Catalog
Psychology
Professors Douglass (chair), Kahan, Low, and Nigro; Associate Professors Aronson, Boucher, and Sargent; Visiting Assistant Professor White; Lecturers Fraser-Thill and Mathis
Students who major in psychology examine behavior and mental processes using the scientific method and learn to apply this knowledge in real-world and laboratory settings. Students are exposed to a large variety of topics and methods within the field of psychology (breadth) and are required to take additional courses in one of several focus areas (depth). Senior majors must complete an empirical research thesis, a community-based research thesis, or a theoretical review and integration. For an empirical research thesis, a student conducts original research on an issue of theoretical or practical concern. For a community-based research thesis, a student works in the community, using training in psychology to address social or psychological issues in an applied setting. For a theoretical review and integration, a student conducts a comprehensive and critical review of the extant literature. Alternatively, a psychology major may enroll in the capstone course in computational neuroscience (NRSC 462). More information on the psychology department is available on the website (bates.edu/psychology).
Major Requirements
The major consists of eleven courses, including the thesis. All majors are required to complete successfully:1) PSYC 101. Principles of Psychology. This requirement may be waived for students who achieve score of a four or five on the Advanced Placement examination in psychology or who pass a departmental examination.
2) One course with content related to the brain and biological aspects of behavior and mental processes. Courses with content related to biology, identified with designation (Biological), may also count toward the content area course requirements described below.
3) One course with content related to diversity, broadly defined. Courses with content related to diversity or multiculturalism, identified with designation (Diversity), may also count toward the content area course requirements described below.
4) PSYC 218. Statistics.
5) One of the following, which must be completed before the end of the junior year:
PSYC 261. Research Methods.
ED/PY 262. Community-Based Research Methods.
6) Content areas. Students must take at least seven content-area courses, at least one must be in each of the four contents areas listed below, and at least three must be taken in a student's chosen area of focus. In addition, at least four must be at the 300-level, two of which must be in the focus area and one of which must be outside the focus area. The fourth 300-level course may be either in the focus area or outside of it.
Only one Short Term course may be counted toward the major. Short Term courses numbered s10-s29 may be counted at the 200 level; Short Term courses numbered s30-s49 may be counted at the 300 level.
The content areas are as follows. PSYC 314 (History of Psychology) may count in any one area (Cognition & Emotion, Biological & Health, Development & Personality, or Cultural & Social), depending on the topic of the student's final project in the class. Courses marked with an asterisk (*) are offered irregularly.
Cognition & Emotion.
PSYC 222. Applied Cognitive Psychology.*
PSYC 230. Cognitive Psychology.
MU/PY 253. Music and the Mind.
PSYC 302. Sensation and Perception. (Biological)
PSYC 305. Animal Learning. *
PSYC 314. History of Psychology.
NS/PY 330. Cognitive Neuroscience/Lab. (Biological)
NS/PY 361. Topics in Affective Neuroscience.
PSYC 374. Psychology of Language. *
PSYC 380. Social Cognition.
Biological & Health.
NS/PY 160. Introduction to Neuroscience. (Biological) (formerly NS/PY 200)
PSYC 215. Medical Psychology. (Biological)
PSYC 235. Abnormal Psychology. (Diversity)
PSYC 303. Health Psychology.
PSYC 314. History of Psychology.
NS/PY 319. Physiological Profiles of Mental Illness. (Biological)
PSYC 333. Advanced Topics in Abnormal Psychology.
NS/PY 357. Computational Neuroscience.
NS/PY 363. Physiological Psychology/Lab. (Biological)
NS/PY 364. Psychobiology of Smell.
PSYC s30. Contemporary Psychotherapies with Practicum.
Developmental & Personality.
EXDS s21. Life Architecture.
PSYC 211. Psychology of Personality.
PSYC 240. Developmental Psychology.(Diversity)
PSYC 280. Emerging Adulthood: Fact or Fancy.*
PSYC 314. History of Psychology.
PSYC 340. Infancy. *
PSYC 341. Advanced Topics in Developmental Psychology. *
PSYC 347. Personality Disorders.
PSYC 372. Racial and Ethnic Identity Development. (Diversity)
PSYC 381. The Self.
ED/PY s39. Development in Malawi. * (Diversity)
Cultural & Social.
PY/SO 210. Social Psychology.
AS/PY 260. Cultural Psychology. (Diversity)
PSYC 307. Applied Social Psychology. *
PSYC 311. Psychology of Religion. *
PSYC 314. History of Psychology.
