Professor Joseph DeBold, Chair; Endocrinology and behavior
Professor Nalini Ambady, Social cognition
Professor Jamshed Bharucha, Cognitive psychology of music
Professor Emily Bushnell, Developmental psychology
Professor Richard A. Chechile, Cognition, statistics
Professor Robert Cook, Cognition, statistics
Professor David Harder, Clinical psychology
Professor Phillip J. Holcomb, Neuropsychology
Professor Robin Kanarek, John Wade Professor; Physiological psychology
Professor Klaus A. Miczek, Moses Hunt Professor of Psychology;
psychopharmacology
Professor Robert J. Sternberg, Intelligence,
Wisdom, Love & Hate
Professor Holly A. Taylor, Cognition
Associate Professor Gina Kuperberg,
Clinical Psychology
Associate Professor Keith B. Maddox, Social cognition
Associate Professor Lisa M. Shin, Clinical psychology
Assistant Professor Haline Schendan, Cognitive neuroscience
Assistant Professor Samuel Sommers, Social psychology
Assistant Professor Heather Urry,
Affective Neuroscience
Assistant Professor (part-time) Harold Miller-Jacobs, Industrial and
organizational psychology
Senior Lecturer Sinaia Nathanson, Social psychology
Research Associate Ray Nickerson, Applied cognition
Part-time lecturers:
Lecturer Michael Carlin, Cognition
Lecturer Carolyn Cohen, Psychopharmacology
Lecturer Jack Fultz, Sports psychology
Lecturer Robert Jampel, Clinical psychology
Lecturer Mitchel Rose, Clinical psychology
Psychology concerns the processes and principles of behavior. Increased understanding of oneself and others through the study of psychology is useful in almost any endeavor. The undergraduate psychology curriculum is diverse in order to reflect the breadth of the field, from the biological bases to the social determinants of behavior. Students gain general familiarity with psychology, and have the option to emphasize specific areas in the field. Courses are geared toward the development of evaluative and analytic skills, which are indispensable to advanced study in experimental, clinical, and applied psychology. These skills, together with knowledge of the factors influencing individual and group behavior, are highly valuable for careers in such fields as public health, engineering, medicine, business, administration, law, and education.
Psychology Courses as Distribution Requirements
Students may take Psychology 25, 26, 27, 29, 32, 40, 41, 46, 48, 49, 103, 104,
112, 123, 127, 128,
129, or 146 toward fulfilling the natural science distribution requirements. Psychology
31, 107, 108, or 140 may be taken by majors or nonmajors toward the mathematical sciences
distribution requirement. All other psychology courses may be taken toward fulfilling the
social science distribution requirement. Psychology majors will normally meet the social science distribution requirement by
virtue of courses they take in psychology.
Undergraduate Concentration Requirements
Major in Psychology
Eleven courses distributed as follows: Psychology 1; one course from among Psychology 11,
12, 13, 14, 15, 17, and 18; one course from among Psychology 25, 26, 27, 28, or 29;
Psychology 31 and 32; one course from among Psychology 36, 37, 38, 40, 41, 46, 48, and 49
(these laboratory courses have specific prerequisites); two other psychology courses
numbered above 100; one other course offered by the psychology department; two approved
advanced courses in related fields.
Courses taken to fulfill the psychology major (including related-field requirements) may not be taken pass-fail except Psychology 99. No more than two independent study courses (Psychology 21 and 22, 97 and 99, 121 and 122, 181 and 182, 197, 198 and 199) may be counted toward the concentration requirement. No more than one course taken to fulfill the 100-level requirement may be an independent study course. A student contemplating majoring in psychology is urged to take Psychology 1 as early as possible. Psychology/clinical and biology-psychology majors may not double major in psychology or one of the other psychology majors.
Students with a score of 4 or 5 on the AP in psychology should not take Psychology 1. An AP score of 5 completely substitutes for this requirement. An AP score of 4 places a student into two-digit psychology courses but the student will need to take an additional psychology course for the major in lieu of Psychology 1. Pending consent by the professor, Child Development 1 may be used as a substitute for Psychology 1 for nonmajors wishing to take Psychology 11, 14, 111, 118, and 152. Child Development does not normally substitute for Psychology 1 in other areas of psychology. In recommending students for honors, in addition to the general college requirements, the psychology department does not normally recommend students for highest honors unless they have done empirical research.
Major in Psychology/Clinical
This major is intended for students interested in entering graduate or professional
schools in mental health or human services and/or working with psychiatric patients.
