Professors: N. Jay Bean (Chair), Gwen J. Broude,
Anne Constantinople, Randolph Cornelius, Janet
Graya, Kenneth Livingston, Richard Lowry;
Associate Professors: Janet K. Andrewsb,
Carol Christensen, Jannay Morrowb, Carolyn
Palmer, Stephen Sadowsky; Assistant Professor: Erik
Coatsa, Jeffrey Cynx, Kevin Holloway, Susan
Trumbetta, Debra Zeifmana; Lecturer: Julie
Riess (Director of the Wimpfheimer Nursery School;
Adjunct Assistant Professor: Nicholas deLeeuw.
Requirements for Concentration: 11 units in
Psychology including Psychology 105 or 106, and 200 (by
permission of the department, either or both of these
requirements may be met by examination); one unit from at
least four of the basic content areas of the discipline; one
research methods course to be taken by the end of their
junior year; two units at the 300-level, at least one of
which must be a seminar. The content areas of the discipline
and their associated courses are: social psychology
(Psychology 201, 203), cognitive psychology (Cognitive
Science 100), learning and comparative psychology
(Psychology 221, 223), developmental psychology (Psychology
231) physiological psychology (Psychology 241, 243),
personality and individual differences (Psychology 251,
253).
A minimum of 9 graded units is required for the major.
For junior transfer students, at least 6 units must be
graded. Biopsychology 201 and Cognitive Science 311 may be
counted towards the major. Upon departmental approval, 1
unit in appropriate courses in other departments may be
applied towards the required 11.
NRO: No course other than Psychology 105 or 106
taken NRO may be counted toward the requirements of the
psychology major.
Senior-Year Requirement: Two units at the
300-level, at least one of which must be a seminar. 1 unit
of Cognitive Science 311 may be taken to satisfy this
requirement. No more than one Advanced Special Studies
course may be taken to meet this requirement.
Recommendation: Students planning to concentrate
in psychology are encouraged to consult a department adviser
as soon as possible to plan appropriate sequences of
courses.
Advisers: The department.
I. Introductory
105a or b. Introduction to Psychology: A Survey
(1)
This course is designed to introduce the student to
fundamental psychological processes, their nature and
development, and contemporary methods for their study
through a survey of the major research areas in the field.
Areas covered include the biological and evolutionary bases
of thought and behavior, motivation and emotion, learning,
memory, thinking, personality, and social psychology.
Significant work in the course is devoted to developing
skills in quantitative analysis. Students are expected to
participate in up to a maximum of three hours of
psychological research during the semester. Psychology 105
may NOT be taken if Psychology 106 has already been taken.
The department.
Open to all classes. Enrollment limited.
106a or b. Introduction to Psychology: Special topics
(1)
This course is designed to introduce the student to the
science of psychology by exploration in depth of a specific
research area. Regardless of the special topic, all sections
include exposure to core concepts in the biological and
evolutionary foundations of thought and behavior, learning,
cognition, and social processes. Significant work in the
course is devoted to developing skills in quantitative
analysis. Students are expected to participate in up to a
maximum of three hours of psychological research during the
semester. Psychology 106 may NOT be taken if Psychology 105
has already been taken. The department.
Open to all classes. Enrollment limited.
Prerequisite for 200-level courses: Psychology 105, 106,
or demonstration by examination of equivalent background.
Students who have received a 4 or 5 on the Advanced
Placement test, or those with transfer credit, should
consult with the department chair before registering in
200-level courses. Sophomores, juniors, and seniors may use
Psychology 105 or 106 as a corequisite by permission of the
instructor.
200a or b. Statistics and Experimental Design
(1)
An overview of principles of statistical analysis and
research design applicable to psychology and related fields.
Topics include descriptive statistics and inferential
statistics, concepts of reliability and validity, and basic
concepts of sampling and probability theory. Students learn
when and how to apply such statistical procedures as
chi-square, z-tests, t-tests, pearson product-moment
correlations, regression analysis, and analysis of variance.
