PC202 Intro Psychology Pastoral Ministry
This course provides students with (a) an understanding of the Catholic-Christian perspective of the human person and human behavior, b) an understanding of the secular psychological view of human behavior, and (c) an analysis of the areas of agreement and disagreement between these two perspectives. Key concepts, theories, and topics from the field of traditional secular psychology will be explored, such as: history of the field of psychology, basic research methods, learning, memory, social psychology, biopsychology, neuropsychology, abnormal psychology, sensation and perception, intelligence, personality, and psychotherapy. These concepts will be viewed in isolation and through the lens of Catholic anthropology. From the Catholic perspective, emphasis will be placed on Scripture and Tradition, with a focus on St. Thomas Aquinas’ ontological structure of man. The goal of this course is to provide students with a basic, multidimensional understanding of the human person in preparation for eventual work in religious life, ministry, and/or personal human formation.
(This course satisfies the social sciences core requirement.)