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Psychology

Professors. Mark H. Bickhard, Ph.D. (Chicago), Henry R. Luce Professor in Cognitive Roboticsand the Philosophy of Knowledge; Diane T. Hyland, Ph.D. (Syracuse); Barbara C. Malt, Ph.D. (Stanford); Gordon B. Moskowitz, Ph.D. (NYU); Ageliki Nicolopoulou, Ph.D. (Berkeley), chair.

Associate professors. Catherine M. Arrington, Ph.D. (Michigan State); Susan Barrett, Ph.D. (Brown); Michael J. Gill, Ph.D. (Texas, Austin); Deborah J. Laible, Ph.D. (Nebraska, Lincoln); Padraig G. O’Seaghdha, Ph.D. (Toronto).

Assistant professors. Amanda C. Brandone, Ph.D. (Univ. of Michigan); Christopher T. Burke, Ph.D. (NYU); Almut Hupbach, Ph.D. (Univ. of Trier, Germany); Jessecae Marsh, Ph.D. (Yale); Dominic T. Packer, Ph.D. (Toronto).

Emeritus professors. George K. Shortess, (Brown); Martin L. Richter, Ph.D. (Indiana); William Newman, Ph.D. (Stanford).

The Psychology Department offers B.A. and B.S. undergraduate degrees, undergraduate minors in general psychology and clinical psychology, and a Ph.D. program.

Psychology is the science of mind, brain, and behavior. Undergraduate study in Psychology provides:

• A knowledge base about how people think, feel, and act as individuals and in groups, from infancy to old age

• An understanding of how psychological principles can be applied in everyday life to improve the human condition

• Working knowledge of empirical research methods for psychology and ethical issues in research and application

• An appreciation of individual, sociocultural, and international diversity

• Familiarity with the relationship of psychological processes to brain processes

• Critical thinking, communication, and teamwork skills

Psychology majors pursue careers in many areas such as: business including marketing and industrial/organizational psychology; education; medicine/health; mental and behavioral health professions including clinical, counseling, and sports psychology; law; human services; and basic and applied research positions. The knowledge and skills provided by a degree in Psychology are valuable to all such careers.

B.A. Major Program in Psychology

The bachelor of arts in psychology is a social science major requiring approximately 40 credit hours in psychology as described below. Students must also fulfill college and university degree requirements. This flexible program permits development of one or more minors in other fields or the undertaking of a double major.

Required Core Courses

Required Breadth Courses

Four 100-level courses, spanning at least three of the following four categories.

Required Advanced Psychology Seminars

Two Advanced Psychology Seminars are required. Advanced Psychology Seminars are 300-level courses that are offered in a small seminar format. These courses include a significant writing component and utilize primary source readings. Courses that can be used to fulfill this requirement have the Advanced Psychology Seminar designation at the end of the course description.

Additional 300-levelCourse Requirement

Two additional 300-level courses are required. Students can NOT use PSYC 310, 391, 392, 393 or 394 to fulfill this requirement. All other 300-level psychology courses can be used to fulfill this requirement. Students may take a third or fourth Advanced Psychology Seminar or they may take any of the following courses. These courses fulfill 300-level requirements but NOT the Advanced Seminar requirement:

Recommended Electives

The bachelor of arts program in psychology is a flexible preparation for a number of fields. With suitable selection of additional courses, students can prepare themselves for graduate study in any subfield of psychology or for careers in areas for which psychology is a desirable and relevant major such as law, social work, marketing, and education.

For graduate programs in developmental, social/personality, cognitive, and clinical psychology, additional coursework in research and statistics is desirable, as is participation in the honors program.

Depending on the specific subfield of interest, many courses in the Departments of Biological Sciences (especially the Behavioral Neuroscience program) and Sociology and Anthropology, in the College of Education, and in the interdisciplinary programs of Cognitive Science, Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, and Africana Studies may be relevant.

Preparation for programs in health-related areas such as nursing, medicine, and dentistry will include additional coursework in biology, chemistry, and physics. Students should consult with the appropriate pre-professional advisers to determine specific requirements.

Students interested in applying psychology to fields such as law, marketing, social work, or education should consult with faculty in those areas to discuss relevant courses.

The B.S. in Psychology

The bachelor of science in psychology is a highly structured and comprehensive behavioral science major. Students pursuing a wide-range of post-graduate plans may find this program fits their needs and interests. One difference between the B.S. in psychology and other B.S. programs is that the collateral requirements for the B.S. in psychology allow for a level of breadth that is not always possible in B.S. programs. The collaterals for the B.S. in psychology span four areas (Mathematics and Computer Science, Natural Science, Philosophy and Cognitive Science, and Social Science). Hence, students with wide-ranging interests may find that they can pursue their varied interests while fulfilling the collateral requirements for this B.S. program. Collateral courses in the natural sciences can be used to fulfill the natural science college distribution category and collateral courses in mathematics can be used to fulfill the mathematical science college distribution category.

Students in the B.S. program must complete a concentration in cognitive, development, social or clinical psychology. Progression through the program is best served through early commitment. This program requires a minimum of 108 credits of the 120 credits required for a bachelor’s degree. Students who do not declare their majors early may find it difficult to complete the B.S. major program.

Requirements for the B.S. in Psychology

University and College Requirements (at least 25 credits):

College Seminar (3-4 credits)

English Composition (2 courses, 6 credits)

Distribution requirements of at least 2 humanities courses for at least 8 credits and at least 2 social science courses for at least 8 credits.

For students in the B.S. program, collateral courses in the natural sciences can be used to fulfill the natural science college distribution category and collateral courses in mathematics can be used to fulfill the mathematical science college distribution category.

