Course Listing

PSYC 161 SEM Nonviolence and Positive Psychology

Last offered Fall 2018

In this course we will explore the theory and practice of nonviolence in the context of research in Positive Psychology. Nonviolence means choosing not to threaten or injure others, and its practice requires cultivating personal qualities that enable such a choice. Positive Psychology refers to the scientific study of those qualities that enable people to live happy and fulfilling lives. We will begin by studying the history and moral theories of nonviolence. We will then evaluate the claims of those theories regarding the positive effects of nonviolence by discussing research on psychological benefits to the practitioner, attitude change in the adversary, and effects on the larger community. Topics will include self-control, empathy, forgiveness, tolerance, aggression, resisting violent assault, civil disobedience, and courage. Along the way we will introduce basic concepts in research design and interpretation of data to help us evaluate the research with a critical eye. This course is a part of a joint program between Williams' Center for Learning in Action and the Berkshire County Jail, in Pittsfield, MA. The class will be composed equally of nine Williams students and nine inmates. An important goal of the course is to encourage students from different backgrounds to think together about issues of common human concern. Classes will be held at the jail, with transportation provided by the college. * Please note the atypical class hours, Tuesday, 4:45-8:30 pm. [ more ]

PSYC 258 SEM Language and Literacy Development

Last offered Spring 2019

Language is uniquely a human function and fundamental to one's participation in society. Children learn to talk in the first three years of life at an impressive speed. However, in order to successfully participate in academic and social life, it is critical for one to develop literacy skills. Learning to read is a multifaceted process that involves various cognitive resources. This course is an introduction to language development and literacy acquisition in first language and in a cross-linguistic environment including Japanese, Chinese and English. Linguistic concepts such as phonology, syntax and morphology will be introduced as we discuss the acquisition processes. Questions to be addressed include: How does a child develop oral language from birth? How does a child learn the meaning of words? How is learning to talk and read similar or different across various languages? How is learning to read different from learning to speak? How "natural" is it to learn to read? [ more ]

Last offered Spring 2023

This course introduces students to a broad range of theories and research on education. What can developmental research tell us about how children learn? What models of teaching work best, and for what purposes? How do we measure the success of various education practices? What is the best way to describe the psychological processes by which children gain information and expertise? What accounts for individual differences in learning, and how do teachers (and schools) address these individual needs? How do social and economic factors shape teaching practices and the educational experiences of individual students? The course will draw from a wide range of literature (research, theory, and first-hand accounts) to consider key questions in the psychology of education. Upon completion of the course, students should be familiar with central issues in pre-college education and know how educational research and the practice of teaching affect one another. [ more ]

Last offered Fall 2022

This course examines how experimental methods in neuroscience can be used to understand the role of nature (genes) and nurture (the environment) in shaping the brain and behavior. In particular, we will explore how neuroscience informs our understanding of psychiatric disorders such as anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia. We will investigate the biological underpinning of these disorders as well as their treatments. Readings will include human studies as well as work based on animal models. Topics will include: the ways in which environmental and genetic factors shape risk and resiliency in the context of psychiatric disease, the neural circuits and peripheral systems that contribute to psychopathology, and the mechanisms through which interventions may act. In the laboratory component of the course, students will gain hands-on experience in using animal models to study complex behavior and their associated neural mechanisms. [ more ]

Last offered Spring 2023

This class will examine the neuroscientific basis of different types of learning and memory (such as declarative memory, motor memory, and associative memory), including the brain circuits, cellar mechanisms, and signaling pathways that mediate these different processes. In addition, we will explore how these processes can be disrupted in different diseases and disorders (such as Alzheimer's disease or post-traumatic stress disorder) and we will discuss the strategies and targets for therapeutic intervention. Class meetings will include a mix of lectures, discussions, and student presentations. Critical evaluation of peer-reviewed studies involving both human and animal models will serve as a foundation for class discussions. Working in small teams, students will also design and conduct an empirical project related to the course material. [ more ]

PSYC 315 LEC Hormones and Behavior

Last offered Fall 2018

In all animals, hormones are essential for the coordination of basic functions such as development and reproduction. This course studies the dynamic relationship between hormones and behavior. We will review the mechanisms by which hormones act in the nervous system. We will also investigate the complex interactions between hormones and behavior. Specific topics to be examined include: sexual differentiation; reproductive and parental behaviors; stress; aggression; and learning and memory. Students will critically review data from both human and animal studies. All students will design and conduct an empirical research project as part of a small research team. [ more ]

