Psychology 101 - Foundations in Psychological Science

One-unit semester course, taught by several faculty members in the department. This course provides an overview of current topics in the field of psychology. Topics include human development, language, learning, memory, motivation, neuroscience, perception, psychopathology, and social behavior. Concept labs and applied labs will address the descriptive and experimental aspects of the topics covered in the lectures. Registration priority is given to intended/declared Psychology/Neuroscience majors. Consent of the instructor is required for non-intended/declared majors. Lecture-laboratory.

Psychology 200–210 - Psychological Science Labs

Courses offered in a seven-week sequence (offered first or second half of semester). Each lab section examines research methods and current topics in various subdisciplines of psychology. Students gain hands-on experience carrying out psychological experiments, leading group discussions, and preparing written and/or oral research presentations. Registration priority is given to intended/declared Psychology/Neuroscience majors. Consent of the instructor is required for non-intended/declared majors. Note: students who plan to major in psychology would typically register for one full unit over the course of the semester, which would require two labs in each quarter. Not all topics offered every year.

Psychology 200 - Methods in Health Psychology

Quarter-unit half-semester course. This course explores the biological, psychological, and social factors involved in the process of health behavior change using the major theories and models of health behavior. Students will engage in a self-directed behavior modification project on a health behavior of their choosing (e.g., improving sleep hygiene, moderating alcohol intake, reducing screen time, increasing physical activity). Prerequisite: PSY 101 or concurrent enrollment in PSY 101. Registration priority is given to intended/declared Psychology/Neuroscience majors. Consent of the instructor is required for non-intended/declared majors. Conference-laboratory. See Psychological Science Labs, above.

Psychology 201 - Methods in Behavioral Pharmacology and Neuroscience

Quarter-unit half-semester course. This course will investigate the basic principles of neuropharmacology and neural science with an emphasis on brain systems and synaptic mechanisms implicated in behavior. Laboratories will include experimentation using animal models. Prerequisite: PSY 101 or concurrent enrollment in PSY 101. Registration priority is given to intended/declared Psychology/Neuroscience majors. Consent of the instructor is required for non-intended/declared majors. Conference-laboratory. See Psychological Science Labs, above. 

Psychology 202 - Methods in Cognitive Neuroscience

Quarter-unit half-semester course. An investigation into the neural basis of perception, attention, and consciousness. The current research literature will be explored in depth and students will be introduced to experimental techniques including behavioral psychophysics and EEG/ERPs. Prerequisite: PSY 101 or concurrent enrollment in PSY 101. Registration priority is given to intended/declared Psychology/Neuroscience majors. Consent of the instructor is required for non-intended/declared majors. Conference-laboratory. See Psychological Science Labs, above.

Not offered 2023–24.

Psychology 203 - Methods in Learning and Comparative Psychology

Quarter-unit half-semester course. An exploration of basic principles of learning and behavior across species. Students will be exposed to the latest concepts and methods in the field via discussion and hands-on experimentation, and will learn how to collect, analyze, and interpret animal and human behavior in a comparative context. Prerequisite: PSY 101 or concurrent enrollment in PSY 101. Registration priority is given to intended/declared Psychology/Neuroscience majors. Consent of the instructor is required for non-intended/declared majors. Conference-laboratory. See Psychological Science Labs, above.

Psychology 204 - Methods in Educational Psychology

Quarter-unit half-semester course. A focus on the application of psychological science to issues of motivation in educational contexts. Students will be introduced to the primary literature and learn to use a variety of methodologies (e.g., quantitative, qualitative) for understanding how motivational processes operate across development. Prerequisite: PSY 101 or concurrent enrollment in PSY 101. Registration priority is given to intended/declared Psychology/Neuroscience majors. Consent of the instructor is required for non-intended/declared majors. Conference-laboratory. See Psychological Science Labs, above.

