ARM/ART Topics
FALL 2024
PSYCHOLOGY OF MINDFULNESS
ART: Advanced Research Topics - PSYC 387 01 - 41302
Maria Christina Samaco-Zamora
MW 10:30 AM - 12:15 PM
This course will examine the history of mindfulness and its increasing relevance in psychological research. Students will learn mindfulness techniques both as theory and practice. They will also review and evaluate landmark and current research on mindfulness. The application of mindfulness in various perspectives of psychology such as clinical psychology will also be explored.
acculturation
ART: Advanced Research Topics - PSYC 387 02 - 41303
Kevin Chun
TR 9:55 - 11:40 AM
This advanced research topics course aims to expand students’ foundational knowledge of acculturation theory, assessment, and applied research. The construct of acculturation has gained considerable attention in psychology over the past decade with increasing transnational migration and globalization. Still, researchers continue to struggle over some fundamental and deceptively simple questions regarding the nature and study of acculturation – How should acculturation be conceptualized and defined? What are the best methods to assess the multidimensional and dynamic properties of acculturation? In what ways does acculturation affect health and psychosocial functioning? This course provides students with the opportunity to explore these key conceptual and methodological questions.
Measurement and Scales
ART: Advanced Research Topics - PSYC 387 03 - 41304
Violet Cheung
TR 2:40 - 4:25 PM
Measurement is a neglected area of training in both undergraduate studies of psychology. Before testing research hypotheses with sound designs and state-of-the-art statistics, a premise is that the variables involved are measured validly and reliably. Unlike physical quantities (such as weight and height), psychological constructs (such as self-esteem and anxiety) are elusive to capture accurately. Therefore, we will devote this class to measurement theories and techniques commonly used in psychological research and in applied areas. We will start by learning the well-established protocols in standardized tests, followed by reading a range of topics from psychometrics to numerical validations. Several class activities are offered to expose students to test construction, administration, and evaluation. While some segments of the course can be delivered via reading research articles and lectures, attendance is paramount to the segments of the course that involve hands-on learning, class discussion, and group activities.
Social Influence
ARM: Advanced Research Methods - PSYC 388 01 - 41305
Saera Khan
MW 4:45 - 6:25 PM
Prerequisites: Students must have successfully completed General Psychology, Psychological Statistics, Research Design, and Social Psychology.
Are you curious about everyday social behavior? How much does the situation or context impact what we believe and do? In this advanced research methods class, we will focus on the content area of current social psychology and form research questions about the world we observe and live in. Students are expected to have an understanding of statistics and research methods. We will analyze studies based on social psychology research, design our own studies, and then collect and analyze the data from these studies. The assignments in this class are designed to strengthen and cement the research and critical thinking skills that you have developed in your coursework in psychology. For our second project, the class will formulate a novel study and research questions and collect the data.
Childhood ADHD
ART: Advanced Research Theories - PSYC 387 03 - 22148
Lauren Haack
F 7:55 - 11:35 AM
This course is designed to give students and in-depth understanding of the current research and theory of childhood Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Students will be actively involved in reading, discussing, and critiquing issues relevant to ADHD conceptualization, diagnosis, assessment, and evidence-based treatment.
child welfare research
ARM: Advanced Research Methods - PSYC 388 01 - 21353
Saralyn Ruff
TR 2:40 - 4:25 PM
This is a course designed to examine research with and for those in child welfare. Students will become familiar with existing methodologies and their potential for impact in both the scientific and child welfare communities. Students will use existing mixed methods datasets to understand and practice data collection, entry, and management. They will conduct their own subanalysis and prepare a summary of findings for members of the child welfare community.
competition and gaming
ART: Advanced Research Theories - PSYC 387 01 - 21351
Zachary Reese
TR 9:55 - 11:40 AM
In this course, students will delve into the motives and consequences of competition and apply these insights to popular games. This interdisciplinary course draws upon research from psychology, economics, and management science to examine themes such as cooperation and individualism, trait competitiveness, social comparison, rivalry, and sabotage. Students will read, present, and discuss scientific articles on the psychology of competition. They will then play and analyze games (e.g., board, card, video) that exemplify discussed themes.
evidence-based therapies
ART: Advanced Research Theories - PSYC 387 02 - 21352
Joyce Yang
TR 12:45 - 2:30 PM
Prerequisites: Students must have successfully completed General Psychology, Psychological Research Design, Psychological Statistics, and Abnormal Psychology
This is a discussion-based seminar that will critically examine evidence-based psychotherapies for depression. Through reading research texts, class discussion, and watching and critiquing expert clinicians engaging in therapy, students will learn to evaluate clinical research and treatment strategies, in order to understand how empirical support for treatment effectiveness is amassed in mental health research.
