Course Descriptions

Psychology

PSYC 100 - Introduction to Psychology

An introduction to psychological science -- the study of behavior and mental processes. This course surveys the major subdisciplines of the field, including such topics as the brain and neuroscience, behavioral genetics, cognitive and social development, perception, learning, memory, decision-making, language, consciousness, emotions, motivation, psychological disorders, social identity, interpersonal interactions and group and cultural processes. Lecture and laboratory components.

Frequency: Every semester.

PSYC 172 - Psychology in the Material World

This course is an in-depth psychological analysis of consumerism and the human relationship to "stuff." Consumerism, materialistic aspirations, and "affluenza" (the disease of affluence) all exert profound and often undesirable effects on both people's individual lives and on society as a whole. These phenomena, and the consumerist culture they are embedded in, affect our psyches, our families, our local communities, the peoples of the world, and the integrity of our ecological system. This course draws from a range of theoretical, clinical, and methodological approaches to explore several key questions: Where does the drive to consume originate? Do we control our consumer behavior, or does it control us? Is it possible to live in our culture and not be a consumer? What are the alternatives to the status quo? We will analyze and discuss both the scholarly ramifications of these ideas and also how to act upon them in our lives and society more broadly.

Frequency: Offered occasionally

Cross-Listed as:

PSYC 194 - Topics Course

Varies by semester. Consult the department or class schedule for current listing.

PSYC 201 - Research in Psychology I

This course is an introduction to the basic principles of research in psychology, with an emphasis on statistical techniques used in psychological science. We examine how to test psychological hypotheses using various statistical analyses, and we consider the pros and cons of experimental, quasi-experimental, and correlational research designs. The course includes a weekly laboratory component in which students develop proficiency with statistical software, writing reports in American Psychological Association style, and familiarity with experimental techniques unique to behavioral research.

Frequency: Every semester.

Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor is required for first year students.

PSYC 220 - Educational Psychology

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.

Frequency: Every semester.

Cross-Listed as:

PSYC 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 behavioral standard research technologies used in neuroscience, 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.

Frequency: Offered occasionally.

Prerequisite(s):

PSYC 242 - Cognitive Psychology

How do people learn, remember, and think? How much of our cognitive life are we even consciously aware of? This course addresses these questions and others from the perspective of experimental cognitive psychology. Topics include perception, attention, memory, the organization of knowledge, language, and decision making. Weekly laboratory sessions afford students the opportunity to interact more directly with cognitive phenomena and research methods. Readings are mainly from primary sources. Group A course.

Frequency: Every year.

Prerequisite(s): .

PSYC 243 - Psychological Anthropology

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.

Frequency: Alternate years.

Prerequisite(s): or .

Cross-Listed as:

PSYC 244 - Cognitive Neuroscience

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 neuroscience 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.

Frequency: Every year.

Prerequisite(s): .

PSYC 248 - Behavioral Neuroscience

Neuroscience, the scientific study of the nervous system, is an inherently interdisciplinary field involving multiple levels of analysis. This course approaches the study of brain, mind, and behavior from systems-level and behavioral perspectives. Current issues are examined within an integrative framework that begins with a focus on neuroanatomy, functional neural circuits, and diffuse modulatory neurotransmitter systems. This lays the groundwork for later study of the neural substrates of motivated behaviors (e.g., eating, sex, sleep, drug use), learning, memory, emotion, as well as aspects of neurodevelopment and neuroplasticity. Research methods and tools of behavioral neuroscience are featured throughout the course, through careful examination of primary journal articles and through hands-on experiences in weekly laboratory sessions. Science is a methodical process, and we will approach topics in this course through that lens. Fulfills Group A requirement for the Psychology major.

Frequency: Every year.

Prerequisite(s): or

PSYC 250 - Developmental Psychology

Each of us is a unique individual with distinct interests, abilities, and appearances. At the same time, we all have much in common-each of us started as just a single cell at conception, our brains and bodies developed in essentially the same sequence, and someday, we will all die. What are the general paths and stages of development? How do our unique qualities emerge? What role does our genetic material play in development? What role does our environment play? Is there a point at which some of our traits are "set," or do we retain the capacity to change throughout development? In this course, we will work to answer these questions and more. With a life-span approach, we will examine the theories and research that describe and explain our physical, cognitive, and social development from conception to death.

Frequency: Offered once each year.

Prerequisite(s): or permission of instructor.

PSYC 252 - Distress, Dysfunction, and Disorder: Perspectives on the DSM

This course examines 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, dissociative disorders, stress disorders, and personality disorders. We critically evaluate theories and research derived from biological, genetic, psychological, interpersonal, and social-cultural perspectives. Group B course.

