Psychology
Professors Kelsey, Nigro, Reich, and Low (chair); Associate Professors Sargent and Kahan; Assistant Professors Douglass, Scottham, Boucher, and Koven; Lecturers Fraser-Thill and Langdon
Students who major in psychology examine the influences on behavior that derive from biology (especially the brain), from individual psychological processes such as cognitions and emotions, and from our sociocultural surroundings. Students also learn the various methodologies that psychologists use to uncover these influences. Senior majors must complete an empirical or service-learning thesis. For an empirical thesis, a student conducts original research on an issue of theoretical or practical concern. For a service-learning thesis, a student works in the community, using his or her training in psychology to address social or psychological issues in an applied setting. More information on the psychology department is available on the Web site (www.bates.edu/PSYC.xml).
Cross-listed Courses
Note that unless otherwise specified, when a department/program references a course or unit in the department/program, it includes courses and units cross-listed with the department/program.
Major Requirements
The major consists of at least eleven courses. All majors are required to complete successfully:
1) PSYC 101, 218, and either 261 or ED/PY 262. These courses must be completed by the end of the junior year. Psychology 101 may be waived for students who achieve a four or five on the Advanced Placement examination in psychology or who pass a departmental examination.
2) Four courses from one of the three areas listed below (A, B, or C); only one of these four courses may be a 200-level course. With permission of his or her major advisor, a student may substitute a relevant course or Short Term unit from psychology or another department or program for a course in this category, so long as the substitution is not used to fulfill other departmental requirements.
3) Two courses from each of the two remaining areas listed below; only one in each area may be a 200-level course.
Areas:
A. Biological Psychology.
NS/PY 200. Introduction to Neuroscience.
PSYC 250. Motivation and Emotion.
PSYC 303. Health Psychology.
NS/PY 330. Cognitive Neuroscience.
PSYC 362. Psychopharmacology: How Drugs Affect Behavior.
NS/PY 363. Physiological Psychology.
PSYC 401. Junior-Senior Seminar in Biological Psychology.
B. Individual Psychology.
PSYC 211. Psychology of Normal Personality.
PSYC 230. Cognitive Psychology.
PSYC 235. Abnormal Psychology.
PSYC 242. Child Psychopathology.
PSYC 302. Sensation and Perception.
PSYC 305. Animal Learning.
PSYC 317. Psychology and Law.
PSYC 333. Advanced Topics in Abnormal Psychology.
PSYC 372. Racial and Ethnic Identity Development.
PSYC 374. Psychology of Language.
PSYC 380. Social Cognition.
PSYC 402A. Individual Differences in Early Development.
C. Sociocultural Psychology.
PY/SO 210. Social Psychology.
PSYC 240. Developmental Psychology.
AS/PY 260. Cultural Psychology.
PY/SO 310. Advanced Topics in Social Psychology.
PSYC 340. Infancy.
PSYC 341. Advanced Topics in Developmental Psychology.
PY/WS 343. Women, Culture, and Health.
PSYC 370. Psychology of Women and Gender.
PY/SO 371. Prejudice and Stereotyping.
PSYC 381. The Self.
PSYC 403. Junior-Senior Seminar in Sociocultural Psychology.
4) In addition to taking these eleven courses, all majors must complete a senior thesis that takes one of two forms: empirical research or service-learning.
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 theses: 1) students register for Psychology 457A (for empirical research) or Psychology 457B (for service-learning); 2) proposals must be submitted by Friday of the second full week of classes. For winter semester theses: 1) students register for Psychology 458A (for empirical research) or Psychology 458B (for service-learning); 2) proposals must be submitted by the second Friday in November. Guidelines for proposals are on the department's Web site (
www.bates.edu/PSYC.xml). Candidates for the honors program are invited by the department from among those seniors conducting two-semester thesis projects who have shown a high degree of initiative and progress by the end of the fall semester. The faculty thesis advisor must assure the department that the student's work is of honors caliber and is progressing satisfactorily before the department will invite the student.
Please note that in the fall semester, students in Psychology 457B meet in a seminar, and the instructor serves as advisor. In the winter semester, students who choose Psychology 458B must find an individual advisor. Students contemplating this option should talk to staff members at the Service-Learning Program of the Harward Center for Community Partnerships and to their instructor or advisor before contacting a placement site. Once a site is selected, students must submit a contract, signed by a representative of the organization and by the student, with the thesis proposal.
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.
Study Abroad and Summer Study
Psychology students may transfer up to four credits from summer or study-abroad programs towards the major. The four courses should be comparable to Bates offerings, and should include: one course from each area of concentration and either Statistics and Experimental Design (Psychology 218) or Research Methods (Psychology 261). All transfer courses must be pre-approved by the chair. Students should submit to the chair a course description and syllabus for each transfer course.