We will also cover therapy protocols in depth, focusing primarily on Cognitive, Behavioral, and third-wave Cognitive Behavioral Treatments (such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Functional Analytic Psychotherapy, and Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy). Students will also be expected to role play select therapy protocols to increase familiarity with CBT for depression. This course is best suited for students interested in clinical/counseling or health professions.
measuring creativity
ARM: Advanced Research Methods - PSYC 388 02 - 21354
Indre Viskontas
TR 4:35 - 6:20 PM
What does it mean to be creative? How can we scientifically study creativity, given its inherent subjectivity? In this advanced research methods class, we explore several tools to measure various aspects of creative thinking and performance, as well as develop ideas for new tools. Students are expected to have a basic understanding of effective psychological research design and statistics. The purpose of this advanced course is to give students the opportunity to put that knowledge into practice, while also considering the challenges in evaluating and assessing creativity. The assignments in this class are designed to strengthen and cement the research and critical thinking skills that students have developed in their coursework in psychology.
Clinical Neuroscience
ARM: Advanced Research Methods - PSYC 388 02 - 40947
Leighton Hinkley
TR 6:30 - 10:10 PM
The goal of this course is to offer students the opportunity to learn about Clinical Neuroscience (studying the biological foundation of disorders of the brain) and Translational Neuroscience (applying technological advances at the basic science level) to bring novel approaches to understanding of and interventions for patients with psychiatric and neurological disease. The course will span clinical advances at the cellular/molecular, systems neuroscience, cognitive neuroscience and neuroengineering levels, and how these advances have directly lead to innovations in diagnosis and treatment.
Creativity and Your Brain
ART: Advanced Research Theories - PSYC 387 01 - 40944
Indre Viskontas
TR 4:35 - 6:20 PM
What does it mean to be creative? How can we scientifically study creativity, given its inherent subjectivity? In this advanced research topics class, we explore various aspects of creative thinking and performance, and their neural signatures. Students are expected to have a basic understanding of effective psychological research design and statistics and to be able to critically evaluate scientific papers. The purpose of this advanced course is to give students the opportunity to put that knowledge into practice, to develop a board understanding of the neuroscience of creativity and look towards a future in which generative artificial intelligence plays a role in creative work. The assignments in this class are designed to strengthen and cement the research and critical thinking skills that students have developed in their coursework in psychology.
Family Systems Theory & Disney: Exploring Couple and Family Relationships
ART: Advanced Research Theories - PSYC 387 02 - 40945
Alex Ochoa
TR 8:00 - 9:45 AM
A major goal of the course is to introduce family systems concepts and explore the construction of the family presented in Disney films. By examining the content of several Disney films created within particular historical and cultural family contexts, we will develop and expand our understanding of the family systems and discuss the relationship tropes and themes that are prevalent in the films.
In Their Own Words: Using Qualitative Research to Tell Stories
ARM: Advanced Research Methods - PSYC 388 01 - 40946
Emily Schell
MW 4:45 - 6:20 PM
In this ARM course, we will take a deeper dive into different types of qualitative research approaches, such as observation, interviewing, and textual analysis, to learn how each method can help us investigate elements of the human experience that we might otherwise not be able to study. We will cover basic theoretical principles of qualitative inquiry and acquire a general understanding of how different qualitative methodologies work. Through discussions and the completion of a student-created qualitative “mini study,” students will explore different ways of investigating our world in a scientific, but non-statistical, way that uplifts the voices of the people we are studying. The goal of this course is to help students develop skills in qualitative methods that will serve them well as a researcher or practitioner in psychology.
