What are the most important concepts in psychology? Introductory psychology courses aim to cover the field's main topics, but there is no universally agreed-upon list of key terms for educators. Instructors frequently rely on textbooks, but these texts vary in the key terms they emphasize. Another possible source of key terms is the keywords of published research literature. While textbook authors aim to keep their books current, it remains an open question whether textbook key terms accurately reflect key terms from current published research.
Objective
This study aims to compare keywords from peer-reviewed publications with those in widely used introductory psychology textbooks.
Method
We collected keywords from articles in the top 10 psychology journals over 5 years and compared the most frequently used terms to key terms from five widely adopted introductory psychology textbooks.
Results
Less than 1% of journal keywords appeared in six or more journals, which highlights the diversity of psychological research topics. When we compared the top 10 journals and five textbooks, only 33 key terms, or 3% of key terms, overlapped.
Teaching Implications
This study offers instructors a list of common keywords in current psychological research to enhance course relevance.
Conclusion
A significant gap exists between the keywords used in academic research and the key terms in introductory psychology textbooks.
BridgmanT.CummingsS.BallardJ. (2019). Who built Maslow’s pyramid? A history of the creation of management studies’ most famous symbol and its implications for management education. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 18(1), 81-98. https://doi.org/10.5465/amle.2017.0351
5.
ChewS. L.NaufelK. Z.BoysenG. A.WickesK.RudmannJ. (2022). Why introductory psychology? In GurungR. A. R.NeufeldG. (Eds.), Transforming introductory psychology: Expert advice on teacher training, course design, and student success (pp. 9–26). American Psychological Association. https://doi/10.1037/0000260-002
6.
CiccarelliS. K.WhiteJ. N. (2021). Psychology (6th ed.). Pearson.
7.
DeWallN. C.MyersD. G. (2021). Psychology (13th ed.). Macmillan Higher Education.
8.
DunnD. S.BrewerC. L.CautinR. L.GurungR. A. R.KeithK. D.McGregorL. N.NidaS. A.PuccioP.VoigtM. J. (2010). The undergraduate psychology curriculum: Call for a core. In HalpernD. F. (Ed.), Undergraduate education in psychology: A blueprint for the future of the discipline (pp. 47–61). American Psychological Association. https://doi-org/10.1037/12063-003
9.
GazzanigaM.GrisonS. (2019). Psychology in your life (3rd ed.). W. W. Norton.
10.
GriggsR. A.JacksonS. L.ChristopherA. N.MarekP. (1999). Introductory psychology textbooks: An objective analysis and update. Teaching of Psychology, 26(3), 182–189. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15328023top260304
11.
GurungR. A. R.HackathornJ.EnnsC.FrantzS.CacioppoJ. T.LoopT.FreemanJ. E. (2016). Strengthening introductory psychology: A new model for teaching the introductory course. American Psychologist, 71(2), 112–124. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0040012
12.
HuntM. (2007). The story of psychology. Anchor.
13.
JamesW. (1890). The principles of psychology. Henry Holt and Company.
14.
KingL. (2020). The science of psychology: An appreciative view (5th ed.). McGraw-Hill.
McGovernT. V.CoreyL.CranneyJ.DixonW. E.Jr.HolmesJ. D.KuebliJ. E.RitcheyK. A.SmithR. A.WalkerS. J. (2010). Psychologically literate citizens. In HalpernD. F. (Ed.), Undergraduate education in psychology: A blueprint for the future of the discipline (pp. 9–27). American Psychological Association.
17.
MorellJ. D. (1853). Elements of psychology. William Pickering.
18.
NairnS. L.EllardJ. H.ScialfaC. T.MillerC. D. (2003). At the core of introductory psychology: A content analysis. Canadian Psychology, 44(2), 93–99. https://doi-org/10.1037/h0086930
19.
QuereshiM. Y. (1993). The contents of introductory psychology textbooks: A follow-up. Teaching of Psychology, 20(4), 218–222. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15328023top2004_4
20.
RichmondA. S.BoysenG. A.GurungR. A. R.NaufelK. Z. (2023). A national study of student and instructor perceptions of introductory psychology. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology, 11(2), 200–213. https://doi.org/10.1037/stl0000345
21.
RichmondA. S.BoysenG. A.HudsonD. L.GurungR. A. R.NaufelK. Z.NeufeldG.LandrumR. E.DunnD. S.BeersM. (2021). The introductory psychology census: A national study. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology, 7(3), 163–180. https://doi.org/10.1037/stl0000277
22.
RutterL. P.SladeJ. J.GurungR. A. R. (2025). Keyword analysis for what’s hot in psychology today?
23.
SladeJ. J.ByersS. M.GurungR. A. R. (2023). Introductory psychology textbooks (still) more different than alike. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology, 11(3), 537–543. https://doi-org/10.1037/stl0000365
24.
SladeJ. J.GurungR. A. R. (2022). Not quite on the same page: Comparing key terms in introductory psychology textbooks. Teaching of Psychology, 51(3), 285–290. https://doi.org/10.1177/00986283221111749
25.
SpencerH. (1873). The study of sociology. Henry S. King & Co.
26.
TitchenerE. (1919). A text-book of psychology. Macmillan.
27.
WahbaM. A.BridwellL. G. (1976). Maslow reconsidered: A review of research on the need hierarchy theory. Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, 15(2), 212–240. https://doi.org/10.1016/0030-5073(76)90038-6
28.
WeitenW. (2017). Psychology: Themes and variations (10th ed.). Cengage Learning.
29.
WeitenW.HouskaJ. A. (2015). Introductory psychology: Unique challenges and opportunities. In DunnD. S. (Ed.), The Oxford handbook of undergraduate psychology education (pp. 289–321). Oxford University Press.
30.
WeitenW.WightR. D. (1992). Portraits of a discipline: An examination of introductory psychology textbooks in America. In PuenteA. E.MatthewsJ. R.BrewerC. L. (Eds.), Teaching psychology in America: A history (pp. 453–504). American Psychological Association.
31.
ZechmeisterJ. S.ZechmeisterE. B. (2000). Introductory textbooks and psychology's core concepts. Teaching of Psychology, 27(1), 6–11. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15328023TOP2701_1
