Psychology 448, Seminars

Prerequisite: Current Psychology Majors Only – all registration periods

(W) Writing Credit Course

Why do parents parent the way they do? How do parents influence their children’s development, and equally important: how do children, family life, and broader lived experiences affect how parents approach, experience, and navigate their roles as parents? This course will cover the major methods, theoretical points of view, historical and contemporary trends and paradigm shifts in studying parenting, and major and emerging findings, concerns, issues, and future directions in parenting research. The goals of the course are to (1) expose students to parenting as scientific discipline; (2) to teach students the parenting methods, theories, strategies, styles, and models that are empirically known to influence child development and family functioning from birth to adulthood; (3) and to highlight and discuss the applications of parenting theory and research to everyday life. We will explore scientific and theoretical perspectives and discuss how they apply to important issues such as attachment, personal and psychological development, behavior, and the establishment of close interpersonal relationships. Moreover, parents sometimes struggle and can unintentionally negatively influence their children’s development and well-being. Therefore, challenging but important topics, such as parental psychopathology, child maltreatment and neglect, and family homelessness are also featured. Lastly, caregiving within and across diverse family forms and cultures is also discussed, particularly highlighting how and why parent-child relations change across the lifespan. At the course’s conclusion, students will be better able to critically evaluate parenting research, parenting processes, and parental influences on child and family development from empirical, theoretical, interdisciplinary, and contextually informed perspectives.

Prerequisite: Current Psychology Majors Only – all registration periods

(W) Writing Credit Course

The goal of this course is to introduce students to psychological research on close relationships, including how we develop and maintain our relationships with family, friends, romantic partners, and more. Topics include attraction, relationship initiation and development, attachment, different types of love, commitment, how relationships impact cognition, social support, cultural variations in relationships, relationship dissolution and maintenance, and more according to student interests. In addition, this course will show students not only how relationships scientists conduct their research but also people can utilize this knowledge to gain a deeper understanding of social interactions and their own relationships. As a writing course, students will communicate their understanding of topics via smaller writing assignments and a broader writing project, reflecting upon and analyzing close relationship topics of the student’s choice.

Prerequisite: Current Psychology Majors Only – all registration periods 

This course introduces students to theoretical and empirical research on race and racism. It will provide an overview of historical, sociological, political, epidemiological, and emphasize social psychological perspectives on racial bias. We begin the course by exploring the origins of race and racism. How does racial categorization in the U.S. differ from other countries? We compare various definitions of racism with an emphasis on the implications of particular conceptualizations. We examine how racism shapes social outcomes including: health, education, the criminal legal system, and interracial interactions.

Prerequisite: Current Psychology Majors Only – all registration periods

**Completion of PSYCH 315 or 317 (students with 315 or 317 in progress winter 2024 are eligible to register

Add codes required – contact Carrie Perrin at cyoung@uw.edu to be added to the class

(W) Writing Course

This is an interactive, introductory course on linear regression methods. Its focus is the application of regression methods to behavioral data, and it covers topics of simple linear regression, multiple linear regression, model extensions for categorical predictor and dependent variables, assessing the suitability of regression methods, and variable selection techniques. Labs will focus on using R packages for regression analyses.

Instructor: Gabrielle Gauthier 

Prerequisite: Current Psychology Majors Only – all registration periods

This course will examine the mental health impacts of traumatic experiences and explore resilience and recovery processes. There will be an emphasis on understanding factors leading to the development and maintenance of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as well as other post-trauma reactions. We will also review and discuss evidence-based treatments for PTSD. Material will include a mixture of theory, research, and clinical implications. The class format will incorporate instructor and guest lecture, class discussion, and in-class exercises. 

Instructor: Z. Ferguson 

Prerequisite: Current Psychology Majors Only – all registration periods

This is a seminar course that discusses various issues that pertain to the intersections of identity and bias. We will cover theoretical and empirical research on facets of social identity (race, gender, sexuality, disability, immigration status) and how prejudice in modern society impacts outcomes of individuals of differing social identities. Specific topics include: intersectionality, acculturation, implicit and explicit bias, stereotype content, microaggressions, allyship, intergroup relations, and debates in psychology research methods. We will examine how bias and discrimination shape social outcomes including: health, education, the criminal legal system, and interracial interactions.