ACCULTURATION
ART: Advanced Research Topics - 21379 - PSYC 387 - 01
Kevin Chun
TR 9:55 AM - 11:40 AM
This advanced research topics course aims to expand students’ foundational knowledge of acculturation theory, assessment, and applied research. The construct of acculturation has gained considerable attention in psychology over the past decade with increasing transnational migration and globalization. Still, researchers continue to struggle over some fundamental and deceptively simple questions regarding the nature and study of acculturation – How should acculturation be conceptualized and defined? What are the best methods to assess the multidimensional and dynamic properties of acculturation? In what ways does acculturation affect health and psychosocial functioning? This course provides students with the opportunity to explore these key conceptual and methodological questions.
SOCIAL COGNITION AND MORAL DEVELOPMENT
ART: Advanced Research Topics - 21380 - PSYC 387 - 02
Aline Hitti
MW 10:30 AM - 12:15 PM
Moral and social cognitive judgments reflect complex social abilities that are necessary for individuals to function in diverse society. How these abilities develop and emerge in intergroup contexts will be the focus of this course. This topic involves understanding the outcomes of actions, others’ intentions, theory of mind, emotional evaluations, intergroup attitudes, and group identity. What age-related changes occur from early to late development? What is the role of peers, parents, teachers, and institutions in promoting (or hindering) moral and social cognitive development? When does a lack of these capacities become barriers for children in social situations (e.g., intergroup relationships)? These questions are central for understanding children’s well-being, cognitive processing, healthy peer relationships, and their functioning as members of an increasingly diverse society. Foundational theoretical works as well as current empirical works that have addressed these questions will be reviewed and will form the basis for engaging class discussions.
CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS
ARM: Advanced Research Methods - 21381 - PSYC 388 - 01
Lily Ma
TR 4:35 PM - 6:20 PM
In this advanced research methods class, we will focus on the content area of close relationships. Students will be given the opportunity to learn about topics in close relationships (e.g., attraction, relationship maintenance, and conflicts). Students are expected to have an understanding of statistics and research methods. The purpose of this advanced course is to give students the opportunity to put that knowledge into practice. We will analyze studies based on close relationship research, design our own studies, and then collect and analyze the data from these studies. The assignments in this class are designed to strengthen and cement the research and critical thinking skills that you have developed in your coursework in psychology.
transformation and healing
ARM: Advanced Research Methods - 21382 - PSYC 388 - 02
Isabel Unanue
TR 12:45 PM - 2:30 PM
The goal of this course is for students to research transformation from a clinical-community psychology perspective. In community psychology, transformation is intimately linked with social justice and is defined as change that takes a system-wide perspective and addresses the root cause of the issue. How does this definition of transformation relate to inner transformation and healing, the type of transformation historically of interest to clinical psychologists? And, how can a phenomenon such as inner transformation and its relationship to outer transformation be measured and studied? In this course, students will explore this emergent area of research while simultaneously garnering skills in research design, analysis, writing, and presentation. Students interested in novel methods of inner transformation – such as meditation and trauma healing therapies - and their relationship to social justice are invited to join. By the end of the course, students will have acquired skills in data gathering, conducting literature reviews, critical evaluation of relevant theories and literature, and research conceptualization, design, and analysis.
Religion, spirituality, and health
PSYC 387 – 01 | ART: Advanced Research Topics | 41044
John Perez
MW | 10:30 am-12:15 pm
How helpful or harmful are particular forms of religiousness or spirituality for particular people dealing with particular situations in particular social contexts? This course will focus on the study of religiousness, spirituality, and health from a psychological perspective. A major goal of the course is for students to develop the scientific mindedness to critically evaluate the growing body of research that links religious and spiritual beliefs and practices to various psychosocial and health outcomes including cancer, HIV/AIDS, substance abuse, mental health, sexual health, family functioning, and mortality. Students will also examine religious and spiritual interventions that address physical and mental health among culturally diverse populations. This course is a discussion-based seminar with a focus on evaluating the reliability and validity of original empirical research. It fulfills the advanced research methods requirement in the Psychology major.
