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Department Courses

The list below includes descriptions of all the courses the department offers.  Some courses may be taught more often than others.

Undergraduate Courses

PSYCHOLOGY 1 (Introduction to Psychology)
This course will survey current knowledge of human behavior. It will cover the entire spectrum of behavioral functions and examine the biological, cognitive and social processes that underlie these behaviors. Topics will include the brain and functioning of the nervous system, perception, thinking, learning and memory; conscious and unconscious motivations and emotion; language, intelligence, cognitive, social, and personality development; social perceptions, attitudes and social influence; psychological disorders and their treatment; and mental health. The focus of the course will be on understanding the major theories of human behavior and on understanding the practical and theoretical implications of these positions.

PSYCHOLOGY 9 (Introduction to Cognitive and Brain Science)
Survey of the cognitive, computational and neuronal basis of thought. Topics include the relationship of cognitive and brain systems underlying language, memory, perception, attention, consciousness and development.

PSYCHOLOGY 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. Class will include lectures, demonstrations, and observations of children.
Prerequisite: Psychology 1 or Psychology 9 or Junior/Senior standing.

PSYCHOLOGY 12 (Abnormal Psychology)
An introduction to the adult major psychological and psychiatric disorders. The symptoms and signs of psychosis, affective disorders and anxiety disorders will be discussed. The way these symptoms and signs constellate into various syndromes (e.g. schizophrenia, major depression), as defined in the DSM-IV, will be considered. Finally, for each of these syndromes, an introduction to the etiology (causes) and an overview of biopsychosocial management approaches will be presented.
Prerequisite: Psychology 1 or Psychology 9 or Junior/Senior standing.

PSYCHOLOGY 13 (Introduction to Social Psychology)
Social psychology is the scientific study of the way people think, feel, and behave in social situations. It involves understanding how we influence, and are influenced by, other people and the social contexts around us. A primary goal of this course is to introduce you to the perspectives, research methods, and seminal findings of the field of social psychology. Equally important is the goal of allowing you to cultivate your skills for analyzing the social situations and events that you encounter in your everyday lives. Lectures will be supplemented by classroom demonstrations, discussion, and various assignments.
Prerequisite: Psychology 1 or Psychology 9 or Junior/Senior standing.

PSYCHOLOGY 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 psychotherapy.
Prerequisite: Psychology 1 or Psychology 9 or Junior/Senior standing.

PSYCHOLOGY 15 (Theories of Personality)
This course is an overview of the various classes of personality theory: psychosocial conflict theories (Freud, neo-Freudians, and social learning theorists); intrapsychic conflict theory (Jung); cognitive and self theories (Lewin, Rogers); and role theory (Sarbin, Goffman). The lectures begin with the purposes of theory and the role of genetics in laying the groundwork for personality differences. The goal of the course is to familiarize students with major figures in personality theory so they will enjoy reading critically on their own.
Prerequisite: Psychology 1 or Psychology 9 or Junior/Senior standing.

PSYCHOLOGY 17 (Industrial/Organizational Psychology)
This course examines the roles, contributions and limitations of psychology in business and industrial organizations. Topics will include motivation of employees, classical and current approaches to management, group dynamics and consumer psychology. Students will select a contemporary issue in the field; present an overview to the class and submit a research paper on the topic.
Prerequisite: Junior/Senior standing.

PSYCHOLOGY 18 (Thinking)
An introduction to thinking, focusing on the process and some techniques for improving this skill. Synthetic, analytical, intuitive and critical thinking are covered, as they relate to problem solving, concept formation, decision making and creativity.
Prerequisite: Psychology 1 or Psychology 9 or Junior/Senior standing.

PSYCHOLOGY 25 (Physiological Psychology)
This course will serve as an introduction to the biological basis of behavior. The course will begin by providing a basic understanding of the function of the nervous system. With this knowledge in hand, the physiological basis of behaviors such as hunger, thirst, sex, aggression, sleep, learning and memory will be explored. Special attention will be paid to recent advances in research in the growing area of biopsychology. This course is not meant for Biology or Bio-Psychology majors or for pre-medical students. Those students should take Psychology 103.
Prerequisite: Psychology 1 or Psychology 9 or Junior/Senior standing.

PSYCHOLOGY 26 (Animal Learning and Cognition)
This course is an introduction to the study of cognition in animals. Through lectures and classroom discussion, questions such as the following will be examined. How can and do animals think without language? Do rats use cognitive "maps" to get around their spatial environment? How do bees learn and remember where rich sources of food are located? How do animals communicate information to one another? What do birds and other animals see when they look out at the visual world? The course will survey the fundamental principles and theories of learning and information processing in animals. Topics to be examined will include conditioning and memory processes, orientation in space and time, visual perception, stimulus selection and control, memory, and self-awareness in animals. This course fulfills the 20-level requirement for the advanced course in Animal Learning and Cognition, which also will be offered by Dr. Cook in the Spring.
Prerequisite: Psychology 1 or Psychology 9 or Junior/Senior standing.

