Department of Psychology disenrollment policy for Psychology 111, 112, 330, 340, 350, 360, 370, 380, and 390. Students must attend discussion section by September 12 or contact the GSI, or they may be disenrolled from the course.
111. Introduction to Psychology. Psych. 111 serves, as do Psych. 112 or 113, as a prerequisite for advanced courses in the department and as a prerequisite to concentration. No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in 112, 113, 114, or 115. Psych. 111 may not be included in a concentration plan in psychology. (4). (SS). Students in Psychology 111 are required to spend five hours outside of class participating as subjects in research projects.
This course provides a broad introduction to the field of psychology. During the term we will cover such topics as perception, development, physiology and behavior, personality, and social psychology. In addition, we will look at some of the metaphors and principles that have guided research and theory within psychology (e.g., the mind as computer; the role of the unconscious; the person as pleasure seeking; the role of nature and nurture). Grades are based on two exams and assignments in discussion sections. Cost:3 (Hilton)
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114. Honors Introduction to Psychology. Open to Honors students; others by permission of instructor. No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in 111, 112, 113, or 115. May not be included in a concentration plan in psychology. (4). (SS). Students in Psychology 114 are required to spend five hours outside of class participating as subjects in research projects.
Section 001. This course provides a broad introduction to the field of psychology. We will cover such topics as physiology and behavior, sensory and perceptual processes, states of consciousness, learning and memory, thinking, intelligence, development across the life-span, motivation and emotion, personality, stress and adjustment, abnormal behavior and psychotherapy, and social psychology. The text for the course is Understanding Psychology (3rd ed.); there is also a course pack. Each student will also be expected to select and read a number of books from a master list of recommended popular books in psychology. Grades are based primarily on two exams, a reading log or journal based on the outside readings, and attendance at and participation in class. Cost:3 WL:1 (Morris)
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Section 002. This course is designed to help you gain a broad overview of psych, apply psyc concepts to yourself and others and think critically and creatively about the material covered. I will emphasize active learning which includes group activities, class discussion, journals, and films. Final grade will be based on a research paper, a final paper, and 4-5 one page thought papers. This section will be most enjoyable for students who are self-motivated and like to learn concepts in creative ways. (Nagel)
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116. Introduction to Mind and Brain. May not be used as a prerequisite for or in a concentration plan in Psychology. No credit for those who have completed Psych. 112. (4). (NS).
This course is designed for students interested in the relationship between behavior and brain (that is between the functioning of the mind and the functioning of the brain) but who are not interested in being Psychology or Biology concentrators. The course will focus on specific phenomena of the mind and examine the brain mechanisms that underlie those phenomena. The topics to be covered include memory, motor functions, perception, language function, gender differences in cognition, and some pathologies of cognition. (Jonides)
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120. First-Year Seminar in Psychology as a Social Science. Open only to first-year students. May not be included in a concentration plan in psychology. (3). (SS). May be repeated for a total of six credits.