Prerequisite: Current Psychology Majors Only – all registration periods

This course covers two broad topics: the first most people seek and few find, the second few seek and all find. Join associate professor and brain cancer survivor David Gire to explore the Psychology behind achieving happiness and fulfillment in the face of the inevitability of death. Specific topics to be covered include Existential Psychology, Logotherapy, and the philosophical tradition leading to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Students will learn both how patients with a known terminal situation can be supported in integrating these approaches into an adaptive coping strategy as well as how these factors can help everyone lead more meaningful lives.

Prerequisite: Current Psychology Majors Only – all registration periods
**Completion of PSYCH 315 or 317 (students with 315 or 317 in progress winter 2024 are eligible to register
Add codes required – contact Carrie Perrin at cyoung@uw.edu to be added to the class

This course is intended to be an introduction to linear regression techniques used in behavioral science. Generally, we will cover linear models and their applications to empirical data --- and more specifically, we will cover the general linear model, ordinary least squares estimation, statistical inference, regression diagnostics (including detection of departures from underlying assumptions), identification of outliers, effects of influential observations. We will also discuss regression with categorical variables, and the regression approach to analysis of variance.

Course goals

1. Understand basic concepts of correlation, regression, model diagnostics and model building.
2. Fit and interpret regression models and apply them to psychological research.
3. Analyze and interpret regression data using R.
4. Compare different competing regression models and select the best one among them.

Instructor: Katherine Manbeck

Prerequisite: Current Psychology Majors Only – all registration periods

Psychology of Whiteness will explore Whiteness through a personal and political lens. We will learn about the creation of Whiteness in the 17th century and how Whiteness has and continues to be weaponized to exert global imperial and capitalist control. Simultaneously, we will examine how Whiteness impacts us, on a personal level. We will study prominent psychological tools of Whiteness, such as White Fragility, White Rage, and White Entitlement, and learn to recognize and meaningfully address these and other psychological phenomena in ourselves and those around us. We will end by focusing on ways to challenge and live in opposition to the racist status quo, with an eye towards hyperlocal struggles contextualized through a global lens.

Instructor: Sarena Sabine

Prerequisites: Current Psychology Majors Only – all registration periods.

**Completion of either A) PSYCH 315, or B) PSYCH 317 & 318, or C) PSYCH 317 & enrolled in 318 this spring 2024. (Students with 315 or 317 in progress winter 2024 are eligible to register)
Add codes required – contact Carrie Perrin at cyoung@uw.edu to be added to the class

(W) Writing Credit

Researchers interested in abstract constructs (e.g., depression, self-esteem etc.) usually need quantitative measures to empirically test their hypotheses. Through this course, students will learn how psychological scales are developed and become better equipped to assess the validity and overall quality of these measures through both a theoretical and a statistical perspective. Challenges and opportunities of using assessments in a cross-cultural, global context will also be discussed. In addition to discovering the many challenges of psychological measurement, students will also learn and discuss solutions toward producing better science. Lastly, students will focus on a construct of interest and throughout the course, work toward a final project evaluating how researchers measure this construct.

Instructor Sama Ahmed

Prerequisite: Current Psychology Majors Only – all registration periods

All animals move. We will explore how movement affects brain activity, and vice versa. Topics include motivation, multitasking, active sensing, reafference, vigor, and (e)motion. This is a seminar-style course that is organized around praxis and community-sharing. We'll be engaging directly with the primary literature, including studies in both vertebrates and invertebrates.

Prerequisite: Current Psychology Majors Only – all registration periods; Completion of PSYCH 245 or 345 (Social Psychology)

**Add Code Required – Contact Carrie Parrin cyoung@uw.edu for add code

This course introduces students to theoretical and empirical research on race and racism. It will provide an overview of historical, sociological, political, epidemiological, and emphasize social psychological perspectives on racial bias. We begin the course by exploring the origins of race and racism. How does racial categorization in the U.S. differ from other countries? We compare various definitions of racism with an emphasis on the implications of particular conceptualizations. We examine how racism shapes social outcomes including: health, education, the criminal legal system, and interracial interactions.

Prerequisite: Current Psychology Majors Only – all registration periods
**Completion of a Social Psychology class is highly recommended

(W) Writing Credit Course

The goal of this course is to introduce students to psychological research on close relationships, including how we develop and maintain our relationships with family, friends, romantic partners, and more. Topics include attraction, relationship initiation and development, attachment, different types of love, commitment, how relationships impact cognition, social support, cultural variations in relationships, relationship dissolution and maintenance, and more according to student interests. In addition, this course will show students not only how relationships scientists conduct their research but also people can utilize this knowledge to gain a deeper understanding of social interactions and their own relationships. As a writing course, students will communicate their understanding of topics via smaller writing assignments and a broader writing project, reflecting upon and analyzing close relationship topics of the student’s choice.

