Psychology

Laboratory course to accompany BC1107. Students conduct experiments analyzing learning and memory in rats and humans.

Lecture course covering the basic methods, results, and theory in the study of how experience affects behavior. The roles of early exposure, habitation, sensitization, conditioning, imitation, and memory in the acquisition and performance of behavior are studied.

Laboratory course to accompany BC1110. Students conduct experiments of seeing, hearing, touching, tasting, and smelling, and learn to report their findings.

Lecture course covering an introduction to problems, methods, and research in perception. Discussion of psychological studies of seeing, hearing, touching, tasting, and smelling.

Selected topics illustrating the methods, findings, and theories of contemporary cognitive psychology. Topics include attention, memory, categorization, perception, and decision making. Special topics include neuropsychology and cognitive neuroscience. The laboratory consists of experiments related to these topics.

Laboratory course to accompany BC1115. Students conduct experiments related to selected topics illustrating the methods, findings, and theories of contemporary cognitive psychology. Topics include attention, memory, categorization, perception, and decision making. Special topics include neuropsychology and cognitive neuroscience.

Lecture covering selected topics illustrating the methods, findings, and theories of contemporary cognitive psychology. Topics include attention, memory, categorization, perception, and decision making. Special topics include neuropsychology and cognitive neuroscience.

Laboratory course to accompany BC1119. Students conduct experiments related to the physiological bases of behavior: development, organization and function of the nervous system; neurochemistry, neurophysiology and synaptic transmission. Topics include: the neural bases of sensory systems; homeostasis; sexual behavior; biological rhythms; emotionality and stress; learning and memory; and psychopathology. A portion of this course uses rats as experimental subjects and involves brain dissections.

Lecture course covering an introduction to the physiological bases of behavior: development, organization and function of the nervous system; neurochemistry, neurophysiology and synaptic transmission. Topics include: the neural bases of sensory systems; homeostasis; sexual behavior; biological rhythms; emotionality and stress; learning and memory; and psychopathology.

Laboratory consists of experiments related to the principal approaches to personality and their implications for personality development, psychological adjustment, and everyday behavior. Students will participate in all stages of personality research: conceptualizing a personality construct, designing and administering tests, identifying individual differences, and carrying out a study.

Lecture course covering the principal approaches to personality and their implications for personality development, psychological adjustment, and everyday behavior.

Laboratory course involving experiments related to cognitive, linguistic, perceptual, motor, social, affective, and personality development from infancy to adolescence. The course offers an opportunity for direct observation of children; major areas of research at each level of development are covered.

Lecture course covering cognitive, linguistic, perceptual, motor, social, affective, and personality development from infancy to adolescence.

Laboratory course covering contemporary theory and research on social thought and behavior. Issues such as person perception, attitudes, attraction, aggression, stereotyping, group dynamics, and social exchange will be explored. The application of theory and research to addressing social problems will be discussed.

Lecture course covering contemporary theory and research on social thought and behavior. Issues such as person perception, attitudes, attraction, aggression, stereotyping, group dynamics, and social exchange will be explored. The application of theory and research to addressing social problems will be discussed.

Through a participative classroom model, the major theories of child and adolescent development and learning fundamental to the educative process are examined. Analysis of applications and implications of psychological knowledge for classroom teaching through observations and research in elementary and secondary school classes. Examines models of instruction and assessment; motivation, teaching, and learning strategies; and gender, economic, and racial issues.

An introduction to the study of abnormal behavior and various psychological disorders such as depression, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, and personality disorders. The course broadly reviews scientific and cultural perspectives on abnormal behavior with an emphasis on clinical descriptions and diagnosis, etiology, treatment, and research methods.

Introduction to behavior of individuals and small groups in work organizations. Recent theory and research emphasizing both content and research methodology. Motivation and performance, attitudes and job satisfaction, power, influence, authority, leadership, cooperation and conflict, decision making, and communications. Enrollment limited to 45; and only seniors. 

This class explores the complex interactions among genetics, hormones, environment, experience, and behavior. Topics covered include the endocrine system, sexual development, reproductive behavior, and social interactions such as affiliation, aggression, parenting, as well as homeostasis, biological rhythms, stress, memory, and mood.

Examines the biological, psychological, and social factors that lead to drug use and abuse. A biopsychosocial model will be used to examine the behavioral effects of prescription, over the counter, and street drugs. Treatments, therapies, and theories of addictive behaviors will be explored.

Explores the evolution of disorders affecting children due to some impairment in the brain or nervous system. Constitutional vulnerabilities demonstrate that nervous system injury varies as a function of neurodevelopmental stage. Disorders to be studied include those impacting language, hearing, vision, movement, mood and emotion, and learning.

