First-Year Seminar for Graduate Students

PSYCHOLOGICAL & BRAIN SCIENCES 5003

This optional seminar for first-year students is intended to help orient the incoming graduate student to skills important for graduate school success. Topics covered include giving research talks, giving feedback to and receiving feedback from fellow students, and scientific writing. To help focus to these discussions, we will consider how to create a successful application for the National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program, and each student will write multiple drafts of the essays relevant to this program. PREREQ: First-year student in the Psychology graduate program or permission of instructor.
Course Attributes:

Contemporary Topics in Social Psychology

PSYCHOLOGICAL & BRAIN SCIENCES 413

This is an advanced seminar on political psychology designed for upper-level undergraduates, primarily juniors and seniors. We consider several issues lying at the intersection of social and political psychology. We begin with consideration of what it means to be "liberal" or "conservative", and the complexities inherent in measuring ideology and its relation to voting. We then consider the dynamics of political polarization: what factors drive liberals and conservatives to disagree with one another, and is there any way of reducing these divisions? We also focus on other issues, such as the role of situational factors (e.g., terrorist threat) in "shifting" ideological preferences and the dynamics of politically-infused conspiracy theories, such as beliefs associated with the Covid pandemic. Given the timing of this course, the dynamics of the Fall 2022 midterm elections will be a major focus. PREREQ: Psych 315.
Course Attributes: AS SSC; FA SSC; AR SSC; EN S

Human Evolutionary Psychology

PSYCHOLOGICAL & BRAIN SCIENCES 4099

How did evolution by natural selection shape the way human beings think and behave? Does evolution explain human cooperation and friendship, human morality, reproductive decisions and social interactions? What sex differences in cognition or behavior are caused by evolution? This course introduces the concepts and findings of evolutionary psychology, mostly through reading of primary sources--articles from psychology and biology journals--and discussion and presentation of empirical cases. PREREQ: At least 6 units of upper-level, home-based Psychology coursework, OR Anthro 3383.
Course Attributes: EN S; AS SSC; FA SSC; AR SSC

Crisis Intervention: The Criminal Justice Response to Chaos, Mayhem, and Disorder

PSYCHOLOGICAL & BRAIN SCI (PSYCHOLOGY) 378

This course explores the nature and psychology of the major types of crises criminal justice professionals confront on a daily basis, including domestic violence, terrorism, riots and post-disaster panic, cults, threatened suicide, and active shooters, among others. Students will explore these topics against the backdrop of actual case examples like hurricane Katrina, the attacks of 9/11, the shooting at Columbine High School, and the Branch Davidian standoff at Waco. Major theories and typology schemes that attempt to account for these behaviors will be explored, as well as the emotional impact of crisis response on police, correctional officers, and other first responders. The course may be used as an elective in the University College Psychology major, but will not apply to the distribution areas in the major. This course is fully online. Students enrolled in day classes at Washington University should review the policies of their home division on credit earned for online courses. Students should log on to the course website on the first day of class and check their Washington University email at regular intervals for communication from their instructor.
Course Attributes: OLI

Teaching of Psychology

PSYCHOLOGICAL & BRAIN SCIENCES 565A

This course has three major objectives. First, it will provide guidance on the skills and tactics necessary for effective teaching. Topics to be covered range from the mundane (syllabus preparation) to the mystical (teaching "style"). We'll discuss how each plays an important role in effective teaching. Second, the course will alert students to the vast literature on teaching so that those wishing to further hone their skills will have resources at their fingertips when they later need them. Finally, the course will provide a forum for discussion of issues and problems arising in the students' teaching experiences. Learning from your colleagues is a valuable part of your development as a teacher and this course will encourage you to start that dialogue.
Course Attributes:

Understanding Emotions

PSYCHOLOGICAL & BRAIN SCIENCES 3645

Emotions both shape and are shaped by our subjective experiences, physiology, behaviors, cognitions, social interactions, and health. Their complexity and significance make the study of emotions particularly exciting and challenging. This course offers an overview of theory and research on emotions with content stretching across psychological disciplines, including personality, social, clinical, developmental, and neuropsychology. Course content will include definitions of emotions, physiological changes associated with emotions, and individual differences in emotional experience. The course will also examine how culture, cognitions, and relationships affect and are affected by emotions and how emotion is related to physical and mental health. PREREQ: Psych 100B/1000.
Course Attributes: EN S; BU BA; AS SSC; FA SSC; AR SSC

Introduction to Forensic Psychology

PSYCHOLOGICAL & BRAIN SCI (PSYCHOLOGY) 377

Forensic psychology is the application of scientific psychological knowledge to matters that come before the judge or jury. This course will focus on criminal cases such as homicide and sex offender commitment and on personal injury cases. Topics will include consultation with attorneys, psychological tests used and recommended by forensic psychologists, and sex offender risk assessment. Other topics will include keys to being a dangerous expert on the witness stand. Numerous actual case studies will be presented. This course is fully online. Students enrolled in day classes at Washington University should review the policies of their home division on credit earned for online courses. Students should log on to the course website on the first day of class and check their Washington University email at regular intervals for communication from their instructor.
Course Attributes: OLI

Introduction to Psychopathology and Clinical Psychology

PSYCHOLOGICAL & BRAIN SCI (PSYCHOLOGY) 368

Affective, cognitive, and behavioral abnormalities which create patterns disruptive to mental health: comprised of psychiatric symptoms, personal distress, and/or functional impairments. Biological, psychological, social, and cultural determinants of mental health and illness; diagnosis, etiology, and treatment of clinical level concerns. This course is the same as Abnormal Psychology in both Arts & Sciences and University College (L33 Psych 354/U09 Psych 354), and thus students may not take both. PREREQ: U09 100 Intro to Psychology.
Course Attributes: ONLINE HYBRID

Learning and Memory

PSYCHOLOGICAL & BRAIN SCI (PSYCHOLOGY) 365

In this course we focus on the major theories of human learning and memory. We review several behavioral-associationist theories, including classical conditioning and behavior modification. The course emphasis is on cognitive-organizational theories, human information processing, current perspectives on knowledge representation, and their implication for understanding and recall. PREREQ: U09 100 Intro to Psychology. This course is fully online. Students enrolled in day classes at Washington University should review the policies of their home division on credit earned for online courses.
Course Attributes: OLI

Psychology of Personality

PSYCHOLOGICAL & BRAIN SCI (PSYCHOLOGY) 353

This course covers basic theories of personality and complex human behavior. We study related techniques, procedures, and findings of personality assessment and personality research, and examine critical issues in the evaluation of personality theories. PREREQ: Psych 100. This course is fully online. Students enrolled in day classes at Washington University should review the policies of their home division on credit earned for online courses.
Course Attributes: OLI