PSYCHOLOGY 27 (Perception)
This course will offer an introduction to the processes that transform physical energies (e.g., light, sound, heat) into psychological experiences (e.g., seeing objects, hearing noises, feeling warmth). These processes are crucial for the basic survival of all animal species; understanding them is central to the field of human psychology not only for this reason but because they are prerequisite to the functioning of "higher" psychological processes such as thinking, socializing, playing games, and appreciating art and music. Major emphasis will be on visual perception, but topics such as hearing, speech perception, active touch, pain perception, and the chemical senses will also be covered. Special issues such as the development of perceptual abilities, perception in animals, pathologies of perception, and perception's role in art and music will be incorporated, too. This course fulfills the 20-level requirement for the Psychology Major. For psychology majors, Psychology 27 fulfills the department's requirement that majors take a "20's" level course. Psychology 27 also suffices as a prerequisite to Psychology 41 (the advanced laboratory course in perception and cognition) and other advanced courses on related topics. Psychology 27 can count as a "natural science" course for the basic distribution requirement.
Prerequisite: Psychology 1 or Psychology 9 or Junior/Senior standing.

PSYCHOLOGY 28 (Cognitive Psychology) An introduction to human mental processes. Attention, perception, problem solving, pattern recognition, imagery, memory retention, language comprehension, and knowledge acquisition are examined as fundamental processes of cognition. This course serves as the gateway course to introduce our advanced laboratories and seminar courses in cognition. Lecture and frequent classroom demonstrations.
Prerequisite: Psychology 1 or Psychology 9 or Junior/Senior standing.

Laboratory Courses

PSYCHOLOGY 31 (Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences)
From the behavioral scientist's perspective, statistics are tools that can be used to detect systematic patterns in sets of data, and guide decision- making. In this course you will learn about statistics that allow a researcher to describe and summarize data and distinguish between chance and systematic effects in typical experimental contexts. To facilitate learning through hands-on experience, EACH STUDENT IS REQUIRED TO ENROLL IN ONE OF FOUR LABORATORY SECTIONS. Labs will involve application of the concepts and procedures discussed in class that week, and many will involve use of the SPSS statistical package.
Prerequisite: Psychology 1 or Psychology 9.

Psychology 32 (Experimental Psychology)
This is the basic laboratory course which serves as the prerequisite for the advanced labs. Students will participate in individual and group experiments designed to familiarize them with the research methods and apparatus used in psychological investigations. There are two lectures plus a 2.5-hour laboratory each week. Enrolling in PSY 32A, PSY 32B, or PSY 32C registers you for both the lecture and laboratory components of the course.
Prerequisite: Psychology 31 or Biology 132.

PSYCHOLOGY 36 (Experimental Social Psychology)
This course focuses on the process of designing, conducting, interpreting, and presenting empirical research in social psychology. Students will be exposed to several different methods used in social psychological research, with an emphasis on true experiments. The use of these methods will be illustrated through readings and discussions of classic and contemporary research in social psychology. Class projects will provide students with hands-on experience in implementing these techniques. In the main part of the course, students will form research teams with the task of conducting empirical research on a topic of their choice.
Prerequisites: Psychology 13, 31 and 32.

PSYCHOLOGY 37 (Research Methods in Developmental Psychology)
Why do kids do what they do? How can we know what is going on in an infant's head? How can we find out what preschoolers are thinking about or understand? This laboratory course is designed to build on students' introductory work in developmental psychology by offering "hands on" experience with the special research procedures researchers use to study infants' and children's thinking and behavior. During the semester, we will read about, discuss, design, and conduct research on several different topics, all generally within the area of cognitive development. These topics will illustrate a range of developmental research methods, and we may also have an opportunity to observe some clinical testing and applied work with children as well. Course assignments will include "standard" lab reports, a number of smaller writing assignments, and a variety of practical tasks related to setting up our research projects. Please note that students planning to take Psy 37 must register for both the course and the lab section. We will not always meet the full extent of both of these time blocks, but we will use their full extents during the weeks we are testing children, hence the extra ("bonus?") time requirement.
Prerequisites: Psychology 32 and either CD 1 or Psychology 11.

PSYCHOLOGY 38 (Research Methods in Clinical Psychology)
This course will teach the methods of clinical research as well as provide the experience of analyzing data. We will cover topics such as experimental design, diagnostic reliability, epidemiologic methods, data analysis, and the preparation of research reports. The use of computers in clinical research will be introduced.
Prerequisite: Psychology 31 and either Psychology 12 or Psychology 15.

PSYCHOLOGY 40 (Physiological Psychology Lab)
This laboratory course is designed to introduce students to many of the research techniques employed in physiological psychology. Particular emphasis is placed on the examination of the anatomy and functional dynamics of the central nervous system with respect to behavior. Experiments investigating the physiological basis of feeding behavior, sexual behavior, learning and memory will be conducted. Techniques to be learned will include stereotaxic surgery, electrode implantation, brain stimulation and lesioning, neurohistology, and neurochemical assays. The course will have one lecture meeting and one laboratory session per week.
Prerequisites: Psychology 32 and concurrent or past enrollment in Psychology 25 or 103 .

PSYCHOLOGY 41 (Perception and Cognition Laboratory)
This course will examine mental processing. It will focus on how our minds work when we think, reason, remember, learn, solve problems, perceive objects and understand language. The course will provide an opportunity for participants to learn and use state-of-the-art experimental techniques for studying each of these processes. This experimental work will test current theories of cognitive processing in humans, with particular emphasis on examination of theories and models derived from the fields of cognitive psychology, psycholinguistics, artificial intelligence, philosophy, and cognitive-linguistic-mental disorders.
Prerequisite: Psychology 32 and one of: Psychology 26, 27, 28, 29.

PSYCHOLOGY 42 (EMOTION LABORATORY)
Laboratory course in which students design, conduct, analyze, interpret, and present original experimental research on the nature of human emotion and its regulation. Students obtain hands-on experience using different methods of measuring emotional responses, including subjective ratings, expressive behavior, and autonomic physiology (e.g., heart rate, skin conductance, respiration). Course assignments typically include reading and thinking critically about classic and contemporary research in emotion; developing hypotheses; practical tasks related to carrying out research projects; writing manuscripts in APA format; and oral presentations. Prerequisites: PSY 032 and any 10- or 20-level PSY course.

PSYCHOLOGY 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 may include functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and event-related potentials (ERP) and EEG.
Prerequisite: Psychology 32 and one of: Psychology 25, 29, 103, 124, 129, 148 or Biology 134.

PSYCHOLOGY 46WW (Laboratory in Animal Cognition)
An advanced laboratory course familiarizing the student with the methods and strategies used to study cognition in animals. Several experiments examining an important topic area in animal cognition will be conducted over the semester. The course consists of weekly class discussions and analyses of the ongoing experiments and their relations to other experiments in the area. These discussions will result in several APA-style write-ups of the experiments as they progress over the semester. Besides regular class meetings, all students need to be prepared to spend time outside of class to conduct the experimental sessions.
Prerequisite: Psychology 26 (or consent of instructor) and 32.
This is a Writing Workshop course. Learn more about WW courses >

PSYCHOLOGY 48 (Psychopharmacology Lab)
This laboratory course provides direct, pre-clinical experience with experimental strategies and methods in psychopharmacology, using animal subjects. Students will investigate how drugs affect various behavior patterns and how behavioral processes can be elucidated using drugs as research tools. Topics may include experimental procedures demonstrating the effects of drugs on motor and sensory process, behavioral measures of memory, anxiety, depression and psychosis, and the self-administration of drugs by animals. Using the mastery teaching method, students will recreate classic experiments and ready themselves for independent research in psychopharmacology.
Prerequisite: Concurrent or previous Psychology 123.

PSYCHOLOGY 49 (Psychophysiology Lab)
This laboratory course is designed to introduce students to some of the procedures used to study the electrophysiological manifestation of psychological processes in humans. Particular emphasis is placed on the use of brain wave techniques (EEG and event-related brain potentials - ERPs). Techniques to be learned will include application of electrodes, use of computers in collecting electrophysiological data and quantification of electrophysiological data. Students enrolled in this course will conduct their own brain wave experiments on human subjects.
Prerequisite: Psychology 32 and one of: Psychology 25, 29, 103, or 129 or Biology 134.

PSYCHOLOGY 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, and racism in the medical field.
Prerequisite: Psychology 1 or Psychology 9 or Junior/Senior standing.

PSYCHOLOGY 53 (Engineering Psychology)
Survey of the applied areas of psychology which have proven useful in the design of equipment for human use and in the design of man-machine systems. This course is offered at a beginning or survey level and is conducted as a lecture course with a current text book for readings. The content is basically psychological, but the emphasis is on how psychological knowledge can be applied in the design or organization of machines, equipment or systems intended for human use. Examples are drawn from a wide range of areas. Most of the students in the course will be majoring in Engineering Psychology but non-majors are welcome and typically come from Biology, Psychology, Economics, Sociology, Physics, Pre-meds and from the Engineering departments.
Prerequisite: Psychology 1 or Psychology 9 or Junior/Senior standing.

PSYCHOLOGY 55 (Human Sexual Behavior)
Sex and sexuality are topics which are studied in many different ways. This course reflects that diversity by considering the biological, developmental, clinical and social aspects of sex and sexuality. Topics will include cross-cultural surveys of sexual behavior, sexual differentiation, sexual physiology, contraception, STDs, sexual dysfunction and therapy, sexual orientation, gender, and various legal issues that revolve around sexual topics.
Prerequisite: none, but Psychology 1 or Psychology 9 is recommended.

PSYCHOLOGY 56 (Drugs and Behavior) Introductory examination of how drugs, toxins, food additives, and other chemicals alter human behavior. Topics may include historical 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 Psychology 9 or Junior/Senior standing.

