Spring 2015 UNC Department of Psychology Undergraduate Courses

Spring 2015
UNC Department of Psychology
Undergraduate Courses
*For the complete list of undergraduate Psychology courses, please refer to the
2014-2015 Undergraduate Bulletin*
First-Year Seminars (FYS)
PSYC 058H: The Psychology of Mental States and Language Use (3)
Instructor: Dr. Jennifer Arnold
Examines how language use is affected by one’s reasoning about the mental activities of others. We will
examine the development of language, adult language use, and the language of autistic individuals, who are
known to have difficulty reasoning abut other’s minds. This seminar will follow a discussion format.
PSYC 061: First-Year Seminar: Drug Addiction: Fact and Fiction (3)
Instructor: Dr. Kathryn Reissner
The course will tackle questions through classroom discussions, lectures, movies, writing assignments, and a
visit to a research laboratory and a treatment facility. Students will be introduced to fundamental concepts in
addiction research.
PSYC 066: First-Year Seminar: Eating Disorders and Body Image (3)
Instructor: Dr. Anna Bardone-Cone
Students will learn about anorexia and bulimia nervosa, as well as prevention and treatment efforts. The
course explores factors related to these disorders and body image from a psychosocial perspective. Learning
will occur through discussions, readings, videos, guest speakers, experimental assignments, writing
assignments, and research projects.
Lower-Level Undergraduate Courses (PSYC 100-399)
PSYC 101: General Psychology (3)
Instructor: Dr. Jeannie Loeb (001), Dr. David Penn (002), & Dr. Desiree Griffin (003)
A survey of major principles of psychology and an introduction to scientific modes of thought about behavior.
Students participate in ongoing psychological research in the department. PSYC 101 is a prerequisite for all
psychology courses.
PSYC 190: The Science of Emotion (3)
Instructor: Jennifer MacCormack
This course is a science seminar designed to help students explore affective science or the science of human
emotion; more broadly, this class will scaffold students’ ability to read empirical literature and understand the
many research methods used in affective science. We will examine emotions’ broad impacts on everyday life,
in domains such as social behavior, health, self-regulation, development, physiology, neuroscience, culture,
and embodiment.
PSYC 210: Statistical Principles of Psychological Research (3)
Instructor: Dr. Elizabeth Jordan (001), Dr. Viji Sathy (002)
Prerequisite: PSYC 101
Consideration of the methodological principles underlying psychological research, descriptive and inferential
techniques, and the manner by which they may be employed to design psychological experiments and analyze
behavioral data. Three lecture hours and one laboratory hour a week.
PSYC 220: Biopsychology (3)
Instructor: Dr. Jeannie Loeb (001), Theresa McKim (002), & Marsha Penner (003)
Prerequisite: PSYC 101
Study of the biological basis of behavior. Emphasis will be placed on human findings and applications.
PSYC 222H: Learning (3)
Instructor: Dr. Regina Carelli (002)
Prerequisite: PSYC 101
Topics in conditioning, verbal learning, memory, and problem solving.
PSYC 225: Sensation and Perception (3)
Instructor: Dr. Morton Heller (001)
Prerequisite: PSYC 101
Topics in vision, audition, and the lower senses. Receptor mechanisms, psychophysical methods, and selected
perceptual phenomena will be discussed.
PSYC 230: Cognitive Psychology (3)
Instructor: Dr. Joseph Hopfinger (001), & Chris Foster (002)
Prerequisite: PSYC 101
Topics in attention; memory; visual, auditory, and other forms of information processing; decision making; and
thinking.
PSYC 242: Introduction to Clinical Psychology* (3)
Instructor: Michelle Gallagher (001), Kristin Healey (002), & Lisa Brownstone (003)
Prerequisite: PSYC 101
Overview of clinical psychology: history, scientific basis, and major activities and concerns including
assessment, psychotherapy, and other psychological interventions, community psychology, ethics, and
professional practice.
*This course will replace the older PSYC 505 (Introduction to Child Psychology) and will NOT count toward the
Psychology major if a student has previously taken PSYC 505 for credit.
PSYC 245: Abnormal Psychology (3)
Instructor: Dr. Desiree Griffin (001), Ryan Jacoby (002), Dr. Charles Wiss (003), & Dr. Donald Baucom (245H)
Prerequisite: PSYC 101
Major forms of behavior disorders in children and adults, with an emphasis on description, causation, and
treatment.
PSYC 250: Child Development (3)
Instructor: Dr. Beril Steiner (001), Chelsea Nehler (002), Dr. Elizabeth Adams (003), & Grant Canipe (004)
Prerequisite: PSYC 101
Study of the development of social and intellectual behavior in normal children and the processes that
underlie this development. Emphasis is typically on theory and research.
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PSYC 260: Social Psychology (3)
Instructor: Dr. Steve Buzinski (001), Laura Kurtz (002), Jenna Clark (004), & Elise Rice (005)
Prerequisite: PSYC 101
Introductory survey of experimental social psychology covering attitudes, interpersonal processes, and small
groups.
PSYC 270: Laboratory Research in Psychology (4)
Instructor: Dr. Viji Sathy (001 & 002)
Prerequisites: PSYC 101, and 210 or 215
Experiments in biological, behavioral, cognitive, developmental, personality, and social psychology will be
discussed, prepared, performed, and reported. One lecture hour and four laboratory hours per week.
