Psychology Department

PSY 101 - Foundations in Psychological Science

This course provides an overview of current topics in the field of psychology. Topics include human development, language, learning, memory, motivation, neuroscience, perception, psychopathology, and social behavior. Concept labs and applied labs will address the descriptive and experimental aspects of the topics covered in the lectures.

PSY 200 - Methods in Health Psychology

This course explores the biological, psychological, and social factors involved in the process of health behavior change using the major theories and models of health behavior. Students will engage in a self-directed behavior modification project on a health behavior of their choosing (e.g., improving sleep hygiene, moderating alcohol intake, reducing screen time, increasing physical activity).

PSY 201 - Methods in Psychology: Brain & Behavior

This course will investigate the basic principles of neuropharmacology and neural science with an emphasis on brain systems and synaptic mechanisms implicated in behavior. Laboratories will include experimentation using animal models.

PSY 202 - Methods in Cognitive Neuroscience

An investigation into the neural basis of perception, attention, and consciousness. The current research literature will be explored in depth and students will be introduced to experimental techniques including behavioral psychophysics and EEG/ERPs.

PSY 203 - Methods in Learning and Comparative Psychology

An exploration of basic principles of learning and behavior across species. Students will be exposed to the latest concepts and methods in the field via discussion and hands-on experimentation, and will learn how to collect, analyze, and interpret animal and human behavior in a comparative context.

PSY 204 - Methods in Educational Psychology

A focus on the application of psychological science to issues of motivation in educational contexts. Students will be introduced to the primary literature and learn to use a variety of methodologies (e.g., quantitative, qualitative) for understanding how motivational processes operate across development.

PSY 205 - Methods in Psycholinguistics

An introduction to research design and computer programming to investigate language processing. Reading primary literature about a well-known psycholinguistic phenomenon, students will be introduced to computer programming, allowing them to design and implement their own study investigating a follow-up question.

PSY 206 - Methods in Psychopathology

This course will explore the use of experimental and quasi-experimental techniques to examine issues related to the etiology, expression, and treatment of psychiatric conditions. Students will apply methodologies from psychological science to better understand psychopathology.

PSY 207 - Methods in Social Psychology

This course examines the ways individuals think, feel, and act in social situations. Students will read the primary literature, learn about current empirical methods to approach social psychological questions, and conduct original empirical research.

PSY 208 - Methods in Cognitive Psychology

In this course, students will be familiarized with some basic cognitive processes and cognitive resources such as working memory, long-term memory, concepts, visual imagery, and reasoning. In addition to reading and discussing the primary literature, students will also become familiar with data collection and data analysis methods.

PSY 216 - History of Neuroscience

This course offers an overview of the development of neuroscience, focusing on the significant theories, experiments, and technological innovations that define the field as well as the context in which these key discoveries were made. It will cover the evolution of theories regarding brain function, and the methodological advancements that have enabled these discoveries. Topics range from the initial speculation about neural functions in ancient times and contributions to the field during the Renaissance and Enlightenment to the research of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, with a focus on the latter.

PSY 217 - Neuroscience of Consciousness

This course offers an introduction to the scientific study of consciousness by examining the neural basis of perception, action, and various states of consciousness. Topics will include the impressive capabilities of unconscious perception and action, the relationship between attention and awareness, neural correlates and causes of conscious perception, disorders of consciousness, dreams and altered states of consciousness, neural representations of the self who is conscious, consciousness in nonhuman animals and artificial systems, and the evolution of consciousness.

PSY 218 - Neuroscience and Ethics: Navigating Objectivity in a Subjective World

We will explore the relationship between modern neuroscience and ethics, delving into the complexities of the human brain and the ethical considerations that should always accompany its study. This course examines the historical, cultural, social, and technological aspects that intersect and affect neuroscience research, looking to not only diagnose but to find potential solutions. This course encourages critical thinking and thoughtful conversation, challenging students to consider the ethical dimensions of neuroscience and encouraging a nuanced understanding of the field. Join us as we navigate the intersection of neuroscience and ethics, recognizing that while neuroscience may strive for objectivity, the individuals behind the research will always be biased by their circumstances.

