Investigating psychology

via OpenLearn

Go to class Write review

Details

Go to class

Provider

OpenLearn
Pricing

Free Certificate
Languages

English
Certificate

Certificate Available
Effort

3 hours
Sessions

Self-Paced
Level

Intermediate

Found in

One of the keys to understanding psychology is to know about its history and core questions. This free course, Investigating psychology, allows you to explore psychology using an interactive resource. You can follow links to people, contexts, perspectives and methods to discover information, images and links from across psychology. The resource also links each of these people, contexts, perspectives and methods so you can see how each element is connected in the history of psychology.

Syllabus

Introduction and guidance
Introduction and guidance
Learning outcomes
Acknowledgements
Session1Session 1: Asking questions about psychology
Introduction
1 Introducing the CHIP resource
2 Investigating CHIP
3 Using CHIP
4 The ‘Narratives’ function
5 Influences on and from psychology
6 Studying psychology
7 Crowd psychology
8 Summary
Acknowledgements
Session2Session 2: Exploring psychology
Introduction
1 The CHIP resource
2 Job applications from the past!
3 Relationships
4 Methods and history
5 Asking questions about ethics
6 Summary
Acknowledgements
Session3Session 3: Qualitative methodologies and CHIP
Introduction
1 Perspectives: Phenomenology
2 Perspectives: social constructionism
3 Summary
Where next?
Acknowledgements

Reviews

4.6 rating, based on 20 Class Central reviews

4.6 rating at OpenLearn based on 18 ratings

Start your review of Investigating psychology

Enrique Enriquez @EEnriquez
20

Disappointing Experience with Faulty Course Functionality
Despite following all technical best practices and verifying no user-side errors, the course consistently failed to track my progress. Refreshing the page, switching browsers, and clearing cache had no effect—progress remained unregistered throughout. Additionally, the actual course material was significantly longer than advertised, making the time estimate misleading and impractical for structured learning.
This disconnect between description and delivery suggests a clickbait approach rather than a genuine educational offering. Unfortunately, the experience amounted to a complete waste of time. I expected better reliability and transparency from a credentialed platform.
Vaganov Vladislav

The course provides a structured overview of fundamental areas within psychology, covering human behavior, cognitive mechanisms, and the basics of research methodology. One notable aspect is the clarity of the presentation. Rather than leaning on de…

The course provides a structured overview of fundamental areas within psychology, covering human behavior, cognitive mechanisms, and the basics of research methodology. One notable aspect is the clarity of the presentation. Rather than leaning on dense academic jargon, the content breaks down more involved theories into manageable segments. The explanations are straightforward enough that even individuals without prior exposure to the field can follow along without feeling lost. A practical element runs through the material, largely due to the consistent use of everyday scenarios. By linking theoretical models of thinking and memory to common experiences, the lessons manage to feel relevant instead of purely abstract. The portion dedicated to research methods is particularly effective at encouraging a more analytical approach to information. It outlines how studies are designed and how data is interpreted, which equips learners to assess claims about human nature with a slightly more informed eye. Ultimately, the course functions well as an accessible entry point. It balances breadth with enough depth to establish a reliable foundation, making it a sensible choice for anyone seeking a clear, no-frills introduction to how the mind operates and how psychologists go about studying it.
Бектөре Салыбек

I recently started studying the *Exploring Psychology* course on OpenLearn, and I would like to share my experience. The course is very well-structured and easy to follow, even for beginners. It covers key psychological concepts in a clear and enga…

I recently started studying the *Exploring Psychology* course on OpenLearn, and I would like to share my experience.

The course is very well-structured and easy to follow, even for beginners. It covers key psychological concepts in a clear and engaging way, making complex ideas easier to understand. I especially liked how real-life examples were used to explain theories, which helped me connect the material to everyday situations.

The learning materials are organized step by step, and the activities throughout the course help reinforce understanding. I also appreciate that the course is flexible, allowing me to study at my own pace.

Overall, I would recommend this course to anyone interested in psychology, whether you are just starting or want to refresh your knowledge. It is informative, accessible, and enjoyable to learn.
Zharkyn Lukpan

It explores key topics such as human behavior, cognitive processes, and research methods in a structured and accessible way. One of the main strengths of the course is its simplicity. Complex psychological concepts are explained in a way that is eas…

It explores key topics such as human behavior, cognitive processes, and research methods in a structured and accessible way.
One of the main strengths of the course is its simplicity. Complex psychological concepts are explained in a way that is easy to understand, even for beginners. The use of real-life examples helps connect theory to everyday situations, making the learning experience more practical and relatable.Additionally, the course encourages critical thinking by introducing different psychological perspectives and showing how research is conducted. This helps learners not only gain knowledge but also develop analytical skills.
Overall, Investigating Psychology via OpenLearn is a useful and beginner-friendly resource for anyone interested in understanding how the human mind works. It is especially suitable for students who are new to psychology and want a solid foundation.
Nurbolat

