Courses
Students sometimes ask what a course is "really" about. Our faculty have written some more informal course descriptions for classes below.
Official catalog descriptions can be found in the Undergraduate Course Catalog.
PSYCH 110 - General Psychology
Psychology can tell us about how we perceive the world around us, how we think and feel, and why we do the things we do. Knowledge of psychology can help us understand every moment of our lives—it can tell us about good and bad decisions, mental health and illness, how we affect and are affected by other people, and the ways in which people differ in terms of their personalities. General Psychology is a guided tour of the highlights of psychology. Every topic in General Psychology can be (and often is) an entire course on its own, and this class gives you an introduction to all of them.
Pre-requisites: None
K-State 8 Tags: Empirical and Quantitative Reasoning, Social Sciences
Psych 120: Psychology of College Success
Do you wish you could better juggle your classwork, time with friends and sleep? Do you ever ask yourself why you didn’t get the grade you wanted even though you studied? Do you wish it was easier to build strong relationships at this new school? Are you looking for healthier ways to handle stress? This hands-on course is designed to help new students (first years, transfers) develop the tools needed to adjust to and succeed at K-State. Students will read studies and listen to podcasts about psychological research related to these topics. They will also complete assignments such as identifying “time wasters” in their schedule, mapping out their social networks, and creating videos about “college hacks” for future first year students.
Pre-requisites: None
K-State 8 Tags: None
PSYCH 202 - Drugs and Behavior
Effects of drugs on human performance, cognition, and physiological processes will be discussed and the empirical evidence surveyed and critically evaluated in relation to both use and abuse of drugs in society.
Pre-requisites: PSYCH 110
K-State 8 Tags: Natural and Physical Sciences, Social Sciences
PSYCH 270 - Brain Myths: Fact or Fiction
Do we use only 10% of our brains? Are people left brained and right brained? Does alcohol kill brain cells? Does hitting your head cause amnesia? Does a big brain mean you are smart? In this introductory neuroscience class, we’ll learn the neuroscience behind these questions and how to determine what information is true. This class will use popular press sources and experimental results to evaluate these statements. You will learn how assess the accuracy of information and will be able to use these skills in your career and your personal life.
Pre-requisites: PSYCH 110 or permission of instructor
PSYCH 280 - Psychology of Childhood and Adolescence
In this course, we will quickly move through the first 20 years of life exploring the physical, cognitive, and social changes that occur from conception until the end of adolescence. Uncover the factors that have made you who you are today as we discuss theories about parenting, thinking, biology, and more. To deepen your understanding, you will also be raising your own child (virtually, that is) from birth until twenty. How will your child develop?
Pre-requisites: PSYCH 110
K-State 8 Tags: Empirical and Quantitative Reasoning, Social Sciences
PSYCH 310 - Controversial Issues in Psychology Research
Research questions within the field of psychology often do not have a “correct” answer. Instead, there are issues on which experts disagree, with reasonable arguments and evidence on both sides. In this course, you will learn and read about several of these controversial issues in contemporary psychology. Topics can include questions such as should standardized test scores determine college admission, are violent video games harmful to children, and are psychiatric medications safe. You will be confronted with contradictory information and differing opinions on each topic, and it will be up to you to critically evaluate the material on both sides.
Pre-requisites: PSYCH 110
K-State 8 Tag: Social Sciences
PSYCH 350 - Experimental Methods in Psychology
Everyone has opinions about how we think, feel, and behave, yet often our intuitions are wrong. The scientific method provides a more objective way to discover what really makes us tick. No matter what you plan to do with your education in psychology, an understanding of the basic principles of research design and scientific methodology can help you to critically evaluate and draw appropriate conclusions from scientific research and become better consumers of information in general. These skills can help you throughout your life and career.