Last offered Fall 2022

Neuroscience studies the brain and mind, and thereby some of the most profound aspects of human existence. In the last decade, advances in our understanding of brain function and in our ability to manipulate brain function have raised significant ethical challenges. This tutorial will explore a variety of important neuroethical questions. Potential topics will include pharmacological manipulation of "abnormal" personality; the use of "cosmetic pharmacology" to enhance cognition; the use of brain imaging to detect deception or to understand the ability, personality or vulnerability of an individual; the relationship between brain activity and consciousness; manipulation of memories; the neuroscience of morality and decision making. In addition to exploring these and other ethical issues, we will explore the basic science underlying them. [ more ]

PSYC 322 SEM Concepts: Mind, Brain, and Culture

Last offered Spring 2020

Every time we see something as a kind of thing, every time that we decide that an object is a cup rather than a glass, when we recognize a picture of a familiar face as a picture of ourselves, or even when we understand speech, we are employing categories. Most categorization decisions are automatic and unconscious, and therefore have the illusion of simplicity. The complexity of these decisions, however, becomes apparent when we attempt to build machines to do what humans perform so effortlessly. What are the systems in place that allow us this extraordinary ability to segment the world? Are they universal? How does conceptual knowledge differ across cultural groups? How do concepts affect our perception? How do the categories of experts differ from the categories of novices? Do children have the same kind of conceptual knowledge as adults? How are categories represented in the brain? In this course, we explore various empirical findings from cognitive psychology, cognitive neuroscience, and anthropology that address these questions. [ more ]

Last offered Fall 2022

Consciousness is considered as the 'last great mystery of science.' In this course we are going to delve into one of the most well-studied areas of this mystery, that is visual consciousness. Do you really perceive everything you look at? Are you aware of everything you see? Is our visual experience a grand illusion? We will start our investigation of such questions by reading about various approaches in understanding human consciousness. Then, we are going to apply these approaches to perception, and discuss theoretical and empirical controversies in visual consciousness. Finally, we are going to focus on evaluating empirical studies that attempt to resolve such controversies. The goal of this course is to build a bridge between theory and experimentation by learning how to interpret the results of scientific studies to shed light on theoretical and philosophical debates in the literature. [ more ]

PSYC 324 TUT Great Debates in Cognition

Last offered Spring 2018

The field of cognition is filled with controversies about how the mind really works. For example, is there sufficient evidence for a system in vision that can become aware of things without actually "seeing" them? Is it necessary to assume that babies come into the world armed with innate linguistic knowledge? Are humans inherently rational? Can we make inference about the mind using neuroimaging? These debates, and others that we will consider, help fuel scientific discovery in cognition in interesting ways. In this class, we will consider some of these contemporary debates, weigh evidence on both sides, and discuss the implications for what we know about the mind. [ more ]

Last offered Fall 2020

Being human means that we sometimes make choices that we know are bad for us. In this course we survey theoretical and experimental approaches to understanding our strengths and weaknesses as decision makers. Topics include rationality, the debate over cognitive biases, fast and frugal heuristics, impulsivity and self-control, addictions and bad habits, paternalism, and moral decision making. [ more ]

Last offered Spring 2023

When you open your eyes, you immediately perceive your environment in great detail. Seeing is so quick and effortless that people mistakenly think that vision works like a camera. However, the reason it feels effortless is due to the tremendous amount of complex processes and computations that take place in your brain whenever you open your eyes. In this course, we will explore such processes from a computational perspective and examine the concept of "visual illusion". We will focus on research methodologies used in vision science and look into how we can use such methodologies to explain visual illusions. We will learn about how our visual system processes certain visual features in our environment, such as motion, color, depth and shape. Learning about these processes will make us appreciate how everything we see around us can be a visual illusion. [ more ]

Last offered Spring 2022

Humans stand out in the animal world for their capacity to develop ideas and consider those of other people. Where does this capacity come from, and how does it develop? Why do some people seem more inclined to consider ideas than others? What can schools do to foster the pursuit of ideas? Young children ask questions, tell stories, speculate, invent, and predict. By middle childhood, they are capable of constructing ideas about any number of complex topics: death, justice, infinity, and the nature of time, to name four. Yet by adolescence only some people are disposed to pursue ideas. We will examine data on children who collect objects (such as bugs or rocks) and information (about things like dinosaurs, contagion, and death), and examine the role such collections play in the capacity to construct ideas. We will consider research on how and when children puzzle over philosophical problems (for example, identity and fairness), how they learn to plan, their ability to learn from thought experiments, their emerging conception of what an idea is, and what they know about knowledge and its role in shaping beliefs and making decisions. We will also spend time looking at individual and cultural variation, as well as the influence of adults. We will read work in developmental, educational and cognitive psychology, as well as anthropology. [ more ]

