In this course, we will examine psychological research and practice through the lens of gender. We will explore gender as a psychological and social construct that influences our experiences in a number of contexts. The course will address how gender, as a social identity, relates to privilege, oppression, and emotional well-being. Sample topics include: gender roles, stereotypes, gender socialization, and gender inequality. Moreover, we will take an intersectional perspective, attending to the complex ways that gender combines with race and other social identities. As we engage with a broad survey of scholarship on the psychology of gender, we will grapple with controversial issues confronting the field of psychology and consider both personal and professional applications. Fall and Spring.

Prerequisite to all upper-division psychology courses. Survey of the major content areas of psychology, introducing the basic vocabulary, concepts, principles, and theories of the discipline. Specific topics include history and methods of psychology; biological bases of behavior; sensation and perception; learning and memory; cognition, language, and intelligence; motivation and emotion; lifespan development; personality; psychological disorders; psychological treatment/psychotherapy; and social psychology. Fall and Spring.

Supervised study including an empirical data-based research project. Requires permission of instructor and department chair and completion and/or concurrent registration of less than 12 credits within the department. Students with 12 or more credits should enroll in 300 Empirical Research Project.

Understanding and analyzing data in psychology research; descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, appropriate use of statistics, use of computer to do necessary computations and data analysis. Fall and Spring.

This course is designed to introduce students to the principles of research in psychology. In addition to learning how to design and conduct research projects of high quality, students will develop the skills necessary to interpret and critique others' research. Emphasis will be placed on the strengths and weaknesses of the various research designs so that students will be able to choose the appropriate methodologies to address particular research questions. The course will provide students with hands-on experience in all aspects of empirical research in psychology. This includes designing, conducting, analyzing, interpreting, and reporting their own research, as well as evaluating the research of others. Fall and Spring.

This module is an introduction to psychology both as a science and a profession, with specific emphasis on psychological issues that are relevant in the South African context. Psychology is positioned at the convergence of a number of traditions of research and practice, including biological, philosophical and pragmatic traditions. This introductory module gives students a basis from which to approach further study of the discipline.

Supervised reading or research at the lower-division level. Approval of department chair required. Not available to first-year students.

Supervised study including an empirical data-based research project. Required permission of instructor and department chair and completion and/or concurrent registration of 12 or more credits within the department.

Reading and discussion of classic or contemporary works in psychology, moderated by a member of the Psychology Department. Interested faculty and students in other areas are welcome to participate as well. Each section of this course is typically devoted to a single work, but occasionally a group of smaller works by a single author may be selected. S/U grading only. May be repeated for credit.

The study and application of the principles of psychology to work place behavior in a wide variety of organizations (e.g., industrial/profit making, governmental, human service, non-profit, etc.). Industrial/organizational psychology attempts to answer two major questions: Why do people behave the way they do within organizations? How can we use this information to improve the effectiveness of the organization and lives of its members? Topics include selecting and evaluating employees, training and development, organizational culture, job satisfaction and motivation, leadership, communication, decision making, quality of work life, work stress and health. Fall and Spring.

This course provides an opportunity to learn about language and how it is processed and understood. Topics will include speech perception, word and sentence processing, reading, discourse, sign language, language development and language disorders. Psychological and neuropsychological research and theories will be examined. Offered infrequently.

Cross cultural psychology examines traditional topics in the field of psychology (for example, research methods, cognition, development, emotion, psychopathology, social behavior, etc.) with a special emphasis on the comparison of these topics across different cultural groups. We will explore these topics with a particular emphasis on the methodological challenges associated with developing a scientific understanding of the influence of culture on human behavior and mental processes. Once per academic year.

What do people need in order to thrive? In this course we will explore topics such as happiness, meaning, human flourishing, career development, satisfaction with life, and psychological well-being. In addition reviewing the latest positive psychology research, the focus of the course will also be on application and experiential learning. This personal development course is designed for first year and sophomore students. Offered infrequently.