PSY 220 - Disinformation and Propaganda

The course will explore the psychological science behind cognitive biases and heuristics that make us vulnerable to misinformation and disinformation. We will examine select historic propaganda campaigns but will focus primarily on the recent and ongoing Russian propaganda. We will also work to address and compensate for the constraints of human cognition that have been exploited by disinformation campaigns. In addition to covering the psychology of propaganda and cognitive biases, the course will also incorporate game theory research from the judgment and decision-making field, including tragedy of the commons, public goods, and social cooperation. The goal of the course is for students to recognize their biases, practice techniques for identifying misinformation and disinformation, and develop a model of ethical decision-making for sharing information.

PSY 224 - Introduction to Data Science in Psychology

This course is an introduction to data science, machine learning, and artificial intelligence in psychology. Students will be introduced to a wide range of topics, including data gathering and cleaning, machine learning implementation, feature analysis, and the ethical considerations for the application of machine learning. Students will get an introduction to RapidMiner, Python using Jupyter Notebooks, and visualization libraries using Seaborn.

PSY 225 - Psychology of Stress and Resilience

The goal of this course is to give an overview of the theoretical and empirical work on stress, coping, and resilience. Topics will include the neurobiology of stress (e.g., the HPA axis, the immune system), chronic disease (e.g., cardiovascular disease, cancer), mental health (e.g., depression, anxiety), ecological stressors (e.g., social and community factors, catastrophes), common life stressors (e.g., work, interpersonal conflict), and diversity-related stressors (e.g., racism, heterosexism).

PSY 227 - Science Communication

This course covers science communication within the scientific community, including peer review and ethical considerations, and extends to public engagement through news articles, social media, and health advisories. It emphasizes concise, impactful communication, akin to social media efficiency. The curriculum splits between internal scientific communication-covering peer review and research ethics-and external communication, examining the portrayal of science in news and social media, with a keen focus on accuracy and public misinformation. Engaging with these dual aspects prepares students to adeptly navigate and bridge the complex world of scientific discourse and public dialogue.

PSY 230 - Comparative Cognition

An overview of current research and theory in comparative cognition-the scientific study of cognitive functioning from an evolutionary perspective. The course will emphasize continuities and discontinuities between humans and other animals in basic psychological processes, including decision-making, problem-solving, remembering, symbolic and relational learning, awareness, and communication. We will read and discuss the primary literature, with special emphasis on experimental issues and comparative methods.

PSY 232 - Socialization of the Child

This course will focus on the socialization process-the ways in which children's behaviors and personalities are shaped by their relationships to parents, peers, and the larger cultural context. Specific topics will include theory and research on emotional attachment to parents, the origins of friendship and prosocial behavior, aggression and bullying, the development of morality, the socialization of self-control, and the role of teachers and schools.

PSY 234 - Diversity and Human Development

What is diversity, and how does it affect human development? In this course, students will explore these questions through interdisciplinary perspectives and empirical research. We will examine the intersections between diversity and various aspects of human development, including its influence on individual growth, societal dynamics, and overall human development. The course begins by defining diversity in its broadest sense, encompassing dimensions such as race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, culture, religion, ability, and more. We will discuss each dimension by reviewing empirical research findings as well as methods used to address issues related to diversity, inclusion, and equity in research. Then, students will explore the complex interactions between these diverse identities and their impact on human development across the lifespan.

PSY 242 - Human Sexuality

Human sexual behavior serves various purposes beyond procreation, including pleasure, intimacy, affiliation, and profit. In this course, we will consider how sexual identities develop over time, through childhood, adolescence, and into adulthood. We also will examine the boundaries society puts on sexuality and sexual expression through norms, laws, and social conventions. Our exploration will delve into the multifaceted aspects of human sexuality and its connection to our psychology.