The B.S. Program in Psychology: Collateral Requirements (at least 34 credits)

Mathematics and Computer Science (7-8 credits):

Select 1 course from MATH 12, MATH 43, any of the calculus courses

Select 1 additional course from MATH 12, MATH 43, any of the calculus courses, CSE 12, CSE 15

Natural Science: (at least 14 credits)

Select at least one course from BIOS 10, BIOS 41, EES 25, EES 28, EES 31

Select 3 courses from

Biological Sciences: BIOS 10 and above

Chemistry: CHM 30 and above

Physics: PHYS 10 and above

Earth and Environmental Sciences: EES 25, EES 28, EES 31

(Please consult the catalog for information on prerequisites. To fulfill college distribution requirements, at least one course must include the associated lab.)

Philosophy and Cognitive Science: (8 credits)

Select two courses from COGS 7, COGS 140, or Philosophy (PHIL)

Social Science: (7-8 credits)

Select two courses from Anthropology (ANTH), Sociology and Anthropology (SOAN), Sociology/Social Psychology (SSP), Science Technology and Society (STS), and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) that is not cross-listed with psychology.

Psychology Requirements (48 credits)

Psychology Core Requirements

Required Breadth Courses

Four 100-level courses, one from each of the four categories.

Psychology Concentration

Complete courses for one of the following concentrations:

1. Cognitive Psychology Concentration

   COGS 7 (may not also be used to fulfill collateral requirement)

   Select any Advanced Psychology Seminar.

   Select any 300-level course except 310, 391, 392, 393, or 394.

   Select two courses from the following list:

   PSYC 304 (Memory Development from Infancy to Old Age)

   PSYC 307 (Higher Order Cognition)

   PSYC 320 (Psychology of Language)

   PSYC 328 (Educational Psychology)

   PSYC 344 (Healthcare Reasoning and Decision-making

   PSYC 351 (Children’s Thinking)

   PSYC 358 (Inside the Infant Mind)

   PSYC 362 (Cognition in Practice & Policy)

   PSYC 369 (Memory Under Construction)

   PSYC 377 (Attention and Attentional Failures)

2. Social Psychology Concentration

   Complete both 121 and 153

   Select any Advanced Psychology Seminar.

   Select any 300-level course except 310, 391, 392, 393, or 394.

   Select two courses from the following list:

   PSYC 302 (Stress and Coping)

   PSYC 311 (The Psychology of Stereotyping, Prejudice, and Discrimination)

   PSYC 313 (Person Perception)

   PSYC 314 (Social Cognition)

   PSYC 318 (Seminar in Gender and Psychology)

   PSYC 325 (Theories in Social Psychology)

   PSYC 332 (The Psychology of Human Goodness)

   PSYC 341 (Social Psychology & Social Issues)

   PSYC 342 (Motivation)

   PSYC 363 (Personality and Social Development in Childhood)

   PSYC 384 (Self and Identity)

3. Developmental Psychology Concentration

   Complete both 107 and 109

   Select any Advanced Psychology Seminar.

   Select any 300-level course except 310, 391, 392, 393, or 394.

   Select two courses from the following list:

   PSYC 321 (Language Development)

   PSYC 328 (Educational Psychology)

   PSYC 351 (Children’s Thinking)

   PSYC 358 (Inside the Infant Mind)

   PSYC 361 (Personality and Social Development in Adulthood)

   PSYC 363 (Personality and Social Development in Childhood)

   PSYC 364 (Children and Narratives)

   PSYC 365 (Human Development in Cross-Cultural Perspective)

   PSYC 366 (Seminar in Cognitive Aging)

   PSYC 368 (Children, Psychology and the Law)

   PSYC 378 (Emotional Development)

   PSYC 383 (Attachment Theory & Research)

   PSYC 386 (Psychological Perspectives on Health and Illness in Children and Adolescents)

4. Clinical Psychology Concentration

   PSYC 367 (Clinical Psychology: only offered in the summer)

   Select any two Advanced Psychology Seminars

   Select two courses from the following list:

   PSYC 302 (Stress and Coping)

   PSYC 305 (Abnormal Psychology)

   PSYC 327 (Health Psychology)

   PSYC 334 (The Psychology of Body Image and Eating Disorders)

   PSYC 338 (Phenomenology and Theory of Childhood Disorders)

   PSYC 354 (Psychological Assessment)

Department Honors in Psychology

Students in either the B.A. or B.S. degree programs may undertake a program that leads to graduation with department honors. The honors program permits majors of unusual academic ability and interest to explore topics in greater depth than the curricula normally allow. Under faculty supervision, a student normally spends the first semester of the senior year enrolled in PSYC 391 doing library research, learning the appropriate methodology, and preparing a written proposal and oral presentation. In the second semester, while the student is enrolled in PSYC 392, the proposal is implemented, culminating in a written honors thesis and oral presentation.

In the junior year, students may apply for the honors program with the department Honors Program Director. To be eligible to participate in the honors program, a student must maintain overall and major GPAs of 3.5.

Minor Programs

General Psychology

The general psychology minor consists of a minimum of four courses in psychology beyond the introductory course (PSYC 1). Students should declare this minor in the Psychology Department office.

Clinical Psychology

The clinical psychology minor consists of the following courses:

And two of the following courses:

This minor is available to Psychology majors as well as to students from other majors. Only one course may be used to jointly fulfill the requirements of a major program and minor program. To complete this minor, students must be prepared to register for at least one summer session since some courses (PSYC 367, 354) are only offered in the summer, and other courses have limited enrollment during the academic year.

