PSYC 108 - Reading and Writing in Psychological Science

Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
1 unit(s)

This first-year writing seminar is designed to develop critical reading skills across a range of work in Psychological Science and to practice different kinds of writing. Open only to first year students, this course satisfies the college requirement for a First-Year Writing Seminar. The specific topics of these first-year writing seminars in Psychological Science vary, and despite its variety of topics, this course may not be repeated for credit.

Topic for 2021/22a: The Art and Science of Human Resilience. This first-year writing seminar will consider artistic expressions of human resilience in poetry, song, first-person narratives, fiction, and non-fiction. We consider these works together with psychological science research that focuses on some of the same themes of resilience. These themes may include resilient responses to adversity, recovery from illness or impairment, post-traumatic growth, successful aging, as well as the nurturance of resilience through green spaces, mindfulness practices, interpersonal and community relationships, artistic productivity, and social activism. Sue Trumbetta.

Topic for 2021/22b: Growing Up Poor in America. Poverty can have profound effects on the psychological development of children. In this course, we explore scientific and anecdotal accounts of those effects. Specific topics we explore include stress, relationships, racism and resilience. Readings include articles on the science of child development, including brain development, as well as memoirs and accounts of children’s experiences. Writing focuses on reporting scientific findings, and on relating that science to everyday life. Nick de Leeuw.

Prerequisite(s): Open only to freshman; satisfies the college requirement for a Freshman Writing Seminar.

Open only to first year students; satisfies the college requirement for a First-Year Writing Seminar.

Two 75-minute periods.

Course Format: CLS

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