PSY 251 - Group Identities and Intergroup Relations

Why do humans organize in groups, and how does being aware of our group identities shape our attitudes, perceptions, and action, especially in the context of relations with those from outside our groups? We will encourage a critical look at some of the classic and contemporary theoretical explanations concerning the influence of group identities on a variety of intergroup outcomes, including, but not limited to, (a) intergroup perceptions, (b) the link between in-group love and out-group hate, and (c) responses to group disadvantage. The goal is to understand the psychology behind numerous group-based outcomes, including those that may seem counterintuitive or irrational at first glance

PSY 253 - Psychedelics and Mental Health: From Taboo to Therapeutic

This course explores the psychology of psychedelics with an emphasis on brain mechanisms of action, applications for transcendence (i.e., enhanced spiritual experiences, altered consciousness, embracing the reality of death), and clinical uses for the treatment of psychiatric disorders (i.e., addiction, depression, PTSD). Topics will be examined through the lens of both popular nonfiction and empirical research articles.

PSY 300 - Memory

How good is your memory, and what is memory anyway? This course will explore human memory through a cognitive psychology lens, covering many decades of memory research. Topics include memory systems (e.g., short-term and long-term memory), encoding and retrieval, false memory, forgetting and memory disorders. In the lab component, students will participate in a collection of classical memory experiments before designing their own experiment to answer a novel research question. 

PSY 319 - Psychology of Addictions

This course examines the psychology of addictive behaviors. We will study the use of alcohol and other drugs of abuse as well as other behavioral addictions (e.g., gambling disorder). We will explore historical and cultural attitudes toward addictions, prominent theories of the etiology and maintenance of these behaviors, basic epidemiology, and prevention and treatment models, all embedded within recent empirical findings.

PSY 322 - Social Psychology

An examination of psychological theory and research concerning the ways in which people think, feel, and act in social situations. Conferences will focus on areas of basic social psychological research and theory, including social cognition, attribution, impression formation, social interaction, intergroup and interpersonal relationships, and social influence. Special issues addressed in the course are stereotyping and prejudice, the self within the social context, and applications of social psychology to social problems. Opportunities for students to plan and conduct empirical research are available.

PSY 323 - Motivation in Educational Contexts

An overview of theory and research on motivation as it applies to educational contexts, focusing primarily on school-aged children. Why do some students focus on learning while others only care about getting the grade? How do rewards affect motivation? Why does failure sometimes debilitate and other times invigorate? How do we perceive our own academic abilities and how does this affect our self-worth? Where do these motivational processes come from and how do they develop? This course will draw on social, developmental, educational, and cognitive psychology as we address questions about achievement motivation.

PSY 324 - Health Psychology

This course explores the dynamic interplay of biological, psychological, and social factors in health and disease. Major topics include psychosocial and contextual influences on health and behavior; the design and evaluation of individual treatments and population interventions; stress and coping; psychosocial effects of disease; physician-provider communication; health services utilization and adherence. Emphasis on theory, research design, and causal inference.

PSY 325 - Stereotyping and Prejudice

This course explores the nature, development, perpetuation, and reduction of stereotypes and prejudice. We will examine the psychological processes that allow prejudice to continue, the development and causes of intergroup perceptions and antagonism, ways in which feelings and beliefs about groups influence social perceptions and interactions, and empirically tested methods to reduce prejudice.

PSY 326 - Altruism and Self-Interest

This course will explore the literature on altruism, social cooperation, and other prosocial behavior to contrast with the literature on self-interested, competitive, or antisocial behavior. Incredible technological and social achievements have been attained through human cooperation, and the need for further cooperation remains dire as we face climate change, food insecurity, and potential future pandemics. By looking at social cooperation through the lens of cognitive psychology, we will work to understand what conditions promote cooperation and prosocial behavior in our institutions and society at large. The course incorporates empirical and theoretical papers from cognitive psychology (e.g., judgment and decision-making), social psychology (e.g., in-group bias, conformity and obedience) and behavioral economics (e.g., game theory).