Upper-Level Undergraduate Courses (PSYC 400-699)
PSYC 431: Introduction to Cognitive Science (3)
Instructor: Dr. Peter Gordon (001)
Prerequisites: PSYC 101, and 210 or 215
An introduction to the interdisciplinary study of the mind, intelligent behavior, information processing, and
communication in living organisms and computers.
PSYC 433: Behavioral Decision Theory (3)
Instructor: Dr. Gordon Pitz
Prerequisite: PSYC 101
Simple mathematical and psychological models of judgment and choice, and related experiments, are treated,
as are applications to real world problems in medical, environmental, policy, business, and related domains.
PSYC 434: Cognitive Neuroscience (3)
Instructor: Dr. Kelly Giovanello
Prerequisites: PSYC 101, and PSYC 210 or 215, and one of PSYC 220, 222, 225, 230, or BIOL 450, 455
Introduction to cognitive neuroscience. Higher mental processes including attention, memory, language, and
consciousness will be covered, with an emphasis on the neural mechanisms that form the substrates of human
cognition.
PSYC 437: Neurobiology of Learning and Memory (3)
Instructor: Dr. Marsha Penner
Prerequisites: PSYC 101 and PSYC 220; BIOL 101 recommended
This course surveys current knowledge about and research into the neurobiological basis of learning and
memory. Using a combination of lectures and student-led discussions, we will critically evaluate the
molecular, cellular, systems, and behavioral research that strives to explain how the brain learns and
remembers.
PSYC 463: Development of Social Behavior and Personality (3)
Instructor: Dr. Jean-Louis Gariepy
Prerequisites: PSYC 101, 250, and 210 or 215
Developmental processes during early childhood as these relate to social behavior and personality.
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PSYC 490: History of Neuroscience (3)
Instructor: Dr. Marsha Penner
Prerequisites: PSYC 101, and 220 or 315
This course focuses on how we know what we currently know about both the structure and the function of the
nervous system. In this class, we will consider how neuroscience emerged as a multidisciplinary field. The
class will cover key research and breakthroughs, along with the people who made those discoveries. We will
consider these discoveries within a historical context – what was going on in the world at the time? how did
this impact the field?
PSYC 493: Internship in Psychology (3)
Instructor: Dr. Steve Buzinski
Prerequisites: PSYC 101 and completion of application process
PSYC 500: Developmental Psychopathology (3)
Instructor: Dr. Eric Youngstrom (001) & Dr. Charles Wiss (002)
Prerequisites: PSYC 101, 245, and 250
A survey of theories bearing on atypical development and disordered behavior, and an examination of major
child and adolescent behavior problems and clinical syndromes.
PSYC 501: Theoretical, Empirical Perspectives on Personality (3)
Instructor: Dr. Charles Wiss
Prerequisite: PSYC 101
An in-depth coverage of the traditional clinically based personality theories of the early 20th century
contrasted with more recent empirically based perspectives.
PSYC 502: Psychology of Adulthood and Aging (3)
Instructor: Dr. Elizabeth Jordan (001 & 002)
Prerequisites: PSYC 101 and 250
A developmental approach to the study of adulthood, from young adulthood through death. Topics include
adult issues in personality, family dynamics, work, leisure and retirement, biological and intellectual aspects of
aging, dying, and bereavement.
PSYC 504: Health Psychology (3)
Instructor: Dr. Jeannie Loeb (001) & Dr. Nicole Heilbron (002)
Prerequisites: PSYC 101 and 245
An in-depth coverage of the theoretical issues and clinical manifestations of psychological responses
characteristic of individuals with chronic physical disorders.
PSYC 564: Interpersonal Processes (3)
Instructor: Dr. Sara Algoe
Prerequisites: PSYC 101, 260, and 210 or 215
Intensive coverage of normal interpersonal processes, focusing on the dyad.
PSYC 566: Attitude Change (3)
Instructor: Dr. Steven Buzinski (002)
Prerequisites: PSYC 101 and 260, and 210 or 215.
A detailed consideration of the theoretical issues in attitude and belief change.
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PSYC 569: Practical Wisdom from Advanced Social Psychology (3)
Instructor: Dr. Kurt Gray
Prerequisites: PSYC 101, 260, and 270
Surveys cutting-edge research across the field of social psychology and how it matters for everyday life. Topics
include morality, mind perception, judgment and decision making, happiness, affective forecasting, emotion,
relationships, negotiation, personality, free will, stress/health, and religion. Clear communication of research
also emphasized through figures, presentations, and papers.
PSYC 601: Psychology and Law (3)
Instructor: Dr. Desiree Griffin
Prerequisites: PSYC 101 and 210 or 215
Examines the legal system from the perspective of psychology methods and research, with a focus on criminal
law. Discusses dilemmas within the law and between the legal system and psychology.
PSYC 694H: Honors in Psychology II (3)
Instructor: Dr. Peter Ornstein
Prerequisites: PSYC 693H
Admission to the psychology honors program required. To be taken as the second course in the two-semester
honors sequence. Students conduct research under the direction of a faculty advisor and receive classroom
instruction in research-related topics.
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