PSYCHOLOGY 57 (Nutrition and Behavior) Introduction to the interaction between nutrition and behavior. Nutritional variables that may influence psychological functioning; effects of specific nutrients on behavior. Specific topics to be cover 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. This course is not designed for students with a background in biology. Those students should take Psychology 128.
Prerequisite: Psychology 1 or Psychology 9 or Junior/Senior standing.

PSYCHOLOGY 58 (Psychology of Sports) The purpose of this course is to provide students with an introduction to the application of general psychological theories to sports, and to sensitize students to the special needs and issues of athletes. An equal emphasis will be placed upon theory, research, and applied sport psychology.
Prerequisite: Psychology 1 or Psychology 9 or Junior/Senior standing.

PSYCHOLOGY 60 (Principles of Successful and Failed Leadership) The role of the person, the situation, and their interaction in leadership; characteristics of successful and failed leaders; why intelligent and educated people often fail in leadership; applying principles of leadership to leadership everyday situations; leadership as a decision; the roles of intelligence, creativity, and wisdom in leadership; the roles of skills and attitudes in leadership.

Psy64 (INTRODUCTION TO LINGUISTICS)
(Cross-listed as Phil15 and LING 15.) How humans encode language in their brains, so that they can produce and understand an unlimited variety of utterances in context. Language and other forms of communication; how children acquire language; biological basis of language; the structure of language -- phonology (sound structure), syntax (grammatical structure), and semantics (meaning).

Psy65 (PHONOLOGICAL THEORY)
(Cross-listed as LING 65). An introduction to phonological analysis -- the study of the sound patterns of the world's languages. Topics will include the structure of phonological representations (features, syllables, metrical structure), cross-linguistic universals, and how abstract phonological competence is related to articulatory and perceptual processes. Analysis of primary linguistic data and introduction to current debates in phonological theory.
Prerequisites: PSY 64, PHIL 15, LING 15, CD 143, or consent.

PSYCHOLOGY 80 (The Psychology of Music) (Cross-listed as Music 16)
Examination of a wide rage 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.
Prerequisite: Some basic music background.

PSYCHOLOGY 81 (Introduction to Linguistics)

PSYCHOLOGY 91, 92 (formerly PSYCHOLOGY 21/22) (Research in Psychology)
Designed for students who wish to participate in an ongoing program research. The student is expected to do background reading relevant the research and to participate in as many phases of the research possible.
Prerequisites: Two psychology courses, sophomore standing, consent of supervising faculty member.

PSYCHOLOGY 99 (Internship in Psychology)
Students may obtain psychology department credit for internships at various off campus settings such as laboratories, hospitals, clinics, and schools. Of course, to receive credit in this course the work at the internship must be primarily psychological. (Credit may be obtained through All College 99 if the internship is not primarily psychological but is otherwise academically sound.) Course work relevant to the internship should precede it. Each participant in Psychology 99 must be sponsored by a faculty member in the psychology department who will judge the appropriateness of the internship for psychology credit. A minimum of 12 hours per week for the internship, as well as some written work, is required. The course must be taken Pass/Fail but still may be used as an elective in fulfilling the psychology concentration.
Prerequisites: Sophomore standing, prior course work relevant to the internship, and permission of a Psychology Department faculty member.

Undergraduate & Graduate Courses

PSYCHOLOGY 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, or consent of the instructor.

PSYCHOLOGY 105 (Psychoanalysis)
Development and evolution of psychoanalytic psychology from its beginnings to the present. Topics include: unconscious motivation; dreams; personality development and dynamics; ego psychology, object relations theory and self-psychology; dynamics of symptom formation; treatment approaches; and critique of psychoanalytic theories and methods. Emphasis on psychoanalysis as a developmental psychology and relationship to general psychology. Psychoanalytic theories of personality development, psychopathology and treatment have had significant impact upon hypothesis development, theory, research and clinical application in general psychology. Psychoanalysis is also often a focus of significant critique from other approaches. However, psychoanalysis is rarely taught as a body of thought from original sources. This course aims to provide upper level psychology majors and interested graduate students (as well as upper level students in other areas) sufficient background to be able to understand the impact of psychoanalysis on general psychology and evaluate its heuristic usefulness.
Prerequisite: One of: Psychology 11, 12, 14, 15; CD 9, 61.

PSYCHOLOGY 106 (Seminar in Clinical Psychology)
Most of this course will focus on the various theories and techniques of psychotherapy through readings and case studies. Other aspects of clinical psychology such as psychological assessment, professional ethics, and pathways towards becoming a psychotherapist will also be considered. Students will be responsible for active participation in a seminar format.
Prerequisites: Psychology 12 and 31 or 71.

PSYCHOLOGY 107 (Advanced Statistics I)
Introduction to probability theory and the logical basis of statistical inference. Binomial and normal models are examined. Analysis of variance models are introduced with consideration of their implication in research design. Some nonparametric tests are considered.
Prerequisite: Psychology 31 or CD 193 or graduate standing.