Psychology 205 - Methods in Psycholinguistics

Quarter-unit half-semester course. An introduction to research design and computer programming to investigate language processing. Reading primary literature about a well-known psycholinguistic phenomenon, students will be introduced to computer programming, allowing them to design and implement their own study investigating a follow-up question. Prerequisite: PSY 101 or concurrent enrollment in PSY 101. Registration priority is given to intended/declared Psychology/Neuroscience majors. Consent of the instructor is required for non-intended/declared majors. Conference-laboratory. See Psychological Science Labs, above.

Not offered 2023–24.

Psychology 206 - Methods in Psychopathology

Quarter-unit half-semester course. This course will explore the use of experimental and quasi-experimental techniques to examine issues related to the etiology, expression, and treatment of psychiatric conditions. Students will apply methodologies from psychological science to better understand psychopathology. Prerequisite: PSY 101 or concurrent enrollment in PSY 101. Registration priority is given to intended/declared Psychology/Neuroscience majors. Consent of the instructor is required for non-intended/declared majors. Conference-laboratory. See Psychological Science Labs, above.

Psychology 207 - Methods in Social Psychology

Quarter-unit half-semester course. This section examines the ways individuals think, feel, and act in social situations. Students will read the primary literature, learn about current empirical methods to approach social psychological questions, and conduct original empirical research. Prerequisite: PSY 101 or concurrent enrollment in PSY 101. Registration priority is given to intended/declared Psychology/Neuroscience majors. Consent of the instructor is required for non-intended/declared majors. Conference-laboratory. See Psychological Science Labs, above.

Psychology 208 - Methods in Cognitive Psychology

Quarter-unit half-semester course. In this course, students will be familiarized with some basic cognitive processes and cognitive resources such as working memory, long-term memory, concepts, visual imagery, and reasoning. In addition to reading and discussing the primary literature, students will also become familiar with data collection and data analysis methods. Prerequisite: PSY 101 or concurrent enrollment in PSY 101. Registration priority is given to intended/declared Psychology/Neuroscience majors. Consent of the instructor is required for non-intended/declared majors. Conference-laboratory. See Psychological Science Labs, above.

Not offered 2023–24.

Psychology 209 - Methods in Psychology of Music

Quarter-unit half-semester course. In this course, students will discuss primary literature and will learn about methodologies and investigate issues used to explore the psychology of music. Students will have the opportunity to apply research-based skills and become familiar with data collection and data analysis. Prerequisite: PSY 101 or concurrent enrollment in PSY 101. Registration priority is given to intended/declared Psychology/Neuroscience majors. Consent of the instructor is required for non-intended/declared majors. Conference-laboratory. See Psychological Science Labs, above.

Not offered 2023–24.

Psychology 210 - Methods in Applied Measurement

Quarter-unit half-semester course. In this course, students will consider some of the challenges that arise when trying to measure psychological quantities. Following an introduction to measurement in the abstract, students will perform data collection and quantitative exercises to gain insight into how a variety of standard psychological measures function, including achievement tests, personality inventories, and diagnostic scales. The course will conclude with a demonstration of the challenges of working with observational data, especially when assessing causal claims. Prerequisite: PSY 101 or concurrent enrollment in PSY 101. Registration priority is given to intended/declared Psychology/Neuroscience majors. Consent of the instructor is required for non-intended/declared majors. Conference-laboratory. See Psychological Science Labs, above.

Not offered 2023–24.

Psychology 217 - Neuroscience of Consciousness

One-unit semester course. This course offers an introduction to the scientific study of consciousness by examining the neural basis of perception, action, and various states of consciousness. Topics will include the impressive capabilities of unconscious perception and action, the relationship between attention and awareness, neural correlates and causes of conscious perception, disorders of consciousness, dreams and altered states of consciousness, neural representations of the self who is conscious, consciousness in nonhuman animals and artificial systems, and the evolution of consciousness. Conference.

Psychology 223 - Political Decision-Making

One-unit semester course. This course will offer an introduction to some basic concepts within social psychology and principles of judgment and decision-making in order to explore human attitudes and behavior in a specific context: politics. Specifically, this course will address theories of group dynamics and attitude change and explore how and why political groups often develop and maintain extreme beliefs. This course will include exploration of the phenomena of terrorism and antisocial behavior in relation to politics, as well as bias in the context of politics. This course is anticipated to expose students to a diversity of political views inside the classroom and contain discussion of sensitive topics. Lecture-conference.

