Psychology (PSYC)

PSYC 400 - Psychology Freshmen Advising Seminar

Credits: 1

This course is an introduction to our program, the various areas of Psychology and faculty research, some employment opportunities after graduation, academic standards, and management skills essential for success as a declared psychology major in the University. The goal of this course is to help students make a positive academic transition into UNH. Students will learn about the resources UNH has to offer to support their success and how to navigate UNH academic planning tools. This course will introduce students to the different areas of psychology and expectations for a psychology major. This course is required for all first-year declared Psychology majors.

Grade Mode: Credit/Fail Grading

PSYC 401 - Introduction to Psychology

Credits: 4

Psychology as a behavioral science; its theoretical and applied aspects. Includes research methods, behavioral neuroscience, sensation and perception, cognition, learning, development, personality, psychopathology, and social psychology. To experience actively the nature of psychological research students have an opportunity to participate in a variety of studies as part of a laboratory experience.

Attributes: Social Science (Discovery)

Equivalent(s): PSYC 401H

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

PSYC 402 - Statistics in Psychology

Credits: 4

Design, statistical analysis, and decision making in psychological research. Probability, hypothesis-testing, and confidence intervals. Conceptualization, computation, interpretation, and typical applications for exploratory data analysis (including measures of central tendency, variability), t-tests, correlations, bivariate regression, one-way analysis of variance, and chi square. Introduction to computer methods of computation.

Attributes: Quantitative Reasoning(Disc)

Equivalent(s): PSYC 402H

Mutual Exclusion: No credit for students who have taken ADM 430, ADMN 420, ADMN 510, BIOL 528, EREC 525, HHS 540, MATH 439, MATH 539, MATH 644, SOC 402, SOC #402H, SOC 502, SOC 502H.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

PSYC 405 - Introduction to Happiness

Credits: 4

Introduction to Happiness is a multidisciplinary course grounded in the social and behavioral science. This class will introduce you to the science and philosophies of human happiness, explore the elements of human health and well being. While heavily grounded in psychology, faculty from a variety of other disciplines including sociology, philosophy, human development and occupational therapy will discuss their research and scholarship that addresses happiness.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

PSYC 440A - Honors/Understanding the Human Brain

Credits: 4

First, we will examine the evolution of the brains of hominids to understand what are characteristics are uniquely human and what are conserved across species. We then explore selected topics in neuroscience that alter neural functioning, for example, the impact of neuro-prosthetics, cognitive enhancement, racial discrimination. Finally, we will discuss the benefit and limitations of using animal models to understand human neural functioning.

Attributes: Biological Science(Discovery); Honors course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

PSYC 502 - Research Methods in Psychology

Credits: 4

Research design, including experimental and correlation design; internal versus external validity; measurement; writing a research report; graphic and statistical methods for summarizing data; sampling; and special problems such as experimenter effects, reactivity of measurement, and others. The use of hypothesis testing and data analysis in research. Prereq: PSYC 401 and PSYC 402.

Attributes: Inquiry (Discovery); Writing Intensive Course

Equivalent(s): SOC 601, SW 601, SW 601W

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

PSYC 511 - Sensation and Perception

Credits: 4

The study of how humans (and some other animals) sense and perceive their environment. Topics include seeing (vision), hearing (audition), tasting (gustation), smelling (olfaction), feeling (somatosensation), and the variety of state-of-the-art methods used by psychologists to study these senses. Illusions and other sensory and perceptual phenomena are treated. Prereq: PSYC 401.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

PSYC 512 - Psychology of Primates

Credits: 4

A comparative analysis of primate cognitive, linguistic, and social processes. The origins of human behavior are explored from the perspectives of history, evolution, and contemporary work in neuropsychology, linguistic, sociobiology, and related fields. Prereq: PSYC 401.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

PSYC 513 - Cognitive Psychology

Credits: 4

The study of human cognition, its basic concepts, methods, and major findings. Human knowledge acquisition and use. Attention, perception, memory, imagery, language, reading, problem solving, and decision making. Prereq: PSYC 401.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

PSYC 521 - Behavior Analysis

Credits: 4

Principles derived from the experimental study of human and animal learning and their theoretical integration. Respondent and operant conditioning. Reinforcement and punishment, stimulus control, choice and preference, conditioned reinforcement. Prereq: PSYC 401.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