This class will attempt to look inside the minds of animals. It’s an interesting, fun, and constantly changing field that is very accessible. We will explore issues focusing on Animal Cognition, Consciousness, Emotion, and Morality; constantly looking across species lines for commonalities and differences. The psychological capacities of human infants, children, and adults will be compared with widely varied species to understand not only how animals think, but also what makes us different. We will also discuss evolutionary theories and scientific methodologies used to explore varied minds. Prerequisite: PSYC 111

This course examines the major areas of psychology from an evolutionary perspective. We will, for example, look at sensory systems, emotions, interpersonal relationships, and mental disorders and ask question such as the following: Why did these particular attributes of human nature evolve? Why do all people in all cultures share similar sensory experiences, emotions, and developmental stages? Specific topics of study: Evolutionary psychology (EP) vs. the standard social science model; evolution by natural selection; the genetic basis for evolution; major topic areas of psychology from an evolutionary perspective, including sensation and perception, consciousness, motivation and emotion, cognition, learning, individual differences (intelligence and personality), health, abnormal psychology, the psychology of human mating, families and development, social behavior, and culture. Offered infrequently.

In the realm of neuroscience, truth is often stranger than fiction. Much has been learned from bizarre and unfortunate cases of brain damage, such as the historic account of Phineas Gage, a railroad worker whose brain was penetrated by a 3’ 7” iron rod during an accidental explosion. Amazingly, Gage survived the trauma, but his personality was never the same. This course implements a cooperative learning approach to exploring what we have learned about the human brain from accidents, disease states, and other twists of fate, as well as from the study of healthy brains. Possible topics may include phantom limb syndrome, locked-in syndrome, brain death, autism, epilepsy, sleep disorders, and electrical injury. Neuroscience-related film and literature may also be explored. Finally, students will implement strategies for improving their own brain health. Student learning will be assessed in a variety of ways including in-class assignments, quizzes, discussions, group projects, papers, presentations, and exams. Offered infrequently.

The general aim of this course is to learn about psychological knowledge as it applies to law. The course offers an overview of contemporary psychological theories, research, principles, concepts, and practices pertinent to the legal system. Although students will gain an appreciation for the culture and traditions of law, this is not a law course. The emphasis is on human behavior and mental processes and the interaction of psychology with the legal and criminal justice systems. Specific topics include psychological assessment, testing, and the law; psychology and the courts; mental health law (competencies, criminal responsibility, civil commitment; the psychology of the jury (procedural considerations and jury decision making; the psychology of evidence (eyewitness testimony, the polygraph, hypnosis, facial composites, profiling, pretrial publicity); correctional psychology; family law; juvenile delinquency and justice; criminal behavior; and the psychology of law enforcement. Once per academic year.

This seminar-style course will focus on the contemporary scholarship in multicultural psychology. The course will emphasize the psychological and social experience of discrimination, oppression, and privilege. Students will learn about how one's social identities (race, gender, sexual orientation etc.) make up an individual's cultural experiences. Students will be expected to explore these topics about themselves and others. The course will include readings, discussion, and experiential activities to interactively learn these topics. Offered infrequently.

Human behavior is the major contributing factor to all environmental problems we face today. Thus, if we are to understand both the causes and potential solutions to the many environmental problems our planet is facing, we need to understand how psychological principles influence the human behavior that causes those problems. We can then begin to develop strategies for addressing environmental problems based upon our knowledge of human behavior. The purpose of this special topics course is to examine psychology's role in leading society toward a more sustainable existence. We will review many of the psychological principles covered in the introductory course with the purpose of applying those principles to environmental issues. Offered infrequently.