PSYC 317. Psychology and Law.
PY/WS 343. Women, Culture, and Health. (Diversity)
PSYC 350. Examining College Life.
PY/SO 371. Prejudice and Stereotyping. (Diversity)
INDS s29. Gender, Sexuality, and Violence. (Diversity)
PSYC s34. Psychological Perspectives on Sex, Reputation, and Power. *
7) A senior thesis that takes one of four forms: empirical research, community-based research, theoretical review and integration, or capstone seminar on computational neuroscience. The thesis satisfies the [W3] requirement.
It is recommended that students take no more than thirteen courses in the major, including the thesis.
Embracing the notion of intellectual breadth in a liberal arts context, the department faculty also strongly encourages psychology majors to select General Education concentrations (GECs) with little to no overlap with their psychology studies. To ensure purposeful breadth, students should not apply more than two psychology-listed courses to their two chosen GECs, minors, or second majors. Academic advisors work with students to ensure that their choices of GECs serve as areas of critical inquiry outside of the psychology major. Students may not double major in psychology and neuroscience.
AP Credit, Study Abroad, and Summer Study
Psychology majors may transfer up to three credits taken elsewhere toward the major, provided the courses are preapproved by the faculty liaison for off-campus study (typically the chair). Students should submit to the liaison a course description and syllabus for each transfer course. With the liaison's approval, one of the three courses may be a statistics or methodology course that may be used in lieu of Statistics (PSYC 218), Research Methods (PSYC 261), or Community-Based Research Methods (ED/PY 262), but students are strongly encouraged to take their statistics and methodology courses at Bates. Under no circumstances is any student permitted to apply more than one course taken elsewhere to a single content area. The biological core course and diversity-related course may be taken elsewhere if preapproved by the facutly liaison for off-campus study. If courses are transferred from elsewhere, then the total number of course credits that a student must complete at Bates may also decrease. For example, if a student earns AP credit for PSYC 101 and transfers two additional credits from a study-abroad program (three credits total), then the student needs to complete eight courses at Bates (including thesis) rather than eleven. If a student passes the department's placement exam, then the student no longer needs to take PSYC 101; however, passing the placement exam does not count for course credit. Students who pass the placement exam are still required to complete eleven psychology courses.Students considering off-campus study should keep in mind several considerations. Either PSYC 261 or ED/PY 262 must be completed before the end of the junior year, and PSYC 218 is a prerequisite for either course. Moreover, the department not only encourages students to take their statistics and methods courses at Bates, but also cautions students that it is extremely rare to find a non-Bates statistics or methods course that is sufficiently comparable to qualify for major credit. These considerations have significant implications for students who do not complete Statistics by the end of their sophomore year. Students considering a major in psychology should be aware that if they are unable to complete Statistics by the end of the sophomore year—even if that inability is a product of being randomized out of the course during preregistration—then they will likely have to stay at Bates both semesters of the junior year in order to keep psychology viable as a major option.
Thesis
A thesis may be completed during the fall and/or winter semester of the senior year. Topics for theses must be approved by the department.For fall semester and two-semester thesis:
1) students register for PSYC 457A (for empirical research), PSYC 457B (for community-based research); or PSYC 457C (for theoretical review and integration);
2) proposals must be submitted by 4:00 p.m. on Thursday of the second full week of classes in the fall semester.
In the fall semester, students in PSYC 457B meet in a seminar and the instructor serves as advisor.
For winter semester theses:
1) students register for PSYC 458A (for empirical research), PSYC 458C (for theoretical review and integration), or NRSC 462 (the seminar on computational neuroscience);
2) thesis proposals must be submitted by 4:00 p.m. on the second Thursday in November.
Guidelines for proposals (and a listing of important dates) are on the department's website (bates.edu/psychology/thesis/thesis-planning/senior-thesis-proposal-guidelines/).
All seniors must present their thesis work at a general meeting of the department at the end of the semester. Presentations take the form of a ten- to fifteen-minute talk or a poster that describes the project.
Honors
At the end of each academic year, the department invites a limited number of juniors to submit honors thesis proposals, due in the fall semester of their senior year. Honors invitations are based on demonstrated excellence in the courses completed for the major through the end of the junior year. If invited for honors, students must elect a two-semester thesis. At the end of the first semester of thesis work, the department formally nominates students to the honors program. Students who are nominated must show a high degree of initiative and progress by the end of the fall semester. In addition, the faculty thesis advsior must assure the department that the student's work is of honors caliber and is progressing satisfactorily before the department nominates the student to the honors program.Pass/Fail Grading Option
Pass/fail grading may not be elected for courses applied toward the major. CoursesPSYC 101. Principles of Psychology.
