Information found in this online edition of the 2008-09 catalog is unofficial and for informational purposes only. By authority of the dean of the College, some factual corrections to the printed version may appear here. The official document of record is the printed edition of the 2008-09 Catalog. For more information, please contact the Office of the Registrar.
Psychology
Chair: Yueping Zhang
Psychology is the science of behavior and mental processes. The department's goals are to give students both a strong, scientifically rigorous base in the major subdisciplines of psychology and an exposure to applications of psychology. The curriculum and related activities acquaint students with the conceptual issues, theoretical models, empirical observations, and ethical decisions that form the basis of psychological knowledge. The department strives to develop students' competencies in conducting and evaluating psychological research, and many students have had the opportunity to publish papers and give presentations in conjunction with faculty. In addition, students can gain experience in applied psychology through the internship program.
The Major Program
The major begins with the foundation courses: Introduction to Psychology, Statistics I, and Psychology Methodology. Seven other courses, chosen in conference with the major advisor, fulfill the major requirements. Of these seven courses, two are at the intermediate (200) level, one must be an advanced (300-level) psychology lab, and one must be a capstone (400-level) course. The remaining three courses are electives, two of which must be at the advanced or capstone level. Students may arrange to take independent study courses while involved in a research project.
Capstone courses are challenging seminars that offer majors an integrative experience toward the end of their college careers. A capstone course may involve any of the following: integration of various subareas within psychology, integration of psychology and other disciplines, or application of psychological principles and methods to real-world problems and/or basic scientific questions. Capstone courses typically include a major project and in-class presentation.
Transfer students must consult the department chair to determine what courses they need to take to fulfill the major requirements.
Major Requirements
A minimum of 40 semester credits (10 courses) in psychology, distributed as follows:
- Psychology 100, 200, and 300.
- Psychology 230, 240, or 260.
- Psychology 220 or 280.
- Psychology 310, 315, or 350.
- One capstone course: Psychology 400, 425, 440, 445, 460, 465, or 490.
- Three elective courses, two of which must be at the 300 level or higher, including a maximum of 4 semester credits for Psychology 299 and 499.
Internship Program
The department's active internship program provides supervised experience and training in psychological activities at a variety of social service agencies in Portland and abroad. This field experience provides an important supplement to the student's academic program.
Honors
At the end of the second semester of the junior year, students may apply to participate in the psychology honors program. Selection is based on an evaluation of academic performance (a GPA of 3.500 in the major and overall) and the quality of a research proposal prepared in cooperation with a faculty member. Students work closely with a thesis committee. If the resulting honors thesis and its defense are deemed worthy of distinction by the psychology faculty, the student is awarded honors on graduation. Interested students should consult the department chair, a potential faculty sponsor, or both during the junior year. A full description of the application process is available from the department.
Resources For Nonmajors
Introduction to Psychology is a useful course for most Lewis & Clark majors, since very few disciplines can be divorced from an understanding of human behavior. Statistics courses provide useful tools that are recommended by several majors and satisfy the General Education requirement in quantitative reasoning for nonmajors and majors alike. In addition, 200-level courses are open to nonmajors who wish to pursue an interest in psychology beyond the introductory level of Psychology 100. These courses are appropriate for students interested in pursuing careers in education, business, and social services who also wish to have a foundation in the understanding of human learning, thinking, development, social interaction, and psychopathology.
Faculty
Janet E. Davidson, associate professor. Infant and child development, developmental psychopathology, internships.
Brian Detweiler-Bedell, associate professor. Social psychology, statistics.
Jerusha Detweiler-Bedell, associate professor. Clinical and community psychology, health psychology, psychology of gender, internships.
Jennifer LaBounty, assistant professor. Child, adolescent, and adult development; methodology; internships.
Erik L. Nilsen, associate professor. Cognition, methodology, human-computer interaction.
Thomas J. Schoeneman, professor. Personality, abnormal psychology, internships.
Todd Watson, assistant professor. Cognitive neuroscience, brain and behavior, statistics.
Yueping Zhang, associate professor. Physiological psychology, brain and behavior, drugs and behavior, cross-cultural psychology.
PSY 100 Introduction To Psychology
Davidson, J. Detweiler-Bedell, LaBounty, Nilsen, Schoeneman, Zhang
Content: Principles underlying behavioral development and change, physiological processes that mediate psychological functioning, processes of human perception and cognition, approaches to understanding functional and dysfunctional personality characteristics of individuals, counseling and psychotherapy techniques, application of psychological principles to social phenomena.