Undergraduate Courses

PSYC 1. Introduction to Psychology (4)

Psychology as a science of behavior. Natural science aspects such as learning, sensation-perception, and physiological bases; and social science aspects such as human development, intelligence, and personality. Methodologies appropriate to these areas, and related societal problems. (SS)

PSYC 107. Child Development (4)

Survey of theories and research concerning perceptual, cognitive, social, and personality development through infancy and childhood. Prerequisite: PSYC 1 or SSP 1. May not be taken pass/fail. (SS)

PSYC 109. (SSP 109) Adulthood and Aging (4)

Social science approaches to the latter two-thirds of life. Cognitive and personality development; attitudes toward aging; social behavior of older adults; widowhood; retirement. Prerequisite: PSYC 1 or SSP 1. May not be taken pass/fail. Hyland (SS)

PSYC 110. Statistical Analysis of Behavioral Data (4)

Principles of experimental design and statistical analysis: characteristics of data and data collection; descriptive statistics; hypothesis testing theory and practice; correlation, chi-square, t-test, analysis of variance. Three hours lecture and one hour computer lab. Department permission required. (ND)

PSYC 115. (REL 115) Religion and Psychology (4)

A study of the origins, development and consequences of religion from a psychological perspective. Attention will be given to classic and contemporary sources, with a focus on major psychoanalytic theorists of religion (Freud, Jung, Erikson); psychological analyses of religious experience (e.g., Wm. James, Victor Frankl); and the diverse culture and religious forms that structure the connection between religion and psychology (e.g., Buddhist psychology, Japanese Morita therapy). Course examines the role of religion as a powerful meaning system that can affect the lives of individuals in terms of motivations, beliefs, emotions and behaviors, and can influence their interactions on both interpersonal and intergroup levels. (HU)

PSYC 117. (COGS 117). Cognitive Psychology (4)

The architecture and dynamics of the human mind: How we acquire knowledge through perception, represent and activate it in memory, and use it to communicate, make decisions, solve problems, and reason creatively. Prerequisite: PSYC 1 or COGS 7. May not be taken pass/fail. (SS)

PSYC 121. (SSP 121) Social Psychology (4)

Theories, methods of investigation, and results of research on the way social and psychological processes interact in human behavioral settings. Topics include analysis of self and relationships, dynamics of small groups, attitudes and persuasion, prejudice, prosocial and antisocial behavior. Prerequisite: ANTH 1, SSP1 or PSYC 1. (SS)

PSYC 140. (ANTH 140, COGS 140, MLL 140) Introduction to Linguistics (4)

Relationship between language and mind; formal properties of language; language and society; how languages change over time. No pass/fail option. (SS)

PSYC 153. (SSP 153) Personality (4)

Examination of the major theoretical frameworks psychologists use to understand human thought, feeling, and behavior. Whereas these frameworks each emphasize very different concepts (e.g., the unconscious mind vs. culture vs. neurotransmitters), they are united in their effort to answer the question: Why does a given individual think, feel, or behave as she does? Prerequisite: PSYC 1 or SSP 1. Gill (SS)

PSYC 160. Independent Study (1-3)

Readings on topics selected in consultation with a staff member. Prerequisites: PSYC 1 and consent of faculty sponsor. May be repeated for credit. (SS)

PSYC 161. Supervised Research (1-3)

Apprenticeship in ongoing faculty research program. Literature review, experimental design, data collection and analysis, and professional writing under faculty supervision. May be repeated for a maximum of 9 credits. Prerequisites: PSYC 1 or COGS 7 and consent of faculty sponsor. (SS)

PSYC 162. Psychological Field Work (1-3)

Work-study practice including supervised experience in one of several local agencies. Development of familiarity with the operations of the agency and working with individual patients or students. Prerequisites: PSYC 1 plus two additional psychology courses and consent of instructor. (SS)

PSYC 176. (COGS 176) Mind and Brain (4)

Perception and cognitive neuroscience as the link between mental processes and their biological bases. Visual and auditory perception; the control of action; neuropsychological syndromes of perception, language, memory and thought; neural network (connectionist) models of mental processes. Prerequisite: PSYC 1 or COGS 7. May not be taken pass/fail. (NS)

PSYC 210. Experimental Research Methods and Laboratory (4)

Designing, conducting, and reporting psychological experiments. Laboratory exercises, report writing, and a group research project. Prerequisites: PSYC 1 and 110. Department permission required. (ND)

PSYC 301. Industrial Psychology (4)

Psychological concepts and methods applied to business and industrial settings. Personnel selection, placement and training, leadership, work motivation, job satisfaction and consumer behavior. Prerequisite: PSYC 1. (SS)

PSYC 302. Stress and Coping (4)

How does stress affect the psychological system, and what psychological mechanisms are in place to help people overcome environmental stressors? This seminar examines classic and contemporary theories and research on stress, coping, and social support. Prerequisite: PSYC/SSP 121 or PSYC/SSP 153. Burke (Advanced Psychology Seminar) (SS)

PSYC 304: Memory Development From Infancy to Old Age (4)

Memory development throughout the lifespan. We will discuss methods invented to study memory in preverbal infants, and the amazing memory capacities they have revealed. We will explore memory components that develop during early and middle childhood, look at memory in adults, and consider the normal and pathological decline of memory in older age, and possible ways of slowing aging processes down. Prerequisite: PSYC/COGS 117 or PSYC/COGS 176 or COGS 7 or consent of instructor. Hupbach (Advanced Psychology Seminar) (SS)

PSYC 305. (HMS 305). Abnormal Psychology (4)

Examines research and theory on the patterns, causes, and treatment of various forms of abnormal behavior. Prerequisite: PSYC 153 or consent of instructor. (SS)