The goal of the course is to develop a basic understanding
of research design, data collection and analysis,
interpretation of results, and the appropriate use of
statistical software for performing complex analyses. Ms.
Andrews, Mr. Lowry, Ms. Trumbetta.
201a or b. Principles of Social Psychology (1)
The study of the individual under social influences,
including such topics as attitude formation and change,
prosocial behavior, aggression, social influence processes,
group dynamics, attribution theory, and interpersonal
communication processes. Mr. Coats, Mr. Cornelius, Ms.
Morrow.
203a or b. Topics in Social Psychology (1)
(Same as Urban Studies 203) This course introduces
students to the discipline of social psychology via the
in-depth exploration of a specific area of research or
important theoretical issue in social psychology. Students
will examine the social psychological perspective on such
topics as aggression, emotion, close relationships, law,
intergroup conflict, and altruism.
Topic for 2000/01: Self and Society in the Information
Age: This course is designed to introduce students to
the basic principles, theories, and research in the filed of
social psychology, with a focus on defining the self in the
"age of information." We explore how urbanization,
globalization, and advances in communication technology
create an increasingly complex backdrop against which we
must regularly redefine ourselves. For example, we discuss
how the world wide web brings us closed to both people and
things (consumer goods), thus altering the manner in which
we identify ourselves. Ms. Bosson
209a or b. Research Methods in Social Psychology
(1)
A survey of research methods in social psychology. Every
stage of the research process is considered including
hypothesis generation, operationaIization of variables, data
collection and analysis, and communication of results.
Observational, questionnaire, and experimental approaches
are considered. The focus is on the development of skills
necessary for evaluating, designing, and conducting
research. Mr. Coats, Mr. Cornelius, Ms. Morrow.
Prerequisites: Psychology 200 and Psychology 201 or 203.
Regular
laboratory work. Enrollment Limited
211a. Perception and Action (1)
(Same as Cognitive Science 211)
Prerequisite: Cognitive Science 100.
(Same as Cognitive Science 213)
Prerequisite: Cognitive Science 100.
215b. Knowledge and Cognition (1)
(Same as Cognitive Science 215)
Prerequisite: Cognitive Science 100.
219b. Research Methods in Cognitive Science
(1)
(Same as Cognitive Science 219)
Prerequisite: Psychology 200, and either Cognitive
Science 211, 213, or 215.
Enrollment limited.
221a or b. Learning and Behavior (1)
A survey of major principles that determine the
acquisition and modification of behavior. Topics include the
relation of learning and evolution, habituation and
sensitization, classical and operant conditioning,
reinforcement and punishment, stimulus control, choice
behavior, animal cognition, concept formation, perceptual
learning, language, reasoning, and self-control. Mr. Cynx,
Mr. Holloway, Mr. Sadowsky.
223a or b. Comparative Psychology (1)
The study of evolutionary theory, with attention to how
it informs the developmental, ecological, genetic, and
physiological explanations of behavior. Ms. Broude, Mr.
Cynx, Mr. Holloway.
229a or b. Research Methods in Learning and Behavior
(1)
An introduction to experimental and observational methods
in animal learning and behavior. Laboratory experiences have
included audio recording and quantitative analysis of animal
sounds (bat echolocation and birdsong), operant
conditioning, census taking, determining dominance
hierarchies, and human visual and auditory psychophysics.
Mr. Cynx, Mr. Holloway.
Prerequisites: Psychology 200 and Psychology 221 or 223.
Regular laboratory work. Enrollment limited.
231a or b. Principles of Development (1)
The study of principles and processes in developmental
psychology, surveying changes in physical, cognitive, and
social-emotional development during the life span. Major
theoretical orientations to the growing person are
illustrated by empirical material and supplemented by
periodic observations of children in natural settings. Ms.
Broude, Mr. Livingston, Ms. Palmer, Ms. Zeifman.
