A course that emphasizes how the scientific methods and theories of social psychology are used to better understand and solve real-world social issues and problems. The course will include methodological topics such as reliability, validity, establishing causality, and attitude measurement. These methods along with the theoretical content of social psychology will be applied to topics such as persuasion, prejudice, violence, conflict, terrorism, politics, the law, the environment, and health.
Prerequisite(s): PSYCH 001 Basic Psychological Science, PSYCH 002 Applied Psychological Science, and PSYCH 140 Social Psychology, or permission of the instructor.
(Normally offered each spring semester.)
PSYCH 001 Basic Psychological Science (3 hours)
Lectures and demonstrations that present psychology as a science of behavior and mental processes. Emphasis is on the topics of scientific methodology, learning, memory, thinking, states of consciousness, language, sensation, perception, motivation, emotion, and the nervous system. Basic Psychological Science and Applied Psychological Science are not sequential. Basic Psychological Science may be taken prior to or following Applied Psychological Science.
(Normally offered each semester.)
PSYCH 002 Applied Psychological Science (3 hours)
Lectures and demonstrations that present psychology as a science of behavior and mental processes. Emphasis is on the topics of scientific methodology, development, intelligence, personality description and assessment, psychopathology, psychotherapy, social psychology, and health psychology. Applied Psychological Science and Basic Psychological Science are not sequential. Applied Psychological Science may be taken prior to or following Basic Psychological Science.
(Normally offered each semester.)
PSYCH 140 Social Psychology (3 hours)
A scientific study of the way in which thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by other people and situational factors. Topics include research methodology, conformity, social cognition, attitudes, persuasion, aggression, prejudice, and interpersonal attraction.
Prerequisite(s): PSYCH 001 Basic Psychological Science or PSYCH 002 Applied Psychological Science.