Course Listings — Fall 2004

PSYC 100: Understanding Psychology
4 sem. hrs.
D. Hilty
Prerequisites: None

An introductory-level survey course in psychology with a focus on how psychology can be applied to other fields of study and life in general; intended for students who do not plan to major or minor in psychology. Covers topics in biological foundations of behavior, learning and memory, developmental psychology, motivation and emotion, abnormal psychology and psychotherapy, personality and social psychology.

PSYC 107: Statistics
4 sem. hrs.
J. Brookings
Prerequisites: To register for Psychology 107, a student must have a 23 or higher Mathematics Placement Level. Contact the Math Workshop for details regarding this prerequisite. A student may not receive credit for more than one statistics course.

This is a course in applied statistics. Its emphasis is on the mechanics of summarizing and analyzing data, with examples from the behavioral sciences. The purpose of the course is to prepare students for other courses in Psychology and related disciplines and to help them interpret data.

PSYC 110: Proseminar I: Physiological
2 sem. hrs.
J. Wilson
Prerequisites: None

This course is an introduction to the study of the biological bases of behavior, including the structure and function of neurons, brain organization, and sensation and perception. Required texts include a basic psychology textbook and O. Sacks' The Man Who Mistook His Wife For a Hat. Grade in course is based on 3 exams in multiple choice and essay format. In addition, students are required either to participate in a limited number of research studies or to write a research paper.

PSYC 120: Proseminar II: Learning
2 sem. hrs.
E. Eimer
Prerequisites: None

This course is an introduction to the scientific bases, methods, theories, and findings in the study of learning and memory in humans and animals. Includes operant conditioning laboratory exercises. Grade is based on two exams, lab performance, and a written lab log. In addition, students are required either to participate in a limited number of research studies or to write a research paper.

PSYC 207: Experimental Design
5 sem. hrs.
E. Eimer
Prerequisite: Psychology 107 or another statistics course.

This laboratory course offers a systematic introduction to relevant aspects of the scientific enterprise, namely the design and analysis of experiments. The focus of the course is on the design of experiments in an analyzable manner, and on their subsequent statistical analysis. In the laboratory, participants will perform statistical analysis by calculator and computer. Course performance evaluation is based on lab projects, tests, and class participation. Considerable discussion is devoted to the nature and limitation of scientific models and scientific knowledge. Test: Elmes, Kantowitz, & Roediger, Research Methods in Psychology. 6th ed. (1999), St. Paul, MN: West Pub. Co.

PSYC 241: Psychology of Personality
4 sem. hrs.
J. Brookings
Prerequisite: Psychology 140

Personality psychology is the scientific study of the person. Personality psychologists - or personologists - seek to understand the ways in which every individual is "like . . . all other persons, like some other persons, and like no other person." In this course, the scientific study of persons will be considered from four distinct perspectives: Psychoanalytic, cognitive-social learning, trait, and humanistic.

Course requirements include a midterm and exam, quizzes and four papers. Each paper involves using one of the four perspectives to interpret a human life, as portrayed via text or film. Writing Intensive.

PSYC 251: Abnormal Psychology
4 sem. hrs.
S. Little
Prerequisite: Psychology 150

A study of the etiology, diagnosis and treatment of psychological disorders in adults. Various theories, models and diagnostic and therapeutic procedures are investigated in the context of research and case studies. An advanced course which primarily serves students interested in clinical psychological, social work, counseling, and related health specialties. Writing Intensive.

PSYC 311: Behavioral Neuroscience
5 sem. hrs.
J. Wilson
Prerequisites: Psychology 107 or another statistics course and Psychology 110.

This course provides the student with a solid background in the biological basis of behavior. Topics covered in lectures include the study of neurons, gross and fine neuroanatomy, neuropysiology, sensory systems, and the psychological basis of movement, motivation (thirst, hunger, sex, sleep), emotions, learning, memory, brain damage and psychopathology. Final grade is based on four tests, in different formats, a fine exam, and laboratory reports on weekly 3-hour laboratory sessions.

PSYC 361: Experimental Social Psychology
5 sem. hrs.
J. Butler
Prerequisites: Psychology 107, Psychology 160, and Psychology 207.

This writing intensive course in experimental social psychology provides students with a scientifically based understanding of human social behavior. Topics include social perception, attitudes, conformity, group processes, aggression and prejudice. The course emphasizes the experimental method and the particular challenges of applying it to study people in a social context. Given the complexity of social behavior, social psychology relies heavily on experiments that employ factorial designs which allow investigators to examine the independent and combined effect of several factors (variables) simultaneously. This course will include more than 30 hours of laboratory experience.

PSYC 390: Junior Seminar
J. Wilson

This seminar meets one hour per week and is designed to help students understand their various options as psychology majors. This includes topics such as senior research projects and internships, senior comprehensive and GRE exams, possible career paths, graduate school applications, and graduate school and job interviews. Students are required to take this no-credit seminar for one semester during their junior year.

PSYC 400: Research: The Self in a Social World
4 sem. hrs.
J. Butler
Prerequisite: Psyc. 207 and consent of instructor.

In this course students will be exploring how our mental processes help us to understand events and to function in everyday life. Students will use tools from social and cognitive psychology to explore topics such as self-esteem, self-regulation, risk seeking, and performance in high-pressure situations. Students will read past research literature about a specific topic, design and conduct a laboratory experiment on their chosen topic, and write a research paper describing their work. Emphasis will be placed on becoming comfortable with reading and writing in APA writing style, on analysis of day-to-day activities from the perspective of social psychology, and on formal research presentation at a conference (when possible).

PSYC 400: Research: Abnormal
4 sem. hrs.
S. Little

Students in this course will work with the instructor on research in the area of abnormal psychology. Students will become familiar with the current literature in a specific area of abnormal psychology and meet to discuss research literature, develop hypotheses, and design one or more studies to test their hypotheses. Students then will carry out the studies they planned, analyze the data, and write research papers summarizing their findings. It is anticipated that these papers will be submitted to regional conferences. This course is Writing Intensive.