PSY 332 - Neuromodulation

An examination of tools and methods for neuromodulation. There are multiple nonpharmacological ways to alter brain function, from transcranial electric (tES) and magnetic stimulation (TMS) to deep brain stimulation (DBS). This course aims to equip students with a deep understanding of neuromodulation methods, their applications in treating neurological disorders, their profiles of advantages and disadvantages (i.e., convenience, effectiveness, invasiveness), and insight into future advancements in the field.

PSY 333 - Behavioral Neuroscience

An examination of the neural basis of behavior with a focus on brain anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, and neural modeling. Specific topics include the organization and function of the nervous system, neuronal signaling, sensorimotor physiology, appetitive motivation, drug reward, neuroplasticity, epigenetics, and neuropathology. Laboratory includes mammalian brain dissection and experimentation using animal models.

PSY 334 - Cognitive Neuroscience

The neural basis of cognition will be examined by focusing on evidence from electrophysiology, functional neuroimaging, and electromagnetic stimulation. Overviews of basic concepts including neuroanatomy, research methods, and various cognitive processes will be introduced via book chapters and review articles. Each concept will be explored in more detail through readings and discussions of the primary research literature as well as laboratory exercises. Topics will include single-cell recording, EEG/MEG, fMRI, TMS, eye tracking, perception, attention, memory, cognitive and motor control, and social cognition.

PSY 337 - Psychophysiology

This course is a survey of the basic theoretical, methodological, and applied issues in the field of psychophysiology. Psychophysiology is the branch of psychology concerned with the complexity of links between the mind and body and is of prime importance in understanding how psychological and socio-environmental experiences can influence health and disease. The course will consist of conferences and hands-on laboratory experience collecting and analyzing psychophysiological data. The fundamentals of specific systems will be covered, such as the cardiovascular, central nervous, immune, and endocrine systems, as well as measures such as EMG, ECG, EGG, and heart rate. Applications to psychopathology, health psychology, and behavioral medicine will also be explored.

PSY 338 - Psychopharmacology: Drugs and Behavior

This course will examine the basic principles of behavioral pharmacology with an emphasis on pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, including the mechanisms underlying drug metabolism, tolerance, and sensitization. Following an overview of cell biology, synaptic transmission, and receptor function, we will focus on the molecular, biochemical, and behavioral characterization of psychotropic drugs. These drugs include central nervous system stimulants, sedative-hypnotics, anxiolytics, alcohol, hallucinogens, and opiates.

PSY 342 - Language and Thought

An examination of theory and research on the relation between language and cognitive processes. Languages differ dramatically in how their lexicons and grammars structure the world. Do these differences cause speakers of different languages to think differently? Or do they illuminate underlying commonalities in human cognition? Within a single language, how does describing or "framing" an issue using different words or grammatical forms influence judgment and decision-making? We will critically evaluate classic and contemporary research on these questions, focusing on the cognitive mechanisms by which language reflects and shapes the way we think.

PSY 348 - Statistical Analysis for Psychology

This course is designed to introduce the basic concepts, logic, and methods of research design and data analysis used in psychological research. Central questions include how to select, perform, and interpret statistical techniques while emphasizing the application of these techniques to students' own research projects. Topics include descriptive statistics, hypothesis testing, t-tests, one-way and two-way analysis of variance, and correlational techniques.

PSY 351 - Psychopathology

This course focuses on description, conceptualization, etiology, development, and prognosis of maladaptive functioning. We examine theories and research about the origin and development of specific mental health disorders, including experimental, correlational, and cross-cultural research.

PSY 361 - Developmental Psychology

An examination of theory and research on psychological development through the lifespan focusing primarily on cognitive and social growth in the childhood years. This course begins with an overview of theoretical frameworks and research methods specific to the study of development. We then explore chronologically the development of the individual through five major periods of life: infancy, early childhood, middle childhood, adolescence, and adulthood.