This course provides students with a thorough and rigorous introduction to the study of behavior and mental processes, and prepares students for more advanced work in psychology and related fields. Fundamental psychological laws and principles of human behavior are examined in the light of the scientific method. The course is a prerequisite for all other courses in the department. Enrollment limited to 60 per section. Normally offered every semester. Staff.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
NS/PY 160. Introduction to Neuroscience.
In this course, students learn how the structure and function of the central and peripheral nervous systems support mind and behavior. Topics introduced include neuroanatomy, developmental neurobiology, neurophysiology, neuropharmacology, and neuropsychiatry. The course is aimed at prospective majors and nonmajors who are interested in exploring a field in which biology and psychology merge, and to which many other disciplines (e.g., chemistry, philosophy, anthropology, linguistics, computer science) have contributed. Not open to students who have received credit for PSYC 215. Not open to students who have received credit for NS/PY 200. Normally offered every year. J. Castro, N. Koven.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
PY/SO 210. Social Psychology.
A study of people in social settings. Topics include conformity, interpersonal attraction, and attitude formation and change. Theoretical principles are applied to such social phenomena as social conflict, stereotyping, competition, and altruism. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 101. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 50. Normally offered every year. M. Sargent, H. Boucher.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
PSYC 211. Psychology of Personality.
This course introduces the fundamentals of personality psychology. Topics include a variety of personality theories, the trait debate, physiological factors that may shape personality, assessment of personality and approaches to personality research, and personality over the life-course. Readings include Freud, Erikson, Rogers, and research articles on abnormal psychology and personality. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 101. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 50. Normally offered every year. K. Aronson, K. Low.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
PSYC 215. Medical Psychology.
This course explores how regulation and dysregulation of mind results from differential brain activity. Following an introduction to the structure and function of the central nervous system, students consider examples of neurological and psychiatric pathology and discuss psychological and neuroscientific approaches to intervention. Topics include neuronal signaling, neuroanatomy, neuroplasticity, psychopharmacology, states of consciousness, categories of mental illness, models of psychotherapy, and human/machine interactions. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 101. Not open to students who have received credit for NS/PY 160. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 50. N. Koven, K. White.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
PSYC 218. Statistics.
A course in the use of statistical methods for describing and drawing inferences from data. Experimental and correlational research designs are studied by analyzing data for numerous problems. Topics covered include sampling theory, correlation and regression, t-tests, chi-square tests, and analysis of variance. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 101 or NS/PY 160 or 200. Enrollment limited to 30. Normally offered every semester. [Q] Staff.ConcentrationsInterdisciplinary Programs
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
This course counts toward the following Interdisciplinary Program(s)
PSYC 222. Applied Cognitive Psychology.
This course examines the application of cognitive research and theories to everyday life. Topics may include attention and memory issues in driving, aviation, and industry; decision making in applied settings; flashbulb and autobiographical memory; consumer psychology; and cognitive applications in learning and education. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 101. Not open to students who have received credit for PSYC 230. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 30. K. Mathis.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
PSYC 230. Cognitive Psychology.
This course provides an overview of contemporary research and theories concerning the structure and processes of the mind. Topics covered include information processing, artificial intelligence, sensory memory, masking effects, object recognition, attention, short-term/working memory, long-term memory, false memories, language, and decision making. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 101. Not open to students who have received credit for PSYC 222. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 49. Normally offered every year. T. Kahan, K. Mathis.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
PSYC 235. Abnormal Psychology.
This course reviews the etiology, symptoms, and treatment of the major mental illnesses. Topics range from affective disorders to psychosomatic presentations to dissociative disorders. Students master diagnostic criteria, review case material, and evaluate research on a variety of topics related to psychopathology. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 101. Enrollment limited to 50. Normally offered every year. K. Low, N. Koven, R. Fraser-Thill, K. White.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
PSYC 236. Forensic Psychology.
This course explores the crucial role that clinical psychologists play in the criminal justice system. Typically this role involves conducting an evaluation of a defendant to provide an opinion to the court regarding competence to stand trial, restoration of competence, state of mind at the time of offense, competence to waive Miranda, risk assessments, treatment recommendations and dispositional alternatives. Topics include an introduction to evaluation methodology, an examination of relevant common psychiatric conditions, malingering, testimony, and assessment of juveniles, sex offenders, and cognitively limited individuals. Issues are explored through examination of cases, relevant empirical literature, media coverage of current cases, and review of court decisions. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 101. Recommended background: PSYC 235. New course beginning Fall 2017. Enrollment limited to 49. Instructor permission is required. One-time offering. L. Douglass.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
PSYC 240. Developmental Psychology.
A comprehensive introduction to current thinking and research in developmental psychology. This course covers prenatal development through old age and death. Topics include attachment, gender, language acquisition, play, and adolescent suicide. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 101. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 50. (Community-Engaged Learning.) Normally offered every year. R. Fraser-Thill, G. Nigro.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
MU/PY 253. Music and the Embodied Mind.
An exploration of the nature of musical experience in cognitive and neuroscientific terms. Does music belong to an altered state of consciousness or is it a function of our ordinary state of consciousness? Are the emotions that we experience through music the same as those that spring from our personal experiences? Is music essentially an interior experience, and if so, how does it connect us so powerfully to others? How can music and speech become one in song? These questions, long fascinating to philosophers, are now being considered through the scientific study of the brain and mind. Recommended background: previous study of music, neuroscience, or psychology. Not open to students who have received credit for MU/PY 395. G. Fatone.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
AS/PY 260. Cultural Psychology.
This course provides an introduction to the theoretical perspectives and research findings of cultural psychology, with an emphasis on comparisons between North American and East Asian cultural groups. Topics include defining culture as a topic of psychological inquiry; the methods of conducting cultural research; the debate between universality versus cultural specificity of psychological processes; acculturation and multiculturalism; and cultural influences on thought, emotion, motivation, personality, abnormality, and social behavior. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 101. Enrollment limited to 50. Normally offered every year. H. Boucher.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
PSYC 261. Research Methods.
This course provides comprehensive coverage of the major methods used in psychological research, with special emphasis on experimental design. Students receive extensive practice in designing, conducting, analyzing, and interpreting the results of research studies, and writing reports in American Psychological Association style. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 218. Enrollment limited to 15. [W2] Normally offered every semester. Staff.ConcentrationsInterdisciplinary Programs
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
This course counts toward the following Interdisciplinary Program(s)
ED/PY 262. Community-Based Research Methods.
This course introduces research methods through collaborative community partnerships. Students collaborate with local professionals such as teachers on research projects that originate in their work sites. Class meetings introduce design issues, methods of data collection and analysis, and ways of reporting research. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 218 or EDUC 231. Enrollment limited to 15 per section. (Community-Engaged Learning.) [W2] Normally offered every year. K. Aronson, G. Nigro.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
PSYC 280. Emerging Adulthood: Fact or Fancy.
This course examines the psychological development of normal individuals from about 18 to 35 years of age. Does this period represent a separate stage of development often referred to as "emerging adulthood" and if so, what are its characteristics, influencing factors, and implications? Using cognitive development as an organizational core, students address critical areas and markers, psychosocial and cultural, to assess implications for the college environment and long-term adult development. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 101 and one additional course in psychology. Enrollment limited to 30. Staff.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
PSYC 302. Sensation and Perception.
The course examines the field of perception: how we organize and interpret sensory information so that we can understand the external world. Topics covered include principles of psychophysics; the eye and brain; pattern perception; color vision; perception of depth, size, and motion; hearing and auditory system; touch; taste; and smell. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 101. Enrollment limited to 20. Normally offered every year. T. Kahan.ConcentrationsInterdisciplinary Programs
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
This course counts toward the following Interdisciplinary Program(s)
PSYC 303. Health Psychology.
This course introduces health psychology from a biopsychosocial perspective. The course first describes the theoretical underpinnings of the biopsychosocial model, and the fundamentals of anatomy and physiology. The course then reviews the current research on stress, coping and illness, and stress management techniques. Research on psychosocial contributors to heart disease, cancer, chronic pain syndromes, and other illnesses is reviewed, along with implications for prevention and treatment. Prerequisite(s): one of the following: NS/PY 160 or 200, PSYC 211, 215, 235, 242, or 250. Enrollment limited to 50. Staff.ConcentrationsInterdisciplinary Programs
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
This course counts toward the following Interdisciplinary Program(s)
PSYC 305. Animal Learning.