The course will examine conceptual and methodological perspectives on the psychological assessment of presidential candidates and the role of personality on political leadership. The course will cover topics such as alternative approaches to the study of personality in politics, presidential leadership and management styles, and psychological “fitness for office.” Students will participate in a group research project involving psychological and leadership assessments of the presidential and vice-presidential candidates in the 2016 election and, with the help of the instructor, will publish a series of newspaper articles dealing with the subject matter of the course. The class will be structured like a seminar or workshop and performance evaluation will be based on class discussion, participation, presentations, and short papers that will be edited and submitted for publication in the news media. Offered infrequently.

This course examines stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination from a social psychological perspective. Students will learn about why prejudice and discrimination occur and how prejudice and discrimination can be addressed and reduced. Additionally, students will use research findings to interpret and explain real-world events and will be given the opportunity to build a more inclusive campus community by identifying institutionalized policies and practices that discriminate against marginalized student groups on campus. Offered infrequently.

This course will focus on research into how people’s cognition may be affected by the use of digital media and technology as compared to more traditional ways of accessing and processing information. We will address questions such as: How does reading text on computers, tablets, smartphones, etc. differ from reading books and other printed materials? Is there a difference in comprehension level, attention span, the likelihood to skim, or other variables? How does the ubiquity of smartphones and social media affect people’s attentional focus, productivity, and emotional well-being? Can people effectively multitask or is the presence of such technology and apps always detrimental? How does reading fake or inaccurate news affect people’s understanding of the world? After exposure to such information, are there effective methods to combat the misinformation so that people gain a more accurate understanding of the topic? Does easy access to Google, Wikipedia, and other online sources affect people’s idea of what it means “to know” something? Does it affect people’s motivation to commit information to memory? Offered infrequently.

Community Psychology is an applied field that uses psychology and other social science research to develop community interventions for the purpose of preventing psychological disorder, promoting mental health, and enhancing the quality of life for individuals and communities. As a result, community psychologists are actively involved in the community and within community organizations. Sample topics include: Collaborative community research, the psychological sense of community, psychological stress and social support, community and social change, citizen participation and empowerment, and intervention in schools, human service organizations, and the mental health system. Fall and Spring.

The scientific study of the behavioral, affective, and cognitive reactions of participants and spectators to various sport settings, with emphasis on the potential of sport to contribute to psychological health and wellbeing, as well as the potential for sport to increase anxiety, aggression, violence, and injury. The role of the sports and exercise psychologist is examined, including increasing the level of athletic performance, dealing with the emotional problems of athletes, educating athletes, coaches, and spectators, and studying human behavior and mental processes in sports settings. Fall and Spring.

An exploration of the basic principles of conditioning and learning. The course covers the phenomena of Pavlovian and Operant conditioning as well as their place in the larger theoretical framework of psychology. The course also covers application of these principles to understanding social and individual behavior. Offered once per academic year.

An exploration of the ways in which we construct a world of things and events from the flow of stimulus energy. Covers such topics as color vision, form perception, perception of space and movement, perceptual constancies, and music and speech perception. Offered once per academic year.

The study of the higher mental processes. Special emphasis is given to perception, memory, attention, imagery, problem solving, decision making, and language. Fall and Spring.

A survey of psychological topics from the biological perspective. Topics may include neuroanatomy, neurodevelopment, sensation and perception, sleep, learning and memory, emotion, language, brain damage/neuroplasticity, drug addiction, and psychological disorders. Depending on instructor, course may also include a hands-on laboratory component such as sheep brain anatomy. Fall and Spring.

This course is designed to familiarize students with current drugs including antipsychotics, antidepressants, antianxiety agents, and drugs of abuse. An emphasis will be placed on the action of these drugs at the synaptic level, indications and contraindications for their use, and potential side effects. Typically offered every other year.

This course will survey various models of the mind-body interaction as related to physical health. Topics may include: psychoneuroimmunology, the role of stress on mental and physical health, psychosomatic disorders, behavioral medicine, and the psychology of illness and wellness. Recommended for pre-med, pre-physical therapy, and pre-occupational therapy majors. Fall and Spring.

