BMC . Psychology - course descriptions

Psychology Courses at Bryn Mawr College

101, 102. Experimental Psychology
Psychology as a natural science. A survey of methods, facts and principles relating to basic psychological processes. Major topic areas include neural bases of behavior, learning and motivation, psychosocial development and abnormal psychology, human cognition, cognitive development, individual differences and social psychology. Lecture three hours, laboratory four hours a week. The laboratory provides experience with contemporary methods of research on both animals and humans. (staff, Division IIL)

201. 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, Dividion IIL)

203. 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)

205. 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 II or Quantitative)

206. 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)

208. 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 human subjects. 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, attribution theory, implicit personality theory). Participation in a research project is required. (McCauley, Division I)

209. Abnormal Psychology
An examination of the main psychological disorders manifested by individuals across the life span. It begins with a historical overview followed by a review of the major models of psychopathology, including the medical, psychoanalytic, cognitive, behavioral and family systems. 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. (Schulz, Division I)

212. 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) Not offered in 2003-04.

214. 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 analyses) 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 hyper-activity disorder, and oppositional/conduct disorder. Methods for recording, analyzing and modifying behavior will be covered. This course provides a Praxis Level I opportunity. It cannot be taken if you previously have taken Psychology 104. (Neuman, Division I) Not offered in 2003-04.

218. 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)

305. 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. Participation in a research project is required. Prerequisite: Psychology 205. (McCauley)

312. 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. (Wozniak)

323. Cognitive Neuroscience: Exploring the Living Brain
The field of cognitive neuroscience serves as an interface between cognitive psychology (the study of information processing) and neuroscience (the study of the physical brain). Its goal is to map cognitive functions to neural regions. In this seminar, we will focus on how high-level psychological processes (e.g., attention, memory, language) are organized in the human brain. Special emphasis will be placed on theory and research based on behavioral and cognitive impairments due to brain injury and aging, and how this may inform our view of normal cognitive functions. Prerequisite: Psychology 212 or permission of the instructor. (Thapar, Division IIL) Not offered in 2003-04.

350. Developmental Cognitive Disorders
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/spacial 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 provvides a Praxis Level I opportunity. (Cassidy) Not offered in 2003-04.

351. 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 depression and disruptive behavior syndromes, and family-based risk factors for psychopathology, such as parenting quality and marital conflict. An important focus of the course is on the identification of risk and protective factors for psychopathology. The course will also examine prevention efforts designed to reduce risks and enhance protective factors. Prerequisite: Psychology 206 or 209 (Rescorla)

352. Advanced Topics in Developmental Psychology
This course will provide in-depth study of a major area of developmental psychology (i.e., theory of mind, language acquisition, memory). Class time will involve discussion of theory and research in the topic of focus. In addition, students will gain laboratory research experience using developmental techniques by replicating pre-existing research experiments with children and adults and by designing and implementing original studies. Prerequisite: Psychology 206 (Cassidy, Division IIL) Not offered in 2003-04.

353. Advanced Topics in Clinical Developmental Psychology
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)

395. 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)

396. Topics in Neural and Behavioral Science
(Thomas; cross listed as Biology 396) Not offered in 2003-04.

397. 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) Not offered in 2003-04.

398. 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)

401. Supervised Research in Neural and Behavioral Sciences
(staff; cross listed as Biology 401)

403. Supervised Research in Psychology
Laboratory or field research on a wide variety of topics. Students should consult with faculty members to determine their topic and faculty supervisor. (staff)

Psychology Courses at Haverford College

Several Haverford courses can be substituted for the equivalent Bryn Mawr courses for purposes of the Bryn Mawr psychology major, as indicated below:

Students should consult with the psychology chair at Bryn Mawr to determine which of the following Haverford courses can count toward the Bryn Mawr psychology major: