Faculty
Thomy H. Nilsson, Professor Emeritus
Philip B. Smith, Professor, Chair
Annabel J. Cohen, Professor
Catherine L. Ryan, Professor
Jason Doiron, Associate Professor
Scott Greer, Associate Professor
Stacey MacKinnon, Associate Professor
Colleen MacQuarrie, Associate Professor
Michael Arfken, Assistant Professor
Vickie A. Johnston, Lecturer
Major in Psychology
Bachelor of Science with a major in Psychology
Minor in Psychology
Honours in Psychology
Psychology courses
REQUIREMENTS FOR A MAJOR IN PSYCHOLOGY
Student may declare a major in Psychology at any time. Majors are expected to take four required courses, Psychology 101-102, Psychology 278, and Psychology 279, in their first two years. A formal review of each student's performance is conducted upon completion of the four core courses. Continuation of the program will be based upon a 70% average with no mark below 60% in the four core courses.
BACHELOR OF ARTS
Students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Psychology must take at least fourteen semester courses (42 semester hours). In selecting these 14 courses, students must satisfy the following course selection criteria:
Majors are required to take:
Psychology 101 - Introduction to Psychology - Part I
Psychology 102 - Introduction to Psychology - Part II
Psychology 278 - Statistics and Research Design I
Psychology 279 - Statistics and Research Design II
NOTE 1: Completion of Psychology 278-279 satisfies the Research Methods and Statistics area requirement.
NOTE 2: Criteria (3) and (4) may be met in the process of satisfying criterion (2). That is, a course may satisfy both an area and a level requirement.
NOTE 3: Other courses may satisfy an area requirement at the discretion of the Chair (e.g. Directed Studies courses).
NOTE 4: Other electives may be drawn from all other courses in Psychology including Directed Studies Courses (Psychology 431-432), cross-listed courses offered by other Departments, and summer session courses in Psychology.
NOTE 5: Psychology 480 and 490 are Honours Thesis courses and do not satisfy this requirement.
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Behavioral Neuroscience
212 Drugs and Behaviour
311 Physiological Psychology
312 Brain and Behaviour
313 Introduction to Neuropsychology
321 Learning and Motivation: Basic Processes
403 Issues in Developmental Psychopharmacology
Clinical and Applied
352 Abnormal Psychology
353 Childhood Psychological disorders
362 Ergonomics
393 Health Psychology
453 Human Services: Integrating Theory and Practice
461 Psychological Assessment
462 Psychotherapy
Critical and Historical Perspectives
301 ‘Psychology” from the Ancient to the Modern World
302 The Emergence of Modern Psychology
333 Ecopsychology
391 Psychology of Women
392 Men's Experience
435 Gender and Sexuality
436 Media, Sex and Power
463 Critical Issues for Contemporary Psychology
Developmental
201 Developmental Psychology — General
303 Psychology of Aging
305 Adolescent Development and Adjustment
308 Child Development
309 Adult Development
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Humanistic, Personality and Social
222 Psychology of Personal Experience
242 Introduction to Social Psychology
291 Contemporary Psychoanalytic Thought
331 Creativity
342 Intimate Relationships
351 Theories of Personality
441 Holistic Psychology - Part I
442 Holistic Psychology - Part II
Perception and Cognition
211 Sensation and Perception
361 Vision
363 Touch, Taste, Smell, Hear
381 Human Learning and Memory
382 Cognitive Psychology
383 Psycholinguistics
412 Music Cognition
Research Methods and Statistics
271 Statistics for the Behavioural Sciences I
278 Statistics and Research Design I
279 Statistics and Research Design II
322 Advanced Research Methods in Social Psychology
371 Advanced Statistics
374 Qualitative Research Methods
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BACHELOR OF SCIENCE
Students pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Psychology will complete the Psychology course requirements as described above for the Bachelor of Arts degree. Students seeking a BSc will also be required to complete a minimum of eight semester courses (24 semester hours) of course work in the Faculty of Science. Credit in each of the following courses is required:
Prerequisites
The Psychology Department strongly recommends that English 101 be completed before taking 300 and 400 level Psychology courses. Psychology 101 and 102 are prerequisites for all other courses offered by the Department. Psychology 278 or equivalent and 279 are prerequisites for all 300-400 level courses in Psychology except where extra-departmental requirements are accepted (e.g. Psychology 362). Under exceptional circumstances, Third and Fourth Year students not majoring in Psychology may apply to the course instructor for a waiver of these prerequisites to 300-400 level courses. Prospective majors are expected to take Psychology 278 and 279 during their second year since these courses are required for entrance into the majors program. Courses not specifically listed as "Both semesters" are generally offered during only one semester of each year. Check the timetable to be certain.
Faculty Advisor
Each Psychology major will be assigned a professor to serve as his/her Faculty Advisor. Your Advisor can help make you familiar with the Psychology program and offer assistance in course selection and career planning. Your Advisor will also be a person who will become familiar with you and your interests on an ongoing basis. It is recommended that you consult regularly with your Faculty Advisor to develop a course of study that will best prepare you for your future career plans.
