Psyc 001-001

Introduction to Experimental Psychology

Andrew Shatte'

Exploration of the major topics in psychology, including how we receive and interpret information from the world, learning and motivation, the interaction between brain and behavior, development, personality (both normal and abnormal), and the social aspects of our behavior.  The major controversies in psychology provide the binding themes in the course, such as nature versus nurture and theories about the relationship between mind and body.  We will examine some of the ‘grand’ questions that psychologists have posed and investigated – what forces shape our behavior, who do we love and why, what is prejudice and who conforms, and do we think and behave rationally.  These issues are examined at several levels of explanation, from neurotransmitter functioning, through conditioning, and the influence of the group.  We will delve into the history of psychology, from the Greeks through to the neuropsychological and pharmaceutical revolutions of today.
 

Psyc 001-002

Introduction to Experimental Psychology

Henry Gleitman

Primary emphasis in the areas of sensation and perception, learning and motivation, physiological, comparative, and cognitive psychology.
 

Psyc 001-301(BFS))

Introduction to Experimental Psychology

Paul Rozin

Approaches to the understanding of the mind and behavior of humans and animals.  Emphasis in the text is on the current state of knowledge and in the lectures on the process of discovery and critical thinking.  Topics covered include explaining behavior and mind, the scientific approach, brain and behavior, dreams and psychoanalysis, learning, sensation and perception, memory, thinking, appetite, interpersonal interaction and cultural influences on behavior and mind.  NOTE:  Dr. Rozin's Psychology 1 meets an extra hour (4 hours total) each week because it includes an in-class "lab."  NOTE:  If you are not a Benjamin Franklin Scholar, permission is required by General Honors Office, Suite 190 Logan Hall, 898-6066.

An introduction to the scientific study of vision, with an emphasis on the biological substrate and its relation to behavior.  Topics will typically include physiological  optics, transduction of light, visual thresholds, color vision, anatomy and physiology of the visual pathways, and the cognitive neuroscience of vision.
 

Psyc 121-001

Learning

Robert Rescorla

Elementary learning processes.  Topics include how organisms learn about events per se (e.g. habituation), how they learn relations among events (e.g. Pavlovian Conditioning), and how they learn relations between their own behavior and events (e.g. instrumental learning).
 

Psyc 125-401

Drugs, Brain & Mind

Laura Peoples

Cross-listed with BIBB 370

The course will begin with a review of basic concepts in pharmacology including: routes of drug administration, drug metabolism, the dose response curve, tolerance and sensitization.  Following a brief overview of cellular foundations of neuropharmacology (cell biology, synaptic and receptor function) and CNS organization, the course will focus on three general topics.  First, we will consider the use of pharmacological and neurobiological research techniques to identify and characterize neurochemical systems in the brain, including localization of the chemicals in brain, typing of receptors and contribution to normal and abnormal behavior.  Second, we will consider various classes of drugs used to treat neuropsychiatric disorders including, among others, depression, schizophrenia and anxiety.  Third, we will consider mechanism mediating the mind-altering, addictive and neurotoxic effects of abused drugs.  Bibb 109, 269 recommended.
 

Psyc 127-401

Physiology of Motivated Behavior and Emotional Behaviors

Harvey Grill

Cross-listed with BIBB 227

This course focuses on evaluating the experiments that have sought to establish links between brain structure (the activity of specific brain circuits) and behavioral function (the control of particular motivated and emotional behaviors).  Students are exposed to concepts from regulatory physiology, systems neuroscience, pharmacology, and endocrinology and  read  textbook as well as original source materials. The course focuses on the following behaviors: feeding, sex, fear,
anxiety, the appetite for salt, and food aversion.  The course also considers the neurochemical control of responses with an eye towards evaluating the development of drug treatments for: obesity, anorexia/cachexia, vomiting, sexual dysfunction, anxiety disorders, and depression.
 

Psyc 135-001

Language

Delphine Dahan

This course describes the nature of human language, as well as the linguistic knowledge and mental processes involved in language use (in production, comprehension, and acquisition).
 

Psyc 139-401

Neuroendocrinology

Lori Flanagan-Cato

Cross-listed withBIBB 260

This course is designed to examine the various roles played by the nervous and endocrine systems in controlling both physiological processes and behavior.  First, the course will build a foundation in the concepts of neural and endocrine system function.  Then we will discuss how these mechanisms form the biological underpinnings of various behaviors and their relevant physiological correlates.  We will focus on sexual and parental behaviors, aggression and ingestion.  Prerequisite:  Psychology 109 (BIBB 109), one year of Introductory Biology or permission of the instructor.
 

Psyc 153-001

Judgments & Decisions

Jonathan Baron

Thinking, judgment, and personal and societal decision making, with emphasis on fallacies and biases.  Note: Psychology 001 is NOT a prerequisite for this course.
 

Psyc 162-001

Abnormal Psychology

Andrew Shatte'

Examination of the major themes in clinical psychology, including the concepts of normality versus abnormality, and models of psychopathology from Freudian analysis, behaviorism, the cognitive model, to biological/neuroanatomical theories.  We will explore the major mental disorders including major depression, bipolar, anorexia and bulimia nervosa, the anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, personality disorders, and psychosexual dysfunction.  In so doing, we will assemble bio-psycho-social explanations for the etiology and treatment of abnormal behavior.
 

Psyc 168-001

Human Sexuality:  An Evolutionary Approach

Rob Kurzban

This course will cover topics ranging from the anatomy and physiology of the human reproductive system to the cognitive systems that underpin human sexual behavior. Throughout, there will be an emphasis on the relationship between the features of these physical and cognitive mechanisms and the evolutionary functions these systems were designed to serve.
 

Psyc 170-001

Social Psychology

John Sabini

An overview of theories and research across the range of social behavior from intra-individual to the group level including the effects of culture, social environment, and groups on social interaction.
 

Psyc 181-001

Cognitive Development

Daniel Swingley

What infants and young children come to know about the world, and how they learn it.  Topics will include changes in children's thinking, perceptual development, language acquisition, and current theories of cognitive development.
 

Psyc441-401 (BFS))

Genetics, Evolution and Behavior

Frank Norman

Cross-listed with BIBB 441

Genetic and environmental components of IQ, personality, and psychopathology. Evolutionary psychology; basic evolutionary theory; evolution of altruistic, cooperative, and competitive behavior.  The course develops and makes extensive use of elementary mathematical and statistical models.  For non-BFS students wishing to enroll: Applicants must attend the first class meeting; admission decisions will be made immediately after that meeting. In addition, applicants are asked to email Professor Norman norman@psych.upenn.edu
 

Psyc 459-001

Visual Cognition

Russell Epstein

This course examines the interaction of vision with higher-order cognitive processes.  In plain terms: once the visual system has recovered a set of surfaces from the surrounding scene, what does the brain then do with that information to make it useful?  Possible topics will include: object and face recognition, attention, awareness, mental imagery, spatial cognition, and action. Particular emphasis will be placed on cognitive neuroscientific work that addresses these topics.
 

Psyc 451-001

Primate Behavior

Robert Seyfarth

This course will review recent research on communication in animals, with particular emphasis on the vocalizations of birds, dolphins, whales, monkeys, and apes. We will consider the neural mechanisms that underlie signals, the information they provide to listeners, and we will examine how communication functions in social interactions. We will also discuss the possible parallels that may exist between the communication and human language.  Prerequisite:  Psychology 131/BBB 231/Bio 231 or permission of the instructor.
 

Psyc 472-001

Psychology of Ethnicity

Francisco Gil-White

This seminar will address the various theoretical schools that have tried to explain ethnicity and ethnic conflict. The seminar takes a biocultural psychological approach. It will cover: 1) the psychological biases and intuitive assumptions that operate when people think about ethnicity, 2) the nature of ethnic categories as represented in the mind (and compared to other sorts of social categories), 3) The affective attachments that often characterize people's orientation towards
their own ethnic category and neighboring 'others'. The seminar will delve widely into the psychological literature on groups, prejudice, stereotyping, and essentialism, and also into the anthropological, sociological, and political science literatures on ethnicity. The evolutionary origins of the ethnic form of social organization will also be explored, as will be the evolutionary origins of the psychological biases that are most important to ethnicity and ethnic conflict. It is open to graduate students and advanced undergraduates.

Psyc 223-401

Special Topics in Motivation

Laura Peoples

Cross-listed with BIBB 423

Neurobiology of Drug Addiction.  Drug addiction is a chronic relapsing disorder that is caused by effects of addictive drugs on the brain.  The seminar will consider 4 major drug addictions, including cocaine, heroin, alcohol, and nicotine. Readings and discussions on these addictions will cover the following topics: 1) symptom profiles; 2)  neurobiological factors that contribute to the development of the disease; and 3) potential treatments.  Prerequisites: Psychology 109, 123 or permission of the Instructor.
 

Psyc 262-301

Special Topics in Abnormal Psychology

Dean Cruess

Stress Management.  This seminar course will focus on the theoretical and conceptual foundations of stress and stress management.  We will examine the biological, psychological, and social factors that often accompany the development of acute and chronic stress states, and how stress and stress management might affect one’s physical and mental health.  Readings, class discussions, and class exercises will focus on the main factors underlying stress, as well as the basic elements of the major empirically tested stress management interventions (coping skills training, cognitive restructuring, problem-solving therapy, anger management, assertiveness training, relaxation techniques, etc.).  Students are required to read peer-reviewed journal articles and participate in classroom discussions of the research findings.  Students are also required to write several short papers and participate in practical exercises on the assessment and impact of stress and the use of specific stress management techniques.  This seminar course is open only to advanced psychology majors.  Prerequisite: Psychology 162 or permission of the instructor.
 

Psyc 262-302

Special Topics in Abnormal Psychology

Stacy Cruess

Cognitive-Behavioral Approaches in Psychotherapy.  Cognitive-behavioral therapy approaches have been successfully utilized to treat a variety of psychological disorders.  This seminar will be an introduction to the theory, methods, and outcomes associated with cognitive and behavioral treatments.  We will begin by discussing cognitive-behavioral theories of abnormality and how they differ from alternative perspectives, and the general principles and techniques used in cognitive behavioral therapy.  We will then delve into specific disorders and the empirically supported cognitive behavioral interventions utilized to treat those disorders (e.g., mood disorders, anxiety disorders, substance use disorders, eating disorders, etc).  The seminar will attempt to strike a balance between encouraging and facilitating critical review of the outcome literature, and introduction to the clinical practices used by cognitive behavioral therapists today.  Students will be expected to be active participants in all aspects of class discussion and will also be required to write several papers during the course.   This seminar is open only to advanced psychology majors. Prerequisite:  Psychology 162 or permission of the instructor.
 

Psyc 262-303

Special Topics in Abnormal Psychology

Shannon Wiltsey Stirman

Controversies in Clinical Psychology.  This class will discuss controversial issues in the diagnosis and treatment of psychological disorders.  We will consider the empirical support and arguments for and against issues such as the use of the DSM classification system, the diagnosis and treatment of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in children, the validity of the diagnosis of Dissociative Identity (formerly known as multiple personality) Disorder, and the controversy surrounding the recovery of traumatic memories.  Other topics may include the debate surrounding the use of manualized psychotherapies such as cognitive therapy, the designation of "empirically supported" psychotherapies, and whether exposure to violence in the media is a cause of childhood aggression.

The class will meet once per week for three hours.  Students will be asked to read literature that summarizes each side of the issues being considered, as well as studies that are relevant to the issue.  They will learn to critically evaluate research methodology, and will be asked to write three short papers that summarize and critique the literature that is discussed in class (one paper per month, on any issue discussed that month).  In addition, each student will be responsible for preparing one or two oral presentations.  The oral presentations will take the form of a "debate" with another student on the issue that will be discussed that day, and will take place at the beginning of class, before a general discussion of the issue.  Prerequisite:  Psychology 162 or permission of the instructor.
 

Psyc 270-301

Special Topics in Social Psychology

Marc Sageman

This course will explore theories of al Qaida from an empirical perspective.  Specifically, al Qaida is treated as a religious revivalist social movement.  From this perspective, we will look at the various explanation of this phenomenon in terms of background, personal and situational variables of its members.  We will then move on to the process of joining the movement and look at it from social network analysis.  This will enable us to trace back its origins in history and generate statements about the properties of such a network.  Each student will be responsible for a small research project on this topic and present it in class.  Prerequisite:  Psychology 162 or permission of the instructor.

Students will learn how to study scientifically the behavior of animals. We will take an evolutionary and ecological approach to studying several different types of behavior across different species in both laboratory and field environments. Students will gain experience designing and conducting animal behavior experiments as well as analyzing results and presenting their findings.  Prerequisite: Psychology 131 (cross-listed as BIOL 231 and BIBB 231).
 

Psyc 351-301

Research Experience in Cognitive Psychology

John Trueswell

Students will explore topics in human memory, attention, and language processing.  Laboratory exercise will include replications of major experiments and novel extensions permitting students to develop psychological hypotheses and the experimental rationale to test them.  Prerequisite:  Psychology 107, 135 or 151 and Statistics or permission of instructor.
 

Psyc 362-301

Research Experience in Abnormal Psychology

Melissa Hunt

(This is a continuation of Psyc 362-301 taught Fall 2003 and is therefore only available to students who were enrolled in that course.)

Junior and Senior psychology majors only: Are you interested in expanding our understanding of anxiety and affective disorders?  If you'd like to work hard for
nine months, qualify for honors and have a publishable paper at the end of the year, this may be the course for you.  Offering more support and structure than an
independent study, this course will still allow you to make an original contribution to one of several research areas, including phobias, depression, panic disorder and PTSD.  By Instructor permission only.  E-mail application essay to mhunt@psych.upenn.edu including your experiences in psychology, why you are interested in the course, and how the course fits in to your overall career planning.
 

Psyc 364-301

Research Experience in Theory of Persons

David Williams

People exist in both public and private worlds. The methodologies by which psychologists explore these worlds are quite different. This seminar will compare and contrast data from representative methodologies, using concepts that theoretically intersect. In particular, we will compare data provided by tests and inventories derived from humanistic personality theory with data developed from a tutorial program that uses Skinnerian principles of behavioral analysis to teach the concepts of humanistic personality theory on an individualized basis. Throughout the semester, members of the class will provide the data, and privacy will be fully respected. Prerequisite: Psychology 160, 164 or permission of the instructor.
 

Psyc 370-301

Research Experience in Social Psychology

John Sabini

(This is a continuation of Psyc 370-301 taught Fall 2003 and is therefore only available to students who were enrolled in that course.)

In this two (2) semester course students alone, or in small groups, will, in consultation with the instructors, design, carry out, and write up original research in social psychology. Some topics of that research are likely to be: embarrassment, envy, person perception, regret, and human sexual behavior. Other possible topics include the persuasive impact of narratives, the effects of labeling a communication as fact or fiction, and the relationship between media use (Internet, television) and individuals' social relationships and civic participation. But other topics might be considered as well. Prerequisite: Psychology 170 or permission of the instructors.
 

Psyc 370-302

Research Experience in Social Psychology

Kathryn Mason

This seminar will focus on observational methods of studying social psychological phenomena.  Readings and class discussions will be focused on acquiring knowledge and skills relevant to conducting observational studies.  Individually or in groups, students will refine a research question, design an observational study, collect and analyze the data, and report the results in both a research paper and an oral report. Prerequisite:  Statistics and Psychology 170, 172 or permission of the instructor.
 

Psyc 372-301

Research Experience in Biocultural Psychology

Francisco Gil-White

The areas of research that students will be able to choose from in this course will include (1) mechanisms of social learning such as prestige bias and conformism; (2) essentialism of species and ethnic categories; (3) narrative memory; and (4) exeprimental economics. Students will develop a hypothesis, design an experiment, carry it out, and write an analysis of  the results.  Prerequisite:  Basic Statistics course.
 

Psyc 374-301

Research Experience in Evolutionary Psychology

Rob Kurzban

In this course, students will, in consultation with the instructor, develop hypotheses and then design, carry out, and write up original research in evolutionary psychology. Topics will focus on adaptations for social life, including: social categorization, cooperation, social exclusion, mating, friendship, and so on. Prerequisite:  Any basic statistics course.
 

Psyc 386-301

Research Experience in Developmental Psychology

Christine Massey

Children's Thinking and Learning.  Students will complete research projects on selected topics related to children's cognitive development in educational  Settings. Working with children in local elementary school classrooms, students will work in small groups to design, collect, and analyze data using observational and interview methods. Some controlled experimental designs will be possible, analyzing the effects of specific curricular interventions on children's conceptual Development. In addition to class time, participants must have some regular time available for data collection during public school hours.  Prerequisites:  Psychology 151 OR Psychology 181 (Cognitive Development) and Basic statistics.  By Instructor permission only.  Contact instructor at massey@linc.cis.upenn.edu for an appointment.