Introduction to Psychology now available in MIT OpenCourseWare’s innovative OCW Scholar format
Course is the sixth of seven courses MIT OCW will publish this year specifically to meet the needs of independent learners.
MIT OpenCourseWare (OCW) has released a new version of 9.00 Introduction to Psychologyin the innovative OCW Scholar format designed for independent learners. This course presents a scientific overview of how the mind works, and applies that knowledge to contemporary debates around topics such as nature versus nurture, free will, consciousness, human differences, the self and society.
“I hope site visitors come away with an appreciation of just how amazing people are,” says John Gabrieli, the Grover M. Hermann Professor in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, who developed the course. “I hope the course makes you think about yourself and your friends in a different way than you ever did before.”
Gabrieli, a renowned expert in the field of learning and memory and a principal investigator at the McGovern Institute for Brain Research, has used brain-imaging technology combined with behavioral testing to map abstract concepts such as memory, thought and emotion to specific regions of the brain. Gabrieli’s research has significantly advanced our understanding of how learning and memory are organized in the mind. Some of his most recent research has provided insights into key aspects of autism, dyslexia and visual memory. Gabrieli has also received numerous awards for his teaching, including the Dean’s Award for Distinguished Teaching at Stanford University in 2001.