Pre-requisites: PSYCH 110, PSYCH Major or Minor, Sophomore Standing
K-State 8 Tags: Empirical and Quantitative Reasoning, Ethical Reasoning and Responsibility
PSYCH 351 - Experimental Methods Laboratory
Research design, data analysis, and scientific communication skills are in high demand for industry jobs and are necessary for success in graduate studies in psychology. Students will get hands-on experience in small classes with the direct help of their instructors in gaining these skills. In doing so, students will have the opportunity to design their own study, collect and analyze the data, and produce a research report. These accomplishments can help you build your resume and increase your chances of being successful if you plan to further your education in graduate school.
Pre-requisites: PSYCH 350, PSYCH Major
K-State 8 Tag: Ethical Reasoning and Responsibility
PSYCH 370 - Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience
Have you wondered if your brain controls your behavior? Have you wanted to learn about the brain but you have been afraid you haven’t taken enough science classes? If so, this is the class for you! In this introductory class, we will go over the basics of the structure and function of the brain. We will then discuss how the brain controls behaviors including substance use, emotions, sleep, memory, mood disorders, and stress. For this introductory class, no prior brain knowledge is required and the goal is to provide you foundational knowledge to help with future courses and career paths.
Pre-requisites: PSYCH 110
K-State 8 Tags: Natural and Physical Sciences, Social Sciences
PSYCH 425 - Judgment and Decision Making
We all make decisions all the time, but how often do we think about why we make those decisions, or how? In this class we’ll explore the ins and outs of decision-making, including probability estimation, human biases, persuasion techniques, and the logical shortcuts we use every day without even knowing it. With real-life and experimental examples, we’ll tackle the question of human rationality and dive into the dynamics of what actually happens in our heads when we’re tasked with making a decision.
Pre-requisites: PSYCH 110
K-State 8 Tags: Empirical and Quantitative Reasoning, Social Sciences
PSYCH 430 - Forensic Psychology
How often have you watched a show like Criminal Minds and wondered how much of what you’re seeing is realistic? Or maybe you’ve seen a lie detector test or police interrogation in a movie and been curious as to how effective they really are. In Forensic Psychology, we’ll discuss topics such as criminal profiling, investigations, interrogations, and more from a psychological perspective. By the end of this course, you’ll know what it is that a real forensic psychologist does, as well as the role psychologists play in all parts of the legal system. We’ll finish the course with a comparison of your favorite piece of fictional crime or legal system-themed media with what you’ve learned about how forensic psychology works in the real world.
Pre-requisites: PSYCH 110
K-State 8 Tags: Empirical and Quantitative Reasoning, Social Sciences
PSYCH 450 - Applications of Memory
Have you ever struggled to remember something while taking an exam? You studied very hard the night before for the test; but you failed to recall specific details when assessed on the material. Have you ever wondered if real-life amnesia and dementia are different from the way memory loss is portrayed on television or in films? You will have the opportunity to learn about empirically supported study habits, amnesia, and more in this course! You will learn about how memory research can be applied to everyday life, such as courtroom testimony, expert performance, and aging. This course provides an overview of the fundamental memory theories, how you can use what research suggests about memory to increase retention on exams, and how prior experience shapes memory of the past using research in the overlapping fields of cognitive psychology, neuropsychology, and cognitive neuroscience.
Pre-requisites: PSYCH 110
K-State 8 Tag: Social Sciences
PSYCH 460 - Cognitive Psychology
A survey of the manner in which people extract and use relevant information from their environment as a basis for behavior. Topics may include memory storage and retrieval, attention, imagery, mnemonic devices, decision making, and other cognitive processes.
