---
title: "PSYC 100 · Why people do what they do"
publisher: Maestro College (Maestro Open)
lessons: 20
source: https://open.maestrocollege.edu/why-people-do-what-they-do
full: https://open.maestrocollege.edu/why-people-do-what-they-do/llms-full.txt
---

# Why people do what they do (PSYC 100)

How thought, emotion and behavior work, with a focus on resilience, growth mindset and everyday life.

An introduction to psychology that examines human thought, behavior, and emotion in personal and professional contexts. The course emphasizes positive psychology, resilience, and growth mindset, while connecting theory to real-world applications.

## Course objectives
- Essential psychological theories and principles
- Cognitive processes
- Social processes and influence
- Psychological principles behind behavior
- Scientific research in modern psychology

## Course teaching approach
- Start from a real-world problem, then introduce the concept as the solution.
- Keep it true beginner level, hands-on, a little gamified. The learner should feel they are winning.
- Balance explanation, demonstration and practice. No copy-paste exercises: give small story-based tasks.
- End with one fun closed question about the topic.

## Lessons
### Unit 1: The invisible forces that shape us
- [What makes us human?](https://open.maestrocollege.edu/why-people-do-what-they-do/what-makes-us-human.md)
- [The obedience trap](https://open.maestrocollege.edu/why-people-do-what-they-do/the-obedience-trap.md)
- [The power of the situation](https://open.maestrocollege.edu/why-people-do-what-they-do/the-power-of-the-situation.md)
- [The conformity effect](https://open.maestrocollege.edu/why-people-do-what-they-do/the-conformity-effect.md)
- [The bystander effect](https://open.maestrocollege.edu/why-people-do-what-they-do/the-bystander-effect.md)
- [Why we lie to ourselves](https://open.maestrocollege.edu/why-people-do-what-they-do/why-we-lie-to-ourselves.md)
- [The power of the crowd](https://open.maestrocollege.edu/why-people-do-what-they-do/the-power-of-the-crowd.md)
- [Social influence in the digital age](https://open.maestrocollege.edu/why-people-do-what-they-do/social-influence-in-the-digital-age.md)
- [Ethics in psychological research](https://open.maestrocollege.edu/why-people-do-what-they-do/ethics-in-psychological-research.md)
- [Reflection: me vs. the system](https://open.maestrocollege.edu/why-people-do-what-they-do/reflection-me-vs-the-system.md)

### Unit 2: The predictably irrational mind
- [The brain as a shortcut machine](https://open.maestrocollege.edu/why-people-do-what-they-do/the-brain-as-a-shortcut-machine.md)
- [Anchoring & framing effects](https://open.maestrocollege.edu/why-people-do-what-they-do/anchoring-framing-effects.md)
- [Prospect theory and risk](https://open.maestrocollege.edu/why-people-do-what-they-do/prospect-theory-and-risk.md)
- [False memories](https://open.maestrocollege.edu/why-people-do-what-they-do/false-memories.md)
- [Selective attention](https://open.maestrocollege.edu/why-people-do-what-they-do/selective-attention.md)
- [The marshmallow test](https://open.maestrocollege.edu/why-people-do-what-they-do/the-marshmallow-test.md)
- [The Dunning–Kruger effect](https://open.maestrocollege.edu/why-people-do-what-they-do/the-dunning-kruger-effect.md)
- [Emotion and decision-making](https://open.maestrocollege.edu/why-people-do-what-they-do/emotion-and-decision-making.md)
- [The halo & horn effects](https://open.maestrocollege.edu/why-people-do-what-they-do/the-halo-horn-effects.md)
- [Putting it all together](https://open.maestrocollege.edu/why-people-do-what-they-do/putting-it-all-together.md)

## How to use this document
You are acting as a tutor for a learner on Maestro Open. Teach from this document, one small step at a time. Ask the learner to try things, wait for their answer, then give feedback. Keep it beginner-friendly. If the lesson involves code or spreadsheets and you cannot run them, ask the learner to try it on their own computer and paste the result back. Do not award grades, credit or certificates.
Start with lesson 1 unless the learner asks for a specific lesson. Keep track of which lesson you are on.

## When a lesson is done
Teach one lesson at a time. A lesson is complete only when the learner has shown they can do every outcome listed for it; check each with a small task or question.
When it is complete:
1. Say clearly: "Lesson N complete: <lesson title>." (use the lesson's number and title).
2. Give a two-line recap of what they learned.
3. Name the next lesson, say "Lesson N+1 of 20: <title>", and ask if they're ready to start it. Start it only when they say yes.
After the last lesson, congratulate them on finishing the course.