Section 001 - Late Life Potential. Although late life is often viewed as a time of inevitable loss of competence, there is also evidence of great late life potential. This seminar will explore such potential. We will become familiar with relevant theory and research, read biographical material on late life greatness, study examples of late life accomplishments, and talk with vital old people. By the end of the seminar students should understand the nature of late life potential, as well as some of the conditions that facilitate it. From this understanding we will consider appropriate roles for the elders of our society. (Perlmutter)
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Section 002 - Language and Thought. This first-year seminar will examine the question of how language influences thought and how thought influences language. Through case studies, films, readings, and demonstrations, we will explore current psychological evidence on the issue. Topics include: language universals, variation across languages, bilingualism, communication in apes and other species, atypical language development in children, language disorders, and exceptional language. The goal is for students to obtain a deeper understanding of human language, and to discover how an age-old philosophical issue can be studied scientifically. (Gelman)
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Section 003 - Stress and Racism. This first-year seminar explores how stress and racism affect the lives of students in general and at the University of Michigan in particular. Part 1 focuses on the effects of stress on students' lives and different approaches to coping with stressors. Part 2 presents research on the causes and consequences of racism, sexism, and other forms of intergroup discrimination. Finally, Part 3 explores how stress affects intergroup relations and how this affects students' lives. (Inglehart)
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Section 004 - Thinking about Intergroup Relations. This course will serve as an introduction to various frameworks that psychologists and more sociologically oriented researchers use in understanding intergroup perception/relations and the management of conflict between social groups. In addition, this knowledge will be evaluated generally and applied to cross-cultural relations. Concurrently with examining case studies and theory, students will also think about their own perceptions of and interactions with people from different social groups. Students will also reflect on the notions of multiculturalism and social justice. The course format will include lecture and small group discussion sessions, including a considerable degree of interaction and participation. Participation in a dialogue group is required of all students. (Ybarra)
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Section 005 - Thinking about Self and Identity. This seminar is organized around weekly topics focused on group discussion of assigned reading. Readings concern self organization, origins in early development, developmental disturbances. Brief weekly reactions to the reading topics are required and will be used in class to begin discussions. Attendance is required. Course evaluation will be based on two short papers, two essay tests, and, to a limited extent, on class preparation and participation. (Fast)
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Section 006 - Freud's Revolution and How it Changed the World (for Better and for Worse). This course will study how Freud invented psychoanalysis, how his theory has changed in his lifetime and even more over time, and how it has affected our understanding of the mind. The goal of this seminar is to help students grasp the extent to which contemporary common sense notions of mind and behavior have been profoundly influenced by psychoanalytic thought. (Adelson)
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Section 007 - Dreams. The purpose of the course is to review historical developments in the conceptualization of the meaning of nocturnal dreams from the late 19th century to the present. The major emphasis will be on the use of dreams to explicate personal problem solving hence clinical data will be made the focus - the aim of developing students' ability to read, interpret, and understand the meaning of dreams (their own and others) the main practical skill developed. In the course of the term, issues from psychopathology, personality, psychotherapy, creativity, literature, and development will be discussed in respect to dream material which presumes the student has some degree of familiarity with these fields and topics. The classes will involve discussions of readings in which students will be expected to take active roles. The course readings will consist of Freud's "Interpretation of Dreams" and a course pack. The particular discussion of readings will be announced in class each week as on a course reading list. Course evaluations will be determined by quality of participation in the class, one or two exams (announced in class), and by (largely) a course paper on dreams (outline to be discussed) which will focus on a series of dreams of one's own or someone else in regard to cognitive structure, psychodynamic content and adaptive problem solving strategy. (Wolowitz)
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Section 009 - Psychology and Non-ordinary Experience. This seminar will explore the experimental, anecdotal, and theoretical work that suggests that we humans are capable of intuition and knowledge that seriously challenge the prevailing conceptions of human potential and sensory-based reality. Experiences of non-ordinary reality are accepted as valid across a wide range of cultures and under varied conditions. However, it is only recently that such phenomena as remote viewing and holistic mind-body connections have begun to cross the boundary into the scientific community, stimulating both research and strenuous efforts to debunk what has been reported in the literature. We will review this literature and its critics. We will explore the possibility of replicating or extending some of these studies. And we will review efforts to make theoretical sense of what has been found to date. (Mann)
