11208

PSY 103 Intro to Psychological Science

Sarah Ketay

. T . Th .

11:50 - 1:10 pm

OLIN 202

SSCI

How does the mind create the reality we perceive? How do experiences shape the brain, and how do processes in the brain influence thought, emotion and behavior?  This course investigates these and similar questions by studying the science of the human mind and behavior. The course covers topics such as memory, perception, development, psychopathology, personality, and social behavior. A focus is on the biological, cognitive, and social/cultural roots that give rise to human experience. Additionally, the course will consider how behavior differs among people, and across situations. Class size: 22

11154

PSY 204 Research Methods in Psychology

Barbara Luka Lab A: Lab B:

. T . Th . . T . . . . . W . .

10:10 - 11:30 am 1:30 - 3:30 pm 1:30 - 3:30 pm

OLIN 205 HDR 101A HDR 101A

SCI

This course is a continuation of Psychology 203. Its objectives are to extend the skills and abilities students acquired in the fall semester, and to provide an introduction to the research methods and data analyses used in the study of psychology. Students will gain an understanding of research methods and design through a combination of readings, lectures, class discussions, and hands-on laboratory experience. Students will work both individually and in groups to design and conduct observational studies, surveys, and experiments. There will be a strong emphasis on learning to present research results in different ways. Ethical issues will be discussed at each stage of the research process, and students will develop their ability to assess research critically. This course has a choice of labs, see above. Class size: 30

11544

PSY 238 Clinical Psychology

Beth Gershuny

M . W . .

10:10 - 11:30 am

OLIN 202

SSCI

Clinical Psychology involves the integration of research, theory, and therapy/consultation to better understand, predict, prevent, and/or treat psychological illnesses and symptoms. Clinical Psychology also promotes functional adaptation and “healthy” forms of coping. As such, this course will provide a broad overview and critical evaluation of various clinical approaches to assessment, research, and treatment. In addition, current controversies in the field will be considered; ethical issues will be addressed; and what being a clinical psychologist entails (e.g., training, practice) will be discussed. Prerequisite for this course is PSY 103 (Introduction to Psychological Science). Class size: 22

11545

PSY 247 Health Psychology

Sarah Ketay

M . W . .

1:30 - 2:50 pm

OLIN 203

SSCI

This course provides a survey of health psychology; the scientific study of behavioral, cognitive, and affective influences on biological function. We will emphasize the interaction of biological and psychological factors on individuals' health. Topics include behavioral influences in cardiovascular disease, weight management, personality and illness, social support, pain management, physiological manifestations of stress, psychoneuroimmunology, behavioral/medical treatments, and lifestyle interventions. The course will emphasize the biopsychosocial model in understanding health and disease. Prerequisite is Introduction to Psychological Science or an Introductory level course in Biology. Class size: 22

11211

PSY 252 Drugs and Human Behavior

Frank Scalzo

. T . Th .

11:50 - 1:10 pm

OLIN 204

SSCI

Cross-listed: Cognitive Science; Science, Technology & Society This course will explore the biological bases for the behavioral effects of several psychoactive substances including therapeutic compounds, such as antipsychotics and antidepressants, and drugs of abuse. The course will focus on mechanisms of drug action and physiological and behavioral effects. Broader societal issues such as drug addiction, drug policies and drug testing, and controversial therapeutic interventions will be discussed in relation to selected compounds. Prerequisite: An introductory Psychology or Biology course, or consent of the instructor. Class size: 22

11546

PSY 255 Cultural Perspective of Human Development

Sarah Ketay

M . W . .

10:10 - 11:30 am

OLIN 204

SSCI

This course is an exploration of the nature of culture as an environmental context within which development occurs across the lifespan. We will examine cross-cultural research from two perspectives: cross-national comparisons and subcultures within a larger, dominant culture. A particular focus will be contrasting Western cultures, such as the United States, with non-Western cultures, such as East Asia. We will examine the impact of culture on a variety of topics, including perception, social relationships, cognition and emotion. Some questions we will investigate are: Does cultural context influence our development, from childhood throughout adulthood? Can it shape our perception of art and beauty? Does conformity vary across cultures? What is the impact of culture on self-identity and the way we relate to others? In what way does cultural background influence emotional expression and cognitive processing? Empirical investigations of cultural variability in development are strongly emphasized. Prerequisite is permission of instructor. Class size: 22

11547

PSY 257 Madness, Genius, and Creativity

Beth Gershuny

. T . Th .