Not offered 2023–24.

Psychology 224 - Introduction to Data Science in Psychology

One-unit semester course. This course is an introduction to data science, machine learning, and artificial intelligence in psychology. Students will be introduced to a wide range of topics, including data gathering and cleaning, machine learning implementation, feature analysis, and the ethical considerations for the application of machine learning. Students will get an introduction to RapidMiner, python using Jupiter notebooks, and visualization libraries using Seaborn. Lecture-conference-laboratory.

Not offered 2023–24.

Psychology 225 - Psychology of Stress and Resilience

One-unit semester course. The goal of this course is to give an overview of the theoretical and empirical work on stress, coping, and resilience. Topics will include the neurobiology of stress (e.g., the HPA axis, the immune system), chronic disease (e.g., cardiovascular disease, cancer), mental health (e.g., depression, anxiety), ecological stressors (e.g., social and community factors, catastrophes), common life stressors (e.g., work, interpersonal conflict), and diversity-related stressors (e.g., racism, heterosexism). Conference.

Psychology 230 - Comparative Cognition

One-unit semester course. An overview of current research and theory in comparative cognition—the scientific study of cognitive functioning from an evolutionary perspective. The course will emphasize continuities and discontinuities between humans and other animals in basic psychological processes, including decision-making, problem-solving, remembering, symbolic and relational learning, awareness, and communication. We will read and discuss the primary literature, with special emphasis on experimental issues and comparative methods. Conference.

Psychology 232 - Socialization of the Child

One-unit semester course. This course will focus on the socialization process—the ways in which children’s behaviors and personalities are shaped by their relationships to parents, peers, and the larger cultural context. Specific topics will include theory and research on emotional attachment to parents, the origins of friendship and prosocial behavior, aggression and bullying, the development of morality, the socialization of self-control, and the role of teachers and schools. Lecture-conference.

Psychology 251 - Group Identities and Intergroup Relations

One-unit semester course. Why do humans organize in groups, and how does being aware of our group identities shape our attitudes, perceptions, and action, especially in the context of relations with those from outside our groups? We will encourage a critical look at some of the classic and contemporary theoretical explanations concerning the influence of group identities on a variety of intergroup outcomes, including, but not limited to, (a) intergroup perceptions, (b) the link between in-group love and out-group hate, and (c) responses to group disadvantage. The goal is to understand the psychology behind numerous group-based outcomes, including those that may seem counterintuitive or irrational at first glance. Conference.

Not offered 2023–24.

Psychology 319 - Psychology of Addictions

One-unit semester course. This course examines the psychology of addictive behaviors. We will study the use of alcohol and other drugs of abuse as well as other behavioral addictions (e.g., gambling disorder). We will explore historical and cultural attitudes toward addictions, prominent theories of the etiology and maintenance of these behaviors, basic epidemiology, prevention and treatment models, all embedded within recent empirical findings. Prerequisite: PSY 101. Registration priority is given to intended/declared Psychology/Neuroscience majors. Consent of the instructor is required for non-intended/declared majors. Conference.

Psychology 322 - Social Psychology

One-unit semester course. An examination of psychological theory and research concerning the ways in which people think, feel, and act in social situations. Conferences will focus on areas of basic social psychological research and theory, including social cognition, attribution, impression formation, social interaction, intergroup and interpersonal relationships, and social influence. Special issues addressed in the course are stereotyping and prejudice, the self within the social context, and applications of social psychology to social problems. Opportunities for students to plan and conduct empirical research are available. Prerequisite: PSY 101, or consent of the instructor. Registration priority is given to intended/declared Psychology/Neuroscience majors. Consent of the instructor is required for non-intended/declared majors. Conference-laboratory.