The course examines historical and recent trends in animal learning. Topics include classical and operant conditioning, biological constraints on learning, and cognitive processes. Prerequisite(s): one of the following: NS/PY 160 or 200, PSYC 222, 230, or 250. J. Castro.ConcentrationsInterdisciplinary Programs
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
This course counts toward the following Interdisciplinary Program(s)
PSYC 307. Applied Social Psychology.
This course examines the application of social psychological theory and research methods to pressing social problems. Topics include violence, altruism, health, law, intergroup conflict, persuasion, and relationships. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 218. Enrollment limited to 25. A. Douglass.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
PSYC 311. Psychology of Religion.
This course examines religion from a social-psychological perspective, focusing on current psychological science to understand why some humans find religion compelling and the implications of religious faith (or lack thereof). Topics include the psychological benefits of religious faith, negative outcomes of religious faith, the role of religion in inter-group conflict, how thoughts of the divine affect perceptions of physical space, and how mental systems make sense of information about religion. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 218. Enrollment limited to 25. A. Douglass.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
PSYC 314. History of Psychology.
This course examines major psychological ideas and their development. Important psychological schools of thought such as behaviorism, Gestalt psychology, and psychoanalysis receive consideration, as do ideas and theories that do not fit neatly into any schools. The course pays attention to the social, economic, and cultural contexts in which knowledge developed, the wide variety of influences on psychology, and the individuals who advanced the field. The mind-body problem, the interaction of biological and sociocultural factors in human experience, and the balance between theory and practice are recurrent themes in the course. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 261 or ED/PY 262 and at least two other 300-level psychology courses. Enrollment limited to 15. Normally offered every year. G. Nigro.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
PSYC 317. Psychology and Law.
In the American criminal justice system, the administration of justice is influenced by a broad range of variables, many of which have been the subject of empirical research in social and cognitive psychology. This course examines how psychological research informs the dialogue surrounding controversial issues in the criminal justice system. Topics covered include eyewitness testimony, confession evidence, detection of deception, expert testimony, and reconstructed/repressed memories. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 261 or ED/PY 262. Not open to students who have received credit for PSYC s32. Enrollment limited to 25. Normally offered every year. A. Douglass.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
NS/PY 319. Physiological Profiles of Mental Illness.
This course examines the physiology associated with a range of mental illnesses. Biological methods (e.g., neuroscience, autonomic psychophysiology) are used to explore the physiological underpinnings of mood, anxiety, psychotic, personality, and other psychological disorders. Clinical implications are discussed including evaluating the utility of incorporating physiological measurement into diagnosis and treatment of psychopathology. Prerequisite(s): NS/PY 160 or 200 or PSYC 215 or 235. Not open to students who have received credit for PSYC 319. Enrollment limited to 20. Normally offered every year. K. White.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
NS/PY 330. Cognitive Neuroscience/Lab.
This course explores how the neurological organization of the brain influences the way people think, feel, and act. Particular emphasis is given to the brain systems that support object recognition, spatial processing, attention, language, memory, executive functions, and emotion. Students also investigate clinical syndromes and unusual cognitive phenomena. A wide range of research techniques is introduced, including positron emission topography, functional magnetic resonance imaging, diffusion tensor imaging, neuropsychological assessment, event-related potentials, magnetoencephalography, and transcranial magnetic stimulation. Prerequisite(s): NS/PY 160 or 200 or 363 or PSYC 215, 222, or 230. Enrollment limited to 40. Enrollment limited to 20 per laboratory section. Normally offered every year. N. Koven.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
PSYC 333. Advanced Topics in Abnormal Psychology.
A consideration of contemporary categories of abnormality from several points of view: psychoanalytic, biological, cognitive-behavioral, and existential. Additional topics include differential diagnosis, treatment methods, DSM-5, and legal issues related to mental illness. Case materials and treatment strategies are also reviewed. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 218 and either 211, 235, or 242. Enrollment limited to 25. K. White.ConcentrationsInterdisciplinary Programs
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
This course counts toward the following Interdisciplinary Program(s)
PSYC 340. Infancy.
A seminar that examines the behavior, growth, and development of children from conception through two years of age. Topics include the perceptual, physical, cognitive, language, and social development of infants. The research methods used to study infants are introduced and discussed throughout the course. Weekly study of journal articles is designed to encourage a deeper understanding of these topics. Ethical issues in infancy are also considered. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 240 and PSYC 261 or ED/PY 262. Enrollment limited to 15. R. Fraser-Thill.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
PSYC 341. Advanced Topics in Developmental Psychology.