PSYC 522 - Behaviorism

Credits: 4

Introduction to behaviorism as a philosophy of science. Some historical background, but concentration on modern behaviorism as exemplified in the works of B. F. Skinner. No credit for students who have completed PSYC 722. Offered only in Manchester. Prereq: PSYC 401.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

PSYC 531 - Psychobiology

Credits: 4

Introduces the behavioral neurosciences. Surveys research conducted by psychologists to learn about the biological basis of behavior: development, sensation, perception, movement, sleep, feeding, drinking, hormones, reproduction, stress, emotions, emotional disorders, learning, and memory. Prereq: PSYC 401.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

PSYC 552 - Social Psychology

Credits: 4

Behavior of individuals as affected by other individuals, groups, and society. Topics include attitude change and social influence, conformity, social interaction, interpersonal attraction, impression formation, research. Prereq: PSYC 401.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

PSYC 553 - Personality

Credits: 4

Major theories, methods of assessment, and research. Prereq: PSYC 401.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

PSYC 561 - Abnormal Behavior

Credits: 4

Causes, diagnosis, and treatment of abnormal behavior. Implications of varying theoretical viewpoints. Prereq: PSYC 401.

Equivalent(s): PSYC 761

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

PSYC 571 - Pioneers of Psychology

Credits: 4

An introduction to the development and evolution of psychology as an academic discipline and applied science. The lives and works of innovators in psychology are placed in socio-political context.

Attributes: Historical Perspectives(Disc)

Equivalent(s): PSYC 571H

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

PSYC 581 - Child Development

Credits: 4

The developing child in the context of his/her society. Current problems in, and influences on, development of the child. Personality and cognitive development; exceptional children. Prereq: PSYC 401.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

PSYC 595 - Applications of Psychology

Credits: 1-4

Arranged by the student or offered by psychology faculty for supervised field, academic, or research experience related to psychology. A) Field experience: supervised internship at a business or human services setting, B) Academic experience: specialized classroom experience or supervised teaching assistance, C) Research experience: supervised research experience or laboratory work. Psychology instructors sponsor academic credit for appropriate experience combined with a relevant academic component. Requires a signed learning agreement prior to registration. Prereq: permission. May be taken for 1-4 credits in a semester. Cr/F.

Repeat Rule: May be repeated for a maximum of 8 credits.

Grade Mode: Credit/Fail Grading

PSYC 705 - Tests and Measurement

Credits: 4

Testing intelligence, creativity, achievement, interests, and personality. Test construction; evaluation; relation to psychological theory, research, and practice. Prereq: PSYC 402; PSYC 502;/or permission.

Equivalent(s): PSYC 705H

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

PSYC 710 - Visual Perception

Credits: 4

The study of how humans (and some other animals) see. Topics include color vision, depth perception, form and pattern vision, visual learning and development, eye movements, diseases of the visual system, illusions, and other visual phenomena. Prereq: PSYC 402, PSYC 502, PSYC 511, or PSYC 531; or permission.

Attributes: Writing Intensive Course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

PSYC 712 - Psychology of Language

Credits: 4

Theories of language structure, functions of human language, meaning, relationship of language to other mental processes, language acquisition, indices of language development, speech perception, reading. Prereq: PSYC 402; PSYC 502; PSYC 512; or PSYC 513; or permission.

Equivalent(s): PSYC 712W

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

PSYC 712W - Psychology of Language

Credits: 4

Theories of language structure, functions of human language, meaning, relationship of language to other mental processes, language acquisition, indices of language development, speech perception, reading. Prereq: PSYC 402; PSYC 502; PSYC 512; or PSYC 513; or permission. Special fee. Writing intensive.

Attributes: Writing Intensive Course

Equivalent(s): PSYC 712

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

PSYC 713 - Psychology of Consciousness

Credits: 4

Explores questions of consciousness What is it? How does it develop? Are infants and animals conscious? Why did consciousness evolve? Includes a review of historical background, including the ideas of Jaynes, Paiget, James, Freud, and others. Contemporary topics may include the role of language and other representational systems, blindsight, subliminal perception, priming and other implicit cognitive phenomena, hypnosis, confabulation and attribution, dreaming, multiple personality and conceptions of self and free will, from simultaneous perspectives of phenomenology, behavior, and neuroscience. Specific topics governed by class interests. Prereq: PSYC 402; PSYC 502; PSYC 513.