Pre-requisites: PSYCH 350, PSYCH Major
K-State 8 Tags: Empirical and Quantitative Reasoning, Social Sciences
PSYCH 465 - Cognitive Neuroscience
Cognitive Neuroscience is a rapidly expanding scientific field that probes classical questions of human cognitive psychology. This course will cover the foundations of Cognitive Neuroscience and provide students with a thorough understanding of the neural bases of cognition and human behavior. The course will focus on neuroanatomy, hemispheric specialization, brain development, and higher-order cognitive functions, such as language, executive functions, attention, learning, and memory. Students will learn about cutting-edge brain imaging and neuroimaging techniques (e.g., transcranial magnetic stimulation, electroencephalography, and functional MRI) used in cognitive neuroscience to examine cognitive and affective functions. In addition, they will learn about lesion studies and examinations of brain injuries and other neurological disorders such as stroke, traumatic brain injury, and Parkinson’s disease. Students will also participate in several research labs and will have the opportunity to run experiments on humans.
Pre-requisites: PSYCH 110 or instructor permission
PSYCH 470 - Principles of Neuroscience
Learn about how the brain influences behavior. Do you want to know how the brain works? Learn about neurons and how they communicate. Learn how the brain is essential for basic perception (touch, seeing, hearing), thinking, learning, and remembering. Discover neuroscience research methods and learn how neural functions are disrupted in Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and depression. Information from this class will be useful for a wide array of careers including those pursing medicine, nursing, and neuroscience.
Pre-requisites: PSYCH 110, BIOL 101 or 198
K-State 8 Tags: Natural and Physical Sciences, Social Sciences
PSYCH 475 - Principles of Learning
We are constantly learning new skills and gaining information, but how does this happen? Want to understand what motivates us? For example, why would you eat more at an all-you-can-eat buffet versus an unlimited pancake feed? Want to understand where phobias come from and how you can treat them without drugs? Want to understand how imagery in advertisements affects us? Want to learn how to train your dog and potty-train your children? Want to improve your self-control by manipulating your environment? Students will learn about what past research can teach us about all of these issues and will also gain an understanding about different ways people learn, which strategies might work best for themselves, and how learning differs depending on physiological or environmental factors.
Pre-requisites: PSYCH 350, PSYCH Major
K-State 8 Tags: Empirical and Quantitative Reasoning, Natural and Physical Sciences
PSYCH 480 - Fundamentals of Perception and Sensation
Empirical and theoretical approaches to phenomena of sensation and perception.
Pre-requisites: PSYCH 350, PSYCH Major
K-State 8 Tags: Empirical and Quantitative Reasoning, Natural and Physical Sciences
PSYCH 500 - Junior Seminar in Psychology
Have you ever wondered what comes next after you finish your psychology undergraduate degree? Throughout the semester, you will begin by learning how to utilize K-State’s Career Center, put together a solid resume, and create a strong application for graduate school. You will hear from a series of professionals working in various fields or providing graduate training that prepares students to enter certain fields. These fields vary from clinical psychology and human factors to business, I/O psychology, and school psychology as well as many others. Many of the speakers began their careers as psychology majors, and some even took this class a long time ago!
Pre-requisites: PSYCH 110, Junior standing
K-State 8 Tags: None
PSYCH 505 - Introduction to Psychopathology
Was Jeffrey Dahmer a sociopath or a psychopath and what is the criteria that makes the distinction? What impact has the isolation of the pandemic had on mental health? What are the criteria of neurodivergence and why is there still a stigma? IS there a normal? If so, how do we define it? How can we promote inclusiveness for those with a mental health diagnosis? This course will consider the impact of biology, parenting, socioeconomic status, behavior, society, cognition, and culture on psychological disorders and treatments. In this course students will watch, listen, read, discuss, and engage with all the latest research and materials related to abnormal psychology. This is an important course for any student planning to work in a human services field or for anyone who would like to know the research and facts about the diagnostic tools used in mental health.
Pre-requisites: PSYCH 110, Junior standing
K-State 8 Tags: Empirical and Quantitative Reasoning, Social Sciences
PSYCH 515 – Introduction to Psychology Applied to Work
Introduction to the basic theories and practices used by industrial and organizational psychologists to enhance individual and organizational effectiveness and well-being. Topics include personnel selection, training, performance management, job attitudes, work motivation, leadership, occupational health, and group processes at work.