Related Courses of Study
The Psychology Department also encourages its majors to take a wide variety of electives in the Sciences, Social Sciences and Humanities, in recognition of the value of a general education. Specific areas of study recommended because they both broaden the student's basis of knowledge and relate particularly well to the discipline of Psychology include Sociology & Anthropology (because Psychology is a social science), Biology (because Psychology is also a biological science), and Philosophy (because the roots of the discipline are in philosophy and because contemporary psychological issues continue to reflect philosophical issues). Specific electives are, of course, a matter of the student's choice but we encourage serious consideration of the above mentioned suggestions. Those who wish further guidance should consult with their Faculty Advisor.
REQUIREMENTS FOR A MINOR IN PSYCHOLOGY
Students may declare a minor in Psychology at any time. Minors complete the following core courses, preferably in their first two years: Psychology 101-102 (Introduction to Psychology I and II) and either Psychology 278-279 (Statistics and Research Design I and II) or Psychology 251 (Thinking Critically About Psychological Research). A formal review of each student’s performance is conducted upon completion of the core courses. Continuation in the program requires a 70% average in the core courses with no mark below 60% in the core courses.
Students considering whether to take 278-279 or 251 are advised that many upper-level courses are open only to students who have completed 278-279. Students planning a minor, but wanting the option to change from a minor to a major in Psychology within the same degree, are advised that the major requires 278-279, and that 251 does not count as one of the 14 Psychology courses required for a major(but would count as a non-Psychology elective for someone who becomes a major).
Students completing a minor in Psychology complete at least seven Psychology courses, including the core courses, and including at least one course at the 300- or 400-level.
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REQUIREMENTS FOR HONOURS IN PSYCHOLOGY
Course Requirements
Eighteen (18) semester courses (54 semester hours) in Psychology which must include Psychology 101-102, Psychology 278-279, Psychology 480 (Honours Literature Review) and Psychology 490 (Honours Thesis). Students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree with Honours in Psychology must complete all of the requirements for a BA with a major in Psychology. Students pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree with Honours in Psychology must complete all of the requirements for a BSc with a major in Psychology. To graduate with an Honours degree requires a total of 42 semester courses (126 semester hours).
The Honours Thesis
The Honours Thesis will consist of a paper written in the format specified by the Canadian Psychological Association. The thesis will most typically report a small research project, but other alternatives include: (a) a review paper that includes an original theoretical overview of the topic, or (b) a critique of the theory, research, or practice of psychology. The thesis is evaluated by a committee of at least three faculty members including the student's supervisor. There is an oral defence of the thesis. The deadlines for Honours applications are September 1, January 3, and May 1 annually.
Admission Requirements
Students will be expected to have selected an area of study, and to provide a preliminary proposal for an Honours Thesis before proceeding with the formal application process. Admission to the program will be competitive, and because the demand for the program will likely exceed the resources, not all applicants who meet the formal requirements will be accepted. The completed Honours application should be submitted to the prospective Honours Thesis supervisor, who will then submit it to the Department for review.
Other information about the Honours Program
Because of the extra course requirements and the extra time consumed by the process of producing an Honours Thesis, early planning is important. Students may be required to pay part or all of the expenses to produce the Honours Thesis. The Department of Psychology intends to provide some financial support for students, but the amount will depend on (a) the funding the Department receives, and (b) the number of students in the program.
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100S INTRODUCTORY PSYCHOLOGY
A general introductory survey of theory and research on basic psychological processes (research methodology in psychology, biological basis of behaviour, sensation and perception, learning and motivation, memory and cognition) and the application of these processes to the individual in a social context, including developmental psychology, personality theory and testing, emotion, personal adjustment and problems in living, therapies, and social psychology.
Six semester-hours
NOTE: This course is equivalent to 101-102 offered during the regular academic year.
101 INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY: Part I
A general introductory survey of theory and research on basic psychological processes: research methodology in psychology, biological basis of behaviour, sensation and perception, learning and motivation, memory and cognition.
Three hours a week lecture
102 INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY: Part II
An introduction to psychological theory in the form of application of the basic processes (Psychology 101) to the individual in a social context. Areas include developmental psychology, personality theory and testing, emotion, personal adjustment and problems in living, therapies, and social psychology.
PREREQUISITE: Psychology 101
Three hours a week.
201 DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY (offered in both semesters)
This survey course examines human development across the life span through physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional domains. The course includes discussions surrounding applications of developmental theory in various contexts, including public policy, education, counselling, and health domains. Lectures, in-class assignments, and research papers are designed to encourage students to evaluate developmental change critically and to apply their knowledge to their communities.
PREREQUISITE: Psychology 101-102
Three hours a week.
Note: Credit will not be allowed for Psychology 201 if a student has already received credit for Family Sciences 341.