Required courses are Psychology 1, 12, 31, 38, 71, 106, 181 and 182, two electives in
psychology, one of which must be at the 100 level, and two approved advanced courses in related
fields. Students planning to continue in clinical work will profit from electing a course
in physiological psychology.
Major in Biopsychology
There is an interdepartmental major for students particularly interested in neurobiology
and behavior. Required courses: five in biology and five in psychology. These include the
following: Cells and Organisms (Biology 13), General Genetics (Biology 41), Animal
Behavior (Biology 130), one course in animal physiology (chosen from among Biology 75,
115, 116, 134) and an elective in biology; Statistics (Psychology 31 or Biology
132), Experimental
Psychology (Psychology 32), Brain and Behavior (Psychology 103), plus two electives from
among Psychology 26, 27, 29, 40, 41, 46, 48, 49, 104, 112, 123, 127, 128, 129, and 146.
Additional courses may be added to this list at the discretion of the chair. Biopsychology
majors may not also double major in psychology or biology. Majors are encouraged to elect an
advanced laboratory course in either department. Consult the departments of either biology
or psychology for details about this major.
Major in Engineering Psychology
An interdisciplinary program, more commonly called human factors, is offered jointly by
the departments of mechanical engineering and psychology. (See Engineering Psychology for
program description and course listings.)
Graduate Program
The Department of Psychology offers both a master's degree and a doctor of philosophy
degree in general experimental psychology. Students having a baccalaureate degree may
apply for either the master's degree program or the doctoral program, although priority is
given to those planning to pursue the doctorate. Students having a master's degree in
psychology may apply for the doctoral program directly.
To be considered for graduate work in psychology, a student must have a bachelor of arts or bachelor of science degree from an accredited college or university. Most students will have majored in psychology, but this is not a requirement. The student must, however, have had at least a one-semester course in statistics and at least six semester hours of experimental psychology or comparable research experience.
Graduate students are expected to develop overall breadth in psychology, as well as an emphasis in a specialty area. Such areas include social psychology; developmental psychology; physiological psychology and psychopharmacology; learning, memory, and cognition; and neuropsychology.
Considerable emphasis is placed on the student's ability to undertake research. These skills are demonstrated in connection with course work, independent research, and by the thesis and/or dissertation.
All graduate students are expected to participate in supervised research or teaching activities each semester.
General Program Requirements
The program is based around five major annual milestones:
Year 1: A first-year research project
Year 2: Completion of the master's thesis
Year 3: Third-year comprehensive paper/exam
Year 4: Fourth-year writing requirement
Year 5: Completion of the doctoral dissertation
There is no formal language requirement for either the master of science degree or the doctoral degree.
Master of Science
The requirements for the master of science degree include ten credits (8 course credits
and 2 research credits) distributed as follows: completion of the graduate sequence in
statistics (Psychology 107 and 108), two area core courses, two upper-level psychology
courses or seminars (100 level or higher), one independent reading/research course or
other course credit, one professional preparation course, and successful completion of the
first-year project (one credit) and the master's thesis (one credit).
No more than two graduate-level courses, which have not been used to count toward another graduate degree, may be transferred from another institution toward the Tufts program.
The master's thesis must be an empirical research study in psychology, which will be presented in written form and on which the candidate must take an oral comprehensive examination.
A student who is able to devote full time to the graduate program may register for four courses a term and earn the master's degree in one year. Students holding Tufts's teaching and research assistantships are advised to register for five courses per year and should plan to spend more than one year in completing the degree. Only under exceptional circumstances should it require more than two years for completion. The department does not encourage part-time participation in the program.
Doctor of Philosophy
The doctoral degree requires thirteen credits (8 course credits and 5 research credits)
beyond those required for the master's degree. These must include:
One additional core course, two 200-level seminars outside one's major area, one additional professional preparation course, four independent reading/research courses or other course credit, a third-year comprehensive paper/exam (one credit), a fourth-year publication requirement (one credit).
The doctoral candidate must submit a dissertation on his or her original empirical research and must take an oral examination in support of the dissertation. Upon successful completion of the dissertation and the examination, the candidate will be awarded five course credits.
In general, the student's program of study is worked out with a faculty adviser, taking
into account the student's interests and background.
Undergraduate Courses
Elementary
1 Introduction to Psychology. Systematic survey of the field of psychology,
covering important general principles in the topics of psychological development, sensory
processes, perception, motivation, emotion, learning, thinking, intelligence, aptitudes,
social problems, and personality. Members of the department
Intermediate
Psychology 1 is ordinarily a prerequisite for these courses, but juniors and seniors
may take some of them without Psychology 1. Psychology majors will be required to take
Psychology 1. Please note that some of these courses are specific prerequisites for
laboratory courses.
11 Developmental Psychology. A survey of behavioral, mental, and socio-emotional development during childhood from birth through adolescence. General principles of development and related empirical findings will be emphasized. Lectures, demonstrations, and observations of children. Prerequisite: Psychology 1 or junior or senior standing. Bushnell
12 Abnormal Psychology. An introduction to the field of mental and behavioral disorders, emphasizing the relationship between normal and abnormal processes. Empirical and experimental findings relevant to abnormal behavior will be presented. Prerequisite: Psychology 1 or junior or senior standing. Harder, Rose, Shin
13 Social Psychology. How situations and the people around us influence our thoughts, feelings, and behavior. Aggression, attitudes, attraction, attribution, conformity, group processes, helping behavior, non-verbal behavior, self-knowledge, social cognition, social influence, and stereotypes and prejudice. Applications of social psychological concepts to topics such as health, intergroup relations, and law. Prerequisite: Psychology 1 or junior or senior standing. Ambady, Maddox, Nathanson, Sommers
14 Psychology of Adolescence. An introduction to adolescence, focusing on biological, psychodynamic, and societal changes that affect the current transition to adulthood. Some issues covered are friendship, identity, cohort effects, sexuality, delinquency, and psychopathology. Prerequisite: Psychology 1 or junior or senior standing. Fall.
15 Theories of Personality. The course presents and critically examines major personality theories. It begins with Freud, Jung, Erikson and other neo-Freudians and proceeds to phenomenological theories, role theory, 5-factor theory, and predominantly empirical approaches. Harder
17 Industrial and Organizational Psychology. An examination of the roles, contributions, and limitations of psychology in business and industrial organizations. Topics include selection, training, and motivation of personnel; management and leadership; and consumer psychology. Miller-Jacobs
18 Thinking. Introduction to thinking, focusing on the process and techniques for improving this skill. Synthetic, analytical, intuitive, and critical thinking as they relate to problem solving, concept formation, decision making, and creativity. Prerequisite: Psychology 1, Child Development 1, or junior standing. Spring.
21, 22 Research in Psychology. Designed for students who wish to participate in an ongoing program of research. The student is expected to do background reading relevant to the research and to participate in as many phases of the research as possible. Prerequisites: Two psychology courses, sophomore standing, and consent of supervising faculty member. Members of the department
25 Physiological Psychology. The biological basis of behavior. Basic functioning of the nervous system; physiological basis of hunger, thirst, sex, aggression, sleep, sensory and motor systems, learning and memory. Lectures and demonstrations. Prerequisite: Psychology 1 or consent. Fall. Miczek, DeBold, Kanarek
26 Animal Learning and Cognition. A survey and analysis of the principles of learning, memory, and cognition in animals. Emphasis on the adaptive nature of learning and the importance of theoretical and methodological issues in the experimental analysis of cognition. Topics include evolution of learning, basic processes in conditioning, stimulus control, attention, time and space orientation, awareness, and the role of feedback and reward. Prerequisite: Psychology 1. Cook
27 Perception. Processes that transform physical energy (e.g., light, sound, heat) into psychological experiences (e.g., seeing objects, hearing music, feeling warmth). Emphasis on visual perception; topics such as speech perception and active touch will also be covered. Special issues include development of perceptual abilities, perception in animals, pathologies of perception, and perception's role in art. Prerequisite: Psychology 1 or junior or senior standing. Bushnell, Taylor
28 Cognitive Psychology. Introduction to human mental processes. Topics include attention, perception, problem solving, pattern recognition, imagery, memory retention, language comprehension, and knowledge acquisition as fundamental processes of cognition. Prerequisite: Psychology 1. Chechile, Taylor
29 Human Neuropsychology. Survey of studies of the neuronal basis of human thought. Topics include human neuroanatomy and neurophysiology; relationship of brain systems to language, memory, and visual-spatial processes; neurological syndromes (e.g., split brain and aphasia). Prerequisite: Psychology 1. Holcomb
50 Intelligence. History, methods, and current status of psychological research on human intelligence, including psychometrics and testing, forms of intelligence, the development and biology of intelligence, and the roles of personality, education, culture, and social policy.