Social Influence
PSYC 388 – 01 | ARM: Advanced Research Methods | 41046
Saera Khan
TR | 09:55 am-11:40 am
Prerequisites: Students must have successfully completed General Psychology, Psychological Statistics, and Psychological Research Design and Social Psychology.
In this advanced research methods class, we will focus on the content area of current social psychology. Students are expected to have an understanding of statistics and research methods. The purpose of this advanced course is to give students the opportunity to put that knowledge into practice. We will analyze studies based on social psychology research, design our own studies, and then collect and analyze the data from these studies. The assignments in this class are designed to strengthen and cement the research and critical thinking skills that you have developed in your coursework in psychology.
Translating the Theory of Intersectionality into Research Practice: Can and how should it be done?
PSYC 388 – 02 | ARM: Advanced Research Methods | 41047
James Brennan
MW | 06:30 pm-08:15 pm
Intersectionality is a transformative framework for psychology and an essential lens for research that is directed toward social justice. Psychology research methods can be limited by single-axle analysis of demographic variables and can miss how different identities might intersect, how these intersecting identities might be operated on by systems of oppression differentially, and how these dynamics might influence relationships with psychological outcomes. In this course, we will explore the theoretical concept of intersectionality, review existing approaches to measuring intersectionality, develop a method for analyzing intersectionality that is theory-driven, and compare the relative insights derived from these different models. Students will be engaged in each part of the process, including data collection and analysis, and consider how their intersecting identities and their social positionality interplay with the research they’re engaged in.
Cognitive Neurotherapies
PSYC 388 – 03 | ART: Advanced Research Topics | 42256
David Ziegler
TR | 8:00 - 9:45 AM
This course will critically examine research on the effectiveness of different therapeutic approaches for several human neuropsychiatric, neurodevelopmental, and neurodegenerative illnesses – such as autism, ADHD, Alzheimer’s disease, and PTSD – that result from dysfunction in key brain systems. We will also discuss the use of these interventions for cognitive enhancement in healthy young adults. Therapies will include pharmaceutical agents, brain stimulation, cognitive training, lifestyle modifications (e.g., exercise and diet), and integrative practices (e.g., mind-body approaches). Students will learn about the design and conduct of Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) to evaluate the efficacy of interventions and will have an opportunity to conduct their own research project by analyzing publicly available data from one of several large-scale clinical trials of cognitive interventions.
Evidence-Based Therapies
PSYC 387 – 01 | ART: Advanced Research Topics
TR | 2:40 pm - 4:25 pm
This is a discussion-based seminar that will critically examine evidence-based psychotherapies for depression. Through reading research texts, class discussion, and watching and critiquing expert clinicians engaging in therapy, students will learn to evaluate clinical research and treatment strategies, in order to understand how empirical support for treatment effectiveness is amassed in mental health research.
We will also cover therapy protocols in depth, focusing primarily on Cognitive, Behavioral, and third-wave Cognitive Behavioral Treatments (such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Functional Analytic Psychotherapy, and Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy). Students will also be expected to role play select therapy protocols to increase familiarity with CBT for depression. This course is best suited for students interested in clinical/counseling or health professions.
Neuropsychology of Aging
PSYC 387 – 02 | ART: Advanced Research Topics
Dr. David Ziegler
This seminar will critically examine the literature related to the psychology and neurobiology of healthy aging and neurodegenerative diseases. We will begin the semester by discussing research on the brain changes that occur during the course of healthy aging and the cognitive and psychological correlates of these neural changes. Specific emphasis will be placed on declines in attention and cognitive control, long-term memory, and emotional memory. We will then juxtapose these findings with research on the etiology and symptomatology of several neurodegenerative diseases. Emphasis will again be placed on the cognitive and behavioral aspects of the diseases, including loss of memory function and emotional processing in Alzheimer’s disease and frontotemporal dementia and impulse control disorders in Parkinson’s disease. We will then end the semester by delving into emerging research on novel treatments and interventions designed to remediate cognitive decline. We will discuss how societal factors contribute to health disparities that place some older adults at higher risk of cognitive decline and how these factors might impact the availability and effectiveness of treatments. Throughout the semester, we will consider methodological issues that are central to research on aging and neurodegenerative disease, including evaluation of common neuroimaging techniques (fMRI, EEG, MEG, and PET), neuropsychological assessments, and issues related to the design and conduct of randomized clinical trials of cognitive interventions.
Measuring Creativity
PSYC 388 – 01 | ARM: Advanced Research Methods
Dr. Indre Viskontas
Prerequisites: Students must have successfully completed General Psychology, Psychological Statistics, Psychological Research Design and Biological Psychology.
What does it mean to be creative? How can we scientifically study creativity, given its inherent subjectivity? In this advanced research methods class, we explore several tools to measure various aspects of creative thinking and performance, as well as develop ideas for new tools. Students are expected to have a basic understanding of effective psychological research design and statistics. The purpose of this advanced course is to give students the opportunity to put that knowledge into practice, while also considering the challenges in evaluating and assessing creativity. The assignments in this class are designed to strengthen and cement the research and critical thinking skills that students have developed in their coursework in psychology.
Clinical Neuroscience
PSYC 388 – 01 | ARM: Advanced Research Methods
Dr. Leighton Hinkley
The goal of this course is to offer students the opportunity to learn about Clinical Neuroscience (studying the biological foundation of disorders of the brain) and Translational Neuroscience (applying technological advances at the basic science level) to bring novel approaches to understanding of and interventions for patients with psychiatric and neurological disease. The course will span clinical advances at the cellular/molecular, systems neuroscience, cognitive neuroscience and neuroengineering levels, and how these advances have directly lead to innovations in diagnosis and treatment.
Religion, spirituality, and health
PSYC 387 – 01 | ART: Advanced Research Topics | 41124
MW | 10:30 - 12:15 PM
How helpful or harmful are particular forms of religiousness or spirituality for particular people dealing with particular situations in particular social contexts? This course will focus on the study of religiousness, spirituality, and health from a psychological perspective. A major goal of the course is for students to develop the scientific mindedness to critically evaluate the growing body of research that links religious and spiritual beliefs and practices to various psychosocial and health outcomes including cancer, HIV/AIDS, substance abuse, mental health, sexual health, family functioning, and mortality. Students will also examine religious and spiritual interventions that address physical and mental health among culturally diverse populations. This course is a discussion-based seminar with a focus on evaluating the reliability and validity of original empirical research. It fulfills the advanced research methods requirement in the Psychology major.
The creative brain
PSYC 387 – 02 | ART: Advanced Research Topics | 41125
Indre Viskontas
TR 2:40 - 4:25 PM
Describing the human experience has been the mission of artists since the first cave paintings. Scientists are equally interested in understanding our world and our place in it. With the advent of neuroscience, we’re starting to trace not only how our brains make us human but also how and why we appreciate great art. In this course, neuroscientist and musician Professor Viskontas brings her two areas of expertise together to explore how our brains enable creativity and the neural rush associated with creating or consuming art. Students will develop a greater appreciation for what artists do, how expertise is developed, and how the arts enhance emotion and empathy in the brain. Is there a creativity center in the brain? Where does an ‘aha’ moment come from? Can music be medicine? Does mental illness lead to better art? Why do poets seem to die young? This course will also take students on a journey into the minds of great artists like Vincent Van Gogh, Maurice Ravel, Sylvia Plath, and others, whose work helps us better understand our own minds.
Social Influence
PSYC 388 – 01 | ARM: Advanced Research Methods | 41127
Saera Khan
TR 12:45 PM – 2:30 PM
Prerequisites: Students must have successfully completed General Psychology, Psychological Statistics, and Psychological Research Design and Social Psychology.
In this advanced research methods class, we will focus on the content area of current social psychology. Students are expected to have an understanding of statistics and research methods. The purpose of this advanced course is to give students the opportunity to put that knowledge into practice. We will analyze studies based on social psychology research, design our own studies, and then collect and analyze the data from these studies. The assignments in this class are designed to strengthen and cement the research and critical thinking skills that you have developed in your coursework in psychology.
