printer friendly pagePSYCH 1: Introduction to Psychology
An introduction to the science of how people think, feel, and behave. We will explore such topics as intelligence, perception, memory, happiness, personality, culture, social influence, development, emotion, and mental illness. Students will learn about classic and cutting edge research, a range of methods, and discover how psychology informs our understanding of what it means to be human, addresses other fields, and offers solutions to important social problems.
Psych 1 fulfills the SI Way, and, effective Autumn 2018, the SMA Way. For more information on
PSYCH 1, visit
http://psychone.stanford.edu
Terms: Aut, Win, Spr
| Units: 5
| UG Reqs: GER:DB-SocSci, WAY-SI, WAY-SMA
PSYCH 7N: Learn to Intervene, Wisely
One of the most exciting transformations in the social sciences in recent years is the finding that brief psychological exercises can improve important outcomes for months and years such as raising school achievement and reducing inequality, improving health, and reducing intergroup conflict. These interventions help individuals flourish and help our society live up to its ideals. They address critical psychological questions people have, like ¿Do people like me belong in this school?¿, ¿Can I learn math?¿, ¿Am I bad mom?¿, and ¿Can groups in conflict change?¿. In this seminar, we will learn about ¿psychologically wise¿ interventions; how they work; how they can cause lasting benefits; their intellectual lineage; how they can be used, adapted, and scaled to address contemporary problems; and challenges and mistakes that can arise in doing so. In addition to learning from classic and contemporary research, you will design your very own wise intervention and workshop others¿ efforts. Working with a community partner, you will explore a problem your partner faces, identify a specific psychological process you think contributes to this problem, and design an intervention to address this process to improve outcomes, which your partner could implement and evaluate. You will share your approach in a final report with both your seminar-mates and your community partner. When you have completed this seminar, you will more fully understand the psychological aspect of social problems and how this can be addressed through rigorous research.
Terms: Aut
| Units: 3
| UG Reqs: WAY-SI
Instructors:
Walton, G. (PI)
PSYCH 8N: The New Longevity
Life expectancy nearly doubled in the 20th century. Along with a decrease in fertility societies are also aging. These changes have ramifications for all of the fundamental structures that guide people through life, including work, education, and the nature of families, as well as health, social engagement, and fitness. This course focuses on the implications for young generations today that will likely live longer than any in human history.
Terms: Win
| Units: 3
| UG Reqs: GER:DB-SocSci, WAY-SI
Instructors:
Carstensen, L. (PI)
;
Shavit, Y. (TA)
PSYCH 10: Introduction to Statistical Methods: Precalculus (STATS 60, STATS 160)
Techniques for organizing data, computing, and interpreting measures of central tendency, variability, and association. Estimation, confidence intervals, tests of hypotheses, t-tests, correlation, and regression. Possible topics: analysis of variance and chi-square tests, computer statistical packages.
Terms: Aut, Win, Spr, Sum
| Units: 5
| UG Reqs: GER:DB-Math, WAY-AQR, WAY-FR
Instructors:
Baiocchi, M. (PI)
;
Harrison, M. (PI)
;
Miolane, N. (PI)
...
more instructors for PSYCH 10 »
Instructors:
Baiocchi, M. (PI)
;
Harrison, M. (PI)
;
Miolane, N. (PI)
;
Poldrack, R. (PI)
;
Tong, L. (PI)
;
Xia, L. (PI)
;
bonnen, t. (PI)
;
Azadkia, M. (TA)
;
Blevins, E. (TA)
;
Cao, S. (TA)
;
Guo, K. (TA)
;
Han, K. (TA)
;
Harrison, M. (TA)
;
Hsu, T. (TA)
;
King, L. (TA)
;
Lemhadri, I. (TA)
;
Ruan, F. (TA)
;
Samyak, R. (TA)
;
Schwartz, J. (TA)
;
Wu, Y. (TA)
;
bonnen, t. (TA)
PSYCH 12N: Self Theories
Preference to freshmen. The impact of people's belief in a growing versus fixed self on their motivation and performance in school, business, sports, and relationships. How such theories develop and can be changed.
