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Psychology Courses
PSY 112. Introductory Psychology Laboratory (1) (GEN. ED. #6 with PSY 111)
Designed for transfer students who have taken a non-laboratory course in introductory psychology. It comprises the three-hour laboratory component of PSY 114. Prerequisites: For students who have completed a non-laboratory course in introductory psychology.
Fall semester, repeated spring semester. LoPresto.
PSY 114. Introduction to Psychology (4) (GEN. ED. #6)
An overview of the contemporary field of psychology. Topics include fundamental issues in psychology, physiological psychology, perception, principles of learning and cognition, theories of personality and clinical, humanistic, developmental, and social psychologies. Emphasis on philosophical and methodological foundations of a scientific study of mind and behavior. Three hours lecture, three hours laboratory.
Fall semester, repeated spring semester. McKim, LoPresto.
PSY 200. Statistical Methods in Psychology (4) (GEN. ED. #5)
An introduction to and critical examination of statistical and quantitative methods as applied in psychology and related fields. Exploratory, descriptive, and inferential concepts, techniques, and applications are considered including frequency distributions, measures of central tendency, variability and correlation, parameter estimation, and hypothesis testing (binomial tests, t-tests, analyses of variance, chi square, and selected non-parametric approaches). Statistical packages such as SPSS for Windows will be introduced and used throughout the course. Three hours lecture/discussion; 1.5 hours laboratory. Prerequisite: PSY 111 or 114. Open to majors in other departments with consent of the instructors.
Fall semester, repeated spring semester. Martinkowski.
PSY 202. Human Learning and Memory (3)
Study of learning and memory phenomena, with an emphasis on those occurring in the everyday world. Topics include childhood memory, eyewitness testimony, and emotionality and memory. The implications that these phenomena have for underlying memory processes are discussed. Prerequisite: PSY 111 and 114.
Fall semester. Mills.
PSY 203. Human Motivation (3)
Exploration of theory, research, and application in the field of human motivation. Includes a brief historical overview of some of the major theoretical traditions in the study of human motivation, leading to a focus on contemporary scholarship and application in a variety of domains, including education, sports/recreation, work/management, and health/well-being. Special attention will also be dedicated to an examination of the distinction between intrinsic and extrinsic forms of motivation. Prerequisite: PSY 111 or 114.
Spring semester. Patrick.
PSY 212. Existential, Humanistic, and Eastern Approaches to Personality (3)
Major theories of existential and humanistic thought are covered by consideration of such psychologists as May, Laing, Frankl, Rogers, and Maslow. Discussion of values, with the role of love and positive growth experiences emphasized. Eastern thought and the integration of psychology, East and West. Prerequisite: PSY 111 or 114 and at least sophomore standing.
Spring semester. J. Bradford.
PSY 220. Personality Theory (3)
Examination and appraisal of several theorists and theories from among the following: Freud, Horney, Jung, and others. Prerequisite: PSY 111 or 114.
Fall semester, repeated spring semester. N. Bradford, Martinkowski.
PSY 221. Introduction to Counseling Psychology (3)
Theories of counseling. Various approaches such as non-directive, marital, and family counseling (such as establishing rapport and interviewing techniques.) are discussed and demonstrated through the use of videotapes and class discussions. Prerequisite: PSY 212 or 220.
Fall semester. N. Bradford.
PSY 225. Myths and Mysteries of Human Relationships (3)
Focuses on ancient, classical, and contemporary mythology to illuminate psychological understanding of human experiences like love, loss, death, rebirth, and renewal. Topics such as female-male relationships, the importance of goddess mythical images, and gender issues. In-depth classical and contemporary readings works by psychologists and classic scholars, including Freud, Jung, May, Hillman, Campbell, and Downing. Expanded self growth and consciousness. Course integrates films, art, music, and experiential sessions. Prerequisites: PSY 111 or 114 and at least junior standing or permission of the instructor.
Spring semester. N. Bradford. Offered 2007-08 and alternate years.
PSY 226. Topics in Relational Psychology (3) (GEN. ED. #10)
Moving away from a framework of psychological research, theory, and evaluation that unduly values objectivity, independence, and personal achievement, students explore collaboratively the ramifications of a psychology that places human relationship, connection, community, and care at the center of psychological health and development, where mutual empowerment and empathy, rather than separation from others, are the goals. This feminist, antiracist, and critical psychology recognizes the powerful impact of the sociocultural context in impeding mutuality, and provides an interpretive framework for understanding and reshaping culture, lives, and theory. Specific topics vary from year to year, but include the following: the works of Carol Gilligan, the relational psychology of Jean Baker Miller and the Stone Center, the psychology of gender (e.g., girls’ development, the construction of masculinity), the psychology of oppression, and relational classrooms and environments. Prerequisite: PSY 111 or 114 or sophomore standing.