Pre-requisites: PSYCH 110
K-State 8 Tags: Empirical and Quantitative Reasoning, Social Sciences
PSYCH 518 - Introduction to Health Psychology
Within the field of psychology, heath psychology focuses primarily on psychosocial, behavioral, cognitive, and physiological factors that influence health and illness. Each person has an individual genome and environment that have influenced their health, and this course will consider the uniqueness in order to increase good health habits using the most current health-science. We will unpack risk factors leading to early mortality including the profound impact of isolation. The topics related to chronic illness, pain and specific illness like cancer, diabetes, heart disease and age-related disorders will also be considered. Among other topics like nutrition, exercise, toxic relationships, perceived stress and vaccinations, we will consider the growing mind-body connection and non-western/Ayurvetic approaches happening in medicine. This class will focus on the psychological aspect of health and how the mind interacts with and manages the body. Everyone who takes this class will leave with an arsenal of up-to-date information to inform their psychological practices, career and life.
Pre-requisites: PSYCH 110
K-State 8 Tags: Empirical and Quantitative Reasoning, Social Sciences
PSYCH 520 - Life Span Personality Development
We often can meet a young child and immediately get an idea of their personality. They might be outgoing or shy, very active or more sedentary. What does that tell us, if anything, about what they will be like when they are older? What aspects of our personality and thinking are fairly stable over the lifespan, and which change, and why? What aspects of development are largely due to genetics, and which are influenced by experiences, and how do the two types of factors interact? How much should we worry about getting older and the accompanying physical, social, and cognitive changes? In lifespan personality development, Psych 520, we will address these issues. We'll talk about the challenges people encounter at different stages of their life and how to maximize our success and happiness throughout the lifespan.
Pre-requisites: PSYCH 110, Sophomore standing
K-State 8 Tag: Social Sciences
PSYCH 530 - Psychology of Mass Communications
Are we thinking individuals or has our cognition merged with a greater algorithm? Is technology an evolutionary mismatch? Ever wonder how the meme you just used began? Want to know how you lost 6 hours to TikTok yesterday? Want to unmask the truth about online advertising and the impact of Instagram? Should parents support their children gaming or scrolling social media? (A preponderance of research supports one of these!) What is the impact of violence and sex in media? Which way does your news source lean according to Ad-Fontes and what psychological impact does that have? In this course students will consider the psychological impact of the media saturated world we live in. Students will consider online disinhibition and the impact anonymity has on real-world violence. The class will scrutinize virtual reality and its impact on our psychology. Students will consider new interdisciplinary research, examine algorithmic behaviors, and examine how mass media is impacting the psychology of the individual. Additionally, students will contemplate our psychological attachment to our devices. This is a class for everyone-but it is especially important for students planning to work in the mental health field, anyone planning to work in the field of technology, or those considering marketing or public relations.
Pre-requisites: PSYCH 110
K-State 8 Tags: Human Diversity within the U.S., Social Sciences
PSYCH 535 - Social Psychology
One's social world consists of the people, places, events, and stimuli that affect emotions, thoughts, and, most importantly, behaviors. Social psychologists uncover (a) what aspect of the social environment influences behavior and (b) why one's social world matters. For example, social psychologists answer questions regarding: whether opposites attract, if violent media causes aggression, why peer pressure is so powerful at predicting behavior, whether and how prejudice can be reduced, and several other timely topics. In this class, students will learn about how important their social world is to various topics and, hopefully, be better equipped to navigate through their social world.
Pre-requisites: PSYCH 110
K-State 8 Tags: Empirical and Quantitative Reasoning, Social Sciences
PSYCH 538 - Cross-Cultural Psychology
The beauty of the world comes from the diversity of its people. At the same time, though, we all share a common human nature. Cross-cultural psychology explores that universality and cultural diversity across all the areas of psychology. We talk about how people from different cultures have different languages, different colors, different types of relationships, different parenting styles, and even different mental illnesses. And yet, at the same time there are commonalities in all these topics that unite all people in common experiences.