236a. Early Childhood Development: Observation and
Research (1)
Application
(Same as Education 236) What differentiates the behavior
of one young child from that of another? What
characteristics do preschool children have in common? This
course provides students with direct experience in applying
contemporary theory and research to the understanding of an
individual child. Topics include attachment; temperament;
parent, sibling, and peer relationships; theories of mind;
language development, humor, and language play;
fantasy/reality distinctions; the self and moral
development; and social categories. Each student completes a
comprehensive study of one child in the Nursery School,
based on detailed, extended observation and the application
of research findings from the developmental literature. Ms.
Riess.
Prerequisite: Psychology 231 and permission of
instructor.
One 2-hour period; 4 hours of laboratory
participation.
237b. Early Childhood Education: Theory and Practice
(1)
(Same as Education 237) What is the connection between a
textbook description of preschool development and what
teachers do every day in the preschool classroom? This
course examines curriculum development based on contemporary
theory and research in early childhood. The emphasis is on
implementing developmental and educational research to
create optimal learning environments for young children.
Major theories of cognitive development are considered and
specific attention is given to the literatures on memory
development; concepts and categories; cognitive strategies;
peer teaching; early reading, math, and scientific literacy;
and technology in early childhood classrooms. Ms. Riess.
Prerequisite: Psychology 231 and permission of
instructor.
One 2-hour period; 4 hours of laboratory
participation
239a or b. Research Methods in Developmental
Psychology (1)
Problems and procedures in developmental research are
examined. The course considers issues in the design of
developmental research, basic observational and experimental
techniques, and reliability and validity of developmental
data. Students may work with children of different ages in
both laboratory and naturalistic settings. Mr. Livingston,
Ms. Palmer, Ms. Zeifman.
Prerequisites: Psychology 200 and 231.
Regular laboratory work.
Enrollment limited.
241a or b. Principles of Physiological Psychology
(1)
The role of physiological systems, especially the brain,
in the regulation of behavior. In addition to basic topics
in neuroscience (neuroanatomy, neurophysiology,
neurochemistry and pharmacology), topics may include:
sensory mechanisms, motivational systems (e.g., sleep,
eating, reproductive behaviors), emotion, learning and
memory, language, stress and psychopathology. Mr. Bean, Ms.
Christensen, Ms. Gray, Mr. Holloway.
243a. Topics in Physiological Psychology (1)
An examination of topics of interest in physiological
psychology research. Topics will vary from year to year but
may include psychopharmacology, human neuropsychology,
behavioral endocrinology.
Topic for 2000/01a: Neuropsychology.
Neuropsychology is the study of the functions of particular
brain structures and their relation to behavior and mental
activity. Among topics examined are perception, memory,
language, emotion, control of action, and consciousness.
Neural alterations related to learning disabilities,
neurological and psychiatric disorders will be examined as
well. Ms. Christensen
249a or b. Research Methods in Physiological
Psychology (1)
The study of experimental methods in physiological
psychology. In addition to exploring issues related to the
ethics, design, measurement, analysis and reporting of
research, laboratory topics may include: neuroanatomy,
behavioral responses to pharmacological and/or surgical
interventions, electrophysiology, neuropsychology,
neurochemistry and histology. Mr. Bean, Ms. Christensen, Ms.
Gray, Mr. Holloway.
Prerequisites: Psychology 200, and 241 or 243.
Enrollment limited.
251a or b. Personality Theory (1)
An introduction to the concepts, theories, and
controversies that have figured most prominently in the
ongoing effort of psychologists to understand human nature
and human personality. Emphasis will be placed on
understanding and critically evaluating the works of the
major theorists. Ms. Constantinople, Mr. Lowry, Ms. Morrow,
Ms. Trumbetta.
Open to freshmen only by permission of the
instructor.
253a or b. Individual Differences in Personality
(1)
An introduction to contemporary approaches to
understanding personality. The focus of the course is on
evaluating recent theories and research that attempt to
uncover the underlying dimensions that distinguish one
person from another. Emphasis will be placed on
understanding behavior in interactions with others; the
development of personality over time; and people's intuitive
theories about personality, including their own. Mr. Coats,
Ms. Constantinople, Ms. Morrow, Ms. Trumbetta.
