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Animal Psychology

In this class, we will cover how psychologists study animal behavior.
Shannon Holleran, PhD.
Average rating:
4.9
Number of reviews:
(323)
Popular
Class

What's included

4 pre-recorded lessons
2 weeks
of teacher support
1 year access
to the content

Class Experience

US Grade 5 - 8
Beginner Level
Why do animals behave certain ways? In this self-paced class, we will discuss the psychology of animals, or comparative psychology. Comparative psychology is the scientific study of the behavior and mental processes of non-human animals. 

Lesson #1: 
Video lecture: How do goldfish navigate their environment? Learn about a study where researchers build a "goldfish-driven" car!
Discussion question: How do you think other animals navigate their environment?
Worksheet: Test your knowledge from the lecture

Lesson #2:
Video lecture: Can reptiles perceive visual illusions? Researchers tested both tortoises and bearded dragons.
Discussion question: We will look at optical illusions and compare our perception to what we learned in the study.
Worksheet: Test your knowledge from the lecture

Lesson #3: 
Video lecture: Do gorillas experience yawn contagion? Do gorillas yawn when they see another gorilla yawn?
Discussion question: Do your animals ever experience yawn contagion? How about you?
Worksheet: Test your knowledge from the lecture

Lesson #4: 
Video lecture: How do pangolins track prey? Learn about an endangered species and how psychologists are helping with conservation.
Discussion question: Why might it be important for psychologists to figure out how endangered species track prey?
Worksheet: Test your knowledge from the lecture

No prior knowledge of psychology is needed for the class.

Syllabus

4 Lessons
over 2 Weeks
Lesson 1:
Goldfish
 How do goldfish navigate their environment? Learn about a study where researchers build a "goldfish-driven" car! 
Lesson 2:
Reptiles
 Can reptiles perceive visual illusions? Researchers tested both tortoises and bearded dragons. 
Lesson 3:
Gorillas
 Do gorillas experience yawn contagion? Do gorillas yawn when they see another gorilla yawn? 
Lesson 4:
Pangolins
 How do pangolins track prey? Learn about an endangered species and how psychologists are helping with conservation. 

Other Details

External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Sources
I will use articles from journals such as Journal of Comparative Psychology (https://psycnet.apa.org/PsycARTICLES/journal/com/135/3) and Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Learning and Cognition (https://psycnet.apa.org/PsycARTICLES/journal/xan/47/4).
Joined June, 2021
4.9
323reviews
Popular
Profile
Teacher expertise and credentials
Doctoral Degree in Psychology from University of Arizona
I have a PhD in psychology from the University of Arizona. I've taught college course for over 10 years.

Reviews

Self-Paced Class
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$13

weekly or $25 for all content
4 pre-recorded lessons
2 weeks of teacher support
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1 year of access to the content

Completed by 16 learners
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Ages: 10-15

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