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Research Methods

This course presents students with various techniques for applying the scientific method to behavioral research. It also emphasizes effective communication through scientific writing. Students learn about observational, correlational and experimental research designs. They have the opportunity to apply these designs in the laboratory while investigating relevant psychological phenomena. Appropriate statistical procedures and computer software are used to analyze the data from these labs.

Developmental Psychology

This course is intended to describe and explain the changes in bodies, minds, and behavior of people that occur from conception until death. While emphasis is placed on the early years of most rapid change, appropriate topics are covered throughout the life span. This course explores physical, cognitive, and socioemotional milestones across the lifespan and theories about various kinds of development. Attention is also paid to factors that contribute to individual differences and atypical development. Prerequisite: Psychology 101WL or 101NL

Introductory Psychology

This course surveys the scientific study of behavior and mental processes as natural phenomena. Basic psychological areas such as biopsychology, perception, learning, memory, motivation and emotion are typically addressed. Broader, integrated topics such as development, personality, and social and abnormal psychology are also explored.

Introductory Psychology

This course surveys the scientific study of behavior and mental processes as natural phenomena. Basic psychological areas such as biopsychology, perception, learning, memory, motivation and emotion are typically addressed. Broader, integrated topics such as development, personality, and social and abnormal psychology are also explored.

Sensation and Perception

This is a lecture-laboratory course that examines from multiple perspectives the ways in which humans and lower animals perceive and react to the world around them. All of the major senses are covered, with particular emphasis on vision and hearing. Topics include perceptual development, color perception, visual illusions, taste and smell perception, brain disorders and perception, perception of music, psychophysics, visual and hearing impairment, and pain perception. Counts toward the neuroscience major (behavioral track).

Introductory Psychology

This course surveys the scientific study of behavior and mental processes as natural phenomena. Basic psychological areas such as biopsychology, perception, learning, memory, motivation and emotion are typically addressed. Broader, integrated topics such as development, personality, and social and abnormal psychology are also explored. Students who enroll in 101WL gain additional focus on how psychologists formulate research questions, gather data and interpret findings based on the major conceptual approaches in the field of psychology.

Hormones and Behavior

This lecture-laboratory course provides an introduction to the field of behavioral endocrinology. The interplay between hormones and behavior is explored by reviewing current knowledge derived from human and animal research in the field. Topics include the influence of hormones on reproductive behavior, parental behavior, aggression, sexual orientation, moods and emotions, psychiatric disorders and perceptual and cognitive abilities. Environmental and experiential influences on endocrine function are also examined.

Introduction to Biological Psychology

This course will introduce students with limited background in biology to the myriad of theories and research pertaining to the biological foundations of behavior and cognition. Using genetic, evolutionary, endocrine, and neuroscience perspectives, we will investigate the biological basis of perception, action, learning, memory, emotion, sleep, mating, health, language, personality, and mental health. We will also consider the ethical dilemmas surrounding the use and potential misuse of new genetic and neuroscientific biotechnologies to study and alter behavior in humans and other animals.