Fall semester, repeated spring semester. Pringle.
PSY 228. Positive Psychology (3)
This course is an introduction to the major principles, theories, research, and limitations of positive psychology. Positive psychology investigates human strengths and positive emotions that promote the enhancement of life on an individual and group level. Major topics include flow, optimism, stress and coping, social support, spiritual support, feng shui, self-help, and prosocial behavior. There is an international perspective provided throughout the course. Prerequisite: PSY 111 or 114.
Fall semester. McKim.
PSY 229. International Psychology (3)
An introduction to the theories, approaches, research methods, and current research in international psychology. There will be both cross-cultural as well as single country research examined, analyzed, and evaluated. Practical applications will be useful to students interested in international business, study abroad, foreign travel, and working with people from other cultures. Prerequisite: PSY 111 or 114.
Variables semesters. McKim.
PSY 230. Social Psychology (3) (GEN. ED. #10)
Study of how the thoughts, behaviors, emotions, and motivations of individuals dynamically interact with the social context that surrounds them. Topics include close relationships, aggression, conformity and obedience, social cognition, group dynamics, stereotypes and prejudice, and the impact of gender roles and cultural ideology on the development of the social self. Prerequisite: PSY 111 or 114.
Fall semester, repeated spring semester. McKim, Patrick.
PSY 233. Sensation and Perception (3)
This course is a survey of current theory and research in perception. The primary goal is for students to gain an understanding of how people obtain reliable and useful information about the environment around them through their senses. Exploring several perceptual systems, including vision, audition, touch and pain, and smell and taste, we will cover topics such as the physiological structure of sensory systems; psychophysics; attention; sensory integration and comparative perception. Prerequisite: PSY 111 or 114.
Fall semester. Ghirardelli.
PSY 235. Cognitive Psychology (3) Examination of the current theories and research concerning structure and process of mind. Topics include attention, memory, levels of information processing, categorization, problem solving, and language structure. Prerequisites: COG 110 or PSY 111 or 114 and sophomore standing.
Spring semester. Mills.
PSY 237. Physiological Psychology (3)
Investigates physiological and neurological basis of behavior; considers receptor, central, and effector structures; the organization of behavior as it relates to action of the nervous system. Focus is placed on biological contributions to mental and neurological disorders. Prerequisite: PSY 111 or 114.
Spring semester. Seltzer.
PSY 242. Applied Psychology (3)
A study of ways that psychology is applied to a wide variety of problems and settings. Applications are surveyed from selected areas, such as community, clinical, health, industrial, educational, legal, and sports. In addition, selected applications are explored in greater depth to derive general methods for determining how to help people learn more, be more productive, and be more satisfied. Prerequisite: PSY 111 or 114.
Spring semester. Mills.
PSY 244. Lifespan Developmental Psychology (3)
A lifespan approach tracing human development from conception through the life cycle until death. Important theoretical contributors are highlighted including Freud, Erikson, Bowlby, Piaget, Chomsky, Kohlberg, and Kubler-Ross. Topics will include prenatal development, language acquisition, the formation of emotional bonds in relationships, personality and identity development, changes in family and work roles, and the experience of facing one’s mortality. Prerequisite: PSY 111 or 114.
Fall semester, repeated spring semester. Choe, Patrick.
PSY 246. Field Work in Psychology (Variable)
Placements available in clinical, school, business, and research settings. Students work under supervision of professionals in the field. Prerequisites: Four courses in psychology and permission of the instructor. Graded pass/no pass only.
Department.
PSY 251. Tests and Measurement (3)
An introduction to the theory and practice of psychological assessment including a variety of intelligence and personality instruments for use with children and adults. Acquaintance with the construction and administration of tests. Emphasis upon practical experience in the administration and interpretation of the instruments. Advantages, shortcomings, and abuses of psychometrics are explored. Prerequisite: PSY 114 and 200.
Spring semester. Martinkowski.
PSY 252. Quantitative Research Methods in Psychology (4)
This course will address the overall process of psychological research from the development of a research question to the presentation of research results. Topics to be covered include the role of theory in the scientific method, research design, various collection techniques and analytic strategies for quantitative empirical data, and ethical considerations. Students will develop skills in scientific writing (APA style) and critically reading and reviewing the literature. The course will require statistical analysis of research data and interpretation of the results. Three hours lecture, three hours laboratory. Prerequisites: PSY 111 or 114, and 200.
Fall semester, repeated spring semester. Ghirardelli, Friedman-Wheeler.
