Courses for Fall 2024

Title Instructor Location Time All taxonomy terms Description Section Description Cross Listings Fulfills Registration Notes Syllabus Syllabus URL Course Syllabus URL
PSYC 0001-001 Introduction to Experimental Psychology Daniel C Swingley TR 12:00 PM-1:29 PM This course provides an introduction to the basic topics of psychology including our three major areas of distribution: the biological basis of behavior, the cognitive basis of behavior, and individual and group bases of behavior. Topics include, but are not limited to, neuropsychology, learning, cognition, development, disorder, personality, and social psychology. Living World Sector (all classes)
PSYC 0405-401 Grit Lab: Fostering Passion and Perseverance in Ourselves and Others (SNF Paideia Program Course) Angela L Duckworth
Paolo Terni
At the heart of this course are cutting-edge scientific discoveries about passion and perseverance for long-term goals. As in any other undergraduate course, you will learn things you didn't know before. But unlike most courses, Grit Lab requires you to apply what you've learned in your daily life, to reflect, and then to teach what you've learned to younger students. The ultimate aim of Grit Lab is to empower you to achieve your personal, long-term goals--so that you can help other people achieve the goals that are meaningful to them. LEARN -> EXPERIMENT -> REFLECT -> TEACH. The first half of this course is about passion. During this eight-week period, you'll identify a project that piques your interest and resonates with your values. This can be a new project or, just as likely, a sport, hobby, musical instrument, or academic field you're already pursuing. The second half of this course is about perseverance. During this eight-week period, your aim is to develop resilience, a challenge-seeking orientation, and the habits of practice that improve skill in any domain. By the end of Grit Lab, you will understand and apply, both for your benefit and the benefit of younger students, key findings in the emerging science on grit. OIDD2000401
PSYC 1210-401 Introduction to Brain and Behavior Judith Mclean MW 10:15 AM-11:44 AM Introduction to the structure and function of the vertebrate nervous system. We begin with the cellular basis of neuronal activities, then discuss the physiological bases of motor control, sensory systems, motivated behaviors, and higher mental processes. This course is intended for students interested in the neurobiology of behavior, ranging from animal behaviors to clinical disorders. BIOL1110401, NRSC1110401 Living World Sector (all classes)
PSYC 1210-402 Introduction to Brain and Behavior Mariela Lopez Valencia T 10:15 AM-11:44 AM Introduction to the structure and function of the vertebrate nervous system. We begin with the cellular basis of neuronal activities, then discuss the physiological bases of motor control, sensory systems, motivated behaviors, and higher mental processes. This course is intended for students interested in the neurobiology of behavior, ranging from animal behaviors to clinical disorders. BIOL1110402, NRSC1110402 Living World Sector (all classes)
PSYC 1230-401 Cognitive Neuroscience Catherine Apgar
Allyson P Mackey
Yufan Ye
MW 10:15 AM-11:44 AM The study of the neural systems that underlie human perception, memory and language; and of the pathological syndromes that result from damage to these systems. NRSC2249401 Nat Sci & Math Sector (new curriculum only)
PSYC 1333-401 Introduction to Cognitive Science Russell Richie TR 1:45 PM-3:14 PM How do minds work? This course surveys a wide range of answers to this question from disciplines ranging from philosophy to neuroscience. The course devotes special attention to the use of simple computational and mathematical models. Topics include perception, learning, memory, decision making, emotion and consciousness. The course shows how the different views from the parent disciplines interact and identifies some common themes among the theories that have been proposed. The course pays particular attention to the distinctive role of computation in such theories and provides an introduction to some of the main directions of current research in the field. It is a requirement for the BA in Cognitive Science, the BAS in Computer and Cognitive Science, and the minor in Cognitive Science, and it is recommended for students taking the dual degree in Computer and Cognitive Science. CIS1400401, COGS1001401, LING1005401, PHIL1840401 General Requirement in Formal Reasoning & Analysis
PSYC 1340-401 Perception David H Brainard MW 10:15 AM-11:44 AM How the individual acquires and is guided by knowledge about objects and events in their environment. VLST2110401
PSYC 1440-001 Social Psychology Geoffrey Goodwin
Frank Jackson
Shelby Weathers
TR 10:15 AM-11:44 AM An overview of theories and research across the range of social behavior from intra-individual to the group level including the effects of culture, social environment, and groups on social interaction. Society sector (all classes)
PSYC 1777-001 Introduction to Developmental Psychology Heather J Nuske TR 1:45 PM-3:14 PM The goal of this course is to introduce both Psychology majors and non-majors majors to the field of Developmental Psychology. Developmental Psychology is a diverse field that studies the changes that occur with age and experience and how we can explain these changes. The field encompasses changes in physicalgrowth, perceptual systems, cognitive systems, social interactions and and much more. We will study the development of perception, cognition, language,academic achievement, emotion regulation, personality, moral reasoning,and attachment. We will review theories of development and ask how these theories explain experimental findings. While the focus is on human development, when relevant, research with animals will be used as a basis for comparison.
PSYC 2220-401 Evolution of Behavior: Animal Behavior Yun Ding
Marc F Schmidt
TR 1:45 PM-3:14 PM The evolution of behavior in animals will be explored using basic genetic and evolutionary principles. Lectures will highlight behavioral principles using a wide range of animal species, both vertebrate and invertebrate. Examples of behavior include the complex economic decisions related to foraging, migratory birds using geomagnetic fields to find breeding grounds, and the decision individuals make to live in groups. Group living has led to the evolution of social behavior and much of the course will focus on group formation, cooperation among kin, mating systems, territoriality and communication. BIOL2140401, NRSC2140401
PSYC 2288-001 Neuroscience and Society Kristin Murtha
Sharon L Thompson-Schill
TR 10:15 AM-11:44 AM Cognitive, social,and affective neuroscience have made tremendous progress in in the last two decades. As this progress continues, neuroscience is becoming increasingly relevant to all of the real-world endeavors that require understanding, predicting and changing human behavior. In this course we will examine the ways in which neuroscience is being applied in law, criminal justice, national defense, education, economics, business,and other sectors of society. For each application area we will briefly review those aspects of neuroscience that are most relevant, and then study the application in more detail. Living World Sector (all classes)
PSYC 2314-401 Data Science for Studying Language and the Mind Kathryn Schuler TR 12:00 PM-1:29 PM Data Science for studying Language and the Mind is an entry-level course designed to teach basic principles of data science to students with little or no background in statistics or computer science. Students will learn to identify patterns in data using visualizations and descriptive statistics; make predictions from data using machine learning and optimization; and quantify the certainty of their predictions using statistical models. This course aims to help students build a foundation of critical thinking and computational skills that will allow them to work with data in all fields related to the study of the mind (e.g. linguistics, psychology, philosophy, cognitive science). LING0700401 Nat Sci & Math Sector (new curriculum only) https://coursesintouch.apps.upenn.edu/cpr/jsp/fast.do?webService=syll&t=202430&c=PSYC2314401
PSYC 2314-402 Data Science for Studying Language and the Mind R 1:45 PM-2:44 PM Data Science for studying Language and the Mind is an entry-level course designed to teach basic principles of data science to students with little or no background in statistics or computer science. Students will learn to identify patterns in data using visualizations and descriptive statistics; make predictions from data using machine learning and optimization; and quantify the certainty of their predictions using statistical models. This course aims to help students build a foundation of critical thinking and computational skills that will allow them to work with data in all fields related to the study of the mind (e.g. linguistics, psychology, philosophy, cognitive science). LING0700403 Nat Sci & Math Sector (new curriculum only)
PSYC 2737-001 Judgment and Decisions Diego Fernandez-Duque M 5:15 PM-8:14 PM Thinking, judgment, and personal and societal decision making, with emphasis on fallacies and biases.
PSYC 2750-401 Behavioral Economics and Psychology Shaon Lahiri TR 3:30 PM-4:59 PM Our understanding of markets, governments, and societies rests on our understanding of choice behavior, and the psychological forces that govern it. This course will introduce you to the study of choice, and will examine in detail what we know about how people make choices, and how we can influence these choices. It will utilize insights from psychology and economics, and will apply these insights to domains including risky decision making, intertemporal decision making, and social decision making. PPE3003401
PSYC 3220-401 Neural Systems and Behavior Marc F Schmidt MW 10:15 AM-11:44 AM This course will investigate neural processing at the systems level. Principles of how brains encode information will be explored in both sensory (e.g. visual, auditory, social, etc.) and motor systems. Neural encoding strategies will be discussed in relation to the specific behavioral needs of the animal. Examples will be drawn from a variety of different model systems. BIOL4110401, BIOL5110401, NRSC4110401
PSYC 3281-401 Computational Neuroscience Lab Nicole C Rust CANCELED This course will focus on computational neuroscience from the combined perspective of data collection, data analysis, and computational modeling. These issues will be explored through lectures as well as Matlab-based tutorials and exercises. The course requires no prior knowledge of computer programming and a limited math background, but familiarity with some basic statistical concepts will be assumed. The course is an ideal preparation for students interested in participating in a more independent research experience in one of the labs on campus. NRSC3334401
PSYC 3400-301 Positive Psychology Seminar: Positive Education (SNF Paideia Program Course) Caroline Jane Connolly M 1:45 PM-4:44 PM This intensive, discussion-based seminar will equip you with useful insight and critical analysis about Positive Psychology by emphasizing scientific literacy. The workload for this seminar requires intensive reading. To excel in this seminar, students must be willing to enthusiastically read, dissect, and critique ideas within Positive Psychology. This requires students to articulate various ideas in verbal and written form.