A seminar that examines the concepts and methods of developmental psychology. Topics vary from year to year and may include the effects of new media, peer relations, physical and sexual abuse, and resilience in development. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 218 and 240. Enrollment limited to 20. R. Fraser-Thill, G. Nigro.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
PY/WS 343. Women, Culture, and Health.
This course examines a variety of perspectives on women's health issues, including reproductive health, body image, sexuality, substance use and abuse, mental health, cancer, AIDS, heart disease, poverty, work, violence, access to health care, and aging. Each topic is examined in sociocultural context, and the complex relationship between individual health and cultural demands or standards is explored. Prerequisite(s): AS/PY 260; NS/PY 160 or 200; or PSYC 211, 215, 235, 242, or 303. Staff.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
PSYC 347. Personality Disorders.
This seminar course encourages students to think critically about how we define and understand abnormal personality. Students examine personality disorders using multiple modes (e.g., psychological science, philosophy) and levels (e.g., brain, individual, group) of analysis. Topics include personality disorder development, lifetime course, and treatment. Topics also include the definition of abnormal personality, categorical vs. dimensional models of personality disorder, and cultural and gender-based differences in personality disorder conceptualization and manifestation. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 211 or 235. Course reinstated beginning Winter 2017. Enrollment limited to 20. S. Masland.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
PSYC 350. Examining College Life.
In this course, students use psychological theory and research in asking questions and solving problems; apply what they know to complex questions and tolerate the inherent ambiguity of the exercise; and examine the college environment and its impact on the individual, the group, the community, and society. In doing so, students consider questions such as: Why attend college? Is college a public or private good? What are the key components of a college environment and are they all necessary? What are the most significant opportunities/challenges to the undergraduate, residential, liberal arts college and why? Students analyze these questions using psychological theory and data using the results as the foundation on which to make recommendations for change. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 101 and 218; PSYC 261 or ED/PY 262; and one additional course in psychology. Enrollment limited to 15. Staff.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
NS/PY 357. Computational Neuroscience.
In this course, students apply techniques from engineering and computer science to address fundamental questions of brain function. Examining real data sets, students explore how the brain encodes and represents information on cellular scales, and also how computational approaches can be brought to bear on traditional neuroscience disciplines being revolutionized by data-driven paradigms. Specific topics include spike statistics, reverse correlation and linear models of encoding, dimensionality reduction, cell assembly analysis, and computational genomics. All assignments, and most class work emphasizes computer programming in Matlab (though no background is assumed or expected). Prerequisite(s): NS/PY 160 or 200 and PSYC 218 or any 200-level mathematics course. Enrollment limited to 15. Normally offered every year. M. Greene.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
PSYC 360. Independent Study.
Students, in consultation with a faculty advisor, individually design and plan a course of study or research not offered in the curriculum. Course work includes a reflective component, evaluation, and completion of an agreed-upon product. Sponsorship by a faculty member in the program/department, a course prospectus, and permission of the chair are required. Students may register for no more than one independent study per semester. Normally offered every semester. Staff.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
NS/PY 361. Topics in Affective Neuroscience.
A seminar that examines advances in the interdisciplinary field of affective neuroscience. Topics may include methodology, cognitive components of emotion, emotion in personality and temperament, neuroscience of positive and negative affect, moral emotions, unconscious emotions, evolutionary perspectives of affect, emotion dysregulation and psychopathology, neuroethics and neurolaw, and neuroscience of fervor. Prerequisite(s): NS/PY 160 or 200 or PSYC 215. Not open to first-year students or sophomores. Not open to students who have received credit for PSYC 361. Enrollment limited to 15. N. Koven.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
NS/PY 363. Physiological Psychology/Lab.
The course is an introduction to the concepts and methods used in the study of physiological mechanisms underlying behavior. Topics include an introduction to neurophysiology and neuroanatomy; an examination of sensory and motor mechanisms; and the physiological bases of ingestion, sexual behavior, reinforcement, learning, memory, and abnormal behavior. Laboratory work includes examination of neuroanatomy, development of neurosurgical and histological skills, and behavioral testing of rodents. Prerequisite(s): NS/PY 160 or 200 or BI/NS 308. Normally offered every year. [L] J. Castro.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
NS/PY 364. Psychobiology of Smell.