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211 SENSATION AND PERCEPTION
This course explains how we become aware of the world around us through the senses of vision, audition, touch, taste, and smell. Starting with various physical events, it proceeds to the conversion of these events into neural impulses, which carry information to the brain. It examines how that information is organized by our neural system to produce various sensory attributes such as objects/colour, sound/speech, texture/pain, flavour, and odor. Principles and theories of how the basic attributes are combined to produce the conscious experiences in our mind are addressed.
PREREQUISITE: Psychology 101-102
Three hours a week.
212 DRUGS AND BEHAVIOUR
This introduction to psychopharmacology examines drugs which act on the nervous system and their subsequent impact on behaviour. Topics include basic neurophysiology and mechanisms of drug addiction, tolerance and withdrawal. Discussion focuses on the effects and underlying mechanisms of several drug types including antidepressants, antipsychotics, alcohol, cocaine, hallucinogens, nicotine, and caffeine.
PREREQUISITE: Psychology 101-102
Three hours a week.
222 PSYCHOLOGY OF PERSONAL EXPERIENCE (offered in both semesters)
This course introduces students to the basic concepts and ideas in Humanistic and Existential psychologies, and involves applying and integrating psychological theory to personal experience. Students learn about theorists such as Jung, Rogers, Maslow, May, and Frankl, and the ways in which meaning, purpose, choice, and consciousness are fundamental to existence. The development of humanistic psychology from phenomenological and existential approaches is considered, and the differences from experimental psychologies are discussed. As ways of comprehending our lives, themes of personal (‘self’) and interpersonal (‘self-in-relation’) experience will be explored within a larger sociocultural context. Topics may include: being/becoming, intentionality, authenticity, values, growth, agency, identity, anxiety, and transcendent experience. Since this course focuses on finding ways for students to apply psychological insights to their every day lives, experiential learning, personal reflection and class discussion will be emphasized. Active class participation is therefore essential for this course, and may involve journals, small group work, written responses to the readings, or other opportunities for personal reflection, both inside and outside of class.
PREREQUISITE: Psychology 101-102
Three hours a week.
232 SPECIAL TOPICS
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242 INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY (offered in both semesters)
This course focuses on the ways in which an individual's thoughts, feelings, and actions are influenced by the social environment. It provides an introduction to major theories, principles, methods and findings of the discipline. Topics include social perception and cognition, attitudes and attitude change, gender, attraction, aggression, helping, conformity, obedience, group interaction, and cultural influences. Through a variety of assignments students are encouraged to attend to the operation of social psychological principles in daily living. The course includes both lectures and participation in group experiences.
Cross-listed with Sociology (cf. Sociology 282).
PREREQUISITE: Psychology 101-102 and/or Sociology 101-102
Three hours a week.
251 THINKING CRITICALLY ABOUT PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH
Designed for non-Psychology majors, this course develops their abilities as consumers of psychological research. Students learn about paradigms of research and knowledge, consider key assumptions in both quantitative and qualitative research, and explore how quantitative and qualitative perspectives influence the construction of knowledge. Students apply critical thinking strategies within the context of psychological research and develop skills to evaluate claims made about psychological phenomena in the popular media and professional literature. Concepts explored include understanding and prediction, description and inference, biases in research conduct and communication, representativeness, evaluating testimonials, correlation and causation, multiple causation, operational definitions, placebo effects, experimental control, and probability.
PREREQUISITES: Psychology 101-102. This course is not open to students who already have earned credit for Psychology 278 or 279, or who are currently enrolled in Psychology 278 or 279.
NOTE: This course cannot be counted as one of the 14 courses required to earn a major in Psychology.
271 STATISTICS FOR THE BEHAVIOURAL SCIENCES I (offered first semester)
This course is an introduction to applied statistics as used by behavioural scientists in measurement, data, analysis, and design of experiments. This course stresses both an understanding of the rationale governing the selection of appropriate designs or techniques as well as practical experience in calculation. Topics include: scaling, measures of central tendency and variability, probability, statistical inference and hypothesis testing, means test (z and t), correlational techniques, chi-square and other non-parametric techniques, and analysis of variance.
PREREQUISITE: Psychology 101-102 and enrolment in the School of Nursing, or permission of instructor.
Three hours a week
278 STATISTICS AND RESEARCH DESIGN I (offered in first semester)
The first in a two-part series, this course considers paradigms of knowledge and research, introducing students to skills in interpreting and applying descriptive statistics and in basic quantitative and qualitative research design. Students learn how to find and evaluate reports of psychological research. Statistical concepts and applications addressed include frequency tables, graphs, measures of central tendency and variability, z scores, correlation, and probability. Students explore research methods of interviews, observation, and questionnaires. Ethical issues in research are introduced. Laboratory and field projects introduce students to SPSS and to research methodologies.
