15155

PSY 124 Child Development

Sarah Dunphy-Lelii LAB:

. T . Th . . T . . .

8:30am-9:50am 1:30pm-3:30pm

OLIN 202 HDR 101A

SCI

In this course we’ll consider development from conception through early adolescence, with an emphasis on how the changes in children’s minds, bodies, emotions, and social interactions work together to produce behaviors both universal to our species and unique to each individual. In considering the question “What environments promote optimum development for children?” We will relate empirical findings to the field’s theoretical models of the genetic, biological, cognitive, and cultural influences on development. A diversity of writing, speaking, group, and hands-on experiences (including nursery school observations) will augment readings from the text, popular culture, and research journals. This class is geared toward non-majors, and is not appropriate for students who have already taken Child Development or Developmental Psychology at the 200-level. Class size: 18

15156

PSY 141 A Intro to Psychological Science

Farnaz Kaighobadi

. T . Th .

8:30am-9:50am

OLIN 204

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: 24

15157

PSY 141 B Intro to Psychological Science

Farnaz Kaighobadi

. T . Th .

11:50am-1:10pm

RKC 115

SSCI

See above. Class size: 24

15158

PSY 141 C Intro to Psychological Science

Thomas Hutcheon

. T . Th .

1:30pm-2:50pm

RKC 111

SSCI

See above. Class size: 22

15020

PSY 204 Research Methods in Psychology

Amy Winecoff

. T . Th .

10:10am- 11:30am

HEG 204

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 which should be registered separately. Prerequisites: PSY 141 and PSY 203 Class size: 34

Lab Options: (register separately)

15499

PSY 204 Research Methods in Psychology

Amy Winecoff

. . W . .

10:30am- 12:30pm

HDR 101A

SCI

Class size: 17

15500

PSY 204 Research Methods in Psychology

Amy Winecoff

. . W . .

1:30pm-3:30pm

HDR 101A

SCI

Class size: 17

15159

PSY 211 Child Abnormal Psychology

Sarah Dunphy-Lelii

M . W . .

10:10am- 11:30am

OLIN 205

SSCI

Cross-listed: Mind, Brain & Behavior This course investigates the early and multiple factors contributing to psychopathology emerging in childhood, as well as the diagnostic and treatment standards now in practice. We will emphasize an empirically-based developmental psychopathology perspective, with an emphasis on the risk and protective factors that shape abnormal and normal developmental trajectories. We will explore various models for understanding maladaptive development (e.g, the role of genes, psychosocial influences) through the examination of current research and diagnostic practices in specific diagnostic areas (e.g., autism, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). Throughout this course, students will be encouraged to relate empirical findings to the field’s theoretical models in considering the genetic, biological, cognitive, and cultural influences on child development. Prerequisite: PSY 141 Class size: 24

15160

PSY 220 Social Psychology

Kristin Lane

. T . Th .

11:50am-1:10pm

RKC 101

SSCI

Cross-listed: Gender & Sexuality Studies, Sociology Social Psychology is the scientific study of human thought, behavior, and feelings in their social contexts. This class will survey many of the processes that influence and are influenced by our interactions with others, such as attitude formation and change, conformity and persuasion. We will also use principles of social psychology to understand the ordinary origins of benevolent (e.g., altruism, helping behavior) and malevolent (e.g., aggression, prejudice) aspects of human behavior. Throughout the course, we will emphasize the influence of culture, race, and gender on the topics addressed. Students should have completed Introduction to Psychology or its equivalent. Class size: 22

15162

PSY 233 Sensation and Perception

Thomas Hutcheon

. T . Th .

8:30am-9:50am

OLIN 203

SSCI

As we read a line of text our eyes make a series of short, rapid movements (saccades) followed by brief pauses (fixations). Yet, we experience reading as a continuous flow of information. Reading reflects a fundamental question for the study of sensation and perception: how does our brain construct a stable representation of the world when provided with ever changing sensory information? This course will begin to address this, and related questions, by studying the anatomy and physiology of sensory structures that receive stimulus information, with a particular emphasis on the visual and auditory systems. Next, we will move to the cognitive processes that turn this raw sensory information into our perception of the world. Finally, we will discuss how the same sensory information can often lead to very different perceptions across individuals and cultures. Readings will consist of a combination of textbook chapters and empirical articles. Prerequisite: PSY 141, CMSC 131 or permission of instructor. Class size: 22

15501

PSY 252 Drugs & Human Behavior

Frank Scalzo

. T . Th .

1:30pm-2:50pm

OLIN 204

SSCI

Cross-listed: Mind, Brain & Behavior; 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

15498

PSY 258 Psychology of Human Sexuality

Farnaz Kaighobadi

M . W . .

1:30pm-2:50pm

OLIN 201

SSCI

Cross-listed: Gender & Sexuality Studies This course is designed to help students gain a better understanding and appreciation for the amazing complexity of gender and sexuality. In this course we will examine psychological, biological, evolutionary, and sociocultural influences on sexuality. Topics investigated in this course will include but are not limited to gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, psychology of intimate relationships, human sexual response, and variations in sexual behavior. From time to time, we will also discuss the roles religion, law, and public policy play in sexual expression, sexual health and well being. In addition to textbook, other sources such as research articles and book chapters will be used to provide an overview of history, theories, methods and current topics in sexuality research. Prerequisites: Introduction to Psychological Science or consent of the instructor. Class size: 22

15502

PSY 271 Judgement & Decision Making

Kristin Lane

. . W . F

3:10pm-4:30pm

RKC 111

SSCI

Cross-listed: Mind, Brain & Behavior 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

15169

PSY / HR 317 BAD IS STRONGER THAN GOOD

Stuart Levine

M . . . .

3:00pm-6:00pm

DUBOIS SEMINAR

SSCI

Cross-listed: Human Rights A year or so ago a photography/psychology student discovered, or at least conjectured although not yet proven, that photographically conveying a sad or negative scene to a viewer was somehow easier then doing so for a cheerful landscape. Why do we more easily recognize and register the bad and why is it more salient in our lives than the good?  The so-called negative bias that “bad is stronger than good" has been found across a wide array of psychological literature in both human and animal life. This demonstrated from Asch (1946) within his work on impression formation and in more recent literature surveys [Baumeister (2001); Rozin and Royzman (2001)] This bias moreover is consistent over a myriad of topics such as: social relations; emotions; mood; learning and even information processing; physiological arousal; and memory. In this seminar we examine studies across the domain of psychology and other disciplines to show that the phenomena is sufficiently ubiquitous so as to reflect and perhaps even explain the events sensed and perceived in our life space. Observe how the bad dominates the daily report in the media. What does this phenomenon mean with respect to the presence or absence of optimism and associated behavior, or for the conduct of child rearing or the power of the variable of happiness and other positive life circumstances? Moreover, an effort to find non-confirming data produces a negative result. No matter the variable studied bad exists at the center of our focus while good is relegated to the periphery. This is an upper college seminar for students of many disciplines. Class size: 10

15165

PSY 322 ExecUTIVE Control OF Thought & Action

Thomas Hutcheon

. . . . F

10:10am- 12:30pm

OLIN 309

SSCI

Sitting on a public bus you are immediately reminded of the variety of stimuli confronting you at any one time: the sound of people talking, the sight of cars passing by, and the smell of the person next to you. Now imagine you decide to read a newspaper on that bus. The conversation, the cars, and the person next to you are now irrelevant sources of information and the newspaper is now the relevant source of information. Reading on the bus demonstrates a fundamental function of executive control: the biasing of information processing in the service of internally generated goals. This course will investigate the mechanisms that underlie executive control, with a particular focus on executive control in situations where individuals must switch rapidly switch attention among multiple tasks. Topics will include classic and current computational models, analysis of task-switching and set-switching paradigms, and recent neuroimaging results. Readings will consist primarily of empirical and theoretical articles. Prerequisites: PSY 141 or CMSC 132 and one of the following courses: Cognitive Psychology, Neuroscience, Human Memory, Motivation, or Automaticity of Social Life. Class size: 12

15164

PSY 345 Recent DevELOPMENTS IN Pharmacotherapies

Frank Scalzo

. . W . .

10:10am- 12:30pm

OLIN 309

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

15166

PSY 354 Causes & ConseqUENCES OF Eating Disorders

Amy Winecoff

M . . . .

1:30pm-3:50pm

RKC 115

SSCI

Eating disorders are characterized by a persistent disturbance in eating behavior that results in poor physical and mental well-being. Using animal models, human experimental data, and epidemiological studies, this course will provide an in-depth look at the pathogenesis, disease course, and psychological, biological, and social consequences of eating disorders. We will discuss anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and obesity at length; however, we will also touch on other psychological and medical disturbances in eating behavior such as binge eating, picky eating, and food allergies. Readings for this course will primarily be empirical research, theoretical papers, and review articles drawn from the scientific literature on eating disorders. Assignments will include original research article presentations, an experiment proposal paper, and a critical analysis of existing research. While we may touch on some aspects of treatment, the course will largely focus on causes and consequences of disordered eating. Prerequisites: one course in abnormal psychology or one course in neuroscience or consent of the instructor. Class size: 12

15167

PSY DEV Research in Developmental Psychology

Sarah Dunphy-Lelii

. . . Th .

1:30pm-3:30pm

PRE

Cross-listed: Mind, Brain & Behavior (2 credits) In this course, students will participate in laboratory research in child developmental psychology. Special emphasis will be placed on 3- to 5-year olds' social cognition, perspective-taking, and memory in the context of games. The majority of time in this course will consist of independent laboratory work and research, and students will work with young children, parents, and members of the community to initiate research protocols in our Preston-based laboratory . 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: 6

15168

PSY SOC Social Psychology: Advanced Methodology

Kristin Lane

. . . Th .

2:30pm-4:30pm

PRE

(2 credits)This course provides hands-on experience in the practice of Social Psychology. Students will work individually and in teams on ongoing research projects in the Social Psychology Laboratory. The realm of topics to be studied includes the roots of unconscious bias, the gender disparity in the sciences, and behavior change. 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: 6