Prerequisite: None.
Taught: Each semester, 4 semester credits.
PSY 190 Culture, Film, And Psychology
Zhang
Content: The relationships between culture and human behavior through the lens of film. How cultural forces and transitions shape worldview, individual identity and personality, child development, family structure and dynamics, personal relationships, social perception, other aspects of behavior relevant to psychology. Variety of cultures and cultural influences, theories and methods in cultural psychology, ways in which culture shapes film and film reflects and shapes culture. Does not count toward major. Credit not available to students who take Psychology 390 (Cross-Cultural Psychology).
Prerequisite: None.
Taught: Annual, summer only, 4 semester credits.
PSY 200 Statistics I
B. Detweiler-Bedell, Watson
Content: The theory of statistics and designing experiments. Use of distributions, measures of central tendency, variability, correlation, t-tests, simple analysis of variance and nonparametric techniques. Computer applications using SPSS statistical analysis programs and other software.
Prerequisite: Mathematics 055.
Taught: Each semester, 4 semester credits.
PSY 220 Thinking, Memory, And Problem Solving
Davidson, Nilsen
Content: Application of cognitive theory to decision making and problem solving. Selective perception, memory, contextual effects on decision making, paradoxes in rationality, biases created from problem-solving heuristics, probability and risk assessment, perception of randomness, attribution of causality, group judgments and decisions.
Prerequisite: Psychology 100.
Taught: Each semester, 4 semester credits.
PSY 230 Infant And Child Development
Davidson, LaBounty
Content: Psychological development in domains including perception, cognition, language, personality, social behavior. How psychological processes evolve and change. Emphasis on infancy and childhood.
Prerequisite: Psychology 100.
Taught: Each semester, 4 semester credits.
PSY 240 Abnormal Psychology
Schoeneman
Content: Issues in defining abnormality; classification and description of abnormal behaviors; societal reactions to abnormal behavior; theory and research on causes, treatments, and prevention of pathology; major psychopathologies including physical symptoms and stress reactions; anxiety, somatoform, and dissociative disorders; sexual dysfunctions; addictions; sociopathy and other personality disorders; schizophrenia; mood disorders.
Prerequisite: Psychology 100.
Taught: Each semester, 4 semester credits.
PSY 260 Social Psychology
B. Detweiler-Bedell
Content: The effects of social and cognitive processes on the ways individuals perceive, influence, and relate to others. Person perception, the self, prejudice and stereotyping, social identity, attitudes and attitude change, conformity, interpersonal attraction, altruism, aggression, group processes, intergroup conflict.
Prerequisite: Psychology 100.
Taught: Each semester, 4 semester credits.
PSY 280 Brain And Behavior
Watson, Zhang
Content: An examination of how the brain controls and regulates behavior. Basic properties of neurons, neurotransmitters, and the basic anatomy of the nervous system. Emphasis on the brain's role in such functions as sensation, emotion, language, learning and memory, sexual behavior, sleep, and motivation. The biological bases of abnormal conditions, such as affective disorders, amnesia, learning disorders.
Prerequisite: Psychology 100. Not open to students with previous credit in Psychology 350.
Taught: Annually, 4 semester credits.
PSY 299 Independent Study
Staff
Content: Topics not covered in depth in other department courses, or facultysupervised research projects. Details determined by the student in conference with the supervising faculty member. First-year or sophomore level.
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
Taught: As needed, 1-4 semester credits.
PSY 300 Psychology Methodology
LaBounty, Nilsen
Content: Research methodologies and experimental design techniques applied to laboratory investigation of psychological phenomena. Data collected from laboratory studies analyzed statistically and reported in technical lab reports.
Prerequisites: Psychology 100 and 200.
Taught: Each semester, 4 semester credits.
PSY 310 Cognition
Nilsen
Content: Coverage of classical and contemporary research topics in cognition. Discussion of scientific methods used to investigate cognition. Emphasis on memory, reasoning, decision making, and cognitive science. Laboratory sections supplement lectures and readings with computer-based experiments and demonstrations.
Prerequisites: Psychology 100, 200, 220, and 300.
Taught: Annually, 4 semester credits.