PREREQUISITE: Psychology 101-102
Three hours a week class; one hour a week laboratory
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279 STATISTICS AND RESEARCH DESIGN II (offered second semester)
Building on Psychology 278, this course further explores paradigms of knowledge and research, introducing students to skills in interpreting and applying inferential statistics and in research design. Students learn about framing research questions and developing hypotheses. Statistical concepts and applications include significance, confidence intervals, regression, t tests, analysis of variance, and chi square. Students consider research methods in quasi-experimental and experimental design. Approaches to collecting and analyzing data from qualitative designs are investigated. Students develop skills in written and oral presentation of research, and ethical issues are further explored. Laboratory and field projects further apply SPSS and various research methodologies.
PREREQUISITE: Psychology 101-102, 278 with a minimum grade of 60% required.
Three hours a week class; one hour a week laboratory
291 CONTEMPORARY PSYCHOANALYTIC THOUGHT
This course is devoted to exploring the work of Sigmund Freud, with special attention paid to his theory of mind and its emphasis on the unconscious and sexuality. We also consider some of Freud’s case studies, his emphasis on narrative, his controversial theory of women, and an overview of his considerable legacy in psychology, psychiatry, and Western culture, including some examples of his reception in music, film, and art.
PREREQUISITES: Psychology 101 and 102
301 'PSYCHOLOGY' FROM THE ANCIENT TO THE MODERN WORLD
Students begin by considering the question "What is history?" and the issues of historiography. Special attention is paid to the early Greek philosophers and the foundational ideas of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. The emphasis on a ‘soul' by early Christian writers is examined, and various philosophies of mind from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries are discussed. Emphasis is placed on the social and political context in the construction of knowledge, and an appreciation of this context is fostered through the reading of original texts.
PREREQUISITE: Psychology 101-102, 278-279, or 251
Three hours a week.
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302 THE EMERGENCE OF MODERN PSYCHOLOGY
This course begins with Darwin and the ‘naturalization' of the mind. The focus for the course is the founding of psychology as a separate discipline, and how earlier developments in philosophy and experimental science led to the emergence of the field. The origins of psychology in North America are contrasted with the development of German psychology, and the impact of the different social and cultural contexts is explored. Students examine twentieth century psychology, including the social and historical construction of ‘normal' and ‘abnormal,' the role of psychological testing in the professionalization of psychology, and a summary of the field's major systems of thought.
PREREQUISITE: Psychology 101-102, 278-279, or 251; Psychology 301 is strongly recommended.
Three hours a week.
303 PSYCHOLOGY OF AGING
This course is designed to examine the psychology of aging from a variety of perspectives, theories, and research themes applicable to the later part of adulthood. Situating the psychology of aging within the broader discipline of gerontological studies, this course examines historical and current conceptions of aging along with contemporary research topics ranging across the physical to the psycho-social domains of aging. Lectures, in-class assignments, and research projects are designed to engage students in a critical analysis of gerontological concepts, research directions, and practices.
PREREQUISITE: Psychology 101-102, 201, 278-279, or 251or permission of the instructor.
Three hours a week.
305 ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT AND ADJUSTMENT
This course examines both the research and theoretical perspectives in areas that are integral to an understanding of the period of adolescence and of adolescents themselves. We address the following areas: puberty and psychobiology; the development of cognition and social cognition; the formation of identity, including career options, and the development of sexuality and a system of values, factors that influence the formation of identity, such as the family, the peer group, and the media, the school experience; and issues in adolescent development such as some aspects of psychopathology, juvenile justice, and the problems encountered by indigenous youth.
PREREQUISITE: Psychology 101-102, 278-279, or 251
Three hours a week.
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308 CHILD DEVELOPMENT
This course explores children’s development in depth by focussing on the various domains of change from birth to adolescence. Themes of change and stability throughout childhood are examined using analytical and descriptive theories of development. Implications of developmental approaches are examined for practice and public policy domains. Lectures, in-class assignments, and research projects are designed to encourage students to assess critically these developmental changes and to apply that understanding to other contexts.
PREREQUISITE: Psychology 201, 278-279, or 251
Three hours a week.
Note: Students who have taken either 304 or 341 will not be eligible to enroll in 308 without the instructor’s permission.
309 ADULT DEVELOPMENT
The purpose of this course is to better understand adult development by focussing on themes of change and stability from young adulthood through to older adulthood. Students use analytical and descriptive theories of adult development to explore how adults negotiate physical, cognitive, social, and emotional aspects of development. Lectures, in-class assignments, and research projects are designed to encourage students to evaluate critically the contemporary research in adult development and to apply their understanding of adult development to a wide array of contexts and policy environments.
PREREQUISITE: Psychology 201, 278-279, or 251
Three hours a week.
311 PHYSIOLOGICAL PSYCHOLOGY
This course focuses on the nervous system as the basis of all experience and behaviour. It examines how a biological perspective of the brain developed, how neuroanatomy defines brain function, how neurons transmit information, how body movement is controlled, and how touch, pain, sleep and arousal work.
