PSY - Psychology

Credit by exam. An introduction to the basic methods, principles and facts of modern psychology contributing to an understanding of human behavior and experience. Selected students may be eligible for an honors section of this course.

Exploration of how psychological topics are represented and misrepresented in the media and how this leads to the creation and perpetuation of psychological myths. Evidence for and against common psychological myths as well as common properties of scientific misconceptions are reviewed. Emphasis is on becoming a skilled consumer of psychological information presented in the media.

Prerequisite: PSY 101. An introduction to the practice of psychology as applied to the prevention, assessment and treatment of mental health problems. Focus is on such topics as the theoretical bases for therapeutic skills and methods, principles and ethics of testing and treatment, historical and current issues and trends and the relevance of research to application.

Review of the psychological aspects of death, dying, and bereavement. Topics include euthanasia, suicide, the grief process, fears and attitudes toward death, coping with dying, and developmental perspectives. Emphasis is on helping individuals deal with this inevitable event in an open and honest way.

The scientific study of the social behavior of individuals as they interact with others. Topics include: perception of others, affiliation, interpersonal attraction, aggression, small group dynamics, leadership, conformity, conflict, group decision making and productivity, altruism, attitude formation and change.

Prerequisite: PSY 101. A survey of biological and environmental factors that affect the development of behaviors, attitudes and personality traits in women at different stages in their life cycle. Theoretical and empirical approaches to a better understanding of the values, goals, problems and abilities of women will be considered.

Prerequisite: PSY 101. The psychological development of the normal individual from the beginning of puberty to the attainment of maturity. Research findings are examined for the purpose of understanding and guiding the development of adolescents in the home, the school, the peer group and the community

Prerequisite: Level IB placement on the Basic Math Skills Inventory or MATH 098 or equivalent mathematics background. Not open to students who have received credit for ECMG 212, MATH 112, MATH 112W, MATH 213 or SOC 261. Statistical methods, including frequency distributions and graphing, averages, measures of variability and correlation, t-tests, analysis of variance and several distribution-free tests. Examples are drawn from the social, behavioral and biological sciences.

Prerequisite: PSY 101 or SOC 101. A study of the social aspects of aging. This course explores the role of aged individuals within society and the influence society has on them. Topics include health, income, housing, family relationships, retirement, leisure and institutionalization.

Prerequisite: PSY 101. Introduction to the basic concepts and issues of psychological and biological growth and development from conception to old age. Emphasis placed on biophysical, cognitive and psychosocial development throughout the lifetime, and the important roles of gender and culture in this process. Applied aspects of developmental psychology are emphasized.

This course will explore the theories, research and practices of African-American psychology. Themes include the definition and development of African-American psychology, identity and personality formation of African-Americans, and historical and current issues affecting the lives of African Americans.

Prerequisites: PSY 101 and junior standing. Cognitive psychology is the scientific study of the mind. Our mind creates and controls mental functions, such as memory, perception, attention, language, emotions, and reasoning. Our mind also creates representations of our world so that we can act within it to achieve our goals. This course will look at all these interesting areas of study.

Prerequisites: PSY 101 and junior standing. A review of the current theories, methods, and research in human memory, including working memory, encoding and retrieval, implicit and multiple memory systems, memory disorders, memory improvement, and the repressed memory controversy.

Prerequisite: PSY 101 and junior standing or permission of the instructor. A study of psychological theory and empirical research as it relates to the law. Topics include eyewitness memory, repressed and false memories, interrogations and confessions, jury decision-making, criminal responsibility and intent, competence, rehabilitation and ethical and legal responsibilities in therapy and psychological research.

Prerequisites: PSY 101 or its equivalent and PSY 211 (C- minimum grade). This integrated lecture and lab survey course exposes students to a variety of research methods, including correlational, quasi-experimental, experimental, single-case, and qualitative designs. Students collectively create and administer a survey as well as individually code, analyze, and interpret the data collected from it. PsycNFO and APA writing style tutorials provided.

Prerequisites: PSY 312 (C- minimum grade). This integrated lecture and lab course exposes students to more advanced experimental research designs, including simple and factorial between participant, within participant, and mixed designs. Each student conducts his/her own experiment, reviewing the research literature, collecting and analyzing data from a minimum of 60 participants, writing a manuscript, and presenting a poster to the college community.

Prerequisite: PSY 101 or permission of the instructor. Examines the major classes of drugs that affect behavior, including drugs of abuse and drugs used in the treatment of mental disorders. The course includes exploration of the historical background of drugs and drug use, as well as social context.

Prerequisites: Completion of PSY 101, 12 credits of psychology and the course for which the student will serve as a teaching assistant, and permission of the instructor.  A teaching practicum in PSY 101 for advanced psychology majors. Regularly scheduled hours will include meeting with course instructor regarding teaching experiences, methods, and issues, administration of quizzes/tests, tutoring, and guest lecturing. Relevant reading and a paper will be required. Grading is on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.

Prerequisite: Junior standing or permission of department. The study of selected issues and/or social problems that are of interest to psychologists. Each issue will be examined from the various perspectives of specialists within the discipline. Students will participate through readings in primary sources, individual reports, discussion and possible field work.

