Psychology (PSY)

PSY 10000 Introductory Psychology First Year (3 Credit Hours)

A broad coverage of the methods and findings that characterize scientific psychology, including a description of historical and recent developments in the areas of learning and motivation; perceptual, cognitive, and physiological processes; social, personality, and child development; and abnormal behavior and clinical treatment. Open to first-year students only.

Satisfies the following University Core Requirements: WKSS - Core Social Science

PSY 10091 Introductory Psychology (3 Credit Hours)

For achieving a qualifying score on the appropriate Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) exam, students earn credit for this course as the exam credit equivalent of PSY 10000. A broad coverage of the methods and findings that characterize scientific psychology, including a description of historical and recent developments in the areas of learning and motivation; perceptual, cognitive, and physiological processes; social, personality, and child development; and abnormal behavior and clinical treatment.

PSY 10092 Introductory Psychology (3 Credit Hours)

For achieving a qualifying score on the appropriate Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) exam, students earn credit for this course. A broad coverage of the methods and findings that characterize scientific psychology, including a description of historical and recent developments in the areas of learning and motivation; perceptual, cognitive, and physiological processes; social, personality, and child development; and abnormal behavior and clinical treatment.

PSY 10670 Digital Deviance: The Psychology of Tech-Facilitated Offenders (3 Credit Hours)

Ingrained in our daily lives, the use and interaction with digital devices and the internet have given rise to technology-facilitated crimes. This course introduces the psychology behind these offenses and their perpetrators. Students will delve into the motivations and behaviors of diverse offenders, such as hackers, online child offenders, cyber stalkers, and identity thieves. Additionally, the course explores the psychology of individuals engaged in online activities linked to mass killings, alongside essential techniques of threat assessment. By comprehending the psychological aspects of digital deviance, students will be better equipped to address and mitigate the challenges posed by technology-driven criminal behaviors.

PSY 13181 Social Science University Seminar (3 Credit Hours)

An introduction to the seminar method of instruction accenting the organization and expression of arguments suggested by readings in psychology.

Satisfies the following University Core Requirements: USEM - University Seminar, WKSS - Core Social Science

Students in the Holy Cross College or St. Mary's College colleges may not enroll.

PSY 14000 Introductory Psychology (2.5-3 Credit Hours)

Psychology is the science of mind, brain, and behavior. In this course, we will undertake the ambitious and exciting goal of surveying the entire field of Psychology. We will discuss the tools and methods used by psychologists, and we will apply these methods to seek answers to questions such as: Can we read minds with brain imaging? Is perception an accurate representation of the external world? What do my dreams mean? How can I study most effectively? Why do I forget things? Why do adolescents and young adults engage in risky behavior? How can I be happy? What is mental illness and how can it be treated?

Satisfies the following University Core Requirements: WKSS - Core Social Science

PSY 20000 Introductory Psychology for Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors (3 Credit Hours)

Satisfies the following University Core Requirements: WKSS - Core Social Science

PSY 20010 Psychology: Science, Practice, and Policy (1 Credit Hour)

This one-credit seminar introduces the department's programs and faculty research interests as well as the profession of psychology. The goal is to encourage more active reflection on how psychology can be useful, both personally and professionally; also to present the major tensions within contemporary psychology as well as its potential impact on public policies in the decade ahead.

Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Psychology.

PSY 20011 Psychological Well Being and Resilience in Practice (1 Credit Hour)

This course teaches skills empirically demonstrated to improve resilience, well-being, and enhance flourishing. These skills are based on decades of research, especially in the fields of positive psychology, cognitive-behavioral psychology, and contextual behavioral science. The course emphasizes experiential learning of skills during class, applying skills to your personal experience, regular self-reflection, and daily practice and logging of skills between classes. Skill development and the resulting benefits are significantly enhanced through authentic connection, mutual support, and vulnerable dialogue, which will be emphasized in classroom discussion. Class attendance and participation are therefore essential and expected to benefit from the course.

PSY 20670 Digital Deviance: The Psychology of Tech-Facilitated Offenders (3 Credit Hours)

PSY 23096 Social Concerns Seminar: In Their Shoes - Understanding Mental Illness (1 Credit Hour)

In the spirit of Notre Dame du Lac, the overall goal of this seminar is to educate both the heart and mind about what it means to live with chronic mental illness. Catholic social teaching emerges from the truth of what God has revealed to us about himself. Caring for mental health and wellbeing is an important part of what it means to participate in Christ's redemptive work. Jesus came to invite all people into relationship with God, and as his disciples we are called to love one another and help one another recognize God's presence in every circumstance and experience, including the experience of mental health challenges. This requires not only profound compassion and hope, but also education and equipping. In this seminar, students will be introduced to and hear perspectives from health care providers, faith leaders involved in mental health advocacy and most importantly, those living with serious mental illness and their families. Students will also learn about and visit the Clubhouse of St. Joseph County. The Clubhouse model (see Clubhouse International) is a program that promotes the recovery of adults living with mental illness by providing them with a welcoming community, meaningful work, and supported employment. Key components of the course will include weekly group gatherings, and visits to the Clubhouse of St. Joseph County. The essence of this seminar is to develop each student's understanding of the complexities of what it means to live with a serious mental illness and the role of faith in living a life of hope. They will be introduced to existing models that support these individuals and form a foundation moving forward that begs the question: Where do we go from here? By the end of the course, students will be equipped to begin to answer this question in their own communities, using their unique gifts and talents. Apply online via the Center for Social Concerns website: http://socialconcerns.nd.edu/social-concerns-seminars. Please note, this course has extra required meeting times and/or events outside of the displayed meeting schedule. em.

PSY 23098 Art & Science of Learning (3 Credit Hours)

One of the markers of a successful Notre Dame student will be the study and learning habits they develop in their first year. Students in this seminar will engage with research on how the brain learns, and discover ways to apply it to their academic careers. The course will unfold as a tour of the learning brain, with each week focused on a specific brain region that impacts how and why we learn. Each day will incorporate discussion, activities, and short lectures; course materials will be drawn from a range of disciplines and genres, including both primary scientific research and experiential narratives. Course assignments will ask students to demonstrate their understanding of course topics and, more importantly, use that knowledge to analyze their past learning habits and develop new ones for their first year and beyond. For the final course project, students will work with the instructors to create resources for themselves and their peers.

Satisfies the following University Core Requirements: WKIN - Core Integration

PSY 23271 Autism Spectrum Disorder Practicum I (3 Credit Hours)

This course provides students with the opportunity to conduct educational programs with individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) while acquiring an in-depth knowledge of the individual, family, community, and cultural issues surrounding the diagnosis. For the practicum portion of the course, students will work within a structured program in a family home, on-average two times a weeks for at least four hours (50 hours over the course of the semester). For the in-class portion of the course, students will meet with the instructors to discuss current research/readings, important topics, and personal experiences related to ASD. It is our hope that through this course you will begin to gain an understanding of individuals with ASD and acquire the skills to support them and their families. In addition, you will continue to develop the communication skills (written and oral) that are crucial to be a successful professional in the field of developmental disabilities. Please note that a version of this course is offered at the 40000 level which has a significant writing requirement (and has additional required coursework, see listing). Other requirements: Unless other arrangements are made, students need to have a car or regular access to transportation.

Satisfies the following University Core Requirements: WRIT - Writing Intensive

Course may be repeated.

Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Pre-Health Studies (Supp.), Educ, Schooling and Society or Psychology.

PSY 23855 Social Concerns Seminar: Take Ten (1 Credit Hour)

Take Ten is a research-based conflict resolution curriculum designed at the University of Notre Dame and headquartered at the University's Robinson Community Learning Center. Take Ten's mission is to provide youth with positive alternatives to violence and build their capacity to make more informed choices when faced with conflict. Take Ten volunteers work on a weekly basis with school children of all grades to teach them the skills needed to resolve conflict peacefully. Born as a restorative practice within the scope of a restorative justice lens, Please note, this course has extra required meeting times and/or events outside of the displayed meeting schedule. Please go to this course's designated webpage within the Center for Social Concerns website (http://socialconcerns.nd.edu/) for further details. This course requires an application. To learn more and/or apply please visit https://socialconcerns.nd.edu/seminars.

Course may be repeated.

PSY 24000 Introductory Psychology (2.5-3 Credit Hours)

HKU: Introductory psychology class covering biological background, emotion, motivation, sensation, perception, learning, memory, thinking, language, intelligence, personality, social psychology, and more broadly. Works through Cengage's "Discovering Psychology: Science of Mind" textbook. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Introduces the study of psychology, the study of the human mind, in some of its many facets: epistemological issues, the brain, perception, learning, language, intelligence, motivation, development, personality, emotion, social influences, pathology and therapy and prevention. These will be seen from the scientific and scholarly point of view, but with emphasis on their relevance for everyday life. An important focus of the course will be the importance of theories and how they influence the gathering of data as well as the difficulty of objectivity when the object of study is also its primary tool: the human mind. One of the goals of the course will also be to prepare the student to read psychological literature with a critical eye, keeping in mind the difficulties involved in attempting to study human subjectivity in an objective way.

Satisfies the following University Core Requirements: WKSS - Core Social Science

PSY 24700 Study Abroad Research Lab (1-5 Credit Hours)

When offered in London: Research work under the supervision of a member of faculty on main campus, taken in addition to regular London courses. When offered in Copenhagen: A required course for students enrolled in The Cognitive Neuroscience of Consciousness (Core Course). During the course, students will work in groups of 4 to design, develop and carry on an experimental study within the field of cognitive neuroscience with specific focus on conscious and unconscious perceptual mechanisms. All studies will be computer-based and aim at collecting quantitative, behavioral data: this will allow students to get well acquainted with experimental paradigms such as E-Prime and PsyScopy. Class work will consist of supervision regarding research activities and selected topics relative to research, e.g. data analysis, methods and methodologies, and ethical aspects of research. Throughout the semester students will present the various stages of their work to the other groups in order to collect feedback and to jointly evaluate the strengths and weakness of their respective projects. All studies will be presented at the scientific symposium that will take place at the end of the semester.

Course may be repeated.

PSY 24801 Undergraduate Research Abroad (0-3 Credit Hours)

Independent research carried out under supervision of a faculty member. A typewritten report of a research literature or an experimental study is required.

PSY 25275 Sign Language (3 Credit Hours)

The American Sign Language class is designed to introduce basic vocabulary and simple sentence structure for conversational use. A cultural view is presented to examine traditions and values. A linguistic view is presented to introduce structure, syntax, and manual alphabet. Experiential activities, receptive and expressive exercises, and fluency opportunities are incorporated into the format. This is an introductory class for students with no prior knowledge of American Sign Language.

Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Psychology.

PSY 26800 Directed Readings (1-4 Credit Hours)

Directed reading is carried out under the supervision of a faculty member. A typewritten report on the reading is required.

Course may be repeated.

PSY 27800 Research Lab (1-5 Credit Hours)

Independent research carried out under supervision of a faculty member. A typewritten report of a research literature or an experimental study is required.

Course may be repeated.

PSY 27801 Research Lab Vol (0 Credit Hours)

ndependent research carried out under supervision of a faculty member. A typewritten report of a research literature or an experimental study is required.

PSY 30100 Statistics for Behavioral Sciences (4 Credit Hours)

An introduction to the analysis and evaluation of experimental data, with particular emphasis on measures of central tendency, variability, and covariability and their relationship to psychological theory and explanation.

Satisfies the following University Core Requirements: WKQR- Core Quantitat Reasoning

Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Neuroscience and Behavior or Psychology.

PSY 30109 R for Data Science (3 Credit Hours)

This class aims to equip students with basic knowledge of R in data manipulation, data generation, data visualization and data analysis with a focus on data science. The first part of the class will introduce the very basics of R including the types of data such as vectors, matrices, and data frames as well as tibbles for refined data frames and bigmatrix for big data. The second part of the class will introduce data manipulation and preprocessing methods such as data transformation, subsetting, and combination. The third part will deal with specific types of data such as strings, texts, dates and times, images, audios, and videos. The fourth part will teach ggplot2 and related packages for data visualization. The last part of the class will illustrate how to conduct data analysis using the above techniques through case studies such as basket analysis, network analysis, and log analysis. The class does not require previous knowledge of R

PSY 30160 Methods for Behavioral Sciences (4 Credit Hours)

A continuation of Psychology 30100, with emphasis on the design and methods of execution of psychological research. Training in writing reports in professional format is also provided.

Prerequisites: PSY 30100 or ACMS 30330 or BIOS 40411 or ITAO 20200

Satisfies the following University Core Requirements: WKSS - Core Social Science, WRIT - Writing Intensive

Enrollment limited to students in the Psychology department.

PSY 30200 Developmental Psychology (3 Credit Hours)

Major theories and research findings on social, emotional, and cognitive development are covered. Although emphasis is on the time from birth to early adulthood, some research on adulthood and the elderly is included. Attention is given to how different environments enhance or hinder healthy development.

Prerequisites: PSY 10000 (may be taken concurrently) or PSY 20000 (may be taken concurrently) or PSY 20001 (may be taken concurrently)

Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Psychology.

Enrollment limited to students in the Psychology department.

PSY 30220 Adolescent Development (3 Credit Hours)

The second decade of life is a crucial developmental transition that poses significant physical, psychological and social challenges to young people; and which have implications for later psychosocial outcomes. This course explores the portrait of adolescence that is revealed by contemporary developmental science. We will examine adolescence in cultural and historical context and survey recent empirical literatures on some core topics, including pubertal maturation, the cognitive and social-personality development of teenagers, the struggle for self and identity, the influence of family, peers and schools on development, adolescent risk behavior and positive youth development, among other topics

Prerequisites: PSY 10000 (may be taken concurrently) or PSY 20000 (may be taken concurrently) or PSY 20001 (may be taken concurrently)

Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Psychology.

PSY 30271 Autism Spectrum Disorder (3 Credit Hours)

Students will develop a comprehensive understanding of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) by learning about the assessment and diagnosis, common supports, and historical and current conceptualizations of ASD from multiple perspectives (theoretical and stakeholder). The course will review features of autism including language, social attention, sensory processing, and repetitive behaviors. We will also study genetic and environmental etiological factors. Finally, we will review ASD across the lifespan and discuss adolescence, sexuality, gender, mental health, and quality of life. Throughout the course, students will gain an understanding of basic principles used in autism research including common study designs, methods, challenges, and ethical considerations.

PSY 30300 Psychology of Personality (3 Credit Hours)

This course is a survey of the contemporary study of personality in the context of its growth as a field of psychology. The focus is on personality as an empirical science. The course introduces perspectives or approaches to studying personality as well as theories, historical background, and modern research. Additionally, key issues such as the conceptualization and measurement of personality variables, the stability and consistency of personality, and real world applications are addressed. The course provides the opportunity to broaden student's understanding of the science of personality and to think critically about the application of personality theory in everyday life. Readings are primarily taken from a text, but additional readings and class materials may be assigned.

Prerequisites: PSY 10000 (may be taken concurrently) or PSY 10091 or PSY 20000 (may be taken concurrently) or PSY 20001 (may be taken concurrently)

Enrollment is limited to students with a minor in AL/SC Honors Program or Psychology.

PSY 30310 Psychopathology (3 Credit Hours)

Defines the concept of abnormal or maladaptive behavior; reviews the principles involved in human development and adjustment and describes the common clinical syndromes, their causes, and treatments.

Prerequisites: PSY 10000 (may be taken concurrently) or PSY 20000 (may be taken concurrently) or PSY 20001 (may be taken concurrently)

Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Psychology.

PSY 30312 Child & Adolescent Psychopathology (3 Credit Hours)

This course is an introduction to the field of child and adolescent psychopathology. We will review the clinical features, diagnosis, and developmental course of the major disorders of childhood and adolescence. The integration of case studies into each unit of the course will allow students the opportunity to apply their knowledge of concepts to think critically about how various cultural and contextual factors influence symptom presentation, diagnosis and treatment.

Prerequisites: PSY 10000 (may be taken concurrently) or PSY 20000 (may be taken concurrently) or PSY 20001

Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Psychology.

PSY 30314 Introduction to Clinical Psychology (3 Credit Hours)

This course provides an introduction to clinical psychology. The emphasis will be on clinical research and empirically-based practices. It will cover (a) research methods for studying clinical phenomena (b) key issues and controversies in the field, and (c) specific topics such as classification and diagnosis, assessment, prevention, and intervention.

Prerequisites: PSY 10000 (may be taken concurrently) or PSY 10091 or PSY 20000 (may be taken concurrently) or PSY 20001 (may be taken concurrently)

Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Psychology.

PSY 30358 Behavioral Medicine: An Integrative Approach To Better Health (3 Credit Hours)

Behavioral Medicine is an integrative scientific approach to understanding lifestyle behavioral changes in the context of health and illnesses. Specifically, behavioral medicine involves the study of how people change their behaviors in order to remain healthy or recover from illness. Students in this course will learn about theories and techniques of behavior change, and basic behavioral medicine concepts and their applications to promoting changes in lifestyle behaviors that facilitate healthy living and improved quality of life.

Prerequisites: PSY 10000 (may be taken concurrently) or PSY 20000 (may be taken concurrently)

Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Neuroscience and Behavior or Psychology.

PSY 30365 Psychology of Addiction (3 Credit Hours)

This is an advanced, three credit undergraduate course focused on (1) the neuroscience of addiction; (2) emotional and physical consequences of addiction; (3) societal and sociocultural influences on and outcomes addiction; and (4) treatment of addiction. The purpose of the course is to familiarize students with current knowledge of addiction and its etiopathophysiological origins across the lifespan. We will adopt a transactional perspective, which is infused throughout the class. According to this perspective, addiction cannot be understood as a static, adevelopmental entity. Rather, addiction emerges from complex transactions between biological vulnerabilities (e.g., genetic, neural) and environmental risk factors (e.g., family exposure, deviant peer group affiliations, neighborhood risk) over time. No one plans to become addicted, yet addiction is among the costliest public health concerns facing the U.S. Despite claims that addiction has been destigmatized, traditional conceptualizations that blame character deficiencies such as "weak will" and lack of discipline still permeate our culture. As a result, the U.S. stands alone among Western industrialized nations in the extent to which we stigmatize and criminalize addiction. Rather than treat addiction as a disorder, we incarcerate users, many of whom become felons with limited opportunities for future employment, advanced education, and long-term recovery. Moreover, despite similar rates of both drug use and addiction across racial and cultural groups, large race disparities in arrest rates and sentencing are observed. In this class, we will take a holistic approach to addiction by exploring neurobiological, cultural, and sociopolitical contributors.

PSY 30400 Cognitive Psychology (3 Credit Hours)

A lecture course providing a survey of higher level cognitive processes such as memory, problem solving, learning, concept formation, and language.

Prerequisites: PSY 10000 (may be taken concurrently) or PSY 20000 (may be taken concurrently) or PSY 20001 (may be taken concurrently)

Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Neuroscience and Behavior or Psychology.

PSY 30430 Learning and Memory (3 Credit Hours)

A survey of the theories and methods relating to basic processes in learning and memory from both biological and cognitive perspectives.

Prerequisites: PSY 10000 (may be taken concurrently) or PSY 10091 or PSY 20000 (may be taken concurrently) or PSY 20001 (may be taken concurrently) or PSY 13110

Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Psychology.

PSY 30440 Sensation & Perception (3 Credit Hours)

Includes a diverse range of topics, from sensory processes and perceptual development to sensory deprivation and visual illusions. Emphasis is on auditory and visual perception.

Prerequisites: PSY 10000 (may be taken concurrently) or PSY 20000 (may be taken concurrently) or PSY 20001 (may be taken concurrently)

Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Neuroscience and Behavior or Psychology.

PSY 30441 Sensation & Perception: The Body and Chemical Senses (3 Credit Hours)

The primary learning goal of this course is to understand and appreciate how we perceive the world inside of us (interoception), the world outside of us (exteroception), and the relation between these two types of perception. The scientific study of interoception - the perception of the internal state of our bodies - is a relatively new field of study, but already it is changing the way that contemporary researchers think about the nature of the self, the nature of consciousness, and the origins of emotion and pain. In addition, this course will also survey how we sense the external world via touch, olfaction, and taste. This course will survey a wide range of evidence from psychology, neuro-immunology, neuro-endocrinology, and neuro-science.

PSY 30457 Language Processing In Practice (3 Credit Hours)

Natural Language Processing (NLP) has emerged as a crucial skill in the workforce, especially with the advent and accessibility of generative AI technologies. From intelligent chatbots and virtual assistants to automated content creation and sentiment analysis, NLP applications are transforming industries and redefining how we interact with technology. Mastery of NLP techniques and tools not only opens doors to careers in the technology sector but also equips students to contribute to innovations that shape our future. Language Processing in Practice is a hands-on course designed to introduce students to the fundamental theory and applications of NLP, with a special emphasis on working with large language models, generative AI, and the Hugging Face ecosystem. The course focuses on practical techniques for processing, analyzing, generating, and understanding human language data. Students will explore key topics such as text preprocessing, tokenization, part-of-speech tagging, parsing, sentiment analysis, topic modeling, machine translation, and text generation. The curriculum places a strong emphasis on modern NLP libraries and frameworks like NLTK, spaCy, and particularly Hugging Face Transformers. Through a series of projects and assignments, students will gain experience in building NLP applications, creating word embeddings with pre-trained large language models, and generating human-like text using generative AI models.

PSY 30501 Introduction to Biopsychology (3 Credit Hours)

The brain gives rise to all thoughts, feelings, learning- much of what we study in the field of psychology. In this course, you will learn the basics of how the brain works. Topics covered will include: how neurons transmit signals; basic neuroanatomy (functions of different parts of the brain); the neural basis of sensory processes, such as vision, hearing, smell and taste; movement and autonomic functions; motivations, such as hunger and thirst; emotions and stress; and cognitive functions such as learning, memory, and language. Examples and evidence will come from studies of brain-damaged human patients as well as animal neuroscience research. The evolution of the human brain and comparison to other species' brains will also be considered. Prerequisites: Introductory psychology. Some biology coursework will also be helpful, but not required.

Prerequisites: PSY 10000 (may be taken concurrently) or PSY 10091 or PSY 20000 (may be taken concurrently)

Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Neuroscience and Behavior or Psychology.

Enrollment limited to students in the Psychology department.

PSY 30510 Behavioral Genetics (3 Credit Hours)

Behavioral genetics is the study of genetic and environmental influence on individual differences, and can be used to examine all aspects of development. The purpose of the class is threefold: first, to orient students to the basic genetic principles necessary for the understanding of hereditary influences on development; secondly, to overview genetic and environmental influence on behavioral, biomedical, and bio-behavioral attributes; and, lastly, to assist students to realize that behavioral genetics is a powerful tool for the study of environmental as well as genetic influences on development.

PSY 30520 Introduction to Cognitive Neuroscience (3 Credit Hours)

An "Introduction to Cognitive Neuroscience" is a survey course that introduces students to the biological substrates underlying various forms of cognition in humans, with a specific focus on mental processes. We will explore how psychological and cognitive functions are produced by the brain. Cognitive neuroscience is a branch of both psychology and neuroscience, drawing from disciplines such as biological psychology (biopsychology), neuroscience, cognitive psychology, and neuropsychology. We will cover a broad range of topics, including learning and memory, perception, development and neural plasticity, cerebral lateralization and language, emotions and social cognition, stress, sleep and dreaming, and consciousness. No previous coursework in neuroscience is required, but at least some experience with biology or biopsychology is preferred.

Prerequisites: PSY 10000 (may be taken concurrently) and PSY 20000 (may be taken concurrently)

Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Neuroscience and Behavior or Psychology.

PSY 30521 The Embodied Mind (3 Credit Hours)

Seminal research has recently revealed how the experience of our bodies influences our everyday thoughts, motivations, and feelings. This course will survey the wide range of evidence that has informed this new field of study, including from psychology, immunology, endocrinology, and neuroscience; and, this course will consider how this evidence is changing the way that contemporary researchers think about the nature of the self, the nature of consciousness, and the origins of emotion. In addition to considering the normal range of behavior, this course will also consider how this new field of study has improved understanding of extreme mental experiences and various forms of psychopathology.

PSY 30523 Outwit, Outplay, Outlast: The Dynamics of Survivor (3 Credit Hours)

The American Reality TV show Survivor has been a part of American culture for over 2 decades. To quote the host Jeff Probst, “Survivor is a microcosm for our real world.” In this course, we will look at this iconic TV show and generalize its infamous moments to experiences people have in the real world. Because Survivor is a game of social deception, studying its dynamics is especially relevant for those who want to understand negotiation, business, leadership, academia, or virtually any other work — and many personal — situations. We look to discover and analyze the art of decision making through the principles of Social Cognitive Neuroscience and Mathematical Game Theory. By the end of this course, students will be able to utilize the fundamentals of mathematical game theory to deconstruct complex real world situations with payoff matrices and formulate strategies for idealized outcomes. Additionally, students will identify the key frameworks of social cognitive neuroscience to be able to articulate challenges to the concept of humans as optimal decision-making agents and relate affective, social, and cognitive influences on decision-making to real-life situations. Finally students will end the course with role-playing in a Survivor like game and use the skills in this course to document and analyze their experiences.

Satisfies the following University Core Requirements: WKIN - Core Integration

PSY 30529 Intro to EEG (3 Credit Hours)

This is an introductory course on the technique of electroencephalography (EEG), commonly used in the discipline of cognitive neuroscience. Students will learn about the historical and theoretical bases of EEG, methods in which it is employed, and basic considerations of experimental design and analysis with EEG. The course is experiential in nature and involves hands-on demonstrations using a commercial four-electrode recording device. Over the course of the semester, students will design and execute their own experiment so that they can practice applying the skills they have learned. Previous coding experience is not required, but will be helpful.

