The overall philosophy of Understanding Psychology is to bring complex psychological concepts to students' lives. The goal of this program is to make psychology relevant, fun, interesting, and even exciting, making it approachable. Understanding Psychology is an interactive book with:

• hands-on activities
• case studies
• current issues and readings about the field of psychology

The Understanding Psychology program was designed to help students understand how this subject is part of their day-to-day lives. Research in assessment and APA literature was reviewed. The program's authors, academic consultants, and experienced Social Studies educators reviewed the assessment plan for Understanding Psychology. Understanding Psychology includes a variety of assessment instruments to support instruction. The test booklet provides three-part chapter tests: Matching, Multiple Choice, and Essay