Develops the most basic concepts of evaluating psychological measures: reliability, validity, and normative data and then proceeds to show how these principles can be used to evaluate new and existing measures. Topics covered include basic review of descriptive statistics, ability and achievement assessment, personality assessment, and factor analysis. Offered infrequently.

The words "motivation" and "emotion" come from the same root: both refer to the psychological "forces" underlying action (behavior). This course will examine the biological, psychological, and social bases that consciously or unconsciously direct our behavior. Topics may include: the physiology of emotion, moral development, attachment and "free will." Offered once per academic year.

This course reviews the major theories and methodologies in social psychology, the scientific study of how people think about, are influenced by, and behave in relation to others. The course will examine how people view themselves and others and the accuracy of those thoughts, the social forces that impact people's behavior and attitudes, and how people relate to each other (prejudice, aggression, attraction, and helping). Fall and Spring.

The study of age-related changes that occur as the individual moves through life. Major theoretical perspectives, concepts, and research methods for examining physical, cognitive, moral and social-emotional development. Fall and Spring.

This module “Trauma and the Remaking of the Self” provides an overview of current psychological theories and research in the understanding of human responses to psychological trauma and life adversities. Topics include acute stress reactions, and post-traumatic stress disorders resulting from interpersonal and family violence, sexual victimization, traumatic loss and death, disaster, and other critical life events. Resilience and post-traumatic growth in the face of life challenges will be discussed in the second part of the module. There will be a special focus on cultural and gender issues in relation to human traumatic stress reactions and resilient functioning.

This course will take students through the recent science of positive psychology, which aims to ‘understand, test, discover, and promote the factors that allow individuals and communities to thrive’ (Sheldon et al, 2000). In particular, positive psychology comprises the scientific exploration of well-being, happiness, flow, personal strengths, compassion, creativity, and characteristics of positive groups and institutions that enable their development. In this sense, rather than focusing solely on the happiness of individuals and on a self-centered approach, positive psychology also concentrates on happiness and flourishing at a group-level. We will look at how individuals and groups flourish and how increasing the well-being of one will have a positive effect on the other. The first part of this course reviews the theory and research on positive psychology, while the second part focuses on theoretical conflicts and real-world applications. Every session will incorporate experiential learning and exercises aimed at increasing personal well-being and at facilitating students’ understanding of the fundamental questions in the field. Ultimately, the students will be able to utilize a more accurate and objective (rather than intuitive) understanding of concepts of positive psychology such as happiness, well-being, and compassion). Pre-requisite: completion of an introductory course in Psychology.

The purpose of this course is to provide an introduction to the fields of clinical and counseling psychology. Major topics covered include: the historical backgrounds of these fields, the educational requirements for professionals, the use of assessment techniques and professional issues and issues related to clientele. Basic helping skills, which are useful in any form of communication, are developed. In addition, the theories most representative of the various schools of psychotherapy are explained. Fall and Spring.

This module addresses psychological theories and understandings of the person with reference to major contemporary approaches. Theories to be considered may include systemic, psychodynamic, behavioural, cognitive and existential components, with consideration of the applicability of psychological theories to African contexts. Must be paired with another 2-credit SW-eligible PSYC course to meet the Integrations SW requirement.

In this module human development is studied, with specific reference to the South African context. Must be paired with another 2-credit SW-eligible PSYC course to meet the Integrations SW requirement.

Supervised reading or research at the upper-division level. Approval of department chair and completion and/or concurrent registration of 12 credits within the department required. Not available to first year students.

Foundational issues in personality psychology, including the personality construct, levels of analysis in personality psychology, the nature and purpose of personality theories, and criteria for evaluating the adequacy of psychological theories. Major domains of knowledge and theoretical perspectives on the psychology of personality, including biological, psychodynamic, dispositional (trait), cognitive, affective, and social/cultural approaches. Consideration of psychological adjustment and psychopathology in relation to personality psychology. Fall and Spring.