51 Black Psychology. An examination of black perspectives in psychology. The adequacy for black people of various psychological models. Other topics: the history of racism in the behavioral sciences, psychological assessment, personality and motivation, education, prejudice, and community psychology. Prerequisite: Psychology 1. Fall.
53 Engineering Psychology. Survey of the applied areas of psychology that have proven useful in the design of equipment for human use and in the design of man-machine systems. Prerequisite: Psychology 1 or junior or senior standing.
55 Human Sexual Behavior. A review of the psychology, physiology, and anatomy of sex with emphasis on human sexuality. Topics include embryogenesis and differentiation of sexual dimorphism, hormones and sexual behavior, cross-cultural studies of sexual behavior, heterosexual and homosexual scripts, contraception, sexual dysfunction, sex and the law, and pornography. Prerequisite: Psychology 1 or junior or senior standing. Spring. DeBold
56 Drugs and Human Behavior. Introductory examination of how drugs, toxins, food additives, and other chemicals alter human behavior. Topics may include history and societal views of drug use, drugs for recreational purposes, alcohol, medicinal drugs, drugs in food and food as drugs, and environmental toxins; theories of why drugs are used and reasons for prescribing psychoactive drugs. Prerequisite: Psychology 1 or junior or senior standing. Kanarek, Miczek
57 Nutrition and Behavior. Introduction to the interaction between nutrition and behavior. Specific topics include obesity, anorexia nervosa, and bulimia; effects of vitamins and minerals on behavior; role of protein malnutrition in intellectual development; and potential effects of food additives, including sugar, on psychological processes. Biology or biopsychology majors or premedical students should take Psychology 128. Kanarek
58 Psychology of Sport. An examination of social and psychological factors
affecting participation and performance in sports and physical activity. Research on such
topics as aggression, group dynamics, motivation, anxiety, personality, motor learning,
media effects, and information processing will be considered. Prerequisite: Psychology 1. Fultz
71 Clinical Methods. Basic clinical concepts and skills, such as the helping
relationship, interviewing, history taking, psychological testing, and report writing;
their theoretical and empirical basis and appropriate application of the basic skills.
Prerequisites: junior standing, Psychology 12, and consent. Rose, Harder
80 Psychology of Music. (Cross-listed as Music 16.) Examination of a wide range of topics in the psychology of music. Music perception; music cognition; music aesthetics; music and emotions; the influence of music on human behavior; the nature and measurement of musical abilities; music education and child development.
97, 98 Readings in Psychology. A supervised readings course mutually arranged by a student and a faculty member. The goal of the course is to enable the student to become better informed on a specialized topic within psychology. An annotated bibliography or other written summary is ordinarily required. Prerequisite: consent. One credit each. Members of the department
99 Internship in Psychology. Internships in settings (laboratories, hospitals,
clinics, schools) where work is primarily psychological. Relevant course work must precede
internship. A faculty member in the psychology department must sponsor students. Twelve
hours per week and written work are required. Grading is pass/fail but the course may be
used as an elective for psychology majors. Prerequisites: sophomore standing, prior
relevant course work, and consent.
Laboratory Courses
Psychology 1, 31, and 32 are prerequisites for the remaining courses in the group.
Individual courses may have additional prerequisites.
31 Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences. Statistical methods for the treatment of data in the behavioral sciences. Descriptive and inferential methods will be considered. Computers will be used to explore conceptual issues and analyze data. One laboratory period in addition to lectures. Prerequisite: Psychology 1. Gutowski, Carlin
32
Experimental Psychology.
A laboratory
based on individual and group experiments designed to familiarize students with
research methods in psychological investigations. Required for psychology
majors. Lectures and one laboratory period. Prerequisite: Psychology 31.
Carlin, Schendan, Sommers
36 Experimental Social Psychology. Laboratory and field approaches to the
experimental study of social behavior. Attention will be directed to both classical
research and recent innovation in social psychology. Lectures and laboratory.