PSYC 341 LEC Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination

Last offered Spring 2020

This course will examine social psychological theories and research that are relevant to the understanding of stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination. We will take a variety of social psychological perspectives, emphasizing sociocultural, cognitive, personality, or motivational explanations. We will examine the impact that stereotypes and prejudice have on people's perceptions of and behaviors toward particular groups or group members and will explore a variety of factors that tend to exacerbate or weaken this impact. We also will consider some of the sources of stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination and some of the processes through which they are maintained, strengthened, or revised. In addition, we will examine some of the effects that stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination can have on members of stereotyped groups, as well as some implications of the social psychological research findings for issues such as education and business and government policies. A major component of this course will be the examination of classic and ongoing empirical research. [ more ]

Last offered Fall 2022

This is a course on contemporary social psychology as it pertains to the natural environment. Our two primary questions in this course are: (1) how can research and theory in social psychology help us understand the ways in which people engage with threats to the natural environment?, and (2) how can social psychology help us encourage environmentally responsible behavior and sustainable practices? Because human choice and behavior play such an important role in environmental problems, a consideration of human psychology may therefore be an important part of environmental solutions. [ more ]

Last offered Spring 2023

This course focuses on applications of psychology to the administration of justice. Drawing from the areas of social, personality, cognitive, and developmental psychology, we will look critically at the processes of criminal justice. We will compare the law's informal theories of human behavior with what psychologists know on the basis of empirical studies. We will cover a number of contemporary topics including police-civilian interactions, custodial interrogations, false confessions and guilty pleas, forensic evidence, deception detection, eyewitness identifications, alibi generation and corroboration, repressed and recovered memories, and jury selection and decision-making. We will also discuss methodological issues associated with conducting research in psychology and law. In the laboratory component of the course, students will design and conduct their own empirical research projects based on course readings and topics. These semester-long projects will be conducted collaboratively in pairs or teams. [ more ]

PSYC 352 SEM Clinical and Community Psychology

Last offered Fall 2018

This course provides an overview of theory, methods, and professional issues in the fields of clinical and community psychology (and related fields). In addition to academic work (primary source readings and class discussions), students are encouraged to apply their experiences in academic psychology to field settings, and to use their fieldwork experience to critically evaluate theory and research. The course includes a supervised field-work placement arranged by the instructor in a local mental health or social service agency. Students must complete a brief survey about their interests and schedule in order to place them in an agency. Students should email the instructor to obtain the survey as well as receive permission to register for this course. [ more ]

Last offered Fall 2021

This course will provide students with a comprehensive understanding of depression. Topics will include assessment, models of etiology and course, effective approaches to prevention and intervention, and depression in specific populations. Readings will expose students to seminal works in the field as well as current methods and research findings. Throughout the course, students will evaluate current research based on theory, methodological rigor, and potential impact on prevention and intervention efforts. [ more ]

Last offered Spring 2023

Why do some youth develop psychopathology in the face of adversity whereas others do not? How do we define psychological disorders in youth? Is resilience a static trait, or can it be promoted? How do we prevent youth from developing psychopathology? In this course, students will address these and other questions using a risk and resilience framework that examines the interactions among multiple risk and protective factors in the pathway to psychopathology. Specifically, students will examine the interactions between individual characteristics (e.g., neurobiological, interpersonal, cognitive, and emotional factors) and environmental contexts (e.g., family, school, peer, early adversity, poverty) in the development of risk and resiliency. Application of etiological models and empirical findings to prevention and intervention approaches will be explored. Throughout the course, students will evaluate current research based upon theory, methodological rigor, and clinical impact. [ more ]

Last offered Spring 2021

This is an advanced course on anxiety that takes an in depth look at the theory and research on the normative psychological processes that influence responses to danger, both real and imagined. Specifically, it examines the empirical research on psychological responses to traumatic experiences, such as combat, sexual assault, and natural and community disasters. Responses to perceived or imagined threats are also discussed as the underpinnings of such anxiety disorders as Panic Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Social Phobia, Specific Phobia and OCD. Discussions focus on commonalities and differences in empirically supported treatments for anxiety disorders as well as controversies in the field. [ more ]

