· Social Psychology and Education
· Moral Development: Research and Theory
· Psychology of Control
· Controversies in Social Cognition: Attitudes and Attitude Change
· New Directions in Psychopathology
· Psychology of Acculturation

Social Psychology and Education
How do we learn? How do we explain our academic successes and failures? Why do smart people sometimes fail? What role do teachers play in facilitating (or hindering) achievement? How can we intervene to enhance "at risk" students’ low achievement? These issues are typically thought of as germane to either educational or developmental psychology, but social psychologists have also examined these and a variety of other educational issues for decades. This Research Conference explores the social psychological study of education with a strong emphasis on empirical investigation. Prerequisites: familiarity with research statistics and methods; Moderation in psychology or permission of the instructor.

Moral Development: Research and Theory
Human interaction would be impossible without contracts, rules, and agreements. It would be no less chaotic or impossible if the parties to these agreements were indifferent to the content and conditions for meeting social responsibilities. Despite many exceptions, human beings seem capable of entering into and maintaining complicated and frequently difficult role relations. This is evidenced by the countless tacit agreements that are kept for long periods of time even when one or more parties to the agreement could profit by covert defection. The course examines a variety of theories from psychology and other disciplines for what they offer in the way of explanation and what research efforts of psychologists and others have contributed.

Psychology of Control
An exploration of the concept of control from a psychological perspective. Theoretical and intellectual origins of ideas about control are traced, with particular emphasis on the relationship between control and attribution theory. Different models of control are examined, focusing mostly on Bandura’s model of self-efficacy and Skinner’s model of action control. The empirical literature on the different domains in which control influences everyday life is examined. What is and what is not control? How do control beliefs influence behavior? Do control beliefs function similarly across different life domains? How do control beliefs develop over time? Are there individual, gender, and ethnic differences in control beliefs? How can we influence, intervene in, and change our control beliefs?

Controversies in Social Cognition: Attitudes and Attitude Change
Psychology 320
Since Thurstone’s paper "On Attitudes" was published in the 1930s, psychologists have been empirically investigating the structure, nature, and functions of our most deeply cherished beliefs. This seminar examines the subject from its historical roots to contemporary models of attitudes and attitude change. Specific questions addressed include the following: What is an attitude? How are attitudes organized? How can they be measured? Are all attitudes the same? Does attitude directly influence behavior? Does behavior directly influence attitude? Why are strongly held personal beliefs so hard to change? Are contemporary models of attitude formation and change adequate? Strong emphasis is placed on empirical investigations. Familiarity with quantitative and qualitative methods of research and with inferential statistics is essential.

New Directions in Psychopathology
Psychology 342
In focusing on the evolution of psychiatric paradigms through the 20th century, this course attempts to evaluate the current state of psychopathological research. Special attention is given to the development of cognitive-behavioral and biological views of mental disorder and the decline of the once-dominant psychodynamic-developmental view. The subject is approached through the examination of specific research on such conditions as panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, and mood disorder. Also considered are larger works that evaluate the strengths and limitations of dominant paradigms.

Psychology of Acculturation
Psychology 383
Concerned with the changes and adaptations that occur on first-time and continuous intercultural contact, the course encompasses two processes: acculturation, which denotes changes that occur at the broad societal level of culture change or the process through which an entire group changes, and psychological acculturation, which examines the adaptations individuals make on culture contact while still embedded in the wider culture. Using Berry’s conceptual framework, the class elucidates the phenomenon of individual adaptation on culture contact by examining how it is moderated by voluntariness of contact, acculturation attitudes, acculturation stress, and identity development. The research on the relationship between modes of acculturation and levels of stress is studied by examining the assessment scales for measuring the acculturation level of specific groups: African Americans, Asian Americans, and Mexican Americans. Students explore projects on the psychological acculturation of individuals from other cultural groups and dimensions (disability, sexual orientation, sojourners, immigrants) that are covered in class.