Prerequisites: Psychology 13 and 32. Maddox
37 Research Methods in Developmental Psychology. A research methods course designed to familiarize students with observational and experimental techniques used to study child development. Students participate in research experiences involving naturalistic and laboratory procedures with infants and children. Prerequisites: Child Development 1 or Psychology 11, and Psychology 32. Bushnell
38 Research Methods in Clinical Psychology. Methods used to study personality and psychopathology, their nature and etiology. Methods include laboratory and naturalistic studies, projective and objective tests, methods for assessing reliability and validity, and single case studies. Prerequisites: Psychology 12 or 15, 31, and 32 or 71. Harder, Shin
40 Laboratory in Physiological Psychology. Examination of the anatomy and functional dynamics of the nervous system with respect to behavior. Experiments in the physiological basis of sexual behavior, learning, and homeostatic behaviors. Techniques include stereotaxic surgery, brain lesioning, electrode implantation and stimulation, pharmacology, and neurohistology. Prerequisites: Psychology 32 and either 25 or 103 (may be taken concurrently). Fall. Miczek, DeBold, Kanarek
41 Perception/Cognition Laboratory. Examination of mental processes underlying human thought, language, memory, and perception. Experimental techniques will emphasize both on- and off-line examinations of these processes. Prerequisites: Psychology 27 or 28 and 32. Chechile, Taylor, Bushnell
45 Laboratory in Functional Neuroimaging. Research methods used to study the functional role of human brain structures in cognitive processes, including perception, object recognition, attention, memory, and language. Techniques examined may include functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), event-related potentials (ERP), and electroencephalography (EEG). Prerequisites: Psychology 32 and one of the following: Psychology 25, 29, 103, 124, 129, 148 or Biology 134; or consent. Schendan
46 Animal Learning Laboratory. A laboratory course in methods and techniques to study animal cognition. Individual and group experiments in different areas of animal learning. Topics include habituation, classical and operant conditioning, stimulus control, memory, and the computer modeling of these processes. Prerequisites: Psychology 26 and Psychology 32. Cook
48 Research Methods in Psychopharmacology. This laboratory course provides experience with experimental strategies and methods in psychopharmacology, using animals as subjects. Students will investigate how drugs affect motor and sensory processes, behavioral measures of memory, anxiety, depression, and psychosis. Prerequisites: Psychology 25 and 123 (may be concurrent), or equivalent. Spring. Miczek, Kanarek, DeBold
49 Laboratory in Psychophysiology. Research methods used to study relationships
between physiological systems and human behavior, including measures of autonomic (e.g.,
heart rate), sensory, and cognitive functions (e.g., EEG and evoked potentials).
Prerequisites: Psychology 32; Psychology 25, 29, 103 or 129, or Biology 134. Holcomb
Advanced
103 Brain and Behavior. Advanced course on the relation between behavior and the structure and function of the nervous system. Lectures and demonstrations. Students who have already taken Psychology 25 should not take this course. Prerequisite: Biopsychology major, or Biology 13 and 14; Chemistry 1 is recommended. Fall. Miczek, DeBold, Kanarek
104 Advanced Seminar in Physiological Psychology. A seminar on selected topics in the physiological basis of behavior. Students will be expected to write or present papers. Exact topic choices determined by interests of the instructor and students. Prerequisites: junior, senior, or graduate standing and Psychology 25 or 103, or Biology 134, and consent. Miczek, DeBold, Kanarek
105 Psychoanalysis. Evolution of psychoanalytic psychology to the present. Topics include unconscious motivation, dreams, personality development and dynamics, psychopathology, ego psychology, object-relations theory and self-psychology. Emphasis on psychoanalysis as a developmental psychology. Critique of psychoanalytic approaches. Prerequisites: Psychology 1 or Child Development 1, and one of the following: Psychology 11, 12, 14, or 15; or Child Development 9 or 61; or consent. Slavin
106 Seminar in Clinical Psychology. Issues involved in the clinical evaluation, measurement, and treatment of psychological disturbances. Emphasis will be on psychotherapeutic intervention. Prerequisites: Psychology 12; Psychology 32 or 71, or consent. Harder
107 Advanced Statistics I. Development of statistical concepts for the design and analysis of research. Consideration of the logic of statistical inference, analysis of variance, and nonparametric analysis. Prerequisite: Psychology 31, Child Development 193, or consent. Fall. Chechile
108 Advanced Statistics II. Consideration of certain multivariate designs, regression, and the analysis of covariance. Prerequisite: Psychology 107. Spring. Chechile
109 Seminar in Cognitive-Behavior Therapy. Cognitive and behavioral approaches to understanding and modifying behavior and thought patterns in adults, children, couples, and families, in both outpatient and institutional settings. Prerequisite: Psychology 12. Rose
110 Computers in Psychology. The use of microcomputers in modern psychology. Applications programs, computer-intensive data analysis techniques, microcomputer programming. Introduction to the interfacing of computers for the control of experiments, online data acquisition, stimulus generation and manipulation. Prerequisite: Psychology 31 or consent. Cook, Holcomb
111 Socialization. A critical evaluation of the social and developmental literature on socialization. Some areas usually covered are initial socialization in infancy, socialization into school, friendship, and popularity among peers. Prerequisites: Psychology 11, or Child Development 1, or Psychology 13, and consent.
112 Biological Bases of Psychopathology. Exploration of current research and theory concerning neuropathology, neurotransmitter systems, genetics, psychophysiology, and medication treatment in selected major mental disorders. Prerequisite: Psychology 12. Shin
113 Advanced Social Psychology. (Formerly Psychology 114.) Seminar examining selected topics in social psychology with an emphasis on research design and methodology. Topics vary by semester. Prerequisites: Psychology 13 and 31, or consent. Ambady, Maddox, Sommers
116 Assessment of Individual Differences. Analysis of the psychometric methods that differentiate one individual from another. Topics include design and evaluation of tests measuring attitudes, abilities, and personality constructs. Prerequisites: Psychology 31 and consent.
118 Topics in Infancy. A seminar in which three or four selected aspects of infant development are intensively examined. Areas of study change from year to year and include topics such as infant perception, early cognitive development, and parent-infant interactions. Prerequisite: Psychology 11 or Child Development 1. Bushnell
119 Family Dynamics and Therapy. Introduction to family dynamics as well as to techniques of family diagnosis, interventions, and therapy. Prerequisite: Psychology 12 or consent.
120 Project Study in Human Systems. (Cross-listed as Engineering Psychology 120.) A senior-level project design course, led by faculty from engineering and psychology as well as outside lecturers. Students participate in team fashion in human-factors design problems set by industry sponsors. Professional-level work is required, including report preparation and presentations. Timely lectures supplement the projects. Prerequisites: Engineering Psychology 161, 162, Psychology 31, 32, 130. Spring. Cao
121, 122 Individual Research Projects in Psychology. Graduate students and advanced undergraduates participate in all phases of a research project. The student's contribution should be such as to warrant inclusion of his or her name among the authors of a publication. Prerequisite: consent; Psychology 32 is ordinarily required. One credit each. Members of the department
123 Psychopharmacology. Introduction to the study of the relationship between
drugs, brain, behavior, and environment. Analysis of drug effects on motor function,
appetite, sleep, sex, aggression, learning, and memory. Mental disorders and animal models
of drug addiction. Lectures and laboratory. Prerequisites: Psychology 25 or 103. Spring. Miczek,
Kanarek
124 Cognitive Neuroscience of Perception. Advanced seminar on the brain
basis of human perception. Topics include sensory perception, object and face
recognition, word perception, mental imagery, and spatiotemporal neuroimaging of
brain systems for perception. Prerequisites: Psychology
32 and one of the following: Psychology 25, 27, 29,
129, 103, 148, or Biology 134; or consent. Schendan
125 History and Systems of Psychology. A review of the history of psychology from ancient to modern times. The rise and fall of psychological systems such as structuralism, functionalism, behaviorism, gestaltism, and psychoanalysis. The characteristics of contemporary psychology. Prerequisite: three courses in psychology. Members of the department
126 Origins of Cognition. The origins of complex cognitive behaviors in humans and other animals. Consciousness, counting, tool-using, creativity, imitation, and deceit. Evidence from comparative and developmental psychology, as well as primate studies, anthropology, archaeology, and biology. Prerequisites: one or more of Child Development 1, Psychology 11, 26, 28, 29, Anthropology 20, 30, Biology 130, or consent. May be taken for 200-level graduate credit with permission. Bushnell, Cook
127 Behavioral Endocrinology. A seminar on the interrelationships of the endocrine system and behavior. Topics include the effects of hormones on sex, parental behavior, aggression, hunger, thirst, learning, and mental functions, as well as the influence of behavior on hormones. Prerequisite: Psychology 25, or 103, or equivalent. DeBold
128 Nutrition and Behavior. (Cross-listed as Nutrition 128.) The interactions between nutritional variables and behavior in man and other animals. Effects of obesity, starvation, protein malnourishment, and vitamin and mineral deficiencies on intellectual function and behavior. Influences of diet on brain biochemistry and learning. Prerequisites: Psychology 32 or equivalent, and one of the following: Psychology 127, 130; Biology 111, 115, 126, 130. Kanarek
129 Cognitive Neuroscience. An advanced examination of the brain basis of cognitive processes. Topics will include object recognition, face processing, language processing, human electrophysiology, neuroplasticity, and laterality of brain systems. Prerequisites: Psychology 32; any 20-level psychology course, or Biology 134. Holcomb
130 Advanced Engineering Psychology. Seminar on the various functions that humans perform in complex modern human-machine systems. Examination of psychological and engineering theories and models as they relate to these functions. Prerequisites: three courses in psychology, including Psychology 53, or graduate standing.
