Psychology courses

If you’re interested in psychology, here are some courses I have listened to and I can heartily recommend:

Human Emotion – Website – Dacher Keltner, UC Berkeley
You’ll never think about people in the same way after you listen to what psychologists have learned over the last generation about human emotion. Although philosophers since classical times have warned us to follow our reason and not our “passions,” it turns out that our emotions are key to clear thinking, helping us with memory, reasoning and predicting what our fellow humans are thinking and feeling. You will get the most out of this course if you buy the recommended textbook, Understanding Emotions, which is pricey, but you can get it used for about $35.

Developmental Psychology – Website – Lori Markson, UC Berkeley
This is a fascinating look at how kids grow and develop. I wish I knew this when my kids were small.

Psychology of Personality – Website – Oliver John, UC Berkeley
This course includes Freud, but goes way beyond him, looking into the new science of how our genes and environment influence our personalities. Again, this is best if you get the textbook, Personality: Theory and Research which I was able to find used for under $10.

Interpersonal Relationships – Website – John Lydon, McGill University
I just started listening to this course, but it sounds very promising.  It’s all about how we fall in love and what makes relationships last.  Don’t we all need to learn that?

For a comprehensive listing of psychology lectures on the web, check out The World of Knowledge Blog.