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PsychologyCOURSES Introductory Course 100 INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY An introduction to psychological perspectives on problems and processes of behavior and experience, surveying such topics as motivation, learning, intelligence, perception, emotion, thought, social processes and language. Recommended for students with no previous exposure to academic psychology who seek a general overview of the field. Lecture and laboratory components. Yearly, both semesters. (4 credits) Intermediate Courses The introductory course, Psychology 100, is required for admission to all intermediate courses unless otherwise specified. Other prerequisites may be listed. 180 BRAIN, MIND, AND BEHAVIOR (Same as Neuroscience Studies 180) A multidisciplinary investigation of behavior and the nervous system. Particular emphasis is placed on human processes of perception, cognition, learning, memory, and language. This course also serves as the introductory course for the neuroscience studies major. Prerequisite: Psychology 100 or permission of instructor. Yearly, fall semester. (4 credits) 182 DRUGS AND SOCIETY Topics covered include: social and legal history of drug use and abuse in America including ethnicity and chemical use, pharmacology of mood altering chemicals, chemical dependence and treatment, and drugs used in treating mental illness. Classes will consist of a mixture of lecture, film, discussion, role plays, etc. Prerequisite: Psychology 100 or permission of instructor. Offered once every few years. (4 credits) 198 EXCURSIONS EXPLORING PSYCHOLOGY This course exposes students to topics in psychology not covered in our standard curriculum through travel to a new geographic region. The course focuses on aspects of psychology unique to that region and also typically includes a study of the geography and culture of the region. It is designated as a January course. Participants meet prior to departure in order to learn necessary background information. The field excursion generally spans two to three weeks. The region and area of psychology to be studied varies from year to year, and a student may take the course more than once for credit. This course is offered on a pass/fail basis only. Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor. Offered occasionally. (2 credits) 201 RESEARCH IN PSYCHOLOGY I This course is an introduction to the basic principles of research in psychology. We focus on how to design and execute psychological studies, analyze and interpret data, and write research reports. Students conduct studies in different areas of psychology (e.g., social, clinical, cognitive) that illustrate basic methodology and learn statistical techniques commonly used to understand psychological data. The course includes a laboratory component that facilitates expertise with computer statistical software and increases familiarity with American Psychological Association style. Prerequisite: Psychology 100. Permission of instructor is required for first year students. Every semesters. (4 credits) 202 RESEARCH IN PSYCHOLOGY II This course continues instruction begun in Psychology 201. We more closely examine key factors for planning and implementing research studies, such as validity, variable operationalization, and common ethical dilemmas faced by psychologists. Students gain in-depth experience in developing, interpreting, and communicating different types of empirical psychological research designs (e.g., experiments, surveys, interviews). Prerequisites: Psychology 100, Psychology 201 or Math 253. We recommend that students who plan to take Math 253 as their gateway to Psychology 202 consult with a member of the psychology department as soon as possible. These students will be expected to acquire proficiency in the topics covered in Psych 201 (e.g., psychological research methods, SPSS, APA writing style, ethical guidelines). Yearly, both semesters. (4 credits) 220 EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY (Same as Education 220) An introduction to theory and research in educational psychology. Topics include learning theory, learner characteristics, intelligence, creativity, motivation, measurement and evaluation, and models of teaching appropriate for diverse learners from early childhood through young adulthood. Students are required to complete observations in classroom settings. Prerequisite: Psychology 100 or permission of instructor. Every semester. (4 credits) 240 PRINCIPLES OF LEARNING AND BEHAVIOR This course provides an in-depth introduction to the principles and methods used in the study of how behavior changes as a function of experience. The emphasis will be on classical and operant conditioning principles and procedures, which have become the standard research technologies used in biomedical, psychopharmacological, and other animal laboratory research areas. The laboratory component is designed to give students experience with behavioral technology and data collection and analysis. Group A course. Prerequisite: Psychology 100. Offered once every few years. (4 credits) 242 COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY A survey of the experimental analysis of the mind. Topics include attention, memory and forgetting, problem solving, creativity, reasoning, and language. Special emphasis is given to the study of discourse comprehension and reading. The weekly laboratory sessions afford students an opportunity to interact directly with cognitive phenomena and research methods. Group A course. Prerequisite: Psychology 100. Yearly; fall semester. (4 credits) 243 PSYCHOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY (Same as Anthropology 243) This course explores the relationship between self, culture and society. We will examine and discuss critically the broad array of methods and theories anthropologists use to analyze personality, socialization, mental illnes and cognition in different societies. Our aim is to address questions related to the cultural patterning of personality, the self and emotions and to understand how culture might shape ideas of what a person is. We will also seek to understand how cultures define behavior as abnormal, pathological or insane, and how they make sense of trauma and suffering. Prerequisite: Anthropology 101 or 111. Alternate years. (4 credits) 244 COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE (Same as Neuroscience Studies 244) Cognitive neuroscience is a relatively recent discipline that combines cognitive science and cognitive psychology with biology and neuroscience to investigate how the brain enables the myriad of complex functions we know as the mind. This course will explore basic concepts and contemporary topics in the field, focusing in particular on the methods used in cognitive nueroscience research. Through lecture and lab sessions, students will learn to read and interpret primary source material, design and implement cognitive neuroscience studies, and present research in verbal and written forms. Overall, students will gain an appreciation for the amazing intricacy of the brain-mind relationship, as well as a sense of how this relationship may be understood eventually using cognitive neuroscience techniques. Group A course. Prerequisite: Psychology 100 or Psychology/Neuroscience Studies 180. Offered yearly. (4 credits) 246 EXPLORING SENSATION AND PERCEPTION (Same as Neuroscience Studies 246) An examination of the processes of sensation and perception. While the course features a strong emphasis on neurophysiology of sensation, classical approaches to the study of perception will also figure prominently. Particular emphasis will be placed on vision and somatosensation, including pain processes. Lecture and weekly 3.5 hour investigatory laboratory. Prerequisites: Psychology 100 or Psychology 180/Neuroscience Studies 180 and permission of the instructor. Offered once every few years. Not offered 2009–2010. (4 credits) 248 BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE (Same as Neuroscience Studies 248) An examination of the role of the nervous system in the control of behavior. While the course features a systems approach to the investigation of sensory and perceptual mechanisms, molecular and cellular components of the nervous system will also be discussed in the context of course topics. Particular emphasis is given to the nature of learning, memory, and motor processes, motivation, emotion, homeostasis, cognition, and human neuropsychology. The laboratory will be used for a variety of instructor-demonstrative and student participatory research and laboratory activities. Prerequisites: Psychology 180 or Biology 163 or 205 or 367, or permission of instructor. Spring semester. (4 credits) 250 DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY Psychology from the perspective of the causes and correlates of human development. Cognitive, social, emotional and behavioral development are examined from biological, functional, social and diverse cultural perspectives. The process of discovery in developmental psychology is explored as the uses of experimental, observational and case analysis techniques are reviewed. Group B course. Prerequisite: Psychology 100 or Education 220 or permission of the instructor. Offered once each year. (4 credits) 252 DISTRESS, DYSFUNCTION, AND DISORDER: PERSPECTIVES ON THE DSM This course will examine the experiences, causes, and treatments of the major forms of distress and disorder codified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM), including schizophrenia, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and personality disorders. We will critically evaluate theories and research derived from biological, genetic, psychological, interpersonal, and social-cultural perspectives. Group B course. Prerequisite: Psychology 100. Yearly; spring semester. (4 credits) 254 SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY This course will survey the ways in which social phenomena influence the thoughts, feelings, and behavior of individuals. The major theories, experiments, and issues associated with social psychology will be examined. Sample topics include love, aggression, conformity, attitudes, prejudice, persuasion, obedience, and attribution. Group B course. Prerequisite: Psychology 100. Offered once each year. (4 credits) 256 PERSONALITY PSYCHOLOGY This course will survey the major theoretical and empirical approaches to understanding human personality. Specific topics to be covered include psychoanalytic, humanistic, existential, and biological personality theories; motivation and cognition; traits; identity and the self; and the cultural and social context of personality. Research and assessment strategies for understanding personality will be explored and critically evaluated. Group B course. Prerequisite: Psychology 100. Offered every few years. (4 credits) 262 ASIAN AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGY (Same as American Studies 262) This course explores the psychological experiences of Asian Americans through readings from disciplines such as psychology, sociology, Asian American Studies, as well as the popular media. The central question organizing this course is how academic research can inform the daily lived experiences of Asian Americans. Topics include racialization and racialized imagery, how behavior is shaped by prevalent stereotypes of Asian Americans, negotiating bicultural/biracial identities, transracial adoption, immigration, acculturation, and mental health, among others. Culture and Context Course. Prerequisite: Psychology 100, Introduction to Psychology. (4 credits). 264 PSYCHOLOGY OF GENDER (Same as Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies 264) This course provides an examination and a critique of psychological theories, methods, and research about gender. We will explore structural, social, individual, and biological explanations of how gender is experienced and represented, as well as of gender similarities and differences. Examples of research and theory will come from a wide variety of areas in psychology and related disciplines, and will address such issues as social and personality development, bodies and body image, social relationships, cognition, identity, language, violence, moral reasoning, sexuality, sexual orientation, etc. We will explore the intersection of gender with other social identities and will also learn about the historical, cultural, and epistemological underpinnings of psychological research on gender. Culture and Context course. Prerequisite: Psychology 100 or permission of the instructor. Offered occasionally. (4 credits) 266 HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGY This course explores major developments and ideas in psychology such as: the history of ideas about “the mind”; the effects of theorists’ life experiences on their ideas; key historical and social events that shaped the field; when and how psychology became a science; and how ideas about what is “normal” shape and are shaped by psychology. Culture and Context course. Prerequisite: Psychology 100. Offered every few years. (4 credits) 268 THE PSYCHOLOGY OF MULTICULTURALISM This course examines the psychological effects of social diversity on our lives as individuals and as group members. Topics include: 1) gender, ethnicity, social class and other group memberships; 2) the perception of others; 3) social identity formation and change in relation to self; 4) in group/out-group relations in relation to identity; and 5) social change to reduce intergroup tensions. Finally, the class will consider how psychology as a discipline might change to become more relevant and sensitive to questions of diversity. Culture and Context course. Prerequisite: Psychology 100. Offered every few years. (4 credits) 270 THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SUSTAINABLE BEHAVIOR (Same as Environmental Studies 262) This course is an introduction to the psychological study of sustainable behavior. As scientific evidence of degraded world environmental conditions accumulates, researchers from many disciplines are joining the effort to find solutions. Technological innovation will certainly play a role, but equally important are behavior changes at both the organizational and individual level. Psychologists use their training in the scientific study of human behavior to examine why people do or do not act sustainably in a variety of situations. In this course we will study this body of research and use psychological principles, theories, and methods to understand the factors that underlie both environmentally destructive as well as environmentally sustainable actions. A significant component of the course will be direct application of theory to one's own actions as well as to a campus-or community-based sustainability issue. Prerequisite for Psychology majors: Psychology 100, Introduction to Psychology. No prerequisite for Environmental Studies majors. Fall semester. (4 credits) 300 DIRECTED RESEARCH IN PSYCHOLOGY Students are involved and guided in conducting research within specific content areas approved by the supervising faculty. Research may be conducted individually or in small groups depending on the content area. Research groups meet regularly for presentation of background material, discussions of common readings, and reports on project status. Directed research is typically taken in the junior year and is open only to declared majors. Students will be assigned to sections by the supervising faculty. Prerequisites: Psychology 100, Psychology Psychology 202, an intermediate course in Psychology, and junior or senior standing. Every semester. (4 credits) Upper Level Courses Admission to any upper level course requires successful completion (grade of C– or better) of Psychology 100, Psychology 201, and at least one intermediate course or permission of instructor in addition to meeting other prerequisites listed for that course. Minors may substitute Math 153, 154 or 155 for the Psychology 201 prerequisite. 370 UNDERSTANDING AND CONFRONTING RACISM (Same as American Studies 370) An examination of the social psychological factors associated with race prejudice and racism, particularly in the United States. Focusing on the psychological theories proposed to understand racism, this course investigates the causes and consequences of racism at the individual, interpersonal, institutional and cultural levels of society. Special attention will be given to exploring interventions to reduce racism. Culture and Context course. Prerequisites: Psychology 100, Psychology 201 (or Mathematics 153, 154, or 155), and at least one intermediate course in Psychology. (4 credits) 372 HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY The field of health psychology addresses three issues: 1) the ways in which psychological factors and experiences (such as stress, personality patterns, discrimination, etc.) affect health, 2) changing