Last offered Spring 2023

In this course, we will work to synthesize what we know about some of the key socializing forces for U.S. Black youth today. We will focus on how families, entertainment media, and the news can socialize Black children. Drawing on a range of theories and data we will examine how family members communicate about issues of identity and how media can come into play. What do we know about how U.S. Black families communicate about identity? What gaps remain in our knowledge, and how can we find the answers? What can we learn about today's media content when we apply research-informed lenses? What predictions can we make about its potential uses and effects among Black families? We will identify central research areas that warrant further attention and consider which methodologies would best work to fill those gaps. We will prioritize approaches that highlight the agency and strength of U.S. Black families and of youth themselves. [ more ]

Last offered Fall 2020

In this seminar we will take a deep dive into several key topics in education. We will examine psychological research as well as a range of other materials (essays, film, recordings of children and personal experiences) to help answer a series of questions, including: Does the kind or quality of schooling have a measurable impact on children? How do you create curriculum? How does one conduct high quality classroom observations? What do good teachers have in common? What is the best way to help teachers get better at what they do? Can remote learning work well in K-12 settings? [ more ]

Last offered Fall 2022

In this course, we will use theories and data to define anti-bias education in childhood contexts and examine its application across U.S. schools and childcare centers, families, and the media environment. We will ask ourselves: What do we know about the need for anti-bias education among non-marginalized and marginalized children, including those who are minoritized for their ethnic-racial, gender, and/or sexual identities? How are various biases and identities shaped in childhood? Which media-based and interpersonal interventions can be effective with anti-bias education and why? What are some of the contemporary hesitations and challenges around implementing anti-bias education for educators, families, and children? What are some of the practices that marginalized families are already implementing? As we explore approaches and possibilities for anti-bias education across children's ecosystems, we will propose innovative recommendations for research and practice that have the potential to yield positive outcomes for today's children. [ more ]

PSYC 401 SEM Psychology in Popular Discourse: A Critical Examination

Last offered Fall 2019

This course considers several important contemporary topics from diverse psychological perspectives. These topics--which may include issues such as personal and external influences on success; technology and relationships; addiction--will be introduced via popular books, films, or podcasts, and we will analyze them more deeply with original research articles from across multiple approaches and sub-disciplines of psychology. A central goal in this course is for students to develop and apply the skills necessary to critically evaluate psychological ideas as they exist in the broader popular culture. The course will primarily be discussion based, and the students will lead these discussions. [ more ]

Last offered Fall 2022

Nietzsche wrote that the forgetful are "blessed" because "they get the better even of their blunders." In what ways does forgetfulness serve us well? Is it possible, or even desirable, to have perfect memory? Can traumatic memories be repressed? Can false memories of committing a crime be implanted? Are "collective" memories subject to the same processes as individual memories? How do museums, monuments and sites (re)construct and tell a version of the past based on changing cultural identities? In this student-led seminar, we will attempt to answer these questions and more in the context of a broad exploration of the foundational concepts of human memory. We will examine the theories and methods researchers use to study individual and collective memories across varied domains, including clinical practice, romantic relationships, the justice system, and education. In this course, you will gain an evidence-based understanding of the nature of human memory through critical examinations of popular press literature, films, books, podcasts, and cutting-edge scientific studies. [ more ]

Last offered Fall 2022

We often assume that our experiences reflect an objective reality, that the way we see the world is the way it really is. Yet research contradicts this notion, showing that our perceptual experiences are malleable and subjective. They are shaped by higher-order, top-down influences such as our cognitions, social groups, surroundings, motivations, emotions, and prior experiences. In this class, we will explore how subjective experiences and idiosyncratic categorizations of people into social groups directly influence social justice outcomes across varied domains. For example, how do these differences in our subjective experience influence the ways in which people relate to one another? What are the implications for fair treatment across multiple factions of society, including education, employment, health care, and criminal justice? Are there effective interventions and policies for reducing gender, racial, and ethnic bias? For promoting inclusivity? If so, why are they effective? To develop an evidence-based understanding of bias and discrimination, we will critically analyze source materials from popular press literature, films, books, and podcasts, as well as empirical research from across multiple approaches and sub-disciplines of psychology. The class format will be primarily discussion based and student-led. [ more ]

Last offered Fall 2022

The theme of this psychology senior seminar will be success. We will discuss the path to personal success, including the relative importance of hard work, genetic talent, and luck; barriers to success like poverty and discrimination; the importance of parents, family, teachers, and friends; and what we really mean by success. For each topic we cover, we will read a book or watch a film, then delve deeper by reading and discussing scientific journal articles. Class meetings will be student-led discussions. You will write three or four 5-7 page papers. The larger goal will be to practice useful life skills such as how to lead and participate in a meeting (i.e., a class discussion), how to write engagingly and convincingly, and how to assess an argument skeptically and discuss it using evidence. [ more ]