PSYCHOLOGY 108 (Advanced Statistics II)
This course builds upon the material covered in Psychology 107 (Advanced Statistics I). The bulk of the course will focus on ANOVA and regression models appropriate for the analysis of a variety of experimental designs. In addition, we will overview a range of multivariate and nonparametric techniques.
Prerequisite: Psychology 107.

PSYCHOLOGY 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.

PSYCHOLOGY 110 (Computers in Psychology)
This is a hands-on course in the use of microcomputers in the modern psychological laboratory. In the first third you will learn the "C" programming language, with particular emphasis placed on applications useful to psychologists. In the second third you will learn about the "insides" of the microcomputer; for example, how to interface a microcomputer to the outside world and how to control and read external devices with a microcomputer. The last third of the course will be devoted to learning several microcomputer packages that are useful in psychological experiments, including: spreadsheets, database managers, and statistical routines.
Prerequisite: Psychology 31 or consent of the instructor.

PSYCHOLOGY 111 (Socialization: Children's Groups)
This course is designed to meld developmental and social factors to account for how children's groups work. The approach to groups starts with the infant and caretaker as the first group as the key to the reciprocal rules that control social interaction. Preschool and grade school groups are the focus. Friendship, popularity, and aggression in children's groups will be studied.
Prerequisite: Psychology 31 and either Psychology 11 or CD 1.

PSYCHOLOGY 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 or consent.

PSYCHOLOGY 113 (formerly PSYCHOLOGY 114)(Advanced Social Psychology)
The purpose of this class is to provide an overview of social psychological theory and research dealing with gender, ethnicity and race. The goal of the class is to (1) provide the student the chance to read and discuss a selected sample of literature on the psychology of gender, ethnicity and race; (2) stimulate critical appraisal of past and present psychological theory and research on issues involving gender, ethnicity, and race; (3) generate hypotheses and a research proposal derived from a careful existing literature; and (4) promote a thoughtful analysis of existing gender, ethnicity, and race theories and issues, including; identity, stereotypes, prejudices, discrimination. Requirements: In response to the assigned readings students will write 1 page reaction papers. They will also be required to write a 12-page final paper. 50% of the grade will be determined by in class participation which includes the reaction papers. The remaining 50% will be determined by the final paper.
Prerequisite: Psychology 13 and 31 or consent.

PSYCHOLOGY 116 (Assessment of Individual Differences)
Analysis of 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 permission of instructor

PSYCHOLOGY 118 (Topics in Infancy)
This course is a seminar in which selected aspects of mental and social development during infancy are examined. Topics of study change from year to year; this spring the course will investigate current thinking and research about selected aspects of early perceptual, motor, and cognitive development. Are young infants confronted with a "blooming, buzzing confusion" (William James) as they enter and engage with the world of objects and events, or should we characterize them instead as "Competent Neonates" or "Scientists in the Crib" (recent book titles)? During the semester, we will look in depth at 3-4 selected topics, reading original research articles and theory papers on each and trying to weigh the evidence. For example, topics examined in the past have included speech perception; perception and knowledge of number; perception and knowledge of causality; early word learning; learning to reach, crawl, and walk; thinking ahead or "planning"; thinking back or "remembering"; perception and knowledge of different kinds of objects (e.g., animate versus inanimate), and so on. Class format and course work will include student presentations and discussions centered around reaction papers. The course is appropriate for juniors, seniors, and graduate students with some background in either developmental or cognitive psychology. Please note that Psy 118B is a separate, companion course to Psy 118A, not an alternate section; that is, students who have taken Psy 118A may also take and receive credit for 118B (and vice-versa).
Prerequisite: Psychology 11 or 27 or 28 or CD 1.

PSYCHOLOGY 119 (Family Dynamics and Therapy)
This course examines theories and research relating to family dynamics and treatment. The perspective taken will be that of the family as a system, exploring the forces within the family that lead to, and inhibit, change and conflict. We will examine what makes some families get "stuck" and how various treatment approaches attempt to free them up, and how particular family styles are associated with particular difficulties (e.g., delinquency, anorexia, schizophrenia).
Prerequisite: Psychology 12.

PSYCHOLOGY 120 (Project Study in Human Systems) (Cross-listed as Engineering Psychology 120)
A project-oriented course led by faculty from engineering and psychology, with invited lecturers. Students will participate in team fashion in defining some human-centered problems and then developing, testing, and implementing solutions. Examples of such problems are safety acceptability of an auto and its driver considered as a complete man-machine system, practical development of human-factored products. Each team will be encouraged to seek practical problems of importance. This is a project oriented course that brings Engineering and Liberal Arts students, majoring in Engineering Psychology, together to work on a Human Factors project. Projects change each year but the process which runs from proposal to final presentation is the same. The students are mostly upper-class or graduate students from both sides of the Human Factors discipline.
Prerequisites: Junior standing and consent.