health behaviors and 3) the psychological effects of being ill. We will read research articles, theoretical essays, and first person accounts as a basis from which to understand these issues and also to grapple with such questions as: What exactly is “health”? What are the connections between the mind and the body? Can psychology help explain how our membership in different social groups affects our health? Why do some people get sick and others stay well? What is it like to be a patient? A doctor? How do societal ideas about illness and disability affect us? Prerequisite: Psychology 100, Psychology 201 or Math 153/154/155, and at least one intermediate course or permission of instructor. Offered every few years. (4 credits) 374 CLINICAL AND COUNSELING PSYCHOLOGY This course examines specific applications of psychological principles to the mental health field, focusing on strategies for therapeutic intervention. We will pay particular attention to the issues raised by traditional clinical practice, such as ethics, the politics and economics of mental health, and cultural biases, and consider alternatives to mainstream clinical services, including art therapy, spirituality, and non-Western healing. Prerequisites: Psychology 100, Psychology 201 or Math 153/154/155, and Psychology 252 or permission of instructor. Fall semester. (4 credits) 375 MOOD AND ANXIETY Sadness, despair, anxiety, dread: This seminar explores contemporary theories and research that help us understand and alleviate mood and anxiety disorders. We will examine evolutionary, cognitive, biological, sociocultural, and developmental perspectives on mood and anxiety, and we will grapple with current controversies concerning diagnosis, comorbidity, prevention, and pharmacology of mood and anxiety disorders. The seminar will also examine the promotion of well-being and positive psychology. Prerequisites: Psychology 252 or permission of the instructor. Offered every few years. (4 credits) 378 PSYCHOLOGY OF LANGUAGE (Same as Linguistics 378) An examination of psychological factors that affect the comprehension of oral and written language. Topics include the origin of language, how language can control thought, the role of mutual knowledge in comprehension, and principles that underlie coherence in discourse. Includes readings from psycholinguistics, philosophy, sociolinguistics, gender studies, social psychology, and especially from cognitive psychology. Emphasis is placed on current research methods so that students can design an original study. Prerequisites: Psychology 100, Psychology 201 or Math 153/154/155, and Psychology 242 or two linguistics classes or permission of the instructor. Yearly, spring semester. (4 credits) 379 CULTURAL PSYCHOLOGY This course will examine the interplay of culture and the mind. In the first part of the course, we will briefly examie theoretical developments and methodological limitations in the field of cultural psychology, which has hightlighted fundamental differences in models of the self, attention, perception, memory, morality, and emotions across East/Southeast Asians and Western Europeans/North Americans. The remaining time will be spent examining a series of topics on how culture and psychology interrelate in our increasingly globalized world. These topics include, but are not limited to, acculturation, multicultural identity negotiation, cultural evolution and reproduction, multicultural competence, emotion and memory across cultures, culture of gender, and culture of socioeconomic status. Offered yearly. (4 credits) 380 COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY This course focuses on the theory and practice of community psychology: the promotion of well-being within a social context. Topics include empowerment models, primary and secondary prevention, ecological and systems analysis, coping and social support, and community organizing. We will pay particular attention to the problems and potentials associated with psychological interventions within educational, criminal justice, and traditional mental health systems. In addition to typical seminar activities, students will participate in a service learning experience for a minimum of 2 hours each week to gain direct understanding of the course concepts. Prerequisites: Psychology 100, Psychology 201 or Math 153/154/155, and at least one intermediate course or permission of instructor. Culture and Context course. Offered every few years. (4 credits) 382 HORMONES AND BEHAVIOR This class will focus on the hormonal mechanisms of behavior in animals (including homo sapiens). Following introductory lectures, a series of topics will be explored, with a particular emphasis placed on those behaviors most directly mediated by hormonal activity (such as aggression, sexual and reproductive behaviors, stress responses, etc.) (4 credits) 385 MIND READING: UNDERSTANDING FUNCTIONAL MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING (Same as Neuroscience Studies 385) Functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a non-invasive technique used to provide indirect measures of neural activity in healthy (and unhealthy) humans. Although the technique has been readily available to researchers for only about 20 years, its popularity and use has grown tremendously in the last 10, and we now see it influencing aspects of culture and society not traditionally based in biomedical research (i.e. law, politics, economics). This course will cover the mechanics of fMRI, evaluate its strengths and weaknesses, and explore recent applications that have received wide and sometimes controversial media coverage. By the end of the course, students