Course Catalog

Psychology

101. Introduction to Psychology.
The basic concepts and methods of psychology are examined. The biological, behavioral, cognitive, humanistic and psychodynamic orientations are studied as they contribute to some areas of specialization within the field and to an understanding of human processes. Cornerstone 3. Three hours.

190. Special Topics in Psychology.

201. Human Growth and Development.
Growth and development of the individual from conception through adulthood are examined emphasizing physical, cognitive, and social factors influencing personality formation and behavior. Attention is given to relevant research and theory concerning physical and social growth, cognitive and moral development, play, and parenting. (Not open to those who have received credit for Education 165). Same as Social Work 201. Prerequisite: Psychology 101. Three hours.

210. Statistics for the Social Sciences.
An introduction to statistical techniques that are applicable to the disciplines of majors in the departments of Education, Psychology and Sociology and Criminal Justice. Topics include scales of measurement, measurement of central tendency and variability, parametric probability distributions (normal and “t”), hypothesis testing and confidence intervals, linear regression and correlation, non-parametric probability distributions (Chi square, Mann-Whitney, binomial sign test), and choosing the appropriate technique. (Not open to those who have received credit for Math/Economics 201). Same as Sociology 210. Prerequisites: One of the following: Math 105/105T, Math 130/130T, Math ACT of 22 or higher, or Math SAT of 530 or higher. Cornerstone 2B. Three hours.

213. Experimental Methodology.
An examination of psychological methods of research design, data collection and analysis that involves lectures as well as research projects. Prerequisite: Psychology/Sociology 210. Three hours.

219. Employment Experience in Psychology.

220. Psychology of Women.
This course introduces current topics in psychology that are particularly relevant to women, with an emphasis not only on gender differences, but also on similarities. Discussion will center on psychological issues related to the treatment, study, and roles of women. Topics such as language, sexrole socialization, achievement and motivation, and women’s health issues will be discussed within a developmental and experimental framework. Cornerstone 6. Three hours.

222. Social Psychology.
Consideration of individuals in their social context. Attention is given to such topics as aggression, affiliation, attitudes, social influences, prejudice, social judgment, and the dynamics of small groups. Same as Sociology 222. Prerequisite: Psychology 101 and at least one other psychology or sociology course. Three hours.

231. Animal Behavior.
This course will explore the behavioral diversity found throughout the animal kingdom. We will compare the adaptations of a variety of different species, examining topics ranging from honeybee communication via “dancing,” to the mysteries of mate preferences, to the evolution of parental favoritism. An interdisciplinary perspective is emphasized, and this course will cover research from the areas of psychology, biology, neuroscience, evolution, ecology, genetics, and sociobiology. Prerequisite: Sophomore status. Three hours.

233. Biological Psychology.
This course will explore the biological basis of behavior, explaining how understanding biology helps us to better comprehend the psychological issues we encounter in everyday life. We will examine how behavior both influences and is influenced by our physiology, and how both have been shaped over the course of evolution. Students will leave this course with a deeper understanding of the brain’s inner workings and of the biological processes underlying such behaviors as drug addiction, aggression and altruism, sexual and parental behavior, consciousness and sleep, emotion and personality, learning and memory, and various psychological disorders. Prerequisite: Psychology 101 or Biology 110 or 111. Three hours.

237. Cognitive Psychology.
An introduction to cognitive psychology, which investigates the processes involved in acquiring and utilizing knowledge. Topics include attention, memory, problem solving, language, concept formation and reasoning. Prerequisite: Psychology 101, or consent of instructor. Three hours.

250. Abnormal Psychology.
A descriptive and explanatory survey of the major behavior disorders of adults and children. The DSM diagnosis, etiology, clinical pictures, and epidemiology are explored from various theoretical perspectives. Prerequisite: Psychology 101. Three hours.

290. Special Topics in Psychology.

319. Internship in Psychology.

328. Psychometrics.
This course provides a survey of the concepts of psychological measurement that are consistently relied upon across the various disciplines of psychology. Discussion will center on concepts relating to various types of reliability and validity in all types of psychological testing. The role of psychological tests in different disciplines within psychology (e.g., intellectual assessment, ability testing, interest and career assessment, psychophysiological measures, personality testing, and measurement in industry) and related ethical and professional issues will be explored. Prerequisite: Psychology 101 and Psychology/ Sociology 210. Three hours.

329. Cognitive Neuroscience.
Every process that goes on in the mind has physiological underpinnings, and unlocking the secrets of learning, memory, and perception as they are supported by neurons and neural connections is a longstanding and elusive problem in psychology. Through this class students will gain a working understanding of brain processes and relevant contemporary theories that support such processing. The best understanding of any cognitive process or clinical disorder comes from approaching the issue from multiple perspectives. Therefore, we will seek understanding from the standpoint of normal functioning as measured via such physiological techniques as fMRI and PET as well as disrupted functioning as evidenced from deficits due to brain injury, stroke and congenital abnormalities. Prerequisite: Psychology 233 or Biology 111. Three hours.

331. Learning and Motivation.
A survey of the general as well as uniquely human principles of learning and motivation. Consideration is given to the relationship between learning and motivation. Prerequisites: Psychology 101, 213, and Psychology 231 or 233, or consent of the instructor. Three hours.

335. Human Motivation.
A survey of motivational concepts applicable to animal and human behavior. Psychological drives, learned incentives, brain mechanisms, and human social cognitive motivations are emphasized. The application of these concepts to human functioning is considered. Prerequisite: Psychology 101 and Biology 104, or 105, or consent of the instructor. Three hours.

