Psychology

Chair: Associate Professor Johnson
Professors: Dunn, Schmidt, Toedter, Zaremba; Associate Professor: Brill; Faculty Associates: Kuserk (biological sciences), Scholtz (nursing); Adjunct Faculty: Helm, Holtzman-Vasques, R. Smith

The program presents psychology as an established body of knowledge that focuses on human and animal behavior, as a discipline that generates information and discovery by using methods of inquiry employed by the natural and social sciences, and as a field of professional activity that is variously applied to promote human welfare.

The curriculum includes a wide range of courses intended to contribute to the program of liberal study for students, whatever their fields of concentration, and offers a broad base of prerequisite knowledge at the introductory and intermediate levels for those who declare psychology as a major. Beyond this, students may further define their educational and career objectives by completing courses at the advanced level.

Many courses offer a laboratory or experiential component, including field and observational studies, surveys, simulation and role-playing, and laboratory studies. There are opportunities to participate in field-study programs, independent study projects, and, for the highly qualified student, the Honors program.

Students are encouraged to present their research at one of three major annual conferences: the Lehigh Valley Undergraduate Psychology Conference, the Psi Chi Undergraduate Research Symposium (held in conjunction with the meeting of the Eastern Psychological Association), or the Moravian College Student Scholarship and Creative Endeavors Day. In addition to an active Psychology Club, the department sponsors a chapter of Psi Chi, the national honorary society in psychology, a student chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management, and a chapter of Active Minds.

The Major in Psychology

The psychology major consists of nine psychology courses, including an introductory course, a one-year statistics and research methods sequence, four core courses, one seminar, and one elective. These courses will provide students with a solid, core-based introduction to the discipline of psychology with some opportunities for choice. Students will be given enough breadth of the discipline to prepare them for graduate study or employment.

Students are required to satisfy the following requirements for the major in psychology:

The Interdepartmental Major

The six courses of Set I include the required courses Psychology 120 and 211-212. For the three remaining courses, students may take three 300-level courses or two 300-level and one 200-level course.

Introductory Courses in Psychology

105. Psychology of Human Adjustment. Introduction to basic theoretical principles of psychological coping and adjustment. Students will learn greater insight and efficacy in dealing with social and behavioral forces they encounter and will acquire an appreciation for the importance of psychology and its reliance on other disciplines to understand and improve complex social and behavioral phenomena. (M4)
Staff

120. Introduction to Psychology. Overview of research drawn from biological, perceptual, cognitive, developmental, clinical, social, and personality traditions in the discipline.
Staff

Intermediate Courses in Psychology

205. Spaces for Living: Design in Mind. (Also Interdisciplinary 205) We live amidst architecture—buildings, houses, interiors, and landscapes—but we rarely take the time to think about the spaces where we live. Why have our homes, communities, cities, and public spaces evolved as they have? Are some spaces more pleasing to the eye and the mind than others? How do our physical spaces affect our mental life? To explore these questions, we will read about domestic life (the idea of "home"), architecture, and design. Does not count towards the psychology major. May Term. (M6)
Dunn

207. Lifespan Development. Individual development as a lifelong process. Representative theories, research, and controversies on conception and birth, infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood, old age, death and dying. Insight into social, emotional, cognitive, and physical aspects of aging along the various stages of development. May not be taken for credit by students who have completed Psychology 370 or 371. Does not count towards the psychology major.
Staff

211. Experimental Methods and Data Analysis I. Scientific method as the means through which knowledge advances in the field of psychology. Developing and researching hypotheses, collecting data, testing hypotheses using appropriate statistical techniques, interpreting and reporting statistical results. Research methodology, descriptive statistics, and inferential statistics, as well as use of the computer software Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) to analyze psychological data. Students will be responsible for researching a topic and creating a research proposal. Prerequisite: Psychology 120. Fall. Writing-intensive.
Staff

212. Experimental Methods and Data Analysis II. Statistical techniques that build on concepts introduced in Psychology 211. Mastering inferential statistics and nonparametric statistical procedures. Students will carry out the research study outlined in their proposals from Psychology 211 and complete an APA-style research paper. This course must be taken in the semester immediately following Psychology 211 and with the same instructor. Prerequisite: Psychology 211 with a grade of C or better. Spring.
Staff

218. Industrial/Organizational Psychology. This course will explore the history, advances and contemporary trends in the field of industrial/organizational psychology. Students will learn about the application of psychology to the world of work as achieved through the use of science and practitioner collaboration as the main tools of this discipline. Students will study the factors that contribute to an optimal fit between the worker, the job and the organization with the goals of improved worker performance and well-being. Students will critically examine the psychological implications that come with the challenge of meeting these commonly competing goals in our current society.
Brill

222. Emerging Language and Literacy, Pre-K to 4th Grade. (Also Education 222) The course begins with a brief overview of the recent key national policies and initiatives that have impacted the teaching of literacy from birth to kindergarten. Students will learn key aspects of language and literacy that will promote early reading success in preschool and childcare settings. They will be able to apply their learning into practice with a field experience. Students will expand their knowledge of the initial reading instruction practices that develop real readers. Students will also learn ways of preventing reading difficulties through developmental interventions. Assessment methods always inform programs so students know if a child is making process in reading-related skills and early reading. Students will also learn how to work with parents and policy makers who always influence early learning programs and who make decisions regarding early reading instruction. 40-hour field experience. May be registered as a psychology course only by students majoring in psychology and also obtaining teaching certification in early childhood education. Co-requisite: Education 210. Prerequisite: Education 100.2 and 160; GPA of 2.70. Clearances and other documents for fieldwork required. Fall
Unger

230. History, Theories, and Systems. Historical origins of contemporary psychology, including structuralism, associationism, functionalism, behaviorism, Gestalt, and psychoanalysis, as well as recent developments in the field. Prerequisite: Psychology 120 or permission of instructor.
Brill, Dunn

250. Animal Behavior. (Also Biology 250) Neurological, ecological, and genetic basis of behavior, with emphasis on evolutionary mechanisms that govern acquisition of behavioral patterns. Prerequisite: Biology 100 or 112 or Psychology 105 or 120. Fall, alternate years. Two 70-minute periods, one 3-hour laboratory.
Kuserk

251. Philosophy of Psychology. (Also Philosophy 251) An examination of philosophical and empirical theories of the mind. Main questions will be: What is the mind? How does the mind relate to the brain and behavior? Can the mind be studied scientifically? What is the nature of conscious experience? Different accounts of the nature of mind will be discussed such as behaviorism, materialism, and functionalism. In addition, we will survey main approaches to the mind found in contemporary cognitive science, a multi-disciplinary field consisting of (among other things) artificial intelligence, cognitive psychology, cognitive neuroscience and philosophy. (U1)
Staff

260. Sports Psychology. This course will examine the dynamics of human behavior, internal processes, and group dynamics in the context of athletic competition, recreation, and pursuit of one’s personal physical well-being goals. Various psychological applications and interventions to increase coaching effectiveness and the realization of individual athletic potential and well-being will be explored. Students will gain a greater understanding of science, theory, and practice as collaborative tools for the domains of sport and exercise. No prerequisites.
Brill.

Advanced Courses in Psychology

315. Cognitive Psychology. Major issues, research findings, and theories of human mental processes. Topics include perception, attention, memory, human information- processing, mental imagery, language, creativity, thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making. Prerequisite: Psychology 211.
Johnson

320. Mind and Brain.This course investigates how the brain serves as the basis for our thought processes and behavior.  Topics may include attention, perception, learning and memory, language, emotion, social interactions, and consciousness.  We start with an overview of the structure of the brain.  Emphasis is placed on brain-behavior relationships, especially in relation to cognitive processes.  Students will learn about techniques used to understand the general relationships between the brain, thought, and behavior.  Prerequisite:  Psychology 211.
Johnson

335. Conditioning, Learning, and Behavior. Procedures, phenomena, and processes of conditioning and learning in animals and humans. Major issues, research findings, and contemporary theories of conditioning and learning. Behavioral approach to the study of learning. Topics include classical (Pavlovian) and instrumental (operant) conditioning and their interaction; reinforcement; stimulus generalization, discrimination, and control; biological constraints on learning; and cognitive components of conditioning and learning. Laboratory work. Prerequisite: Psychology 211.
Zaremba

340. Social Psychology. A survey of the major theoretical and empirical research in social psychology, including person perception and social cognition, attitudes and persuasion, prejudice and stereotyping, interpersonal attraction, and helping behavior. Some theoretical applications will be discussed, as will methodological approaches to social psychological questions and problems. Students will complete research projects and writing assignments. Prerequisite: Psychology 211.
Dunn

345. Psychology of Women. (Also Women's Studies 345) Research on gender differences and female gender development from various perspectives. Critical analysis of assumptions about human nature and science embedded in our approach to these issues. Interdisciplinary approach, with attention to biological, cognitive, behavioral, and social factors that influence emergence of gender. Topics include gender-role development, achievement and motivation, health issues, sexuality, adjustment, victimization, and minority-group issues. Prerequisite: Junior or senior standing.
Zaremba

361. Personality. Major systematic interpretations of personality, including works of Adler, Allport, Erikson, Freud, Maslow, Rogers, and Skinner. We will consider what it means to be "normal," as well as each theoretical perspective's guides to living. Theoretical and applied level of analysis included. Prerequisite: Psychology 211.
Dunn, Toedter

362. Abnormal Psychology. Analysis of disordered behavior: description, possible origins, prevention, treatment, and social significance. Current research and new developments. Class lectures and discussions, case studies. Prerequisite: Psychology 211.
Toedter

363. Psychological Testing. Opportunity to develop the skills for assessing quality of commonly used measures of human behavior. Basic material on norms, reliability, and validity leads to evaluation, administration, and interpretation of tests currently in use in clinical, industrial, and educational settings. Topics include ethics, testing and the law, and test construction. Prerequisite: Psychology 211.
Toedter

370. Infancy and Childhood. Development of the child from prenatal period through pre-adolescence. Theories, research, and current issues in cognitive, social-emotional, and physical development with emphasis on stability and change across these stages of development. Topics include physical changes, attachment, emotions, parenting, morality, language, memory, education, peer relations, aggression, and gender identity. Developmental methodology and empirical evidence. Prerequisite: Psychology 211.
Schmidt

371. Adolescence, Adulthood, and Aging. Development of the person from adolescence through death. Understanding theories, research, and current issues in cognitive, social-emotional, and physical development with emphasis on stability and change over these stages of development. Topics include physical growth and decline, identity development, peer relations, romantic relations, health and nutrition, leaving home, marriage, parenthood, vocational choice, grandparenthood, retirement, illness, death. Developmental methodology and empirical evidence. Prerequisite: Psychology 211.
Schmidt

372. Developmental Implications of Medical Technologies. (Also Interdisciplinary Studies 372) Explores implications of recent medical advances. Topics include: assisted reproductive technologies, genetic testing, premature and low-birth-weight infants, performance-enhancing drugs, sex selection, and euthanasia. Students will be provided with an overview of the medical technologies in question and will explore ways in which individuals, families, and society are socially, emotionally, morally, legally, and economically affected by these advances. Prerequisite: junior or senior standing. (U1)
Schmidt

373. Contemporary Work-Life Challenges. (Also Interdisciplinary 373) An exploration of the emerging theories and controversial issues regarding the relationship between work, family, and other life roles. Both the employee and employer perspective will be discussed within an organizational context, and from various moral perspectives. Students will also consider and react to the psychological adjustment and decision-making issues posed by the impact of work on one's family and life roles, and vice versa. Prerequisite: junior or senior standing. (U2)
Brill

375. Seminar in Social/Personality Psychology. Contemporary issues in social psychology and/or personality psychology. Issues will vary to reflect new disciplinary developments or instructor interests. Prerequisite: Psychology 211; junior or senior standing or permission of instructor.
Staff

376. Seminar in Experimental/Cognitive Psychology. New developments and contemporary issues in experimental and cognitive psychology. Prerequisite:
Psychology 211; junior or senior standing or permission of instructor.
Staff

377. Seminar in Developmental Psychology. Contemporary issues in developmental psychology, focusing on how developmental theory and methodology can promote health and welfare across the lifespan. Topics vary from year to year. Practical approaches for developmental psychologists in explaining, assessing, and intervening in current social challenges. Individual and societal implications of various issues from the perspective of developmental science. Ethical and cultural influences on developmental psychology. Prerequisite: Psychology 211; junior or senior standing or permission of instructor.
Staff

378. Seminar in Industrial/Organizational Psychology. In-depth study of emerging areas in industrial/organizational psychology. Issues will vary to reflect new developments and contemporary approaches. Prerequisite: Psychology 211; junior or senior standing or permission of instructor.
Brill

190-199, 290-299, 390-399. Special Topics.

286, 381-384. Independent Study.

288, 386-388. Internship.

400-401. Honors.