will understand essential components of the fMRI technique and be informed consumers of primary and secondary source reports involving brain imaging. Prequisites: Psychology 100 or Psychology/Neuroscience Studies 180; Psychology 201; and either Psychology 244 or 248. Course cross-listed as Psychology 385. Spring semester. (4 credits) 386 SEMINAR IN NEUROPHARMACOLOGY (Same as Biology 486) This is an advanced course that will focus on the study of drugs used to alter the central nervous system. The course will begin with basic pharmacological principles and then concentrate on the various uses of drugs to alter brain neurochemistry. Topics for discussion will include the pharmacological treatment of schizophrenia, depression, pain, anxiety and generally, the neurochemical basis of behavior. In addition to discussion of the use of drugs for clinical purposes, a significant amount of time will be spent on the use of “drugs of abuse” (e.g. cocaine, marijuana, LSD). While the focus of the course will be on the biochemical mechanisms of these drugs, an effort will be made to investigate and discuss the sociological ramifications of drug use. Prerequisites: Psychology (Biology 356), Psychology 248, junior or senior standing or permission of the instructor. Offered alternate years. (4 credits) Senior Courses Admission to any senior course requires senior standing or permission of the instructor. Open to senior majors and minors only. 488 SENIOR SEMINAR Senior seminars examine a variety of topics. Open to senior majors and minors only. Pain and Suffering This seminar will examine both basic research and clinical aspects of pain and suffering. Following introductory lectures on pain and pain relief, a series of topics will be explored, including, but not limited to: the nature of suffering and its relationship to pain; the role of context in the experience of pain or suffering; pain measurement in humans and animals; the ethics and use of experimental models in pain research; chronic pain; pain and/or suffering relief produced by drugs, acupuncture, hypnosis, and placebos; and learning processes that influence pain sensitivity. Prerequisite: Senior major or minor. Offered once every few years. (4 credits) African American Psychology This seminar introduces the social, cultural, and psychological diversity existing in the African American community within the United States. Topics include, but are not limited to, the many roles of culture, conceptualization and expression of identity, interrelationships between self and community, and prominent psychological principles associated with African American experiences. Culture and Context course. Prerequisite: Senior major or minor. Offered every few years. (4 credits) Lives in Context: Psychology and Social Structure (Same as Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies 405) This seminar will explore the relationship between individual lives and broad social systems. We will read theory, research, and autobiographical work about the implications of gender, social class, race, physical ability, historical context, etc., on psychological experiences and will explore a variety of methodological strategies for doing research in these areas. Culture and Context course. Prerequisite: Senior major or minor. Offered every few years. (4 credits) Culture and Psychology This seminar will examine the interplay of culture and the mind. In the first part of the course, we will briefly examine theoretical developments and methodological limitations in the field of cultural psychology, which has highlighted fundamental differences in models of the self, attention, perception, memory, morality, and emotion across East/Southeast Asians and Western Europeans/North Americans. The remaining time will be spent examining a series of topics on how culture and psychology interrelate in our increasingly globalized world. These topics include, but are not limited to, acculturation, multicultural identity negotiation, cultural evolution and reproduction, multicultural competence, emotion and memory across cultures, culture of gender, and culture of socioeconomic status. Culture and Context course. Prerequisite: Senior major or minor. Offered every few years. (4 credits) Development in Context This seminar will examine individual functioning and development using a social-ecological framework (i.e., we will discuss the ways in which the multiple contexts in which we live and interact with others impact our development and functioning across the lifespan). We will specifically focus on the roles of the family system, work and school, poverty/welfare, social support, health care, media, cultural values, national customs, and historical time in shaping development and functioning. Also discussed will be the ways by which individuals affect the ecologies in which they develop and live. Culture and Context course. Prerequisite: Senior major or minor. Offered every few years. (4 credits) Special Courses The following course listings provide opportunities for the design of special individual educational activities. Prior consultation with a member of the department is a necessary prerequisite for registration in courses at this level. PSYC 604 TUTORIAL Prerequisite: permission of the instructor. Yearly, both semesters. (4 credits) PSYC 614 INDEPENDENT PROJECT Prerequisite: permission of the instructor. Yearly, both semester. (4 credits) PSYC 624 INTERNSHIP Prerequisite: permission of the instructor. Yearly, both semesters. (4 credits) PSYC 634 PRECEPTORSHIP Prerequisite: permission of the instructor. Yearly, both semesters. (4 credits)
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