Equivalent(s): PSYC 713H

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

PSYC 713W - Psychology of Consciousness

Credits: 4

Explores questions of consciousness What is it? How does it develop? Are infants and animals conscious? Why did consciousness evolve? Includes a review of historical background, including the ideas of Jaynes, Paiget, James, Freud, and others. Contemporary topics may include the role of language and other representational systems, blindsight, subliminal perception, priming and other implicit cognitive phenomena, hypnosis, confabulation and attribution, dreaming, multiple personality and conceptions of self and free will, from simultaneous perspectives of phenomenology, behavior, and neuroscience. Specific topics governed by class interests. Prereq: PSYC 402; PSYC 502; PSYC 513.

Attributes: Writing Intensive Course

Equivalent(s): PSYC 713, PSYC 713H

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

PSYC 716 - Cognitive Neuroscience

Credits: 4

Cognitive Neuroscience is a rapidly expanding scientific discipline that probes classical questions of human cognitive psychology via a broad array of cutting-edge methodological approaches, which include but are not limited to brain imaging (e.g., functional MRI and electroencephalography), lesion studies,single-cell recording,and examinations of brain injuries and other neurological disorders. This course will survey the results of these approaches, which have thus far generated fundamental insights about how the brain supports motor control, attention, memory, emotion processing, social cognition, language, executive function and decision making. Prereq: PSYC 402, PSYC 502, PSYC 513, or PSYC 531; or permission.

Attributes: Writing Intensive Course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

PSYC 720 - Animal Cognition

Credits: 4

Do animals use language or have a culture? Can birds count? Do animals use tools and understand how they function? How do ants navigate their environment to find food and then return to their nest? How animals perceive, attend to, process, store, and represent information from their environment. Research on animal learning and behavior as a framework for investigating cognitive processes in animal learning. Quantitative versus qualitative nature of differences between people and non-human animals. Multidisciplinary approach including the fields of anthropology, physiology, philosophy and biology. Prereq: PSYC 401; PSYC 402; PSYC 502; PSYC 513 or PSYC 521; or permission. Writing intensive.

Attributes: Writing Intensive Course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

PSYC 722 - Behaviorism, Culture, and Contemporary Society

Credits: 4

Introduces behaviorism as a philosophy of science. Concentration on modern behaviorism as exemplified in the works of B.F. Skinner. Implications of behaviorism for the development and evolution of cultures. Consideration of societal issues (for example pollution, overpopulation, conflict, drug abuse) from a behavioral framework. Prereq: PSYC 402; PSYC 502; PSYC 521;/or permission. No credit for students who have completed PSYC 522. Writing intensive.

Attributes: Writing Intensive Course

Equivalent(s): PSYC 522

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

PSYC 731 - Brain and Behavior

Credits: 4

Neuropsychology, the study of brain/behavior relationships including clinical topics related to the analysis of neurological diseases in humans and more basic experimental topics related to integrative functions of the brain. The main focus is on cerebral cortex and functions related to perception, movement, attention, memory, and language. Prereq: PSYC 402; PSYC 502; PSYC 531;/or permission. Special fee. Writing intensive.

Attributes: Writing Intensive Course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

PSYC 733 - Drugs and Behavior

Credits: 4

Introduces the principles of psychopharmacology and the effects of psychoactive substances on behavior. Focuses on the therapeutic and recreational use of drugs and the mechanisms of drug action, that is how the drugs affect the brain. Neuropsychiatric function and dysfunction are discussed as they relate to the use or abuse of particular drugs. Prereq: PSYC 402; PSYC 502; PSYC 531;/or permission. Writing intensive.

