Psychology

The objectives of this course are to introduce students to the theories and empirical research currently addressing the neuronal basis of human behavior. This combination lecture/seminar-based course, including bioinformatics research projects, will provide introductions to the basic concepts of brain neuroanatomy and biochemistry, molecular neurogenetics, evolutionary psychology, and human genomics, with readings and discussions from selected books, reviews and research articles. Emphasis will be placed on how disruptions of typical brain function, resulting in disorders such as autism, Alzheimer’s, schizophrenia, and depression, can reveal how the brain mediates our most fundamental experiences.

This course satisfies the advanced writing skills course requirement.

The objectives of this course are to introduce students to the theories and empirical research currently addressing the neuronal basis of human behavior. This combination lecture/seminar-based course, including bioinformatics research projects, will provide introductions to the basic concepts of brain neuroanatomy and biochemistry, molecular neurogenetics, evolutionary psychology, and human genomics, with readings and discussions from selected books, reviews and research articles. Emphasis will be placed on how disruptions of typical brain function, resulting in disorders such as autism, Alzheimer’s, schizophrenia, and depression, can reveal how the brain mediates our most fundamental experiences.

This course satisfies the advanced writing skills course requirement.

Social psychology may be defined as the influence of actual, imagined, or implied others on individual cognition, emotion, and behavior. Course content progresses from intra-psychic to interpersonal topics to small-group processes. Students learn and evaluate social psychological research methodology and think critically about course topics and presented research. They also learn to apply theories and concepts to real-world situations as appropriate.

This course provides an overview of the growing field of positive psychology, which is the scientific investigation of positive experiences, positive character strengths, positive relationships, and the institutions and practices that facilitate their development. Consideration will be given to conflicting viewpoints and their respective empirical support, including the benefits of balancing positive with negative emotions, the measurement and development of happiness, and the implications of deliberately attempting to increase it.

This course provides an introduction to a wide variety of psychological disorders and their treatments. Definitions of “abnormality” and methods of disorder assessment are examined. Different perspectives on the causes of disorders as well as their treatments are compared and contrasted. Topics include mood disorders, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, and personality disorders. Upon successful completion of the course, students will have a greater understanding of how psychological disorders are discussed both in professional circles and in the lay media.

This course provides an overview of the principal theories of personality and human behavior. A wide range of perspectives on personality are presented and evaluated. Students investigate and evaluate various measures of personality assessment and different methods of researching personality. Basic principles of personality structure and personality development are covered. On completion of the course, students will be able to recognize, critique, compare and contrast various theoretical perspectives on personality, as well as apply these theories to real-world situations.

This course is designed to provide an introduction to the specialization of developmental psychology. Principles of lifespan development will be discussed and applied to all stages of development, from conception to death. Special emphasis will be placed on biological, cognitive, and psychosocial domains of development. Throughout the course, the influence of contextual factors, such as culture and historical time, will be considered, as well as the utility of a multidisciplinary approach to the study of human development. Practical applications of course material to “real world” examples will also be emphasized.

In this course, psychological research methods will be introduced, applied, and critiqued to test the universality of psychological theories developed in North America. Specifically, students will be challenged to critically evaluate the nature of human difference between and within social groups in order to understand and utilize cultural variations as well as to gain insights into and re-examine one’s own culture. Topics will include cultural variations and similarities in perception, cognition, identity, socio-emotional development, health behaviors, and emotional regulation. Diverse cultures and cultural change will also be examined with an emphasis on the east-west contrast.

This course examines how the development of children’s cognitive competence and academic achievement from early childhood to emerging adulthood interface with relevant social educational environments, such as the home, school, and culture/society. This course draws material from social psychology, human development, and educational research. Throughout the course, students will also discuss and debate enduring and current, sometimes controversial, issues in education in order to demonstrate how psychological science can be applied.

The course will provide an overview of the growing field of Sport Psychology, which involves applying psychological science to sports. Topics will cover how sport psychologists assist athletes and teams in setting and achieving sports, fitness, and exercise goals. Topics will also include theoretical foundations of behavior, psychological interventions for performance problems, adherence and maintenance of gains, and the impaired athlete.