Prerequisite: Current Psychology Majors Only – all registration periods
(W) Writing Credit Course

In this class, we will discuss topics within Social/Personality psychology that connect to our daily experiences. Such topics will include food, TV and other entertainment, boredom, nostalgia, everyday social connections, and more. We will read and discuss empirical research articles on these topics. Students will gain a better understanding of the psychological processes involved in our daily activities. This is a writing course, so students will be expected to write a paper on one of the topics discussed in class.   

Prerequisites: Current Psychology Majors Only – all registration periods
(W) Writing Credit Course

The purpose of this course is to provide a historically and culturally contextualized understanding of Native American Psychology by lecturing on and discussing research within social, cultural, developmental, and clinical psychology. Fulfilling writing course requirements, students will complete a 10-15 page literature review on a topic of their choice.

Prerequisite: Current Psychology Majors Only – all registration periods

Why do parents parent the way they do? How do parents influence their children’s development, and equally important: how do children, family life, and broader lived experiences affect how parents approach, experience, and navigate their roles as parents? This course will cover the major methods, theoretical points of view, historical and contemporary trends and paradigm shifts in studying parenting, and major and emerging findings, concerns, issues, and future directions in parenting research. The goals of the course are to (1) expose students to parenting as scientific discipline; (2) to teach students the parenting methods, theories, strategies, styles, and models that are empirically known to influence child development and family functioning from birth to adulthood; (3) and to highlight and discuss the applications of parenting theory and research to everyday life. We will explore scientific and theoretical perspectives and discuss how they apply to important issues such as attachment, personal and psychological development, behavior, and the establishment of close interpersonal relationships. Moreover, parents sometimes struggle and can unintentionally negatively influence their children’s development and well-being. Therefore, challenging but important topics, such as parental psychopathology, child maltreatment and neglect, and family homelessness are also featured. Lastly, caregiving within and across diverse family forms and cultures is also discussed, particularly highlighting how and why parent-child relations change across the lifespan. At the course’s conclusion, students will be better able to critically evaluate parenting research, parenting processes, and parental influences on child and family development from empirical, theoretical, interdisciplinary, and contextually informed perspectives.

Prerequisite: Current Psychology Majors Only; Students must have PSYCH 315 or 317 either completed or in progress this quarter
(W) Writing Credit Course

This course satisfies the laboratory course requirement for BS psychology majors – if you wish to make sure that it will be counted in this way, please contact Carrie Perrin, at cyoung@uw.edu, after you have registered for the class.

Add code required: Contact Carrie Perrin at cyoung@uw.edu with subject line “PSYCH 448D”

Science is a powerful tool that humans invented for understanding the world, including our minds and behaviors. But much of what has been discovered about people is about people in general. While these findings should apply to each of us, some don’t, because we are not a clone of "generic" humans. Can we use science to gain an understanding of each of our own minds and behaviors? In this course, you will proceed through all stages of scientific research process to discover predictable patterns in your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, asking questions such as: what makes you tick? You start by generating hypotheses, collecting data about your experiences and behavior every day, and analyzing them using the statistical tools you have learned in a research methods course and/or those you are learning in your statistics course(s). This will culminate in a “capstone” paper, a report of your study on your own behavior, using an adapted version of the standard format used for empirical papers published in scientific journals.

Prerequisite: Current Psychology Majors Only – all registration periods; completion of PSYCH 206 or 306 is recommended

The course on Digital Technology and Youth Development is designed to explore the impact of technology on children and adolescents' cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development. The course examines the role of digital technology in children's and adolescent's lives, including its potential benefits and drawbacks. Through a combination of lectures, discussions, and hands-on activities, students will explore current research and debates surrounding technology and child and adolescent development. Topics covered may include screen time, social media, gaming, cyberbullying, online privacy, and the digital divide. The course will also emphasize the importance of critical thinking and responsible technology use in promoting healthy child and adolescent development.

Instructor: Delancey Wu
(W) Writing Credit Course

The goal of this course is to introduce students to psychological research on close relationships, including how we develop and maintain our relationships with family, friends, romantic partners, and more. Topics include attraction, relationship initiation and development, attachment, different types of love, commitment, how relationships impact cognition, social support, cultural variations in relationships, relationship dissolution and maintenance, and more according to student interests. In addition, this course will show students not only how relationships scientists conduct their research but also people can utilize this knowledge to gain a deeper understanding of social interactions and their own relationships. As a writing course, students will communicate their understanding of topics via smaller writing assignments and a broader writing project, reflecting upon and analyzing close relationship topics of the student’s choice.

