Psychological & Brain Sciences

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  • CAS PS 101: General Psychology
    Basic introduction to field of psychology; topics include theories and findings governing learning, memory, perception, development, personality, social and abnormal psychology. Three hours large lecture and one hour discussion section or three hours of small lecture class with no discussion sections. Students are required to participate as subjects in psychology studies. 4 cr. either sem. Carries social science divisional credit in CAS. This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
    • Social Inquiry I
    • Critical Thinking
  • CAS PS 211: Introduction to Experimental Design
    Introduction to the logic and processes involved in descriptive and inferential statistics for psychology. Topics include statistical inference, significance, t-tests, ANOVAs, correlation, regression, and statistical software analysis. This is a hybrid class - class time is reserved for hands on activities. This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning I.
    • Scientific Inquiry II
    • Quantitative Reasoning I
  • CAS PS 212: Introduction to MATLAB Programming for Research in Psychological & Brain Sciences
    Teaches computer programming concepts, core statistical concepts, and related skills via MATLAB. Programming examples that cover four steps of neuroscience research (experiment control; random samples; data analysis; brain process simulation) promote "constructive" understanding of the quantitative reasoning behind decisions based on descriptive and inferential statistics (e.g., confidence intervals, linear regression models, model-specific anovas). Explains numerical integration programs in two settings: probability distributions, and simulations of neural dynamics. Also listed as CAS NE 212 This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking.
    • Quantitative Reasoning I
    • Critical Thinking
  • CAS PS 222: Perception
    How do we perceive the world around us? In this course, we'll explore vision, hearing, touch, smell, and taste and find out how the brain constructs our perceptual experience from light, sound, pressure, and chemicals in the world. This course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area(s): Scientific Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
    • Scientific Inquiry I
    • Critical Thinking
  • CAS PS 231: Physiological Psychology
    Structure and function of the nervous system and how it controls behavior. Basic neuroanatomy, cellular basis of neurotransmission and physiological aspects of sensation. Mechanisms of simple and complex cognitive neural function and the biological underpinnings of major psychiatric disorders. Carries social science divisional credit in CAS. This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
    • Scientific Inquiry I
    • Social Inquiry I
    • Critical Thinking
  • CAS PS 234: Psychology of Learning
    How do we learn to associate stimuli together? How do we learn to associate behaviors with their consequences? How is memory applicable to learning? What are the different memory processes and systems responsible for learning? The aim of this course is to review the major traditional and current theories of learning and memory. Students will begin with an understanding of simple learning, including theories and basic principles of classical and operant conditioning. Students will then be introduced to the memory system, the three stages of memory, implicit and explicit memory processes. Carries social science divisional credit in CAS. This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
    • Scientific Inquiry I
    • Social Inquiry I
    • Critical Thinking
  • CAS PS 241: Developmental Psychology
    Critical review of research and theories pertaining to intellectual and social development of infants and children. Role of early experiences and biological factors in later formation of personality, intellectual and motivational behaviors; theories include Erikson, Piaget, and Freud. Carries social science divisional credit in CAS. This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
    • Social Inquiry I
    • Critical Thinking
  • CAS PS 251: Psychology of Personality: Theories and Application
    The historical development of personality theories and their application to social, research, and clinical concerns are emphasized. Classic theories of personality (e.g., psychoanalytic, behavioral, humanistic, cognitive, and social roles) are explored and evaluated through lectures, readings, and case materials. A consideration of trait-based approaches and personality disorder with regards to DSM 5 criteria is also included. Carries social science divisional credit in CAS. This course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking.
    • Historical Consciousness
    • Social Inquiry I
    • Critical Thinking
  • CAS PS 261: Social Psychology
    Provides an understanding of how behavior, feelings, and thoughts of individuals are influenced and determined by characteristics of the situation. Topics: attraction, attitudes, prejudice, social roles, aggression, person perception, and groups. Readings cover theories, experimental research, and application. Carries social science divisional credit in CAS. This course fulfills units in the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry 1, Critical Thinking.
    • Social Inquiry I
    • Critical Thinking
  • CAS PS 322: Experimental Psychology: Physiological
    Laboratory course in physiological psychology. Emphasis on neuroanatomical mechanisms involved in behavior. Experiments are performed on rodents and resulting data are analyzed. Research reports required.
  • CAS PS 324: Experimental Psychology: Developmental
    Human development selected for experimental study; live subjects. Class discussion and practical experience with observational, assessment, and experimental techniques, and review of statistical concepts. Focus varies. Independent research and paper required.
  • CAS PS 325: Experimental Psychology: Personality
    Systematic approaches to the study of personality. Experimental and observational investigations of selected aspects of personality. Demonstration of experimental procedures; student participation in laboratory and field studies.
  • CAS PS 326: Experimental Psychology: Social
    Supervised experience in formulating, carrying out, interpreting, and critically evaluating social-psychological research. Students conduct research on such topics as attraction, impressions and stereotypes, helping, aggression, conflict, etc. Variety of research techniques examined.
  • CAS PS 327: Experimental Psychology: Perception
    Introduces psychophysical methods and their use in the study of perceptual processes: Students learn to think critically about the relation between theory and experiment, conduct perception experiments, and write experimental reports. Also offered as CAS NE 327.
  • CAS PS 328: Experimental Psychology: Memory & Cognition
    An overview of standard experimental paradigms and computational modeling approaches used in the study of memory and cognition. Methods are illustrated in the laboratory where students perform experiments using themselves as subjects and analyze and model their data using computers. Also offered as CAS NE 328.
  • CAS PS 332: Behavioral Medicine
    Examines applications from the social and behavioral sciences and allied health professions as they are integrated in the practice of traditional medicine. Examples of interventional strategies, treatments, and procedures, including biofeedback and hypnosis.
  • CAS PS 333: Drugs and Behavior
    Comprehensive survey of drug influences on behavior; introduces a neuroscience approach to behavior. Several classes of drugs discussed, including abused and addictive substances and psychoactive and therapeutic agents. Also offered as CAS NE 333.
  • CAS PS 336: Introduction to Cognitive Psychology
    Provides an introduction to basic topics and research issues relevant to cognitive psychology. Emphasis placed on understanding how we perceive, attend, and remember information. Related topics include language, problem solving, and intelligence.
  • CAS PS 337: Memory Systems of the Brain
    Survey of investigations into the brain systems and neurobiological mechanisms of memory. Includes experimental studies of amnesia in humans and experimental models of amnesia in animals. Focus on evidence for multiple forms of memory and distinct brain systems that mediate them. Also offered as CAS NE 337.
  • CAS PS 338: Neuropsychology
    Survey of theoretical aspects and major empirical findings in human neuropsychology, including memory, language, spatial function, attention, emotion, and abstract thought. Emphasis is on the relation between brain disorders (resulting from head injury, stroke, degenerative disease, etc.) and abnormal behavior. Also offered as CAS NE 338.

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