Pre-requisites: None
K-State 8 Tags: Global Issues and Perspectives, Human Diversity within the U.S.
PSYCH 540 - Psychology of Gender
Are males and females really that different? As you know, society has a lot to say on this topic, but let’s really figure it out! We will discover the similarities and differences between males and females (based on scientific research) along with why, when, where, how, and for whom the differences exist. Areas we will cover include achievement (do teachers treat males differently than females?), communication (do females and males speak differently?), relationships (can males and females be just friends?), physical and mental health (why do females have higher reported rates of depression than males?), and work (who benefits from fulltime employment the most?). Discussion is a core feature of this course as life examples clarify the material and deepen learning while assignments are utilized to explore your own identity as well as test previously found differences. You will get to pick your own topic for a deep dive into a current societal issue around sex or gender. This course will expand your understanding of research design, theory, biology, and society.
Pre-requisites: PSYCH 110
K-State 8 Tags: Human Diversity within the U.S., Social Sciences
PSYCH 545 - Consumer Psychology
Are you aware of the multitude of advertisements in your environment? Do you want to know how these advertisements are influencing you? Do you want to know why you have a strong preference for certain brands, but no preference for others? In this course, we will learn about and apply psychology to advertising and media to identify the reasons behind consumer decisions and brand preferences. Students will work with a company/brand of their choice throughout the semester to gain knowledge of how different topics work in the real world. Students will also try their hand at designing advertisements for products at the beginning and end of the semester to demonstrate their own ability to create the perfect advertisement.
Pre-requisites: PSYCH 110
K-State 8 Tags: Empirical and Quantitative Reasoning, Social Sciences
PSYCH 556 - Multicultural Psychology
Introduce and familiarize students with the concept of multicultural psychology.
Pre-requisites: PSYCH 110
K-State 8 Tags: Ethical Reasoning and Responsibility, Human Diversity within the U.S.
PSYCH 559 - Psychological Testing
Principles of psychological testing in industrial, clinical/counseling, and research environments. Topics include technical issues such as reliability, validity, norming, selection, placement, discrimination, etc. Also covers procedures for selecting, administering, and interpreting psychological tests.
Pre-requisites: PSYCH 110
K-State 8 Tags: Empirical and Quantitative Reasoning, Human Diversity within the U.S.
PSYCH 560 - Personnel Psychology
Do you want to find a job you enjoy doing? Do you want to know how the hiring process works after you send in an application? Do you hope to effectively develop your professional identity and career? This course covers topics answering all your questions like the ones above! You will learn more about yourself and also about performance evaluation, selection processes, recruitment, hiring, diversity, and legal considerations in the workplace — things relevant to almost all job categories. You will also complete assignments that help you curate your job search materials and career management strategies.
Pre-requisites: PSYCH 110
K-State 8 Tags: Empirical and Quantitative Reasoning, Social Sciences
PSYCH 563 - Gender Issues in the Workplace
Psychological experiences of women and men in the world of work, with emphasis on traditional and nontraditional sex-role behavior, sexual discrimination and harassment, and relevant socialization experiences.
Pre-requisites: PSYCH 110
K-State 8 Tags: Human Diversity within the U.S., Social Sciences
PSYCH 564 - Psychology of the Workplace
Are you interested in understanding how work influences human behavior? How can psychology help promote the performance and wellbeing of employees? What approaches might be helpful in analyzing and addressing the organizational problems concerning employee motivation, workplace diversity, leadership, and culture? How to develop evidence-based human resource management strategies to enhance employees' job satisfaction and organizational effectiveness? This course offers a wide variety of novel opportunities to learn these topics of conventional organizational psychology. Carefully curated research, real-world examples, and participatory exercises of this course are intended to enhance students' adaptability, problem solving skills, wellness, and performance at work.