Instructor: Emma PeConga

Prerequisite: Current Psychology Majors Only – all registration periods; completion of PSYCH 205 or 305 is recommended

This course would examine psychological effects of traumatic experiences and explore resilience and recovery. The aim of this course is to explore common reactions to traumatic experiences, discuss factors that may protect from or maintain resulting problems and review interventions that aim to promote healing. There will be an emphasis on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), specifically focusing on factors maintaining PTSD and other post-trauma reactions. We will review and discuss evidence-based treatments for PTSD. Classes will include a mixture of theory, research, and clinical implications. The format will be as lectures, discussions, and videos.

The goal of this course is to provide you with a thorough understanding of how psychopathology emerges and develops over the lifespan. We will review common disorders of childhood and adolescence, risk and protective factors as well as contextual factors associated with these disorders, and the etiology, course and outcomes of child and adolescent psychopathology, all from a developmental perspective. By the end of the course, you should have a thorough understanding of this literature, an ability to critically examine research in child and adolescent psychopathology, and an understanding of the controversies regarding current research and practice.

This class explores identity from the inside out. Based on the newly released book with the same title, this course covers some of the critical ways that our brains vary. The materials will move beyond the "one size fits all" approach to neuroscience, focusing on ho brain differece shape the unique ways each person understands the world and operates in it. 

(W) Writing Credit Course

This seminar course will examine the science of behavior change with a focus on treatment change mechanisms. Topics will include principles of learning theory, evidence-based interventions for behavioral disorders, and pseudoscientific treatments. Readings and discussion will examine behavior across units of analysis, including task paradigms, self-report, clinical observation, and biological measures.

*Psychology majors only – all registration periods

All animals move. We will explore how movement affects brain activity, and vice versa. Topics include motivation, multitasking, active sensing, reafference, vigor, and (e)motion. This is a seminar-style course that is organized around praxis and community-sharing. We'll be engaging directly with the primary literature, including studies in both vertebrates and invertebrates.

Topics will include the logical basis of hypothesis testing, mis-application and mis-use of hypothesis testing, and the replication crisis and response from the scientific community.

*Psychology majors only – all registration periods

This is a seminar course that discusses various issues that pertain to multicultural psychology, including culturally competent research methods used in psychology, the roles of ethnicity, race, and culture on human behaviors, interpersonal relationships, psychopathology, and physical health. This course will help prepare you to grapple with issues of multiculturalism in the modern diverse society.

Psychology Majors Only all registration periods
(W) Writing Credit Course 

In this class, we will discuss topics within Social/Personality psychology that connect to our daily experiences. Such topics will include food, TV and other entertainment, boredom, nostalgia, everyday social connections, and more. We will read and discuss empirical research articles on these topics. Students will gain a better understanding of the psychological processes involved in our daily activities. This is a writing course, so students will be expected to write a paper on one of the topics discussed in class.   

(W) Writing Credit Course

This course surveys a wide array of topics at the intersection of psychology and Indigeneity. Selected topics include research ethics, identity, mental health, stereotyping and prejudice, and cultural trauma and revitalization. Integrating research from across the social sciences, the broad aim of this course is to develop a historically grounded understanding of contemporary Native American psychology. We will focus on ideas by and for, rather than about, Native Americans. Fulfilling writing course (“W”) requirements, students will complete a term paper further exploring a topic within Native American psychology.   

Computational Psychiatry is a new and emerging field that leverages the power of computational models to understand, diagnose, predict, and in the future treat mental health disorders. It capitalizes on a number of insights developed in the fields of machine learning, artificial intelligence, and computational neuroscience. In this class, we will (1) introduce the key concepts about computational psychiatry; (2) the dominant computational frameworks (reinforcement learning, decay models, diffusion and accumulator models) that have been used to explain normal and abnormal cognition; (3) see how these concepts can be applied to a number of neuropsychological and psychiatric conditions, including Obsessive-compulsive, Attention deficit disorder, Post-traumatic stress disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's Disease. Examples of interactive computational code will be provided as part of the materials. No programming knowledge is required; only basic math knowledge is needed. Reading the following paper is recommended beforehand: Montague et al (2012), Computational Psychiatry, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2011.11.018        