133 Psychology and Law. Seminar examining legal system from perspective of experimental psychology. Topics include criminal behavior, police investigations and interrogations, eyewitness performance, child testimony, abuse memory, jury deliberations, and use of psychology in court. Prerequisites: Psychology 13 and 32, or consent. Sommers
134 Interpersonal Conflict and Negotiation. An examination of perspectives in social psychology for understanding the escalation and reduction of conflict. Course emphasizes empirical research approaches to the study of conflict and negotiation techniques, and the nature and functioning of third-party intervention in interpersonal, intergroup, and international settings. Prerequisites: Psychology 13 and 31. Nathanson
136 Stereotypes, Prejudice, Discrimination. Seminar examining social psychological research on stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination. Considers cognitive, affective, motivational, and contextual influences in the context of current and historical events. Prerequisite: Psychology 13 and 31, or consent. Maddox
139 Social Cognition. Seminar examining cognitive processes underlying social thinking and behavior. Explores social cognitive theory and research on topics such as attitudes, attribution, the self, and stereotyping. Prerequisites: Psychology 13 or 28, Psychology 31, or consent. Maddox
140 Mathematical Psychology. Survey of quantitative models and modeling techniques useful in psychology. Prerequisite: Psychology 31 and 32 or equivalent. May be taken by graduate students at the 200 level; see below. Chechile
144 Memory and Retention. Current research on the principles and mechanisms of human ability to retain information. Prerequisite: Psychology 28 or graduate standing, or consent. Chechile
146 Comparative Cognition and Behavior. An advanced course examining the theory and techniques in the comparative analysis of psychological processes in different species. The contributions of evolution and ecology will be examined in the production of similarities and differences in the behavior and cognition of animals. Prerequisite: Psychology 32. Cook
147 Cognition and Individual Differences. Information processing as it relates to individual differences. The connection between cognitive processes and varying levels of intellectual functioning and expertise. Assessment and critique of cognitive research methodologies. Prerequisite: Psychology 1 or consent.
148 Cognitive Neuroscience of Learning and Memory. Advanced seminar on the brain basis of human learning and memory. Topics include amnesia, memory encoding and retrieval, conscious and nonconscious learning and memory, neural plasticity, knowledge representation, and spatiotemporal neuroimaging of brain systems for learning and memory. Prerequisites: Psychology 32 and one of the following: Psychology 25, 26, 29, 103, 124, 129, 144, or Biology 134; or consent. Schendan
149 Psychology of Language. Study of language as a perceptual and cognitive process with particular focus on theory and data as they relate to comprehension, production, and speech perception. Critical examination of contributions of linguistic theory, theories of language learning, and data from areas such as language disorders, cerebral dominance, sociolinguistics, and reading processes. Prerequisite: a course in psychology or consent. Holcomb, Taylor
152 Development of Gender. An examination of perspectives on sex differences (biological) and gender differences (psychosocial). Topics include biology of sex, theories and research on gender acquisition, cross-cultural gender patterns, and current gender issues in Western society. Prerequisite: Psychology 11 or 13, or Child Development 1.
Engineering Psychology 161 Human Factors in Product Design. Material relevant in consumer product design, biomedical engineering, architectural design, and machine design. Topics include design methodologies, user feedback techniques, performance measurements, sensory evaluation techniques, creative design, and prototyping. Extensive individual and group project design work. Emphasis on designing and creativity. Prerequisites: EN 1, 2, Engineering Psychology 61, Psychology 31, 32, 53, and junior standing, or consent. Spring. Cao
181, 182 Supervised Seminar Fieldwork. A didactic and supervisory group seminar for students in field placement. At least twelve hours per week doing supervised clinical work in a mental health facility is required. The presentation of clinical work by students will be the basis of discussion. Prerequisites: Psychology 71 and consent. Harder
196 Seminar in Psychology. Contemporary problems in selected areas of psychology. Prerequisites: three courses in psychology and consent. Members of the department
197, 198 Supervised Reading in Special Topics. Similar to Psychology 97, 98 except that the course is ordinarily available to graduate students and advanced undergraduates, and a critical and original review of the literature is expected. Prerequisite: consent. One credit each. Members of the department
199AT Senior Honors Thesis.
199BT Senior Honors Thesis.
Graduate Core Courses
The following four courses expand the knowledge of beginning graduate students about the major
approaches to the study of behavior. All focus on the fundamental questions in each area
and try to develop the capacity for critical thinking about current theories, hypotheses,
and connections to other areas within psychology. Core courses will be taught on a
rotating basis, each one offered every four semesters.
231 Core Course in Biopsychology. Neuroanatomical, neurophysiological, and neurochemical approaches to the investigation of the biological foundations of animal and human behavior. Readings in the current literature on physiological mechanisms of hunger, sex, aggression, learning and memory, and sleep. DeBold, Kanarek, Miczek
232 Core Course in Cognitive Psychology. An advanced treatment of cognitive psychology, including connections to cognitive neuropsychology, cognitive development, and social cognition. Topics include attention, language, memory, imagery, knowledge representation, problem solving, and decision making. Chechile, Holcomb, Taylor
233 Core Course in Social Psychology. An advanced, graduate-level survey of classic and contemporary approaches to social psychology, including connections with clinical, cognitive, developmental, and personality psychology. Topics to include attribution, social influence, attitude change, social cognition, the social self, and research methods. Maddox
234 Core Course in Developmental Psychology. An advanced overview of current perspectives and issues in developmental psychology. Emphasis will be on development as a process in time and on the determinants and constraints affecting that process. Topics to include neurophysiological development, perceptual-motor development, language acquisition, cognitive development, socio-emotional development, and gender differentiation. Development in animal populations and in non-Western cultures will be considered. Bushnell
Graduate Courses
Please note: 200-level courses are offered once every four semesters where possible.
203 Seminar in Physiological Psychology. Contemporary and historical issues in the relationship between physiology and behavior. Topics change from year to year. Prerequisite: consent. DeBold, Kanarek, Miczek
212 Psychopathology. Research approaches to the etiology, maintenance, and change of abnormal behavior. Prerequisite: consent. Harder, Kuperburg, Shin
213 Contemporary Issues in Social Psychology. Current debate on selected topics in social psychology, with emphasis on such areas as research methodology, analytic approaches, and professional issues. Topics vary by semester. Prerequisite: graduate standing or consent. Ambady, Maddox, Sommers
214 Seminar in Social Psychology. Multidisciplinary approaches to the study of social thought and behavior. Readings and discussions will explore the utility of integrating social-psychological perspectives with other perspectives (e.g., developmental, personality, and clinical) to arrive at a more comprehensive view of human behavior. Topics will vary from year to year. Maddox, Nathanson
218 Developmental Theory and Research. Contemporary problems in developmental psychology related to developmental theory. Prerequisite: consent. Bushnell
240 Mathematical Psychology. Survey of quantitative models and modeling techniques useful in psychology. Prerequisite: graduate standing. Chechile
243 Structure and Process in Cognitive Theory. This seminar focuses on problems of distinguishing between theoretical cognitive structures and processes, and empirical methods for separating structural and processing components of performance in particular cognitive domains. Topics include computation versus search in models of semantic memory; analog versus propositional knowledge representation in models of mental imagery; attention, automaticity, and modularity.
244 Cognition/Learning. Seminar on contemporary issues in the areas of cognition, memory, and learning. Prerequisite: consent. Chechile
247 Cognition. Analysis of experimental data and current theories related to thinking, reasoning, problem solving, language, and communication. Prerequisite: consent.
250 Seminar on Decision Making and Judgment. How people perceive and reason about probability, risk, value, and choice. When and why individuals deviate from the prescriptions of purely rational theories. Prerequisite: graduate standing or consent.
260 Seminar on Teaching in Psychology. This seminar focuses on how to teach and related pedagogical issues. Because it is designed to help prepare students for being a teaching assistant, this course is strongly suggested as the one to take in meeting the master's degree requirements.
261 Seminar on Research/Teaching in Psychology. This seminar focuses on research-related issues. Topics to be covered include, for instance, writing a research article, grant writing and preparation, and laboratory management. The seminar is to work in tandem with meeting the fourth-year writing requirement.
293, 294 Graduate Research. Guided individual experimentation in an approved area. Credit as arranged. Members of the department
295, 296 Thesis. Guided research on a topic that has been approved as a suitable subject for a master's thesis. Members of the department
297, 298 Dissertation. Guided research on a psychological topic suitable for a doctoral dissertation. Credit as arranged. Members of the department
401PT Master's Continuation, Part-time.
402FT Master's Continuation, Full-time.
501PT Doctoral Continuation, Part-time.
502FT Doctoral Continuation, Full-time.