Pass/Fail Grading Option
Pass/fail grading may not be elected for courses applied toward the major.
General Education
The following sets are available: Psychology 101-200, 101-210, 101-211, 101-230, 101-235, 101-240, 101-242, 101-250, 101-260, 101-FYS 255, 101-FYS 305, and 101-FYS 319. FYS 338 may be used as a third social science course. If 101 has been waived, any pair of the aforementioned 200-level courses may constitute a set. A student may request that the department approve a two-course set not currently designated. The quantitative requirement may be satisfied through Psychology 218. Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or A-Level credit awarded by the department may not be used toward fulfillment of any General Education requirements.
CoursesPSYC 101. Introductory Psychology.
A general course intended to introduce the student to the study of behavior and mental processes in preparation 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 75 per section. Normally offered every semester. H. Boucher, R. Fraser-Thill, T. Kahan, S. Langdon.
NS/PY 200. 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 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. Prerequisite(s): Psychology 101 or any 100-level biology course. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 50. Normally offered every year. N. Koven.
PY/SO 210. Social Psychology.
A study of people in social settings. Topics covered 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): Psychology 101. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 50. Normally offered every year. M. Sargent.
PSYC 211. Psychology of Normal 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): Psychology 101. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 50. Normally offered every year. K. Low, K. Scottham.
PSYC 218. Statistics and Experimental Design.
A laboratory 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): Psychology 101 or Neuroscience/Psychology 200. Enrollment limited to 30. Normally offered every semester. A. Douglass, T. Kahan.
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): Psychology 101. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 50. Normally offered every year. T. Kahan.
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): Psychology 101. Enrollment limited to 50. Normally offered every year. K. Low.
PSYC 240. Developmental Psychology.
A comprehensive introduction to current thinking and research in developmental psychology. This course covers prenatal development through adolescence. Topics include attachment, gender, language acquisition, play, and adolescent suicide. Prerequisite(s): Psychology 101. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 50. Normally offered every year. G. Nigro, R. Fraser-Thill, S. Langdon.
PSYC 242. Child Psychopathology.
This course examines the development, maintenance, and treatment of emotional, behavioral, and mental disorders in children and adolescents. Topics include anxiety disorders, autism, mental retardation, eating disorders, conduct disorders, learning disorders, and mood disorders. Various theoretical viewpoints are considered. Prerequisite(s): Psychology 101. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 50. Offered with varying frequency. R. Fraser-Thill.
PSYC 250. Motivation and Emotion.
The course examines the mechanisms involved in activating and directing behavior and in forming, expressing, and perceiving emotions. Analysis includes evaluation of the role of physiological, environmental, and cognitive variables in mediating the following behavioral processes: thirst, hunger, sex, arousal, reward, stress, choice, consistency, and achievement. Prerequisite(s): Psychology 101. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 50. Normally offered every year. J. Kelsey.
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, feeling, motivation, personality, abnormality, and social behavior. Prerequisite(s): Psychology 101. Enrollment limited to 50. Normally offered every year. H. Boucher.
PSYC 261. Research Methodology.
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): Psychology 218. Enrollment limited to 15 per section. Normally offered every semester. T. Kahan, M. Sargent, K. Scottham.
ED/PY 262. Action Research.
Action research often begins with a general idea that some kind of improvement or change is desirable. For example, a teacher who is experiencing discipline problems in a classroom may seek an understanding of this issue with the help of trusted observers. In this course, students collaborate with local teachers or service providers 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): Psychology 218 or Education 231. Enrollment limited to 15 per section. Normally offered every year. G. Nigro.
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): Psychology 101. Enrollment limited to 20. Normally offered every year. T. Kahan.
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: Neuroscience/Psychology 200, Psychology 211, 235, 242, or 250. Enrollment limited to 50. Normally offered every other year. K. Low.
PSYC 305. Animal Learning.
The course examines historical and recent trends in animal learning. Lecture and laboratory topics include classical and operant conditioning, biological constraints on learning, and cognitive processes. Prerequisite(s): one of the following: Neuroscience/Psychology 200, Psychology 230 or 250. Normally offered every other year. J. Kelsey.
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): Psychology/Sociology 210, and Psychology 261 or 262. Enrollment limited to 25. Normally offered every other year. A. Douglass.
PY/SO 310. Advanced Topics in Social Psychology.
