Psychology

Psychology courses
Psychology department home page

Director of undergraduate studies: Woo-kyoung Ahn, 319 SSS, 432-9626, psychdus@yale.edu; senior thesis director: Julia Kim-Cohen, 317 K, 432-7581, julia.kim-cohen@yale.edu

FACULTY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY

Professors

Woo-kyoung Ahn, J. Truett Allison, Stephen Anderson, Amy Arnsten, John Bargh, Linda Bartoshuk, Sidney Blatt, Paul Bloom, Thomas Brown, Kelly Brownell, Joseph Chang, Marvin Chun, Margaret Clark, Ravi Dhar, John Dovidio, Carol Fowler (Adjunct), Donald Green, Laurence Horn, Marcia Johnson, Alan Kazdin, Frank Keil, Marianne LaFrance, James Leckman, Lawrence Marks, Gregory McCarthy, Susan Nolen-Hoeksema, Donald Quinlan, Peter Salovey, Fred Volkmar, Victor Vroom, Allan Wagner, Karen Wynn

Associate Professors

Larry Davidson, Karyn Frick, Jeremy Gray, Jeannette Ickovics, Robert Kerns, Jr., Ami Klin, Linda Mayes, Douglas Mennin, Nathan Novemsky, Maria Piñango, Laurie Santos, Glenn Schafe, Brian Scholl, Mary Schwab-Stone, Jane Taylor, Teresa Treat

Assistant Professors

Maria Babyonyshev, June Gruber, Gaja Jarosz, Julia Kim-Cohen, Jelena Krivokapic, Jaime Napier, Kristina Olson

Lecturers

Marc Brackett, Nancy Close, Nelson Donegan, Carla Horwitz, David Klemanski, Kristi Lockhart, Burton Saxon, Barbara Shiller, Benjamin Toll

The introduction to psychology is PSYC 110a or b, the general survey course. All other courses have PSYC 110a or b as a prerequisite, except the courses listed under "Survey Courses without Prerequisite" in the printed YCPS.

Courses in the department are organized so that they are best taken in several parallel sequences. Courses numbered from 120 to 190 and ending in a zero are core survey courses that introduce students to major areas of psychology and provide additional background for more advanced courses. These courses represent major content areas of psychology; students should sample broadly from them before specializing. Courses numbered from 200 to 209 focus on statistics and general methodology. Courses numbered from 210 to 299 teach data collection in various areas of psychology. Courses numbered from 300 to 399 are more advanced courses in a particular specialization. Senior seminars, whose enrollment is limited to twenty students, are numbered from 400 to 489. These seminars are best taken once a student has appropriate background. Courses numbered from 490 to 499 are special tutorial courses for which permission of the adviser and the director of undergraduate studies is required.

The standard major. The major in Psychology requires twelve term courses beyond PSYC 110a or b, not including the senior requirement. No more than two term courses taken Credit/D/Fail may be applied toward the major. For the Class of 2012 and subsequent classes, no 200-level course taken Credit/D/Fail may be applied toward the major.

1. Because psychology is so diverse a subject, every student is required to take at least two courses from the social science point of view in psychology (List A) and at least two from the natural science point of view (List B). At least one course from each list must be a core course numbered from 120 to 190 and ending in zero. Students are expected to take those two core courses as early as possible in the major, normally within two terms after declaring their major.

List A: PSYC 125a, 127a, 128b, 131b, 140a, 150b, 165b, 194a, 305b, 319b, 330b, 332b, 355a, 356b

List B: PSYC 120a, 130a, 137a, 147b, 149b, 160b, 163a, 170a, 230La, 240b, 270a, 301b, 302b, 318b, 337a, 338b, 350a or b, 376a

2. Because statistical techniques and the mode of reasoning they employ are fundamental in psychology, a course in statistics (PSYC 200b or equivalent) is required, preferably prior to the senior year. A student may substitute an examination arranged with the instructor of PSYC 200b for this requirement. Students may take such an examination only one time.

3. To assure some direct experience in collecting and analyzing data, students must elect at least one course, preferably prior to the senior year, in which research is planned and carried out. Courses numbered between 210 and 299 fulfill this requirement. (The same course may satisfy both this and the first requirement.)

4. To encourage a consideration of the relation between psychology and other disciplines, students may count toward the major as many as three term courses in other related departments, including college seminars. That is, only nine of the twelve courses for the major must be in the Department of Psychology. Appropriate courses are offered in anthropology, biology, cognitive science, computer science, philosophy, political science, and sociology. Some students may find courses in other subjects related to their major. Students should consult with the director of undergraduate studies in Psychology about selecting outside courses. In all cases, courses in other departments must have substantial psychological content or clear links to topics in psychology.

5. Students are urged to take at least one seminar especially for seniors (400–489). They are also encouraged to take at least one of several tutorials (PSYC 490a, 491b, 492a, 493b) designed as independent study courses. Students interested in research are encouraged to take a tutorial as early as the sophomore year. Students may also take PSYC 495a or b for one-half course credit per term with prior permission of the faculty adviser and the director of undergraduate studies. No more than a total of three credits from PSYC 490–495 combined may count toward the major.

Senior requirement. Every Psychology major is required to write a senior essay. The essay requirement can be fulfilled either by engaging in an empirical research project, by analyzing an existing data set, or by writing a conceptual paper. (See below for specific requirements for the B.A. and B.S. degrees.) In all cases, it is expected that the senior project represent a substantial body of work that includes significant original contributions. The senior essay should be at least twenty double-spaced pages in length, and it should conform to the specific guidelines provided by the senior essay adviser. Completion of the project itself does not award academic credit. Students are strongly encouraged to choose an adviser or develop a concrete plan for their senior project by the end of the junior year.

There are three possible options for writing a senior essay. First, a student may work with a senior essay adviser without registering for any specific course. Second, a student may earn directed research, directed reading, or research topics credit, taken as PSYC 490a, 491b, 492a, 493b, or 495a or b, while completing the senior project. There is no restriction on how many of these courses may be applied to a senior project. In the case of two-term directed research, directed reading, or research topics projects, a student must register each term for PSYC 490a, 491b, 492a, 493b, or 495a or b and must submit a report of activities and progress at the end of the fall term. The midyear report must represent a body of work distinct from what is submitted at the end of the spring term as the final product for the senior project. Third, a student may write a senior essay as the final paper for a senior seminar. In researching and writing the essay, the student should consult regularly with the seminar instructor, and may consult with other faculty members as well. Senior seminars are open to interested juniors, but if a senior essay is written in conjunction with a seminar, that seminar must be taken during the senior year. Seniors, with the permission of the director of undergraduate studies and the instructor, may arrange to take other seminars to fulfill the senior essay requirement. If a student seeks directed research or directed reading credit for a project that is linked to a topic in a seminar, the work done must be equivalent to a full course above and beyond any work done in the seminar.

In all three of these options, a second reader is appointed by the department to determine a final grade for the senior essay in consultation with the primary adviser. The second reader and the adviser also make a recommendation as to whether the student should be awarded the B.A. or the B.S. degree.

B.S. requirement. Students who conduct empirical research for their senior essay receive a B.S. degree. A project in empirical research typically includes designing an experiment and collecting and analyzing the data. At the end of the junior year (or, at the latest, by the end of registration period in the fall term of the senior year), a student must submit a one-page, single-spaced research proposal signed by the essay adviser that specifies a research hypothesis, a rationale for the hypothesis, and proposed methods for collecting and analyzing data. For the Class of 2011 and subsequent classes, the research methods and statistics requirements must be fulfilled by the time the senior thesis proposal is submitted. For the Class of 2010, the research methods and statistics requirements may be fulfilled during the senior year, but the research proposal should demonstrate that the student is sufficiently prepared to carry out an empirical research project.

B.A. requirement. Students who conduct nonempirical research for their senior essay receive a B.A. degree. Nonempirical research typically involves a literature review.

Computer Science and Psychology major. The interdepartmental major Computer Science and Psychology may be considered by students with interests lying squarely between the two disciplines. See under Computer Science and Psychology for more information.

Departmental advisers. Schedules for all majors must be discussed with, and approved by, the director of undergraduate studies or the advisers for the neuroscience and philosophy tracks in Psychology. Only then may a schedule be submitted to the residential college dean's office. For questions concerning credits for courses taken at other institutions or at Yale but outside the Department of Psychology, students should consult the director of undergraduate studies. For questions concerning special tracks, students should consult the advisers for the neuroscience and philosophy tracks in Psychology.

Psychology and early childhood teaching. It is possible to combine a major in Psychology with a program of study in the Teacher Preparation and Education Studies program to earn a Connecticut teaching certificate in early childhood education. This combination creates opportunities to join theory with practice through field experiences at early childhood centers in New Haven. See under Teacher Preparation and Education Studies for more information.

Neuroscience Track in Psychology

Advisers: Glenn Schafe, 204 DL, 432-3461, glenn.schafe@yale.edu; Jeremy Gray, 212 SSS, 432-9615, jeremy.gray@yale.edu

Students with a major interest in neuroscience may wish to elect the neuroscience track. Such students are considered Psychology majors for whom the requirements have been modified to accommodate their interests, and to reflect the multidisciplinary nature of modern neuroscience and psychology. Given the broad nature of the field of neuroscience, students may wish to concentrate their studies in one area of the field (e.g., behavioral, cellular and molecular, cognitive, affective, social, clinical, or developmental). Students with such interests are encouraged to meet with one of the major advisers to tailor a course of study suitable for their interests.

Requirements for the neuroscience track are the same as for the standard major, with the following exceptions:

1. Two introductory courses are required for the major, MCDB 120a and E&EB 122b. Some students with advanced preparation may place out of either or both of these courses (see the "Placement" paragraph under Biology for details) at the discretion of one of the major advisers for the neuroscience track. When the exemption is granted, the student is strongly encouraged to take an additional course in Psychology or Biology.

