Students learn how contemporary psychologists use the scientific method to study mental processes (that is, the "mind"), with an emphasis on major constructs: perception, attention, memory, language, and reasoning. Regular activities include hands-on experiments to collect data, followed by basic data analysis, visualization, and interpretation. Students will also critically evaluate several cognitive psychology journal articles. Prerequisite: 171. Restricted to students with junior standing or higher.
This course introduces students to a range of behavior disorders including anxiety disorders, depressive and bipolar disorders, trauma- and stressor-related disorders, substance-related disorders, schizophrenia spectrum disorders, and personality disorders.
Health psychology is an exciting interdisciplinary field of study that explores the complex bi-directional relationship between psychological and physical health. This course examines the interactions between chronic medical conditions and psychological factors, such as stress, psychological states, and personality. Students will also learn about strategies for coping with stress and improving health and well-being, as well as the benefits of stress. Prerequisite: 171.
This course discusses the application of psychological theory and research to sports and recreation. Topics will include motivation, competition and cooperation, arousal, stress and anxiety, group and team dynamics, group cohesion, intrinsic motivation, leadership, imagery, concentration, athletic injuries and psychology, burnout and overtraining, children and sport psychology, and aggression in sports. Prerequisite: 171.
Considering the increasing diversity of the United States and a more interconnected world, this course has two aims. First, this course provides students with an understanding of why fostering belonging is necessary to create healthy and thriving diverse communities. Second, this course provides students with an understanding of how to create communities of belonging. Through a multidisciplinary lens, we will explore and discuss when, why, and how race was invented.
Psychological Testing explores the history, theory, and methods of measuring human behavior. Students will receive exposure to a variety of representative tests of intelligence, personality, neuropsychological functioning, and more. Strongly recommended for students interested in counseling, clinical, and industrial organization psychology. Prerequisite: 171. Restricted to students with junior standing or higher.
Although psychology historically focused on negative aspects of life (psychopathology, retardation and aggression), Positive Psychology focuses on the more positive (mental health, creativity and pro-social behavior). Topics in this course will also include happiness, humor, human strengths, flow, peace, resilience, optimism, empathy and altruism, love and companionship, and relaxation and mindfulness. Emphasis will be on both scientific findings and the application of those findings in ones personal life. The course will include a significant self-change project.
An overview of various family forms, the family life cycle, and healthy family functioning will be provided, followed by a review of the major theories of systemic family therapy. Basic family therapy process and outcome research will be reviewed. The code of ethics will be applied to clinical ethical dilemmas. A role play format will be used to practice basic therapy counseling skills. Restricted to students with junior standing or higher.
Research Methods focuses on the application of the scientific method in psychological research to empirically and systematically evaluate behavior and mental processes. An emphasis is placed on becoming critical consumers of research. Students develop skills related to validating claims, understanding journal articles, designing simple studies, and presenting research projects in poster format. Prerequisite: 171, 223. Open to psychology majors only (or with instructor permission)
Social psychology is a scientific area in the discipline of psychology that seeks an understanding of how people think, feel, and behave in social situations. This course will focus on gaining an understanding of social psychological explanations for social influence and to improve understanding of common research methodologies utilized in social psychological research.