Smells are the most enigmatic percepts, incomparably vivid and immediate, yet seemingly impossible to describe or quantify. This course begins with a brief philosophical and historical inquiry into the nature of smell, and then critically examines the recent scientific literature in olfactory neuroscience. Topics include the molecular biology of odor detection, neural coding and representation of odors, the role of odors in social and sexual behavior, and the relationships between odor, memory, emotion, and language. Prerequisite(s): NS/PY 160 or 200 or PSYC 215. Not open to students who have received credit for PSYC 364. Enrollment limited to 15. Normally offered every year. J. Castro.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
PY/SO 371. Prejudice and Stereotyping.
Two issues that have long held the interest of social psychologists and that are of great social importance are prejudice and stereotyping. This course explores traditional and contemporary social psychological research on unconscious and covert forms of prejudice as well as cognitive and emotional functions served by stereotyping. The course concludes with an examination of the challenges to prejudice reduction and stereotype change. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 218. Enrollment limited to 50. M. Sargent.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
PSYC 372. Racial and Ethnic Identity Development.
This course is designed to develop students' understanding of how individuals from different backgrounds come to define themselves in terms of race or ethnicity. Students explore theories that explain how racial/ethnic identity develops among individuals from Caucasian, African American, Asian, Hispanic, immigrant, and mixed race backgrounds. They also consider the role that others play in the identity development process and how identity relates to important life outcomes. As a final project, students are given the opportunity to analyze their own experience by applying course material to their own life through the creation of an autobiography. Prerequisite(s): any 200-level psychology course. Enrollment limited to 20. K. Aronson.ConcentrationsInterdisciplinary Programs
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
This course counts toward the following Interdisciplinary Program(s)
PSYC 374. Psychology of Language.
This course examines language from psychological and linguistic perspectives. Topics covered include language acquisition, advantages and disadvantages of bilingualism, the relationship between language and thought, speech perception, word recognition and semantics, sentences and discourse, language production and slips of the tongue, the biological bases of language and language disorders, and the future of languages (focusing on language extinction). Prerequisite(s): PSYC 101, and PSYC 261 or ED/PY 262.. Recommended background: PSYC 222 or 230. Enrollment limited to 30. T. Kahan, K. Mathis.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
PSYC 380. Social Cognition.
Every day we characterize and evaluate other people, endeavor to understand the causes of their behavior, and try to predict their future actions. This course examines these social judgments and the cognitive processes upon which they depend. Topics include attribution theory, biases in social-information processing, impression formation, and stereotyping. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 218. Enrollment limited to 18. M. Sargent.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
PSYC 381. The Self.
This course is intended to provide intensive coverage of classic and contemporary theory and research regarding the self. Topics include self-knowledge, self-esteem, self-regulation, self-presentation/impression management, gender, and culture. Lectures and class discussions prepare the class for a student-driven group research project. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 261 or ED/PY 262. Enrollment limited to 20. H. Boucher.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
PSYC 457A. Senior Thesis/Empirical Research.
This type of thesis involves empirical research and report writing supplemented by individual conferences with an advisor. Students register for PSYC 457A in the fall semester. Majors writing a two-semester or honors thesis register for both PSYC 457A and 458A. [W3] Normally offered every year. Staff.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
PSYC 457B. Senior Thesis/Community-Based Research.
This type of thesis involves community-based research and report writing in collaboration with a community partner and faculty advisor. Students complete 50 to 60 hours of work in a community placement and meet regularly for structured reflection about ethics, the cultural context of students' work, individual and social change, and other topics specific to students' placements. In the fall semester, students register for PSYC 457B and participate in a weekly seminar. Unless there are compelling circumstances that preclude it, students electing to complete a one-semester community-based research thesis are expected to do so in the fall seminar, rather than in the winter. Majors writing a two-semester or honor thesis register for both PSYC 457B and 458B. (Community-Engaged Learning.) [W3] Normally offered every year. G. Nigro, K. Aronson.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
PSYC 457C. Senior Thesis/Theoretical Review and Integration.
This type of thesis involves a comprehensive and critical review of extant literature using resources available in Ladd Library and supplemented by individual conferences with an advisor. Students register for PSYC 457C in the fall semester. Majors writing a two-semester or honors thesis register for both PSYC 457C and 458C. [W3] Normally offered every year. Staff.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
PSYC 458A. Senior Thesis/Empirical Research.
This type of thesis involves empirical research and report writing supplemented by individual conferences with adviser. Students register for PSYC 458A in the winter semester. Majors writing a two-semester or honors thesis register for both PSYC 457A and 458A. [W3] Normally offered every year. Staff.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
PSYC 458B. Senior Thesis/Community-Based Research.