***This course has been withdrawn and will not be offered for summer***
Summer Full-Term: Jun 21-Aug 19

One of the fundamental goals that motivates all human behavior is having a life worth living. This course explores contemporary psychological research that addresses how to build such a life. We explore the types of thoughts and actions that are most reliably connected with enduring satisfaction and meaning in life, and how to avoid some of the traps and pitfalls in modern society caused by a disconnect between what we think we want and what will actually make us happy. Topics to be explored include work, friendship, altruism, creativity, exercise, music, humor, play, parenting, spirituality, and more. Students will read original research articles on these topics and gain hands-on experience collecting and analyzing data. Throughout the course, students will recognize the strengths and limitations of the scientific method for approaching questions such as these, and are encouraged to articulate their own emerging views of what constitutes a life worth living.

Instructor: Noah Triplett 
Summer Full-Term: Jun 21-Aug 19

Offers a broad introduction to the field of global mental health by examining the ethics of global mental health research, prevalence of mental health disorders around the globe, and the fundamentals of mental health assessment and intervention. Students will review research from multiple fields, including medical anthropology and public health, to examine the connections between mental and physical health and consider the impact of social structures and stigma on mental health around the globe. The class will also highlight global mental health research methods, and students will have the opportunity to develop and present a research proposal on a topic of their interest.

Psych Majors Only-All Registration Periods

Summary: UX is an expanding field powering engagement with the vast majority of the technology that we use every day. In this course, we will learn how to apply fundamental concepts from psychological and perceptual science to the development of effective UX.

Learning Objectives: By the end of the course, students should understand how to apply fundamental psychological principles to the development of UX strategies. Additionally, students should have an understanding of how to evaluate user engagement using modern analytic approaches. Finally, we will engage students in discussion regarding data privacy and ethical user engagement.

Prerequisites: No formal prerequisites. The course will be accessible for students without design or coding experience. Based on the level of design and coding experience of the student, class assignments will be adjusted to enable additional engagement and design challenges.

Prerequisite: Psychology Majors Only; Students must have PSYCH 315 or 317 either completed or in progress this quarter

Add code required: Contact Carrie Perrin at cyoung@uw.edu with subject line “PSYCH 448B”

Science is a powerful tool that humans invented for understanding the world, including our minds and behaviors. But much of what has been discovered about people is about people in general. While these findings should apply to each of us, some don’t, because we are not a clone of "generic" humans. Can we use science to gain an understanding of each of our own minds and behaviors? In this course, you will proceed through all stages of scientific research process to discover predictable patterns in your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, asking questions such as: what makes you tick? You start by generating hypotheses, collecting data about your experiences and behavior every day, and analyzing them using the statistical tools you have learned in a research methods course and/or those you are learning in your statistics course(s). This will culminate in a “capstone” paper, a report of your study on your own behavior, using an adapted version of the standard format used for empirical papers published in scientific journals.

This course satisfies the laboratory course requirement for psychology majors – if you wish to make sure that it will be counted in this way, please contact Carrie Perrin, at cyoung@uw.edu, after you have registered for the class.

Instructor: Dannielle Whiley
Psych Majors Only-may open to non-majors in Period 2

This seminar will be a detailed exploration of how mindfulness is conceptualized, studied, and implemented in psychological science. There are three broad course aims:

1. Gain literacy of the empirical evidence surrounding meditation and mindfulness. This means improving your comfort and competency reading neuropsychological studies on how mindfulness is empirically assessed and quantified in psychology.

2. Students will be introduced to a range of contemplative exercises in class through guest lectures and immersive exercises. Students will be encouraged to cultivate open-mindedness toward the value of mindfulness and contemplative exercises and explore ways of integrating and embodying mindfulness in their personal, academic, and professional lives.

3. Develop competency presenting empirically based information about mindfulness in different formats for a public audience. Students will receive training and support in creating a podcast or other media format for disseminating research information. 

Psych Majors Only- All Registration Periods

One of the fundamental goals that motivates all human behavior is having a life worth living. This course explores contemporary psychological research that addresses how to build such a life. We explore the types of thoughts and actions that are most reliably connected with enduring satisfaction and meaning in life, and how to avoid some of the traps and pitfalls in modern society caused by a disconnect between what we think we want and what will actually make us happy. Topics to be explored include work, friendship, altruism, creativity, exercise, music, humor, play, parenting, spirituality, and more. Students will read original research articles on these topics and gain hands-on experience collecting and analyzing data. Throughout the course, students will recognize the strengths and limitations of the scientific method for approaching questions such as these, and are encouraged to articulate their own emerging views of what constitutes a life worth living.

