinks.  IntroductionThis section will touch on a range of psychological disorders and an introduction to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5). Suicide will also be discussed.

 How to Use this GuideThis guide provides information and resources on introducing the different research methods that have been used in the field of psychology. All resources are Open Access and can be downloaded or added to a Course Management System (LMS) via the hyperlinks.  IntroductionOne of the key takeaways from the Introduction to Psychology class should be that psychology is a science.  Our discipline can be distinguished from pseudo-science or common sense through the various research approaches in the field.  The instructor should provide a survey of the different methods, including examples and strengths and weaknesses to each approach.

How to Use this GuideThis guide provides information and resources on introducing the field of psychology as a science in an Introduction to Psychology course. All resources are Open Access and can be downloaded or added to a Course Management System (LMS) via the hyperlinks.  IntroductionThis is the introductory section for the class.  Most students come to the Introduction class with myths and ideas around the field. These resources most likely will be the first time students have had exposure to the field and will provide them how psychology can be applied to a wide range of contexts

How to Use this GuideThis guide provides information and resources on teaching sensation concepts in an Introduction to Psychology course. All resources are Open Access and can be downloaded or added to a Course Management System (LMS) via the hyperlinks.According to the TAG, Sensation falls within Pillar 1 (Biological) and is an optional topic for Ohio Introduction to Psychology courses, along with the required topic of  Biology of Behavior. Perception falls under Pillar 2 (Cognitive), and is an optional topic for Ohio Introduction to Psychology courses, along with the required topic of Memory.  Together, these topics meet the APA recommendations for Strengthening General Psychology (Gurung, et al., 2016).IntroductionThis section introduces students to the basic processes of sensation and perception.

 How to Use this GuideThis guide provides information and resources on introducing the topic of Social Psychology. All resources are Open Access and can be downloaded or added to a Course Management System (LMS) via the hyperlinksIntroductionSocial Psychology can be one of the more interesting sections covered in the Introduction to Psychology Class.  In Introduction to Psychology, Social Psychology falls within Pillar 4: Social and Personality, which also includes Social, Personality, Emotion, Multicultural, Gender, and Motivation.  Social and Personality are both required topics under the Ohio TAG, so instructors should plan to cover this along with personality, and other topics in this Pillar if time permits. There are several areas that can be covered in this section so faculty will have to be selective in how are what they cover in the Intro course.  Instructors might note that the full-length Introduction to Social Psychology course is also part of the Ohio TAG Module; looking at the objectives for the full-length course might also help you determine your focus and emphasis in terms of what to cover in this unit.

 How to Use this GuideThis guide provides information and resources on state of consciousness for an Introduction to Psychology course. All resources are Open Access and can be downloaded or added to a Course Management System (LMS) via the hyperlinks.  IntroductionThis section will explore states of consciousness with significant discussion on sleep. However, other altered states of consciousness due to psychoactive drugs, hypnosis, and meditation will be reviewed.According to the APA recommendations and Ohio TAG, this chapter also falls within Pillar 1 (Biological). This chapter is considered “optional” under the Ohio TAG, which requires Biology of Behavior and either Consciousness or Sensation to satisfy the requirements for Pillar 1: Biological. If you select to cover this chapter as your second topic within Biological, consider emphasizing the biological aspects of consciousness including the biology of consciousness and sleep, and the biological effects of drugs on consciousness (e.g., drugs as agonists and antagonists).

How to Use this GuideThis guide provides information and resources on introducing the field of psychology as a science in an Introduction to Psychology course.  All resources are Open Access and can be downloaded or added to a Course Management System (LMS) via the hyperlinks.IntroductionThis section covers the topic of Stress and Health. Following the Ohio TAG Guidelines, Stress and Health falls within Pillar 5: Mental and Physical Health (e.g., Abnormal, Health, Therapies). As an instructor, making the connections between physical and mental health you can strengthen the connection between the units within this pillar while emphasizing  the reciprocal influences of biological, psychological, and social/interpersonal/situational factors in health and wellness.

How to Use this GuideThis guide provides information and resources on teaching human development across the life span in an Introduction to Psychology course. All resources are Open Access and can be downloaded or added to a Course Management System (LMS) via the hyperlinks.IntroductionThis section introduces students to biological mechanisms that underlie behavior.  Specifically, students will be introduced to the structures and functions of the nervous system, and how the nervous system interacts with the endocrine system.Biology of Behavior is a core topic in the APA’s recommendations for Strengthening General Psychology, and is also a core topic in the Ohio TAG learning objectives. This topic is required for all Introduction to Psychology courses in Ohio as part of Pillar 1: Biological. Recall that the TAG requirements call for a second topic to be included from this pillar, which can be either Sensation or Consciousness or, time permitting in your course, both.

How to Use this GuideThis guide provides information and resources for teaching Therapy Approaches in an Introduction to Psychology course. All resources are Open Access and can be downloaded or added to a Course Management System (LMS) via the hyperlinks.  IntroductionThis section will provide an overview of different approaches to therapy, compare and contrast psychosocial therapies and biological therapies, and discuss the difference between a psychologist and psychiatrist.

How to Use this GuideThis guide provides information and resources on introducing the topic of thinking and cognition. All resources are Open Access and can be downloaded or added to a Course Management System (LMS) via the hyperlinks.IntroductionThinking is one of the smaller topics that make up cognitive psychology (along with perception, attention, intelligence, and memory). Faculty may want to first introduce Cognitive Psychology and discus how thinking fits into all the other areas.  This topic lends itself to several in-class activities to emphasize the different concepts. Faculty may also want to pair this section together with Intelligence and language development.

OER Text MaterialSociology: Understanding and Changing the Social World, Sections: 12.3The content in section 12.3 will clearly state the assumptions of disengagement, activity, and conflict theories of aging and critically assess these three sociologicaly theories as they relate to aging.

OER Text MaterialSociology: Understanding and Changing the Social World, Sections: 12.4This section of the chapter will describe the differences in life expectancy around the world.List the potential problems associated with the growing proportion of older individuals in poor nations.Explain the evidence for inequality in U.S. life expectancy.Sociology: Understanding and Changing the Social World, Sections: 12.5This section of the chapter describes the four biological changes associated with aging.List any three steps that individuals can try to undertake to achieve successful aging.