Outlines major theoretical questions and research approaches in human motivation. In particular, it focuses on empirical investigations of motivation in social contexts, emphasizing goal formation, goal conflict, the self, and the influence of nonconscious processes. Motivation for competence, control autonomy, achievement, altruism, and intimacy will also be covered.

Critically investigates the universalizing perspectives of psychology. Drawing on recent theory and research in cultural psychology, examines cultural approaches to psychological topics such as the self, human development, mental health, and racial identity. Also explores potential interdisciplinary collaborations.

Psychological investigations of spoken communication from a listener's perspective. Topics include perception and sounds of speech and the apprehension of meaning from words and utterances; the perceptual basis for rhyme and rhythm in speech; and the natural history of vocal communication.

Review of the classic and contemporary empirical research pertaining to the self, with an emphasis on the self as a socially-based construct. Focus on the social basis of identity, self-concept, and self-regulation.

An examination of the major concepts, debates, and research of evolutionary psychology.  Will explore the extent to which the human mind and behavior are shaped by natural selection to solve specific, long-standing problems faced by our species over evolutionary time, such as finding a romantic partner, child-rearing, and gathering food.

Consideration of classic Psychodynamic (the unconscious/incubation), Psychometric (testing/training), and Personaility (train/motivation) models of creativity. Application of contemporary Process (cognitive/problem-solving) models to art, literature, and independently selected areas of expertise. Process models are involving constraint selection within well-established domains are emphasized.

Review and critical evaluation of current empirical research investigating cognitive processes in both human and non-human species. Topics include comparisons in episodic memory, metacognition, theory of mind, self-awareness, and language abilities.

Consideration of research on the interaction of biological, psychological, and social factors related to physical health and illness. Topics include the relationship of stress to illness, primary prevention, mind-body methods of coping with stress and chronic illness (such as meditation), and the relationship between psychological factors and recovery from illness. Enrollment limited to 15. 

Analysis of human development during the fetal period and early infancy. Review of effects of environmental factors on perinatal perceptual, cognitive, sensory-motor, and neurobehavioral capacities, with emphasis on critical conditions involved in both normal and abnormal brain development. Other topics include acute and long term effects of toxic exposures (stress, smoking, and alcohol) during pregnancy, and interaction of genes and the environment in shaping the developing brain of "high-risk" infants, including premature infants and those at risk for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

Exposition of research and theory in neuroscience with an emphasis on the use of neural imaging techniques (EEG, evoked potentials, MEG, PET, fMRI) for exploring sensation, perception, and cognition in the healthy, intact brain.

Survey and critical analysis of the developmental and neurological research on theory of mind -the attribution of mental states like belief, desire, and knowledge to others- in humans and nonhuman animals. Emphasis on the role of intentionality, stages of acquisition, neurological and genetic bases, and deficits in theory of mind.

Examines adolescent development in theory and reality. Focuses on individual physiological, sexual, cognitive, and affective development and adolescent experiences in their social context of family, peers, school, and community. Critical perspectives of gender, race and ethnicity, sexuality, and "teen culture" explored.

Basic principles of the study of drugs that influence the neural systems and induce changes in behavior. Molecular, biochemical and behavioral characterization of psychotropic drugs: stimulants, sedative-hypnotics, anxiolytics, alcohol, hallucinogens, and opiates. Etiology and treatment of psychological and neurological disorders.

Survey of research from the field of social cognition, exploring cognitive processes involved in social functioning.  Topics include attention, interpretation, evaluation, judgment, attribution, and memory processes.  Both controlled and automatic processes will be considered, and the roles of motives, goals, and affective variables will be discussed.

Recent advancements in neuroscience raise profound ethical questions. Neuroethics integrates neuroscience, philosophy, and ethics in an attempt to address these issues. Reviews current debated topics relevant to the brain, cognition, and behavior. Bioethical and philosophical principles will be applied allowing students to develop skill in ethical analysis.

Examines the concept of imitation in behavior through research on animals, human development, and adult language use. Class meetings focus on discussion of reading material to develop a theory of the cognitive mechanisms of imitation that apply to language change in spoken communication.

This course offers an in-depth examination of contemporary topics in personality psychology and their historical antecedents. Topics include developmental foundations, modern theory and research on consciousness, regulation of emotion and cognition, and new approaches to personality assessment. These current issues will be discussed with an emphasis on both theory and research.

An examination of the scientific study of the domestic dog. Emphasis will be on the evolutionary history of the species; the dog's social cognitive skills; canid perceptual and sensory capacities; dog-primate comparative studies; and dog-human interaction.