(W) Optional Writing Credit Course

The goal of this course is to provide you with a thorough understanding of how psychopathology emerges and develops over the lifespan. We will review common disorders of childhood and adolescence, risk and protective factors as well as contextual factors associated with these disorders, and the etiology, course and outcomes of child and adolescent psychopathology, all from a developmental perspective. By the end of the course, you should have a thorough understanding of this literature, an ability to critically examine research in child and adolescent psychopathology, and an understanding of the controversies regarding current research and practice. As an optional writing ("W") course, a primary learning objective will be to cultivate your own ideas/interpretations of the course material and practice effective communication of complex ideas through writing.

Instructor: Tyler Jimenez
(W) Writing Credit Course 

This course surveys a wide array of topics at the intersection of psychology and Indigeneity. Selected topics include research ethics, identity, mental health, stereotyping and prejudice, and cultural trauma and revitalization. Integrating research from across the social sciences, the broad aim of this course is to develop a historically grounded understanding of contemporary Native American psychology. We will focus on ideas by and for, rather than about, Native Americans. Fulfilling writing course (“W”) requirements, students will complete a term paper further exploring a topic within Native American psychology.   

Instructor: Jessica Canning
Meets Writing requirement
Psychology Majors Only – All registration periods

The addictive behaviors seminar is designed to facilitate discussion about the current research on addiction. A breadth of topics will be covered including theories of addiction, co-morbid mental health disorders, cultural disparities, prevention and treatment of various addictive behaviors with a particular focus on alcohol and marijuana use. Students will have the opportunity to pose questions to experts in the field during guest lectures and will write a publishable paper on the addictive behaviors topic of their choice.

Instructor: Kevan Kidder
Psychology Majors Only – All registration periods

This class examines neurobiological principles related to the generation and function of neural oscillations (a.k.a brainwaves). Students will then explore scientific literature on neural oscillations and their relationship with cognition and behavior across species. Some topics include: What are neural oscillations, how do they differ between species, what is their role in neural communication and computation, learning and memory, aging, mental illness, drug induced states, neural enhancement.  

Psychology Majors Only – Period 1 registration only

Description TBA

Instructor: Anne Fairlie
Psych Majors Only – All registration periods
The course focuses on both a theoretical and applied understanding of multiple regression, path analysis, and structural equation modeling. These methods are widely used in social sciences research to answer a variety of empirical research questions. Students will acquire an understanding of:

(a) The types of research questions that each type of analysis can be used to answer

(b) Comparisons among these statistical methods and other methods more broadly

(c) Basic requirements for conducting the analysis

(d) How to interpret the results

(e) Advantages of each analysis (as well as cautions and pitfalls)

Psych Majors Only – All registration periods

Summary: UX is an expanding field powering engagement with the vast majority of the technology that we use every day. In this course, we will learn how to apply fundamental concepts from psychological and perceptual science to the development of effective UX.

Learning Objectives: By the end of the course, students should understand how to apply fundamental psychological principles to the development of UX strategies. Additionally, students should have an understanding of how to evaluate user engagement using modern analytic approaches. Finally, we will engage students in discussion regarding data privacy and ethical user engagement.

Prerequisites: No formal prerequisites. The course will be accessible for students without design or coding experience. Based on the level of design and coding experience of the student, class assignments will be adjusted to enable additional engagement and design challenges.

Instructor: Dannielle Whiley

This seminar will be a detailed exploration of how mindfulness is conceptualized in psychological science. There are two main goals for student learning:

1. Understanding the history and development of neuropsychological studies of meditation and mindfulness:
   - Models and Mechanisms -- How Behavior, Cognition, and the Brain are affected by meditation
   -Relating Neural Findings to Experiential Reports 
   -Cultural Translation Issues 
   -Critiques and Contraindications for Mindfulness Based Approaches 
   -Designing Student Generated Studies 
   
   
2. An experiential/ practice-based exploration of the value of mindfulness and contemplative exercises:
   -Students will be introduced to a range of contemplative exercises in class
   -Discussion of how students might integrate and embody mindfulness in their personal, academic, and professional lives 

Lectures will be asynschronous (pre-recorded) with live discussion during the scheduled class period (exact schedule TBD). Weekly class prep to include a mix of articles, excerpts from book chapters, podcasts, and videos. Evaluations will be largely based on engagement, ongoing journal entries, and progress towards the final project which can take several forms, not necessarily a paper. 

