Department of Psychology

Undergraduate Courses - Spring 2009 (*tentative and subject to change*)

Psychology 001 is the prerequisite for all other Psychology courses 100-level and above

All seminars and research experience courses are listed below.

A department permit is required for all 200 and 300-level courses.

The College of General Studies (CGS) may offer the courses below. Please visit the CGS website for detailed course descriptions. You can register for CGS courses through PennInTouch; usually no permit required.

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Additional courses that count toward the Psych major and minor:

ANTH 104: Sex and Human Nature

BIBB 340: Human Chronobiology and Sleep

MKTG 211: Consumer Behavior

OPIM 290: Decision Processes

The courses above are not cross-listed with Psychology, but yes, they will count toward the Psych major/minor.

Exploration of the major topics in psychology, including how we receive and interpret information from the world, learning and motivation, the relationship 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 to the neuropsychological and pharmaceutical revolutions of today.

Cross-listed with BIBB109 and BIOL 219. Introduction to the structure and function of the vertebrate nervous system, including the physiological bases of sensory activity,  perception, drive, motor control, and higher mental processes.  This course is intended for students interested in the neurobiology of behavior.  Additional information about background needed can be obtained from BIBB, Biology or Psychology advisors.  Prerequisite: Psychology 001, or Biology 101, or permission of the instructor

Cross-listed with VLST 211. How the individual acquires and is guided by knowledge about objects and events in their environment. Prerequisite: Psychology 001, or COGS 001, or BIBB 109, or VLST 101.

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), the course will focus on various classes of drugs used to treat neuropsychiatric disorders including, among others, depression, schizophrenia, and anxiety.  We will additionally consider mechanisms mediating the mind-altering, addictive, and neurotoxic effects of abused drugs. Prerequisite: Psychology 001 and PSYC 109

Cross-listed with BIBB 231 and BIOL 231. The evolution of social behavior in animals, with emphasis on group formation, cooperation among kin, mating systems, territoriality, and communication. Prerequisite: Psychology 001

The concepts of normality, abnormality, and psychopathology; symptom syndromes; theory and research in psychopathology and psychotherapy. Prerequisite: Psychology 001

Positive psychology is the scientific study of happiness, meaning, engagement, accomplishment, and virtue. This course focuses on valid assessments of these constructs, their causes and correlates, and interventions that have been shown to promote them. In addition to reading selected textbook chapters and primary research articles, students will complete positive psychology exercises and reflect upon their experience in written assignments. Prerequisite: Psychology 001

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. Prerequisite: Psychology 001

An introductory study 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. Topics include social influence, conformity and obedience, persuasion, aggression and conflict, altruism, stereotypes and prejudice, interpersonal attraction, and the self-concept. Prerequisite: Psychology 001

What infants and young children come to know about the world, and how they learn it. Topics include changes in children's thinking, perceptual development, language acquisition, and current theories of cognitive development. Prerequisite: Psychology 001

Prerequisite:

Prerequisite:

Prerequisite: Psychology 162

Prerequisite: Psychology 162

Prerequisite: Psychology 162

In this seminar, we will initially examine a wide range of basic psychological processes (including social cognition, emotion, self-concept, and personality traits) from a cultural perspective by drawing on a wide range of cultural and cross-cultural studies. We will then focus on how cultural variables impacts on both the presentation and incidence of psychopathology. Other more general topics of relevance to the study of psychopathology from a cultural lens will also be examined (e.g., cross-cultural research methods, acculturation, biculturalism, and ethnic identity). Prerequisite: Psychology 170

This course will examine some of the major ideas in social psychology through an evolutionary lens. We will look at evolutionary explanations for a number of important aspects of human social life, including, cooperation, competition, stereotyping and prejudice, attraction, and jealousy. Throughout, we’ll critically evaluate theories in these areas, emphasizing not only how humans engage in different social activities, but also why they do so. Prerequisite: Psychology 170

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.  Prerequisites: Psychology 131 and one semester of statistics, or permission of the instructor.

In this course you will gain experience in the designing and running of behavioral studies having to do with language, memory, attention, and perception. We will accomplish this by studying how humans rapidly understand and produce spoken language.   One of the central themes of this course will be the examination of language use in natural situations, using experimental  techniques like the monitoring of eye movements during listening.  Prerequisites:  Psychology 107 or 135 or 149 or 151, and one semester of statistics, or permission of the instructor.

This is a continuation of Psyc 362-301 taught in Fall 2008 and is 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 Dr. Melissa Hunt including your experiences in psychology, why you are interested in the course, and how the course fits in to your overall career planning. 

In this course you will learn how to design an original research study in clinical psychology that is scientifically rigorous and personally compelling. Students will work with the instructor to choose a research question and identify an appropriate study design and data source. Instruction and readings will be tailored to the experience level and interest of the student. Emphasis will be on the factors that predict mood and anxiety disorders.
Prerequisites: PSYC 162 and one semester of statistics.

In this course you will learn how to design an original research study in clinical psychology that is scientifically rigorous and personally compelling. Students will work with the instructor to choose a research question and identify an appropriate study design and data source. Instruction and readings will be tailored to the experience level and interest of the student.
Prerequisites: PSYC 162 and one semester of statistics.

In this course, students will, in consultation with the instructor, design, carry out, and write up original research in social psychology. The research topics may include: morality, emotion, and psychology of beauty. Prerequisites: Psychology 170 and one semester of statistics

This is a continuation of Psyc 400-301 taught in Fall 2007 and is only available to students who were enrolled in that course. Open only to senior Honors candidates in psychology. A two-semester sequence supporting the preparation of an honors thesis in psychology. Students will present their work in progress and develop skills in written and oral communication of scientific ideas. Permission of the instructor and admission to the Honors program required.

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.

This advanced course will review recent research that combines psychological, economic and neuroscientific approaches to study human and animal
decision-making. A particular focus will be on how evidence about the neural processes associated with choices might be used to constrain economic and psychological theories of decision-making. Topics covered will include decisions involving risk and uncertainty, reinforcement learning, strategic interactions and games, and social preferences. The course will involve a combination of lectures and student presentations.