Students will be exposed to a variety of advanced statistics and methods commonly used in clinical psychological research. Statistics and methods that will be covered include but are not limited to: data cleaning strategies, moderation, mediation, and exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Students will complete secondary analyses of pre-existing datasets to answer hypotheses related to advancing our understanding of mental health and well-being.

Students will work in teams to code videotaped observations of romantic partners discussing relationship conflicts. Students will learn to code emotion expressions and behavior at the dyadic and individual levels. Course topics include methodological issues such as coding bias, construct validity, and intercoder reliability, as well as empirical research on individual differences in conflict behavior and links between conflict behavior and relationship outcomes.

This course will explore child development in the context of early childhood education. The course will cover topics related to early childhood learning and development including cognition, language and literacy, social-emotional development, and personality development while considering how the early education context supports these developmental processes. Discussion of the early education setting will include the teacher-child relationship, family-school relationships, and curriculum.

In this course we will examine multiple theories of motivation and their relevance across a range of organizational settings (including corporations, special programs, and schools or colleges). How do we spark interest in a new subject or inspire people to undertake a challenging project? How do we sustain persistence in ourselves and others? This course is relevant for students interested in motivation, whether for attainment (such as within in human resources, talent development, or management) or for learning (whether for students, teachers, or leaders).

This course presents an overview of laboratory methods in cognitive psychology including research design, methodology, data analysis, and statistical inference. We will explore these issues through the lens of human communication; specifically, speech. Students will design and complete a research project in which they record and analyze speech to explore questions about how meaning is expressed through spoken language.

In this seminar, we will explore a number of literacy issues as they relate to the ever-present challenge of adult illiteracy. We will examine the following topics as they relate to adults with low-literacy skills: vocabulary acquisition, reading comprehension, and writing abilities. This is a Community-Based Learning course, and students will spend time each week tutoring adults in local Adult Basic Education centers to gain first-hand insights into these issues.

Why do animals behave the way they do? How do animals see their world? In what ways do animals adapt to a changing environment? What is the best way to observe and analyze animal behaviors? Ethology is the study of animal behavior and the key to understanding animal evolution. In this course we will observe animals in their natural habitat and in the laboratory setting. We will read literature and watch videos that will cover key concepts of animal cognition, learning, and other behavior.

This seminar is for students who are completing an honors thesis. The primary purpose of this course is to provide students with constructive support during all stages of their research. In particular, this class will assist students with organizing the various components of their thesis work and help them meet departmental thesis deadlines.

What is the impact of what is included and excluded in formal sex education programs? What does it mean to maintain good sexual health? How does sexual identity relate to behavior and attraction? As a class, we will explore sexuality at an individual, interpersonal, community, and societal level. Primary topics will include sex education, sexual identity, health, consent, relationships, and media portrayals of sexuality.

What does it mean to be an adolescent? Popular culture has a lot to say about this life stage, not all of it rooted in evidence. In this course, we will examine the range of adolescent experiences in the United States and critically question common assumptions. We will consider how social context and relationships influence youth as they navigate school, college and career expectations, extracurricular activities, and social media. Our interdisciplinary approach will draw on readings from psychology, sociology, history, education as well as media resources.