PSYCHOLOGY 123 (Psychopharmacology)
This course introduces the systematic study of the processes by which drugs alter behavior, primarily under experimental conditions. The main theme of the course will be to learn how drugs, in concert with environmental events, influence behavior via biochemical mechanisms. The objectives of this course are: (1) to provide background in experimental psychology and pharmacology necessary for an introduction to clinical and pre-clinical psychopharmacology, (2) to provide an overview of major areas of research in behavioral pharmacology in lectures, (sleep, appetite, sex, aggression, memory, sensation and hallucination, drug abuse, anxiety, depression and psychosis), (3) to analyze and critique selected classic and contemporary research articles in various areas of behavioral pharmacology. The course begins with introducing the neuropharmacological and behavioral foundations and then focuses on weekly topics, as listed above.
Prerequisite: Psychology 25 or 103.

PSYCHOLOGY 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. 

PSYCHOLOGY 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: Any 10- or 20-level course.

PSYCHOLOGY 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 or 30; Biology 130; or permission of instructor.
May be taken for 200-level graduate credit with permission.

PSYCHOLOGY 128 (Advanced Seminar in Nutrition and Behavior) (Cross-listed as Nutrition 128)
During the past decade, there has been an increasing awareness of the interaction between nutrition and behavior. To examine this interaction, two general themes will be pursued. First, we will investigate the effects of nutritional variables on brain functioning and behavior. Second, we will study the influence of psychological variables in determining nutritional status. Specific topics to be covered include: the effects of protein-caloric malnutrition on brain development and intellectual functioning; obesity and other eating disorders; food additives and behavior; the role of brain mechanisms in determining nutritional intake; and the importance of vitamins and minerals for behavioral functioning. The background of students in this course tends to be varied, which provides for very interesting and provocative classroom discussions.
Prerequisite: Psychology 31 or Biology 132 or Community Health 54.

PSYCHOLOGY 129 (Cognitive Neuropsychology)
In this course we will discuss research and theories concerned with understanding the relationship between cognitive processes and the underlying brain systems responsible for these processes. These will include studies in the areas of: memory, attention, development and language.
Prerequisite: Psychology 32 and one of: Psychology 9, 25, 27, 28, or 29.

PSYCHOLOGY 130 (Advanced Engineering Psychology)
This course is intended for students who have already had an introduction to engineering psychology and wish to learn more about selected topics in the area. The course is run in a seminar format, with students selecting topics of interest, doing library research and presenting in class those studies and issues they have found as their work progresses. In their presentation students will put together all they have found in a "state-of-the-art" summary for their particular topic.
Prerequisite: Psychology 53 or graduate standing.

PSYCHOLOGY 131 (Cognitive Neuropsychology)
Cognitive Neuropsychology aims to understand the nature of cognitive processes, mostly by using data from brain-damaged individuals to inform theories of normal cognition. The course focus on the methodology by which one may use patterns of impaired performance to determine the cognitive locus of an impairment. Topics will include the anatomy and vasculature of the brain, the philosophical logic of single patient vs. multiple patient case studies, as well as cognitive neuropsychological contributions to theories of spoken and written language processing, vision, attention, and somatosensation.

PSYCHOLOGY 133 (Psychology & Law)
This course will focus on applications of psychology to the study of the legal system. Drawing on theory and research from a range of areas within psychology (cognitive, developmental, clinical, and physiological, with a particular emphasis on social psychology), we will examine a variety of topics, including: criminal behavior; police interrogations and suspect confessions; lie detection; eyewitness performance; children as witnesses; persuasion in the courtroom and jury decision-making; the insanity defense. Class will consist of guest speakers, lectures, and demonstrations, but will rely heavily on student-led discussion of assigned readings.
Prerequisite: Any 10- or 20-level Psychology course.

PSYCHOLOGY 135 (Leadership & Group Dynamics)
This advanced social psychology seminar familiarizes students with models of leadership and leadership styles, and examines the influence of group processes on effective leadership. Group behaviors such as communication, use of power, performance, decision-making and conflicts are tested in light of changes in organizations and cross-cultural perspectives. Through class exercises, simulations, demonstrations and class presentations students will have the chance to gain perspective on their own leadership skills and improve their interactions in groups.
Perquisites: Psy 13 or permission of instructor

PSYCHOLOGY 136 (Stereotypes, Prejudice & Discrimination Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination)
History is replete with examples of differential beliefs about and treatment of others based on group membership. This is an advanced course in social psychology where we will examine a social psychological perspective on stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination. In particular, this course emphasizes how a social cognition perspective in social psychology has informed our understanding of the formation, maintenance, and expression of stereotypes. In addition, we'll examine the implications that stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination have for stigmatized individuals' thoughts, behavior, and outcomes. The goal of the course is to develop students' understanding of how stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination operate in human relations.
Prerequisite: Psychology 32 and any 10- or 20-level Psychology course.

PSYCHOLOGY 138 (Family Interaction)
The focus of the course is on the family and the patterns of interaction between/among family members as units of analysis. Students are introduced to the relevant theories of family interaction and to methodologies for studying families. An additional focus is on the family as an ever changing phenomenon within the larger culture with attention given to the ways in which families both facilitate and accommodate to developmental changes, divorce and family reorganization, substance abuse and other relevant issues. The question of what differentiates healthy family functioning from dysfunction is addressed at the level of theory, research and clinical practice. In addition to designing their own research, students work in groups to conduct live family interviews.
Prerequisite: Psychology 13 or 71 or consent of instructor.