PSY 30537 Brain on Fire: A Holistic Exploration of Neuroinflammation (3 Credit Hours)

Inflammation is a fundamental biological phenomenon - whether it preserves or destroys is often a matter of context. In this course, we focus specifically on neuroinflammation - i.e., inflammation as it relates to the central (and peripheral) nervous system. We begin with the founding principles of molecular and cellular immunology in the context of the human nervous system. Next, we will explore the biological, environmental, and human components of (neuro)inflammatory disease through clinical case studies and representations in literature and media. Finally, we ask: how do medical, healthcare, and pharmaceutical constructs define the sociocultural experience of disease? Thus in this class, we integrate the scientific and the social: How do humans, how does humanity at large, deal with (neuro)inflammation? Can we firefight our collective future? This course is open to all majors. Strongly recommended prerequisites: Biology I: Big Questions (BIOS10171) OR Neuroscience and Behavior (BIOS20450) OR Cell Biology (BIOS30341) OR Cellular Biology: Stem Cells to Disease (BIOS30410)

Satisfies the following University Core Requirements: WRIT - Writing Intensive

PSY 30540 Methods of Cognitive Neuroscience: Introduction to Electroencephalography (3 Credit Hours)

Electroencephalography (EEG) is a commonly used technique in the realm of cognitive neuroscience to make measurements of scalp electrical activity. This course has two main objectives: 1) to give students an introduction to the theoretical principles underlying the measurement and analysis of EEG, and 2) to give students an opportunity to use EEG in a basic experiment of their own design and present the results. We will employ commercial EEG technology to conduct simple measurements, learn the basics of analysis, and explore the kinds of questions that EEG can help answer about the neural basis of behaviour.

PSY 30541 The Technoscientific Self (3 Credit Hours)

In an age where ‘identity politics’ figures as both an accusation and a creed in public and private spaces, a careful and critical examination of how we construct our individual and collective selves is more important than ever. Science and technology are crucial resources in these projects, serving as fundamental structuring elements of our world. They are crucial in shaping not only our physical environment but the very conditions of possibility within which we construct our collective and individual identities. This course is an exploration of the ways that the practice of science and the production and marketing of technology supply the material that gets taken up in the project of identity formation, focusing on two closely linked technoscientific domains: neuroscience and genetics.

Satisfies the following University Core Requirements: WKIN - Core Integration

PSY 30600 Social Psychology (3 Credit Hours)

An introduction to the major theoretical orientations within the field of experimental social psychology and a survey of the research findings in selected areas such as attitude formation and change, affiliation, interpersonal attraction, and social cognition.

Prerequisites: PSY 10000 or PSY 20000 or PSY 20001

Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Psychology.

PSY 30632 South Africa Study Abroad Program Pre-Departure Course (0 Credit Hours)

This is the pre-departure section of the abroad course for student going to South Africa in the study abroad program - description of the course is as follows: This course provides a basic overview of the social psychological principles that describe and explain the development and functions of attitudes (beliefs-stereotypes, feelings-prejudice, and behavior-discrimination) and how these influence relationships on an individual and group basis. These social psychological principles will then be used to analyze the development of and institutionalization of racism within the cultural-historical context of South Africa - one that is defined by intergroup conflict between the English and Afrikaans cultural groups, the tribal conflicts among the African tribes, as well as the black-white apartheid conflict. This portion of the course contextualizes the psychological in the historical-cultural-economic context. Finally, the course culminates in reading and discussing the words and life of Nelson Mandela whose response to institutionalized racism that oppressed his people and resulted in his incarceration for 27 years was one of reconciliation. Questions dealing with appropriate responses to negative attitudes as well as programs or policies to change existing negative attitudes or prevent the development their future development will be discussed. This course will count as a 30000-level course for psychology majors or as a college social science requirement for students in the College of Arts and Letters.

PSY 30633 Psychology of Diplomacy (3 Credit Hours)

Fundamentally, psychology is focused on better understanding the human mind and human behavior. This course seeks to apply the principles of psychology to the world of diplomacy, examining the interplay between how people think, feel, and act — and the impact that has on how they approach diplomatic situations. An understanding of psychological principles is especially valuable for those in roles involving diplomacy, where it can aid in fostering positive relationships with others, and improving the skills needed to enhance personal, and even international, relations. Through psychology, individuals can gain deeper insight into themselves, and into diplomatic skills such as communication, persuasion, negotiation, etc. Through classroom learning and hands-on activities, you'll learn to apply psychological constructs to real-world situations and gain a newfound appreciation for the role of psychology in human communication and interactions.

PSY 30634 Psychology of Peace (3 Credit Hours)

This course will provide an overview of the growing field of peace psychology, which seeks to apply psychological theory in order to better understand violence, its causes, its effects on human development, and the ways in which psychology intersects with peacebuilding processes. Within each of these domains, we will discuss multiple levels of understanding (e.g., interpersonal, community, structural) and will draw direct connections to conflict-affected settings through the use of case studies, film, and group activities.

PSY 30635 Drunk on Film: The Psychology of Storytelling with Alcohol and its Effects on Alcohol Consumption (3 Credit Hours)

Alcohol Use Disorder is a chronic relapsing brain disease. But when presented on screen, it's entertainment. Why do we laugh, why do we cry, why do we emulate fictional characters whose drinking habits result in a life of debilitating addiction? From James Bond to Jonah Hill, the psychology and seduction of alcohol on film, television, and online will be analyzed. Furthermore, what is the relationship between the manner in which alcohol use/abuse is presented on screen and the manner in which alcohol is used and abused on, for example, college campuses? Surveying recent film history, we will examine how alcohol is used in story structure, as a character flaw or strength, and as a narrative device in the story arc of films across multiple film genres, (teen rom-coms, sports films, etc). Why do characters drink, where do they drink, and how does the result of their "getting drunk" advance the narrative? We'll also look at non-fiction media that tackle issues of addiction, as a way of comparing character development in fictional films to the results of this same behavior in everyday life. Film materials will include weekly screenings outside of class, and academic articles relating to the portrayal and analysis of alcohol use in film and television, including the business of marketing alcohol from social media to televised sports. From the psychological perspective we will discuss the topic and process of social influence and how the presence of others influences our behavior. Questions of interest will include the following: what are the mechanisms by which group influence unfolds? How and why might we be persuaded? Does the manner, and if so how, in which alcohol use is portrayed in movies and the media reflect the processes and principles of social influence? Readings will include chapters on social influence, persuasion and academic articles evaluating the manner in which alcohol is portrayed and advertised and the effect this has on alcohol consumption. In addition, issues of addiction will be discussed - from understanding the basis of addiction to examining the efficacy of addiction treatment.

Satisfies the following University Core Requirements: WKIN - Core Integration

PSY 30664 Poverty, Resilience, & Human Development (3 Credit Hours)

This course is for Psychology majors admitted to the Summer Service Learning Program (SSLP) who desire to integrate the learning from their SSLP experience with their major. Students in the SSLP participate in eight weeks of summer service learning sponsored by the Center for Social Concerns and in collaboration with Notre Dame Clubs across the U.S. The SSLP is a three-credit course for all students; most students enroll in THEO 33936: Kinship on the Margins. Psychology majors (or those considering the major with at least one prior Psychology course) may instead elect to take this three-credit letter-graded (A-F) course with additional academic requirements. Students enroll in the course for the fall semester, but the academic work of the overall course takes place during April, summer, and early Fall. The goals of the Psychology SSLP course are threefold: to reflect upon daily service and work experiences inherent to SSLP site placement using assigned course readings drawn from psychology as well as Catholic social teaching, b) examine the effects of poverty, socio-economic status, and related risk factors (e.g, incarceration, educational inequalities, violence) on human development, and c) apply psychology understanding to cultivate compassion and strategic analyses in addressing social injustices. The course integrates insights from cognitive development, neuroscience, resilience, and social psychology to foster pathways out of poverty, with a special focus on moral and ethical implications. Coursework includes: four mandatory class sessions in April, weekly assigned readings and daily writing assignments throughout eight-week summer immersion; completion of SSLP Capstone and psychology essay, and three follow-up class sessions on campus in September. All coursework is completed within the first five weeks of the fall semester. COMMENTS: Permission required to enroll. Must apply to the SSLP online at http://socialconcerns.nd.edu and be accepted to the SSLP before enrolling. After your SSLP placement is determined and prior to class registration, contact Ben Wilson, SSLP Director, at bwilson2@nd.edu to request permission to register for Psychology SSLP course. Course is capped at 24 students.

PSY 30666 Early Childhood Development and Poverty Alleviation: A Global Perspective (3 Credit Hours)

This interdisciplinary course explores the intersection of early childhood development (ECD) science and poverty alleviation initiatives in low- and middle-income countries. It provides students with an understanding of how early brain development is influenced by socio-economic factors and how evidence-based interventions can promote brain health and school readiness while also addressing developmental disparities. Early childhood years are a time of heightened biological and environmental responsiveness that coincides with the most rapid period of neurological growth in human development. They build the foundation for cognitive, emotional, and social competencies; failure to thrive in the early years is associated with not only short-term physical, cognitive, and social-emotional maladjustment but also poor adult health and labor market outcomes. Investing in ECD is one of the most cost-effective ways to address the negative individual and societal effects of poverty, and can significantly enhance developmental outcomes. Students will engage with current research, theoretical frameworks, and practical strategies to promote optimal development in impoverished and crisis-affected contexts and prevent intergenerational poverty. This course is relevant for students interested in applying the science of early child development to social issues and working in fields related to psychology, neuroscience, education, public health, or social policy.

Satisfies the following University Core Requirements: WKSS - Core Social Science

PSY 30667 Childhoods & Educ in the Global South: A Research and Program Learning Practicum (3 Credit Hours)

The Global Childhoods Practicum seeks to provide students with an evidence-based framework and skillset to implement an improvement science approach to research and program learning. Improvement science is explicitly designed to accelerate learning-by-doing. For the practicum aspect of this course, students will work closely with faculty and research mentors involved in our operational programs in the Global South aimed to foster resilience and improve educational and psychological outcomes for children facing adversity (i.e., contexts of deprivation and/or danger). This semester-long practicum will focus on improvement science research and learning agendas in the Global Center for the Development of the Whole Child's (GC-DWC's) operational programs in Haiti and India.

PSY 30668 Resilience as a Learner (1 Credit Hour)

Grounded in educational psychology theories, this course will explore constructs of conscientiousness, perseverance, grit, growth mindset, and resilience. We will discover how social-emotional learning (SEL) competencies of self-awareness and self-management can be utilized to build personal resilience as learners in tumultuous times. The course will include applications to the current reality of learning during the COVID pandemic, while also considering how resilience is continuously developed in one's self and others in various contexts in the future.

PSY 30669 CBL: Cognitive Science Goes to School (3 Credit Hours)

Students will read, synthesize, and discuss how cognitive science can help us make decisions when faced with questions about teaching, learning, and instructional design. Cognitive science provides models and rigorous evidence about the mechanisms involved in thinking, learning, and problem solving. Although we do not yet have complete understanding of how basic cognitive research can be applied to education, we are far enough along that we should try to take advantage of what we know to improve teaching and learning. Students in this class will apply cognitive science research to inform their education-related service for elementary or middle school children. They also will carry out a small-n experiment to evaluate if a particular instructional design feature matters for children's learning, and one of the final exam questions will ask students to propose an original experiment for the next class to test. Community placements may include mathematics and/or early reading tutoring conducted two days a week (either M/W or T/TH) in the local South Bend community and/or via virtual Zoom tutoring for Catholic school children across the country served by the ACE Teaching Fellows program. Note that some of the local sites we work with may not be within walking distance of campus, so students may need to have a car or regular access to transportation for those sites if chosen. Access to a car can be arranged through the Center for Social Concerns. This seminar is offered only in the fall; however, students will be encouraged to continue their service during the spring semester through a 1-credit ESS service-learning option. **IMPORTANT NOTE FOR FALL 2021: travel into the local public schools in person may still not be possible for outside visitors. If that is the case, all tutoring (both local and for ACE TF) will be completed remotely via Zoom with children in their school buildings.

PSY 30676 Programming for Video Game Development (3 Credit Hours)

The purpose of this course is to provide students with experience in various aspects of programming for video game development. No prior programming experience is necessary and students will proceed at their own pace. In addition to several programming projects that utilize gaming APIs or frameworks, students will also be exposed to level design (map creation), 3D construction techniques, custom textures, sound design, and lighting effects. 3D game development will utilize the Hammer Editor, part of the Half-Life 2 video game modding Software Development Kit (Source SDK) and its associated tools. Additional third-party (and often free) utilities will also be necessary. Students will work on their own or in teams on a final project agreed upon with the instructor. Students will need to provide their own Windows compatible computer or laptop or a Mac running windows under BootCamp.

PSY 30691 Human Development, Human Flourishing (3 Credit Hours)

This course will draw from multiple perspectives to foster a deep appreciation of human development and ourishing. Human development is complex and fragile, yet many splendored. Assumptions about human nature and capacities have critical and moral implications for how we create institutions (family life, education) and systems (policy, government). e challenge is to develop an integrated and ecological understanding of development in the context of human ourishing. We will begin with research in positive psychology on human development, considering the growth of reasoning, identity, moral imagination, and behavior. We will broaden the frame to include understanding of human capabilities from the perspectives of faith (including the principles of Catholic social teaching), culture, and work. Students interested in social change will benet from a deeper understanding of human development and related research, discussed in a seminar format. Students will draw from their own developmental journeys and current engagements while exploring means to foster human flourishing in future contexts.

PSY 30693 Poverty, Resilience and Education (3 Credit Hours)

This seminar will allow advanced students to research youth poverty and educational access/success informed by related justice questions (e.g., racial equality, incarceration). Students will draw from youth development theory, educational and social science research, and related literature (e.g., restorative justice in education) to examine a research question of personal interest, building on a local community partnership or initiative. Students will produce research representing the cumulative weight of their learning in the course and in the minor. They will share a version of their project (research report, work of art, digital resource, poster display, or like) representing their subject mastery at a concluding public forum.

PSY 30696 Mind and Society: Cognitive Science and Justice (3 Credit Hours)

This course explores the interaction of thinking and action for justice, of cognitive science and social change. In this contested moment, how might we examine the ideas with which we think as we envision social transformation and work toward solidarity and the common good? We will draw from psychology and neuroscience to understand how to overcome attribution errors, implicit bias, and motivated reasoning in work to promote justice. We will examine how assumptions about knowledge and our theories of mind impact our communication and work, and explore epistemic justice (who is invited to the table of knowledge). We will explore, in seminar format, means to promote intellectual humility, ethical imagination, practical wisdom, and commitment to action. Students will be encouraged to learn through experience and community engagement, and apply the lessons of the course in their own journeys.

PSY 30698 You are Here: Undrstdig Space (1 Credit Hour)

This one credit course examines how we think about space, and the implications of these conceptualizations for how we successfully (and sometimes unsuccessfully) navigate through space. The course is built around the accessible book You are HERE: Why we can find our way to the moon, but get lost in the mall by Psychology Prof. Colin Ellard [http://colinellard.com/], a scientist working at the intersection of psychology and architectural and urban design whose writing has been described by the New York Times as "Delightfully lucid... Ellard has a knack for distilling obscure scientific theories into practical wisdom." Supplementing the book are videos, interviews, and do-at-home experiments that will creatively bring to light the theoretical issues within your own lives. This course offers an accessible entry into cognitive science research on navigation by illuminating the countless underlying calculations and decisions that our brains make as we move about the world. It is meant to be fun, thought-provoking, with the aim of building an appreciation for a scientific approach to psychology that includes different methods, approaches, media and disciplines.

PSY 31672 Practicum in Robotics (3 Credit Hours)

This course will allow students to work with the Nao humanoid robot platform. Students will learn about how to control the sensory and motor capabilities of the robot to produce specific sequences of robot behaviors and/or to allow the robot to respond to particular inputs from the external environment. Students will work with the instructor to identify the specific behaviors and response sequences to be created.

Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Psychology.

PSY 33360 Health Psychology (3 Credit Hours)

PSY 33365 Sport Psychology (3 Credit Hours)

This course will focus on the application of psychological concepts and current research to the enhancement of performance in both sports and fitness activities. An emphasis will be placed on techniques and strategies that have been used effectively to maximize athletic performance. Topics include overview of the field, motivation, personality factors, self-concept, team development, leadership, psychological skills training, and exercise adherence.

PSY 33528 Cognitive Aging (3 Credit Hours)

The global population is aging, and there is increasing importance to understand how cognition is affected as we age. In this course, you will learn about the current theories and controversies about how cognition changes during healthy aging and in aging associated with cognitive impairment and dementia. The key areas of cognition you will explore include attention, executive function, processing speed, and learning and memory. You will also explore the relationship between brain and cognitive aging, and factors that that potentially mediate risk of age-related cognitive impairment and dementia.

PSY 33644 Visualization & Learning (3 Credit Hours)

Students in today's information age are consuming greater amounts of quantitative information on a daily basis than ever before. This information comes in many forms and typically involves large data sets that tell "number stories" such as social media activity, politics, global health concerns, and educational achievement. How those number stories are displayed, numerically, text narrative, or graphically holds both power and peril. In this course, we will consider the evolution of visual displays of quantitative information, analyze the characteristics of visualizations, and explore the ways in which the interaction between data and design influence the communication of a number story. These ideas will be investigated through the lens of societal issues and student learning.

PSY 33685 Social Factors and Sustainability: Effects of the Built Environment on Health and Well-Being (3 Credit Hours)

This course focuses on the interaction between people and the physical environment on human health, well-being, behavior, and sustainability. Social and physical factors across multiple scales - from specific environments (residential, educational, work, healthcare, and commercial), urban and natural settings, to the planet - are explored. Issues of public health, environmental justice, universal design, and culture are included throughout. Lecture and discussion class with hands-on assignments and quizzes. Upper level undergraduate and graduate students from across the University and especially in architecture, the sustainability minor, design, pre-professional studies, social sciences, and business are encouraged to enroll.

PSY 33691 Rethinking Crime and Justice: Explorations from the Inside Out (3 Credit Hours)

This course introduces some of the issues behind calls to reform the US criminal legal system, including mass incarceration and supervision, racial disproportionality, and the challenges of "reentry." But the heart of the course is our exploration of deeper concerns, including why our criminal legal system relies on punishment, how we might cultivate other forms of justice, and what responsibility we have for the systems that operate in our names. As part of the national Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program, the course involves inside students (people incarcerated at the Westville Correctional Facility in Westville, IN) and outside students (people enrolled at Notre Dame, St. Marys, or Holy Cross) learning with and from one another and breaking new ground together. Most weeks of the semester, outside students will travel to Westville for class sessions with the inside students. All students are responsible for the same reading and writing assignments, and participate together in class activities and discussions. Together, we will examine myths and realities related to crime and to punishment, explore the effects of current criminal legal policies, and develop ideas for responding more effectively to harm and violence in our communities. This is an Inside-Out course taught at Westville prison. Classes take place off-campus. Transportation is provided. Application Required.

PSY 33692 Moral Learning and Racial Justice in the Time of Coronavirus (1 Credit Hour)

What are we learning from the coronavirus pandemic? What are the personal, social, and moral implications of the pandemic? How might renewed calls for racial justice interact with pandemic challenges? How can we support vulnerable populations, promote collective resilience, and foster justice for the future? The course will examine such questions and explore implications for social institutions: education, social services, citizenship, and public policy. The course is designed in response to the current moment, drawing on literature and emerging research in psychology, moral education and beyond. Students' own experiences and authentic listening will be important starting points. While direct community engagement is limited, students will contribute through an applied research project (as appropriate within University safety guidelines) that may take the form of collecting interviews/narratives, assisting with contract tracing, digital research, or the like). Course requirements will include brief written reflections and robust class participation. Open to both undergraduates and graduate students. We will meet (in person or by videoconference) on the following Mondays at 5:30 pm: August 17, 24, 31, September 7, 14, 21, 28, October 5, 12, 19, 26, and November 9th Further information on the course is available here: https://jaybrandenberger.nd.edu/teaching/ . Special permission required via confirmation of interest at this site: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1UaiC6swf78jkRuUaOlzKtxhK3U_2yP43Sh9EApCPXS0/edit.

PSY 33694 Cybercrime and the Law (3 Credit Hours)

Almost all crimes, or even human interactions, contain a digital component. The fact that "old" laws don't always fit "new" problems is no more apparent than in the area of cybercrimes. This course will include discussion of topics including: the methodology of typical cyber investigations, the application of the Fourth Amendment to digital evidence, and different types of cyber-specific laws enforced today. The course will also focus on the responses of both courts and legislators to the ever-evolving issues presented by computer crimes.

PSY 34200 Developmental Psychology (2.5-4 Credit Hours)

This course traces human psychological development from the beginning to the end of life. As well as giving a chronological account of what we know about psychological change across the lifespan, there is a strong focus on theoretical, conceptual, and methodological issues. Rome, Italy - RE The course provides a general introduction to the science of developmental psychology and its applications. A number of questions will be addressed, including: What develops and when; The contribution of nature and nurture to developmental change; Mechanisms of change; The role of the child and the larger sociocultural context in shaping development; Continuity and discontinuity in development; Methods used to address the above topics; Application of developmental research to everyday issues.

PSY 34210 Psychology of Childhood (2-3 Credit Hours)

Taught as PS 123 in Puebla, Mexico. Introduction to the study of human development from conception, with emphasis on infancy through adolescence. Trinity, TCD: This course develops students' understanding of developmental psychology by exploring a number of issues salient to the lives of contemporary children and youth and examining the contribution that theories and research within developmental psychology have made to our understanding of them. Coverage of each topic begins with a discussion of the relevant theory and applied empirical research. Implications for policy and intervention are then considered. Three themes permeate all topics - the role of developmental theory in guiding research, the importance of adopting a developmental perspective, and critical analysis of research.

PSY 34219 Child Development in Changing Family Contexts (2.5-3.5 Credit Hours)

Taught at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland as PS 3437 'Child Development in Changing Family Contexts' The family represents one of the most important environments within which children develop. This course examines theory, research and applied perspectives on the family as a context for children's development. The course aims to provide students with know

PSY 34220 Psychology of Adolescence (2.5,3 Credit Hours)

Physical, emotion and social development of the typical adolescent. The difference between boys and girls, and the social contexts in which these changes occur -- home, school. Focus on the conflicts which most adolescents encounter during their development, be it with physical self-image, peer pressure, or self-identity. Textbook: Santrock, J. (2204) Adolescencia (novena edicion) McGraw Hill, Spain When taught at Dublin, Ireland: PSY 20020 Child and Adolescent Development at UCD; During childhood and adolescence human development is taking place at a phenomenal pace, with children learning many of the skills that are crucial to their current and future emotional well being, relationships and cognitive functioning. This module explores the complex biological, psychological and cultural factors that influence this developmental process. The module introduces and critiques the major theories of developmental psychology that underpin understanding of this developmental process. Lectures span all aspects of child development from birth through adolescence pointing to important methodological issues and gaps in our current understanding. When taught in Rome: This course examines how individual differences and environmental circumstances influence psychological and life outcomes in adolescence. Focusing on the biological, cognitive, and social changes experienced as individuals move from early to late adolescence, the course explores how the social contexts of family, peers, and schools affect the developmental processes. Students will also analyze other factors which influence adolescent psychology, such as culture, biology, cognitive development and sexuality, and discuss individual and environmental factors causing development to go awry in cases of substance abuse, conduct disorders/delinquency, and eating disorders. Satisfies "Developmental Area" core course requirement for Psychological Science majors. SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT: Sample topics include the biological, cognitive, social, and emotional changes that occur from middle childhood through adolescence. We will also address the influence of family, peer groups, educational settings and media on developmental changes involved in adolescence.

PSY 34241 Identity and Moral Development (3 Credit Hours)

This course will focus on issues related to cognitive moral development, identity, discernment, meaning and purpose, which are fundamental to human existence. Through a series of debates on fundamental moral and ethical questions/issues and by engaging the writings of various psychologists, essayists, novelists, and philosophers, students will be challenged to examine their own assumptions and values and to understand and be able to articulate differing moral and ethical claims. The course will address issues such as the formation of identity and selfhood, the possibilities and burdens of making one's own choices in life, finding meaning in a world which seems to promote isolation and anonymity, and discerning one's vocation in life and what it means to be a "good person."

PSY 34274 Perspectives on Neurodiversity (3 Credit Hours)

Treatment and practice guidance for neurodiverse presentations such as ADHD, Autism and Dyslexia currently arise from a singular dominant medical model perspective. In this course, neurodiverse presentations will be explored through the lens of Self-determination Theory (SDT), an empirical theory of human motivation and development. Using an example of a neuroaffirmative model of ADHD based in SDT, this course will explore existing conceptualisations of Autism and Dyslexia from a similar neuroaffirmative perspective. Students will gain an understanding of the debate around the origins of neurodiverse presentations, an overview of the history of theoretical development, and the influence of these perspectives on individual sense of self, identity and the impact of stigma. This course aims to develop critical thinking skills in theoretical analysis, identification of bias, critical assessment of perspectives, and communication and impact of those perspectives.

PSY 34275 Introduction to Disability Studies (2.5,3 Credit Hours)

This module provides students with an introduction to an emerging interdisciplinary field with three core strands: the history of disability; the lived experience of disability; and the array of personal, social, economic and civic interventions set in place in society on behalf of people with disabilities. The module comprises 11 x two-hour lectures weekly. Lectures will employ a variety of teaching methods, including video conferences, opportunities for students to meet invited speakers with experience in the field and links with cognate courses in EU countries and North America. Essay: Case study: 6 March 2009 Submission and Essay: Final assignment: 24 April 2009 Submission.

PSY 34300 Personality and Philosophy (2,3 Credit Hours)

Intoduction to personality theory; Philosophical questions relevant to psychology. Some of the topics covered will include: 1. Overview of the mind-body problem 2. Dualism 3. Logical behaviorism 4. Mind-brain identity theories 5. Eliminative Materialism 6. Functionalism and the computational models of the mind 7. Of minds and machines 8. Theories of consciousness SU This module addresses psychological theories and understandings of the person with reference to major contemporary approaches. Theories to be considered may include systemic, psychodynamic, behavioural, cognitive and existential components, with consideration of the applicability of psychological theories to African contexts. After this module, students will be able to identify, define, understand, compare and/or critically evaluate, amongst others: The epistemological, theoretical and cultural-political assumptions that characterize and distinguish a range of different approaches to personhood and subjectivity in contemporary psychology, including psychoanalysis, behavioral and learning theory approaches, humanistic and person-centric approaches, and a variety cultural and historical approaches, including African psychology. Also, students will be able to critique the major approaches to personhood and subjectivity in psychology from a range of perspectives, including those informed by feminism, Marxism, critical theory, decolonial theory, anti-racist approaches, culture and indigenous knowledge systems.

PSY 34310 Psychopathology (2.5-4 Credit Hours)

This unit provides a broad framework for understanding the area of abnormal psychology. The unit deals with approaches to understanding the nature of abnormality, how models are constructed to explain abnormality as well as alternative paradigms and thinking in the area. Illustrations are drawn from a wide range of psychopathology including anxiety, depression, developmental disorders, schizophrenia and organic brain syndromes. RE - Rome Italy - JCU This course aims to provide an overview of the area of Clinical Psychology and will cover both a brief history of clinical psychology and current standards and evidence-based practices. Students will learn about the main theoretical approaches and common assessment and treatment methods of clinical psychologists and explore the current issues in this area.

PSY 34311 Introduction to Counselling Psychology (2.5,3 Credit Hours)

Taught at a host institution. PSY 20180 at UCD; This module will give you a broad overview of the key concepts and therapeutic processes of the major approaches in counselling psychology. Theoretical constructs of how psychological disturbance are acquired and maintained, the goals of therapy, key therapeutic techniques and the therapeutic relationship will be explored across these approaches. This will be a module that combines lectures, small group activities and work online. Lecture sessions will be highly participative and case studies and video clips showing master practitioners will be used to illustrate the therapeutic process.

PSY 34316 Psychology of Trauma: A Psychosocial Reading of Trauma, Political Violence, and Development (3 Credit Hours)

At the end of the course, the students are expected to know and understand the psychological theories about the psychic trauma associated with political violence, the articulation of these with the social imaginary, and the implications both in the clinical and political spheres Of reparation and public health. Thus, students are expected to know the general lines of clinical and psychosocial approach to the consequences of political violence in different contexts, with an emphasis on Latin America.

PSY 34360 Health Psychology (2.5-3 Credit Hours)

THE STUDENT IDENTIFIES THE BASES IN THE FIELD OF HEALTH, AND ITS APPLICATION TO THE AREAS OF PSYCHOLOGY, THROUGH THE ANALYSIS OF ITS THEORETICAL POSTULATES TO MAKE EFFICIENT TREATMENT WITH PATIENTS OF ANY KIND DURING THE START, EVOLUTION AND TREATMENT OF THEIR DISEASES. The progression of the course's content, as outline by my professor on the introductory slides to the course, is below: 1. Introduction to health psychology 2. Mental health problems (context, learning, family, media) 3. Knowledge and understanding of psychological processes and illness 4. The health professional (emotional regulation, grief, suffering, and death) 5. Mental health and nutrition 6. Medical illnesses and nutrition (implications on mental health) 7. Promoting healthy lifestyles

PSY 34375 Human Sexuality (2.5-3.75 Credit Hours)

Human sexuality is often a controversial topic, with people holding divergent views. This course proposes to focus on the psychological factors involved in sexuality in the context of biological, sociological and cultural factors. Various perspectives, e.g. the developmental and psychosocial, will be explored. Psychosexual behavior in the Irish context and current trends in investigating human sexuality will form part of the course.

PSY 34400 Cognitive Psychology (2.5-5 Credit Hours)

This course will examine the structure and function of mental processes, which account for human behavior. Topics include attention, perception, memory, problem solving, decision making, cognitive development, language, and human intelligence. Individual, situational, gender and cultural differences in cognition will also be explored. An individual research project or research paper is required.

PSY 34434 Visual Cognition (2.5-4 Credit Hours)

PSY 20080 Visual Cognition at UCD; This course provides an introduction to the study of visual cognition, of how 'seeing' allows us perceive a world of meaningful objects, actions and events. The focus will be on higher-order processes in vision including face perception, object recognition, attention and scene perception and will include topics on social cognition (e.g., the perception of action and biological motion). The course introduces the various ways in which psychologists study visual cognition; through the study of the neural basis of visual cognition, through the use of experimental psychology, and by studying the changes in perceptual and cognitive function that occur as a result of brain injury. (Taught as PS 4084 "Psychology of Art: Aesthetics and individual differences in visual function" at University of Saint Andrews in Scotland.) AS The aim of the module is to develop an advanced understanding of the psychological processes involved in visual perception. The module extends basic knowledge of visual processing, from perceptual psychology and visual neuroscience, to how vision is used to interpret our complex world and to interact with it. We will consider the purpose and processes involved in using vision along two broad themes: recognising and interpreting the world via perception, and using vision to control our own actions in the world. The module will cover selected topics that illustrate the extraordinary range of problems our perceptual systems solve in the real world, including topics from: active vision (how do our visual systems allow us to function fast enough to drive a car, play fast-action sports), camouflage and search (how do we find and recognise objects in our cluttered world), material perception (how do we perceive things as dirty, smooth, shiny, patterned).

PSY 34440 Development of Perception Throughout the Lifespan (2.5-3.75 Credit Hours)

Taught at a host institution. This course will involve a study of the capability, development and decline of the main sensory systems throughout the lifespan. The course will begin with a review of sensory and perceptual development in utero and the consequences of the rapid cortical development within the first years of life on visual, tactile and auditory perception. The effects of sensory impairment on perceptual development in the intact senses will also be discussed. Whilst the course will also focus on normal perception in adulthood, particular emphasis will be placed on the effects of ageing on sensory and perceptual capabilities.

PSY 34500 Physiological Psychology: Motivation and Behavior (2.5-3.75 Credit Hours)

Titled "Psychophysiologie: motivation et comportement" at host institution. This teaching is a study of the adoptive regulations of the behaviors by considering the neuraux and hormonal mechanisms. One 1st part is an introduction to the ontogenèse behavior. Principal of the theories behaviorists and ethologic bases, the study of the instinct and the training is evoked as well from the historical point of view as experimental. The other parts study certain mechanisms psychophysiologic. The mechanism endocrinien and neurobiology of the stress (and more generally of the emotions) are developed, then three examples psychophysiologic of basic behaviors are described (the phenomenon of print, the sexual behavior, and the food behavior), by integrating the ethologic approach, the neuroanatomical approach (study of the cores hypothalamic and limbic) and approaches it neuro-endocrinienne (role of the hormones and neurotransmitters used). When taught at Dublin, Ireland: PSY 20010 Biological Psychology at UCD; This module will introduce student to two main subdivisions of biological psychology, namely physiological psychology and psychopharmacology. The methodological and conceptual basis of each subdiscipline is considered and selected topics such as sleep, memory, pain, and the effects of drugs on behaviour are explored in detail.

PSY 34501 Biological Psychology (2.5,3 Credit Hours)

The course provides an overview of the field of psychobiology. Drawing both from the biological and psychological sciences, the course introduces students to the structures and functions of the central and peripheral nervous systems, with a focus on how they influence mental processes and behavior. Students will gain the foundational knowledge to understand how biological processes inform the human experience. They will learn how the activity of neurons can yield simple motor actions as well as complex behavioral states and functions (e.g., motivation). Sample topics include: the basic anatomy of the nervous system, neural communication, brain development, as well as the neural basis of sensation, perception, learning, memory, motivation, emotion, sleep and consciousness.

PSY 34505 Neuro-physiology (2.5-3 Credit Hours)

PSY 10060 Brain and Behaviour at UCD; This module provides an introduction to the relationship between brain and behaviour. Students will be provided with an introduction to the main approaches in biopsychology. Students will gain an understanding of how the brain is involved in everything we do, whether it be eating, sleeping, learning, or feeling pain. Throughout the course, case studies and video-clips will be presented to help show the link between brain and behaviour and to explain clinical disorders and real-life problems that neuroscientists study. The goal is to demonstrate that the link between brain and behaviour is important for students who are considering further study in psychology, neuroscience, or other biological or health-related areas, but it is also of interest to any student with a general interest in behaviour.

PSY 34520 Introduction to Cognitive Neuroscience (2.5-5 Credit Hours)

An "Introduction to Cognitive Neuroscience" is a survey course that introduces students to the biological substrates underlying various forms of cognition in humans, with a specific focus on mental processes. We will explore how psychological and cognitive functions are produced by the brain. Cognitive neuroscience is a branch of both psychology and neuroscience, drawing from disciplines such as biological psychology (biopsychology), neuroscience, cognitive psychology, and neuropsychology.We will cover a broad range of topics, including learning and memory, perception, development and neural plasticity, cerebral lateralization and language, emotions and social cognition, stress, sleep and dreaming, and consciousness.

PSY 34525 Fundamentals of Neuroscience and Behavior (2.5,3 Credit Hours)

Taught as PSY 30050 "Human Neuropsychology" at host institution. This module will introduce the student to the principles and methods of clinical and experimental neuropsychology. The methodological and conceptual basis of neuropsychology are considered and the course emphases both a functional and an anatomical approach to the study of brain-behaviour relationships. The study of clinical patients with brain injury and disease and the experimental study of healthy individuals are discussed. The module concludes with an overview of the practical application of the field in the diagnosis of brain injury and the subsequent rehabilitation of neurologically impaired individuals. Trinity, TCD: An introductory level course to the topics of brain and behaviour; methods in neuroscience; conditioning and associative learning; neurons; basic neuroanatomy and neurotransmission. CU-HKU Hong Kong (PSYC 2110): This class will introduce theories, research methods and state-of-the-art knowledge of developmental cognitive neuroscience. Developmental cognitive neuroscience is an interdisciplinary research topic that integrates neuroscience, cognitive science and developmental science. It aims to uncover the brain and neural mechanisms that underlying cognitive, social-emotional development across life span. Specific topics will include introduction of theories and methods in developmental neuroscience, neuroplasticity, neural mechanisms that underlie the development of attention and perception processes, learning, memory, language, cognitive control, social-emotional processes. This class will examine these topics at different developmental stages, including infants, toddlers, adolescence and ageing population. This class will also cover the neural mechanisms underlying atypical development such as the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD).

PSY 34539 Psychology of Addiction (2.5-3.5 Credit Hours)

PS 3444 A Cognitive Neuroscience Approach to Addiction at TCD; Drug addiction can exert powerful influences over human behaviour with inordinate amounts of time devoted to drug seeking and taking and often at great expense to the addicted individual's personal, family and economic life. This course will focus on what is known about the cognitive and emotional processes involved in addiction with an emphasis on the neurobiology of these processes. The course will review research on a number of drugs of abuse (cannabis, ecstasy, cocaine, heroin, alcohol and nicotine) and will address relevant theoretical issues (e.g., is cannabis a "stepping-stone" drug?) as well as describe current treatments for dependence. The scope will also be broadened to address other addictive behaviours (e.g., food addictions and gambling).

PSY 34600 Social Psychology (2.5-5 Credit Hours)

The purpose of this class is to study human relationships in the context of culture, the family, religion, education, and groups. The class is organized as a science to study who is the individual, who is the group, and who is the individual in the context of a group. The course will emphasize communication and practical application of that which we learn. Students will present many topics in front of the class, and will be placed at a school to learn about intervention tactics in social psychology.

PSY 34631 Negative Attitudes: Cultural, Historical, & Social Psychological Analysis of Racism in South Africa (3 Credit Hours)

This course provides a basic overview of the social psychological principles that describe and explain the development and functions of attitudes (beliefs-stereotypes, feelings-prejudice, and behavior-discrimination) and how these influence relationships on an individual and group basis. These social psychological principles will then be used to analyze the development of and institutionalization of racism within the cultural-historical context of South Africa - one that is defined by intergroup conflict between the English and Afrikaans cultural groups, the tribal conflicts among the African tribes, as well as the black-white apartheid conflict. This portion of the course contextualizes the psychological in the historical-cultural-economic context. Finally, the course culminates in reading and discussing the words and life of Nelson Mandela whose response to institutionalized racism that oppressed his people and resulted in his incarceration for 27 years was one of reconciliation. Questions dealing with appropriate responses to negative attitudes as well as programs or policies to change existing negative attitudes or prevent the development their future development will be discussed. This course will count as a 30000-level course for psychology majors or as a college social science requirement for students in the College of Arts and Letters.

PSY 34635 Drunk on Film: The Psychology of Storytelling with Alcohol and its Effects on Alcohol Consumption (3 Credit Hours)

Alcohol Use Disorder is a chronic relapsing brain disease. But when presented on screen, it's entertainment. Why do we laugh, why do we cry, why do we emulate fictional characters whose drinking habits result in a life of debilitating addiction? From Humphrey Bogart to Ron Burgundy the psychology and seduction of alcohol on film, in television, and laptops will be analyzed. Furthermore, what is the relationship between the manner in which alcohol use/abuse is presented on screen and the manner in which alcohol is used and abused on, for example, college campuses? Surveying film and television history, we will examine how alcohol is used in story structure, as a character flaw or strength, and as a narrative device in the story arc of films across multiple film genres, (action/adventure, comedy, romance, etc). Why do characters drink, where do they drink, and how does the result of their "getting drunk" advance the narrative? We'll also look at non-fiction films that tackle issues of addiction, as a way of comparing character development in Hollywood films to the results of this same behavior in everyday life. Film materials will include weekly screenings outside of class, and academic articles relating to portrayal and analysis of alcohol use in film and television, including the business of marketing campaigns, product placement, and box office results. From the psychological perspective we will discuss the topic and process of social influence and how the presence of others influences our behavior. Questions of interest will include the following: what are the mechanisms by which group influence unfolds? How and why might we be persuaded? Does the manner, and if so how, in which alcohol use is portrayed in movies and the media reflect the processes and principles of social influence? Readings will include chapters on social influence, persuasion and academic articles evaluating the manner in which alcohol is portrayed and advertised and the effect this has on alcohol consumption. In addition, issues of addiction will be discussed - from understanding the basis of addiction to examining the efficacy of addiction treatment.

Satisfies the following University Core Requirements: WKIN - Core Integration

PSY 34680 Introduction to Work and Organizational Psychology (2.5-6 Credit Hours)

The unit is an eclectic combining of the theoretical and the practical in examining the roles of individuals as members of organisations. Through lectures, workshops, case studies and a workplace-oriented assignment, students will be challenged to develop new paradigms of thinking about the psychology of the individual in the workplace. The Psychology of Work is a blend of organisational behaviour, sociology, organisational theory, management, leadership, human resource issues and psychology. It examines contemporary management thinking in the context of cause-and-effect on individuals and subsequent performance and encourages dialectic about organisations as rational decision making bodies. Where appropriate, guest speakers will be invited to talk about current workplace and people issues that they experience as managers and leaders. The teaching approach is one of active learning and students are required to participate fully in the blend of workshops and lectures throughout the unit. I believe that learning should also be a pleasant experience and a sense of humour is most welcome if not mandatory. (SU) The field and context of personnel/human resource management, organisational positioning of the human resource management department, strategic human resource management, human resource planning, job analysis, recruiting, selection, induction, training and development, performance appraisal, basic remuneration, job evaluation, incentive payment, indirect compensation, labour turnover, absenteeism,human resource management information systems, safety and health, human resource accounting, flexitime, quality of work life, social responsibility, issues in and challenges to human resource (BT) Discuss the psychological effects on work as well as different types of work affecting mental health. Lecture-based class taught in Italian.

PSY 34681 Environmental Psychology (5 Credit Hours)

The environments in which we live not only shape and influence our lives, but human behaviours also have a profound impact on the natural environment. Drawing on psychological theories (e.g. from social and cognitive psychology), you will explore the interactions between humans and their environments in a range of specific contexts, such as navigating through cities, well-being in stressful environments, and everyday behaviours that relate to climate change. You will also consider how the application of psychology can help provide solutions to environmental problems, and how these solutions can be communicated with decision-makers in society. The environments in which we live not only shape and influence our lives, but human behaviours also have a profound impact on the natural environment. Drawing on psychological theories (e.g. from social and cognitive psychology), you will explore the interactions between humans and their environments in a range of specific contexts, such as navigating through cities, well-being in stressful environments, and everyday behaviours that relate to climate change. You will also consider how the application of psychology can help provide solutions to environmental problems, and how these solutions can be communicated with decision-makers in society. The environments in which we live not only shape and influence our lives, but human behaviours also have a profound impact on the natural environment. Drawing on psychological theories (e.g. from social and cognitive psychology), you will explore the interactions between humans and their environments in a range of specific contexts, such as navigating through cities, well-being in stressful environments, and everyday behaviours that relate to climate change. You will also consider how the application of psychology can help provide solutions to environmental problems, and how these solutions can be communicated with decision-makers in society.

PSY 34682 Organizational Psychology (1.5-6 Credit Hours)

(DU) The purpose of this module is to provide students with a firm basic understanding of human behaviour in organisations. In this module students will develop knowledge about (i) individual behavior in the work setting, (ii) group processes and (iii) how these may impact on organisational effectiveness. The module enables students to analyse human behaviour in organisations and to identify solutions to organisational problems. Students are expected to attend lectures/tutorials, prepare for and contribute to class discussions. (SU) Individual behaviour: perceptions, personality, attitudes, values, cultural diversity, work motivation, behaviour modification, job design; group and intergroup behaviour; leadership, power and politics, managerial development, decision-making, communication, organisational theory structure and design, organisational culture, organisational change and development. (FA) Chiara Lorico-Rappa at 02/01/2024 09:13 PM ESTThis course examines the complex interactions and challenges that can enhance or impede wellbeing in the workplace. Combining the discipline areas of social and cultural psychology with organisational and management theory to examine human behaviour offers a framework for understanding the complexities of the contemporary workplace. Students analyse the various contextual elements of the individual, the group, the organisational system, and society from an interdisciplinary vantage point. Throughout this analytical journey, they learn to unpack how those interacting contexts influence social power relations that define how we operate in the workplace. Contemporary factors including the influence of globalisation are explored in order to analyse the synergies between the local and the global marketplace. Students also reflect on their experiences of work practices and collaboratively develop strategies that address contemporary workplace problems. (P3) This class provides an in-depth exploration of the social psychological aspects of groups and group dynamics. It covers a range of topics from the basic phenomenology of groups to complex concepts in group performance and leadership.

PSY 34693 Psychology of Healthy lives (3 Credit Hours)

This module introduces students to various ways in which psychology can contribute to personal happiness and success. The module critically reviews previous theory and research so as to equip students with the tools to introduce evidencebased psychology into their everyday life. Students will be encouraged to put their learning into practice outside of the module. Online support will be provided throughout the course via the Blackboard system.

PSY 34695 Forensic Psychology (2.5-3 Credit Hours)

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to three prominent and interrelated areas of psychology: Forensic, Abnormal and Clinical Psychology. The Forensic Psychology component will introduce students to theoretical aspects and areas of professional practice in contemporary forensic psychology. Abnormal Psychology will afford students the opportunity to examine various psychological disorders in a systematic manner considering such features as aetiology, diagnosis and treatment. An introduction to Clinical Psychology will be provided which aims to familiarise the student with evidence-based approaches to commonly encountered mental health problems in clinical practice.

PSY 34697 Psychology and Crime (2.5,3 Credit Hours)

Taught as PSY 30080 "Psychology and Crime" at host institution. This module examines the overlap between theories and research within criminology and within psychology in order to examine the concept of crime from an inter-disciplinary perspective. Rather than being a course in Forensic Psychology, it offers a critique of the potential of such an approach. Gender disparities in offending, the efficacy of drug criminalization, and psychological aspects of the criminal justice system such as eyewitness testimony and jury decision-making are covered, as are sensitive topics, such as recidivism among child sex offenders and intervention with offenders.

PSY 34698 Study Abroad Elective (2-5 Credit Hours)

Students who participate in study abroad programs often take courses that do not have a corresponding equivalent on campus. In such cases, the purpose of this course (PSY 34698) is to give credit for psychology classes that will count towards the major but which cannot count as a specific course requirement.

PSY 34900 PSDP PSych Abroad Elective (3 Credit Hours)

The course is based on "narrative and storytelling" the contents that are studied are: narrative psychology, Story-telling in ordinary interaction, Story-telling in institutional contexts (in families, outside world and how the baby narrative evolves over time), Narrative and identity, Narrative and credibility, Narrative and the construction of reality

PSY 40120 Advanced Statistics (3 Credit Hours)

This course extends PSY 30100 in two respects. First, additional attention is given to the logic of inferential statistics. Special focus is placed on the purpose, strengths, and limitations of hypothesis testing, especially as it is used in psychological research. Second, this course considers statistical analysis of data from more complex data structures than typically covered in PSY 30100. The goal of this part of the course is to heighten students' awareness of the variety of research questions that can be addressed through a wide range of designs and accompanying analyses. The orientation of the entire course focuses much less on the computational aspects of analyzing data than on the conceptual bases of what can be learned from different approaches to data analysis.

PSY 40122 Machine Learning for Social and Behavioral Research (3 Credit Hours)

In this day and age, we interact with many data collection tools. From swiping loyalty cards in the supermarket, movie recommendations by Netflix, or taking driving directions from a GPS, we are leaving a data footprint almost every day. Machine learning algorithms could help us go from raw datasets to valuable information. Machine learning has recently emerged as a major area of statistical research and is making its way into psychology. This course is an introductory seminar on the theory and application of machine learning to data analysis. A lot of research in psychology has focused on hypothesis-driven, explanatory approaches to data analysis. Machine learning could supplement a researcher’s analytic toolbox to explore patterns in datasets and assess the predictive value of various combinations of variables on several outcomes.

PSY 40124 Tests and Measures for Psychological Science (3 Credit Hours)

This course will demonstrate how it is possible to measure abstract psychological attributes in a principled way. The class will cover classical test theory (reliability and validity), item analysis and scaling, different types of tests (IQ, personnel, diagnostic), the development of new measures, and the basic statistical methods used for measurement. Issues related to fairness and measurement equivalence will be discussed.

PSY 40282 Immigrant Youth and Families (3 Credit Hours)

This seminar provides an overview of scholarship on theories, methods, and research conducted on immigrant youth and their families from developmental perspectives. Topics will include a review of a number of developmental issues including youth's adjustment to immigration, adolescents' identity development, school experiences, cultural issues, family dynamics and well-being. The readings will largely focus on immigrants residing in the U.S.

PSY 40302 How Self-Actualizing People Think and Behave (3 Credit Hours)

This psychological seminar examines the behavior of well-known trailblazers from the arts, government, science, and business. These self-actualizing individuals demonstrated a profound connection to their own values and mission in life, and were said to have an excellent grasp of reality. How were they able to pursue their goals so courageously despite having the same pressures to conform, performance fears, and safety concerns that the rest of us face? And how can their humility be explained in light of their remarkable achievements? This seminar is the third in a sequence of three related seminars. Although the first seminar, Know Thy Self, is not a prerequisite, students would do well to take it first because it gives an understanding of human greatness as a do-able process. The Know Thy Self seminar emphasizes assertiveness and learning to answer to oneself, with hands-on exercises to reinforce this learning. The second seminar in the sequence is Unlocking Human Potential, wherein students are called upon to define and move toward fulfilling their idiosyncratic human potential in both love and work. And the last seminar is this third one on self-actualizing people. It invites students to derive themes from psychological studies and historical accounts of the behaviors of self-actualizing people in order to shed light on how the students can fulfill their own human potential.

PSY 40310 Advanced Abnormal Psychology (3 Credit Hours)

This course extends PSY30310, Abnormal Psychology, by using primary source readings, writing assignments, and a seminar format both to deepen students' understanding of psychopathology and to sharpen students' critical thinking skills. Students will delve deeper into specific diagnoses, such as depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia, and they will also examine specific research problems, such as diagnosis, replicability, and measurement. Particular attention will also be paid to treatment, with an emphasis on how evidence-based psychotherapy is actually conducted.

PSY 40313 Guide to Good Science (3 Credit Hours)

Psychological science is in the midst of a paradigm shift focused on increasing transparency, replicability, and quality. The Open Science train has pulled out of the station, and if you don't jump on you'll be left behind. In this class, we will cover best scientific practices starting with the conceptualization of a study and ultimately ending with its publication in a peer reviewed journal. Topics include: theory, open science, replication, pre-registration and registered reports, questionable research practices, measurement, proper statistical methods, and the peer-review and publishing process. To illustrate these concepts we will read and discuss articles as well as conduct (and ideally publish) our own study along the way. Doing science is hard, but understanding quality research practices doesn't have to be.

PSY 40317 Depression and Anxiety (3 Credit Hours)

Everything you ever wanted to know about the two most common forms of mental illness in the world. We will take a comprehensive examination of issues related to the diagnosis, assessment, causes, and treatment of depression and anxiety disorders.

Satisfies the following University Core Requirements: WKSS - Core Social Science, WRIT - Writing Intensive

PSY 40319 Resilience in Contexts of Chronic Conflict (3 Credit Hours)

The study of human resilience following adversity has garnered significant interdisciplinary interest in the past decade, but conceptualizations of its definition and function vary widely both within and across disciplines. This course will be an interdisciplinary exploration of how we can understand human "resilience," especially in the context of ongoing adversity. Drawing from psychology, anthropology, biology, theology, fine arts, and literature - among other disciplines - we will explore the tensions and synergies between varying schools of thought on resilience, identify major gaps/problems in how the concept is defined, and examine its functional utility for studying well-being and promoting social justice in the context of ongoing direct and structural violence.

PSY 40322 Child Intervention (3 Credit Hours)

This is a clinical skills course introducing students to evidence-based intervention strategies targeting commonly seen diagnoses in children and adolescents. Developmental, cultural, familial, and systemic considerations in treatment are emphasized with practical, step-by-step methods that illustrate how to implement these interventions with children and adolescents.

PSY 40361 Sleep and Health (3 Credit Hours)

While humans spend nearly a third of their lives sleeping, the nature and function of sleep is still very much unknown. This said, one point is clear: sufficient and good quality sleep is critical for mental and physical health. This seminar is designed to provide an overview of sleep and related processes, especially as they relate to clinical health outcomes. Specific topics include the history of sleep science, biological underpinnings of sleep, sleep across the lifespan, the nature and etiology of sleep disorders, environmental and cultural influences on sleep, and the relationship between sleep and various clinical disorders. Finally, we will explore ways to improve sleep in a variety of populations via intervention, psychoeducation, and public policy. The overall student objective is to be able to discuss and apply (in a preliminary way) the principles and practice of sleep science.

PSY 40451 Neuroscience and Behavior Research Methods (4 Credit Hours)

This course will provide lectures and lab experiences with the tools and techniques that are commonly used in modern cognitive, developmental and clinical neuroscience research on humans. Students will be introduced to, and obtain hands-on experience with, the acquisition and analysis of neurophysiological recording methods, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and electroencephalography (EEG), and noninvasive neuromodulation methods such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Students will learn how to appropriately pair these different methods using combined multi-modal approaches to address neuroscience and behavior research questions. By the end of the semester, students will be equipped to be able to evaluate and conduct Neuroscience and Behavior research with cutting-edge methods that researchers use to explore the human mind and brain.

PSY 40647 The Cognitive Science of Reading & Dyslexia (3 Credit Hours)

The ability to read and understand written language has had a profound impact on human civilization, shaping how we think, learn, and communicate. In this course, we will discuss the cognitive science of reading and dyslexia. We will focus on the components that are specific to the task of reading itself, rather than on the more general cognitive, linguistic, or social capacities involved. Students will gain an understanding of how people learn to read, the processes involved in skilled reading, and the causes of reading difficulties. We also will consider what cognitive science research says (or doesn't say) about how reading should be taught. Topics covered will be relevant to anyone interested in gaining deeper insights into one of humanity's most important inventions.

PSY 40669 Anthropology of Childhood and Education (3 Credit Hours)

Concepts of human growth vary extraordinarily across time and space. When children become full-fledged persons, when they can reason, when or whether they should be independent from their parents, and how all this happens are variable and illuminating. Education - either formal or informal - reflects and also constitutes a society's view of childhood. This course provides a (selective) cross-cultural survey of childhood and education, looking at stages from pregnancy and infancy to late adolescence. Students will devise and conduct projects of their own.

Prerequisites: ANTH 20203 or ANTH 30103 or ANTH 30104

PSY 40672 Digital Forensic Analysis (3 Credit Hours)

Digital devices and communications are a part of daily life. From computers to cell phones to online accounts, we generate a significant digital footprint. As such, most civil and criminal investigations contain a nexus to digital evidence. This course will cover the principles of digital forensic analysis, including Electronic Discovery and the forensic process of Extraction, Processing, and Analysis. Students will learn and develop skills related to: acquiring smartphone, computer, removable media, and other forensic images; analyzing artifacts, file systems, and registry data; use of multiple methods and verification features to validate findings; and how to generate reports and distribute findings to share digital forensic results quickly and easily. Students will have the opportunity to use commercial digital forensics software to participate in hands-on lectures and practical exercise. This will include conducting digital forensic analysis on a computer, an iOS device, an Android device, and multiple items from cloud accounts. At the conclusion of the course, students will have a firm base knowledge of digital forensics and be able to independently perform digital forensics exams.

PSY 40673 Psychology of Info Analysis (3 Credit Hours)

The world is full of information that we are continuously evaluating. As part of the human thought process, we build mental models through which we process, analyze, and form conclusions as to the meaning of that information. This is a natural function of the human cognitive process. We construct our own version of reality based on the information that we have. The problem with this is that we frequently make judgments on large amounts of incomplete and ambiguous information. This is something that the mind is poorly wired to deal with effectively. In addition, we often fail to recognize our inherent biases in evaluation, cause & effect, and estimating probabilities. Some of these biases include confirmation, hindsight, anchoring, availability, and self-serving. The pitfalls set by the human mental process for analyzing information cannot be eliminated; they are part of us. What can be done is to learn how to look for and to recognize these mental obstacles, and how to develop procedures designed to offset them. We must distinguish between what you know and what you believe. The difference between fact and opinion; between knowledge and thinking. Through primary source readings and a declassified book from a government intelligence agency, students will learn how to be self-conscious about their reasoning processes. Students will learn techniques for critical thinking, creative thinking, and analytical thinking. About how you make judgments and reach conclusions, not just about the judgments and conclusions themselves. The goal is to equip students with the thinking and reasoning skills necessary to better construct a more accurate reality.

PSY 40677 Forensic Psychology of Cyber Crime (3 Credit Hours)

The use and interaction with digital devices is a part of daily life. This course will introduce students to the principles of forensic psychology as they apply to cybercrime offenses along with the field of computer forensics techniques and methodologies. Topics to be covered include the motivations of hackers, online child offenders, cyber stalkers, and identity thieves along with electronic discovery, Windows forensic analysis procedures, and Macintosh forensic analysis procedures.

PSY 40679 An Introduction to Digital Forensics (3 Credit Hours)

Digital devices and communications are a part of daily life. This course will provide students with an introduction to the field of digital analysis and e-discovery. Topics to be covered include the scientific method of digital analysis, electronic discovery, legal issues related to digital analysis, network investigations, and mobile technologies. Students will learn basic procedures and hardware/software requirements for conducting digital analyses on Windows and Macintosh computer systems along with iOS and Android mobile devices.

Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Psychology.

PSY 40695 Psychology and the Law (3 Credit Hours)

This course will explore the interface of psychology and the law, with an emphasis on forensic psychology. Forensic psychologists help courts make informed decisions about cases when some aspect of psychology is involved. Landmark legal cases that pertain to psychology will be discussed. Students will explore the various options for careers in the field of forensic psychology. Specific topics covered include police psychology, eyewitness and expert testimony, jury selection, psychopathy, repressed memories, profiling, the insanity defense, and custody evaluations. Students will also learn how psychology science ad research supports these topics.

PSY 43230 Mental Health and Aging (3 Credit Hours)

The primary purpose of this course is to expose students to basic issues relevant to the mental health of the elderly, which includes an experiential learning component in the form of volunteer relationships with an older adult. In the classroom, students will be challenged to think critically about the mental health issues associated with later life and are expected to actively participate in class discussions. Topics focused on pathological aging include psychological disorders, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment; resiliency in aging topics include: physical and mental health, social support, personality, coping, and stress. Class presentations, volunteer activities, and the readings will be used to stimulate discussion and critical thinking. Students will also keep a journal for this purpose. The format of the course may include some lecture, but will rely heavily on class discussion and group activities. Students are required to participate in some type of volunteer activity over the course of the semester (i.e., a minimum of one hour/week). Students may generate their own volunteer placement or I can help match you up with one.

Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Neuroscience and Behavior or Psychology.

PSY 43250 Cognitive Development (3 Credit Hours)

Where does human knowledge come from, and how does it change over time? This course introduces key frameworks and enduring questions in cognitive development by exploring how humans come to understand object permanence, categories, language, symbols, number, space, and other minds. We also examine the development of cognitive processes involved in attention, memory, and executive function. By the end of the semester, you will be able to critique theories of cognitive development, design experiments to test your hypotheses, evaluate competing models, and identify practical applications of developmental cognitive science research.

Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Psychology.

PSY 43260 Social Development (3 Credit Hours)

Humans are fundamentally social beings. From our earliest cuddles with caregivers to our interactions in the metaverse, we develop and exist in a web of relationships with complex social identities. In this course, we will examine human development through the lens of social psychology. Students will gain an understanding of the psychological theories of social development and the history of the discipline. We will investigate the contexts in which social development occurs and discuss the challenges that children, adolescents, and adults face as they navigate social identities and relationships in the world today.

Satisfies the following University Core Requirements: WRIT - Writing Intensive

PSY 43261 Resilience Development (3 Credit Hours)

This course delves into the evolving concept of resilience, moving beyond the traditional view of it as a fixed trait. We will explore resilience as a dynamic process and outcome that is multifaceted and develops over time through biological and environmental processes. During the course, we will place special emphasis on resilience in the context of neighborhood-level adversities such as poverty and community violence. Students will critically examine how resilience is defined and measured, and the inconsistencies in these definitions across different studies and developmental periods. The course will also cover protective factors that enhance youth resilience and discuss how these factors influence developmental trajectories of resilience. Additionally, we will introduce the emerging field of the biological pathways of resilience by investigating how underlying physiological and genetic factors contribute to resilience development. Through our exploration in this course, students will gain insights into resilience in adverse environments and the implications for supporting youth across development.

PSY 43270 Fundamentals of Autism (3 Credit Hours)

PSY 43271 Autism Spectrum Disorder Practicum I-W (3 Credit Hours)

Satisfies the following University Core Requirements: WRIT - Writing Intensive

Course may be repeated.

Enrollment is limited to students with a program in Pre-Health Studies (Supp.), Educ, Schooling and Society or Psychology.

PSY 43272 Neurodevelopmental Disorders (3 Credit Hours)

In this course, we will critically examine the etiology, neurobiology, diagnosis, and treatment of developmental and learning disabilities. We will also investigate the impact of a developmental disability on the individual, family, community, and culture. Topics will include (but are not limited to) ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Down syndrome, Dyslexia, Fetal alcohol syndrome, Fragile X syndrome, and Williams-Beuren syndrome.

PSY 43282 Developmental Psychopathology, Conflict, Kids and Culture. (3 Credit Hours)

The goal of this course is to articulate key principles, assumptions, concepts and methods that underlie the developmental psychopathology framework, and to use them to provide a foundation for understanding the processes underlying development, with a special emphasis on relations between conflict, violence and youth adjustment domestically (i.e., family and marital conflict) and in international contexts (i.e., political violence and armed conflict). Following an introduction to the developmental psychopathology framework, the course will include a focus on special issues in developmental psychopathology, as well as on understanding development from a developmental psychopathology perspective in the context of conflict at proximal and distal levels of the social ecology, including family and marital conflict and international contexts of political violence, armed conflict and youth adjustment.

Satisfies the following University Core Requirements: WRIT - Writing Intensive

Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Psychology.

PSY 43288 Practicum in Child Maltreatment (3 Credit Hours)

This course is intended to expose students to the child welfare system and the effects of child maltreatment and foster care on child development. The seminar portion of the course will include training on mandated reporting, and the child welfare system, and discussion of current research on child maltreatment, foster care, child development, and developmental psychopathology. The practicum portion of the course is designed to give students hands on experience with children in custody of the Department of Child Services in South Bend. Each student in the practicum will be paired with a child who is currently placed in foster care because of substantiated child maltreatment. The student will serve as a mentor to this child, and will spend 1-2 hours with the child twice weekly in the child's foster home.

Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Psychology.

PSY 43313 Science and Pseudoscience in Psychology (3 Credit Hours)

This course emphasizes the use of critical thinking skills for distinguishing science from pseudoscience in psychology. Picking up where Introduction to Clinical Psychology (PSY 30314) left off, this course takes up the torch of Popper, Meehl, and Lakatos to cover topics such as: (a) controversial therapeutic, assessment and diagnostic techniques, (b) weak theories , and (c) myths from "pop" psychology and every day life.

Prerequisites: PSY 30314

Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Psychology.

PSY 43346 Psychology of Religion (3 Credit Hours)

Introduction to the major issues, theories, and research in the psychology of religion through critical analysis of classical and modern literature from Western and Eastern cultures. Topics discussed will help illuminate the role of religion as a powerful meaning system that can affect the lives of individuals in terms of their beliefs, motivations, emotions, and behaviors. A major focus of this course will be in the area of religious identity development where various developmental theories of religion will be utilized to understand how religious identity unfolds across time.

Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Psychology.

PSY 43357 Food and the Brain (3 Credit Hours)

"What happens in your brain when you eat a piece of chocolate? Why do you eat more when you're stressed out? How does your gut communicate with your brain? In this course, students will study the brain's response to food and its relationship to eating behaviors, crossing levels ranging from molecular biology to psychology. It will emphasize critical reading of primary scientific literature. This will serve as a Psychology elective requirement in the new neuroscience major."

Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Neuroscience and Behavior or Psychology.

PSY 43358 Music in the Brain (3 Credit Hours)

What happens in our brains when we listen to and make music? This course will survey the perceptual and cognitive processes involved in music perception and performance, incorporating research from various disciplines within psychology. We will discuss various concepts underlying the processing and comprehension of musical content, such as pitch and rhythm perception, musical memory and musical rules, emotion in music, expertise in musicianship, and the use of music and music therapy as rehabilitative tools.

Satisfies the following University Core Requirements: WRIT - Writing Intensive

PSY 43359 Auditory Cognition (3 Credit Hours)

In this course, we will discuss the interactions between perceptual and cognitive processes underlying the processing of complex auditory information. How does attention enhance our understanding in noisy environments? What roles do context and prediction play in segregating sound sequences from each other? We will discuss the concept of auditory scene analysis and its neural bases, the contributions of attention and auditory memory, and how these function in our perception of speech and music.

Satisfies the following University Core Requirements: WRIT - Writing Intensive

PSY 43360 Health Psychology (3 Credit Hours)

Because behavior plays a significant role in people's health, psychology has emerged as an important contributor to the process of coping with disease, disease prevention, and health enhancement. This course is designed to be an overview of health psychology and behavioral medicine. Topics will include psychology and medicine, health psychology models, stress and health, adaptation to illness, psychological aspects of cancer, pain, coronary artery disease, rehabilitation, infectious disease, health promotion and disease prevention, and professional opportunities in health psychology. In addition, health care professionals in the community who are working in areas to be covered in the course will be making presentations to the class. There will be two exams that will cover reading and lecture material. In addition, there will be two short papers that will help integrate the readings, lectures, and information provided by the speakers. Finally, there will be a lengthy paper that will consist of a summary review and critique of research in a specific area of health psychology.

Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Psychology.

PSY 43363 Body Image (3 Credit Hours)

In this seminar, we will explore the biological, psychosocial (including peers and family), and cultural factors influencing body image. We will explore impacts of "fitspo" and body esteem messages, and examine alternative means of reducing risk of body dissatisfaction (e.g., self and identity; self-compassion; gratitude). Potential connections between body image and disordered eating will be examined, including analysis of "classical" and contemporary theoretical models. Both basic and applied (i.e., intervention) research will be incorporated, and a lifespan approach will be utilized, examining body image during childhood, adolescence and midlife.

PSY 43365 Addictive Behavior (3 Credit Hours)

Throughout history, people have used addictive substances in their everyday lives to obtain desired effects, at times encountering unwanted negative consequences along the way. While many use substances without significant problems, others become “addicted” and experience considerable impairment and distress. The goal of this course is to explore the concept of addiction, with a focus on the psychology of addictive behaviors: why do people use substances and what happens when they do?

PSY 43371 Global mental Health (3 Credit Hours)

In the past 20 years, mental health has received increasing attention on the global stage: it has been a focus of major international agencies, such as the World Health Organization, but it is also widely represented in the work of international and local NGOs, national governments, and in peacebuilding processes in conflict-affected settings. This course provides an overview of the field of global mental health, covering topics such as the social determinants of health, global mental health inequity, cross-cultural adaptation of psychological assessments and treatments, psychosocial support in humanitarian settings, the implementation and dissemination of evidenced-based treatments in low resource settings, and the integration of psychological supports in post-conflict processes, such as reparations and truth and reconciliation commissions. Students will engage with a wide variety of sources from diverse global contexts, including policy papers, practice briefings, training materials, empirical research in psychology and public health, and case studies.

PSY 43455 Seminar: Psycholinguistics (3 Credit Hours)

An interdisciplinary seminar with emphasis upon student participation covering topics such as linguistics, memory, and perception for language stimuli, child language, bilingualism, and social psychology of language.

Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Psychology.

PSY 43457 Bilingualism (3 Credit Hours)

What happens when two languages share one mind? This course investigates the foundations, mechanisms, and consequences of bilingualism from psychological, linguistic, and educational perspectives. Students will engage with foundational theories and contemporary research on topics such as code-switching, executive function, bilingual education models, and the impact of language ideologies and policies. They will leave the course with a critical understanding of bilingualism as both a cognitive phenomenon and a socially embedded experience, prepared to apply this knowledge in research, education, and policy contexts.

PSY 43460 Human Intelligence (3 Credit Hours)

This course will cover the concept of human intelligence. Although the course will primarily examine intelligence through the lens of cognitive psychology, we will also discuss some of the societal and cultural impacts of intelligence testing. Topics will include how intelligence been measured historically, the current state of the art in intelligence measurement, the use and abuse of intelligence testing, the division/unity of “types” of intelligence, the development of intelligence from infancy to old age, some potential causes of intelligence including development, environmental influences, neurological derivations, and heritability, the Flynn effect, and modern attempts to improve intelligence (e.g., “brain training”). Coursework will include a mixture of seminar-style discussions of course readings, student-led presentations, and written assignments.

PSY 43521 Arts: Aesthetics & Creativity (3 Credit Hours)

In this course, we will explore the empirical study of topics related to the appreciation and creation of the arts. How do we study what is considered of value or beautiful, when the criteria vary from person to person? What are neural correlates of the creative experience? How might we see this play out in various art forms? Students will be encouraged to exercise their own creativity and evaluation of how they approach and appreciate the arts, through reading primary research articles and engaging with creative works.'

PSY 43524 cognitive neuroscience of memory and aging (3 Credit Hours)

This reading and discussion based seminar involves reading seminal research papers on the neural mechanisms of human memory, how memory processes change across the adult lifespan in normal/healthy aging and in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias that affect memory and cognition, and how memory functioning may be enhanced by compensatory and restorative interventions including pharmacological, encoding/retention/retrieval strategies, cognitive/brain training (e.g., with neurofeedback), noninvasive brain stimulation, and lifestyle (diet, exercise, stress, sleep, music, dance, intergenerational mentorship etc.) interventions. We will focus on working memory, episodic memory, and prospective memory, and their supporting neurocognitive mechanisms. The course will emphasize recent advances in experimental neuropsychology/cognitive neurology, neuroimaging, and non-invasive brain stimulation techniques, including neurotech applications using machine learning/AI algorithms to decode memory representations in the brain in real-time and administer neurofeedback or brain stimulation to augment memory processing.

PSY 43525 Cognitive Electrophysiology (3 Credit Hours)

This course will provide in depth coverage of the use electroencephalography (EEG) to investigate human cognition. The goal of this course is for you to obtain the skills and tools needed to conduct your own EEG research. In this course, you will learn about the biological origins of the EEG signal, best practices in experimental design of cognitive neuroscience studies using EEG, and a variety of analytic techniques including event-related potentials (ERPs) and time-frequency analysis. This is a hands-on course where you will gain experience collecting and analyzing EEG data.

PSY 43526 Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience: The Sleeping Brain (3 Credit Hours)

This seminar will provide a broad introduction to the cognitive neuroscience of sleep. Topics covered will span human sleep disorders, sleep in various animals species (e.g. unihemispheric sleep in dolphins), learning and memory during sleep, sleep's role in creativity and insight, plasticity in the sleeping cortex, sleep and consciousness, and dreaming. We will also examine neuroimaging, neurophysiological, and behavioral approaches to the study of sleep, discussing critical questions such as "what is sleep?" and, "why do we sleep?"

Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Neuroscience and Behavior or Psychology.

PSY 43527 Student-Driven Seminar on Sleep & Stress: Cognitive, Clinical and Developmental Issues (3 Credit Hours)

This seminar will provide an introduction to the independent and interactive roles of sleep and stress in cognition and psychopathology. Topics covered will include disorders of the sleep and stress systems, how sleep and stress at normal and abnormal levels impact learning, memory, and affective processing, and how the interaction of these variables influence the development and prognosis of clinical conditions such as anxiety disorders (e.g. PTSD) and mood disorders (e.g. major depression). The role of dreaming in psychopathological conditions will also be discussed. We will examine neuroimaging, neurophysiological, and behavioral approaches to the study of sleep, stress and psychopathology, discussing critical questions such as "what is stress?", "why do we sleep?, and "what happens when the sleep and stress systems go awry?" This course is an excellent choice for all graduate students in psychology and biology or anyone interested in the neuroscience of behavior. It is particularly relevant for students of cognitive neuroscience, clinical psychology, cognitive psychology, neurobiology, or developmental psychology.

PSY 43528 Cognitive Neuroscience of Aging (3 Credit Hours)

This course will provide a compressive overview of the cognitive neuroscience of aging. The overarching aim of this course will be to explore how brain structure and function change with age, and this affects how our cognition changes with age. The course will focus the challenges of cognitive aging research and the importance of integrate across different neuroscience methodologies (MRI, EEG, and some animal models) to understand the relationship between brain aging and cognition. The course includes coverage of many different topics, such as perception, memory, brain network organization, factors that promote ‘successful' brain aging, and age-related neurodegenerative conditions (Alzheimer's disease).

Prerequisites: PSY 10000 or PSY 10091

Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Neuroscience and Behavior or Psychology.

PSY 43531 Psychology and Medicine (3 Credit Hours)

This course has two basic objectives. First, it examines from a lifespan and psychobiological perspective the factors that place individuals at different stages of life at risk for illness and assist them in maintaining their health. In addition, it addresses a variety of challenging psychological and social issues that physicians and other healthcare professionals must face in the practice of medicine. The course covers a range of topics dealing with health issues related to different stages of human development (childhood, adolescence, and adulthood), disabled populations, culture and gender, stress, physician-patient interactions, death and dying, professional ethics, and social policies relating to health care. The course is primarily intended for students intending to enter medical school. Most classes will involve brief formal presentations by the instructors and invited guests, followed by discussion of assigned readings pertinent to the day's topic. In addition, students will be exposed, via a limited practicum, to a variety of medical settings.

Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Psychology.

PSY 43533 Topics in the Neurophysiology of Stress (3 Credit Hours)

In this seminar, you will learn about one of the major systems involved in the body's response to stress: the system which controls production of the stress hormone cortisol. In addition to the physiology of the stress response, this course will address what kinds of events provoke a stress response; when the stress response is adaptive vs. maladaptive; and how stress hormones affect the brain, and thus influence learning and memory. Additional topics covered may include: the effects of chronic stress; stress and reproduction; effects of early experience on stress responsiveness; stress and psychopathology; the role of neurosteroids (a class of hormones that act on neurons) in stress. Readings will include review articles and original research reports; one goal of this course will be for you to become proficient at reading and understanding scientific literature. Prerequisites: Introductory psychology. Introductory biology recommended. Physiological Psychology or concurrent enrollment in Introduction to Biopsychology recommended.

Prerequisites: PSY 10000 (may be taken concurrently) or PSY 20000 (may be taken concurrently) or PSY 20001 (may be taken concurrently)

Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Neuroscience and Behavior or Psychology.

PSY 43640 Educational Psychology (3 Credit Hours)

Educational Psychology examines questions about development, learning and achievement in schools. In this course we will explore fundamental questions such as (a) What is intelligence? Is it fixed or changeable? What are the implications of conceptions of intelligence for achievement? (b) How does learning occur? What are the implications of different theories of learning? Is there a "correct" theory of learning? Does learning differ in different subject areas? (c) What motivates student learning? Can instruction be "motivational"? (d) What is "good" instruction? How do theories of learning relate to instructional practices? (e) How do aspects of school context, such as interaction with peers and teachers, and school culture, influence learning, motivation and achievement?

Prerequisites: PSY 10000 (may be taken concurrently) or PSY 20000 (may be taken concurrently) or PSY 14000

Satisfies the following University Core Requirements: WKSS - Core Social Science

Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Psychology.

PSY 43642 Recess Matters: Exploring Access to Play Through Community Coaching (3 Credit Hours)

In this course, students will engage with the critical developmental role of play in childhood and examine the inequities that affect access to play opportunities in diverse communities. This course integrates theoretical frameworks with hands-on community engagement, encouraging students to explore how play contributes to cognitive, socioemotional, physical and moral growth in children. Through readings, discussions, and case studies, students will critically examine social, economic, and cultural factors that limit access to play in various communities. Each student will partner with a local elementary school to coach recess activities for two hours each week. This practical experience will allow students to implement play strategies, observe dynamics in play, and directly engage with children in the community. Students will develop a research project analyzing the effects of their coaching experience on children's play and social interactions. Note: Students in this class must be available to coach recess one day per week between the hours of 10:30am and 12:30pm. Access to transportation is helpful but not required.

PSY 43800 Senior Honors Thesis (3 Credit Hours)

These two seminars assist the senior major to propose, execute, and write an honors thesis. The first semester is devoted to the development and presentation of the proposal, and the second to its execution, write-up, and subsequent presentation.

Course may be repeated.

PSY 44350 Social and Cognitive Development (3 Credit Hours)

This course examines social and cognitive development (and more importantly, the links between them) over the first six years of life. In developing an understanding of how a young child comes to understand her world and the people in it, we will look at influences as diverse as genetics and environment, family and sibling relations, friendships and starting school. Students will have the opportunity to see videos of British children at various stages in their socio-cognitive development, and will learn about the importance of individual differences in understanding development. We will also take a brief look at development in children facing demanding social and/or cognitive challenges, such as deafness, autism, hyperactivity and giftedness.

Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Psychology.

PSY 44363 Body image (3 Credit Hours)

PSY 47805 NSF/REU Psych Research (0 Credit Hours)

This is a zero-credit course for students engaged in independent research or working with a faculty member of the University on a special project. No course work is required.

PSY 47809 Senior Thesis (3 Credit Hours)

The Senior Thesis requires a year-long investigation on an original topic of study under the tutelage and mentorship of a faculty member. It must result in a substantial written product that will be evaluated by the thesis advisor. Any senior psychology major may undertake a Senior Thesis provided that the student is in good academic standing and has secured the approval of a faculty mentor. Faculty members may consider other academic qualifications as a condition for supervising a thesis, such as GPA, performance in certain courses, experience in a research lab, relevant background experience, favorable letters of reference and compatible scholarly interests.

Course may be repeated.

PSY 47810 Advanced Research Methods in Developmental Psychopathology (2-3 Credit Hours)

The course introduces students to strategies, challenges and solutions associated with research in developmental psychology, including state of the art research methods, participant recruitment and retention for longitudinal research, approaches to data evaluation (e.g. observational coding). In this course, students will also compare and contrast methods across sub-disciplines in psychology, as well as engage in professional development activities like CV building, applying to graduate programs, and conducting their own research (possibly in support of a senior thesis). Although not a requirement for the course, students will also have the opportunity to develop their own individualized research projects, based on several existing and completed data sets. Course evaluation includes an objective midterm and the development of a statement of purpose.

PSY 48800 Senior Honors Thesis (3 Credit Hours)

Satisfies the following University Core Requirements: WRIT - Writing Intensive

Course may be repeated.

Enrollment is limited to students with a major in Psychology.