PSYC 307. Higher Order Cognition (4)

In depth exploration of selected areas of higher level cognition such as thinking and reasoning, metacognition, expertise, executive processes, language and thought. Prerequisite: PSYC 117 or PSYC 176 or COGS 7 or consent of instructor. O’Seaghdha, Malt. (Advanced Psychology Seminar) (SS)

PSYC 310. Advanced Research Methods in Psychology (4)

Experimental and nonexperimental research design; Sampling and selection from populations; Data exploration; Quantitative and qualitative measurement and analysis; Computer-based data collection; and other specialized topics. Prerequisite: PSYC 210. (ND)

PSYC 311. The Psychology of Stereotyping, Prejudice, and Discrimination (4)

We will start by examining the basic cognitive processes that make stereotyping a functional aspect of everyday cognition, and then we will turn toward examining emotional, motivational, and personality differences that affect one’s level of prejudice. Finally, we will study the role of social forces in transmitting prejudice (parents, schools, religion, media) and the impact of societal prejudice (discrimination) on those who are the targets of prejudice. The changing face through the decades of how stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination are measured, expressed, and understood is the focus of the course. Prerequisite: PSYC/SSP 153 or PSYC/SSP 121. Moskowitz. (Advanced Psychology Seminar) (SS)

PSYC 313. Person Perception (4)

Psychological processes involved in forming impressions of others. Survey of the factors that influence the way in which we think about the people who make up our social environment and of the laboratory methods with which experimental social psychology investigates person perception. The emphasis is on demonstrating the joint impact of the behaviors performed by others and the biases/expectancies that we bring into the social setting. Prerequisite: PSYC/SSP 153 or SSP/PSYC 121. Moskowitz (Advanced Psychology Seminar) (SS)

PSYC 314. (SSP 314) Social Cognition (4)

Examines the cognitive processes through which people make sense of social groups, individual others, themselves, and the world. Topics include judgment and decision making, attitudes and persuasion, ordinary personology, stereotyping and prejudice, and the self. Prerequisite: PSYC/SSP 121. Gill (Advanced Psychology Seminar) (SS)

PSYC 315. History of Modern Psychology (4)

Origin and development of major theories within perception, cognition, biological, clinical, personality, developmental, learning. 19th and 20th century thought to provide an overview of psychology as a discipline. Prerequisites: two 300-level PSYC courses. (Advanced Psychology Seminar) (SS)

PSYC 317. Psychology of Emotion (4)

A selective overview of the scientific study of emotion. Topics will include: historical and modern theories of emotion, physiological and neuropsychological aspects of emotions, evidence that facial expressions of emotion may be universal among humans, and the role of emotion in cognition. Prerequisite: PSYC 110 or consent of instructor. (Advanced Psychology Seminar) (SS)

PSYC 318. (WGSS 318) Seminar in Gender and Psychology (4)

Gender as shaped by psychological and social psychological processes. Socialization, communication and power, gender stereotypes, methodological issues in sex differences research. Prerequisite: PSYC 210 completed or concurrent or consent of instructor. Hyland. (Advanced Psychology Seminar). (SS)

PSYC 320. Psychology of Language (4)

Psychological processes involved in language comprehension, production, and use. Topics include the relation of language to thought; word meaning; speech perception; language acquisition; sign language; language in society. Prerequisite: PSYC 117 or 176 or COGS 7 or consent of instructor. Malt, O’Seaghdha. (Advanced Psychology Seminar) (SS)

PSYC 321. Language Development (4)

Descriptive and theoretical accounts of the development of language. Primary focus is on the development of spoken language in infancy and early childhood. Involves observation of children at various stages of language development. Prerequisite: PSYC 107 or 117. (Advanced Psychology Seminar). (SS)

PSYC 323. (SSP 323) The Child in Family and Society (4)

Influences such as marital discord, family violence, poverty and prejudice on the development of the child from birth through adolescence. Prerequisite: ANTH 1 or SSP1. Johnson (SS)

PSYC 325. Theories in Social Psychology (4)

This course will compare the contributions and limitations of major theoretical perspectives on social behavior, and examine the nature of theory-construction and theory-testing in psychology generally. We will discuss broad theories of social behavior (Behaviorism, Gestalt, Psychodynamics, Symbolic Interactionism), as well as more specific theories of social phenomena, such as social perception, self-perception, and social influence. Prerequisite: PSYC 121 or consent of instructor. (Advanced Psychology Seminar) (SS)

PSYC 327. (HMS 327) Health Psychology (4)

An overview of the topic of health psychology. The course presupposes a preventative intervention approach to the problem of assisting healthy individuals to understand the relationship between behavior and health, and to engage those behaviors that promote health. This course will be underpinned with basic science and research on health psychology, but will include an application focus. Prerequisite: PSYC 1. (SS)

PSYC 328. Educational Psychology (4)

Overview of historical, contemporary, and emerging issues in the field of educational psychology. Implications of various social, cognitive and behavioral educational-psychological theories for teaching and learning in the classroom. Prerequisite: PSYC 107 or 117 or consent of instructor. Barrett (Advanced Psychology Seminar) (SS)

PSYC 332. The Psychology of Human Goodness (4)

We begin with the Big Questions: Are human beings intrinsically good? How potent is our intrinsic capacity for goodness? What does it mean to be “good” or “moral”? How can we answer these questions? Next, we examine a variety of motives, capacities, and emotions that can promote our “good” behavior. Some examples include empathy, compassion (and other moral emotions), the justice motive, the norm enforcement motive, moral intuitions, social bonds, and perhaps even our general capacity for reason. Prerequisite: PSYC/SSP 121. Gill. (Advanced Psychology Seminar) (SS)