Measurement and Scales
PSYC 388 – 02 | ARM: Advanced Research Methods | 41128
Violet Cheung
MW 12:20 PM – 2:05 PM
Measurement is a neglected area of training in both undergraduate and graduate studies of psychology. Before testing research hypotheses with sound designs, before calculating p-values with state-of-the-art statistics, a premise is that the variables involved are measured validly and reliably. Unlike physical quantities (such as weight and height), psychological constructs (such as self-esteem and religiosity) are elusive to capture accurately. Therefore, we will devote this class to measurement techniques commonly used in psychological research and in applied areas. We will start by learning the procedures in standardized tests, followed by readings on a range of topics from psychometrics to the techniques of scale construction. We will also practice test construction, administration, and validation. While some segments of the course can be delivered via instruction videos or learned through reading research articles, student attendance is paramount to the segments of the course that involve hands-on learning and group projects.
Evidence-based therapies
PSYC 387 - 01 | ART: Advanced Research Topics
Joyce Yang
MW 2:15 - 4:00 PM
Prerequisites: Students must have successfully completed General Psychology, Psychological Research Design, Psychological Statistics, and Abnormal Psychology
This is a discussion-based seminar that will critically examine evidence-based psychotherapies for depression. Through reading research articles and class discussion, students will learn to evaluate clinical research designs for testing psychological treatments, in order to understand how empirical support for treatment effectiveness is amassed in mental health research. We will also cover therapy protocols in depth, including Cognitive, Behavioral, and third-wave Cognitive Behavioral Treatments (such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Functional Analytic Psychotherapy, and Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy). This course aims to provide students with clinical research evaluation skills as well as familiarity with therapeutic principles and skills for the prevention and treatment of depression.
Creativity and the brain
PSYC 387 – 02 | ART: Advanced Research Topics
Indre Viskontas
TR 4:45 – 6:25 PM
Describing the human experience has been the mission of artists since the first cave paintings. Scientists are equally interested in understanding our world and our place in it. With the advent of neuroscience, we’re starting to trace not only how our brains make us human but also how and why we appreciate great art. In this course, neuroscientist and musician Professor Viskontas brings her two areas of expertise together to explore how our brains enable creativity and the neural rush associated with creating or consuming art. Students will develop a greater appreciation for what artists do, how expertise is developed, and how the arts enhance emotion and empathy in the brain. Is there a creativity center in the brain? Where does an ‘aha’ moment come from? Can music be medicine? Does mental illness lead to better art? Why do poets seem to die young? This course will also take students on a journey into the minds of great artists like Vincent Van Gogh, Maurice Ravel, Sylvia Plath, and others, whose work helps us better understand our own minds.
Social Influence
PSYC 388 – 01 | ARM: Advanced Research Methods
Saera Khan
TR 12:45 PM – 2:30 PM
Prerequisites: Students must have successfully completed General Psychology, Psychological Statistics, and Psychological Research Design and Social Psychology.
In this advanced research methods class, we will focus on the content area of current social psychology. Students are expected to have an understanding of statistics and research methods. The purpose of this advanced course is to give students the opportunity to put that knowledge into practice. We will analyze studies based on social psychology research, design our own studies, and then collect and analyze the data from these studies. The assignments in this class are designed to strengthen and cement the research and critical thinking skills that you have developed in your coursework in psychology.
Cognitive Neurotherapies
PSYC 388 – 02 | ART: Advanced Research Topics
David Zeigler
TR 8:00 - 9:45 AM
This course will critically examine research on the effectiveness of different therapeutic approaches for several human neuropsychiatric, neurodevelopmental, and neurodegenerative illnesses – such as autism, ADHD, Alzheimer’s disease, and PTSD – that result from dysfunction in key brain systems. We will also discuss the use of these interventions for cognitive enhancement in healthy young adults. Therapies will include pharmaceutical agents, brain stimulation, cognitive training, lifestyle modifications (e.g., exercise and diet), and integrative practices (e.g., mind-body approaches). Students will learn about the design and conduct of Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) to evaluate the efficacy of interventions and will have an opportunity to conduct their own research project by analyzing publicly available data from one of several large-scale clinical trials of cognitive interventions.