The seminar will explore how times are perceived, learned, remembered and used to guide decisions and behavior.  The underlying brain mechanisms that create a sense of time and organize action will be discussed.  Students will research how temporal information processing is foundational to core areas of psychology.

Metacognition is one of the latest psychological buzzwords, but what exactly is metacognition? Metacognition enables us to be successful learners, problem solvers, and decision makers, and as often been used synonymously with words such as language, awareness, and consciousness. In this seminar, we will examine various components of metacognition, including its role in learning and memory, and its existence in various non-human populations. In addition, we will explore the fragility of metacognition, including illusions of confidence and harmful control strategies that people use. Readings will include classic and important recent papers in the field, looking at metacognition as a higher-level cognitive process, and as knowledge individuals use to guide behavior.

In this course, students will examine neuroscientific and psychological research and scholarly work pertaining to the ability to regulate – to control and manage – thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and social interactions. Research suggests what is possible to change, and by what mechanisms.  Students will explore how evidence can reasonably be interpreted.

Excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission is often influenced and altered by neuromodulators such as dopamine, acetylcholine, and serotonin. Imbalances in neuromodulation are implicated in many psychiatric disorders. This course will assess the role of neuromodulation under normal circumstances and how dysfunction in neuromodulation can lead to psychiatric disorders. This course will draw from primary literature and review articles in addition to Introduction to Neuropsychopharmacology.

This seminar will explore sleep and circadian rhythms, emphasizing how these factors and their disruption influence health, function, and well-being. Topics will include the physiological and neurobiological generation of sleep and circadian rhythms, and the interaction between these systems with cognitive, behavioral, endocrine, metabolic, and mood/psychiatric variables in humans.

Discussion of issues and research on the breakdown of basic neurocognitive processes in psychopathology. The focus will be on working memory and cognitive control-- the cognitive processes most vulnerable in many psychiatric disorders, including: Schizophrenia, Major Depressive Reaction, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and Substance Abuse. Discussions will focus on issues such as: What can we learn about the neural circuitry involved in a particular psychiatric disorder from studying deficits in cognitive tasks? What can we learn about normal cognition from studying cognitive deficits in psychopathology?

Comprehensive overview of various conceptual and methodologic approaches to studying the cognitive neuroscience of aging. The course will emphasize the importance of combining information from cognitive experimental designs, epidemiologic studies, neuroimaging, and clinical neuropsychological approaches to understand individual differences in both healthy and pathological aging.

Memory and executive processing are critical cognitive functions required for successfully navigating everyday life. In lifespan studies, both exhibit relatively long developmental trajectories followed by stasis and then relative decline in old age. Yet, neither memory nor executive function is a unitary construct. Rather, each is comprised of separable components that may show different developmental trajectories and declines or maintenance at older ages. Moreover, memory is malleable and is a reconstruction of past experience, not an exact reproduction. We will discuss a range of topics related to the development, maintenance and potential decline in memory and executive function from infancy through old age.

How did language evolve and why are human beings the only species to use language? How did the evolution of social intelligence, in particular, cooperation, set the stage for the origin of language and consciousness? We will explore how psychologists, philosophers, neuroscientists, anthropologists, biologists and computational scientists, among others, have collaborated during recent years to produce important insights in the evolution of intelligence, consciousness and language.

Discussion of selected topics and issues in human decision making.

Seminar concerning a nonverbal animal's use of internal representations of past experience as a basis for action. Topics include how representations are formed, what aspects of experience are encoded, how information is stored, and how it is used later to guide behavior.

What are the neural mechanisms that support learning, memory, and choices? We will review current theories in the cognitive neuroscience of human learning, discuss how learning and decision making interact, and consider the strengths and weaknesses of two influential methods in the study of human brain and behavior--functional imaging and patient studies.

This seminar will discuss recent topics in cognitive neuroscience, and how research in this field is impacting public opinion. We will engage in a critical review of how the media represents research on the brain, with a focus on current issues and controversies related to the use of neuroimaging in the study of brain and behavior in humans.

Introduction to leading theoretical perspectives employed by developmental psychologists in the study of affective neuroscience. Exploration of the developmental brain and behavior relationships in humans and animal models of typical and atypical emotional behavior, with a critical reading of recent research findings in the field.

Explores the concept of inheritance and the mechanisms through which inheritance is mediated. Will focus on the generational transmission of physiology and behavior, but will also consider the inheritance of culture and language.

Discussion of the unconscious mind from the perspective of social cognition, with an emphasis on both theoretical and empirical background, as well as current issues in measuring automatic processing. Topics include: implicit memory systems; unconscious attitudes, goals and behavior, emotions, and decision making; the activation and deactivation of knowledge systems; and priming.

