Location: Bowdoin / Psychology / Courses / Fall 2009

Psychology

Fall 2009

Courses

010. What’s on Your Mind? An Introduction to the Brain and Behavior: Seth Ramus T 10:00 - 11:25, TH 10:00 - 11:25 The Hazelton Room (Kanbar 109); A general introduction to the science of psychology, with a specific emphasis on the brain’s control of human and animal behavior. Uses historical texts, “popular” science books, and primary literature to explore the mind-body connections within topics such as learning and memory, perception, development, stress, social behavior, personality, and choice.
101. Introduction to Psychology: Julie Quimby M 2:30 - 3:55, W 2:30 - 3:55 Druckenmiller-004; A general introduction to the major concerns of contemporary psychology, including physiological psychology, perception, learning, cognition, language, development, personality, intelligence, and abnormal and social behavior. Recommended for first- and second-year students. Juniors and seniors should enroll in the spring semester.
101. Introduction to Psychology: Julie Quimby M 11:30 - 12:55, W 11:30 - 12:55 Druckenmiller-016; A general introduction to the major concerns of contemporary psychology, including physiological psychology, perception, learning, cognition, language, development, personality, intelligence, and abnormal and social behavior. Recommended for first- and second-year students. Juniors and seniors should enroll in the spring semester.
210. Infant and Child Development: Samuel Putnam M 1:30 - 2:25, W 1:30 - 2:25, F 1:30 - 2:25 Kanbar Hall-107; A survey of major changes in psychological functioning from conception through childhood. Several theoretical perspectives are used to consider how physical, personality, social, and cognitive changes jointly influence the developing child’s interactions with the environment.
211. Personality: Barbara Held M 10:30 - 11:25, W 10:30 - 11:25, F 10:30 - 11:25 Kanbar Hall-107; A comparative survey of theoretical and empirical attempts to explain personality and its development. The relationships of psychoanalytic, interpersonal, humanistic, and behavioral approaches to current research are considered.
216. Cognitive Psychology: Louisa Slowiaczek T 2:30 - 3:55, TH 2:30 - 3:55 Kanbar Hall-107; A survey of theory and research examining how humans perceive, process, store, and use information. Topics include visual perception, attention, memory, language processing, decision making, and cognitive development.
251. Research Design in Psychology: Paul Schaffner M 9:30 - 10:25, W 9:30 - 10:25, F 9:30 - 10:25 Searles-115; A systematic study of the scientific method as it underlies psychological research. Topics include prominent methods used in studying human and animal behavior, the logic of causal analysis, experimental and non-experimental designs, issues in internal and external validity, pragmatics of careful research, and technical writing of research reports.
252. Data Analysis: Suzanne Lovett M 11:30 - 12:55, W 11:30 - 12:55 Kanbar Hall-107; An introduction to the use of descriptive and inferential statistics and design in behavioral research. Weekly laboratory work in computerized data analysis. Required of majors no later than the junior year, and preferably by the sophomore year.
270. Laboratory in Cognition: Louisa Slowiaczek T 11:30 - 12:55, TH 11:30 - 12:55 Kanbar Hall-101 Computer Lab; An analysis of research methodology and experimental investigations in cognition, including such topics as auditory and sensory memory, visual perception, attention and automaticity, retrieval from working memory, implicit and explicit memory, metamemory, concept formation and reasoning. Weekly laboratory sessions allow students to collect and analyze data in a number of different areas of cognitive psychology.
274. Laboratory in Group Dynamics: Paul Schaffner M 2:30 - 3:55, W 2:30 - 3:55 The Hazelton Room (Kanbar 109); Principles and methods of psychological research, as developed in Psychology 251 and 252, are applied to the study of small group interaction. Students design, conduct, and report on social behavior research involving an array of methods to shape and assess interpersonal behavior.
276. Laboratory in Behavioral Neuroscience: Learning and Memory: Seth Ramus M 1:00 - 2:25, W 1:00 - 2:25 Kanbar Hall 001-Lab; Explores current research and theories in the neurobiology of learning and memory by examining the modular organization of the brain with an emphasis on a brain systems-level approach to learning and memory, using both lectures and laboratory work. Memory is not a unitary phenomenon, rather, different parts of the brain are specialized for storing and expressing different kinds of memory. In addition to discussing contemporary research, students use modern neuroscientific methods in the laboratory to demonstrate how different memory systems can be dissociated. Techniques include behavioral, neurosurgical, and histological analysis in vertebrate species.
309. Psychotherapy, Psychology, and Philosophy: Barbara Held M 1:00 - 2:25, W 1:00 - 2:25 The Hazelton Room (Kanbar 109); Many clinical psychologists are returning to psychology’s roots in philosophy for guidance on how to best understand the nature and purposes of psychotherapy. Considers the clinical, scientific, and underlying philosophical issues that pertain to different systems of psychotherapy. In exploring different approaches to psychotherapy, particular attention is given to such questions as the nature of personhood and the self, methods of obtaining self-knowledge and warrant for claims about self-knowledge, whether humans have free will, the nature of therapeutic change, and the nature of human happiness or well being. Current debates about a proper science of psychotherapy are emphasized.
313. Advanced Seminar in Behavioral Neuroscience: Diane Lee T 10:00 - 11:25, TH 10:00 - 11:25 Sills-111; An advanced discussion of concepts in behavioral neuroscience. Topics include descriptions of neural circuitry, hormonal activity and molecular mechanisms, their evolutionary bases, and their roles in the regulation of developmental and adult behavioral expressions and associated processes.
320. Social Development: Samuel Putnam M 9:30 - 10:25, W 9:30 - 10:25, F 9:30 - 10:25 CT-16 Harrison McCann; Research and theory regarding the interacting influences of biology and the environment as they are related to social and emotional development during infancy, childhood, and adolescence. Normative and idiographic development in a number of domains, including morality, aggression, personality, sex roles, peer interaction, and familial relationships are considered.