PSYC 3440-301 Friendship and Attraction Seminar (SNF Paideia Program Course) Caroline Jane Connolly TR 1:45 PM-3:14 PM This seminar primarily focuses on heterosexual friendship between men and women, and the methodological issues of investigating such relationships. The scope for sexuality and romance in heterosexual opposite-sex friendship will be explored, as well as the possibility that men and women perceive opposite-sex friendship differently from each other. The ramifications of sex, romance, and incongruent perspectives in these relationships will be discussed, as will intimacy, competition, homosexual friendship, and same-sex friendship.
PSYC 3464-301 Seminar in Clinical Psychology: Theories of Psychotherapy Elizabeth D Krause R 12:00 PM-2:59 PM This seminar provides an introduction to several major theoretical approaches to psychotherapy, such as psychodynamic/psychoanalytic, behavioral and cognitive-behavioral, humanistic, and interpersonal/group therapy models. Students will learn how these theoretical frameworks differentially influence assessment, case conceptualization, treatment planning, style of the therapeutic relationship, intervention techniques, and methods of evaluating therapy process and outcomes. Using case vignettes, film demonstrations, classroom role playing, and other experiential exercises, students will learn how these models are applied in real world settings and begin to develop an awareness of their own therapeutic philosophy. Critical analysis of the models will be advanced through ethical considerations and the application of multicultural and feminist perspectives.
PSYC 3766-301 Inside the Criminal Mind Rebecca E Waller WF 10:15 AM-11:44 AM This seminar explores the development of antisocial behavior including psychopathy, aggression, and violence. At its core, this course examines what increases the risk that children will develop behavior problems and go onto more chronic and extreme forms of violence and psychopathic personality that results in harm to others. We will examine psychiatric diagnoses associated with these antisocial behaviors in both childhood and adulthood and how they link to other relevant forms of psychopathology (e.g., substance use, ADHD). We will explore research elucidating the neural correlates of these behaviors, potential genetic mechanisms underlying these behaviors, and the environments that increase risk for these behaviors. Thus, there will be a focus on neurobiology and genetics approaches to psychiatric outcomes, as well as a social science approach to understanding these harmful behaviors, all while considering development across time. We will also consider ethical and moral implications of this research.
PSYC 3780-401 Advanced Seminar in Psychology: Obedience Edward Royzman R 1:45 PM-4:44 PM Though almost half a century old, Milgram’s 1961-1962 studies of “destructive obedience” continue to puzzle, fascinate, and alarm. The main reason for their continued grip on the field’s attention (other than the boldness of the idea and elegance of execution) may be simply that they leave us with a portrait of human character that is radically different from the one that we personally wish to endorse or that the wider culture teaches us to accept. In this seminar, we will take an in-depth look at these famous studies (along with the more recent replications) and explore their various psychological, political and philosophical ramifications. PPE4802401
PSYC 3803-401 Advanced Seminar in Psychology: Modeling Choice Behavior Sudeep Bhatia R 1:45 PM-4:44 PM How do people decide and how can we study decision processes using formal mathematical and computational models? This course will address this question. It will examine popular quantitative modeling techniques in psychology, economics, cognitive science, and neuroscience, and will apply these techniques to study choice behavior. Students will learn how to test the predictions of choice models, fit the models on behavioral data, and quantitatively examine the goodness-of-fit. They will also get practice formulating their own models for describing human behavior. This class will have a major programming component, however no prior programming experience is required. PPE4803401
PSYC 4460-301 Everyday Psychology Loretta Flanagan-Cato WF 10:15 AM-11:44 AM PSYC 4460 is an activity-based course with three major goals. First, the course is an opportunity for psychology and cognitive science undergrad majors to develop their professional and science communication skills and share their enthusiasm for these topics with high school students at a nearby public high school in West Philadelphia. In this regard, Penn students will prepare demonstrations and hands-on activities to engage local high school students, increase their knowledge in functions of the mind and brain, providing insights that may promote well being for the high school students and their community. This will be accomplished as students design and execute hands-on/minds-on activities on a range of psychology topics. There will be 10 sessions across the semester for these lessons, allowing the college and high school students to develop a consistent teacher-learner relationship. Second, students will explore the literature that discusses the need for better bridges between scientific research and the broader community. Discussions will incorporate the students' experiences, including challenges and rewards, as they bring psychology lessons to local youth. This academic portion of the course will include guest lectures from the Penn community who actively engaged in community partnerships. Third, students will be challenged to consider solutions for any problems that they encounter using a Theory of Change framework. This aspect of the course will result in a final project in which students much create logical, realistic, evidence-based links between interventions, indicators of change, and ultimate impacts to mitigate the problems.
