Psychology

Overview of psychology from both the natural science and social science perspectives. Topics include biological bases of behavior, sensory and perceptual processes, learning, motivation, thought, maturational and developmental changes, individual differences, personality, social behavior, and abnormal psychology. In some terms an optional one credit discussion section (graded S/U) is offered. An optional weekly review session is offered for those who wish to attend.

Hoos Connected brings together groups of students who get to know one another in a relaxed environment, while also developing leadership and communication skills. Led by two trained upper-class student facilitators, groups of 6-10 students engage in activities and discussions that delve into what brings us together, what can keep us apart, and how these things manifest in our personal lives and our broader UVA community.

Introduces research methods and statistical analysis in psychology. This course, with a minimum grade of "C", is a prerequisite for declaring a major or minor in Psychology. Prerequisites: None.

Cognition is the activity of knowing: the acquisition, organization, and use of knowledge. Emphasizing fundamental issues, this course introduces such basic content areas in cognitive psychology as perception, memory, language, cognitive development, and philosophy of science. An optional weekly review session is offered for those who wish to attend.

After an overview of brain organization and function, the course examines what we know about the physiological bases of several behaviors including sensation and perception, learning, memory, sleep development, hunger, thirst, and emotions.

Introduces psychopathology with a focus on specific forms of abnormal behavior: depression, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, substance use disorders, and personality disorders. Prerequisites: None.

Surveys major topics in social psychology, including personal perception and social cognition, attitudes and persuasion, interpersonal influence, interpersonal attraction, and helping relationships. Considers research theory and applications of social psychology. Three lecture hours plus optional discussion sections.

This course introduces the biological, cognitive, and social development of the child. As we consider specific topics in child development, such as language development, emotional development, and childhood disabilities, we will consider how specific findings in child development research can answer bigger questions about the nature of human development and how to create a world in which children can grow and thrive.  Prerequisite: PSYC 1010 strongly recommended, but not required.

A continuation of discussion of research methods in psychology, including computer-controlled experimentation, integrated with computer-based exploratory data analysis, and elementary statistical analysis. Three lecture hours, two laboratory hours. Prerequisite: PSYC 2005 and one of the following options, all with a C or higher grade: STAT 1601 or (STAT 1602 AND STAT 2020) or STAT 3080 or PSYC 3310

The course will examine historical and current theories of learning that provide the foundation for most, if not all forms of an organism's behavior. Students will be exposed to a diverse range of experimental findings that led to principles and concepts that currently explain how environmental, social and emotional factors influence the brain and body to shape human and animal behavior.

This course is intended as a survey of cognitive neuroscience, with an emphasis on breadth. Each week we will cover one sub-area or topic within cognitive neuroscience including perception, attention, memory, cognitive control and others. Readings will be chapters from the textbook with a few supplemental journal articles. PSYC 2150 and/or PSYC 2200 recommended but not required.

This course will build on students' general knowledge of Neuroscience topics and aim to achieve a deeper understanding of the fundamental principles of Neuroscience. Topics covered: (1) cell biological and electrical properties of the neuron; (2) synaptic transmission and synaptic plasticity; (3) transduction of physical stimuli and processing of sensory information; and (4) development and evolution and the nervous system.

This course is a didactic, mechanistic exploration of epigenetics; we will discuss all epigenetic modifications known to date, the processes through which they are established and modified and their impact on the cell and organism.

This course looks at the evolutionary basis of cognition through the lens of animal behavior, with an emphasis on understanding how general mechanisms of perception and learning interact with more specialized systems for navigation, social interaction, and planning to produce the rich behavioral adaptations seen throughout the animal kingdom.

This course serves as both an introduction to the R programming language for those who haven't had any previous R background, as well as a refresher and an extension of R topics for those who have taken an intro to R course (i.e., STAT 1601 or PSYC 3006) previously or concurrently. This course is specially tailored to those who have an interest in psychology, with the purpose of preparing students to use R for their psychological research.

Introduction to research methods used to explore current issues in social psychology. This course provides hands-on learning experiences in research design, data collection and analysis, and reporting of research findings.

Overview of the description, cause and treatment of various psychological disorders of childhood. Prerequisite: PSYC 2700 recommended.

Seminars on special and current topics in psychology.

Training for undergraduate teaching assistants to promote course material to assist students enrolled in Psyc active learning courses to perform activities designed for the corresponding discussion/lab section.

An original experimental project is undertaken in which each student is responsible for the design and operation of the experiment. S/U grading. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: 14 credits of psychology and instructor permission.

Group Process and Facilitation is a 2-semester, 4- or 5-credit course sequence. In semester 1, students learn background knowledge and skills related to: advanced reflective listening, group processes and management, leadership and facilitation. Students also participate in their own Hoos Connected group. In semester 2, students are eligible to co-facilitate 1-2 Hoos Connected group(s) and also receive weekly group supervision.

Group Process and Facilitation is a 2-semester, 4- or 5-credit course sequence. In semester 1, students learn background knowledge and skills related to: advanced reflective listening, group processes and management, leadership and facilitation. Students also participate in their own Hoos Connected group. In semester 2, students are eligible to co-facilitate 1-2 Hoos Connected group(s) and also receive weekly group supervision.

Learning, Emotions and Motivation will be explored from animal models of clinical conditions, historical case studies in humans of brain-derived emotional disturbances, and current innovations to treat brain disorders. These important discoveries will be presented for students to understand underlying biological and neural mechanisms that mediate adaptive changes to motivate healthy behavior.

This course aims to discuss the state-of-the-art in the large field of cognitive aging and the main lifespan predictors that lead to healthy aging.

Human neuroimaging technologies and analytics methods enable exploration of the form, function, and connectivity of the living brain. Students will gain familiarity with the origins of brain imaging using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), be able to discuss the technical foundations of image reconstruction, view and process raw neuroimaging structural and time-series data, and make inferences about the brain in health and in disease.PSYC 4200 or PSYC 5265 recommended. Some background in coding using Matlab, R or Python is recommended. Other majors with Instructor's Permission.