The Science of Moral Judgment
PSYC 387 – 03 | ART: Advanced Research Topics | 22722
Saera Khan
TR 9:55 - 11:40
Prerequisites: JR or SR who has successfully completed General Psychology, Research Design, and Social Psychology
In this class, we will focus on the content area of current moral psychology. The purpose of this advanced course is to give students the opportunity to put their knowledge of human behavior into practice. We will read and analyze studies based on moral psychology research, design our own studies, and propose new ways of examining moral behavior from a psychological and philosophical perspectives. The assignments in this class are designed to strengthen and cement the research and critical thinking skills that you have developed in your coursework in psychology.
This course focuses heavily on group discussion. Active and thoughtful participation is a significant factor in your grade. It is expected that you will do the readings prior to the course meeting and will answer questions posed to you in class and in reflections. The objectives for this course is to expose you to a wide variety of readings, provide you with opportunities for written and verbal critique, help you practice communication and discussion with peers, and to foster interest and excitement about this emerging field of inquiry.
This course will have a significant reading load and require that students are capable of either designing an innovative psychological experiment or writing a review paper emphasizing careful and sustained argumentation.
Neuropsychology of aging
PSYC 387 – 01 | ART: Advanced Research Topics |41684
David Zeigler
TR 8:00 - 9:45 am
This seminar will critically examine the literature related to the psychology and neurobiology of healthy aging and neurodegenerative diseases. We will begin the semester by discussing research on the brain changes that occur during the course of healthy aging and the cognitive and psychological correlates of these neural changes. Specific emphasis will be placed on declines in attention and cognitive control, long-term memory, and emotional memory. We will then juxtapose these findings with research on the etiology and symptomatology of several neurodegenerative diseases. Emphasis will again be placed on the cognitive and behavioral aspects of the diseases, including loss of memory function and emotional processing in Alzheimer’s disease and frontotemporal dementia and impulse control disorders in Parkinson’s disease. We will then end the semester by delving into emerging research on novel treatments and interventions designed to remediate cognitive decline. We will discuss how societal factors contribute to health disparities that place some older adults at higher risk of cognitive decline and how these factors might impact the availability and effectiveness of treatments. Throughout the semester, we will consider methodological issues that are central to research on aging and neurodegenerative disease, including evaluation of common neuroimaging techniques (fMRI, EEG, MEG, and PET), neuropsychological assessments, and issues related to the design and conduct of randomized clinical trials of cognitive interventions.
Creativity and the brain
PSYC 387 – 02 | ART: Advanced Research Topics |41685
Indre Viskontas
TR 6:30 – 8:15 PM
Describing the human experience has been the mission of artists since the first cave paintings. Scientists are equally interested in understanding our world and our place in it. With the advent of neuroscience, we’re starting to trace not only how our brains make us human but also how and why we appreciate great art. In this course, neuroscientist and musician Professor Viskontas brings her two areas of expertise together to explore how our brains enable creativity and the neural rush associated with creating or consuming art. Students will develop a greater appreciation for what artists do, how expertise is developed, and how the arts enhance emotion and empathy in the brain. Is there a creativity center in the brain? Where does an ‘aha’ moment come from? Can music be medicine? Does mental illness lead to better art? Why do poets seem to die young? This course will also take students on a journey into the minds of great artists like Vincent Van Gogh, Maurice Ravel, Sylvia Plath, and others, whose work helps us better understand our own minds.
Social Influence
PSYC 388 – 01 | ARM: Advanced Research Methods |41686
Saera Khan
TR 12:45 PM – 2:30 PM
Prerequisites: Students must have successfully completed General Psychology, Psychological Statistics, and Psychological Research Design and Social Psychology.
In this advanced research methods class, we will focus on the content area of current social psychology. Students are expected to have an understanding of statistics and research methods. The purpose of this advanced course is to give students the opportunity to put that knowledge into practice. We will analyze studies based on social psychology research, design our own studies, and then collect and analyze the data from these studies. The assignments in this class are designed to strengthen and cement the research and critical thinking skills that you have developed in your coursework in psychology.