Frequency: Spring semester.

Prerequisite(s): or PSYC 180

PSYC 254 - Social Psychology

This course survey the ways in which social phenomena influence the thoughts, feelings, and behavior of individuals. We examine the major theories, experiments, and issues in the field of social psychology. Sample topics include emotion, aggression, conformity, attitudes, altruism, prejudice, persuasion, and group dynamics. Group B course.

Frequency: Every year.

Prerequisite(s): .

PSYC 258 - Industrial/Organizational Psychology

Industrial-organizational (I/O) psychology is the scientific study of people in organizations - and the application of that science to workplace issues facing individuals, teams, organizations and society. This course will introduce you to the science and practice of I/O Psychology, and what I/O Psychology has to offer anyone who plans to lead others or to help develop effective organizations. Topics will include how to determine what to look for in candidates for hire, how to evaluate candidates for hire or promotion, how best to manage performance in organizations, what's been shown to motivate people, employee retention, team effectiveness, and organizational culture.

Frequency: Offered occasionally.

Prerequisite(s):

PSYC 264 - The Psychology of Gender

This class is an introduction to feminist psychological theory and research dedicated to understanding and critiquing biological, psychological, social, and cultural meanings and implications of gender and its intersections with race, physical ability, sexual orientation, etc. Examples of research and theory will come from a wide variety of areas in psychology and related disciplines, and will address such issues as socialization and social development, stereotypes, bodies and body image, social relationships, identity, language, violence, sexuality and sexual behavior, well-being, work, etc. We will also learn about the historical, cultural, and epistemological underpinnings of psychological research on gender. Counts as a UP3 course.

Frequency: Every year.

Prerequisite(s): or permission of the instructor.

Cross-Listed as:

PSYC 270 - Psychology of Sustainable Behavior

This course is built around the argument that "environmental problems" do not exist; they are in fact human behavior problems. Thus, if we want to craft effective solutions to issues such as ocean acidification, air pollution, or climate change, we must start with the human behaviors that lead to them. We will cover psychological principles, theories, and methods and explore the complex web of factors underlying environmentally sustainable and unsustainable actions. A strong theme throughout the semester is the intersection of identity - personal, social, and cultural - and environmentalism. We will explore questions such as, "Why do some groups of people feel a part of the sustainability movement while others feel alienated from it or skeptical of it?"; "Who takes action on behalf of the natural environment, under what circumstances, and why?"; and "How can we create contexts that promote true sustainability?" Psychology of Sustainable Behavior is a project-based class with a strong civic engagement component. Students will participate in three class projects: a self-change project (2.5 weeks), a community-based collaborative project (5 weeks), and a communication/education project (3 weeks).

Frequency: Offered yearly.

Prerequisite(s): for Psychology majors.

Cross-Listed as:

PSYC 272 - Health Psychology

This course examines multiple, interactive factors that contribute to human health; we take a biopsychsocial approach to understanding how best to promote and maintain health, prevent and treat illness, and adapt and thrive in the context of chronic illness. We discuss the roles of stress, coping, immune response, social relationships, personality, and structural inequalities in the progression and prevention of disease. We also address some ways in which behaviors (e.g., physical activity, nutrition, substance use, sleep) can contribute to wellbeing or sickness, and we examine behavior change strategies that can help improve our own and our community's health habits. Group B course.

Frequency: Offered every year

Prerequisite(s): .

PSYC 273 - Psychology and/of Climate Change

Climate change is no longer a distant, hypothetical threat. Yet, though more than half of Americans are "concerned" or "alarmed" about global warming, few are taking significant personal action in response, and only a small minority are involved in civic action to address the issue. This course takes a broad psychological perspective on the questions, "Why are we not doing enough to address global climate change?" and "What will catalyze the social movement necessary to address the issue?" The class will explore psychological theories and studies that help explain why people respond to the climate crisis in the ways they do, and what psychological research tells us about how to shift that response.Yearly

Frequency: Yearly.

Cross-Listed as:

PSYC 294 - Topics Course

Varies by semester. Consult the department or class schedule for current listing.

PSYC 301 - Research in Psychology II

This course continues instruction begun in . 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).

Frequency: Every semester.

Prerequisite(s): and must be a declared psychology major.

PSYC 342 - Intelligence

This course will explore what "intelligence" means, how it is measured, and how the answers to those questions depend on time, place, and culture. While the foundation of the course is an understanding of "intelligence" as measureable cognitive abilities that vary across individuals, we will read and discuss critiques and alternative to this framework as well. Specific topics will include the history of IQ testing, the biology of intelligence, intellectual exceptionality, non-human intelligence, and "brain training". Class sessions will mainly consist of student-led discussions of primary sources, infused sporatically with instruction in concepts from cognitive psychology, multivariate analysis, and theories of measurement. Counts as a Section B course in the Cognitive Science concentration.