PSYC 333. (SSP 333, POLS 333) Social Psychology of Politics (4)

Political behavior viewed from a psychological and social psychological perspective. Prerequisite: ANTH 1; SSP 1; PSYC 1, or department permission. Rosenwein (SS)

PSYC 334 (HMS/WGSS 334) The Psychology of Body Image and Eating Disorders (4)

The course addresses the psychosocial aspects of the development of healthy and unhealthy body image and eating disorders. The roles of personality traits/individual factors, family and interpersonal functioning, and cultural factors will be examined, as will the impact of representations of body image in mass media. Public health and psychological interventions for prevention and treatment will be explored. Personal accounts/memoirs, clinical case presentations, and documentary and dramatic films will be incorporated in the presentation of topics. (SS)

PSYC 335. (BIOS 335) Animal Behavior (3)

Discussion of the behavior of invertebrates and vertebrates and analysis of the physiological mechanisms responsible for behavioral actions, and adaptive value of specific behavior patterns. Prerequisite: BIOS 120. (NS)

PSYC 338. Phenomenology and Theory of Childhood Disorders (4)

The nature, classification, and treatment of childhood disorders. Prerequisite: PSYC 107. (SS)

PSYC 341. Social Psychology and Social Issues (4)

This course examines the methods, concepts, and research findings associated with the effort to apply social psychology to the understanding and amelioration of social problems. Special attention will be paid to the topic of human conflict. Gill (Advanced Psychology Seminar) (SS)

PSYC 342. Motivation (4)

This seminar emphasizes theory and research on motivational approaches to social psychology. We will focus on the ways in which goals, motives, and needs guide behavior. We will explore such key issues as the nature of achievement, wellbeing, self-regulation and self-control; emotions, values, and belief-protection as sources of social action; and the role of motivated cognition in understanding the self and others. Prerequisite: PSYC 153 or PSYC 121. (Advanced Psychology Seminar) (SS)

PSYC 344. (HMS 344) Health Care Reasoning and Decision-Making (4)

Health care professionals diagnose physical and mental illnesses and create treatment plans to improve their patients’ health. How do these professionals make decisions related to these important issues? We will explore the literature on how medical and mental health professionals reason and make decisions about health care issues. Topics to be covered include diagnosis, treatment decisions, access to care, and how these reasoning processes are swayed. Consideration will be given to patient decision-making as well. Prerequisite: PSYC 117 or PSYC 176 or COGS 7 or consent of instructor. Marsh (Advanced Psychology Seminar) (SS)

PSYC 351. Children’s Thinking (4)

This course examines the development of children’s thinking from infancy through adolescence. We will discuss current research and theories on the content of children’s knowledge and how mental abilities develop. We will also consider the implications of research on children’s thinking for real-world questions about parenting, education, and policy-making. Topics include memory, concepts, social cognition, language, reading, mathematics, and individual and cultural differences. Prerequisite: PSYC, 107, 117, or COGS 7. Brandone (Advanced Psychology Seminar) (SS)

PSYC 354. Psychological Assessment (4)

Basic concepts in the construction, selection, administration, scoring, and interpretation of assessment procedures commonly used in psychology. Selection and evaluation of assessment procedures. Supervised experience administering, scoring, and interpreting assessment procedures. Prerequisite: PSYC 110. (SS)

PSYC 356. (SSP 356) Seminar in Personality Psychology (4)

Topics in personality psychology: the self, personality consistency, motivation, psychological adjustment. Prerequisite: PSYC/SSP 153 or consent of instructor. Department permission required. (Advanced Psychology Seminar) (SS)

PSYC 358. Inside the Infant Mind (4)

How do babies understand and learn about the world? This course explores the origin and development of human knowledge by venturing inside the infant mind. Topics include current research and theory on infants’ understanding of objects, number, language, and people. Research examining thinking in non-human primates is also considered to shed light on what aspects of knowledge are and are not uniquely human. Prerequisite: PSYC 107, 117 or COGS 7 or consent of instructor. Brandone (Advanced Psychology Seminar) (SS)

PSYC 359. Seminar on Psychological Issues in the Legal System (4)

Contributions of psychological research to understanding the legal system. Social science data on juries, eyewitnesses, mental illness, and the death penalty will be discussed. Conflicts between psychological and legal approaches will be highlighted. Barrett (Advanced Psychology Seminar) (SS)

PSYC 361. (SSP 361) Personality and Social Development in Adulthood (4)

Theories and current research. Prerequisite: SSP/PSYC 109 or consent of instructor. Hyland (Advanced Psychology Seminar) (SS)

PSYC 362. Cognition in Practice & Policy (4) [3 for graduate registration]

Taking the study of cognition from principle to practice, this course examines how basic research and theory informs understanding of human performance in real-world settings. Topics will be chosen from domains such as automobile safety, environmental and medical decision-making, human-technology interaction, spatial navigation, and breakdown of cognition under fatigue and alcohol. Public policy implications will be considered. Prerequisite: PSYC 117 or COGS 7 or consent of instructor. Malt (Advanced Psychology Seminar) (SS)

PSYC 363. (SSP 363) Personality and Social Development in Childhood (4)

Issues related to social development (e.g., attachment, social competence), social contexts (e.g., family, day care), and personality development (e.g., sex roles, aggression, temperament) from infancy through adolescence. Prerequisite: PSYC 107 or consent of instructor. (Advanced Psychology Seminar) (SS)

PSYC 364. Children and Narratives (4)

Examines the complex role of narratives-told to and by children, and enacted by children in play-in children’s experience and development. Compares and seeks to integrate different approaches in psychology and other disciplines. In the process, we will also be addressing three basic questions: what is narrative, how is it significant, and how should we study it? Prerequisite: PSYC 107. Nicolopoulou (Advanced Psychology Seminar) (SS)

PSYC 365. (GS 365) Human Development in Cross-Cultural Perspective (4)

The formation of mind and personality is shaped in profound ways by the sociocultural contexts within which individuals develop. This course introduces students to basic theoretical and methodological issues and explores important examples of cross-cultural variation and diversity, using comparisons between different societies and between different subcultures within American society. Topics include cognition, language, personality, moral development, socio-emotional development, identity, attachment, and socialization. Materials drawn from anthropology, sociology and education in addition to psychology. Prerequisite: PSYC 107 or PSYC 109 or PSYC/SSP 121 or ANTH 1 or consent of instructor. Nicolopoulou (Advanced Psychology Seminar) (SS)

PSYC 366. Seminar in Cognitive Aging (4)

Information processing by older adults: perception, attention, memory, speech and text processing and comprehension. The course will also examine the effects on cognitive processing of such diseases as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Prerequisite: PSYC 109; PSYC 117 not required but strongly recommended. (Advanced Psychology Seminar) (SS)

PSYC 367. Clinical Psychology (4)

The science and profession of helping people overcome psychological problems. Theories of human personality and abnormality in relation to techniques for assessing and treating psychosocial problems and in the light of empirical evidence of validity and effectiveness. Professional issues are also covered. Prerequisites: PSYC 153 and PSYC 305 or consent of instructor. (Advanced Psychology Seminar) (SS)

PSYC 368. Children, Psychology, and the Law (4)

Covers psychological research on child witnesses, child victims, juvenile crime, children’s rights and decision-making capabilities, divorce and custody. Implications of psychological research for social policy and legal reform will be discussed. Prerequisite: Psyc 107. Barrett. (SS) (Advanced Psychology Seminar)

PSYC 369. Memory Under Construction (4)

Investigation of the constructive nature of human memory through hands-on exercises, reading and discussion. Includes exploration of personal memories, a memory expanding project, and a final project. Coverage includes autobiographical memory, expert memory, and memory disorders. Prerequisite: PSYC 117 or PSYC 176 or COGS 7 or consent of instructor. O’Seaghdha (Advanced Psychology Seminar) (SS)

PSYC 377. Attention and Attentional Failures (4)

Attention allows us to function in complex environments where there is more information than we could possibly process all at once and failures of attention can have drastic consequences. Experimental and neuropsychological evidence will be surveyed for topics including basic attentional phenomena, the role of attention in everyday tasks, and the impact of attentional failures from mind wandering to neuropsychological deficits like ADHD. Prerequisite: PSYC 117 or PSYC 176 or COGS 7. Arrington (SS) (Advanced Psychology Seminar)

PSYC 378. Emotional Development (4)

The course will cover selected topics in emotional development from infancy through adulthood. Topics will include: infant attachment (learning to love), romantic attachment (being in love), emotion regulation, sympathy/empathy, anger/aggression, temperament, etc. We will also discuss the ways in which significant relationships with peers and parents shape children’s emotional development. Prerequisite: PSYC 107. Laible (Advanced Psychology Seminar) (SS)

PSYC 380. Sports Psychology (4)

Theory, research and application comprise this focal area of psychology. The course will allow students to explore the theory and research giving rise to individual, team, and peak performance assessment and interventions. Topics will include assessment, affect modulation, imagery, cognitive formulation, and psychodynamic development. Prerequisite: PSYC 110 or PSYC/SSP153. (Advanced Psychology Seminar) (SS)

PSYC 381. Special Topics in Psychology (4)

Topics vary from semester to semester. Topics are presented at an advanced level. Previous course work in psychology and consent of faculty sponsor is required. May be repeated for credit. (SS)

PSYC 382. (BIOS 382) Endocrinology of Behavior (3)

Hormonal effects upon animal and human behavior. Emphasis on neuroendocrinology of steroid hormone involvement in reproductive behaviors. Prerequisite: BIOS 120. (NS)

PSYC 383. Attachment Theory & Research: The Study of Close Relationships Across the Lifespan (4)

This course will examine the influence of close relationships across the lifespan on personality development. We will examine the influence of parents, peers, siblings, and romantic relationships using traditional attachment theory. In addition, we will also explore how attachment quality is measured and the clinical applications of attachment theory. Prerequisite: PSYC 107. Laible. (Advanced Psychology Seminar) (SS)

PSYC 384. Self and Identity (4)

We will examine different types of identity (e.g., personal, relational, collective) and the cognitive processes that allow for a multifaceted yet unified sense of self. We will study how self-related motives (e.g., enhancement, consistency, distinctiveness) influence self-knowledge, self-regulation, and mental health. Finally, we will explore the origins of self from evolutionary, neuroscientific, and cultural perspectives. Prerequisite: PSYC/SSP 121 or PSYC/SSP 153. Packer (Advanced Psychology Seminar) (SS)

PSYC 386. (HMS 386) Psychological Perspectives on Health and Illness in Children and Adolescents (4)

Focuses on developmental research and theory related to health and wellness issues in children and adolescents. Topics include children’s understanding of biology and disease, disease management, medical consent, education and policy efforts to promote children’s health. Prerequisite: PSYC 107 or consent of instructor. Barrett (Advanced Psychology Seminar) (SS)

PSYC 391. Thesis (4)

Written report: Literature review and design of project in selected area of psychology. Only open to students in the honors program. Prerequisite: PSYC 210. Consent of Honors Program Coordinator required. (ND)

PSYC 392. Thesis. (3)

Execution of project designed in PSYC 391. Final report and oral presentation. Only open to students in the honors program. Prerequisite: PSYC 391. Consent of Honors Program Coordinator required. (ND)

PSYC 393. Independent Research (1-3)

Individual research projects designed and executed in collaboration with faculty sponsor. Regular meetings with sponsor to give progress reports and receive feedback. Student reads relevant literature and writes report in APA format. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 credits. Prerequisite: PSYC 210 or 161. Consent of faculty sponsor required. (ND)

PSYC 394. Senior Research Project (3)

Literature review, design and execution of project in selected area of psychology. Intended for senior majors in psychology. May be repeated for up to 6 credits. Consent of faculty sponsor required. (ND)

For Graduate Students

The Department of Psychology offers a distinctive Ph.D. program centered in areas of Human Cognition and Development with specializations in cognition and language, development, and social cognition and personality. Students are trained primarily for positions at universities and in basic or applied research settings. For the most complete and current information visit http://cas.lehigh.edu/CASWeb/default.aspx?id=1398

In addition we offer two non-degree Certificate Programs in collaboration with other departments and programs.

The Graduate Certificate in Stereotypes, Prejudice, Discrimination, and Intergroup Relations is administered by the Psychology Department. Information is available via: http://cas.lehigh.edu/CASWeb/default.aspx?id=1418

The Graduate Certificate in Cognitive Science is administered by the Cognitive Science Program. Information is available at: http://cas.lehigh.edu/CASWeb/default.aspx?id=1417

Requirements for a Ph.D. in the Department of Psychology:

Research

All graduate students are expected to be involved in research throughout their graduate careers. There are also several formal research requirements of the program.

First-Year-Project (PSYC 412). First-year students are expected to choose an adviser and begin to work on a research project as early as possible. A written and oral report of the student’s research activities is made to the department. Students entering with an approved Master’s thesis are exempt from this requirement.

Master’s Thesis. A master’s thesis (usually empirical or data-based) is required. An oral presentation of the thesis is made to the department. Students entering with a master’s thesis may instead conduct an equivalent non-degree Pre-dissertation Project.

Doctoral Dissertation. This is an original piece of scholarly work usually involving empirical research, although original theoretical or historical research is possible with faculty approval.

Course work

Core courses. All students are required to take a one-semester graduate core course in Cognitive Psychology (PSYC 403), Developmental Psychology (PSYC 402), and Social Cognition (PSYC 406).

PSYC 421 and 422. Statistical Analysis of Psychological Data.

These courses represent a two-semester sequence of theoretical and applied statistics and research methodology.

Graduate Seminars (PSYC 430 and above).

Students must take at least three graduate seminars, and one additional course approved by the adviser.

PSYC 409 and 410. Professional Seminar.

Bookend seminars that cover professional development issues for new and advanced students.

Teaching

Students are encouraged to participate in teaching as appropriate for their training throughout their graduate years. Normally, students begin as teaching assistants and progress to teaching independently.

General Examination

This is required for all doctoral candidates and must be passed at least seven months prior to the awarding of the degree. The areas to be covered on the exam are selected by the student in consultation with the student’s general exam committee.

Graduate-Level Courses

PSYC 402. Developmental Psychology (3)

Survey of theories and research concerning perceptual, cognitive, social, and personality development through infancy and childhood. Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of instructor.

PSYC 403. Cognitive Psychology (3)

Survey of theories and research in cognitive psychology. Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of instructor.

PSYC 404. (BIOS 404) Behavioral Neuroscience (3)

Theoretical and empirical issues in biopsychology. Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of instructor.

PSYC 406. Social Cognition (3)

Theory and research on cognitive processes in personality and social functioning. The self, personality consistency and change, causal attributions, social judgment, goals and self-regulation, and mood and emotion. Topics may vary. Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of instructor.

PSYC 409. Professional Seminar I (1).

For students entering the Ph.D. program: Acculturation to graduate school and the Psychology Ph.D. program in particular; professional issues of relevance to individuals at the outset of a research career in psychology. Department permission required.

PSYC 410. Professional Seminar II (1).

For students nearing graduation: Professional issues of special relevance to Psychology Ph.D. students preparing for academic or nonacademic postdoctoral employment. Department permission required.

PSYC 412. First Year Research Project. (1-3)

Research project or paper to be completed by June of the first year of the Ph.D. program under the direction of a faculty advisor. May be repeated in second semester of program.

PSYC 421. Statistical Analysis of Psychological Data I. (3)

First of a two-semester sequence covering essential issues in statistical analysis as practiced by psychologists. Topics include data description, probability, z and t-tests, general linear model, simple correlation/regression, univariate analysis of variance, chi-square. Emphasis on connecting research designs to appropriate statistical tests, data interpretation, and implementation in statistical packages. Department permission required.

PSYC 422. Statistical Analysis of Psychological Data II. (3)

Second course of the two-semester statistics sequence. Topics include advanced analysis of variance designs, analysis of covariance, multivariate analysis, multiple regression, and analysis of categorical data. Emphasis on connecting research designs to appropriate statistical tests, data interpretation, and implementation in statistical packages. Prerequisite: PSYC 421 or consent of instructor. Department permission required.

PSYC 423. (COGS 423) Foundations of Cognitive Science (3)

Survey of fundamental theory and methodologies from artificial intelligence, linguistics, cognitive psychology, philosophy, and neuroscience, as well as salient research problems such as knowledge acquisition and representation, natural language processing, skill acquisition, perception and action, and the philosophical question of intentionality.