PSYCHOLOGY 139 (Social Cognition)
Psychologists interested in social cognition seek to examine the cognitive processes underlying human thought and interaction. This is an advanced course in social psychology where we will focus on a limited number of topics compared to that typically covered in an introductory social psychology course. The goal of the course is to help you to become more fluent in the issues in social cognition research.
Prerequisite: Psychology 32 and any 10- or 20-level Psychology course.

PSYCHOLOGY 140 (Mathematical Psychology)
Mathematical psychology deals with the use of mathematical methods as a means to understand basic psychological processes. Models for learning, memory, perception, classification, and decision making are just a few examples of mathematical psychology. The course is mainly a seminar, but there will be some lecture to establish the foundations. Students will be encouraged to explore mathematical psychology within the topic of their choice.
Prerequisite: Psychology 31 or equivalent or consent.

PSYCHOLOGY 142 (Seminar in Affective Neuroscience)
Advanced seminar on the systems-level brain bases of emotion. Topics usually include basic theories of emotion, positive and negative affect, hemispheric asymmetries, emotional memory, emotion regulation, and selected topics in common forms of psychopathology such as depression and anxiety.
Prerequisites: Psychology 32 and one Psychology course from the following: PSY 12, 13, 25, 26, 28, or 29.

PSYCHOLOGY 144 (Memory and Retention)
This seminar course explores a wide range of topics associated with memory functioning. Topics include: basic memory dynamics, memory organization, imagery, pattern recognition, effects of encoding, memory development, storage and retrieval components of forgetting, amnesias ( infantile, post-hypnotic, retrograde, anterograde), memory suppression, false-memory syndrome, Alzheimer's dementia, and other effects of brain injury on memory.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or one of: Psychology 9, 26, 27, 28, 29.

PSYCHOLOGY 145 (Mental Representation)
This seminar-based course will explore how we mentally represent information and how we use this information. Topics will include mental representation formats, acquiring and updating mental representations, internal and external influences on mental representations, distortions and errors in representations, how mental representations are used across contexts, and atypical mental representations (e.g. synesthesia, savants)
Prerequisites: Psychology 26, 27, 28, or 29.

PSYCHOLOGY 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.

PSYCHOLOGY 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 Psychology 9.

PSYCHOLOGY  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.

PSYCHOLOGY 149 (Psychology of Language)
Language is paramount among the capacities that characterize humans. We hold language as a marker of our humanity and by understanding language, we assume that we will understand something important about ourselves. In this course we will ask, and try to answer questions such as the following: Is our capacity for language a biological endowment unique to the human species? How do we produce and understand sentences? What might cause us to fail at either task? What is meaning, and how does language express it? How do social situations change our language use?
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or any 2 courses in Psychology.

PSYCHOLOGY 150 (SEMANTICS)
(Cross-listed as Phil 111 and LING 113.) The structure of meaning as it is encoded in human language and processed by the human brain. Mentalistic theories of sense and reference; word meanings; combining word meanings into phrasal meanings; aspects of meaning not conveyed by words.
Prerequisites: PHIL 15, PSY 64 or LING 15 or permission of instructor.

PSYCHOLOGY 151 (Syntactic Theory)
Syntactic theory, the study of grammatical structure, is the core subcomponent of contemporary linguistics. Topics of the course include: Syntactic categories, phase structure, long-distance dependencies, the balance between grammar and lexicon and between syntax and semantics, syntactic universals, and the innate predispositions required for children to learn the syntactic structure of their native languages. Multiple theoretical approaches will be compared.
Prerequisites: Introduction to Linguistics (Phil 91-2/Psy 81-1/CD 143-7) or consent of the instructor.

PSYCHOLOGY 152 (The Psychology of Bilingualism)
In most of the world knowledge and use of more than one language in daily life is the norm. Even in the U.S. where English is the dominant language, there is a growing awareness that knowledge of a second language is essential to our competitiveness in an increasingly interactive world and likely has certain cognitive benefits including improved executive functioning and protection against cognitive aging. This seminar explores bilingualism from the perspective of psychology. Among the topics discussed are: the bilingual brain, developmental bilingualism, second language acquisition, bilingual memory, social and cognitive implications of bilingualism, and the interaction of a bilingual's languages at the cognitive level.
Prerequisites: Psychology 32 and any other Psychology course or consent.

PSYCHOLOGY 153 (BIOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS OF LANGUAGE)
(Cross-listed as LING 153 and Phil 110). Is the human ability to learn and use language a specialized cognitive capacity encoded in the genome, or is it just a consequence of having a large brain? Addresses the evidence bearing on this question, based on the character of language, language learning, and language disability. The degree to which the language faculty draws on other cognitive capacities, the relation of language to forms of animal communication, and hypotheses about the evolution of the language faculty.
Prerequisites: Psy64/PHIL 15, or consent.