Attributes: Writing Intensive Course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

PSYC 735 - Neurobiology of Mood Disorders

Credits: 4

Neurobiological and neurochemical substrates underlying various psychopathologies, using both animal models and human data. Study of disorders from the field of biological psychiatry including aggression, anxiety, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, unipolar depression, bipolar affective disorder, schizophrenia, and post-traumatic stress disorder. The effectiveness of current behavioral and pharmacological therapy. Prereq: PSYC 402; PSYC 502; PSYC 531; or permission. Writing intensive.

Attributes: Writing Intensive Course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

PSYC 736 - Attention Disorders

Credits: 4

Attention encompasses several cognitive functions including, but not limited to, the ability to select relevant from irrelevant stimuli, to maintain goal-directed behavior over time, and to process multiple streams of information at once. This course explores how the normal brain "attends", and the consequences of dysfunction in neurochemical systems hypothesized to mediate these abilities including dementia, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and schizophrenia. Prereq: PSYC 402; PSYC 502; PSYC 531;/or permission.

Attributes: Writing Intensive Course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

PSYC 737 - Behavioral Medicine

Credits: 4

Behavioral, physiological, and neurochemical alterations, associated with health-promoting behaviors (low-fat diet, exercise) as well as health-impairing behaviors (eating disorders, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption). Topics include stress, coping, type-A behavior, hypertension, and the interface of brain, behavior, and immunity (psychoimmunology, cancer, AIDS). Treatment/therapy are discussed from behavioral and pharmacological perspectives. Prereq: PSYC 402; PSYC 502; PSYC 531;/or permission.

Attributes: Writing Intensive Course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

PSYC 741W - Special Topics

Credits: 4

New or specialized courses are presented under this listing. Advanced material not normally covered in a regular course in which instructor has specialized knowledge through research and study. May be repeated for different topics. Prereq: PSYC 402, PSYC 502, and other prerequisites when offered.

Attributes: Writing Intensive Course

Repeat Rule: May be repeated up to unlimited times.

Equivalent(s): PSYC 741, PSYC 741A, PSYC 741B, PSYC 741C, PSYC 741D

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

PSYC 755 - Psychology and Law

Credits: 4

Applications of psychology to the study of the law, including theories of legal and moral judgment, participants in the legal system (judges, police, victims, witnesses), the trial process, and plea bargaining. Special focus on the death penalty, the insanity plea, and child witnesses. Prereq: PSYC 402; PSYC 502;/or permission. Writing intensive.

Attributes: Writing Intensive Course

Equivalent(s): PSYC 755H

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

PSYC 756 - Psychology of Crime and Justice

Credits: 4

Examines the psychological aspects of crime and justice, including the following origins and causes of crime: developmental, biological, biopsychological, learning, and mental disorder. Focuses on issues related to homicide, profiling, and serial killers. Examines aggression and violence as well as causes and consequences of criminal homicides. Discussion of the future of crime. Prereq: PSYC 402; PSYC 502; or permission. Writing intensive.

Attributes: Writing Intensive Course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

PSYC 757 - Psychology of Happiness

Credits: 4

Overview of empirical research in Positive Psychology. We will discuss factors that may influence happiness and subjective well-being; and effects that well-being may have on other life outcomes such as physical health. Learning involves reading and writing about evidence from research and also experimental exercises (such as doing an act of kindness). Prereq: PSYC 402, PSYC 502 or permission.

Attributes: Writing Intensive Course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

PSYC 758 - Health Psychology

Credits: 4

Survey of current topics in health psychology, including social stress and the etiology of disease, Type A and other personality factors related to health, modification of risk factors, the practitioner-patient relationship, chronic pain, and the emotional impact of life-threatening illness. Prereq: PSYC 402; PSYC 502; or permission. Writing intensive.

Attributes: Writing Intensive Course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

PSYC 762 - Counseling

Credits: 4

Theories of counseling, ethical considerations, professional and paraprofessional activities in a variety of work settings. Prereq: PSYC 402; PSYC 502; PSYC 553; or PSYC 561; or permission. Writing intensive.

Attributes: Writing Intensive Course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

PSYC 780 - Prenatal Development and Infancy

Credits: 4

Psychological development of infants from conception through second year of life. Factors and potential influences on reproductive health and prenatal physical and behavioral development. Transition to parenthood, infant temperament and parent-infant relationships. Developmental patterns of specific capabilities. Prereq: PSYC 402; PSYC 502; PSYC 581 or FS 525; or permission. Writing intensive.