Psychology 323 - Motivation in Educational Contexts

One-unit semester course. An overview of theory and research on motivation as it applies to educational contexts, focusing primarily on school-aged children. Why do some students focus on learning while others only care about getting the grade? How do rewards affect motivation? Why does failure sometimes debilitate and other times invigorate? How do we perceive our own academic abilities and how does this affect our self-worth? Where do these motivational processes come from and how do they develop? This course will draw on social, developmental, educational, and cognitive psychology as we address questions about achievement motivation. Prerequisite: PSY 101 and one 300-level psychology course. Registration priority is given to intended/declared Psychology/Neuroscience majors. Consent of the instructor is required for non-intended/declared majors. Conference.

Psychology 324 - Health Psychology

One-unit semester course. This course explores the dynamic interplay of biological, psychological, and social factors in health and disease. Major topics include psychosocial and contextual influences on health and behavior; the design and evaluation of individual treatments and population interventions; stress and coping; psychosocial effects of disease; physician-provider communication; health services utilization and adherence. Emphasis on theory, research design, and causal inference. Prerequisite: PSY 101 or consent of the instructor. Registration priority is given to intended/declared Psychology/Neuroscience majors. Consent of the instructor is required for non-intended/declared majors. Conference-laboratory.

Psychology 325 - Stereotyping and Prejudice

One-unit semester course. This conference is an analysis of psychological theory and empirical research on stereotyping and prejudice. The course explores the development and causes of intergroup perceptions and antagonism, reasons for the persistence and prevalence of stereotypes and prejudice, ways in which feelings and beliefs about groups influence social perception and interaction, and possible ways to change group stereotypes or reduce prejudice. In examining these issues, conferences consider both the ways that individuals perceive themselves as members of groups and the ways that they perceive other groups. Students conduct original empirical research. Prerequisite: PSY 101. Registration priority is given to intended/declared Psychology/Neuroscience majors. Consent of the instructor is required for non-intended/declared majors. Conference.

Not offered 2023–24.

Psychology 333 - Behavioral Neuroscience

One-unit semester course. An examination of the neural basis of behavior with a focus on brain anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, and neural modeling. Specific topics include the organization and function of the nervous system, neuronal signaling, sensorimotor physiology, appetitive motivation, drug reward, neuroplasticity, epigenetics, and neuropathology. Laboratory includes mammalian brain dissection and experimentation using animal models. Prerequisite: PSY 101, or consent of the instructor. Registration priority is given to intended/declared Psychology/Neuroscience majors. Consent of the instructor is required for non-intended/declared majors. Lecture-laboratory-conference.

Psychology 337 - Psychophysiology

One-unit semester course. This course is a survey of the basic theoretical, methodological, and applied issues in the field of psychophysiology. Psychophysiology is the branch of psychology concerned with the complexity of links between the mind and body and is of prime importance in understanding how psychological and socio-environmental experiences can influence health and disease. The course will consist of conferences and hands-on laboratory experience collecting and analyzing psychophysiological data. The fundamentals of specific systems will be covered, such as the cardiovascular, central nervous, immune, and endocrine systems, as well as measures such as EMG, ECG, EGG, and heart rate. Applications to psychopathology, health psychology, and behavioral medicine will also be explored. Prerequisite: PSY 101 or consent of the instructor. Registration priority is given to intended/declared Psychology/Neuroscience majors. Consent of the instructor is required for non-intended/declared majors. Lecture-conference-laboratory.

Psychology 338 - Psychopharmacology: Drugs and Behavior

One-unit semester course. This course will examine the basic principles of behavioral pharmacology with an emphasis on pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics including the mechanisms underlying drug metabolism, tolerance, and sensitization. Following an overview of cell biology, synaptic transmission, and receptor function, we will focus on the molecular, biochemical, and behavioral characterization of psychotropic drugs. These drugs include central nervous system stimulants, sedative-hypnotics, anxiolytics, alcohol, hallucinogens, and opiates. Prerequisite: PSY 101. PSY 333 is recommended but not required. Registration priority is given to intended/declared Psychology/Neuroscience majors. Consent of the instructor is required for non-intended/declared majors. Lecture-conference.

Psychology 342 - Language and Thought

One-unit semester course. An examination of theory and research on the relation between language and cognitive processes. The course begins with the observation that languages differ dramatically in their semantic partitioning of the world. Does such variation cause speakers of different languages to perceive the world differently? Or do linguistic differences illuminate underlying commonalities in human cognition? We will critically evaluate classic and current research on these questions, focusing on the relation between semantic structure and conceptual structure in the domains of color, space, time, number, and theory of mind, among others. Our goal will be to understand the psychological mechanisms by which language reflects and shapes the way we think. Prerequisite: PSY 101. Registration priority is given to intended/declared Psychology/Neuroscience majors. Consent of the instructor is required for non-intended/declared majors. Conference.

Not offered 2023–24.

Psychology 348 - Statistical Analysis for Psychology

One-unit semester course. This course is designed to introduce the basic concepts, logic, and methods of research design and data analysis used in psychological research. Central questions include how to select, perform, and interpret statistical techniques while emphasizing the application of these techniques to students’ own research projects. Topics include descriptive statistics, hypothesis testing, t-tests, one-way and two-way analysis of variance, and correlational techniques. Prerequisite: PSY 101. Registration priority is given to intended/declared Psychology/Neuroscience majors. Consent of the instructor is required for non-intended/declared majors. Lecture-laboratory.

Psychology 351 - Psychopathology

One-unit semester course. This course focuses on description, conceptualization, etiology, development, and prognosis of maladaptive functioning. We examine theories and research about the origin and development of specific mental health disorders, including experimental, correlational, and cross-cultural research. Prerequisite: PSY 101 or consent of the instructor. Registration priority is given to intended/declared Psychology/Neuroscience majors. Consent of the instructor is required for non-intended/declared majors. Lecture-conference.

Psychology 353 - Affect and Emotion

One-unit semester course. This course will examine the psychological study of affect and emotion, including both historical approaches and current research. This course will concentrate on research stemming from social, cognitive, and personality psychology, theories, concepts, and evidence from evolutionary psychology and neuroscience. Topics will include the origins of affect, core affect, moods, emotional valence, discrete emotional regulation, and the influence of emotions on judgments and decisions. Prerequisite: PSY 101 or consent of the instructor. Registration priority is given to intended/declared Psychology/Neuroscience majors. Consent of the instructor is required for non-intended/declared majors. Lecture-conference.

Not offered 2023–24.

Psychology 361 - Developmental Psychology

One-unit semester course. An examination of theory and research on psychological development through the lifespan focusing primarily on cognitive and social growth in the childhood years. This course begins with an overview of theoretical frameworks and research methods specific to the study of development. We then explore chronologically the development of the individual through five major periods of life: infancy, early childhood, middle childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. Prerequisite: PSY 101. Registration priority is given to intended/declared Psychology/Neuroscience majors. Consent of the instructor is required for non-intended/declared majors. Conference-laboratory.

Psychology 366 - Cognitive Processes

One-unit semester course. An overview of the scientific study of human cognition—how people perceive, remember, categorize, communicate, represent, and reason about the world. We will examine classic and current empirical research in light of contrasting theories that characterize the mind as an information-processing device or as an embodied system. Conferences will focus on discussion of the primary literature, with special emphasis on the logic of experimental design, critical analysis of opposing findings, and real-world applications. Throughout the semester, students will work in small groups to design and carry out an empirical research project. Prerequisite: PSY 101. Registration priority is given to intended/declared Psychology/Neuroscience majors. Consent of the instructor is required for non-intended/declared majors. Conference-laboratory.

Not offered 2023–24.

Psychology 373 - Learning

One-unit semester course. We will undertake a systematic examination of the factors governing learned behavior, with emphasis on the relationship of animal to human behavior. Topics include learning through associations, selection by consequences, and modeling; drug addiction; discrimination and concept formation; choice and self-control; voluntary action and free will; and verbal behavior. Experimental methods and analyses are emphasized. Prerequisite: PSY 101, or BIOL 101 and 102, or consent of the instructor. Registration priority is given to intended/declared Psychology/Neuroscience majors. Consent of the instructor is required for non-intended/declared majors. Lecture-conference-laboratory.