Values in Athletics
PSYC 388 – 02 | ARM: Advanced Research Methods |41687
Alexander Ochoa
MW 9:55 - 11:40 am
What differentiates athletes and communities in their values and what they view as important in athletic
sportsmanship? How does an athlete or a fan determine if an action in athletics is acceptable or unacceptable? What do athletes want out of their teammates, coaches, and fans? This course will provide students with an introduction to key concepts, theories, and principles of values in athletics and the application of psychological knowledge and principles to enhance sports behavior. We will then look at techniques and programs aimed at enhancing these concepts in sports and research findings on their relative effectiveness. Throughout the course, we will analyze current studies in sports psychology, design our own research, and collect and analyze the data.
EMERGING ADULTHOOD
PSYC 387 – 01 | ART: Advanced Research Topics |
Ja’Nina Garrett-Walker
MW 8:35 AM – 10:20 AM
There are currently a lot of conversations happening in popular media about Millennials and Generation Z. However, what is missing from the conversation is an understanding of the developmental stage of Emerging Adulthood (18-25 years old). Emerging Adulthood is a very unique and industrialized developmental period. Each generation of emerging adults has its own unique strengths and challenges. This course is designed to give students an in-depth understanding of emerging adulthood. Students will be actively involved in reading, discussing, and critiquing research on this developmental stage. At the conclusion of the class, students should understand current research on emerging adulthood, be able to detail what characteristics distinguish this developmental stage from others, and utilize critical thinking to discuss the ways in which social constructions and expectations influence emerging adults. During the Spring 2020 semester, emerging adults are those born between 1995 and 2002.
EVIDENCE-BASED THERAPIES
PSYC 387 – 02 | ART: Advanced Research Topics |
Joyce Yang
TR 2:40 – 4:25 PM
Prerequisites: Students must have successfully completed General Psychology, Psychological Research Design, Psychological Statistics, and Abnormal Psychology
This is a discussion-based seminar that will critically examine evidence-based psychotherapies for depression. Through reading research articles and class discussion, students will learn to evaluate clinical research designs for testing psychological treatments, in order to understand how empirical support for treatment effectiveness is amassed in mental health research. We will also cover therapy protocols in depth, including Cognitive, Behavioral, and third-wave Cognitive Behavioral Treatments (such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Functional Analytic Psychotherapy, and Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy). This course aims to provide students with clinical research evaluation skills as well as familiarity with therapeutic principles and skills for the prevention and treatment of depression.
HOW TECHNOLOGY SHAPES THOUGHT
PSYC 388 – 01 | ARM: Advanced Research Methods |
Indre Viskontas
MW 2:15 PM – 4:00 PM
Socrates famously predicted that a new invention would turn our brains into mush: writing. The fear that technology will change how we think is not new. But the amount of time we now spend interacting with devices like cell phones, computers, and video games is unprecedented. What is the effect of ubiquitous technology on our brains? Is Google slowly destroying our memory? Have our attention spans been decimated by scrolling through Facebook feeds and Twitter? What does science say about the relative impact on kids of smartphones, with their constant text, Instagram, and Snapchat interruptions? By outsourcing menial mental tasks like navigating through a city or remembering facts, are we sacrificing our brain’s potential? Or are we leaving ourselves more time for deep thinking and creativity, human traits that arguably can’t be beat by artificial intelligence? In this class, we will survey the findings in this emerging field of research, and use the internet to collect and interpret data relevant to the topic at hand.
VALUES IN ATHLETICS
PSYC 388 – 02 | ARM: Advanced Research Methods |
Alex Ochoa
MW 12:20 PM – 2:05 PM
What differentiates athletes and communities in their values and what they view as important in athletic sportsmanship? How does an athlete or a fan determine if an action in athletics is acceptable or unacceptable? What do athletes want out of their teammates, coaches, and fans? This course will provide students with an introduction to key concepts, theories, and principles of values in athletics and the application of psychological knowledge and principles to enhance sports behavior. We will then look at techniques and programs aimed at enhancing these concepts in sports and research findings on their relative effectiveness. Throughout the course, we will analyze current studies in sports psychology, design our own research, and collect and analyze the data.