Frequency: Offered most years.

Prerequisite(s): ; or ; and one intermediate Psychology course.

PSYC 350 - Race in Developing Lives

For children to thrive in our increasingly diverse world, they must be prepared to engage with issues of race and racism. Children need to develop positive racial identities and learn how to navigate the racial privilege or discrimination that they will face in our society. Two of the best places for children to learn about race is from their parents and teachers, yet adults often struggle with this topic. Should we teach our children to be "colorblind," or should we teach them to notice race? When is the right age to start these conversations? For families and schools that are committed to equity and justice, how can we ensure that these values are passed on to our kids? In this class, we will draw from developmental, educational, social psychological, and social justice perspectives to generate answers to these questions and more. Counts toward the UP3 requirement.

Frequency: Offered most years.

Prerequisite(s): ; or ; and any other intermediate-level course.

PSYC 364 - Lives in Context: Psychology and Social Structure

In this seminar we will explore the relationship between individual lives and broad social systems in the United States. We will read theory, research, and case material from psychology and related disciplines about individual and interpersonal implications of social organization/social structure (in the domains of social class, gender, race, physical ability, sexuality, etc., and their intersections). We will pay particular attention to how and why it matters psychologically that U.S. society is organized hierarchically. We will also address how to study the relation between individual lives and social structure. How can we really understand lives in their myriad contexts? What's the best strategy for doing this? Is it even possible? What are some of the methodological, conceptual, and ethical dilemmas and challenges involved in such an undertaking? Because feminist psychologists have played a critical role in shaping methodology and research in these areas, we will read a considerable amount of work by feminist psychologists and other feminist academics. Counts toward the UP3 requirement.

Prerequisite(s): , , and any other intermediate Psychology class.

Cross-Listed as:

PSYC 368 - Psychology of/and Disability

What is "disability" and what does an understanding of disability tell us about human experience more generally? What is a "disability identity" and what implications might claiming that identity have for psychological well-being and social change? How do stereotypes of disabled people and expectations of "normality" affect everyone's lives (not just those with disabilities)? Why don't many Deaf people consider themselves "disabled?" What might we learn from shifting the "problem" of disability from the individual person to the social environment? How do sexism, racism, classism, homophobia, transphobia, and other forms of oppression influence how different bodies are viewed, treated, educated, and experienced? This course will explore questions that emerge from thinking about the experience of disability (and its intersection with identities based on gender, race, class, and sexuality). Our work together will be grounded in critical disability and Deaf studies frameworks that are themselves informed by and in conversation with feminist, queer, and critical race theories and perspectives. Through a consideration of the socially, culturally, linguistically, and historically constructed meanings of physical, sensory, and cognitive "impairments," the course will rely on theoretical and empirical readings from psychology and related disciplines, personal essays, film/video, and guest visitors as we explore the social and psychological meanings of disability.

Frequency: Offered most years.

Prerequisite(s): ; or ; and one intermediate Psychology course.

Cross-Listed as:

PSYC 374 - Clinical and Counseling Psychology

This course examines specific applications of psychological principles to the mental health field by exploring strategies for therapeutic intervention. We discuss a wide range of approaches (e.g., psychoanalysis; humanistic therapy; cognitive behavioral and dialectical behavior therapy; mindfulness based stress reduction; family therapy; art therapy) and we consider issues raised by traditional clinical practice, such as ethics, the politics and economics of mental health, and cultural biases. NOTE: Students who have taken European Clinical Psychology through the DIS study away program must have instructor permission to enroll.

Frequency: Annually.

Prerequisite(s): ; ( or ); and ( or ).

PSYC 377 - Moral Psychology

This course explores how and why we make moral judgments about people and their behavior. How are our moral judgments shaped by intuition, emotion, and reasoning? What are the moral implications of climate change? Do we ever put the interests of our broader group or community above our own self-interest? How do we balance punishment motives of retribution and deterrence, and how do these relate to policy decisions about capital punishment? Could a robot have moral rights and responsibilities? We will examine these questions by considering theories and findings from social, developmental, evolutionary, and political psychology, as well as from related fields like philosophy and artificial intelligence.

Frequency: Offered most years.

Prerequisite(s): and one intermediate psychology course, or permission of instructor.

PSYC 378 - Psychology of Language

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, social psychology, and especially from cognitive psychology. Emphasis is placed on current research methods so that students can design an original study.