PSY 311 Statistics II
B. Detweiler-Bedell
Content: Continuation of Psychology 200; emphasis on theory and experimental design. Variance, covariance, regression analyses, nonparametrics, and exploratory data analyses using the computer as a tool in psychological research (SPSS statistical analysis programs and PC/Mac packages).
Prerequisite: Psychology 100, 200, 300, or consent of instructor based on statistical experience.
Taught: Alternate years, 4 semester credits.
PSY 315 Perception
Staff
Content: How the anatomy and physiology of sensory systems interact with expectations and prior experiences to allow the brain to perceive the world in an extremely efficient manner. Discussion of scientific methods used to investigate perception. Emphasis on visual processing, but other senses also discussed. Laboratory sections supplement lectures and readings with computer-based experiments and demonstrations.
Prerequisite: Psychology 100, 200, 220, 280, 300, or consent of instructor.
Taught: Annually, 4 semester credits.
PSY 330 Adolescent And Adult Development
Davidson, LaBounty
Content: Emerging adulthood and adult development in areas including physiology, perception, cognition, personality, social behavior. How psychological processes evolve and change with age. Emphasis on late adolescence through late adulthood and death.
Prerequisite: Psychology 100, 200, 230, 300, or consent of instructor.
Taught: Annually, 4 semester credits.
PSY 340 Personality Theory
Schoeneman
Content: Theory and research about human nature, individuality, and the causes and meaning of important psychological differences among individuals. Major theories of personality including psychoanalytic, humanistic, trait, social learning, cognitive perspectives; current topics in personality research.
Prerequisite: Psychology 100, 200, 300, or consent of instructor.
Taught: Annually, 4 semester credits.
PSY 345 Overseas Internship
Davidson, J. Detweiler-Bedell, Schneider, Schoeneman
Content: Applied field learning experience and exposure to psychologically oriented occupations in Brisbane, Australia. Building human relations skills; becoming acquainted with important human service institutions and their social impact in an environment of socialized health and human services. Theoretical, cross-cultural, and practical frameworks for interventions.
Prerequisites: Psychology 100, 200, and 300; or Psychology 100 and consent of instructor. Concurrent enrollment in International Studies 240, taught in Australia or England, summers only, or occasionally during semester-long offcampus programs.
Taught: Annually, 4 semester credits. May be taken twice for credit if participating in two programs.
PSY 350 Physiological Psychology
Zhang
Content: The relationship between basic psychological processes and underlying functions of the nervous system. Biological bases of sensation, perception, motivation, emotion, learning, memory, psychopathology. Laboratory section supplementing lectures and readings with dissection of a sheep brain, computer simulations of neural processes, introduction to use of physiological monitoring equipment with humans.
Prerequisite: Psychology 100, 200, 280, 300, or consent of instructor.
Taught: Annually, 4 semester credits.
PSY 360 Psychology Of Gender
J. Detweiler-Bedell
Content: Theory and data in the psychological development of females, their attitudes, values, behaviors, and self-image. Alternative models for increasing gender role flexibility and allowing all humans to explore their full potential. Research methodology, changing roles, androgyny, gender schema, extent and validity of gender differences. Influence of culture, socialization, and individual differences on women and men. Relationship between the psychology of gender and principles of feminism.
Prerequisite: Psychology 100, 200, 300, or consent of instructor.
Taught: Annually, 4 semester credits.
PSY 370 Clinical Psychology
J. Detweiler-Bedell
Content: Overview of the science and practice of clinical psychology. Application of psychological science to psychotherapeutic interventions and clinical assessment. Major theories and techniques of therapeutic assessment and behavior change, including psychodynamic, humanistic, behavioral, cognitive-behavioral, family, group, and time-limited approaches, with emphasis on empirically validated treatments. Logic and methodology of psychotherapy process and outcome research. Ethical issues in therapy and assessment.
Prerequisite: Psychology 100, 200, 300; Psychology 240; or consent of instructor.
Taught: Alternate years, 4 semester credits.
PSY 375 Health Psychology
J. Detweiler-Bedell
Content: The interactions of psychology and health, including how thoughts, emotions, and behavior influence health and the effects of health on psychological well-being. Emphasis on how psychological, social, and biological factors interact with and determine the success people have in maintaining their health, getting medical treatment, coping with stress and pain, recovering from serious illness.