This course provides an overview of various forms of psychological disorders. Students will become familiar with the major categories, signs, and symptoms of psychological disorders according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental disorders, as well as cultural conceptualizations of distress and how etiology, symptoms, and treatment may differ across cultural groups. Students will explore how symptoms of mental illness may be viewed from a holistic perspective and how to consider the impact of stigma in the classification of disorders. They will be encouraged to seek to understand and empathize with the varied experiences and perspectives of individuals suffering from psychological distress, particularly through case studies. Fall and Spring.

Historical analysis of psychology from the field's beginnings in philosophy and the natural sciences through the 1980s. Students will give presentations and engage in other activities (e.g., class discussion) based on their own research on the history of psychology. Intended for PSYC major, Senior standing and 20 credits in psychology. Offered once per academic year.

Detailed consideration of special topic; library research and possible laboratory work included; participants will prepare and present a major paper to seminar participants. Fall and Spring.

In this discussion-based course, we will examine a number of controversial topics within the field of psychology. The main objective of the course is to help psychology majors develop informed opinions on a variety of important issues that are currently being debated in the field. Participation in class discussions will be expected of all students and will constitute a significant portion of the course grade. In addition, students will write a major paper and present it to the group; they will also lead discussions and complete frequent short writing assignments. Some potential topics: Are we over-medicating our kids? Is it ethical for psychologists to be involved in the interrogation of suspected terrorists? Does abstinence-based sex education work in reducing teen sexual activity, pregnancy, and STIs? To what degree is the diagnosis and treatment of psychological disorders influenced by drug companies? What are the psychological effects of using social media? Should personality measures be used when screening job applicants? Is there a mental health “crisis” or do increases in diagnoses simply indicate greater awareness and less stigma? What is involved in sexual orientation "conversion" therapy, and should therapists offer such treatment? Should behavioral “nudges” be used by organizations and governments to change people’s behavior?

Psychology Seminar involves detailed consideration of a special topic and requires seminar participants to prepare and present a major paper. This section is designed to help senior psychology majors integrate diverse psychological concepts, principles, theories, and methods to the applied areas of criminal investigation. The course will draw from several areas of psychology, including the biological foundations of personality; perception and cognition; motivation and emotion; human development; personality psychology; psychopathology; and social psychology. Students will develop offender and victim psychological profiles in unsolved criminal cases.

This course will explore the interface between Western and Buddhist psychologies by a re-examination of traditional substantive areas in psychology including (but not limited to): historical development, research methodology and ways of knowing, neuroscience, sensation and perception, consciousness, conditioning, cognition, motivation and emotion, personality, social interaction and psychopathology. Class meetings will be spent discussing assigned readings from both the psychological and the Buddhist literature. Students will select a psychological topic of interest, extensively research the topic from both perspectives, and prepare a term paper to be presented to the group. In addition, students will receive basic instruction in mindfulness meditation and will be asked to adopt a daily practice, journaling their reactions and experiences, as an experiential component of the course.

Modern society often portrays science and religion as being at odds with each other. This course will emphasize how science and religion both point to similar suggestions for how to live well. More specifically, students will learn about the Benedictine Wisdom Tradition (e.g., values, practices) and identify a set of principles that are central to a Benedictine way of life. Students will then find and examine psychological research related to those Benedictine principles to illuminate how psychological science and religion often concur in their guidance for how to live fulfilling lives that can contribute in meaningful ways to one’s community and the broader world. Among the principles to be examined: listening, attentiveness, humility, and community. Ultimately, students will complete a major paper and presentation where they focus on a particular world problem of interest to them and how the guiding principles derived from both psychological research and Benedictine wisdom could be utilized to help make the world a better place.

Limited study examining a student's own researchable hypothesis in consultation with one or more department members. Students typically enroll for 3 credits in Fall and for 1 credit in Spring, in their senior year.

Internship in an approved setting. Work experience in an area of applied psychology supervised by agency personnel and department coordinator.