Psychology

We help students explore and understand the nature of the individual human experience by examining how the mind works; how culture and the environment interact with the individual; and how we can understand ourselves, others, and social interactions. Students learn how to ask productive questions in the study of human behavior, and how to find and evaluate answers systematically using the appropriate methodology and data analytic techniques. Psychology majors use a variety of empirical approaches, including surveys, assessments, computer-based models and simulations, theory, and experimental manipulations to study individual human behavior.

We encourage students to apply what they have learned in the classroom to real-world settings. We provide an education that prepares students for post-graduate work and equips them with knowledge and skills that will be applicable across a wide variety of careers.

We define psychology as the scientific study of the mind, brain, and behavior. In research, psychologists observe and analyze the behavior of individuals and groups in both laboratory and field settings. Many psychologists are also interested in improving the quality of human life through the application of psychological knowledge. The department offers coursework in many areas of psychology, including clinical psychology, child development, social psychology, educational psychology, cognitive, and behavioral and cognitive neuroscience. The department is empirically oriented, placing a strong emphasis on understanding and using scientific methods in the study of behavior.

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  The EEG at 100: Professor Erika Nyhus on How Electroencephalography Has Transformed Neuroscience

  As electroencephalography, more commonly known as EEG, marks its centennial, Associate Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience Erika Nyhus commemorates the milestone with insight into the incredible impact the device to monitor brain activity has had on how scientists study the human brain.
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  Sophomore Offers Youth Workshop on Climate Change and Mental Health

  In early May, Ainsley Morrison ’26 organized the first-ever Climate Anxiety and Fatigue Workshop at Bowdoin, inviting high school and college students to talk about their worries as the environment changes.
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  Funding Boost for Psychology Professor’s Memory Research

  Abhilasha Kumar leads NSF-funded project to learn more about human memory, specifically how our mental search processes work. She hopes the findings will assist clinicians working to help those with cognitive impairment.