Pre-requisites: PSYCH 110
K-State 8 Tags: Empirical and Quantitative Reasoning, Social Sciences
PSYCH 565 - Occupational Health Psychology
Every job has its ups and downs, and work can negatively affect our health and wellbeing. How to prevent and address workplace stress, harassment/bullying, injuries, and accidents? What is the role of psychology in bridging multiple scientific disciplines (e.g., epidemiology, ergonomics, organizational science, medicine) in dealing with these problems of workers' safety and health? How to develop organizational strategies to protect workers both physically and mentally? This interdisciplinary course offers a broad range of practical opportunities to learn the methods of workplace risk/hazard identification and mitigation. Carefully curated research, real-world examples, and participatory exercises of this course are intended to enhance students' resilience, sustainability, wellness, and performance at work.
Pre-requisites: PSYCH 110
K-State 8 Tags: Human Diversity within the U.S., Social Sciences
PSYCH 570 - Psychopharmacology
Survey of basic principles of neural communication and pharmacology, the etiology and bio-behavioral bases of substance abuse, and chemical treatments of psychiatric disorders.
Pre-requisites: PSYCH 110, PSYCH 202, PSYCH 470
K-State 8 Tags: Empirical and Quantitative Reasoning, Natural and Physical Sciences
PSYCH 575 - History of Psychology
“Psychology has a long past, but only a short history.” Psychology’s history includes people who have seen their names turned into adjectives: Freudian, Pavlovian, Skinnerian. But much of what we know and are taught in modern psychology is from others who did not attain personal fame: Helmholtz, James, Hall, Watson, and Ebbinghaus (who said the above quote). This class dives into the ideas, people, and larger contexts of different eras that all led us to where psychology is today.
Pre-requisites: PSYCH 110 or permission of instructor
K-State 8 Tags: Historical Perspectives, Social Sciences
PSYCH 580 - Psychology of Sexual Behavior
In Psychology of Sexual Behavior, we’ll talk about all things sex, from neurological and genital human anatomy, sexuality, relationships, and more. The goal of this course is to expose students to the wide range of psychological research on sex and sexuality and how we think, feel, and behave in romantic and sexual contexts. We’ll start off with the basics before delving into both the experimental and clinical study of sex and ultimately developing our own research projects on individual topics of interest.
Pre-requisites: PSYCH 110, Sophomore standing
K-State 8 Tags: Human Diversity within the U.S., Social Sciences
PSYCH 584 - Group Psychotherapy
Post-pandemic group therapy is surging and the effectiveness rival’s one-on-one therapy. This course is designed to provide both knowledge and skills in the organization and facilitation of psycho-educational and other group experiences used in the helping process. Students will learn the techniques and strategies to become an effective facilitator with the skills to enhance group learning and the personal growth of participants -- particularly psycho-social development. Ethical considerations in the conduct of group-based interventions will be reviewed. Models for therapeutic and psychoeducational group interventions will be presented. After initial education, students will co-lead a simulated group, with other students serving as group members. This course will serve as a foundation for students interested in making group interventions a part of their future counseling practice. Any student who is hoping to work in the mental health field will need these skills!
Pre-requisites: PSYCH 110 or permission of instructor
K-State 8 Tags: None
PSYCH 585 - Basic Concepts in Clinical Psychology
Critical analysis of the profession. Review of theoretical and empirical bases of such areas as intelligence and its measurement, personality and diagnosis, psychotherapy, and other modes of behavioral change.
Pre-requisites: PSYCH 110, PSYCH 505, and 3 additional hours of Psychology
K-State 8 Tags: Ethical Reasoning and Responsibility, Human Diversity within the U.S.
PSYCH 586 - Psychology Internship Readiness
Exploration of the efficacy of decisions and actions within a professional internship. The topics of professional communication, dress, engagement, timeliness, and conflict resolution will prepare the student for an internship. Additionally, ethics, confidentiality, the duty to warn and self-care impacting the delivery of human services will be explained.