PREREQUISITE: Psychology 101-102, 212, 278-279 or Biology 204; or permission of instructor (Biology 131 or 102 is recommended but not essential). “Students who do not have Psychology 278-279 but do have equivalent statistics research methods courses may enrol with permission of the instructor.”
Three hours a week, two hours laboratory a week.
312 BRAIN AND BEHAVIOUR
This course builds on Psychology 311 to explore how far human behaviour can be explained in terms of brain physiology. Topics include: the operation of basic motivational mechanisms that regulate breathing, temperature, hunger and thirst; arousal, sleep and sexual behaviour; emotion, brain pathology and mental disorder; learning and memory.
PREREQUISITE: Psychology 101-102, 278-279, 311 or Biology 221; or permission of instructor.
Three hours a week class, two hour laboratory a week.
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313 INTRODUCTION TO NEUROPSYCHOLOGY
This course explores current concepts of the function of the human forebrain as revealed through cortical damage and degenerative diseases. The course addresses basic principles of cortical organization and function and how these relate to issues of localization of function, hemispheric dominance, and sex differences in brain and behaviour. These principles are then applied to discussions of the cause and diagnosis of specific language, memory, and sensory dysfunctions resulting from developmental disorders, head trauma, and degenerative diseases.
PREREQUISITE: Psychology 101-102, 212 or 311, 278-279 or permission of instructor. “Students who do not have Psychology 278-279 but do have equivalent statistics research methods courses may enrol with permission of the instructor.”
Three hours a week class, two hours a week laboratory.
321 LEARNING AND MOTIVATION: BASIC PROCESSES
This course provides a survey of learning theories presented by Thorndike, Pavlov, Hull, Skinner and others. It will concentrate on some of the controversial issues between the S-R and cognitive approaches, and explore some of the findings relating to the fundamental principles of learning, motivation, reinforcement, incentives, effects of punishment and the problem of generalization and discrimination in learning. The applicability of some of the basic principles discovered in the animal laboratory to the everyday behaviour of people will also be examined.
PREREQUISITE: Psychology 101-102, 278-279. “Students who do not have Psychology 278-279 but do have equivalent statistics research methods courses may enrol with permission of the instructor.”
Three hours a week class, two hour laboratory.
322 ADVANCED RESEARCH METHODS IN SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY
This seminar course is designed to expand your knowledge concerning advanced research methods used in social psychology. In this course, students will think critically about experimental research methods in social psychology and acquire hands-on experience designing and conducting social psychological research in collaboration with others (specific topics will vary from year to year). In addition, students will develop their skills in orally presenting research proposals/results and extend their skills in writing APA format research papers.
PREREQUISITES: PSY 101, 102, 278-279, & 242 (permission of the instructor is required, enrolment is limited).
Three hours a week
331 CREATIVITY
This course examines the nature of creativity as viewed from the psychoanalytic, cognitive problem solving, and humanistic existential perspectives. Topics include personality correlates of creative people, criteria and methods for judging creativity, the creative process, and the facilitation of creative potential. Small group participation is required.
PREREQUISITE: Psychology 101-102, 278-279, or 251
Three hours a week.
332 SPECIAL TOPICS
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333 ECOPSYCHOLOGY
This seminar-style course examines the important role of the human relationship with nature in order to better understand psychological experience and ecological issues. It explores a variety of factors that may contribute to human disconnection from nature (such as technology, consumerism, psychological views of health and of the self) and ways of developing more sustainable relationships and deepening personal connections with nature (such as direct experience in nature, environmental restoration and activism, nature-based worldviews and psychotherapies, and systems theory). Some "field work" is required.
PREREQUISITE: Psychology 101, 102, 278-279, or 251or permission of the instructor. Other well-qualified students with backgrounds in subjects related to environmental studies are invited to seek permission of the instructor.
Three hours a week seminar, one hour a week laboratory.
342 INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS
This course is designed to examine a variety of areas of study within the field of intimate relationships. Through in-class discussion of the major theoretical frameworks of the discipline and by designing their own original relationship research proposals, students will gain an increased understanding of the multifaceted nature of intimate relationships. Topics to be covered include but are not limited to: attraction, social cognition, interdependency, conflict, and love.
PREREQUISITES: Psychology 101-102, 242, or 278-279, or 251
351 THEORIES OF PERSONALITY
The purpose of the course is to survey, compare and evaluate different approaches to the study of personality. Relevant personality theory and research will be reviewed within a broad framework including the perspectives of the psychodynamic, behaviour theory, cognitive, and humanistic approaches. The processes of personality organization and disorganization will be examined from different theoretical perspectives. The emphasis will be placed on current personality theory and its relevance to the student as a person as well as its relevance to other psychological theories.
PREREQUISITE: Psychology 101-102, 278-279, or 251
Three hours a week.
352 ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY
A critical review of theories and research in psychopathology and psychotherapy. Special emphasis will be placed on a discussion of what constitutes abnormality and normality, and on the various models of deviance developed by the psychoanalytic, learning, existential-phenomenological and social-interpersonal approaches. Attention will be directed to a study of how these models are generated and the social consequences of designating an individual deviant.
