Spring 2017

Factors that influence human behavior, including learning, thinking, perception, motivation, and emotion; analysis of determinants of development, adjustment, and maladjustment.

An integrative systems perspective of drugs; including their historical, economic, and cultural importance, psychopharmacology, addiction, relationship to crime, and therapeutic use in treating psychological disorders.

Evaluates scientific research on human happiness. Integrates research from psychology, economics, and neuroscience in the evaluation of personal and public policy choices.

Introduction to the use of statistics in psychology: basic ideas in measurement; frequency distributions; descriptive statistics; concepts and procedures in statistical inference.

Language within cognitive science: speech physiology and acoustics, language acquisition, reading, language disorders, perception and mental representation of words, linguistic diversity and computer analysis of speech.

Supervised Research with department faculty . Not for major or minor credit. Prerequisite: PSYC 100

Experimental and theoretical aspects of human memory, perception, thinking, and language. Lectures, demonstrations, and individual experiments. Prerequisite: 100g or departmental approval.

Receptor processes and stimulus organization; traditional topics in the perception of objects, space, time. Laboratory demonstrations and exercises.

Principles involved in classical and operant conditioning. Concentration on basic causes of behavior; consideration of the relevance of simple behavioral laws to complicated human behavior.

Experimental research methods in psychology; nature and concepts of scientific method. Lab exercises, data analysis and preparation of APA style empirical report.

Non-experimental research methods in psychology. Observational, survey and data analysis exercises

The integrative study of bio-behavioral systems. Evolutionary, developmental, ecological, social, ethological, and physiological factors mediating representative behavioral and psychological phenomenon are examined in detail.

Neural bases of behavior. Concentration on sensory and motor processes and the interaction of neural, chemical, and hormonal systems.

Child and adolescent behavior and associated theories; exploration of the continuity between child and adult behavior. Laboratory projects.

Genetic, physical, and social influences during adult years on perception, learning and memory, intelligence, personality, social roles, and normal and deviant behavioral patterns. Laboratory demonstrations and exercises.

Scientific perspective of close relationships: intimate relationships, friendships and others, evolutionary and biological bases of attraction and love, historical, social , cultural influences. Prerequisite: PSYC 100. (Duplicates credit in PSYC 359)

Theoretical and experimental analysis of human behavior. Social processes involved in attitudes, conformity, compliance, interpersonal perception, liking, affiliation, aggression, altruism, and group dynamics.

The commonly diagnosed behavior pathologies; biological, social, cultural, and developmental antecedents of abnormal behavior; principles of learning, perception, and motivation, as they relate to psychopathology.

Introduction to the scientist-practitioner model of clinical psychology, including research methods, psychological assessment and diagnosis, psychotherapeutic interventions, and treatment of special populations.

Survey of current topics, technologies and techniques. Students acquire a basic understanding of how forensic psychologists contribute their unique expertise to the American legal system. Prerequisites: PSYC 100. Duplicates credit in former PSYC 465.

Advanced study of scientific inquiry in psychology with in-depth analysis of current research by faculty in the Psychology Department. Preparation for senior honors thesis research. Prerequisite: acceptance in Psychology Undergraduate Honors Program and consent of instructor.

Individual field experience and independent study supervised by an on-site professional and USC faculty sponsor. Recommended preparation: Minimum of 3 courses completed in Psychology.

Universal characteristics of child language; stages of acquisition of phonology, syntax, semantics; processes and dimensions of development; psychological mechanisms; communicative styles.

Experimental and theoretical aspects of how spoken and written language is produced and understood, learned during childhood, and affected by brain damage.

Extensive examination of select current research in social psychology, based on original research papers. Specific topics change by semester.

Exploration of human nature through studies of nonhuman animals, including topics of navigation, culture, object representation, social cognition, music, and morality.

Descriptive and normative models of decision making; topics include probability judgments, inference, correlation, emotion, mental accounting, decision analysis, lens model, equity, social dilemmas, time, risk.

Effects of brain damage on human behavior and abilities, particularly language, memory, and emotion. Open only to Junior standing or higher.

Principles of cognitive development, learning, and motivation applied to the development of literacy; includes tutoring a child 2 hours per week. Prerequisite: PSYC 336L.

The adolescent years from both an applied and a research-oriented perspective. Topics include physical, cognitive, and moral development; socialization; and sexual and sex-role development.