Frequency: Offered most years

Prerequisite(s): or , and or ; or two linguistics classes; or permission of the instructor.

Cross-Listed as:

PSYC 380 - Community Psychology and Public Health

This course examines the inter-related fields of community psychology and public health psychology. These disciplines share a commitment to the promotion of well-being within a social and cultural context. Interweaving theory, research, and praxis, we interrogate concepts like risk and resilience, empowerment, social connection, and health promotion. We consider sociocultural and political factors that impact mental health, including housing access and eviction policies; health care access; stigma; and structural violence. Throughout the course, we focus on the unique contributions of psychological scholarship to understanding and improving population health. All students participate in a community engagement experience of at least two hours a week to foster a fuller understanding of the course concepts. UP3 course.

Frequency: Offered most years.

Prerequisite(s): , and or ; or two Community and Global Health-related courses drawn from Categories A and/or B. Instructor permission required.

PSYC 385 - Mind Reading: Understanding Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) 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.

Frequency: Offered occasionally.

Prerequisite(s): or ; and either or .

PSYC 388 - The Neuroscience of Reward

"Reward" is a concept with which most people are familiar: a hard-earned vacation at the end of a grueling work schedule, an A grade on a particularly challenging academic assignment, a good meal and a glass of wine after a long day's work. However, this everyday usage of the term belies its complexity. In this course, we will explore "reward" from behavioral and neurobiological perspectives, often focusing on associative learning paradigms that allow for careful dissection of appetitive and consummatory behaviors. We will consider the underlying neural circuitry that enables individuals to learn about rewards and cues that signal these motivationally significant events. Our analysis will emphasize the similarities and distinctions between natural reward and drug reward.

Frequency: Offered every year.

Prerequisite(s): or and either or .

PSYC 394 - Topics Course

Varies by semester. Consult the department or class schedule for current listing.

PSYC 401 - Directed Research in Psych

Directed Research provides an intensive research experience in which students engage fully in the research process and produce a complete study over the course of the semester. With the close support of a faculty member each step of the way, students design a research project intended to extend knowledge in a psychological area of their interest, collect and analyze data, write a research report that includes an extensive literature review, and present their project as a poster in a public setting. Directed research is open only to declared psychology majors; students are assigned to sections by the supervising faculty. This course fulfills the capstone requirement for the psychology major.

Frequency: Every semester.

Prerequisite(s): , at least one intermediate course, and at least one advanced course (or permission of instructor).

PSYC 402 - Clinical Science Capstone

Students in the Clinical Science Capstone will apply contemporary psychological science to their experiences working in social service settings. During the semester, students will spend a minimum of five hours a week in partnership with an organization serving people living with, or at high risk for living with, mental health challenges. During class time, we will explore the connections between science and practice, discussing evidence-based interventions, ethical dimensions of social service work, specific skill development related to students' internship responsibilities, controversies about caregiving, stress and burnout among care providers, and other topics related to students' specific community placements. Through varied activities (e.g., shared readings, discussion, reflective writing, and guest speakers), the course seeks to deepen students' appreciation for applications of psychological science beyond the lab and classroom.

As in Directed Research (), Clinical Science Capstone students will conduct a substantial research project. They will undertake a comprehensive review of past scholarship related to a key aspect of their internship experience, and they will prepare a capstone paper that uses past scholarship to ask and answer a vital question in the field. Unlike Directed Research, however, students in the Clinical Science Capstone will not be expected to gather data.

Frequency: Fall semester only.

Prerequisite(s): and an advanced psychology course

PSYC 450 - Research in Hemisphere Asymmetries

Although the right and left hemispheres of the brain are highly similar in terms of both structure and function, subtle and not-so-subtle differences between them exist. Exploration of these differences benefits our understanding of the mind and how it is implemented by the brain. Students in this course will identify a question about the right and left hemispheres, and design, conduct, analyze, write up, and present a research study investigating this question. The course fulfills the capstone requirement for the Neuroscience or the Psychology major.

Frequency: Occasionally offered.

Prerequisite(s): , the statistics requirement for the student's major ( for Neuroscience majors; and for Psychology majors) and permission of instructor.

PSYC 490 - Behavioral and Experimental Economics Capstone

This course surveys recent developments in behavioral economics and considers applications in labor economics, macroeconomics, finance, public finance, consumer choice, and other areas. Our goal is to draw on recent work in cognitive and evolutionary psychology to better understand human behavior and incorporate these insights into neoclassical reasoning and modeling. It is a capstone course for the Economics major. Counts as a Group E elective for the Economics major. Meets concurrently with .

Frequency: Offered every year.

Prerequisite(s): and , each with a minimum grade of C-.

Cross-Listed as: