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Psychology 205 — History and Theory of Psychology. Fall and spring. An examination in historical perspective of what are considered to be the major systems (e.g., psychoanalysis,
behaviorism,  cognitive science, neuroscience, humanism) of psychology. The course begins by using a number of philosophical
questions regarding the status of psychology as a scientific discipline, moves on to a comprehensive treatment
of the systems themselves, and finally, returns to initial questions to determine the extent to which they
have been answered. Required for the psychology major. Prerequisite: Psychology 100. One unit. (The image at the right, taken from the 1870s, was a good-humored caricature of Darwin with the body of an ape, symbolizing Darwin's theory of evolution via natural selection.) |
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Psychology 223 — Learning. Taught annually. The course is an intensive evaluation of how behavior is acquired and maintained. It focuses on Pavlovian and operant
conditioning in animals a nd human subjects. Special topics include the application of these principles to
psychotherapy, drug addiction, self-control, and biological influences and constraints on learning. Fulfills the
Biological Fundamental Area Requirement. Prerequisite: Psychology 100. One unit. |
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Psychology 253 — Evolution of Behavior. Taught annually.
Explores the origins and nature of human nature. Focuses on the evolutionary origins of human nature as
revealed through the available fossil record  and through analysis of other primate species, particularly chimpanzees. (The fellow on the left is an Australopithecus afarensis or "southern ape from the Afar region of Ethiopia." He's also on the home page.)
Topics include language development, the
evolutionary bases for human social behaviors, and the origns of human intelligence. Fulfills the Biological Fundamental
Area Requirement. Prerequisite: Psychology 100. One unit.
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