What does it take to understand complex family phenomena? This course explores major theoretical frameworks and methodological approaches used in family science research to help students answer that question. By focusing on contemporary issues in family psychology, students analyze family dynamics in research and apply them to practice contexts. They become confident consumers of existing research and develop skills in producing new family research. Prerequisite: PSY 202 and one 200-level PSY colloquium. Restrictions: Juniors and seniors only. Enrollment limited to 12.

An introduction to research methods in clinical psychology and psychopathology. Includes discussion of current research as well as design and execution of original research in selected areas such as anxiety disorders, PTSD and depression. Prerequisite: PSY 100, PSY 201, PSY 202 and a relevant PSY intermediate colloquium course. Restrictions: Juniors and seniors only. Enrollment limited to 12.  Instructor permission required.

The understanding of how children grow, learn and think is largely based on studying WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich and Democratic) populations. Findings from just 12% of the global population are being used to inform worldwide policies in education, parenting and public-health. This course approaches the study of child development from a cross-cultural lens. The class studies how cultural norms, research and power structures impact specific areas of development.

This seminar explores the cognitive processes underlying human perception and comprehension of film and the techniques filmmakers use to capitalize on these processes. Students read and discuss empirical articles and view relevant examples of film. Discussions range from change blindness and apparent motion to character identity and narrative. Prerequisite: PSY 100. Restrictions: Juniors and seniors only. Enrollment limited to 12. Instructor permission required.

Flourishing has been described as living a good, fulfilling life with a sense of purpose. Sometimes called thriving, it is a state of emotional, psychological and social well-being. This seminar examines pathways to flourishing via close reading of empirical articles, class discussion and guided practices in and out of class.

This course covers classic and emerging research on judgment and decision-making. Decisions are part of everyday life. Many are simple and automatic (e.g. what to eat for breakfast); others require more conscious deliberation (e.g. which college to attend). The quality of one's decisions depends upon a variety of factors, many of which have been explored in philosophy, psychology, and economic research. This course examines the impact of psychological biases and heuristics on decision-making.

An exploration of the nature of moral psychology. The class discusses how reason, emotion, cultural norms and social pressures shape moral judgments; how brain activity correlates with moral decision-making; and how to use psychological research on moral intuition to evaluate cultural and political disagreements. Prerequisites: PSY 202. Enrollment limited to 25. (E)

Survey of child psychopathology from a developmental perspective. Course covers theories of etiology as well as clinical treatment interventions for a range of childhood disorders and difficulties. Prerequisite: PSY 202, and either PSY 150 or EDC 235, or equivalent. Enrollment limited to 25.

This course introduces students to “neurodiversity,” or the idea that differences in how brains work and the ways that humans think, learn, and experience the world are a natural and valuable part of the human experience. Students gain a deeper understanding of the neurobiological and behavioral characteristics of neurodiverse conditions (autism; ADHD; learning, speech, and intellectual disabilities) by exploring first-person narratives and empirical research articles.

A commonly held view of memory is that it supports a narrow set of functions (e.g., being able to recall the name of a coworker). Memory actually serves a broader function: it forms one’s sense self and allows one to plan for the future. While incredibly important, memory is also susceptible to various kinds of errors (e.g., false memories that lead to wrongful convictions). This course presents cognitive and neuroimaging data and addresses questions such as whether there is one or more types of memory, whether memory function can be improved, and why humans are prone to false memories.