2014-2015 Catalog

PSYC 20000. Fundamentals of Psychology. 100 Units.

This course introduces basic concepts and research in the study of behavior. Principal topics are sensation, perception, cognition, learning, motivation, and personality theories.

Instructor(s): J. Cacioppo     Terms Offered: Autumn

PSYC 20100. Psychological Statistics. 100 Units.

Psychological research typically involves the use of quantitative (statistical) methods. This course introduces the methods of quantitative inquiry that are most commonly used in psychology and related social sciences. PSYC 20100 and 20200 form a two-quarter sequence that is intended to be an integrated introduction to psychological research methods. PSYC 20100 introduces explanatory data analysis, models in quantitative psychology, concept of probability, elementary statistical methods for estimation and hypothesis testing, and sampling theory. PSYC 20200 builds on the foundation of PSYC 20100 and considers the logic of psychological inquiry and the analysis and criticism of psychological research. It is recommended that students complete MATH 13100 and MATH 13200 (or higher) before taking this course.

Instructor(s): W. Goldstein     Terms Offered: Autumn

PSYC 20200. Psychological Research Methods. 100 Units.

This course introduces concepts and methods used in behavioral research. Topics include the nature of behavioral research, testing of research ideas, quantitative and qualitative techniques of data collection, artifacts in behavioral research, analyzing and interpreting research data, and ethical considerations in research.

Instructor(s): A. Henly     Terms Offered: Winter

PSYC 20209. Adolescent Development. 100 Units.

Adolescence represents a period of unusually rapid growth and development. At the same time, under the best of social circumstances and contextual conditions, the teenage years represent a challenging period. The period also affords unparalleled opportunities with appropriate levels of support. Thus, the approach taken acknowledges the challenges and untoward outcomes, while also speculates about the predictors of resiliency and the sources of positive youth development.

Instructor(s): M. Spencer     Terms Offered: Winter
Equivalent Course(s): CHDV 20209

PSYC 20300. Biological Psychology. 100 Units.

What are the relations between mind and brain? How do brains regulate mental, behavioral, and hormonal processes; and how do these influence brain organization and activity? This course introduces the anatomy, physiology, and chemistry of the brain; their changes in response to the experiential and sociocultural environment; and their relation to perception, attention, behavioral action, motivation, and emotion.

Instructor(s): L. Kay     Terms Offered: Winter
Prerequisite(s): Some background in biology and psychology.
Note(s): This course does not meet requirements for the biological sciences major.
Equivalent Course(s): BIOS 29300

PSYC 20400. Cognitive Psychology. 100 Units.

Viewing the brain globally as an information processing or computational system has revolutionized the study and understanding of intelligence. This course introduces the theory, methods, and empirical results that underlie this approach to psychology. Topics include categorization, attention, memory, knowledge, language, and thought.

Instructor(s): D. Casasanto     Terms Offered: Spring

PSYC 20500. Developmental Psychology. 100 Units.

This is an introductory course in developmental psychology, with a focus on cognitive and social development in infancy through early childhood. Example topics include children's early thinking about number, morality, and social relationships, as well as how early environments inform children's social and cognitive development. Where appropriate, we make links to both philosophical inquiries into the nature of the human mind, and to practical inquiries concerning education and public policy.

Instructor(s): A. Woodward     Terms Offered: Spring
Equivalent Course(s): CHDV 25900

PSYC 20600. Social Psychology. 100 Units.

This course examines social psychological theory and research that is based on both classic and contemporary contributions. Topics include conformity and deviance, the attitude-change process, social role and personality, social cognition, and political psychology.

Instructor(s): W. Goldstein     Terms Offered: Winter
Prerequisite(s): PSYC 20000 recommended.
Equivalent Course(s): CHDV 26000

PSYC 20700. Sensation and Perception. 100 Units.

What we see and hear depends on energy that enters the eyes and ears, but what we actually experience—perception—follows from human neural responses. This course focuses on visual and auditory phenomena, including basic percepts (for example, acuity, brightness, color, loudness, pitch) and also more complex percepts such as movement and object recognition. Biological underpinnings of perception are an integral part of the course.

Instructor(s): S. Shevell     Terms Offered: Autumn

PSYC 20850. Introduction to Human Development. 100 Units.

This course introduces the study of lives in context. The nature of human development from infancy through old age is explored through theory and empirical findings from various disciplines. Readings and discussions emphasize the interrelations of biological, psychological, and sociocultural forces at different points of the life cycle.

Instructor(s): Staff     Terms Offered: Autumn
Note(s): For CHD majors or intended majors.
Equivalent Course(s): CHDV 20000

PSYC 21510. Neuroscience of Communication. 100 Units.

We will read and discuss communication and how various kinds of communication are mediated by neural systems. The course will cover theories, methods, and empirical findings in communication neuroscience. Topics will include speech and language, emotional information, face perception, gesture, and music.

Instructor(s): H. Nusbaum     Terms Offered: Spring

PSYC 21750. Biological Clocks and Behavior. 100 Units.

This course will address physiological and molecular biological aspects of circadian and seasonal rhythms in biology and behavior. The course will primarily emphasize biological and molecular mechanisms of CNS function, and will be taught at a molecular level of analysis from the beginning of the quarter. Those students without a strong biology background are unlikely to resonate with the course material.

Instructor(s): B. Prendergast     Terms Offered: Autumn
Prerequisite(s): A quality grade in PSYC 20300 Introduction to Biological Psychology. Additional biology courses are desirable. Completion of Core biology will not suffice as a prerequisite.

PSYC 21950. Language, Culture, and Thought. 100 Units.

Survey of research on the interrelation of language, culture, and thought from the evolutionary, developmental, historical, and culture-comparative perspectives with special emphasis on the mediating methodological implications for the social sciences.

Instructor(s): J. Lucy     Terms Offered: Spring
Note(s): Not offered 2014-15
Equivalent Course(s): CHDV 21901,ANTH 27605,ANTH 37605,CHDV 31901,PSYC 31900,LING 27700,LING 37700

PSYC 22750. Developmental Psychopathology. 100 Units.

This advanced course focuses on the development of mental disorders that have their onset in infancy, childhood, or adolescence from the perspective of developmental psychopathology. Developmental psychopathology is a field that lies at the interface of clinical and developmental psychology within which the aim is to identify the earliest deviations from normative developmental processes that likely lead to the development of psychopathology. By incorporating the study of basic biological and psychological processes into the study of psychopathology, the identification of earliest markers, and ultimately causal factors, may be achieved.

Instructor(s): K. Keenan     Terms Offered: Spring
Note(s): This course does not meet requirements for the biological sciences major.

PSYC 23000. Cultural Psychology. 100 Units.

There is a substantial portion of the psychological nature of human beings that is neither homogeneous nor fixed across time and space. At the heart of the discipline of cultural psychology is the tenet of psychological pluralism, which states that the study of "normal" psychology is the study of multiple psychologies and not just the study of a single or uniform fundamental psychology for all peoples of the world. Research findings in cultural psychology thus raise provocative questions about the integrity and value of alternative forms of subjectivity across cultural groups. In this course we analyze the concept of "culture" and examine ethnic and cross-cultural variations in mental functioning with special attention to the cultural psychology of emotions, self, moral judgment, categorization, and reasoning.

Instructor(s): R. Shweder     Terms Offered: Autumn
Prerequisite(s): Third- or fourth-year standing. Instructor consent required.
Equivalent Course(s): CHDV 21000,AMER 33000,ANTH 24320,ANTH 35110,CHDV 31000,GNSE 21001,GNSE 31000,PSYC 33000

PSYC 23165. Multidiscilplinary Perspectives on Morality. 100 Units.

The past decade has seen an explosion of empirical research in the study of morality. Amongst the most exciting and novel findings and theories, evolutionary biologists and comparative psychologists have shown that moral cognition has evolved to facilitate cooperation and smooth social interactions, and that certain components of morality are present in non-human animals. Developmental psychologists came up with ingenious paradigms, demonstrating that the elements that underpin morality are in place much earlier than we thought, and clearly in place before children turn two. Social neuroscientists have begun to map brain circuits implicated in moral decision-making and identify the contribution of neuropetides to moral sensitivity. Changes in the balance of brain chemistry, or in connectivity between regions can cause changes in moral behavior. The lesson from all this new knowledge is clear: human moral behavior cannot be separated from human biology, its development, and past evolutionary history. As our understanding of the human brain improves, society at large, and justice and the law in particular, are and will be increasingly challenged. Discoveries in neuroscience will soon impact our legal system in ways that hopefully lead to a more cost-effective, humane and flexible system than we have today. The intent of this class is to provide an overview of the current research on the morality, and examine this fascinating topic from a range of relevant interdisciplinary perspectives. These perspectives will include anthropology and neurophilosophy, evolution, development, social neuroscience, psychopathology, and justice and the law.

Instructor(s): J. Decety     Terms Offered: Spring
Equivalent Course(s): PSYC 33165

PSYC 23200. Introduction to Language Development. 100 Units.

This course addresses the major issues involved in first-language acquisition. We deal with the child’s production and perception of speech sounds (phonology), the acquisition of the lexicon (semantics), the comprehension and production of structured word combinations (syntax), and the ability to use language to communicate (pragmatics).

Instructor(s): S. Goldin-Meadow     Terms Offered: Winter
Equivalent Course(s): CHDV 23900,LING 21600

PSYC 23249. Animal Behavior. 100 Units.

This course introduces the mechanism, ecology, and evolution of behavior, primarily in nonhuman species, at the individual and group level. Topics include the genetic basis of behavior, developmental pathways, communication, physiology and behavior, foraging behavior, kin selection, mating systems and sexual selection, and the ecological and social context of behavior. A major emphasis is placed on understanding and evaluating scientific studies and their field and lab techniques.

Instructor(s): S. Pruett-Jones (even-numbered years), J. Mateo (odd-numbered years)     Terms Offered: Winter
Prerequisite(s): Completion of the general education requirement in the biological sciences.
Equivalent Course(s): BIOS 23249,CHDV 23249,HDCP 41650

PSYC 23301. The Empathic Brain. 100 Units.

This course is designed to introduce undergraduate students to current research and theories of empathy and associated behavior. The focus of this course will be on interpersonal sensitivity, how people perceive and experience and respond to the internal states (e.g., cognitive, affective, motivational) of another, and predict the subsequent events that will result. The study of empathy serves as the basis for integrating a variety of data and theories from evolutionary biology, social psychology, cognitive and affective neuroscience, developmental psychology, clinical neuropsychology and psychiatry.

Instructor(s): J. Decety     Terms Offered: Autumn

PSYC 24000. Systems Neuroscience. 100 Units.

This course introduces vertebrate and invertebrate systems neuroscience with a focus on the anatomy, physiology, and development of sensory and motor control systems. The neural bases of form and motion perception, locomotion, memory, and other forms of neural plasticity are examined in detail. We also discuss clinical aspects of neurological disorders.

Instructor(s): M. Hale, D. Freedman     Terms Offered: Spring
Prerequisite(s): BIOS 24204 or consent of instructor.
Note(s): This course meets one of the requirements of the neuroscience specialization.

PSYC 24050. Understanding Wisdom. 100 Units.

Thinking about the nature of wisdom goes back to Aristotle and has changed in many ways over the history of thought. However, in modern times the term "wisdom" has appeared less in popular discourse except as a synonym for being "smart" or "clever." This course examines the basic question of how wisdom has been defined and how the definition has changed. We examine whether wisdom really exists or whether it is simply a creation of mythology or fiction or wishful thinking. Further, the course considers whether and how wisdom can be studied scientifically, that is, how it can be measured and experimentally manipulated. Readings are drawn from philosophy, classics, history, behavioral economics, neuroscience, and psychology. In addition to considering the theoretical concept of wisdom and how it can be studied scientifically, the course explores how concepts of wisdom can be applied in business, education, medicine, and the law. We conclude by discussing the notion of how practical wisdom can be applied in daily life to increase human flourishing.

Instructor(s): H. Nusbaum, B. Keysar, B. Hoeckner, A. Henly     Terms Offered: Autumn
Prerequisite(s): Third- or fourth-year standing
Equivalent Course(s): BPRO 24000,HUMA 24005,PSYC 34050

PSYC 24567. Neuroscience and the Media: How to Separate the Wheat from the Chaff. 100 Units.

Neuroscience is not only expanding as a field but also increasingly discussed beyond the academic sphere, particularly in the popular media. How should we make sense of the many growing discourses about neuroscience findings in society? How should we evaluate their effects? We will critically examine in what ways are we witnessing insights that are entirely novel, findings that are revolutionary, or applications that are empowering or threatening to human beings and how they are discussed and often distorted in the media.

Instructor(s): J. Decety     Terms Offered: Autumn

PSYC 24670. How to Read Minds: The Development of Theory of Mind. 100 Units.

Learning to read and reason about other people’s minds is crucial for children to navigate their inherently social world. In this course, we will ask questions about what it means to have a theory of mind, what aspects of mind reading are most central to children’s social and cognitive development, and how these abilities might develop. We will discuss both foundational articles and current findings utilizing a variety of methodologies and spanning from infancy through school age.

Instructor(s): L. Garvin     Terms Offered: Winter
Prerequisite(s): PSYC 20500, PSYC 20400, or PSYC 20600

PSYC 24680. The Musical Mind. 100 Units.

This course aims to provide undergraduate students with a broad, yet comprehensive survey of music’s impact in cognitive, developmental, and social psychology. Lectures, assignments, and course readings will focus on both theoretical and empirical accounts of how music—used as a natural lens—can provide us with insights about basic psychological processes. We will also frequently compare music to other forms of communication (i.e., language), in order to discuss whether the mechanisms used to perceive and understand music are domain-specific or domain-general. Specific issues that will be addressed throughout the course include: Why can music so easily elicit emotional responses from listeners? Does music have its own grammar? How does learning a musical system affect our cognitive, social, and neural development? No previous knowledge of music theory is assumed. Given that a majority of the readings are from empirical journals, however, previous course work in statistics and research methods is suggested.

Instructor(s): S. Hedger     Terms Offered: Spring
Prerequisite(s): Previous coursework in statistics is suggested

PSYC 25101. The Psychology of Decision Making. 100 Units.

We constantly make decisions, determine our preferences, and choose among alternatives. The importance of our decisions range from ordering a meal at a restaurant to choosing what college to attend. How do we make such decisions? What are the rules that guide us and the biases that shape our decisions? What determines our preferences? What impacts our willingness to take risks? In this course we consider how the way we go about gathering information affects our judgment, and how the way we frame problems affects our perceptions and shapes the solutions to problems. We learn what governs choice and the systematic way it deviates from normative rules. We consider how we think about the future and how we learn from the past. The course focuses on the psychology behind making decisions with implications for a wide range of areas such as public policy, law, and medicine.

Instructor(s): B. Keysar     Terms Offered: Autumn
Note(s): It is highly recommended to take this course before taking PSYC 25700 The Psychology of Negotiation.

PSYC 25120. Child Development and Public Policy. 100 Units.

The goal of this course is to introduce students to the literature on early child development and explore how an understanding of core developmental concepts can inform social policies. This goal will be addressed through an integrated, multidisciplinary approach. The course will emphasize research on the science of early child development from the prenatal period through school entry. The central debate about the role of early experience in development will provide a unifying strand for the course. Students will be introduced to research in neuroscience, psychology, economics, sociology, and public policy as it bears on questions about “what develops?”, critical periods in development, the nature vs. nurture debate, and the ways in which environmental contexts (e.g., parents, families, peers, schools, institutions, communities) affect early development and developmental trajectories. The first part of the course will introduce students to the major disciplinary streams in the developmental sciences and the enduring and new debates and perspectives within the field. The second part will examine the multiple contexts of early development to understand which aspects of young children’s environments affect their development and how those impacts arise. Throughout the course, we will explore how the principles of early childhood development can guide the design of policies and practices that enhance the healthy development of young children, particularly for those living in adverse circumstances, and thereby build a strong foundation for promoting equality of opportunity, reducing social class disparities in life outcomes, building human capital, fostering economic prosperity, and generating positive social change. In doing so, we will critically examine the evidence on whether the contexts of children’s development are amenable to public policy intervention and the costs and benefits of different policy approaches.

Instructor(s): A. Kalil     Terms Offered: Spring
Prerequisite(s): An introductory course in Psychology or Human Development and an introductory Methods/Statistics course
Equivalent Course(s): PBPL 25120,CHDV 25120

PSYC 25650. Social Identities. 100 Units.

In this class we will explore how different social identities develop, intersect and overlap with each other and how those intersections affect our own sense of identity as well as our perceptions and treatment of others. Using psychological research and media examples as our guide, we will investigate the ways that various types of social identities are formed and internalized by members of different social groups to examine how different types of social perceptions shape not only who we are, but also influence our interactions with others.

Instructor(s): S. Gaither     Terms Offered: Winter
Prerequisite(s): Third- or fourth-year standing.

PSYC 25700. The Psychology of Negotiation. 100 Units.

Negotiation is ubiquitous in interpersonal interactions, from making plans for a trip with friends or family, to determining working conditions with an employer, to managing international conflicts. In this course we examine the structure of different negotiations and the psychology that governs the processes and outcomes of a negotiation. For instance, we consider the role of perceptions, expectations, intuitions, and biases. We evaluate the role of information processing, modes of communication, and power in influencing a negotiated outcome. We see how the psychology of trust, reciprocity, fairness, cooperation, and competition can affect our ability to benefit from an exchange or contribute to the escalation of conflict. To better understand the dynamics of the negotiation process, we learn both through engaging in a variety of negotiation role-plays and relating these experiences to research findings.

Instructor(s): B. Keysar     Terms Offered: Winter
Prerequisite(s): It is highly recommended to take PSYC 25101 The Psychology of Decision Making before taking this course, as it provides the conceptual foundations.

PSYC 25750. The Psychology and Neurobiology of Stress. 100 Units.

This course explores the topic of stress and its influence on behavior and neurobiology. Specifically, the course will discuss how factors such as age, gender, and social context interact to influence how we respond to stressors both physiologically and behaviorally. The course will also explore how stress influences mental and physical health.

Instructor(s): G. Norman     Terms Offered: Autumn

PSYC 26219. Critical Approaches to Child Mental Health. 100 Units.

This course is designed to examine the field of child mental health from an interdisciplinary perspective, integrating anthropological, sociological and psychological insights to look at some of the significant questions and controversies present in considerations of children’s health today. Students will also spend significant time on developing individual research papers. We will begin in the first two weeks with an overview of the field of child psychopathology and the diagnostic systems most commonly used in the practice of child psychiatry. We will then spend the next three weeks looking at two of the most common and controversial diagnoses applied to children in the United States: Autism-spectrum disorders and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. In examining these categories we will consider the cultural and historical contexts that have lead to the emergence of these diagnoses and the variety of experiences of those identified as being afflicted with these disorders. The highly public controversy over giving children psychiatric medication and the implications of exporting Western psychiatric knowledge about children to other cultural contexts will also be considered. In the second half of the class we will move away from examinations of psychiatric nosology to think more broadly about the ways in which concepts of the normative treatment and behavior of children vary across time and place, looking particularly at the effects of aggression on children.

Instructor(s): C. El Ouardani     Terms Offered: Autumn
Note(s): Not offered 2014-15
Equivalent Course(s): CHDV 26233

PSYC 27010. Psycholinguistics. 100 Units.

This is a survey course in the psychology of language. We will focus on issues related to language comprehension, language production, and language acquisition. The course will also train students on how to read primary literature and conduct original research studies.

Instructor(s): Ming Xiang     Terms Offered: Autumn
Equivalent Course(s): LING 27010

PSYC 28910. Animal Models in the Study of Cognition. 100 Units.

This course will be a combination of lecture and seminar. In the first half of the course we will read and discuss seminal literature in the study of cognitive questions using animal models (primarily rodents). In the second half of the course we will learn about study design and design two different types of studies in smaller groups. Evaluation will be through short weekly papers, class discussion and a final paper.

Instructor(s): L. Kay     Terms Offered: Spring
Prerequisite(s): Completion of PSYC 20300 Biological Psychology or a similar course.

PSYC 29200. Undergraduate Reading in Psychology. 100 Units.

Terms Offered: Autumn, Winter, Spring
Note(s): Students are required to submit the College Reading and Research Course Form. Available for either quality grades or for P/F grading.

PSYC 29350. Language and Thought. 100 Units.

Does language shape our thoughts? Do people who speak different languages think differently? What would the human mind be like without language? These innocent-seeming questions have generated fierce debate among linguists, philosophers, and psychologists for over a century. New data allow us to reexamine these questions, and discover how the uniquely-human capacity for language changes our brains, minds, and world.

Instructor(s): D. Casasanto     Terms Offered: Spring

PSYC 29700. Undergraduate Research in Psychology. 100 Units.

Terms Offered: Autumn, Winter, Spring
Note(s): Students are required to submit the College Reading and Research Course Form. Available for either quality grades or for P/F grading.

PSYC 29800. Honors Seminar. 100 Units.

This course is a reading and discussion of general papers on writing and research, and individual students present their own projects to the group. A literature review, data from ongoing or completed empirical projects, or portions of the thesis paper itself can be presented. Students are expected to give thoughtful feedback to others on their presentations and written work.

Instructor(s): S. Levine     Terms Offered: Winter
Note(s): Open to third- or fourth-year students who are majoring in psychology and have begun their thesis project. Available for either quality grades or for P/F grading.