21. Perception
Our senses are our windows to the world, and the scientific study of the
senses is one of the oldest sub-disciplines in experimental psychology. This
course introduces students to the fundamental workings of our senses of vision,
hearing, touch, taste and smell. The course includes careful consideration of
experimental methodology as well as content. Prerequisite: Psychology 1 or 6.
08F, Hughes, 11. Dist: SCI.
22. Learning
This course considers the fundamental principles of learning and the
implications of these principles for the understanding of human behavior.
Empirical and theoretical issues in learning covered through examination of
laboratory data and their extension to human behavior in complex life
situations in the natural environment. Prerequisite: Psychology 1 or 6. Not
offered in 08-09.
23. Social Psychology
This course is an introduction to contemporary psychological theory and
research on social behavior. Specific topics include self-presentation,
nonverbal behavior, interpersonal relations, conformity, persuasion,
aggression, altruism, and group dynamics. Within these contexts, emphasis is
placed on the importance of both personality and situational factors as
determinants of social behavior. Prerequisite: Psychology 1 or 6. 09W, Hull,
11. Dist: SOC.
24. Personality & Abnormal Psychology
This course is mainly concerned with the various types of psychopathology,
their diagnosis, etiology, and treatment. Personality theories will be
discussed whenever they help to understand specific issues in abnormal
behavior. The question of what constitutes solid mental health will also be
examined. Case histories, films, and guest lectures by mental health
professionals are features of this course, and each student is required to
attend a small discussion group, write a paper, or complete some other
independent project. Prerequisite: Psychology 1 or 6. 08F, 09S, Staff, 9L.
Dist: SOC.
25. Developmental Psychology (cross-listed with Education 18)
We will examine the social and cognitive development of children from
infancy to adolescence. We will also consider the implications of psychological
research and theory for parenting, and for social and legal policies that
affect young children. Film and videotape materials will be used to illustrate
examples of infant and child behavior. Prerequisite: Psychology 1 or 6. 08X,
Staff, 10A. Dist: SOC.
26. Physiological Psychology
The course is designed for majors and non-majors, the course provides an
introduction to the biological processes underlying behavior. Basic
neuroanatomy, cellular physiology, and endocrinology will first be outlined.
Such psychological concepts as sensation, learning, and motivation will then be
related to neural function and to a variety of physiological correlates.
Prerequisite: Psychology 1 or 6. 09W, Staff, 12. Dist: SCI.
28. Cognition (cross-listed with COGS2)
An introduction to the study of thought, memory, language, and attention
from the point of view of information processing. In surveying research in
cognitive psychology, substantial contact is made with related cognitive
sciences, such as artificial intelligence, linguistics, neuroscience, and
contemporary philosophy. In the course of examining general principles of
cognition, the following topics are discussed: mental imagery; concepts;
reasoning; discourse; monetary and courtroom decision making; eye-witness
testimony; social attribution and stereotyping; language in chimpanzees; expert
systems; the relationship between human and computer intelligence; the neural
basis of cognition; the relationship between information processing and
conscious experience; and the philosophical foundations of cognitive science.
Prerequisite: Psychology 1 or 6 or Computer Science 5. 09S, Kelley, 2.
Dist: SOC.
40. Introduction to Computational Neuroscience
Just as scientific understanding of physics and biology has enabled creation
of novel artifacts, materials, medicines and even novel organisms, so a
scientific understanding of the brain will confer the ability not only to
describe and characterize it but to modify it, diagnose and treat its
illnesses, and eventually to imitate its operation. Computational neuroscience
has as its twin goals the scientific understanding of how brain computes mind,
and the engineering capability to reconstruct these identified mechanisms.
Your brain is composed of low-precision, slow (milliseconds per
operation), sparsely connected (p(connection) < 0.001) computing elements,
yet it far outperforms any extant computer on tasks ranging from recognition to
planning. This course will introduce concepts of brain circuit computation
including anatomical circuit design, physiological operating rules,
mathematical derivations, and comparative networks. 08F, Granger, 2A.
44. Psychology and Business
This course will focus on psychological aspects of managerial processes such
as motivation, conflict resolution, power, communication, leadership, and
decision making in groups. Particular attention will be given to the practical
consequences of the psychological perspective for managing and working
organizations. Prerequisite: Psychology 1 or 6. Not offered in 08-09.
46. Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
This course focuses on cellular and molecular mechanisms that underlie the
development and function of the nervous system. This includes aspects of gene
expression (transcription, mRNA metabolism) and cell biology (cellular
transport and cytoskeleton, cell cycle, signal transduction, and signaling
pathways) as they pertain to neurons and glia. Lectures supplemented by
in-class discussion of primary research articles will also serve as an
introduction to microscopic, electrophysiological, molecular biological, and
genetic techniques and animal models used to study the nervous system and
neurological disorders. Prerequisites: Psych 6 or Bio 34. 09S, Maue, 11.
Dist: SCI.
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