2. The student must take PSYC 170a or 160b, and a data-collection course, PSYC 230La, 240b, or 270a. (MCDB 320a may substitute for the PSYC 170a or 160b requirement, or MCDB 320a and 321La may substitute for the PSYC 230La, 240b, or 270a requirement, but not both. If MCDB 320a is substituted for a psychology course, it cannot also be counted as one of the four additional courses outside the department.)

3. At least six courses must be in the Psychology department, with at least two being from the Psychology List A. The List A courses do not need to be core courses with a number ending in zero.

4. At least four courses must be chosen from the following: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology courses numbered 200 and above that deal with human and/or animal biology (recommended courses include MCDB 200b, 202a, 205b, 210b, 300a, and 320a); BENG 350a and 421b; CPSC 475b and 477a; MB&B 300a, 301b, 420a, 421b, 425a, 435a, 443b, and 452b; MATH 222a or b, 225a or b, and 230; and STAT 241a. In addition to these courses, others may be selected in consultation with the neuroscience track advisers. Students should note that many of these courses have prerequisites that must be taken first. Students are encouraged to take accompanying laboratories where they exist. Laboratories in EEB or MCDB award one-half course credit toward the major. Organic chemistry, physics, and related laboratories cannot be substituted for any courses in the major.

5. The faculty adviser for the senior project may be a faculty member in another related department, subject to approval by the director of undergraduate studies. The appropriate courses for those wishing course credit are PSYC 490a and 491b, 492a, 493b, or 495a or b, regardless of whether the faculty adviser is in Psychology or another department. Independent study courses require prior permission of the faculty adviser and one of the major advisers for the neuroscience track. Topics for the senior project vary widely. However, all topics should include, when appropriate, discussion of the known or potential neurobiological mechanisms underlying the psychological phenomena of interest. Students are encouraged to discuss their plans for the senior project with a neuroscience track adviser by the spring term of their junior year.

Philosophy Track in Psychology

Adviser: Brian Scholl, 304 SSS, 432-4629, brian.scholl@yale.edu

Students with interests encompassing both philosophy and psychology may wish to elect the philosophy track. Students in this track are considered Psychology majors for whom the requirements have been modified to accommodate their interests in philosophy.

Requirements for the philosophy track are the same as for the standard major in Psychology except that five of the elective courses required for the major must be taken from the Philosophy department, with the remaining eight courses (including the prerequisite) taken from the Psychology department. (This track thus precludes the possibility of counting any additional classes from other departments toward the major, as is possible in the standard major.) Students electing the philosophy track must still satisfy all other requirements of the major, including the requirements for introduction to psychology, statistics, research methods, List A and List B, and the senior project. Senior project advisers for students in this track may be chosen from either the Psychology or Philosophy departments. In selecting courses in philosophy, students are advised to consider the following aims: (1) to obtain a background through an introductory or historical course in philosophy; (2) to obtain breadth by taking at least one course in each major area defined in the description of the Philosophy major; (3) to include courses addressing problems especially pertinent to psychology.

Students interested in psychology and philosophy are also urged to consult the description of the psychology track offered by the Philosophy department for an alternative method of satisfying these interests.

REQUIREMENTS OF THE MAJOR

STANDARD MAJOR

Prerequisite: PSYC 110a or b

Number of courses: 12 term courses beyond prereq

Specific course required: PSYC 200b

Distribution of courses: 2 courses from List A, 2 courses from List B as specified; 1 Psych course numbered 210–299

Substitution permitted: For PSYC 200b, exam arranged with instructor; up to 3 relevant courses in other depts, incl college sems, with DUS permission

Senior requirement: B.A.—Nonempirical senior essay (in PSYC 490a, 491b, or 495a or b, or in sem 400–489, or without enrollment in a course); B.S.—Empirical senior essay (in PSYC 492a, 493b, or 495a or b, or without enrollment in a course)

NEUROSCIENCE TRACK

Prerequisite: PSYC 110a or b

Number of courses: 12 term courses beyond prereq

Specific courses required: PSYC 170a or 160b; PSYC 200b; PSYC 230La, 240b, or 270a; MCDB 120a; E&EB 122b

Distribution of courses: At least 6 courses in Psych, at least 2 of which are from List A; at least 4 courses from EEB and MCDB numbered 200 or higher dealing with human or animal biology, BENG 350a, 421b, CPSC 475b, 477a, MB&B 300a, 301b, 420a, 421b, 425a, 435a, 443b, 452b, 465b, MATH 222a or b, 225a or b, 230, STAT 241a

Substitution permitted: MCDB 320a for PSYC 170a or 160b, or MCDB 320a and 321La for PSYC 230La, 240b, or 270a

PHILOSOPHY TRACK

Prerequisite: PSYC 110a or b

Number of courses: 12 term courses beyond prereq

Specific course required: PSYC 200b

Distribution of courses: 7 courses in Psych, 5 courses in Phil; 2 courses from List A, 2 courses from List B as specified; 1 Psych course numbered 210–299

Substitution permitted: For PSYC 200b, exam arranged with instructor

Senior requirement: Same as for standard major, with adviser from either Phil or Psych dept