PSYCHOLOGY 154 (Psychosis)
A seminar course focusing on the symptoms of psychosis such as hallucinations, delusions and thought disorder and psychotic disorders (schizophrenia and bipolar disorder). Examination of psychotic phenomena and disorders from multiple theoretical perspectives: clinical diagnosis, etiology and pathogenesis, genetics, neurochemistry, cognitive psychology, and cognitive neuroscience, including neuroimaging.
Prerequisites (for undergraduates): (a) Psychology 12 (b) Psychology 32 or 38 and (c) Psychology 29 or another course covering human neuroanatomy and/or neurochemistry (d) consent.

PSYCHOLOGY 159 (Emotion, Stress, and Health)
Survey of the psychological and biological underpinnings of emotion and stress. Topics usually include theories of emotion and stress; the influence of culture, cognition, and social relationships; the role of the endocrine, immune, peripheral and central nervous systems; stress-related disease and stress management. Prerequisites: One course chosen among PSY 12, 13, 25, 26, 28, or 29.

PSYCHOLOGY 181, 182 (Supervised Field Work Seminar)
This is a unique opportunity in which senior Psychology/clinical Majors participate in a year-long internship in psychiatry or psychology clinics and/or mental health/human service facilities in the Boston area. Students spend 12-16 hours per week at their placement for two semesters. Some opportunities for clinical research are also offered that may be particularly helpful for students who are interested in PhD Clinical Psychology programs. Each week, students meet as a group with their professor. In these seminars, their clinical and clinical research experiences are discussed and analyzed; students present clinical work and case histories of individual clients and patients; all aspects of diagnosis and clinical management (ranging from psychotherapy to medication) are discussed. By the end of this seminar, students will gain important insights into clinical work and research in a range of mental health/human service settings. This is an ideal opportunity for students interested in medical school, clinical psychology graduate programs, clinical research and all other careers involving work within the field of mental health and related disciplines.
Prerequisite: Declaration of Clinical Psych major, Seniors only, Psychology 12, 71 (if at all possible), and Psychology 38 or 106 or 32.

PSYCHOLOGY 191, 192 (formerly PSYCHOLOGY 121, 122) (Independent Research: Projects in Psychology)
Advanced students have the opportunity to work out the design and execution of a research study. Students generally produce a written document describing their work; often this is a published article. Students must get prior consent of the supervising professor.
Prerequisites: Consent of a faculty member. Psychology 32 is ordinarily required prior to this course.

PSYCHOLOGY 196 (Seminar in Psychology)
Contemporary problems in selected areas of psychology. Check each semester's course booklet for details.

PSYCHOLOGY 196-01 (Music, Language and the Brain)
This advanced seminar will compare music and language, two characteristically human forms of communication that use complex sound sequences. How much overlap exists between the mental processes involved in these domains, and how does this overlap bear on theoretical and practical issues in cognitive science? Topics will include: rhythm, melody, and syntax. The class format will combine lecture (background information on a topic), discussion, and student presentations of existing research papers.
Prerequisites: Psychology 64, 9 or 80, and one other language course or consent.

PSYCHOLOGY 196-02 (Social Identity, Stigma and Coping)
People who are targeted by stereotypes and prejudice experience the world in unique ways. This course investigates the psychological consequences of stereotypes for victims and examines how targets of prejudice actively cope with being members of devalued social groups. We will discuss short- and long-term outcomes for people who possess devalued social identities, including the development of strategies to protect well-being in the face of discrimination. In addition, we will discuss situational and interpersonal factors that facilitate versus undermine victims’ efforts to speak out about discrimination. This course will place an emphasis on empirical research and on teaching students how to interpret and critique research in social psychology.
Prerequisites: Psychology 13 and 32.

PSYCHOLOGY 197, 198 (Supervised Reading in Special Topics in Psychology)
This course requires that the student make arrangements with a professor to supervise the semester's work.

PSYCHOLOGY 199 (Senior Honors Thesis)
If you plan to do an honor's thesis, you must sign up for PSYCHOLOGY 199 both Fall and Spring of your senior year. Discuss this with a faculty sponsor.

The Student's Guide to Writing Workshop (WW) Courses

Writing Workshop courses or sections meet an extra fifty minutes each week, allowing students to gain a more thorough understanding of course material and to improve their writing. Writing Workshop courses generally require no additional formal written assignments. Instead, students do more informal, un-graded writing in order to develop questions about course material, examine and refine their thinking, and share their ideas with the instructor and fellow students. When appropriate, instructors may also concentrate upon the more formal aspects of writing and public speaking.

In addition, Writing Workshop courses and sections provide

• opportunities to meet with the course instructor and other students in a small group to discuss issues that are particularly interesting or confusing.
• opportunities to get to know the instructor and fellow students.
• opportunities to become better prepared for the working world by developing critical thinking, writing, and speaking skills.

Writing Workshop courses are recorded on student transcripts, although students do not receive extra credit for participation.

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