PSY 255. Qualitative Research Methods in Psychology (4) (GEN. ED. #7)
An introduction to qualitative empirical methods and their application to selected problems of psychology, providing an introduction to issues of qualitative research design, analysis, and report writing. Central topics include narrative approaches, biography, phenomenology, ethnography, grounded theory, and case study. These topics are introduced and developed in the context of student-generated, collaborative, research projects of significance to researchers and participants and will involve field observations, open interviews, emergent design, and a variety of approaches to data analysis and interpretation. Ethical considerations are emphasized throughout. Three hours lecture/discussion; 3 hours laboratory. Prerequisites: PSY 111 or 114, and 200.
Fall semester, repeated spring semester. Pringle, Choe.
PSY 264. Madness, Creativity, and Society: Alternative Perspectives (3)
This course will challenge the more traditional viewpoints presented in clinical psychology and psychiatry. It will encourage the students through a multimedia approach (film, art, and literature) to see the complexity and controversial nature of what it means to be more fully human in our culture. Prerequisite: PSY 220 or 212 and junior standing or permissions of instructor.
Spring Semester. N. Bradford. Offered 2008-09 and alternate years.
PSY 271. Varieties of Human Experience: An Introduction to Clinical Psychology (3)
Traditional and radical approaches to the concepts of mental health and illness. Neurotic, psychopathic, and psychotic disorders considered from differing theoretical points of view. Consideration of traditional and innovative systems of psychotherapy. Prerequisite: PSY 111 or 114.
Spring semester. McKim, Friedman-Wheeler.
PSY 281. The Psychology of Dreaming (3)
Introduction to traditional clinical approaches to dreaming, including psychoanalysis, neo-Freudian, ego psychology; and Jungian interpretations of dreams. Contemporary approaches include existential, Gestalt, cross-cultural, and parapsychological phenomena. Experimental and laboratory studies are included. Students are encouraged to record their own dreams and learn various approaches to such dream material. Prerequisite: PSY 212 or 220 and junior or senior standing.
Spring semester. N. Bradford. Offered 2008-09 and alternate years.
PSY 283. Peace Within/Peace Without: Human, Societal, Global Possibilities (3) (PCE 283)
Examination of the interconnectedness between psychological growth, awareness, and expanded human consciousness and interpersonal and societal transformation. Exploration of relationships between individual human consciousness and ecological (planetary) connections and wholeness. Topics include the roots of cruelty, human destructiveness and creativity, the power of love, the search for self and others, the rise of the feminine, and the voices of the earth. Readings include the works of Fromm, Rogers, Laing, Houston, Miller, Roszak, and others. Prerequisite: PSY 114, PCE 110 or 120, or permission of the instructor.
Fall semester. J. Bradford. Offered 2007-08 and alternate years.
PSY 295. Independent Work (3 or 4)
Independent work, library research, or directed readings pursued under the supervision of a faculty member. Prerequisites: Four courses in psychology.
Department.
PSY 306. The Psychology of Narrative and Meaning (3)
Narrative psychology uses the “storied” nature of human understanding as an integrating paradigm. This course considers the history, methods, and practicality of this perspective in the context of autobiography; identity; encounters and perceptions of self-and-others; and traumatic disruptions and recovery of self and community. The course is designed for juniors preparing to undertake a senior capstone inquiry using qualitative, literary, or theoretical approaches to explore lived experiences and the meanings they hold. Collaborative classroom engagement, including improvisational community-theatre work and story-telling/listening are required. Includes a service learning component. Prerequisite: PSY 255 and junior standing or permission of instructor. This course does not count as a seminar.
Spring semester. Pringle.
PSY 315. Seminar on Human Motivation (3)
Advanced exploration of a selected topic in the study of human motivation. Topics will be selected from the following: self-determination theory; cognitive dissonance theory; the autonomy-relatedness dialectic; motivation in education; sports/recreation motivation; the promotion of health-related behavior. Prerequisite: PSY 203, and 252 or 255 or permission of instructor.
Fall semester. Patrick.
PSY 316. Seminar in History of Psychology (3)
Considerations of the antecedents and emergence of modern psychological theory, practice, and application. Particular themes and issues will include selected philosophical, scientific, and socio-political-historical influences; the early psychological "schools" and systems of thought; and the more contemporary, competing frameworks of cognitive psychology, social-humanistic psychology, and postmodernist approaches. This course will be conducted in seminar format and will require high level classroom engagement, oral participation, and writing. Prerequisite: PSY 252 or 255; psychology cluster courses and senior standing.
Variable. Pringle or Mills.