PREREQUISITE: Psychology 101-102, 278-279, or 251
Three hours a week.
353 CHILDHOOD PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS
This course examines developmental, behavioural, emotional, and social disorders in childhood. Those considered include autism, mental disability, conduct disorders, childhood depression, fears and anxieties, problems in social relationships, and health-related problems. Students explore the implications of various models for understanding the definitions, origins, and treatments of disorders.
PREREQUISITE: Psychology 101-102, 201, 278-279, or 251, 352
Three hours a week.
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361 VISION
This course explains how we see the world around us. It considers principles and theories of how visual information is processed, how this information is combined to produce conscious visual images, and the neural correlates of these experiences. Starting with the properties of light and the optics of the eye, the course proceeds to the conversion of light into neural impulses, which carry information to the brain. It examines how that information is organized to produce sensations of brightness, colour, shape and motion. In addition, the examination of more advance topics will be included (e.g., visual attention, visual object recognition, visual development, and face perception).
PREREQUISITE: Psychology 101-102, 278-279 or permission of instructor. Psychology 211 and Psychology 311 recommended.
Three hours a week
362 ERGONOMICS
This course in applied psychology explains how to take into account human abilities and requirements in regard to tasks, equipment, facilities, and environment with an emphasis on improving satisfaction, performance, efficiency, and safety. Included for study are examples of jobs, tools, information, and buildings. An individually-designed project provides an opportunity for students to apply ergonomic principles.
PREREQUISITE: Psychology 101-102, 278-279 or Engineering 121 or permission of instructor.
Three hours a week.
363 TOUCH, TASTE, SMELL, HEAR
Everything we know and can learn about the world and society is brought to our awareness by the sensory systems . This course examines the basic human senses. Touch seeks to provide direct contact with the world. Our ability to sense chemicals in the food we eat and the air we breathe is converted into interpretations with strong emotional contexts. Vibrations in air that produce sensory movements no wider than an atom enable us to detect events out of sight and to communicate verbally and produce sensory movements no wider than an atom enable us to detect events out of sight and to communicate verbally and musically. This course examines the neural principles of each of our sensory systems, all of which turn out to be surprisingly similar.
PREREQUISITE: Psychology 101-102, 211, 278-279 or permission of instructor.
Three hours a week
371 ADVANCED STATISTICS
A more advanced course in applied statistics as used by behavioural scientists in designing and analyzing experiments and field studies. The major concentration of the course is analysis of variance and linear regression. In addition students are introduced to a variety of topics in multivariate statistics, including multiple regression and correlation, discriminant analysis, Hotelling's T² and multivariate analysis of variance.
PREREQUISITE: Psychology 101-102, 278-279. Students majoring in areas other than psychology may enroll provided they have completed an introductory statistics course. Three hours a week, two hours laboratory a week.
NOTE: Psychology 371 and Mathematics 312 may not be double credited without the permission of the Dean and the Chair of the Department in which the second credit is being sought.
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374 QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS
The purpose of this course is to help students gain a theoretical, practical and critical understanding of qualitative research methodology, and to teach skills for the execution of research projects based upon qualitative data. Qualitative research is research that focuses upon understanding, rather than predicting or controlling phenomena. Nine different paradigms of qualitative research methodology, their implications, and applications, are examined in this course. These paradigms are: data display, grounded theory, phenomenology, ethnography, psychobiography and historiography, psychoanalytic approaches, narrative psychology, hermeneutics and textual deconstruction, and social constructivism. Political and ethical issues are also highlighted in order to problematize and promote more critically informed inquiry.
Cross-listed with Women's Studies (cf. Women's Studies 374)
PREREQUISITE: Psychology 101-102, 278-279 Note: For Women's Studies students: WS 101 or 102, and at least one other WS course at the 200 level or above, or permission of the instructor.
Lecture/Tutorial: three hours a week.
381 HUMAN LEARNING AND MEMORY
This course provides a survey of contemporary approaches to the problem of human learning and memory. It involves an examination of theories and research relating to the structure and content of human memory, information encoding, and retrieval processes. A variety of related topics including mental imagery, mnemonics, the structure of intelligence tests, and the effects of drugs on memory may also be included. Laboratory exercises will involve work with human subjects.
PREREQUISITE: Psychology 101-102, 278-279. “Students who do not have Psychology 278-279 but do have equivalent statistics research methods courses may enrol with permission of the instructor.”
Three hours a week class, two hours a week laboratory.
382 COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
This course examines recent developments in cognitive psychology with special emphasis on the study of thinking, problem solving and decision making. Its topics include theories and research in inductive and deductive reasoning, information processing approaches to thinking and problem solving, and the implications of the cognitive perspective for our understanding of intelligence, creativity and mental development. A lab will provide students with the opportunity to perform problem solving demonstrations, test representative phenomena, analyze their own data, and examine the results in terms of current theories.