336. Sensation and Perception.
How do we use our senses to obtain meaningful
information about the world around us? How do we identify events by listening to sounds? How do we perceive the texture of objects via touch? How do smell and taste together provide information about flavor? In this course we will seek to understand the complex processes that underlie these questions by examining how sensory information is transformed, reduced, elaborated, stored, recovered, and used in meaningful perception. We will review both historical and contemporary theory and experimentation. We will examine behavior, anatomical structure of sensory systems, and neurophysiology. In addition, we will explore the applications of many of these topics as they pertain to life and, where applicable, examine what we can learn about normal function through impairment (brain damage). Prerequisite: Psychology 237 or 233 or Biology 111. Three hours.

338. Human Memory.
The taste of your grandmother’s cookies, the best birthday gift you ever received, the capitals of all 50 states, what you had for breakfast this morning, the label “banana” linked with a yellow tubular object… these are the memories that make-up your ongoing life experience. Memory helps us to feel comfortable among familiar people and places, it defines our sense of self, and it gives us a framework for the future. Many people think that memory is a “thing” that they have, like blue eyes or large feet; instead, it is a constructive process that describes remembering. In this course we will explore the basic phenomena and theories of human memory (e.g. attention, working memory, long-term memory, false memory, emotion & memory). We will examine memory from a number of viewpoints, including behavioral, neuropsychological, and physiological. The material will be presented from an empirical perspective, emphasizing the relationship between data and theory in human memory research in order to illustrate the difference between conclusions based on scientific research and untested folk wisdom. Prerequisite: Psychology 237 or 233 or Biology 111. Three hours.

339. Behavioral Medicine.
A survey of the experimental basis and clinical application of psychological techniques used to treat human problems whose psychological basis largely has been overlooked in the past. Topics such as health appraisal, pain management, physiology of stress, reduction of stress, biofeedback, and physiological measurement are considered. Prerequisite: Psychology 101. Biology 104, or 105, or 225 recommended. Three hours.

340. History of Psychology.
A survey of the philosophical origins of psychology as an independent scientific discipline, with emphasis upon developments in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Traditional and contemporary approaches to learning, behavior, and personality are examined. Prerequisite: Psychology 101, 213, plus one 300-level psychology or philosophy course. Three hours.

342. Theories of Personality.
A survey of classical and contemporary theories, including person-centered, psychodynamic, trait, and cognitive approaches. Attention is given to the historical roots, authors and philosophical implications of each theory. Prerequisites: Psychology 101 and at least one other course in psychology. Three hours.

344. Theories of Psychotherapy.
Theory and practice of selected contemporary or historically important approaches to psychotherapy, including the psychodynamic, existential-humanistic, group, person-centered, behavioral/cognitive, rational-emotive, and gestalt therapies. Attention given to relevant professional and personal ethical issues. Prerequisites: Psychology 101, 250, plus one other 200- or 300-level psychology course. Three hours.

345. Philosophy of Science.
This class will cover some of the fundamental questions in the philosophy of scientific inquiry, including the following: What precisely is the scientific method and does it gradually reveal the truth about the natural world (including human beings), does scientific method and reason involve value judgments in any way, what does it mean to construct a scientific theory, and how does scientific reasoning relate to other kinds of inquiry. Same as Phil 345. Cornerstone 4A. Three hours.

347. Social Cognition.
Social cognition is the study of how people think about others and themselves. This course will examine theory and research to answer questions such as the following: How do people identify the causes of others’ behavior? How do people form and change their attitudes? How does persuasion work to change people’s attitudes and behaviors? How do stereotypes and prejudice influence people’s thoughts and behaviors? To what extent can we control our own thinking and to what extent do stereotypes and persuasive messages influence us automatically, without our own conscious control? Prerequisite: Psychology 222 or 237. Three hours.

351. Practicum in Psychology.
A supervised experience in a clinical, counseling, educational, business, or research setting. Opportunity to develop skills such as interviewing, basic counseling techniques, personnel management, ethical decisions, psychological assessment and record keeping. Prerequisites: Psychology 101, 213 plus three 200- or 300-level psychology courses. Three hours.

360-361. Tutorial Internship.
Testing, tutoring, lecturing, and leading of discussion groups and supervised laboratory projects in selected psychology courses. Prerequisites: Junior or senior standing and invitation by the instructor. Three hours. Maximum of two semesters.

375. Advanced Research I.
A continued study of a variety of topics originally discussed in Psychology 210 and Psychology 213. This course provides students with the oppor-tunity to learn about advanced techniques psychologists use in designing, conducting, and analyzing the results of empirical research (e.g., multiple regression, factor analysis). It is designed to meet the needs of students considering graduate study in psychology. Each student completes a research proposal. Prerequisites: Psychology 210, 213 plus three additional 200- or 300-level Psychology courses. Three hours.

376. Advanced Research II.
This course provides students with the opportunity to complete an empirical research project originally planned in Psychology 375 Advanced Research I. Each student gathers data, analyzes the results, and writes an APA format paper. In addition, students complete a poster presentation and an oral defense of their work. This course is designed to meet the needs of students considering graduate study in psychology. Prerequisite: Psychology 375. Three hours.

380. Independent Study in Psychology.

390. Special Topics in Psychology.

391. Honors Research in Psychology I.
Prerequisites: Eligibility for Honors Programs as established by the college, a grade of A- or better in Psychology 375, and a research proposal that has been approved by the department. Three hours.

392. Honors Research in Psychology II.
Prerequisites: Psychology 391 and consent of the department. One to three hours.

Last Updated: 6/10/09