Pre-requisites: PSYCH 110
Note: This course must be taken in preparation for PSYCH 587
PSYCH 587 - Psychology Internship in Mental Health
Supervised internship in an agency or institutional setting in the application of psychological techniques to individuals, groups, or organizations. Regular supervision emphasizes relationship between theory and application and the evaluation of outcomes.
Pre-requisites: PSYCH 585 and PSYCH 586 and consent of PSYCH 586: Psychology Internship Readiness instructor
PSYCH 590 - Interdisciplinary Topics: Positive Psychology
Have you ever left a psychology class feeling like you spend most of the time examining what is wrong with humans? Well, the field of positive psychology uses scientific research to examine all the strengths and positive experiences and emotions that make our lives worth living. This class will give you a foundation of the scientific theories surrounding happiness, well-being, optimism while also giving you opportunities to experience topics like mindfulness, compassion, and savoring.
Pre-requisites: PSYCH 110 or permission of instructor
K-State 8 Tags: None
PSYCH 605 - Advanced Social Psychology
An advanced look at some of the core topics in social psychology (e.g. the self, social influence, personal relationships, prejudice and discrimination, group processes) with a strong emphasis on applying the theory in these areas to current social problems and students’ daily lives.
Pre-requisites: PSYCH 350, PSYCH Major
K-State 8 Tag: Human Diversity within the U.S.
PSYCH 620 - Psychology of Personality
Every person is a unique individual, and yet people differ from, and are similar to, each other along common dimensions of their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Knowledge of scientific theory and research in personality helps us to better understand the uniqueness and commonalities of ourselves and others. Learn how our personalities affect our daily lives and significant life outcomes, how to assess others’ personalities more accurately, where our personalities come from and how they change, and how personality relates to our mental and physical health.
Pre-requisites: PSYCH 350
K-State 8 Tags: Empirical and Quantitative Reasoning, Social Sciences
PSYCH 625 - Human Factors Psychology
The application of psychological principles to the design and operation of machines, products, and systems, including human-computer interactions, automation, and training.
Pre-requisites: PSYCH 110, STAT 325 or equivalent
K-State 8 Tags: Empirical and Quantitative Reasoning, Social Sciences
PSYCH 630 - Human Neuropsychology
Study of brain-behavior relationships in humans. Brief review of human neuroanatomy followed by a major emphasis on brain function in learning, memory, language, and other cognitive behaviors. Also includes an examination of behavioral alterations following brain damage.
Pre-requisites: PSYCH 110, BIOL 101 or 198
K-State 8 Tags: Natural and Physical Sciences, Social Sciences
PSYCH 650 - Psychology of Language
Experimental study of language, including sentence comprehension and memory, language acquisition and development, speech perception, and effects of context, perception, reasoning, and linguistic structure on processing of language.
Pre-requisites: PSYCH 110, Junior standing
K-State 8 Tags: Global Issues and Perspectives, Social Sciences
PSYCH 670 - Neural Mechanisms of Learning & Memory
How does the brain process how we learn and remember? This course will cover topics on the neurobiology of learning and memory including memory formation and maintenance, long term potentiation, and the role of various brain areas involved in memory such as the hippocampus and corticostriatal circuits. We will also discuss relevant research articles and current topics in the neuroscience of learning and memory.
Pre-requisites: PSYCH 110, BIOL 101 or 198
PSYCH 715 - Psychology of Aging
The aging process is assumed to involve declines in all abilities; however, there is a great deal of variability across individuals, with some aging relatively well and others experiencing significant declines. Also, there are some cognitive abilities that often get worse with age but others than improve. We will discuss age-related changes in the brain and the resulting changes in behavior (e.g., memory, driving ability, emotional processing) that occur in normally-developing adults. We will also discuss pathological changes in the brain and behavior that are associated with various dementias, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease.
Pre-requisites: PSYCH 110, Junior standing
K-State 8 Tags: None