Attributes: Writing Intensive Course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

PSYC 783 - Cognitive Development

Credits: 4

Theories of cognitive development. Comparison among major theorists on how knowledge, thought, and development are defined and studied. Current research, including cognitive development; memory; perceptual processes; language. Prereq: PSYC 402; PSYC 502; PSYC 581; or permission. Writing intensive.

Attributes: Writing Intensive Course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

PSYC 785 - Social Development

Credits: 4

Examines development of social interactions. Emphasizes important social relationships for the child (e.g., attachment to parents and friendships with peers). Considers other topics of relevance to social developmentalists, such as temperament, aggression, social cognition, and sex roles. Prereq: PSYC 402; PSYC 502; PSYC 581; or permission. Writing intensive.

Attributes: Writing Intensive Course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

PSYC 791 - Special Topics

Credits: 4

New or specialized courses are presented under this listing. Advanced material not normally covered in a regular course in which instructor has specialized knowledge through research and study. May be repeated for different topics. Prereqs: PSYC 402, PSYC 502, and other prerequisites when offered.

Repeat Rule: May be repeated up to 4 times.

Equivalent(s): PSYC 791W

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

PSYC 791W - Special Topics

Credits: 4

New or specialized courses are presented under this listing. Advanced material not normally covered in a regular course offering in which instructor has specialized knowledge through research and study. May be repeated for different topics. Prereqs: PSYC 402, PSYC 502, and other prerequisites when offered.

Attributes: Writing Intensive Course

Repeat Rule: May be repeated up to 4 times.

Equivalent(s): PSYC 791

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

PSYC 793 - Internship

Credits: 4-8

Supervised practicum in one of several cooperating New Hampshire mental health/rehabilitation facilities. Coursework knowledge applied to meaningful work and team experience. Commitment includes a negotiated number of weekly work hours and weekly seminars. Supervision by institution personnel and the instructor. A maximum of 4 credits may be applied to the Psychology major. Course applications accepted beginning in March for fall term and October for spring term. Prereq: permission; PSYC major; PSYC 402; 502; 561 Pre- or coreq: PSYC 762.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

PSYC 794 - Advanced Internship

Credits: 1-8

Supervised advanced practicum experience in co-operating New Hampshire mental health/rehabilitation facilities. Expands and builds on experiences and skills acquired in PSYC 793. Commitment includes a negotiated number of hours of work per week and participation in weekly seminars. Supervision done by institution personnel and instructor. Prereq: PSYC 793; permission. 1 to 8 credits.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

PSYC 795 - Independent Study

Credits: 1-4

A) Physiological, B) Perception;, C) History and Theory, D) Behavioral Analysis, E) Social, F) Cognition, G) Statistics and Methods, H) Experimental, I) Personality, J) Developmental, K) Counseling, L) Psychotherapy, M) Research Apprenticeship, N) Teaching of Psychology, O) Advanced Externship (content area to be determined). Arranged by the student with a psychology faculty sponsor. Learner/sponsor contract required. Minimum time commitment: three hours per credit per week. Enrollment by permission only. Prereq: PSYC 402; 502; or permission.

Repeat Rule: May be repeated up to unlimited times.

Equivalent(s): PSYC 795H, PSYC 795W

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

PSYC 797 - Senior Honors Tutorial

Credits: 4

For senior psychology honors students. Students propose honors theses under the supervision of psychology faculty. Theses proposed and begun in this course are completed in PSYC 799. Prereq: admission to psychology honors program. (Typically offered in fall.)

Attributes: Honors course

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

PSYC 798 - Capstone

Credits: 0

This is a zero credit course to indicate on the transcript that the capstone requirement is fulfilled. PSYC majors only.

Grade Mode: Credit/Fail Grading

PSYC 799 - Senior Honors Thesis

Credits: 4

Under supervision of psychology department faculty members, students complete the honors projects proposed and begun in PSYC 797. The honors project, which should be empirical in nature, culminates in an oral presentation at the end of the semester. Prereq: admission to psychology honors program; PSYC 797. (Typically offered in spring).

Grade Mode: Letter Grading