This seminar allows students to explore particular areas of social psychology in depth. The primary goal is to help students deepen their understanding of human social behavior, through extensive study of social psychological theory and research, class discussion, and student projects. Topics vary with each offering of the course, but may include the following: the self, stigma, and persuasion. Prerequisite(s): Psychology 210 and either Psychology 261 or Education/Psychology 262. Enrollment limited to 20. Normally offered every other year. M. Sargent.
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, child witnesses, expert testimony, and reconstructed/repressed memories. Prerequisite(s): Psychology 261 or Education/Psychology 262. Enrollment limited to 25. Normally offered every year. A. Douglass.
NS/PY 330. Cognitive Neuroscience.
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 motor control, object recognition, spatial processing, attention, language, memory, executive functions, and emotion. Students also investigate impairments and unusual phenomena that include alien limb syndrome, agnosias, hemineglect, phantom limb, aphasias, Korsakoff's amnesia, environmental dependency syndrome, and Kluver-Bucy syndrome. Prerequisite(s): Neuroscience/Psychology 200 or 363 or Psychology 230. Normally offered every year. N. Koven.
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-IV, and legal issues related to mental illness. Prerequisite(s): Psychology 218 and either 211, 235, or 242. Normally offered every other year. K. Low.
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): Psychology 240 and Psychology 261 or 262. Enrollment limited to 15. Offered with varying frequency. R. Fraser-Thill.
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 resiliency in development. Students conduct observational projects in local field settings. Prerequisite(s): Psychology 240 and either Psychology 261, Education/Psychology 262, or other methodology course. Enrollment limited to 20. Normally offered every other year. G. Nigro.
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): Psychology 211, 235, 242, or 303. Open to first-year students. Offered with varying frequency. K. Low.
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.
PSYC 361. Topics in Affective Neuroscience.
A seminar that examines advances in the emerging interdisciplinary field of affective neuroscience. Topics include autonomic psychophysiology, genetics of emotional development, expression of emotion, cognitive components of emotion, emotion in personality and temperament, emotion and social processes, evolutionary perspectives of affect, emotion dysregulation and psychopathology, and emotion and health. A wide range of research techniques is introduced, including positron emission topography, functional magnetic resonance imaging, neuropsychological assessment, genetic assay, startle blink response, event-related potentials, skin conductance, facial reactivity, transcranial magnetic stimulation, and neuropharmacology. Prerequisite(s): Neuroscience/Psychology 200 and Psychology 261. Enrollment limited to 15. Offered with varying frequency. N. Koven.
PSYC 362. Psychopharmacology: How Drugs Affect Behavior.
This course examines the powerful effects that drugs have on behavior, including the ability to cause addiction and to reduce neurologic and behavioral disorders such as epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, anxiety, ADHD, depression, and schizophrenia. By examining the effects of these drugs on neurotransmitters, students better understand how the brain mediates these behaviors. Attention is also paid to methodology, drug development, regulatory policy, and the role of pharmaceutical companies. Prerequisite(s): one of the following: Neuroscience/Psychology 200, Psychology 250 or 305. Normally offered every other year. J. Kelsey.
NS/PY 363. Physiological Psychology.
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 and development of surgical and histological skills. Prerequisite(s): Neuroscience/Psychology 200 or Biology/Neuroscience 308. Normally offered every year. J. Kelsey.
PSYC 365. Special Topics.
Offered from time to time for small groups of students working with a faculty member on specialized projects or experiments. Prerequisite(s): Psychology 261 or Education/Psychology 262. Instructor permission is required. Staff.
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): Psychology 261 or Education/Psychology 262. Enrollment limited to 50. Normally offered every year. M. Sargent.
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, American Indian, 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): Psychology 218 and 261. Enrollment limited to 20. Offered with varying frequency. K. Scottham.
PSYC 374. Psychology of Language.
This course examines the perception, comprehension, and production of language. Topics covered include psychological and linguistic aspects of phonology, syntax, and semantics; the biological bases of language; reading; bilingualism; and disorders. Prerequisite(s): Psychology 101. Enrollment limited to 30. Offered with varying frequency. T. Kahan.
PSYC 375. Psychology of Sports and Exercise.
Sports and exercise are familiar physical experiences that have strong psychological components. This course examines the science and application of the biopsychosocial connections of these pursuits.Topics include arousal/anxiety, motivation, team cohesion and leadership, injury and stress, exercise adherance, and intervention strategies. Prerequisite(s): Psychology 101, 261, or 262.
Enrollment limited to 25. Offered with varying frequency. S. Langdon.
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): Psychology/Sociology 210 and either Psychology 261 or Education/Psychology 262. Enrollment limited to 18. Offered with varying frequency. M. Sargent.
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. Recommended background: Psychology 210. Prerequisite(s): Psychology 218 and 261. Enrollment limited to 20. Offered with varying frequency. H. Boucher.
PSYC 401. Junior-Senior Seminar in Biological Psychology.
A course designed to give junior and senior majors an opportunity to explore a significant new area in biological psychology. The topic changes from year to year and with the expertise of the faculty member. Possible topics include neural bases of addiction, memory, sexual behavior, and stress. Prerequisite(s): one of the following: Biology/Neuroscience 308, Neuroscience/Psychology 330 or 363. Enrollment limited to 15. Offered with varying frequency. Staff.
PSYC 402. Junior-Senior Seminar in Individual Psychology.
A course designed to give junior and senior majors an opportunity to explore a significant new area in individual psychology. The topic changes from year to year and with the expertise of the faculty member. Possible topics include
advanced study of psychopathologies, sensation and perception, and cognition. Enrollment limited to 15. Instructor permission is required. Offered with varying frequency. R. Fraser-Thill.
PSYC 402A. Individual Differences in Early Development.
Differences of early development are investigated. Topics such as temperament, attachment, variability in language development, diagnosis of psychopathologies in infants, and psychological effects of infertility are discussed.
Prerequisite(s): Psychology 240 or 242. Enrollment limited to 15. Instructor permission is required. Offered with varying frequency. R. Fraser-Thill.
PSYC 403. Junior-Senior Seminar in Sociocultural Psychology.
A course designed to give junior and senior majors an opportunity to explore a significant new area in sociocultural psychology. The topic changes from year to year and with the expertise of the faculty member. Possible topics include conflict resolution, cultural psychology, and social policies toward children. Enrollment limited to 15. Offered with varying frequency. Staff.
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 Psychology 457A in the fall semester or for Psychology 458A in the winter semester. Majors writing a two-semester or honors thesis register for both Psychology 457A and 458A. Normally offered every year. Staff.
PSYC 457A, 458A. Senior Thesis/Empirical Research.
This type of thesis involves empirical research and report writing, supplemented by individual conferences with an advisor. Students register for Psychology 457A in the fall semester or for Psychology 458A in the winter semester. Majors writing a two-semester or honors thesis register for both Psychology 457A and 458A. Normally offered every year. Staff.
PSYC 457B. Senior Thesis/Service-Learning.
This type of thesis involves a combination of community service and related academic study. Students complete 50 to 60 hours of service in a community placement and meet in seminar once a week for structured reflection about ethics, the cultural context of students' service work, individual and social change, and other topics specific to students' placements. In the fall semester, students register for Psychology 457B. In the winter semester, students register for Psychology 458B. Majors writing a two-semester or honors thesis register for both Psychology 457B and 458B. Normally offered every year. G. Nigro, K. Low.
PSYC 457B, 458B. Senior Thesis/Service-Learning.
This type of thesis involves a combination of community service and related academic study. Students complete 50 to 60 hours of service in a community placement and meet in seminar once a week for structured reflection about ethics, the cultural context of students' service work, individual and social change, and other topics specific to students' placements. In the fall semester, students register for Psychology 457B. In the winter semester, students register for Psychology 458B. Majors writing a two-semester or honors thesis register for both Psychology 457B and 458B. Normally offered every year. G. Nigro, K. Low.
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 Psychology 457A in the fall semester or for Psychology 458A in the winter semester. Majors writing a two-semester or honors thesis register for both Psychology 457A and 458A. Normally offered every year. Staff.
PSYC 458B. Senior Thesis/Service-Learning.
This type of thesis involves a combination of community service and related academic study. Students complete 50 to 60 hours of service in a community placement and meet in seminar once a week for structured reflection about ethics, the cultural context of students' service work, individual and social change, and other topics specific to students' placements. In the fall semester, students register for Psychology 457B. In the winter semester, students register for Psychology 458B. Majors writing a two-semester or honors thesis register for both Psychology 457B and 458B. Normally offered every year. G. Nigro, K. Low.
PSYC s19. Animal Cognition: Exploring the Minds of Birds, Bees, Chimps, and Dolphins.
The goals of this unit are to introduce students to the basic principles of comparative cognition by examining the mental abilities of several nonhuman species and to convey the importance of studying these animals for their survival. In order to achieve these goals, students in this unit 1) are provided with a general historical and evolutionary framework in which to consider cognitive functioning, 2) discuss an extensive reading list during class sessions, and 3) visit the laboratories of distinguished researchers in the field of animal cognition during the last week of the term. Prerequisite(s): Psychology 101. Enrollment limited to 16. Instructor permission is required. Offered with varying frequency. T. Kahan.
PSYC s30. Contemporary Psychotherapies with Practicum.
This unit surveys a variety of contemporary psychotherapies, ranging from dynamic approaches to behavior modification. The unit is "hands on," in that students are asked to role-play therapy sessions on videotape as part of the unit requirements, and practice a variety of therapeutic techniques. The unit also includes opportunities to observe treatment on videotape. Prerequisite(s): Psychology 333. Enrollment limited to 20. Offered with varying frequency. K. Low.
PSYC s33. Self-Insight.
This unit examines the nature of self-insight and the pursuit of accurate self-knowledge. Issues include sources of self-insight, accuracy of self-knowledge, self-deception and positive illusions, the role of self-insight in domains such as morality and aggression, and consequences of a lack of self-insight. Daily readings include books, review chapters, theoretical papers, and empirical reports that emphasize experimental methods and the analysis of quantitative data. A basic grounding in statistics is essential. Class sessions include a combination of lecture, discussion, films, and activities. Prerequisite(s): Psychology 218. Enrollment limited to 16. Normally offered every other year. H. Boucher.
PSYC s35. Psychology and the Media.
Psychology is pervasive in our culture, found in the movies, popular books, magazines, newspapers, and on television, among other venues. This unit examines the quality of the psychological information offered to the general public, the manner in which psychology is currently portrayed in popular culture, the rift between psychological science and the media, the difference between science and pseudoscience, and the strengths and weaknesses of psychology "popularizers" of the past. The unit concludes with hands-on practice in writing about psychology for the general public in a responsible, critical, and thoughtful manner. Prerequisite(s): Psychology 101 and 261 or Education/Psychology 262. Enrollment limited to 30. Offered with varying frequency. R. Fraser-Thill.
PSYC s36. Diversity in Adolescence.
Adolescence is the transition between childhood and adulthood that is marked by many physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional changes. One's psychosocial culture influences the process and experience of this developmental stage. This unit examines adolescent development from a variety of psychosocial perspectives including race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and gender. The goals are for students to understand adolescent development, encounter different experiences of being in the world, and explore this life stage within some of its contextual framework. The unit includes readings, discussions, and experiential activities including field trips. Prerequisite(s): Psychology 240. This unit has a fee of $150. Enrollment limited to 20. Offered with varying frequency. S. Langdon.
PSYC s38. Political Psychology.
Political psychology emphasizes the application of psychological research methods and theories to the analysis of political problems. This interdisciplinary approach also draws ideas extensively from politics, as well as from history, economics, sociology, political philosophy, and other areas. Students in this unit explore classic and contemporary research in political psychology. Daily readings consist of empirical reports, theoretical papers, and review articles on such topics as political participation, social justice, affirmative action, prejudice and stereotyping, international relations, judgment and decision making, and voting. Most readings involve the quantitative analysis of experimental or survey data, so familiarity with statistics is essential. Class sessions involve a mixture of lecture, discussion, and activities. Prerequisite(s): Economics 250, Politics 310, Psychology 218, or Sociology 205. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 15. Offered with varying frequency. M. Sargent.
PSYC s41. Seminar in Biological Psychology/Neuroscience.
The main intent of this unit is to acquire the skills necessary to read, understand, and critique original research in biological psychology/neuroscience. Secondarily, students explore particular topics with the goal of developing interests and a research proposal that could serve as the basis for a thesis proposal. After appropriate modeling by the instructor, each student becomes an expert in two topics of his or her choice, finds representative articles for the class to read, then leads the class in a discussion of the topic. Students write occasional critiques of articles presented by other students and write a final paper/proposal on one of their topics. Prerequisite(s): Neuroscience/Psychology 200. Recommended background: Neuroscience/Psychology 363 or 330 or Biology/Neuroscience 308. Enrollment limited to 12. Offered with varying frequency. J. Kelsey.
PSYC s42. Practicum in Clinical Neuropsychology.
Clinical neuropsychology is an applied science of brain-behavior relationships that utilizes cognitive and behavioral measures to examine functioning across domains of attention, memory, executive functions, language, visuoperception, sensorimotor processing, and mood. This unit features hands-on opportunities to practice neuropsychological test administration. Students are introduced to neuropsychological case conceptualization through group interpretation and individual writing assignments using neuropsychological data from patients with severe mental illness, neurological disorders, learning disabilities, brain injury, and comorbid medical conditions. Prerequisite(s): Psychology 330 or 333. Recommended background: Psychology 235. Enrollment limited to 12. Offered with varying frequency. N. Koven.
PSYC s46. Internship in Psychology.
Participation in off-campus research or service-learning opportunities. Internships are made by specific arrangement and require departmental approval. Normally offered every year. Staff.
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.