259a or b. Research Methods in Personality and
Individual Differences (l)
The study of research methods in personality and
individual differences. Every stage of research is
considered: the generation of hypotheses; the
operationalization of variables; the collection, analysis,
and evaluation of data; and the communication of results.
The focus is on the development of skills necessary for
evaluating, designing, and conducting research. Ms.
Constantinople, Mr. Lowry, Ms. Trumbetta.
Prerequisites: Psychology 200 and either 251 or 253.
Enrollment limited.
262a or b. Abnormal Psychology (1)
A survey of research and theory concerning the nature,
origins, and treatment of major psychological disorders. The
course considers behavioral, biological, cognitive and
psychodynamic approaches to understanding psychopathology.
Topics may include schizophrenia, mood disorders, anxiety
disorders, childhood disorders, and personality disorders.
Ms. Morrow, Mr. Sadowsky, Ms. Trumbetta
Prerequisites: by permission only. Majors should have
already taken Psychology 200 and either 241, 243, or 221.
Non majors should consult with the instructor.
[264a or b. Behavior Genetics] (1)
This course explores genetic contributions to complex
behavioral phenotypes. Its primary focus is on genetic
contributions to human behavior with some attention to
comparative and evolutionary genetics. Quantitative methods
are emphasized. Ms. Trumbetta
Prerequisites: Psychology 200 and either 241, 243 or
253
Not offered in 2000/01.
285b. The Psychology of Sport (1)
(Same as Physical Education 285)This course assesses the
factors that influence behaviors that are related to
participation in sports. The relationships of individual
differences, attention, arousal, anxiety, and motivation are
addressed, as are the influences of team cohesion and
leadership and audience effects on sports performance. Mr.
Bean and Ms. Prater-Lee.
Prerequisites: Psychology 105 or 106 and at least one of
Psychology 201, 203, 221, 223, 231, 241, 243, 251, 253,
Cognitive Science 100.
290a or b. Field Work (1/2 or
1)
Individuals or group field projects or internships, with
prior approval of the adviser and the instructor who will
supervise the work. May be elected during the college year
or during the summer. The department.
298a or b. Independent Work (1/2
or 1)
Individual or group studies with prior approval of the
adviser and of the instructor who will supervise the work.
May be elected during the college year or during the summer.
The department.
Open to juniors and seniors. For majors, satisfactory
completion of a research methods course (Psychology 209,
219, 229, 239, 249, 259), and permission of the instructor
are prerequisites for these courses. Non-majors should
consult the instructor.
[300a or b. Advanced Methods of Statistical
Analysis] (1)
This course takes the study of statistical methodology
beyond what students encounter in the standard basic-level
statistics course. Emphasis is placed on concepts and
procedures of multivariate analysis, such as those
pertaining to analysis of variance, analysis of covariance,
multivariate chi-square, log-linear analysis, multiple
regression, and factor analysis.
Prerequisite: Psychology 200 and one research methods
course in Psychology or any other of the natural
sciences.
Not offered in 2000/01.
301a or b. Seminar in Social Psychology (1)
An intensive study of selected topics in social
psychology. Emphasis is placed on current theories, issues,
and research areas. Mr. Coats, Mr. Cornelius, Ms.
Morrow.
Prerequisites: Psychology 201 or 203.
321a. Seminar in Animal Learning and Behavior
(1)
An in depth analysis of selected mechanisms of learning
and behavior. Topics can vary from year to year, but may
include animal cognition, language and communication,
behavioral ecology, and recent advances in the theory and
neurophysiology of learning and behavior. Mr. Cynx, Mr.
Holloway, Mr. Sadowsky.
Prerequisites: Psychology 221 or 223.
323a. Seminar in Comparative Psychology (1)
Applications of comparative psychology to a specific
topic. Topics can vary from year to year, and have in the
past included altruism, sex differences, aggression,
language, etc. The focus is how theory and data from other
species inform questions about human functioning. Ms.
Broude, Mr. Cynx.
Prerequisites: Psychology 221 or 223 or Biology 340.