This type of thesis involves community-based research and report writing in collaboration with a community partner and faculty advisor. Students complete 50 to 60 hours of work in a community placement and meet regularly for structured reflection about ethics, the cultural context of students' work, individual and social change, and other topics specific to students' placements. In the winter semester, students register for PSYC 458B and engage in individual conferences with an advisor. Unless there are compelling circumstances that preclude it, students electing to complete a one-semester community-based research thesis are expected to do so in the fall seminar, rather than in the winter. Majors writing a two-semester or honor thesis register for both PSYC 457B and 458B. (Community-Engaged Learning.) [W3] Normally offered every year. G. Nigro, K. Aronson.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
PSYC 458C. Senior Thesis/Theoretical Review and Integration.
This type of thesis involves a comprehensive and critical review of extant literature using resources available in Ladd Library and supplemented by individual conferences with an advisor. Students register for PSYC 458C in the winter semester. Majors writing a two-semester or honors thesis register for both PSYC 457C and 458C. [W3] Normally offered every year. Staff.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
NS/PY 461. Capstone Seminar on Psychoendocrinology.
Open to seniors with permission of the neuroscience or psychology faculty. This seminar focuses on the topic of social cognition as it applies to peptide levels in order to investigate the neurochemistry of emotional intelligence, theory of mind, and self-perception as well as probe their intermediate cognitive/affective mechanisms. Students work in groups to test novel hypotheses using human subjects and, through the research process, learn methods of experimental neuropsychological assessment and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Prerequisite(s): BIO 244 or PSYC 218 and NS/PY 330. Enrollment limited to 12. Instructor permission is required. [W3] N. Koven.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
PSYC s30. Contemporary Psychotherapies with Practicum.
This course surveys a variety of contemporary issures in clinical psychology, including approaches to psychotherapy (ranging from dynamic approaches to behavior modification), other treatment approaches (including inpatient and partial hospitalization programs), and the increasing application of the medical model to mental illness. The course is "hands on," in that students are asked to role-play therapy sessions as part of the course requirements and practice a variety of therapeutic techniques. The course also includes opportunities to observe treatment on video. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 235, 261, or ED/PY 262. Enrollment limited to 20. K. White.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
PSYC s34. Psychological Perspectives on Sex, Reputation, and Power.
Much of human social activity is in the pursuit of sex, desirable reputation, and power. In this course students consider behavioral and social science research on these and related topics, emphasizing debates about the evolutionary underpinnings of contemporary phenomena. The course engages students in the process of conducting such research. Topics include sexual behavior, mate selection, interindividual dominance, group-based hierarchies (e.g., caste systems), and negotiation. Course activities include daily readings of empirical reports (relying predominantly on advanced statistical methods), discussion, field trips, and laboratory projects. Students must be prepared to view media that include violence and sexually explicit content. Prerequisite(s): BIO 244 or PSYC 218. Enrollment limited to 30. M. Sargent.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
ED/PY s39. Development in Malawi.
This course examines development in Malawi at two levels of analysis: the individual and societal. At the individual level, students focus on child development; in partnership with a nonprofit organization in rural Malawi, students work in an afterschool program teaching English, which children need in order to pursue secondary schooling. At the societal level, students select one of three focus areas for further study—public health, environmental sustainability, or gender equality and women’s empowerment—and work in partnership with villagers and leaders. During the three-week stay in Malawi, students live at M’Pamila Village, a rural site next to a rainforest. Prerequisite(s): EDUC 231 or PSYC 240. Enrollment limited to 12. Instructor permission is required. G. Nigro.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
PSYC s50. Independent Study.
Students, in consultation with a faculty advisor, individually design and plan a course of study or research not offered in the curriculum. Course work includes a reflective component, evaluation, and completion of an agreed-upon product. Sponsorship by a faculty member in the program/department, a course prospectus, and permission of the chair are required. Students may register for no more than one independent study during a Short Term. Normally offered every year. Staff.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
PSYC s51C. Experiencing Children's Literature.
Using The Picture Book Project: A Bates College Collection Portraying People of Color, students experience and explore questions at the heart of real-world conversations and controversies surrounding children’s literature. Guided by social science research, students interested in working with and transforming the lives of young readers deepen their understanding of theory and how to bring it into practice. New course beginning Short Term 2017. Instructor permission is required. One-time offering. K. Aronson.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations