Clark R. McCauley (on leave, 2004-05)
Leslie Rescorla (on leave, semester II)
Robert H. Wozniak
Professor of Biology and Psychology:
Margaret A. Hollyday
Kimberly Wright Cassidy, Chair
Marc Schulz (on leave, 2004-05)
The department offers the student a major program that allows a choice of courses from among a wide variety of fields in psychology: clinical, cognitive, developmental, physiological and social. In addition to the considerable breadth offered, the program encourages the student to focus on more specialized areas through advanced coursework, seminars, and especially through supervised research. Students have found that the major program provides a strong foundation for graduate work in clinical, cognitive, developmental, experimental, physiological and social psychology, as well as for graduate study in law, medicine and business.
Major requirements in psychology are either Psychology 101 or 102 (or a one-semester introductory psychology course taken elsewhere); Psychology 205; and nine additional courses at the 200 and 300 levels, as described below. Students may choose to take either Psychology 101 or 102, or they can elect to take both, as the content areas differ. Students who have obtained a score of 5 on the Psychology Advanced Placement Exam can waive 101/102 and take courses at the 200 level.
If a student takes one of the 100-level courses (101 or 102), the major requires at least nine courses above the 100 level, not including Psychology 205: five 200-level and four 300-level courses, or six 200-level and three 300-level courses. If a student takes both 101 and 102, she must take either four 200-level and four 300-level courses or five 200-level and three 300-level courses. With permission of the major adviser, one of the nine courses above the 100 level may be a course in a related discipline (e.g., cultural anthropology). With permission of the department, two semesters of supervised research may be substituted for one 300-level course.
Courses at the 200 level survey major content areas of psychological research and have introductory psychology as a prerequisite. Courses at the 300 level have a 200-level survey course as a prerequisite and offer either specialization within a content area or integration across areas. Prerequisites are listed after the description of each course. With the exception of Psychology 205, all 200-level courses require Psychology 101 or 102 or the permission of the instructor.
The psychology major requires two courses with a laboratory, one at the 100 level (101 or 102) and one at the 200 or 300 level. If a major elects to take both 101 and 102, a laboratory course at the 200 or 300 level is still required. If a student takes introductory psychology elsewhere and the course has no laboratory, or the student receives Advanced Placement credit for introductory psychology, then two laboratory courses can be taken at the 200 or 300 level to fulfill major requirements.
The selection of courses to meet the major requirements is made in consultation with the student’s major adviser. It is expected that the student will sample broadly among the diverse fields represented in the curriculum. Courses outside the department may be taken for major credit if they satisfy the above descriptions of 200-level and 300-level courses. Students should contact their major adviser about major credit for a course outside the department, preferably before taking the course.
Departmental honors (called Honors in Research in Psychology) are awarded on the merits of a report of research (the design and execution; and the scholarship exhibited in the writing of a paper based on the research). To be considered for Honors, students must have a grade point average in psychology of 3.6 or higher.
A student may minor in psychology by taking Psychology 101 or 102 and any other five courses that meet the requirements of the major.
Concentration in Neural and Behavioral Sciences
An interdepartmental concentration in Neural and Behavioral Sciences is available as an option to students majoring in either biology or psychology. Students electing this option must fulfill requirements of both the major and the concentration, which is administered by an interdepartmental committee.
For a psychology major with a concentration in neural and behavioral sciences, students must complete six required courses: Psychology 101 or 102, 201, 205, 212, 218 and one of the following 300-level courses — Psychology 323, 350, 351 or 395.
Five additional Psychology courses at the 200, 300 and 400 levels are required to complete the psychology major with a concentration in neural and behavioral sciences. These should be chosen in consultation with the major adviser to ensure that the distribution of 200- and 300-level courses satisfies the psychology major requirements. Some of these courses (such as Supervised Research) may also fulfill core major requirements.
These departmental requirements are in addition to the requirements for the Neural and Behavioral Sciences concentration.
PSYC B101, PSYC B102. Experimental Psychology
Both 101 and 102 present psychology as a natural science and provide a survey of methods, facts and principles relating to basic psychological processes. Topics covered in 101 include neural bases of behavior, learning and motivation, and psychosocial development and abnormal psychology. Topics covered in 102 include human cognition, cognitive development, individual differences and social psychology. Lecture three hours and laboratory four hours a week (for both 101 and 102). (staff, Division IIL)
PSYC B201. Learning Theory and Behavior
This course covers the basic principles of behavior, most of which were discovered through animal research, and their application to the understanding of the human condition. Traditionally, learning has been described in terms of operant and Pavlovian processes, with modeling treated as a special kind of operant conditioning. The basic procedures and principles of operant and Pavlovian conditioning are examined, and their relation to complex human functioning, such as concept formation and awareness, is explored. An introduction to functional assessment and functional analysis — the benchmarks of applied behavior analysis — will follow. Lecture three hours, laboratory one to two hours a week. (Neuman, Division IIL) Not offered in 2004-05.
PSYC B203. Educational Psychology
Topics in the psychology of human cognitive, social and affective behavior are examined and related to educational practice. Issues covered include learning theories, memory, attention, thinking, motivation, social/emotional issues in adolescence, and assessment/learning disabilities. This course provides a Praxis Level I opportunity. Classroom observation is required. (Cassidy, Division I)
PSYC B205. Experimental Methods and Statistics
An introduction to experimental design, general research methodology, and the analysis and interpretation of data. Emphasis will be placed on issues involved with conducting psychological research. Topics include descriptive and inferential statistics, experimental design and validity, analysis of variance, and correlation and regression. Each statistical method will also be executed using computers. Lecture three hours, laboratory 90 minutes a week. (Thapar, Division I or Quantitative Skills)
PSYC B206. Developmental Psychology
A topical survey of psychological development from infancy through adolescence, focusing on the interaction of personal and environmental factors in the ontogeny of perception, language, cognition and social interactions within the family and with peers. Topics include developmental theories; infant perception; attachment; language development; theory of mind; memory development; peer relations, schools and the family as contexts of development; and identity and the adolescent transition. (Wozniak, Division I)
PSYC B208. Social Psychology
A survey of theories and data in the study of human social behavior. Special attention to methodological issues of general importance in the conduct and evaluation of research with humans. Topics include group dynamics (conformity, leadership, encounter groups, crowd behavior, intergroup conflict); attitude change (consistency theories, attitudes and behavior, mass media persuasion); and person perception (stereotyping, essentializing, moral judgment). Participation in a research project is required. (Moskalenko, Division I)
PSYC B209. Abnormal Psychology
An examination of the main psychological disorders manifested by individuals across the lifespan. It begins with a historical overview followed by a review of the major models of psychopathology, including the medical, psychoanalytic, cognitive and behavioral. Disorders covered include anorexia/bulimia, schizophrenia, substance abuse, depression and anxiety disorders. Topics include symptomatology and classification, theories of etiology, research on prognosis, treatment approaches and studies of treatment effectiveness. Two lectures, one discussion section a week. (Bennett, Division I)
PSYC B212. Human Cognition
A survey of the history, theories and data of cognitive psychology. Emphasis is placed on those models and methods that fall within the information-processing approach to human cognition. Topics include perception, object recognition, attention and automaticity, memory, mental representations and knowledge, language and problem solving. Data from laboratory experiments (including those conducted within the course) and the performance of patients with brain damage are reviewed. Participation in (self-administered) laboratory experiments is mandatory. A research project or paper is also required. (Thapar, Division IIL)
PSYC B214. Behavior Modification
This course covers the basic principles of behavior and their relevance and application to clinical problems. The theoretical approaches of Pavlovian conditioning and operant conditioning (behavior analysis) will be covered to help understand the methods used in clinical practice. Topics may include eating disorders, anxiety disorders, addictive behavior, autistic behavior, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and oppositional/conduct disorder. Methods for recording, analyzing and modifying behavior will be covered. This course provides a Praxis Level I opportunity. (Neuman, Division I)
PSYC B218. Behavioral Neuroscience
An interdisciplinary course on the neurobiological bases of experience and behavior, emphasizing the contribution of the various neurosciences to the understanding of basic problems of psychology. An introduction to the fundamentals of neuroanatomy, neurophysiology and neurochemistry with an emphasis upon synaptic transmission, followed by the application of these principles to an analysis of sensory processes and perception, emotion, motivation, learning and cognition. Lecture three hours a week. (Thomas, Division II)
PSYC B305. Psychological Testing
Principles of measurement relevant to both experimental and individual differences psychology, with special emphasis on evaluating tests for either research or practical selection problems. Tests considered include intelligence tests (e.g., WAIS, WISC, Stanford-Binet, Raven's Matrices), aptitude tests (e.g., SAT, GRE), and personality tests (e.g., MMPI, NEO, Rorschach). Issues considered include creativity versus intelligence testing, nature versus nurture in IQ scores and effects of base rate in using tests for selection. Prerequisite: Psychology 205. (McCauley) Not offered in 2004-05.
PSYC B312. History of Modern American Psychology
An examination of major 20th-century trends in American psychology and their 18th- and 19th-century social and intellectual roots. Topics include physiological and philosophical origins of scientific psychology; growth of American developmental, comparative, social and clinical psychology; and the cognitive revolution. Open only to juniors and seniors majoring in psychology or by permission of the instructor. (Wozniak)
PSYC B323. Advanced Topics in Cognitive Neuroscience: Psychobiology of Sex Differences in Cognition
This course reviews the literature on sex differences in cognition. The first half of the semester will examine the role that sex chromosomes and hormones play in creating sex differences in cognition. The second half of the course will examine the role that developmental processes, cultural socialization and gender-role stereotypes play in creating sex differences in cognition. Class time will involve discussion of relevant theory and research as well as the design and execution of original research. Prerequisite: Psychology 205 or permission of instructor. (Thapar, Division IIL) Not offered in 2004-05.
PSYC B350. Developmental Cognitive
This course uses a developmental and neuropsychological framework to study several cognitive disorders (e.g., language delay, specific reading disability, nonverbal learning disabilities and autism) Cognitive disorders are viewed in the context of the normal development of language, memory, attention, reading and quantitative/spatial abilities. More general issues of curriculum/pedagogical adjustment, educational placement, law and policy for children with disabilities will also be covered. Students will participate in a course-related placement approximately four hours a week. This course provides a Praxis Level I opportunity. (Cassidy) Not offered in 2004-05.
PSYC B351. Developmental Psychopathology
An examination of research and theory addressing the origins, progression and consequences of maladaptive functioning in children, adolescents and families. The course will concentrate on several major forms of psychopathology, such as autism, attention deficit disorder, conduct problems, depression, anxiety disorders, eating disorders and schizophrenia. An important focus of the course is on the identification of risk and protective factors for psychopathology, and on preventive efforts. Prerequisite: Psychology 206 or 209 (Bennett)
PSYC B352. Advanced Topics in Developmental Psychology
This course will provide an in-depth exploration of the development of the concept of gender and the formation of gender stereotypes in children. The first part of the semester will examine the major theoretical positions relating to children's understanding of gender and the empirical data that supports those positions. The last part of the course will involve the critical exploration of popular press books on gender development, focusing on the broader issue of how psychological research gets translated for public consumption. In addition, the course contains a laboratory component, which will involve original research designed by the class for both children and adults. Prerequisite: Psychology 206 (Cassidy, Division IIL)
PSYC B353. Advanced Topics in Clinical Developmental Psychology: Emotion Processes and Family Interactions
This course examines research and theory at the intersection of clinical and developmental psychology. Topics will include emotion and family relationships, stress and psychological or physical well-being and family research methods. Class will involve discussion of relevant theory and research as well as the design and execution of research projects. Open only to juniors and seniors majoring in psychology. (Schulz, Division I) Not offered in 2004-05.
