Module 1 Storyboard

Course Code: FAM0001

Course Name: Principles of Psychology

1. Module 1: Goals of Psychology

2. Introduction
• When you are in a field that requires you to work with others, especially children, it is important to have a good
understanding of the basics of psychology. Broadly speaking, psychology is the “scientific study of mind and behaviour”
(Stangor & Walinga, 2010, p. 2). When you are familiar with the basics of psychology, you will be in a better position to
understand yourself as well as those with whom you work. In this module, you will define “psychology,” describe the
three goals of psychology, and explain how each of the three goals connects to your work with children.

3. Learning Outcomes

By the end of this module, you should be able to complete the following:
• Define the term “psychology”
• Describe the three goals of science
• Explain how each of the three goals connects to your work with children

4. Key Terms and Concepts

Key Term or Concept Definition
Psychology The “scientific study of mind and behaviour” (Stangor & Walinga,
2010, p. 2)
Behaviour “The way that someone or something behaves in
a particular situation” (Cambridge Dictionary, 2019a)

Describe “To say or write what someone or something is like” (Cambridge

Dictionary, 2019b)

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 Predict “To say that an event or action will happen in
the future, especially as a result of knowledge or experience”
(Cambridge Dictionary, 2019d)
Explain “To make something clear or easy to understand by describing or
giving information about it” (Cambridge Dictionary, 2019c)

5. Module/Module Content:

Section Heading Module Material Media Item provided or requested

Number
1 Goals of What is Psychology? Image 1
Psychology
Psychology is the “scientific study of mind and behaviour” (Stangor Video 1:
& Walinga, 2010, p. 2). This might become a little clearer if we
break down the origin of the word “psychology." It comes from the Activity 1:
Greek word for “psyche” which means life, and “logos” means
explanation. If we put all of this together, we can determine that Learning Activity: Goals of
psychology is a form of science that helps us explain how we think Psychology
and behave.
How do the three goals of
Insert image 1 psychology connect with what you
do in your work with children and
The following brief video provides a general answer to the question youth? More specifically, when do
of “what is psychology?” you use the skill of describing,
predicting, and explaining?
Insert video 1

Goals of Psychology

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 Why is psychology important? What purpose does it serve? In
order to answer these questions, let’s explore the goals of
psychology.

There are three main goals:

1. To describe
2. To predict
3. To explain

1. To Describe

This is the first and quite basic goal of psychology and it answers the
question of “what is happening?” In order to gain a better
understanding of something, psychologists need to first be able to
describe it. Many significant psychological discoveries were made
when the psychologist observed and then described interesting
behaviour. It was their vivid descriptions which enabled them to
notice patterns and make connections.

2. To Predict

The second goal of psychology is to predict and it answers the

question of “what is likely to happen?” After psychologists begin
noticing patterns in behaviour, they can then begin predicting
behaviour. There is no guarantee that the prediction will come
true, because it is just a prediction after all, although because it is
based on a significant number of occurrences, there is a significant
likelihood that it will occur again.

3. To Explain

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 The third goal of psychology helps to answer the question of “why
does this behaviour occur?” or “what factors are likely to lead to a
certain behaviour?” If you return to the definition of psychology,
you’ll notice that this goal is embedded right into the origin of the
word, so this lets you know just how important this particular goal
is. When psychologists are able to explain a phenomenon, this is
when theories are created.

Insert Activity 1

6. Summary
Psychology is a field of study that helps us better understand how our mind works and why we behave the way we do. In this
module, you defined “psychology,” described the three goals of psychology, and explained how each of the three goals connects
to your work with children. In the next module, you will explore the topic of research, which is an important element of
psychology that provides us with the information that helps us better understand the inner workings of our mind and behaviour.

7. References
The references listed here, coupled with the course developer’s experience, have been used in the development of this module:

Cambridge Dictionary. (2019a). Behaviour. Retrieved from https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/behaviour

Cambridge Dictionary. (2019b). Describe. Retrieved from https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/describe

Cambridge Dictionary. (2019c). Explain. Retrieved from https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/explain

Cambridge Dictionary. (2019d). Predict. Retrieved from https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/predict

Rowan, K. (2014). Goals of psychology: Describe, explain, predict, and control. Retrieved from https://blog.udemy.com/goals-of-
psychology/

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Stangor, C. & Walinga, J. (2010). Introduction to Psychology – 1st Canadian Edition. Retrieved from
https://opentextbc.ca/introductiontopsychology/

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