PREREQUISITE: Psychology 101-102, 278-279, or 251
Three hours a week class, two hours a week laboratory.
383 PSYCHOLINGUISTICS
This course reviews the psychology of language from the perspectives of sensation, perception, cognition, and interpersonal processes. Topics include the nature of speech production and perception, the nature of grammatical and lexical knowledge, semantics and pragmatics, language acquisition, the social bases of human communication, and computer systems for language understanding.
PREREQUISITE: Psychology 101-102, 278-279 or permission of instructor.
Three hours a week class, one hour a week laboratory.
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391 PSYCHOLOGY OF WOMEN
This course will focus on women's development throughout the life span. Topics will include: views of the nature of women, biological influences, the socialization process and its consequences at the individual, interpersonal relationship, and societal levels, as well as recent alternative views of the psychology of women.
Cross-listed with Women's Studies (cf. Women's Studies 391).
PREREQUISITE: When taken as a Psychology credit, Psychology 101-102, 278-279, or 251 OR permission of the instructor. When taken as a Women’s Studies credit, WST 101 or 102, at least one other WST course at 200 level or above, or permission of the instructor.
Three hours a week.
393 HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY
This course examines how psychological, social, and biological factors interact to influence health and illness. Students explore the systematic application of psychology to health promotion and maintenance, illness prevention and treatment, the determinants of health and illness, health care systems, and health policy.
PREREQUISITE: Psychology 101-102, 278-279, or 251
Three hours a week.
403 ISSUES IN DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY (offered in alternating years)
This is an advanced course in drugs and behaviour focusing primarily on issues of developmental differences in drug action and drug effects. Because many drug effects are determined by the maturity of the brain, some time is spent on developmental aspects of neuroanatomy and neurophysiology. A large part of the course focuses on factors which determine, or contribute to, developmental deficits/effects consequent to early (pre- and perinatal) drug exposure. Within this developmental framework, current pharmacological models, and debates surrounding pharmacological-based causes and treatments of disorders, such as hyperactivity and Alzheimer's disease, are discussed.
PREREQUISITE: Psychology 101-102, 212, 278-279 and permission of instructor. “Students who do not have Psychology 278-279 but do have equivalent statistics research methods courses may enrol with permission of the instructor.”
Three hours a week.
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412 MUSIC COGNITION
This course focuses on the mental processes underlying music perception, performance and composition. Following a discussion of basic hearing mechanisms, students examine research on perception of musical elements (e.g., tone, interval, triad, harmony and rhythm) and then proceed to broader issues (e.g., musical memory, meaning, aesthetics and intelligence). Music cognition is also compared to other kinds of cognition. Students conduct experimental research.
NOTE: While students with musical background would be especially interested in this course, there is no need for prior formal training or knowledge of music.
Cross-listed with Music (cf. Music 412)
PREREQUISITE: Psychology 101-102, 278-279 or permission of instructor.
Three hours a week class, one hour a week laboratory.
431 DIRECTED STUDIES
These courses may take at least two different forms: (1) Directed Readings in Psychology, (2) Directed Research in Psychology.
PREREQUISITE: Psychology 101-102, 278-279 and permission of instructor.
Three hours a week.
Directed Readings is a course of supervised readings for individual students on advanced or specialized topics. Selected topics in the student's area of interest are submitted to and discussed with a faculty member. Reading will involve critical evaluation of the literature. Students will be evaluated on the basis of either oral or written performance.
Directed Research provides an opportunity for students, with the help of a faculty supervisor, to design and carry out research in Psychology. Students will be expected to write up their study according to the accepted format for publication. This course is recommended for students who intend to do post-graduate work in Psychology.
NOTE: Students should meet with a professor in the Psychology Department well in advance of registration to discuss the nature, design and content of the course. No one will be allowed to register for the course unless he/she has made arrangements with a professor in the Department. In accordance with present Senate regulations, no student shall take a total of more than 12 semester hours of Directed Studies courses in any one Department. (See Academic Regulation 9 for Regulations Governing Directed Studies.)
432 SPECIAL TOPICS
Special Topics are courses offered by individual members of the Psychology faculty, or visiting instructors, which provide advanced instruction in specialized areas of study, and supplement the general program of courses in Psychology.
PREREQUISITE: Psychology 101-102, 278-279 and permission of instructor.
Students may receive repeated credit for 432 so long as the course topic varies.
Three hours a week
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435 GENDER AND SEXUALITY
This course provides a critical examination of gender and sexuality. It explores the individual, interpersonal, and societal constructions of gender and sexuality within varying biological, cultural, and historical contexts; and uses psychological theory and research to analyze experiences and representations of gender and sexuality.
Cross-listed with Women's Studies (cf. Women's Studies 435)
PREREQUISITE: When taken as a Psychology credit, Psychology 101-102, 242, 278-279, one of 301, 302, 391, or 392, OR permission of the instructor. When taken as a Women’s Studies credit, WST 101 or 102, at least two other WST courses, at least one of which is at 300 level or above, OR permission of the instructor.
Three hours a week seminar.
436 MEDIA, SEX AND POWER
In late capitalist societies, popular media have become important vehicles for the production and circulation of shared knowledges and experiences about gender, sexualities, race and class. This process is instrumental in the construction of power relations organized around these categories. This series of seminars explores the role of the media in the social construction of these power relations, using the framework offered by critical psychology. Various forms of media are used in the exploration of the social construction of power relations: body-building magazines, film, magazine problem pages, day-time talk shows, fanzines and e-zines, teen-drama, public health campaigns, advertisements in women’s and men’s magazines, the internet, and pornography.
PREREQUISITES: When this course is taken for credit towards a Major in Psychology, the prerequisites are: Psychology 101; Psychology 102; Psychology 278, Psychology 279, Psychology 301 or Psychology 302 or Psychology 391 or Psychology 392; Psychology 374; OR permission of the Instructor.
When this course is taken for credit towards a Major in Women’s Studies, the prerequisites are: WST 101 OR WST 102, and at least TWO other Women’s Studies course, at least one of which is 300 level or above, OR permission of the Instructor.
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441 HOLISTIC PSYCHOLOGY -- Part I
This is an inquiry into a psychology of the wholeness of the person. This part of the course is an attempt to understand the personal world through a critical examination of the problems of becoming a person in our time. The approach to be taken is problem-centred with the person as a focal point. Each student is encouraged to formulate questions by which his/her inquiry will be guided. Extensive reading lists on humanistic themes will be provided. Possible topics include alienation, values, meanings, and identity.
PREREQUISITE: Psychology 101-102, 222, 278-279, or 251 or permission of instructor; enrolment is limited.
Three hour block.
442 HOLISTIC PSYCHOLOGY -- Part II
In this second half of the course, the emphasis will be placed on integration of various viewpoints in psychology and related disciplines. A search of perspective and insights through readings, dialogue and group discussion. Some recurrent topics will be: symbolic processes, creativity, psychology of science, the meeting of Eastern and Western psychologies.
PREREQUISITE: Psychology 101-102, 222, 278-279, or 251, 441 or permission of instructor.
Enrolment is limited.
Three hour block.
453 HUMAN SERVICES: INTEGRATING THEORY AND PRACTICE
This course focuses on the connections between theories about human behaviour, cognition, and emotion, and the experience of clients and workers in human service settings. Students participate in service provision at an assigned agency and independently study and write about theoretical perspectives in psychology relevant to their field placement. Discussions include ethical issues in human services.
PREREQUISITE: Psychology 101-102, 278-279, or 251 and permission of instructor.
One hour a week class, three to four hours field placement.
461 PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT
This course provides an introduction to the theory and practice of psychological assessment with an emphasis on psychometric issues. The major approaches within the process are examined within multiple contexts such as clinical, school, and forensic settings. Students also gain experience in the application of fundamental assessment-related skills such as active listening, interviewing, and test administration.
PREREQUISITE: Psychology 101-102, 278-279, 352, and permission of the instructor.
Three hours a week.
462 PSYCHOTHERAPY
This course provides an introduction to the theory and practice of psychological treatment of mental health problems. In addition to learning about the dominant contemporary approaches to psychotherapy, students will be expected to continue to build on the fundamental skills introduced in Psychology 461 as they relate to psychotherapy.
PREREQUISITE: Psychology 101-102, 278-279, 352, 461 and permission of instructor.
Three hours a week.
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463 CRITICAL ISSUES FOR CONTEMPORARY PSYCHOLOGY
This course focuses on the way the major systems of psychology engage in explanation and description. Students review psychology's main theoretical systems, including psychoanalysis, behaviorism, cognitive psychology, and humanistic psychology, and then examine specific critical issues within the field. Topics may include consciousness, emotion, the self, psychotherapy, neuroscience, gender, sexuality, and postmodernism.
PREREQUISITE: Psychology 101-102, 278-279, or 251. Psychology 301 and 302 are recommended.
Three hours a week.
480 HONOURS LITERATURE REVIEW
Under the supervisor's direction, the student seeks out and studies reports of previous research and theoretical essays that relate to the conducting of a research project for an Honours degree in Psychology. Evaluation is based on the student's written review of the literature.
PREREQUISITE: Acceptance into the Psychology Honours Program.
Six semester hours of credit.
490 HONOURS THESIS
This is a course that offers selected students the opportunity to conduct a research project and to write a thesis on that subject under the direction of a faculty supervisor. The topic of this project is established through consultation with one or more faculty members who have agreed to supervise the student in pursuing an Honours degree. The thesis is to be written in the professional format specified by the Canadian Psychological Association. The thesis is evaluated by a committee of at least three faculty members including the student's supervisor.
PREREQUISITE: Psychology 480.
Six semester hours of credit.
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