Introduction to the major components of cognition (perception, memory, intelligence) in terms of the neural coding characteristic of the relevant brain areas.

Introduction to using neural network or connectionist models to simulate cognitive, social, emotional and motivational processes. Introduction of basic concepts and tools in computational neuroscience. Recommended preparation: Basic knowledge of programming is helpful, but not required.

The influence of culture, ethnicity, race and gender on human behavior. Mental health issues relevant to ethnic minorities in the U.S. Recommended preparation: sophomore standing or higher; PSYC-100.

Advanced study of empirical approaches in psychology. Progress presentations and evaluations of Senior Honors Thesis research. In-depth exploration of issues in science. Not available for graduate credit.

Individual research and readings. Not available for graduate credit.

Selected topics in the various specialty areas within psychology. Topic will vary from semester to semester.

ANOVA, including three-way and within groups designs, multiple comparisons, ANCOVA, plus related methods based on robust smoothers and multivariate techniques. Prerequisite: PSYC-501.

Intensive review of research methods in the behavioral sciences. Problem analysis, formulation of research propositions, and procedures for research inference.

Study of clinical assessment: test construction, measurement and predicition of behavior, major cognitive and personality assessment instruments. (One of 4 clinical psychology core courses: 514, 515, 619, 620.)

Theory and research on effective teams and characteristics of strong leaders. Negotiation, morale-building, managing expectancies, utilization of cultural diversity as a strength. Open only to M.S., Applied Psychology students.

Review of theories of cognitive development. Analysis of research on brain functioning, perception, memory, language, reasoning and academic skills from birth to adolescence.

An examination of the major components of cognition (e.g., perception, memory, intelligence) in terms of the neural coding characteristic of the relevant brain areas.

The nature of the human mind, social interactions, conflicts, cooperative behavior, mutual influence and effectiveness. Application of psychological principles to the dynamics of commercial entities. Open only to M.S., Applied Psychology students.

The nature of the human mind, social interactions, conflicts, cooperative behavior, mutual influence and effectiveness. Application of psychological principles to the dynamics of commercial entities. Open only to M.S., Applied Psychology students.

Examination of the diverse methods of communicating with a target audience with a special emphasis on the newest computer-based tools for providing information and influence. Open only to M.A., Communication; M.C.M.; and M.S., Applied Psychology students.

Examination of the psychological factors that impact employee motivation, job satisfaction, teamwork, leadership, and organizational development. Open only to Master of Applied Psychology students. Not available for major credit for GSBA majors

Practical, hands-on experience in the application of selected quantitative methods to empirical data. Includes training in the use of relevant computer software.

Current issues in psycholinguistic theory.

Research leading to the master's degree. Maximum units which may be applied to the degree to be determined by the department. Graded CR/NC.

Internship in a non-university setting, such as business, governmental agency, or NGO. Graded CR/NC. Open only to M.S., Applied Psychology students.

Requires a research paper of substantial length and high quality that integrates the Internship experience with concepts and principles of human behavior. Credit/No Credit. Open only to M.S., Applied Psychology students.

Credit on acceptance of Thesis. Graded CR/NC.

Credit on acceptance of Thesis. Graded CR/NC.

Credit on acceptance of Thesis. Graded CR/NC.

Selected topics in the various specialty areas within psychology at the graduate level. Topic will vary from semester to semester.

Study of clinical psychological treatment: Research and theory about major psychological approaches to intervention. (One of 4 clinical psychology core courses: PSYC 514, PSYC 515, PSYC 619, PSYC 620.)

Selected topics in clinical psychology.

Supervised clinical work in an approved mental health setting. Graded CR/NC. Prerequisite: Good standing in clinical program and departmental approval.

Didactic practicum combining theory and research on psychological intervention with clinical practice in assessment and treatment, focused on particular client groups or disorders. Graded CR/NC.

Research leading to the doctorate. Maximum units which may be applied to the degree to be determined by the department. Graded CR/NC.

Credit on acceptance of Dissertation. Graded IP/CR/NC.

Credit on acceptance of Dissertation. Graded IP/CR/NC.

Credit on acceptance of Dissertation. Graded IP/CR/NC.

Credit on acceptance of Dissertation. Graded IP/CR/NC.

Credit on acceptance of Dissertation. Graded IP/CR/NC.