Psychology 381 - Sensation and Perception

One-unit semester course. In this course students will investigate how the nervous system detects, analyzes, and creates meaning from environmental stimuli. The course explores the anatomy, physiology, and function of the sensory cells and the brain nuclei involved in various sensory modalities including vision, audition, olfaction, and touch. It investigates how these cells work in concert to produce a seamless perception of colors, textures, flavors, sounds, and smells. Prerequisite: PSY 101. Registration priority is given to intended/declared Psychology/Neuroscience majors. Consent of the instructor is required for non-intended/declared majors. Lecture-laboratory.

Psychology 393 - Psycholinguistics

One-unit semester course. This course is an introduction to the study of the human language-processing system, and how it is organized to produce and comprehend language. We will study speech perception, lexical access, and sentence processing in the context of language acquisition, bilingualism, sign language, and brain function. Basic linguistic concepts will be covered. Students are expected to design and carry out a research project. Prerequisite: PSY 101 or LING 211, or consent of the instructor. Registration priority is given to intended/declared Psychology/Neuroscience majors. Consent of the instructor is required for non-intended/declared majors. Lecture-conference-laboratory. 

Not offered 2023–24.

Psychology 412 - Cognitive Science Research: Thinking in Practice

One-unit semester course. An in-depth examination of how people think, reason, and communicate about the world around them, emphasizing hands-on experience with research methods and statistical analysis in cognitive science. The course has two complementary objectives: to study thinking in practice—cognition about real-world issues—by critically evaluating the primary research literature, and to practice the study of thinking by designing and carrying out collaborative research projects. Students will learn techniques for measuring cognition explicitly and implicitly, for analyzing everyday discourse as a window into the mind, and for conducting open, reproducible science. Prerequisite: PSY 342 or 366, or consent of instructor. Conference-laboratory.

Not offered 2023–24.

Psychology 417 - Attention and Consciousness Research

One-unit semester course. This course offers an in-depth look at the scientific study of consciousness by exploring research into the neurophysiology of attention and perception, and by addressing relevant theoretical considerations from neurophilosophy. Central questions will include: How can the electrical firing of neurons produce subjective experience? What types of brain processes establish the contents of consciousness, the continuity of consciousness, and the self who is conscious? How does neural activity differ for conscious versus unconscious processing? Students will critically examine the research literature and work in small groups throughout the semester on independent research projects. Prerequisite: PSY 217, 334, or 381. Conference-laboratory.

Not offered 2023–24.

Psychology 434 - Advanced Topics in Neuropharmacology

One-half-unit semester course. The course focuses on the molecular, biochemical, and behavioral characterization of neuroactive drugs by investigating their actions on cells, circuits, and receptor mechanisms. Methods of research in behavioral pharmacology will also be examined. Prerequisite: PSY 333 or consent of the instructor. Conference. May be repeated for credit.

Not offered 2023–24.

Psychology 442 - Clinical Psychology

One-unit semester course. We will discuss design and methodological issues related to studying the effectiveness and efficacy of psychological interventions. We examine theory and research for various schools of psychotherapy, including psychodynamic, existential-humanistic, behavioral, and cognitive-behavioral interventions, with brief coverage of multicultural, family, child, and group approaches. Students participate in fieldwork in off-campus facilities related to mental health. Prerequisites: PSY 101 and 351 and junior or senior standing. Students who have not completed PSY 351 should contact the instructor for permission to enroll in this course. Conference-laboratory.

Not offered 2023–24.

Psychology 470 - Thesis

Two-unit yearlong course; one unit per semester. Theses in psychology will include empirical research—experimental, observational, or data analytical. Under unusual circumstances the requirement for empirical research may be waived by the department.

Psychology 481 - Individual Work in Special Fields

Variable (one-half or one)-unit semester course. Prerequisites: junior or senior standing, and approval of the instructor and the division.