10:10 - 11:30 am

OLIN 202

SSCI

Of related interest: Art History, Literature No great genius has ever existed without some touch of madness (Aristotle). We of the craft are all crazy (Lord Byron). Throughout time, there have been writings about a supposed connection between ‘madness and genius’ and ‘madness and creativity.’ Indeed, who among us has not heard of the ‘mad scientist,’ ‘mad genius,’ or ‘mad artist?’ One needs only to think of Van Gogh in a fit of psychosis cutting off a piece of his ear after a quarrel with Gauguin and then presenting it to a prostitute, or Winston Churchill in episodes of depression or mania crafting speeches that became legendary, or Charles Darwin succumbed by panic disorder and imprisoned by his “illness” creating The Origin of Species, or Virginia Woolf in a state of depressive despair filling her pockets with rocks and drowning herself in a nearby river. But are people of higher intellect and creativity more susceptible to madness (i.e., mental illness, psychological disorders)? Does madness lead to creativity and genius, or do creativity and genius render one mad? Ultimately, is the supposed connection between madness and creativity, and madness and genius, a fallacy, or is such a connection indeed a truism that warrants further empirical and conceptual inspection? Throughout this course, we will discuss and explore these questions and critically examine various possible answers through a psychological lens that further incorporates literary and artistic perspectives. Permission of instructor required. Class size: 20

11215

PSY 271 Judgment and Decision Making

Kristin Lane

M . W . .

6:20 - 7:40 pm

OLINLC 120

SSCI

Cross listed: Cognitive Science What career will you choose? Is the person across the street likely to be a criminal? How do public policies affect decisions to save for retirement, seek preventive medical care, or conserve environmental resources? John F. Kennedy captured a truth about human decision-making when he noted that “[t]he essence of ultimate decision remains impenetrable to the observer - often, indeed to the decider himself.” In this course, we will heed Kennedy's reminder that conscious reflection and verbal report often lead to inaccurate descriptions of the causes of our judgments and decisions. Our focus will be on trying to ascertain the underlying causes of these mental processes by relying on contemporary research in fields such as psychology, neuroscience, economics, political science that offer the systematic study of how people make decisions given limited time and vast uncertainty. Sources will include empirical articles as well as review papers, videos, and case studies. We will consider applications of this work to domains such as finance, politics, the environment, and medicine. This course is open to students with all backgrounds, although comfort with algebra will be assumed. Class size: 22

11214

PSY 337 Psychology: Prejudice and Stereotyping

Kristin Lane

. T . . .

1:30 - 3:50 pm

OLIN 107

SSCI/DIFF

Related interest: Human Rights This course focuses on the empirical study of intergroup relations. It is designed to provide an overview of the social psychological study of issues in prejudice and stereotyping. The bulk of the course will examine the cognitive, affective, and motivational origins of stereotyping and prejudice, but we will also explore the experience of being a target of prejudice – how are members of disadvantaged groups affected by cultural stereotypes and prejudice? A broad range of social groups will be considered, including gender and ethnicity. Finally, we will discuss scientifically-based means of prejudice reduction.

Class size: 12

11213

PSY 345 Recent Developments in Pharmacotherapies for Mental Illness

Frank Scalzo

. . W . .

1:30 - 3:50 pm

HEG 102

SSCI

Cross-listed: Science, Technology & Society This seminar will examine newly discovered drug treatments for several mental illnesses. Initial class meetings will focus on in-depth readings that will provide a background for understanding the methods used for identifying and testing potential new therapies. Subsequent meetings will consist of student-led discussions of topics of interest. This course is open to moderated psychology students and other students at the discretion of the instructor. Class size: 15

11548

PSY 348 The Work and Legacy of Stanley Milgram

Stuart Levine

M . . . .

1:30 - 3:50 pm

LB3 302

SSCI

Cross-listed: Science, Technology & Society ; related interest: Human Rights The title for this course is taken from the title of a recent biography of Stanley Milgram authored by Thomas Blass, a professor of social psychology at the University of Maryland Baltimore County campus. It has now been forty years since the original work of Stanley Milgram demonstrated the remarkable and unpredicted finding that large numbers of individuals in multiple samples of American men and women studied were willing to punish another person when ordered to do so by an experimenter. The prominence of the initial work and the continued salience of such study in social psychology cannot be over-stated. In a review of the personal and situational determinants of obedient behavior in the "Milgram design" format, Thomas Blass (1991) lists as many as 200 references. It could well be that 100 more have appeared since the Blass review. Beside the volume of studies conducted and the attempts at review and theorizing, the domain of the "Milgram" study is worthy of continuing interest not only because of the vastness of both criticism and praise to which the work was subjected but because of events of our current time. These suggest that the continuing study of obedience phenomena is necessary and that social scientists should likely find a way to safely and ethically investigate the conditions which promote destructive obedience. This is an upper college seminar which serves as a Research Conference for psychology majors but is not limited to psychology or even social studies majors. The single criterion for membership is a willingness to read with care. A portion of the work contained in the body of the obedience literature will be reviewed from the perspective of trying to assess the continuing status of the phenomenon and the explanations and understandings that have been brought to light. Class size: 12

11218

PSY CLN Clinical Psychology: Advanced Methodology

Beth Gershuny

. . . Th .

1:30 - 3:30 pm

PRE

N/A

2 credits This course will provide basic training and direct experience with research in Clinical Psychology in general, and research in the empirical domains of Anxiety- and Trauma-Related Disorders (e.g., Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder) in particular. Rudiments of research planning, design, and conduction will be discussed; and relevant ethical issues will be considered. Theoretical paradigms and empirical findings – and relevant books and articles – will be reviewed and critiqued, and these will be used to create bases for the evaluation of existing research questions as well as the creation of new research questions. In addition, existing datasets will be analyzed, and new data will be collected. Ultimately, the goal is that projects – both preexisting and new – will lead to the generation of Senior Project ideas and plans, and ultimately to conference presentations and publications. Class size: 5

11155

PSY COG Cognitive Psychology: Advanced Methodology

Barbara Luka

. . . Th .

1:30 - 3:30 pm

PRE 111

N/A

Cross-listed: Cognitive Science (2 credits) This course provides an opportunity for guided research in psycholinguistics. You will contribute to ongoing studies of language comprehension, including preparing stimuli, working with participants, analyzing collected data, reviewing recently published empirical papers, and developing your independent project. Requirements include consistent participation in weekly lab meetings and two short papers (a literature review and a summary of your empirical project). Open to first-year, second-year and junior students with consent of the instructor. (This course may be repeated for a maximum of 8 credits.) Class size: 5

11216

PSY NEU Neuroscience: Advanced Methodology

Frank Scalzo

. . . Th .

1:30 - 3:30 pm

PRE 101

N/A

(2 credits) In this course, students will participate in laboratory research in developmental psychopharmacology, behavioral neuroscience, neuroanatomy and/or neurobehavioral teratology using the zebrafish as an animal model. Within these general fields, specific roles of neurotransmitter systems in normal behavioral development and the neurobehavioral effects of chemical insults during early development will be investigated. The majority of time in this course will consist of independent laboratory work and research. There will be a weekly laboratory meeting, readings, assignments, two short papers (a literature review and a summary of your empirical project) and student presentations. Open to first-year, second-year and junior students with consent of the instructor (this course may be repeated for a maximum of 8 credits). Class size: 5

11217

PSY SOC Social Psychology: Advanced Methodology

Kristin Lane

. . . Th .

1:30 - 3:30 pm

PRE

N/A

(2 credits) This course provides hands-on experience in the practice of Social Psychology. Students will work individually and in teams on ongoing and student-initiated research projects in the Social Psychology Laboratory. The realm of topics to be studied includes the roots of unconscious bias, perceptions and judgments of social distance, and the gender disparity in the sciences.  Students will participate in all phases of the research process, including developing stimuli, programming studies, conducting experimental sessions, and coding and analyzing research data. Requirements include attendance at weekly lab meetings, two papers, a lab presentation, and other assignments throughout the semester.  Enrollment is open to first-, second-, and third-year students with the permission of the instructor. Students are expected to enroll for two consecutive semesters. (This course may be taken for a maximum of eight credits.) Class size: 5