Instructor: Megan Ramaiya

Examines fundamentals of mental health assessment and practice within a global context, with a focus on high-priority issues relevant to mental health equity in low- and middle-income country (LMIC) settings. Students will adopt a critical lens in examining current trends in cross-cultural mental health assessment, intervention development, and treatment dissemination in LMIC. Also reviews history of the global mental health field, cross-cultural adaptation of mental health instruments and interventions, stigma, and the relationship between global mental health and medical anthropology. Students will strengthen academic writing skills through a final, group-based writing project.

Instructor: Kevin Kuehn 

Class will focus on causes of suicidal thoughts and behaviors and various prevention/intervention programs.

The goal of this course is to provide you with a thorough understanding of how psychopathology emerges and develops over the lifespan. We will review common disorders of childhood and adolescence, risk and protective factors as well as contextual factors associated with these disorders, and the etiology, course and outcomes of child and adolescent psychopathology, all from a developmental perspective. By the end of the course, you should have a thorough understanding of this literature, an ability to critically examine research in child and adolescent psychopathology, and an understanding of the controversies regarding current research and practice. As a writing ("W") course, a primary learning objective will be to cultivate your own ideas/interpretations of the course material and practice effective communication of complex ideas through writing.

Psychology as a scientific discipline has utilized frequentist statistical methods as the central analytical approaches in the field. However, these analytical approaches have been routinely criticized for nearly 60 years. What do we make of this historical disdain for hypothesis testing in light of the continuing use of this approach? What other methods can be used to advance psychological knowledge and theory?

In this seminar, we will consider these and related issues. We’ll read historical and more recent papers on statistical inference, generally, as well as focus on some specific issues. Topics include:philosophy of statistics (what constitutes statistical evidence?) critique of hypothesis testing, competing approaches to statistical testing, & competing approaches to frequentist inferential methods.

The course has no exams, and evaluation is based on participation and an annotated bibliography submitted at the end of the quarter.

Instructor: Anne Fairlie

The course focuses on linear regression, path analysis, and structural equation modeling and will provide both a practical and applied understanding of these statistical methods. These methods are widely used in social science research to answer a variety of empirical research questions. Students will acquire an understanding of:

• How each type of analysis can be used to answer empirical research questions
• Advantages and disadvantages of each analysis
• Basic requirements for conducting the analysis
• Steps for conducting and interpreting the analysis
• Comparisons among these statistical methods

(W) Writing credit course

The goal of this course is to provide you with a thorough understanding of how psychopathology emerges and develops over the lifespan. We will review common disorders of childhood and adolescence, risk and protective factors as well as contextual factors associated with these disorders, and the etiology, course and outcomes of child and adolescent psychopathology, all from a developmental perspective. By the end of the course, you should have a thorough understanding of this literature, an ability to critically examine research in child and adolescent psychopathology, and an understanding of the controversies regarding current research and practice. As a writing ("W") course, a primary learning objective will be to cultivate your own ideas/interpretations of the course material and practice effective communication of complex ideas through writing.

(W) Writing credit course

Augmented Humanity is a term that is used in a variety of ways. This course will focus on technologies designed to become an intrinsic part of the neural functioning of the brain. Technologies discussed will include cochlear and visual electronic prostheses, brain-machine interfaces, and genetic engineering. This course will examine current and future augmented humanity technologies, using an integrated approach that combines engineering, neuroscience, psychology and ethics. There are no pre-requisites for this course other than PSYCH major status. However, this class assumes a basic knowledge of how neurons work (e.g. what an action potential is), and neuroanatomy (e.g. what the cochlea, retina does). I will provide background readings on these topics before each class.

There are five main goals for student learning: 1) To understand the basic engineering/biological principles that underlie electronic prostheses, brain-machine interfaces and human genetic engineering of cognitive and sensory diseases; 2) To understand, for each of these technologies, the interplay between stimulating technology and the underlying neurophysiology and how this affects their function; 3) To understand, for each of these technologies, important safety issues, technical and neurophysiological limitations within current devices, and how safety, technology and neurophysiology is likely to affect future device development; 4) To understand the wider psychological implications of these technologies, at an individual and societal level; and, 5) To think critically about the current and future ethical implications of these technologies from the point of view of a scientist, a patient/parent, and society as a whole.

