Shafi Institute

Overview

What are people most afraid of? What do our dreams signify? Are we inherently racist? What brings us happiness? What causes mental illness, and how can it be cured? This course seeks to answer these and many other questions, offering a comprehensive overview of the scientific study of thought and behavior. It covers topics such as perception, communication, learning, memory, decision-making, persuasion, emotions, and social behavior. We will examine how these aspects of the mind develop in children, vary among individuals, are connected in the brain, and how they can be disrupted by illness and injury.

Curriculam

This course on psychology covers foundational theories and key research findings. In the first module, you'll explore the physical basis of mental life through neuroscience and delve into Freud’s psychodynamic theory and Skinner’s behaviorism. The second module focuses on developmental psychology and language, including how infants and children think and learn language, as well as animal communication and language processing. The third module covers cognitive psychology, including perception, attention, and memory. The fourth module examines social and non-social emotions and social psychology. The fifth module explores human variation, focusing on personality, intelligence, mental illnesses, and therapies. The final module addresses measuring happiness and factors contributing to a fulfilling life.