Professors: N. Jay Bean (Chair), Gwen J. Broude, Carol Christensen,
Anne Constantinople, Randolph Cornelius, Janet Gray, Kenneth Livingston,
Richard Lowry; Associate Professors: Janet K. Andrews, Jannay
Morrow, Carolyn Palmer, Stephen Sadowskyab; Assistant
Professors: Jennifer Bosson, Jeffrey Cynx, Kevin Hollowaya,
Tiffany Lightbourn, Susan Trumbettab, Debra Zeifmanb;
Visiting Assistant Professor: Cantey Land; 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 the 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, 205), 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
taken for a letter grade, at least one of which must be a seminar. One
unit of Cognitive Science 311 may be counted toward this requirement.
No more than one Advanced Special Studies course may be taken to meet
this requirement. Psychology 395 and 399, as ungraded courses, cannot
be used to satisfy 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.
1. Introductory
105a and 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.
II. Intermediate
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 and 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 and 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. Psychology 201 may NOT be taken
if Psychology 205 has already been taken. Ms. Bosson, Mr. Cornelius,
Ms. Lightbourn, Ms. Morrow.
205a and b. Topics in Social Psychology (1)
This course introduces students to the discipline of social psychology
via the in–depth exploration of a specific area of research or
important theoretical issues in social psychology. Students examine
the social psychological perspective on such topics as aggression, emotion,
close relationships, law, intergroup conflict, and altruism. Psychology
205 may NOT be taken if Psychology 201 has already been taken.
Topic for 2001/02: Self and Society in the Information Age (Same
as Urban Studies 205). This course is designed to introduce students
to the basic principles, theories, and research in the field 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 closer to both people and things (consumer goods),
thus altering the manner in which we identify ourselves. Ms. Bosson
Prerequisites: Psychology 105 or 106.
209a and 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. Ms. Bosson, Mr. Cornelius,
Ms. Lightbourn, Ms. Morrow.
Prerequisites: Psychology 200 and Psychology 201 or 205. Regular
laboratory work. Enrollment Limited
211a. Perception and Action (1)
(Same as Cognitive Science 211)
Prerequisite: Cognitive Science 100.
213a. Language (1)
(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. Regular laboratory work. Enrollment limited.
221a and 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, Ms. Land, Mr. Sadowsky.
223b. 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, Ms. Land.
229a. 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,
Ms. Land.
Prerequisites: Psychology 200 and Psychology 221 or 223. Regular laboratory
work. Enrollment limited.
231a and 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 Application
(1)
(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 and 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 and 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.
243b. 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 2001/02a: 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 and 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. Regular laboratory work.
Enrollment limited.
251a and 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.
Ms. Constantinople, Ms. Morrow, Ms. Trumbetta.
Prerequisite: Psychology 200.
Not offered in 2001/02.
259b. 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. Regular laboratory
work. Enrollment limited.
262a and 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 221, 223, 241, or 243. Non majors should consult
with the instructor.
264a. 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
290a and 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 and 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.
III. Advanced
Open to 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
and juniors 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 2001/02.
301b. Seminar in Social Psychology (1)
An intensive study of selected topics in social psychology. Emphasis
is placed on current theories, issues, and research areas. Ms.
Bosson, Mr. Cornelius, Ms. Lightbourn, Ms. Morrow.
Prerequisites: Psychology 201 or 205.
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, Ms. Land, 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.
331a. 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,
Ms. Land.
Prerequisites: Psychology 241 or 243.
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.
351a and b. 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.
Ms. Bosson, Ms. Constantinople, Mr. Lowry, Ms. Morrow,
Ms. Trumbetta.
Prerequisites: 251 or 253
362a. 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
Not offered in 2001/02.
381b. The Psychological Experience of Migration (1)
(Same as Urban Studies 381) The study of immigrants and immigration
is a relatively recent interest of the field of psychology. Theory and
research from the major paradigms in social psychology will be utilized
to understand: 1) why people migrate to new countries, 2) now 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. As such, psychological research
will be supplemented by relevant research from the fields of urban studies,
sociology, cultural studies, economics and social work. Through readings,
films, lectures, discussion and critical writing assignments students
will attain an appreciation of the phenomenon of migration and its psychological
consequences. Ms. Lightbourn.
Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor is required for all students,
psychology students must have taken one of the department's laboratory
courses. Students outside of the department are required to have completed
a 200–level psychology course and should have taken a research
methods course in their field.
388a. Prejudice, Racism and Social Policy (1)
(Same as Africana Studies 388 and Urban Studies 388)
[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.
Not offered in 2001/02.
395a and/or b. Senior Thesis (1)
Open to seniors by permission of instructor.
Prerequisite: 298, 300, or 399
399a and/or 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.