This course provides a clear and engaging introduction to psychology by focusing on its history, key questions, and major perspectives. I found the interactive CHIP resource especially useful, as it connects people, methods, and contexts in a way that makes learning more intuitive and interesting. The structure of the course is well-organized, with each session building on the previous one and gradually deepening understanding. Topics such as ethics, relationships, and qualitative methodologies are explained in a simple but meaningful way. Overall, the course is informative, accessible for beginners, and helps develop critical thinking about psychological concepts and their real-world applications.
Zhaksylyk Seizhan

This course is a clear and engaging introduction to psychology. I especially liked how it explains key concepts such as human behavior, research methods, and different perspectives in a simple and accessible way. The interactive CHIP resource makes learning more interesting by connecting ideas, people, and historical context. The structure is well-organized, and each section builds naturally on the previous one. It’s a great starting point for beginners and helps develop critical thinking about psychology in real-life situations.
Saida Amirgaliyeva

I would rate this course very highly. “Investigating Psychology” is an engaging and thought-provoking introduction to key ideas in psychology. The course presents complex concepts in a clear and accessible way, making it suitable even for beginners. I especially liked how it connects different perspectives, methods, and historical contexts, helping me understand how psychology has developed over time. The interactive elements, such as the CHIP resource, made learning more interesting and helped me see connections between researchers and theories. Overall, it is a well-structured and informative course that encourages critical thinking and deeper exploration of the subject.
Ali Irzhanov

This course provides a clear and engaging introduction to psychology. The material is well-structured, making complex concepts easy to understand even for beginners. I especially liked how real-life examples were used to explain theories. The course also helped me develop critical thinking and a better understanding of human behavior. Overall, it’s a valuable and interesting course that I would recommend to anyone interested in psychology.
Алишер Алдебаев

This is an excellent introductory course for those who value high-quality content. The learning structure on OpenLearn is very logical, with each topic seamlessly transitioning into the next. I thoroughly enjoyed completing this course, as the information was easy to understand and apply in my daily life. I would like to express my gratitude to the authors for their hard work!
ТЕМІРЛАН БОЛАТ

This course gives a good introduction to psychology and helps to understand how people think, feel, and behave. It explains important ideas in a simple and clear way, so it is easy to follow even without prior knowledge. The course covers different aspects of psychology and shows how they can be applied in real life. I found it interesting and useful for improving my understanding of human behavior. Overall, it is a great course for beginners.
Асия Есмагамбет

This course was very helpful and interesting. The materials were clear and easy to understand, even for beginners. I liked how the topics were explained step by step, which made learning more comfortable. The tasks and examples helped me practice and improve my skills. Overall, I learned a lot from this course and I would recommend it to other students who want to gain new knowledge in this field.
Нұржан Бақыт

This course provides a very comprehensive overview of psychological perspectives. I especially enjoyed learning about phenomenology and social constructionism. The interactive star field resource (CHIP) is a great tool for understanding historical contexts and key figures in psychology. Highly recommended for beginners!
Мансур ағай МС кураторы

This course was very interesting and useful for me. It helped me understand the basics of psychology in a simple and clear way. The lessons were well structured, and the examples made it easier to learn. I especially liked how the course explained human behavior and thinking processes. I would recommend this course to anyone who wants to start learning psychology.
Anonymous

For me, psychology playes probably a demanding role in 21 century. Cause of fast developing technology our inner world can faster get out of mood
Мирас Кайратулы

The curriculum offered a comprehensive understanding of behavioral psychology and emotional intelligence. By exploring the complexities of human thought, I have enhanced my interpersonal skills and self-reflection, gaining valuable tools for professional and personal development
Азизхан Ержанов

i think this course was very well made, it had a lot of great tasks that really made me intersted in the topic, i learn lots of many things about psychology and how it works, and also many people who helped to shape it in the way it is now. i also enjoy the site structure and how it works, with this chip device that not only give solution to questions is also very great way to learn more about the subject. i think this assigment was very great! and i would like to study it more!
Anonymous

From this course I learned a lot about the psychology of the history of psychology, as well as scientists who studied different types of psychology, such as critical psychology, etc., and about the periods of evolution of people's thinking.
Anonymous

This psychology course was very interesting and useful. I learned how to understand human behavior, emotions, and thinking better. The lessons helped me improve my self-awareness and communication skills, and I can use this knowledge in real life
Медина Кызылкул

This psychology course was very interesting and useful. I learned how to understand human behavior, emotions, and thinking better. The lessons helped me improve my self-awareness and communication skills, and I can use this knowledge in real life
Anonymous

This psychology course was very interesting and useful. I learned how to understand human behavior, emotions, and thinking better. The lessons helped me improve my self-awareness and communication skills, and I can use this knowledge in real life.