It is also worth noting that the ethics of Augmented Humanity are complex, and will involve discussions about societal perceptions of disability, and inequities in access to medical care. It is important that opinions can be expressed freely. However we should all be sensitive and inclusive in how we discuss these matters. If you have any concerns about anything I said as an instructor, or something that a student said in class, please voice your concern in or after class, email me, see me privately in office hours, or make a scheduled appointment.

Instructor: Peter Zambetti

Anxiety disorders cause great distress in many people, and decades of animal and human research have attempted to understand fear and anxiety in order to provide proper treatment. The course will provide an overview of fear and anxiety from an empirical point of view. Topics will include a historical perspective on fear research and theories, animal behavioral and neuronal research, and human clinical research.

Philosophy and Scope of Class:
In this course, we will examine how the brain and, consequently, behavior change in response to stress and with age. Animal models of stress and age-related phenomena will be the major focus of the course but whenever possible humans will be an integral part of many discussions. We will consider current theories and basic biological and psychological implications of stress and aging, as well as how neurodegenerative diseases associated with stress and aging affect both the individual and society.
Topics to be covered include how stress and aging affect the brain, cognition, motor/sensory, and immune systems.

The course focuses on linear regression, path analysis, and structural equation modeling and will provide both a practical and applied understanding of these statistical methods. These methods are widely used in social science research to answer a variety of empirical research questions. Students will acquire an understanding of:

• How each type of analysis can be used to answer empirical research questions
• Advantages and disadvantages of each analysis
• Basic requirements for conducting the analysis
• Steps for conducting and interpreting the analysis
• Comparisons among these statistical methods

In the United States, race and ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, geographic location, whether one has a disability, and other identities and experiences affect risk for a range of health outcomes throughout the life course. This class will review the psychological research on the sources of these disparities and potential solutions to address them. We will cover topics such as the role of stigma and discrimination in everyday life, interactions with healthcare providers, the buffering role of positive identities and social relationships, and how to change the social context to improve health.

This course will explore how stress affects our bodies and minds over time. We will consider various influences on people's mental and physical health, from individual (psychological and biological) factors to social and cultural norms. Students should expect to critically evaluate their own choices and behaviors, and be open to making small changes to improve personal health and thus minimize the negative long-term effects of stress.

This course is designed to provide students with an understanding of different theories and issues in the measurement of self-regulation in childhood, adolescence and young adulthood, and to have some understanding of how it is linked to environmental factors and psychopathology

Self-regulation is one of the most widely studied topics in psychology, but there is little agreement on its operationalization or measurement. Construct labels include impulse control, impulsivity, effortful control, self-control, dysregulation, sensation seeking, novelty seeking, disinhibition, behavioral under control. The construct is studied at both the state and the trait levels, and through self-report surveys, behavioral and neuropsychological tasks.

Moreover, poor emotional and behavioral self-regulation has been implicated in the development of multiple forms of psychopathology, including anxiety and depression, behavior problems such as ADHD, CD, ODD and substance use disorders, and good self-regulation has been linked to positive child outcomes including academic achievement and work and relationship success.

The goals of this course are to provide an overview of the variety of ways that researchers have sought to operationalize self-regulation, to understand the developmental and neural underpinnings of self-regulated behavior, how self-regulation is influenced by environment, adversity and stress processes across development, to understand how self-regulated behavior changes from childhood into early adulthood, and to explore how self-regulation may be connected to different forms of psychopathology.

The literal meaning of the word "metascience" is "science of science." Towards that broad goal, this course will focus more specifically on how psychological science currently functions, and how it could be improved to more efficiently produce  accurate, comprehensive, and incisive understanding of human behavior.

Concretely, we will start with the well-known 2015 paper whose abstract stated: "We conducted replications of 100 experimental and correlational studies published in three psychology journals using high-powered designs and original materials when available. [only] 39% of effects were subjectively rated to have replicated the original result" (Open Science Collaboration, Science 349, aac4716 (2015)).

In this course, we collectively will grapple with questions such as: what do these findings mean? Is the replicability of published findings in psychology as low as these studies suggest? If so, what factors contributed to that outcome? What can be done to improve it? What does it mean for a study to be replicable?

While discussing these topics, we will touch on philosophy, history, and sociology of science, and perhaps, psychology of science as well because scientists are people, and their behavior (their research, publications) reflect the same kinds of issues that affect everyone, whether or not the make a living as scientists.