PSYC 433. Cognitive Neuroscience Techniques (3)

This glimpse into the toolkit of modern cognitive neuroscience will provide an overview of a range of techniques from psychopharmacology and single cell recording, to human neuroimaging and neuropsychology. The course introduces different techniques with a focus on issues of temporal and spatial resolution of different methods, the costs and benefits of various techniques, and the appropriateness of techniques for different types of research questions. Students will develop the skills to be knowledgeable consumers of the modern literatures in psychology and related fields that are increasingly incorporating a range of neuroscience methods. Arrington

PSYC 443. Seminar in Language Acquisition (3)

Special topics in language acquisition. Content will vary each time the seminar is offered. Prerequisite: PSYC 402 or PSYC 403 or consent of instructor.

PSYC 446. Developmental Theories and Special Populations (3)

Traditional developmental theories focus on normative development. Children with disabilities have a unique set of experiences that pose special challenges for these theories. In the developmental literature, children with disabilities have sometimes been the focus of studies because they provide a “tests case” for specific theoretical predictions. In this course, we will consider some of these theoretical issues and the insights that have been gained by focusing on special populations. Prerequisite: PSYC 402 or consent of instructor. Barrett

PSYC 448. Seminar in Psychology of Language (3)

Topics in language comprehension and production. Content will vary from year to year. Prerequisite: PSYC 403 or consent of instructor.

PSYC 450. Special Topics in Mathematical Models and Statistics (3)

Selected topics in the application of mathematics to psychological research. May be repeated for credit.

PSYC 460. Special Study (1-9)

Study of some special topic not covered in the regular course offerings. May be repeated for credit.

PSYC 461. Research Seminar (1-9)

Original research designed and executed in collaboration with the faculty. May be repeated for credit.

PSYC 462. Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination (3)

An in-depth survey of the social psychological literature on stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination. Topics will include: Origin of stereotypes, mental representation of stereotypes, cognitive and behavioral consequences of stereotypes, inevitability of stereotyping, nature of prejudice in contemporary American society, context-specificity of discriminatory behavior, and theories of intergroup conflict reduction. Prerequisite: PSYC 406 or consent of instructor. Gill

PSYC 464. Naive Realism in Social Judgment (3)

This seminar examines the variety of unconscious influences that impact on social judgment, with a focus on the cognitive processing mechanisms through which influence is exerted. These influences include contributions to judgment from attitudes, goals, accessible constructs, mindsets, stereotypes, expectancies, heuristics, and theories about social objects. Prerequisite: PSYC 406 or consent of instructor. Moskowitz

PSYC 466. Prosocial Cognition, Emotion, and Behavior (3)

In this course we will examine such phenomena as compassion, caregiving, sympathy, justice motivation, and helping. We will begin with an examination of human nature: Is prosociality fundamental to human nature? Subsequently, we will examine how prosociality can be nurtured by particular developmental experiences. Finally, we will examine the literature on the nature of prosociality in adulthood: What cognitive capacities support prosociality? What situational factors promote prosociality? What emotional qualities promote prosociality? What belief systems are linked to prosociality? Gill

PSYC 476. Seminar in Cognition (3)

Selected topics in human information processing, including such areas as attention, memory, language and comprehension, and decision-making. Area of emphasis will vary from year to year. Prerequisite: PSYC 403 or consent of instructor.

PSYC 478. (COGS 478) Ontological Psychology (3)

Principles and constraints for the modeling of psychological phenomena: Representation, perception, memory, knowing, emotions, consciousness, language, and rationality. Bickhard

PSYC 480. Seminar in Cognitive Development (3)

Selected topics in cognitive development in infancy and childhood, including such areas as conceptual development, memory development, the development of reasoning abilities, and language acquisition. Emphasis will vary from year to year. Prerequisite: PSYC 402 or consent of instructor.

PSYC 481. Selected Topics in Social and Personality Development (3)

Topics include emotional and sex-role development, peer relations, and social competence. Emphasis will vary from year to year. Prerequisite: PSYC 402 or consent of instructor.

PSYC 482. Seminar in Adult Development (3)

Application of lifespan developmental theory and methodology to personality, social, and cognitive development in adulthood. Prerequisite: PSYC 402 or consent of instructor. Hyland

PSYC 483. Seminar in Cultural Psychology (3)

Major theoretical approaches and empirical debates in cultural psychology, with a focus on the interplay of individual and sociocultural elements in the formation of mind, the emergence of the self, and the definition and reproduction of culture. Prerequisite: PSYC 402 or consent of instructor. Nicolopoulou

PSYC 484. (WGSS 484). Psychology of Gender (3)

Major theoretical approaches and empirical debates in the psychology of gender, with a focus on the interplay of nature and nurture in producing gender similarities, gender differences and gender variation in personality, social behaviors, cognitive abilities, achievement, sexuality, and mental health. Methodological issues in gender research. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. Hyland

PSYC 490. Thesis Research (1-6).

Master’s Thesis or Pre-dissertation Project research directed by committee.

PSYC 495. Narrative & Psychology (3)

This course explores the increasing significance of narrative analysis in psychology by delineating the conceptual foundations of a narrative perspective and considering arguments for narrative as an integrative paradigm in psychological research. Particular emphasis will be on the constitutive role of narrative in cognitive and socio-emotional development, the formation of identity, moral understanding, and other domains. Some specific topics will be narrative development, autobiographical memory, self-narrative, identity development, narratives of conflict, and the role of narrative in socialization and education. Prerequisite: PSYC 402 or consent of instructor. Nicolopoulou

PSYC 499. Dissertation Research (1-15).

Ph.D. dissertation research directed by dissertation committee.

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