PSYC B358. Political Psychology of Group Identification
This seminar will explore the common interests of psychologists and political scientists in the phenomena of group identification. The focus will be identification with ethnic and national groups, with special attention to the ways in which research on small-group dynamics can help us understand identification and conflict for these larger groups. The seminar will review major theories of group identity and examine several historical or current cases of successful and unsuccessful development of national identity. Prerequisite: Psychology 208 or two semesters of political science. (McCauley; cross-listed as Political Science 358) Not offered in 2004-05.
PSYC B371. Cognitive Science
(Blank; cross-listed as Computer Science 371) Not offered in 2004-05.
PSYC B395. Psychopharmacology
A study of the role of drugs in understanding basic brain-behavior relations. Topics include the pharmacological basis of motivation and emotion; pharmacological models of psychopathology; the use of drugs in the treatment of psychiatric disorders such as anxiety, depression and psychosis; and the psychology and pharmacology of drug addiction. Prerequisite: Psychology 218. (Thomas)
PSYC B396. Topics in Neural and Behavioral Science
(staff; cross-listed as Biology 396)
PSYC B397. Laboratory Methods in the Brain and Behavioral Sciences
An introduction to the elements of electronics necessary for understanding both neuronal functioning and the instruments that measure neuronal functioning. Subsequent lectures and laboratories cover principles of electrical stimulation of the brain, chemical stimulation, lesioning, histology and recording of single-cell activity and the activity of populations of cells. The emphasis is on correlating neural and behavioral events. Prerequisite: Psychology 218, which may be taken concurrently. (Thomas)
PSYC B398. Cognitive Issues in Personality and Social Psychology
An examination of recent research in relation to issues of social perception (e.g., stereotypes and judgements of members of stereotyped groups), intergroup conflict (e.g., sources of group cohesion and "groupthink") and identification (e.g., emotional involvement with film characters, possessions and ethnic/national groups). Prerequisite: Psychology 208. (McCauley) Not offered in 2004-05.
PSYC B401. Supervised Research in Neural and Behavioral Sciences
Laboratory or library research under the supervision of a member of the Neural and Behavioral Sciences committee. Required for those with the concentration. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. (staff; cross-listed as Biology 401)
PSYC B403. Supervised Research in
Laboratory or field research on a wide variety of topics. Students should consult with faculty members to determine their topic and faculty supervisor. (staff)
Haverford College Courses
Certain courses currently offered at Haverford College may be substituted for the equivalent Bryn Mawr courses for purposes of the Bryn Mawr psychology major. Students should consult with their major adviser at Bryn Mawr to determine which of the following Haverford courses can count toward the Bryn Mawr psychology major and at what level.
103. Biological Foundations of Behavior (Psychology 101/102)
104. Foundations of Cognition (Psychology 101/102)
106. Foundations of Social Behavior (Psychology 101/102)
107. Foundations of Emotions (Psychology 101/102)
200a. Experimental Methods and Statistics (Psychology 205)
213b. Memory and Cognition
214b. Psychology of Adolescence, with 314l. Laboratory (300-level course and laboratory)
217b. Biological Psychology (Psychology 218)
221a. The Primate Origins of Society (200 level)
222b. Evolutionary Human Psychology (200 level)
224a. Social Psychology, with 324f. Laboratory (200-level course and laboratory)
238a. Psychology of Language (200 level)
240b. Psychology of Pain and Pain Inhibition
250b. Biopsychology of Emotion and Personality (200 level)
325b. The Psychology of Close Relationships (300 level)
391. Senior Research Tutorial in Cognition
392. Senior Research Tutorial in Personality
393. Senior Research Tutorial in Social Psychology
394. Senior Research Tutorial in Biological Psychology
395. Senior Research Tutorial in Emotions