Terms: Aut
| Units: 3
| UG Reqs: GER:DB-SocSci, WAY-SI
Instructors:
Dweck, C. (PI)
PSYCH 15N: Becoming Kinder
Kindness - the ability to understand each other, the instinct to care for each other, and the desire to help each other - is among our most powerful natural resources. It supports cooperation, fosters relationships, improves health, and overwrites hatred. Kindness is also challenging, especially in the modern world. More than ever, individuals are isolated, anonymous, and independent: qualities that make it harder to truly see each other and easier to succumb to indifference and even cruelty. As technology mediates more of our interactions and tribal signifiers occupy more of our identity, kindness erodes. And yet we have options. A growing number of social scientists are now experimenting in re-building kindness, using everything from virtual reality to meditation to literature to old-fashioned friendship. Their efforts demonstrate that through directed effort, people can become kinder. nThis class will explore the nature of kindness, the challenges modernity has placed in front of it, and the many ways scientists and practitioners are stimulating kindness. Though drawing mainly from psychology, we will tour sociology, conflict resolution, technology, the humanities, and neuroscience as well. The class will also grapple with central questions about human nature -most importantly, to what extent can we change ourselves into the people we¿d like to become? Finally, we will meld science with personal narrative and exercises meant to not only explore kindness-building as a research concept, but as a part of our own lives.
Terms: Win
| Units: 3
Instructors:
Zaki, J. (PI)
PSYCH 20N: How Beliefs Create Reality
This seminar will take an interdisciplinary approach to exploring how subjective aspects of the mind (e.g., thoughts, beliefs, and expectations) can fundamentally change objective reality. Over the course of the semester, students will be challenged to think critically about research from psychology, sociology, and medicine, which suggests that what we think, believe and expect plays a significant role in determining our physical health, performance and well-being. Students will explore research on how mindsets about nutrition, exercise, and stress can alter the body's response to those phenomena. Students will also uncover how social interactions with friends, family, colleagues and the media influence the perceived quality and impact of cultural products such as art, music, and fashion. And students will learn about the neurological and physiological underpinnings of the placebo effect, a powerful demonstration of expectation that produces real, healing changes in the body. Finally, students will have the opportunity to consider real world applications in disciplines including policy, business, medicine, academics, athletics and public health and consider the ethical implications of those applications. Throughout the class active participation and an open mind will be critical to success. The final weeks of class will be dedicated to student designed studies or interventions aimed to further explore the power of self-fulfilling prophecies, placebo effects, and the social-psychological creation of reality.
Last offered: Autumn 2016
PSYCH 21N: How to Make a Racist (AFRICAAM 121N, CSRE 21N)
How does a child, born without beliefs or expectations about race, grow up to be racist? To address this complicated question, this seminar will introduce you to some of the psychological theories on the development of racial stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination. Together, these theories highlight how cognitive, social, and motivational factors contribute to racist thinking. We will engage thoughtfully and critically with each topic through reflection and discussion. Occasionally, I will supplement the discussion and class activities with a brief lecture, in order to highlight the central issues, concepts, and relevant findings. We will share our own experiences, perspectives, and insights, and together, we will explore how racist thinking takes root. Come to class with an open mind, a willingness to be vulnerable, and a desire to learn from and with your peers. Students with diverse opinions and perspectives are encouraged to enroll.
Terms: Aut
| Units: 3
| UG Reqs: WAY-EDP
Instructors:
Roberts, S. (PI)
PSYCH 24N: Neuroforecasting
Preference to freshmen. This course explores whether brain activity can be used not only to predict the choices of individuals, but also of separate groups of individuals in the future (e.g., in markets). Questions include how neuroforecasting is possible, whether it can add value to other forecasting tools (e.g., traditional measures like behavioral choice and subjective ratings), and when it extends to different aggregate scenarios. The course is ideal for students that would like to extend neural predictions about individual choice to group choice, and who plan to apply this knowledge in future research.
Terms: Win
| Units: 3
| UG Reqs: WAY-SI
Instructors:
Knutson, B. (PI)
PSYCH 30: Introduction to Perception
Behavioral and neural aspects of perception focusing on visual and auditory perception. Topics include: scientific methods for studying perception, anatomy and physiology of the visual and auditiory systems, color vision, depth perception, motion perception, stereopsis, visual recognition, pitch and loudness perception, speech perception, and reorganization of the visual system in the blind.
Terms: Aut
| Units: 4
| UG Reqs: GER: DB-NatSci, WAY-SI, WAY-SMA
Instructors:
Finzi, D. (PI)
;
Grill-Spector, K. (PI)
;
Jagadeesh, A. (PI)
...
more instructors for PSYCH 30 »
Instructors:
Finzi, D. (PI)
;
Grill-Spector, K. (PI)
;
Jagadeesh, A. (PI)
;
Kong, N. (PI)
;
Margalit, E. (PI)
;
Rosenke, M. (PI)
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