331b. Seminar in Developmental Psychology (1)
Seminar in current issues, research, and theory in
developmental psychology. Topics vary and may include
laboratory work. Ms. Broude, Mr. Livingston, Ms. Palmer, Ms.
Zeifman.
Prerequisites: Psychology 231.
341b. Seminar in Physiological Psychology (1)
Analysis of selected topics in physiological psychology.
Topics vary from year to year but may include learning,
memory, human neuropsychology, neuropharmacology,
psychopharmacology, sensory processes, emotion, and
motivation. Mr. Bean, Ms. Christensen, Ms. Gray, Mr.
Holloway.
Prerequisites: Psychology 241 and 249.
343a. Seminar on States of Consciousness (1)
A consideration of conditions giving rise to disruptions
of awareness and implications for behavioral integration.
Topics serving as areas of discussion may include: sleep and
dreaming; hypnosis and hypnagogic phenomena; drug behavior
and biochemistry; cerebral damage; dissociations of
consciousness such as blindsight; psychopathologic states.
Mr. Bean, Ms. Christensen
Prerequisites: Psychology 241 or 243.
351b. Seminar in Personality and Individual
Differences (1)
Intensive study of selected topics in personality and
individual differences. Theory and empirical research form
the core of required readings. Topics studied reflect the
interests of both the instructor and the students. Mr.
Coats, Ms. Constantinople, Mr. Lowry, Ms. Trumbetta
Prerequisites: 251 or 253
362a or b. Seminar in Psychopathology (1)
An intensive study of research and theory concerning the
nature, origins, and treatment of major psychological
disorders. Topics vary but may include schizophrenia, mood
disorders, anxiety disorders, childhood disorders, and
personality disorders. Ms. Morrow, Mr. Sadowsky, Ms.
Trumbetta
Prerequisites: Psychology 262
[364a or b. Seminar in Gender and Psychology]
(1)
The different ways in which psychologists have studied
the influence of sex and gender on behavior are examined.
The adequacy of existing theoretical and empirical models to
account for the complex interactions of biological,
cognitive, and social factors in producing or not producing
sex-related differences in behavior is evaluated. Recent
feminist critiques of scientific process and method and
suggested revisions are explored
Prerequisites: 241, and either 231 or 251
No offered in 2000/01.
381a. Problem Solving and Reasoning (1)
In this course we explore how people think and behave in
tasks that range from simple puzzle-solving to medical
decision making. A central question is how to characterize
the reasoning skills human beings apply to these tasks. Are
we computer-like, fundamentally logical, or neither? To
illustrate the principles involved, we read and analyze a
number of Sherlock Holmes stories.
Permission of the instructor required.
381b. The Psychological Experience of Migration
(1)
The study of immigrants and immigration is a relatively
recent interest of the filed of psychology. Theory and
research from the major paradigms in social psychology are
utilized to understand: 1) why people migrate to new
countries, 2) how people adapt to new environments, 3) how
rural/urban migration may affect adaptation, 4) how
newcomers become integrated into the fabric of new societies
on the macro and micro level, and 5) the challenge of
renegotiating notions of identity and citizenship. Through
readings, films, lectures, discussion and critical writing
assignments students gain an appreciation of the phenomenon
of migration and its psychological consequences. Ms.
Lightbourn.
Permission of the instructor is required.
390b. Senior Research (1)
Graded independent research. A student wishing to take
this course must first gain the support of a member of the
psychology faculty, who supervises the student as they
design and carry out an empirical investigation of some
psychological phenomenon. In addition to a final paper and
regular meetings with their faculty sponsor, students also
attend weekly meetings organized by the course instructor.
Both the course instructor and the supervising faculty
member will participate in the planning of the research and
in final evaluation. The Department.
Prerequisite: Psychology 298.
395a and/or b. Senior Thesis (1)
Open to seniors by permission of instructor.
Prerequisite: 298, 300, or 399
399a,b. Senior Independent Work
(1/2 or 1)
Individual or group studies with prior approval of the
adviser and of the instructor who will supervise the work.
May be elected during the college year or during the summer.
The department.
|