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Sections 010 and 016 - Leadership: Theory and Practice. This is a multidisciplinary seminar for first-year students that explores the questions: What is leadership? What are some styles of leadership and traits of effective leaders? How does one lead? We will examine both classical and contemporary views of leadership as well as what contemporary theory and research in the behavioral sciences tells us about leadership. This is not a "how to do it" course in leadership, though students will learn a great deal about how to be an effective leader. Core readings consist of Gardner On Leadership, and Mcfarland et al. 21st Century Leadership. Small groups of students will also prepare an oral and written report on one outstanding leader of their choice. Course grades will be based on attendance at and participation in class discussions, a reading log or journal, several brief position papers, an end-of-class essay, and the oral and written reports. Cost:3 WL:1 (Morris)
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Section 011 - I, Too, Sing America: Culture and Psychology. Taking its title from the Langston Hughes poem, this seminar will explore psychological aspects of race, ethnicity, and other cultural differences in the United States. What are some of the opportunities and obstacles to our joining with Hughes in affirming, "They'll see how beautiful I am . . I, too, sing America?" Topics will include stereotyping, communication, cooperation, conflict, justice, and discrimination. For example: What are psychological theories about how individuals and groups might most benefit from life in pluralistic societies? What are some psychological dynamics of stereotyping? What are possible connections between various forms of discrimination (for example, racism, sexism, homophobia, and anti-Semitism)? WL:1 (Behling)
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Section 012 - Psychology and Law. This seminar studies issues in which law and psychology interact. We will examine a number of real cases that have been covered by the popular press (e.g., the Simpson, Bobbit, and Menendez trials), as well as some fictional accounts (e.g., Grisham's A Time to Kill and Dershowitz's The Advocate's Devil). (Pachella)
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Section 013 - The Psychology of Culture, Power, and Human Relations. We will look at what cultural diversity is and the impact it has on human relations in different environmental contexts. We will review the old adage of American Culture as a "Melting Pot" of a plethora of European cultures and the ensuing criteria for membership. Subsequently, we will examine the new order thinking also known as a paradigm shift (though still not a behavioral shift) encouraging the American culture to become more global, embracing pluralism and forming the "Salad Bowl" approach of multiculturalism. This shift/ change has presented opportunities, challenges, and conflicts within for American Society that warrants some investigation. We will brainstorm, identify, and develop approaches that can empower individuals, groups, and organizations in the change process to act with agency and progress towards a multicultural society. (Beale)
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Sections 014 and 015- Intergroup Relations. Examinations of cultural differences; the conflicts which sometimes arise from them; and the opportunities for community which they offer.
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Section 016 - Leadership: Theory and Practice. See Psychology 120.010. (Morris)
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121. First-Year Seminar in Psychology as a Natural Science. Open only to first-year students. May not be included in a concentration plan in psychology. (3). (NS). May be repeated for a total of six credits.
Section 001 - The Evolution of Consciousness and Cognition. This interdisciplinary seminar will explore the nature of conscious and unconscious mental processes in various types of human cognition and action, including perception, memory, thinking, and behavior broadly construed. We will take an eclectic approach in our exploration, encompassing points of view found in disciplines such as psychology, neurophysiology, artificial intelligence, philosophy, and medical practice. Both normal and altered states of consciousness (e.g., sleep, dreaming, meditation, hypnosis, and hallucination) will be considered from these perspectives. Cost:2 WL:1 (Meyer)
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Section 002 - Consciousness. This course will examine the topic of consciousness from a variety of perspectives. Current theories and empirical findings in psychology, neuroscience, and philosophy will be considered. Other topics will include hypnosis, dreams, altered states of consciousness, transpersonal psychology, and how consciousness is portrayed in popular culture. The readings will include a number of articles and stories. Classwork will emphasize discussion and written exercises. Cost:2 WL:1 (Gehring)
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Section 003 - Decisions About Marriage. Decisions about marriage (e.g., concerning whether, when, and whom to marry) are among the most important the typical person ever makes. But there is good evidence (e.g., high rates of divorce and domestic violence) that people often make these decisions badly, with serious, detrimental consequences for everyone involved, including children. This seminar will examine literature concerning the variety of ways marriage decisions are made in practice. It will also explore and critically evaluate proposals for how people could make such decisions more effectively. Cost:3 WL:1 (Yates)
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122/Soc. 122. Intergroup Dialogues. Permission of Instructor. Intended primarily for first and second year students. (2). (Excl). May not be included in a concentration in Psychology or Sociology. May be repeated for a total of four credits.
Section 001-007: Dialogues on Race, Gender, Sexual Orientation, Religion, or Ethnicity. In a multicultural society, discussion about group conflict, commonalities, and differences can facilitate understanding and interaction between social groups. In this course, students will participate in structured meetings of at least two different social identity groups, discuss readings, and explore each group's experiences in social and institutional contexts. Students will examine psychological, historical, and sociological materials which address each group's experiences, and learn about issues facing the groups in contemporary society. The goal is to create a setting in which students will engage in open and constructive dialogue, learning, and exploration. The second goal is to actively identify alternative resolutions of intergroup conflicts. Different sections of this course focus on different identity groups (for example, white people/people of color; Blacks/Jews; lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, and heterosexuals; white women/women of color; Blacks/Latinos/Asians; men/women).