PSY 328. Research Seminar in Relational Psychology (3)
A collaborative exploration of the social and psychological construction of "race" and "gender" in America and how they shape our lives, relationships, and communities, as well as how we might imagine and effect positive change. Relational and cultural theory will guide our encounters across race, gender, and other socially constructed political realities. Classes will be pedagogically complex, with shared responsibilities for respectfully discussing, brain-storming, problem-solving, and imagining our ways forward, using improvisational theatre, memoir, story-telling/listening/interpreting, case study, biography, phenomenology, and action research to surface knowledge, raise consciousness, and chart imaginative, collaborative interventions with positive outcomes. Prerequisites: PSY 226 and 255.
Spring semester. Pringle.
PSY 329. Research Seminar (3)
This seminar provides the opportunity for students to conduct, analyze data and write up an empirical research project on a topic of interest to them. The seminar provides an opportunity to learn about the research process by conducting a project, as well as by learning from others. Students will be encouraged to choose from among a wide variety of topics and methods and will consider ethical principles involved in conducting research, as well as the limitations and applications of their research. Prerequisite: PSY 252 or 255.
Variable. Mills.
PSY 340. Seminar in Developmental Psychology (3)
In-depth study of a selected topic in developmental psychology. Topic may be a particular stage of life (e.g., infancy, childhood, old age) or a current research issue (e.g., maternal employment, day care, friendship development, moral development). For each topic, attention is given to theoretical underpinnings, methodological issues, assessment of current knowledge, and directions for future investigations. Prerequisites: PSY 244 and 252 or 255, or permission of instructor.
Fall semester. Choe, Patrick.
PSY 345. Seminar in Experimental Psychology (3)
This seminar serves as an introduction to the experimental study of selected topics in perception and attention through a detailed examination of one or more selected topic(s). Topics are selected from among attention, sensory integration, comparative perception or other related topics. We will approach these topics in the context of the scientific method, research design, data collection techniques, and analytic strategies. May be repeated for credit with different topics. Prerequisites: PSY 233 and 252 or 255, or permission of instructor.
Spring semester. Ghirardelli.
PSY 346. Advanced Field Work in Psychology (3-4)
Prerequisites: PSY 246 and junior standing. Graded pass/no pass only. Does not fulfill the 300-level requirement.
Department.
PSY 350. Seminar in Positive Psychology (3)
The purpose of this course is to investigate key areas of positive psychology. The concepts include optimism, flow, resilience, feng shui, and stress and coping presented in an integrative format. An international perspective is incorporated. There is a strong applied as well as theoretical basis employed throughout the course. Prerequisites: PSY 228and 252 or 255, or permission of the instructor.
Spring semester. McKim.
PSY 370. Social Psychology Seminar (3) Selected topics in social psychology with emphasis on current research. Topics are selected from intrinsic motivation, group behavior, attitudes, and social influence. Prerequisites: PSY 230, and 252 or 255, or permission of the instructor.
Spring semester. Patrick.
PSY 376. Seminar in Cognitive Studies (3) (COG 376)
This seminar focuses on some aspect of thought, language memory, perception consciousness, psychopharmacology, or action considered from the perspective of cognitive psychology and at least one other discipline (linguistics, philosophy, neuroscience, computer science). May be repeated for credit with different topics. Prerequisites: PSY 202 or 235 or 237 (depending on topic), and PSY 200, or permission of the instructor.
Spring semester. Seltzer.
PSY 380. Seminar in Cognitive Psychology (3)
A detailed examination of one or more selected topic(s) in cognitive psychology. Emphasis on critical evaluation of assumptions and methodologies for scientific study of the mind. Topics are selected from representation of knowledge, problem solving, psycholinguistics, reading, language comprehension, and case studies in cognitive processes. Prerequisites: PSY 202 or 235, and 252 or 255, or permission of the instructor.
Fall semester. Mills.
PSY 386. Seminar in Clinical Psychology (3)
In-depth examination of selected topics in clinical child psychology and/or advanced clinical psychology. Topics include a discussion of theoretical and social issues in the prevention and treatment of psychological disorders. Prerequisite: PSY 271.
Fall semester. Mills.
PSY 392. Senior Colloquium (1)
Speakers from on and off campus will provide different perspectives on psychological topics and issues at departmental colloquia. Student discussion and evaluation of the presentations will be facilitated by the department faculty members in order to aid students' integration of the different perspectives. Prerequisite: PSY 252 or 255. Fall semester, repeated spring semester.
Fall semester, repeated spring semester. Department.
PSY 395. Advanced Independent Work (3 or 4)
Advanced independent work, library research, or directed readings pursued under the supervision of a member of the department. Prerequisites: junior or senior standing, and permission of the instructor.
Department.
PSY 398. Directed Research (3 or 4)
Highly recommended for students planning to attend graduate school in any area of psychology. Planning and carrying out an independent empirical research project under the supervision of a faculty member. Prerequisites: junior or senior standing, and permission of the instructor.
Department.