An introduction to the emerging interdisciplinary field of social cognitive neuroscience, which examines topics traditionally of interest to social psychologists (including control and automaticity, emotion regulation, person perception, social cooperation) using methods traditionally employed by cognitive neuroscientists (functional neuroimaging, neuropsychological assessment).

Examines current topics in neurobiology and behavior.

A comprehensive examination of how culture and diversity shape psychological processes. The class will explore psychological and political underpinnings of culture and diversity, emphasizing social psychological approaches. Topics include culture and self, cuture and social cognition, group and identity formation, science of diversity, stereotyping, prejudice, and gender. Applications to real-world phenomena discussed.

Reviews and integrates current research on three important topics of social psychology: culture, motivation, and prosocial behavior. Discussions and readings will cover theoretical principles, methodological approaches, and the intersection of these three topics. Students will write a personal research proposal based on the theories presented during the seminar.

Comparison of major theoretical perspectives on social behavior. The nature of theory construction and theory testing in psychology generally. Exercises comparing the predictions of different theories for the same study are designed to acquire an appreciation of how to operationalize theories and an understanding of the various features of a good theory.

Models of judgment and decision making in both certain and uncertain or risky situations, illustrating the interplay of top-down (theory-driven) and bottom-up (data-driven) processes in creating knowledge. Focuses on how individuals do and should make decisions, with some extensions to group decision making and social dilemmas.

Examines definitions, theories, and treatments of abnormal behavior.

This course investigates the ways in which research in human neuroscience both reflects and informs societal issues. Topics include how neuroscience research is interpreted and applied in areas such as healthcare, education, law, consumer behavior, and public policy.

Introduction to the biological approach to the experimental study of behavior. Includes consideration of the types of biological data relevant to psychology, as well as the assumptions and logic permitting the interpretation of biological data in psychological terms.

An introduction to research methods employed in the study of human social cognition and emotion. Students gain experience in the design and conduct of research, including ethical issues, observation and measurement techniques, interpretation of data, and preparation of written and oral reports.

Required Lab for PSYC W1450.

Methodology and procedures of personality and social psychological research and exercises in data analysis and research design. Ethical issues in psychological research. Statistical concepts such as parameter estimation and testing, measurement reliability and validity, merits and limitations of correlational and experimental research designs, and empirical evaluation of theories.

Required lab for PSYC W1455.

This course outlines elements of statistical inference. Students will receive training in the use of software to evaluate both experimental data and psychological theory. In doing so, students will construct models that can both describe scientific results and also predict future outcomes.

Memory, attention, and stress in human cognition.

Introduction to behavioral systems, evolution of behavioral traits, and analysis of behavior. Topics include reproductive and social behavior, mating systems, competition, cooperation, communication, learning, development and the interplay of genes and environment.

Examines the principles governing neuronal activity, the role of neurotransmitter systems in memory and motivational processes, the presumed brain dysfunctions that give rise to schizophrenia and depression, and philosophical issues regarding the relationship between brain activity and subjective experience.

The effects of psychoactive drugs on the brain and behavior.

Brain development across the life span, with emphasis on fetal and postnatal periods. How the environment shapes brain development and hence adult patterns of behavior.

An introduction to basic concepts in social cognition. Topics include attribution theory (how we explain our own and other's behavior), social categories and schema (social perception and stereotyping), the social self (the development and maintenance of a self-concept), attention and consciousness, person memory, affect and cognition, and social inference, among others.

This lecture course introduces students to the study of typical human social development with a particular focus on genetic, familial and peer influences on the development of social behaviors during early childhood.

Study of human vision--both behavioral and physiological data--within a framework of computational and mathematical descriptions. Please contact Prof. Graham by e-mail (nvg1@columbia.edu) if you are interested in this course.

Reproduction encompasses a broad range of behaviors in the life cycle of an organism from mate selection and copulation to parental care. This seminar will examine various aspects of reproduction across species and the neural mechanisms that regulate these behaviors and allow an organism to adapt to environmental change.

This course will explore the theory and methods underlying lifespan development: the cognitive and neural changes that we undergo from even before birth until the end of life. Each week will focus on a different broad time period in the life of a person, and introduce a major research method used in the study of human development. Topics will range from prenatal development and epigenetics to late-life brain changes and neuroimaging.

Considers contemporary risk factors in children's lives. The immediate and enduring biological and behavioral impact of risk factors.

This course centers on understanding the self embedded in the social context. We will integrate knowledge from various areas of psychology (developmental, cognitive, social cognition) with a main focus in social psychology. This course will provide the opportunity to gain an understanding of research in the following areas: the development of self in a social context, the relationship between the self and the broader socio-cultural context, the impact of self-involvement on social/cognitive processes, and contemporary research on individual differences.