Last offered Fall 2021

What happens to people while they're in college? Does it have an impact on people's core identity, the way they think, form relationships, or participate in society? Most people's ideas about the impact of college come from personal experience, and the strongly held views of journalists, filmmakers, college spokespeople, relatives and public figures. Those beliefs are often misguided. Yet research can help us develop an accurate picture of just what it is that college does and doesn't do. Drawing on films, popular books and articles, as well as research from across the subdisciplines within psychology, we will examine some of the most common beliefs, and then delve into the psychological evidence that supports or refutes them. Our goal will be to develop a scientifically-based understanding of the psychological impact of college, and redesign various features of college to reflect our conclusions. Empirical work on this topic presents unique methodological challenges, so we will also spend some time designing studies that overcome those challenges. [ more ]

Last offered Fall 2022

This course will explore what emotions are, the evolutionary origins of emotions, and the tools and techniques researchers use to study emotions both in humans and in animal models. We will examine how brain state(s) may underlie different emotions and challenge widely held notions about how an individual's emotion can influence behavior and social factors. Questions we will explore include: Is it better to be emotional or rational? What are 'gut feelings'? Are there gender differences in emotionality and, if so, what are their origins? Popular press literature and scientific studies will fuel student-led discussions as we seek to develop an evidence-based understanding of emotions and how they shape the world around us. [ more ]

Last offered Fall 2020

In this seminar, we will explore the psychological, environmental, and biological variables that shape an individual's response to stress and/or adversity. We will discuss how factors such as personality, coping style, social network/community, gender, brain mechanisms, and genes can influence one's ability to adapt and recover from a crisis. Students will critically examine depictions of resilience in popular literature and film, and employ empirical scientific articles from across multiple approaches and sub-disciplines of psychology to delve deeper into their analyses. Class meetings will be primarily discussion based and student-led, with the central goal of developing skills in forming and communicating evidence-based arguments. [ more ]

Last offered Fall 2022

While mindfulness, both in idea and practice, has been around for centuries, its popularity has dramatically increased in recent years. But what is "mindfulness" and how effective is it in addressing psychiatric and/or physical conditions such as anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, or chronic pain? In this course, we will examine mindfulness through both its popular depictions as well as through the critical evaluation of the scientific literature. We will investigate how mindfulness practices affect biological, behavioral, and cognitive processes. We will consider the myriad ways that mindfulness has been applied in "real world" settings including mental health, education, and interpersonal relationships. [ more ]

Last offered Fall 2021

In this course we will explore the theory and practice of nonviolence in the context of empirical research in Positive Psychology. Nonviolence refers to choosing not to threaten or injure others, and its practice requires cultivating personal qualities that enable such a choice. Positive Psychology refers to the scientific study of those personal qualities that enable people to live happy and fulfilling lives. We will begin by studying the history and moral theories of nonviolence. Using research from across the subdisciplines of psychology, we will then evaluate the empirical claims of those theories regarding psychological benefits of nonviolence to the practitioner, attitude change in the adversary, and effects on the larger community. An important focus of the course will be to critically assess the research methods and data analyses used in these studies. Topics will include self-control, empathy, forgiveness, tolerance, courage, aggression, resisting violent assault, and civil disobedience. [ more ]

Last offered Fall 2022

Virtually all of us are familiar with at least one account of a truly impressive scam - an event, device, or scheme that attracts attention, trust, and money, and then turns out to be a fake, sometimes with devastating consequences for everyone. What are the psychological processes and mechanisms employed by the scammers, as well as those who fall for such schemes? In this course we will consider several books and films that depict well-publicized recent examples (for instance, Bad Blood, The Rachel Divide, and The Talented Mr. Madoff). We'll use research from scientific journals to understand the psychology of both the scammer and those who fell for their schemes. We'll consider, among other things, the developmental origins of deception, what motivates people to pull one over on others, the role of identity maintenance, how we decide who to trust, and what it takes to convince oneself of something implausible. We'll use psychological research from all of the subdisciplines of psychology to find out what these cases might have in common, and also look at studies that illuminate unique features of each situation. Most class meetings will be student-led discussions. You will write three or four 5-7-page papers. The larger goals include: learning how to use scientific data to answer a wide range of questions about everyday life; how to engage in fruitful evidence-based argument; and how to write to think, and to persuade. [ more ]