PSY 362 - Identity Development: Understanding the Self in Context

Developing a clear sense of who you are is a key developmental task. This course explores the complexities of identity development, drawing insights from a variety of disciplines and theoretical perspectives. Throughout this course, we will attempt to answer the questions: What is an identity? How does an individual's identity develop and change over time? We begin with an examination of major theoretical frameworks on identity and identity development from the three main perspectives: developmental, social, and narrative psychology. Then, we will shift our focus to various components of personal and social identity, including ethnic-racial, career, and religious identity, as well as identities established within relational contexts, such as romantic relationships, friendships, or parenthood. Through discussions of empirical research, we will explore the dynamic interplay between personal characteristics and social influences in shaping one's identity. The format will be primarily conference, with some lecture in order to provide you with important background information and a framework for discussing the readings.

PSY 366 - Cognitive Processes

An overview of the scientific study of human cognition-how people perceive, remember, categorize, communicate, represent, and reason about the world. We will examine classic and current empirical research in light of contrasting theories that characterize the mind as an information-processing device or as an embodied system. Conferences will focus on discussion of the primary literature, with special emphasis on the logic of experimental design, critical analysis of opposing findings, and real-world applications. Throughout the semester, students will work in small groups to design and carry out an empirical research project.

PSY 373 - Learning

We will undertake a systematic examination of the factors governing learned behavior, with emphasis on the relationship of animal to human behavior. Topics include learning through associations, selection by consequences, and modeling; drug addiction; discrimination and concept formation; choice and self-control; voluntary action and free will; and verbal behavior. Experimental methods and analyses are emphasized.

PSY 381 - Sensation and Perception

In this course students will investigate how the nervous system detects, analyzes, and creates meaning from environmental stimuli. The course explores the anatomy, physiology, and function of the sensory cells and the brain nuclei involved in various sensory modalities including vision, audition, olfaction, and touch. It investigates how these cells work in concert to produce a seamless perception of colors, textures, flavors, sounds, and smells.

PSY 393 - Psycholinguistics

This course is an introduction to the study of the human language-processing system, and how it is organized to produce and comprehend language. We will study speech perception, lexical access, and sentence processing in the context of language acquisition, bilingualism, sign language, and brain function. Basic linguistic concepts will be covered. Students are expected to design and carry out a research project.

PSY 412 - Cognitive Science Research: Thinking in Practice

An in-depth examination of how people think, reason, and communicate about the world around them, emphasizing hands-on experience with research methods and statistical analysis in cognitive science. The course has two complementary objectives: to study thinking in practice-cognition about real-world issues-by critically evaluating the primary research literature, and to practice the study of thinking by designing and carrying out collaborative research projects. Students will learn techniques for measuring cognition explicitly and implicitly, for analyzing everyday discourse as a window into the mind, and for conducting open, reproducible science.

PSY 417 - Attention and Consciousness Research

This course offers an in-depth look at the scientific study of consciousness by exploring research into the neurophysiology of attention and perception, and by addressing relevant theoretical considerations from neurophilosophy. Central questions will include: How can the electrical firing of neurons produce subjective experience? What types of brain processes establish the contents of consciousness, the continuity of consciousness, and the self who is conscious? How does neural activity differ for conscious versus unconscious processing? Students will critically examine the research literature and work in small groups throughout the semester on independent research projects

PSY 442 - Clinical Psychology

We will discuss design and methodological issues related to studying the effectiveness and efficacy of psychological interventions. We examine theory and research for various schools of psychotherapy, including psychodynamic, existential-humanistic, behavioral, and cognitive-behavioral interventions, with brief coverage of multicultural, family, child, and group approaches. Students participate in fieldwork in off-campus facilities related to mental health.

PSY 470 - Thesis

Theses in psychology will include empirical research-experimental, observational, or data analytical. Under unusual circumstances the requirement for empirical research may be waived by the department.

PSY 481 - Individual Work in Special Fields