Prerequisite: PSY 101 and junior standing or permission of department. This course provides an overview of counseling theory and practice. Students will learn about professional and ethical issues, history and status of counseling as a profession, major schools of counseling theory and practice, client needs throughout the lifespan, basic counseling and case conceptualization skills, and present and future work settings of counselors.

Prerequisite: Junior standing or permission of department. This course focuses on how people's conceptions of dying, death, and bereavement have changed over the centuries, as well as on how they are experienced by various cultures, ethnic groups, and religions (including religious traditions surrounding death, cross-cultural mourning practices, and diverse philosophies of the role of death in life).

Prerequisite: Junior standing or permission of department. This course will focus on the psychological, physical, and social aspects of human sexuality, addressing issues such as research methods, female and male anatomy, arousal and response, gender identity and roles, attraction, communication, sexual orientation, conception/pregnancy/childbirth, contraception and abortion, sexuality in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, sexual dysfunctions, sexually transmitted infections, and sexual coercion/violence.

Prerequisite: Junior standing or permission of department. The course will provide an introduction to positive psychology. It is designed to explore theories, concepts, research behind the concepts, and exercises that enhance well-being. In the last half-century psychology has largely focused on decreasing maladaptive emotions and behaviors, while ignoring optimal functioning. This course focuses on the psychological aspects of a fulfilling and flourishing life. Topics include happiness, life satisfaction, character strengths, optimism, willpower, empathy, friendship, love, achievement, creativity, mindfulness, and humor.

Prerequisite: PSY 101 and junior standing or permission of the instructor. The purpose of the course is to give students an understanding of delinquent and criminal behavior from a psychological perspective–with particular focus on the developmental and cognitive-behavioral aspects of offending. Viewing the juvenile and adult offender as being embedded and continually influenced by multiple systems, it highlights how psychological, social, economic, political and ecological factors all play a role in influencing individual behavior. Assigned readings and the independent research required for engaged participation will utilize and expand on research, communication, and writing skills acquired in other courses.

Prerequisite: PSY 101 or permission of the instructor. Examination of the psycho-physiological changes that occur with age that have an effect on the individual’s neural structure, biological functioning, cognitive abilities, personality development and social interactions. Considers the special methodological and research design problems of studying aging adults.

Prerequisites: 8 credits in psychology and permission of the instructor. Investigation of a psychological problem or issue according to individual interests.

An upper-level special topics course offered at the discretion of the department. The content and methods vary with the interest of students and faculty members

Prerequisites: 16 credits in psychology, a 2.00 cumulative and 2.50 major GPA and permission of the department. Individualized study and work in a cooperating laboratory or professional setting. Provides an opportunity to work with professionals in the field and to participate in research or other activities. Site approval and components of each student’s internship must be approved by the department. Grading is on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.

Prerequisite: Junior or senior standing. A review of elementary neuroanatomy and brain function, with an exploration of how clinical conditions (e.g., Alzheimer’s, amnesia, Parkinson's, stroke, schizophrenia, agnosia, aphasia, Huntington's) affect cognitive, behavioral, affective, perceptual, and motor processes.

Prerequisites: Open to junior or senior psychology majors or with permission of the instructor. An overview of the different approaches to the understanding of the personality. Emphasis is placed on the normal personality.

Prerequisites: PSY 312. Open to junior and senior standing or with permission of the instructor. A contemporary survey of methods, theories, principles and processes in the fields of learning and memory. The course focuses on understanding the building blocks of behavior in human and nonhuman learning and operant conditioning, as well as exploration of higher-order processes (e.g., language, pattern learning).

Prerequisites: PSY 101. Open to junior and seniors or with permission of the instructor. Explores the relationships among physiological structure, functioning and behavior. Special attention is given to the overall structure of the nervous system, as well as the physiological bases of sensation, perception, learning, memory, cognition, emotion and consciousness.

Prerequisites: Open to junior or senior psychology majors or with permission of the instructor. The origins, symptoms and methods of treatment of the principal forms of deviant behavior, with illustrative case material. Social as well as clinical aspects of individual psychological problems are considered.

Prerequisites: PSY 211 or MATH 112 or SOC 261. Open to junior or senior psychology majors or with permission of the instructor. A study of the testing movement, including fundamental statistical procedures. Emphasizes the use of tests in education, industry and clinical practice. Observation and participation in individual and group testing.

Prerequisites: PSY 101 or instructor permission. Open to senior psychology majors. This reading-intensive capstone course exposes students to the history of the field. It begins with an overview of epistemological and ontological philosophical theories of the 17th and 18th centuries. It then contextualizes and analyzes the history of psychological ideas of the 19th and 20th century from a broad political, economic, and sociocultural framework.

Prerequisites: PSY 312. Open to junior or senior psychology majors or with permission of the instructor. Application of operant and respondent learning principles to change behaviors in a prosocial manner across individuals and situations.

An opportunity for a group of students to explore current topics in psychology as suggested by their special interests, and those of the faculty, but not included in the regular course offerings.

Prerequisite: By invitation of the department. The departmental honors paper is a two-semester senior-year program designed for students who wish to pursue intensive research or special projects in close coordination with faculty advisers. Departmental honors students are known as the Christine P. Tischer Scholars and receive 6 credits for this work.