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211. Outreach. Prior or concurrent enrollment in introductory psychology. May not be included in a concentration plan in psychology. (1-3). (Excl). Offered mandatory credit/no credit. Laboratory fee ($15) required. (EXPERIENTIAL). May be repeated for a total of 6 credits.
Project Outreach enables students to do field work in local community settings. The purpose is to gain an understanding of yourself, the agency in which you will work, the people whom you will serve, the psychological concepts observed in action, and to provide a genuine community service. Outreach includes approximately 45 agencies in which you can provide direct service to children in day care settings, adolescents in after-school programs, handicapped children and adults, women, physically ill adults and children, persons legally confined to criminal institutions, social advocacy organizations concerned with combating racism, helping battered women, and others. All sections are two credits, requiring six hours of work per week including four (4) of fieldwork, journal writing, readings, papers, one hour lecture and one hour discussion. Students need to check the Time Schedule for lecture/discussion times and meeting places per section. Students are invited to stop by the Outreach Office at 1346 East Hall beginning April 2, 1997 to pick up an Outreach Booklet and receive information regarding registration, field work, and general course information for the Fall Term 1997. Two separate sections of Outreach count as an experiential lab for the Psychology concentration; they do not count as a lab for the Psychology as a Natural Science concentration. Outreach Office hours: Monday thru Friday 7:30 AM til 4:00 PM, 764-9179. Cost:1, not including $15 lab fee. WL:1 (Miller)
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Section 001 - Infancy to Adolescence: Growing Up in America (formerly Life Span Development). (2 credits). Work with infants, toddlers, preschool children, elementary school students, middle school students, high school students, or adult women. The individuals with whom you work will come from a variety of backgrounds with some "at risk" due to factors such as living in single-parent or low income households or experiencing special educational or emotional needs.
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Section 002 - Big Sibs: Community and Opportunity. (2 credits). Be a Big Sib; develop a meaningful individual relationship with a child in need of the companionship of a consistent, caring adult; share in activities and enjoy being with a young person in the community. Some students might also have the opportunity to be a Big Sib to a physically or mentally handicapped child.
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Section 003 - Juvenile Delinquency and Criminal Justice (formerly Juvenile Justice). (2 credits). Establish meaningful friendships with, and serve as a role model for, teenagers whose behavior is in conflict with the laws and rules of our society; help plan and carry out social and educational activities for teens at residential placements for juvenile delinquents; or tutor teens at a local alternative school; provide important social interaction for incarcerated adults. Learn about juvenile criminal behavior, gang violence, the criminal justice system and the law, institutionalization and rehabilitation.
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Section 004 - Current Affairs: Issues in Social Justice. (2 credits). Learn about contemporary social problems, such as poverty, sexism, racism, heterosexism, and sexual violence, as they occur around us here on campus and in the world. As you examine the value systems which shape our current society, you can develop supportive and helping relationships with young and old persons as they attempt to work and survive within our society.
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Section 005 - Health, Illness, and Society. (2 credits). Serve as a non-medical liaison between staff, family, and patients, offering empathy and emotional support in waiting rooms, at bedside, in community health clinics and in other settings; learn how people cope with stress; provide supervised occupational, physical, rehabilitative, educational, and recreational therapy, and support for people with special physical or health needs: senior citizens, children who are physically impaired, or people who are HIV positive, or work with groups trying to prevent particular health problems, promote health education or those that are advocating for improved health services.
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Section 006 - Exploring Careers. (2 credits). Learn about your own abilities and needs and investigate college majors and careers that best fit these; explore graduate school options; write a resume and cover letter; improve your job search strategies; talk with professionals in various fields; increase your awareness of social issues that affect people's career decisions and work lives.
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