PSYC 4462-301 Research Experience in Abnormal Psychology Melissa G. Hunt R 1:45 PM-4:44 PM This is a two-semester course starting in the Fall. Class size limited to 8-10 students.
PSYC 4901-001 Research Practicum in Cognitive Science Russell Richie F 10:15 AM-11:44 AM Research Practicum is a six-week half-credit course that facilitates students’ entry into research in cognitive science. Students complete a small project of their own devising, from hypothesis generation to report writing, and attend weekly guest lectures from graduate students and post-docs in cognitive science labs that are looking for undergraduate research assistants. Practicum has a ‘flipped’ classroom. Before class each week, students watch video lectures; in-person class is for asking questions about the week’s lecture, and to work on the week’s assignment for the student’s project, with help from the instructor and TA as needed. Each week, we will also have a guest lecturer from the lab of a MindCORE faculty affiliate. (The lecture and the project time could be joined into a single class session (~2.5-3 hours long) but it may be preferable to split these into two separate class sessions in the week.) The main product – pieces of which the student submits every week – is a 4-5 page paper reporting the study they conducted. Each week, students will also write a 150 word summary/reflection on the guest lecture that week. COGS1770001, LING1770001
PSYC 4997-301 Senior Honors Seminar in Psychology Elizabeth M Brannon Open to senior honors candidates in psychology. A two-semester sequence supporting the preparation of an honors thesis in psychology. Students will present their work in progress and develop skills in written and oral communication of scientific ideas. Prerequisite: Acceptance into the Honors Program in Psychology.
PSYC 5470-001 Foundations of Social, Cognitive, and Affective Neuroscience Martha J. Farah MW 1:45 PM-3:14 PM This course is designed to introduce students to the interdisciplinary field of social, cognitive and affective neuroscience. We begin with the basics of neurons, synapses and neurotransmission and the functional anatomy of the human brain. We then move on to neuroscience methods including cellular recordings, EEG/ERP, lesion methods, structural and functional neuroimaging and brain stimulation. The remainder of the course covers the neural systems involved in emotion, social cognition, executive function, learning and memory, perception and development. We focus on how our understanding of these systems has emerged from the use of the methods studied earlier.
PSYC 6000-301 Psychopathology Ayelet M Ruscio W 12:00 PM-2:59 PM Choice of half or full course units each sem. covering a range of subjects and approaches in academic psychology.
PSYC 6000-302 Social Neuroscience Martha J. Farah M 12:00 PM-1:59 PM Choice of half or full course units each sem. covering a range of subjects and approaches in academic psychology.
PSYC 6000-303 Judgment & Decisions Barbara Ann Mellers TR 8:30 AM-10:29 AM Choice of half or full course units each sem. covering a range of subjects and approaches in academic psychology.
PSYC 6110-401 Applied Regression and Analysis of Variance Alexander Vekker TR 12:00 PM-1:29 PM An applied graduate level course in multiple regression and analysis of variance for students who have completed an undergraduate course in basic statistical methods. Emphasis is on practical methods of data analysis and their interpretation. Covers model building, general linear hypothesis, residual analysis, leverage and influence, one-way anova, two-way anova, factorial anova. Primarily for doctoral students in the managerial, behavioral, social and health sciences. Permission of instructor required to enroll. BSTA5500401, STAT5000401
PSYC 8100-301 Psychodiagnostic Testing Melissa G. Hunt This course provides a basic introduction to the theories and tools of psychological assessment. Students learn how to administer and interpret a number of standard cognitive, neuropsychological and personality tests including the WAIS-III, WMS-III, WIAT-II, Wisconsin Card Sort, Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) and the Millon Index of Personality Styles. Attention is given to serving as a consultant, differential diagnosis, case conceptualization, and integrating test results into formal but accessible reports.
PSYC 8110-301 Psychodiagnostic Interviewing Melissa G. Hunt This course, usually taken simultaneously with Psychology 810, provides a basic introduction to psychodiagnostic interviewing and differential diagnosis. Students learn to take clinical histories and to administer a number of standardized diagnostic interviews, including the mental status exam, the SCID I and II for DSM-IV, the ADIS, and various clinician rating scales such as the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression. Attention is also given to self-report symptom inventories such as the Beck Depression Inventory and the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised as well as to computerized diagnostic tools.
PSYC 8150-301 Introductory Practicum Melissa G. Hunt Students typically complete 8-10 full assessment batteries on complex patients referred from a number of different sources in the community. This practicum offers intensive supervision, with live (in the room) supervision of every trainee’s first case, and live peer-supervision of their second case. Throughout their time in the practicum they receive close supervision of every case, including checking the scoring of tests and measures, and close reading and editing of every report. Students do a final feedback session with every patient which the supervisor co-leads at the beginning of the year, and observes in the room throughout the rest of the year, thus ensuring direct observation of every trainee throughout the year.