Prerequisite: Psychology 100, 200, 300, or consent of instructor.
Taught: Annually, 4 semester credits.
PSY 380 Drugs And Behavior
Zhang
Content: An introduction to the principles of psychopharmacology and the effects of psychoactive substances on behavior. The mechanisms of drug action with an emphasis on how drugs affect the brain. Discussion of the social and political aspects of drug abuse.
Prerequisite: Psychology 100, 200, 300, or consent of instructor.
Taught: Annually, 4 semester credits.
PSY 390 Cross-Cultural Psychology
Zhang
Content: Relations between culture and human behavior. Examination of topics in psychology from a multicultural, multiethnic perspective, with special emphasis on cultural influence on research methods, self-concept, communication, emotion, social behavior, development, and mental health. Cultural variation, how culture shapes human behavior, and psychological theories and practices in different cultures. Credit not available to students who take Psychology 190.
Prerequisite: Psychology 100, 200, 300, or consent of instructor.
Taught: Alternate years, 4 semester credits.
PSY 400 Advanced Topics In Psychology
Staff
Content: In-depth understanding of current issues and topics in psychology. Central theoretical, empirical, practical issues of each topic.
Prerequisites: Psychology 100, 200, 300, or consent of instructor. Psychology courses appropriate for the topic of study.
Taught: Annually, 4 semester credits. May be taken twice for credit if topics differ.
PSY 425 Human-Computer Interaction
Nilsen
Content: Broad survey of human-computer interaction (HCI). Project-based exploration of the processes for creating technologies that expand human capability (functionality) while adapting to the abilities of users (usability). HCI topics including cognition, perception, personality, learning, motivation, and social, developmental, abnormal, and educational psychology studied from a psychological perspective. Primary source materials from the fields of psychology, computer science, and allied disciplines.
Prerequisite: Psychology 100, 200, 300, or consent of instructor.
Taught: Annually, 4 semester credits.
PSY 440 Social Construction Of Madness
Schoeneman
Content: Scrutiny of historical and contemporary Western conceptions of madness. Theoretical position of social constructionism used to understand how professional taxonomies and public stereotypes of insanity are reflections of culture. Analysis of movies, fiction, poetry, drama.
Prerequisite: Psychology 100, 200, 240, 300, or consent of instructor.
Taught: Alternate years, 4 semester credits.
PSY 445 Psychology Internship
Davidson, J. Detweiler-Bedell, LaBounty, Schoeneman
Content: Applied field learning experience and exposure to psychologically oriented occupations. Building human relations skills; becoming acquainted with important human service institutions and their social impact. Theoretical and practical frameworks for intervention.
Prerequisites: Junior or senior standing. Psychology 100, 200, 300, or consent of instructor.
Taught: Each semester, 4 semester credits.
PSY 460 Community Psychology
J. Detweiler-Bedell
Content: Community agencies dealing with mental health, homelessness, child abuse, substance abuse, criminal justice, or AIDS. How agencies provide services to diverse populations, including the elderly, adolescents, children, gays, mentally ill, and others. The politics of funding. How grassroots organizations develop and change. Students evaluate how effectively a community agency or organization provides needed services to specific populations.
Prerequisite: Psychology 100, 200, 300, or consent of instructor.
Taught: Alternate years, 4 semester credits.
PSY 465 Advanced Topics In Social Psychology
B. Detweiler-Bedell
Content: Advanced undergraduate seminar examining current theoretical and empirical advances in social psychology. Extensive reading and discussion of primary sources focusing on three selected topics: social cognition, social influence, and group relations. Topics may include emotion, social judgment, the self, nonverbal communication, attitude change, advertising and marketing, stereotyping and prejudice, conflict resolution, interpersonal relationships, and group dynamics.
Prerequisite: Psychology 100, 200, 260, 300, or consent of instructor.
Taught: Alternate years, 4 semester credits.
PSY 490 Honors Thesis
Staff
Content: Independent research project suitable for the granting of departmental honors. Details determined by the student in conference with supervising faculty member and honors committee, then approved by department.
Prerequisite: Psychology 100, 200, 300, or consent of instructor.
Taught: Each semester, 4 semester credits.
PSY 499 Independent Study
Staff
Content: Same as Psychology 299 but requiring work at the junior or senior level.
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
Taught: As needed, 1-4 semester credits.