THE SCIENCE OF PSYCHOLOGY

Prerequisites: BLOCKED CLASS. EVERYONE MUST JOIN WAITLIST TO BE ADMITTED Broad survey of psychological science including: sensation and perception; learning, memory, intelligence, language, and cognition; emotions and motivation; development, personality, health and illness, and social behavior. Discusses relations between the brain, behavior, and experience. Emphasizes science as a process of discovering both new ideas and new empirical results. PSYC UN1001 serves as a prerequisite for further psychology courses and should be completed by the sophomore year.

• TR 1:10 p.m.-2:25 p.m.
• MW 8:40 a.m.-9:55 a.m.
• TR 8:40 a.m.-9:55 a.m.
• Instructor: Patricia G Lindemann
  CULPA: 64 Info
• Instructor: Tina Kao
  CULPA: 10 Info
• Instructor: Lawrence I Reed
  CULPA: 3 h-index: None Info
• 3 points

RESEARCH METHODS - HUMAN BEHAVIOR

Prerequisites: PSYC UN1001 and a statistics course (PSYC UN1610 or the equivalent), or the instructor's permission. Corequisites: PSYC UN1421 Introduction to the techniques of research employed in the study of human behavior. Students gain experience in the conduct of research, including design of simple experiments, observation and measurement techniques, and the analysis of behavioral data.

• M 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Saski Giebl
  Info
• 4 points

RESEARCH METHODS-HUM BEHAV LAB

Corequisites: 
PSYC UN1420

 

• M 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• M 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Saski Giebl
  Info
• 0 points

STATISTCS-BEHAVIORL SCIENTISTS

Prerequisites: PSYC UN1001 or PSYC UN1010 Recommended preparation: one course in behavioral science and knowledge of high school algebra. Corequisites: PSYC UN1611 Introduction to statistics that concentrates on problems from the behavioral sciences.

• TR 11:40 a.m.-12:55 p.m.
• Instructor: Katherine T Fox-Glassman
  CULPA: 6 h-index: 4 Info
• 4 points

STATISTCS-BEHAV SCIENTISTS-LAB

Corequisites: PSYC UN1610 Required lab section for PSYC UN1610.

• R 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• R 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• R 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Katherine T Fox-Glassman
  CULPA: 6 h-index: 4 Info
• 0 points

COGNITION: MEMORY AND STRESS

Prerequisites: PSYC UN1001 or PSYC UN1010 or the instructors permission. Memory, attention, and stress in human cognition.

• MW 1:10 p.m.-2:25 p.m.
• Instructor: Janet Metcalfe
  CULPA: 31 h-index: 70 Info
• 3 points

Educational Psychology

Educational Psychology is a survey course that focuses on research-based concepts and principles of human learning, development, motivation, and cognition, and how that information is applied to the field of education. The implications of psychological theory for educational research and practice will be discussed. Current views of educational issues in childhood will be examined with an emphasis on the complex interaction between social, cognitive, behavioral and societal factors involved in education. 

• MW 10:10 a.m.-11:25 a.m.
• Instructor: Hannah E Hoch
  CULPA: 27 Info
• 3 points

COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE

Prerequisites: PSYC UN1001 or equivalent introductory course in Psychology This course provides an in-depth survey of data and models of a wide variety of human cognitive functions. Drawing on behavioral, neuropsychological, and neuroimaging research, the course explores the neural mechanisms underlying complex cognitive processes, such as perception, memory, and decision making. Importantly, the course examines the logic and assumptions that permit us to interpret brain activity in psychological terms.

• MW 8:40 a.m.-9:55 a.m.
• Instructor: Elif A Duman
  Info
• 3 points

Social Neuroscience

This course will provide a broad overview of the field of social neuroscience. We will consider how social processes are implemented at the neural level, but also how neural mechanisms help give rise to social phenomena and cultural experiences. Many believe that the large expansion of the human brain evolved due to the complex demands of dealing with social others—competing or cooperating with them, deceiving or empathizing with them, understanding or misjudging them. What kind of “social brain” has this evolutionary past left us with? In this course, we will review core principles, theories, and methods guiding social neuroscience, as well as research examining the brain basis of processes such as theory of mind, emotion, stereotyping, social group identity, empathy, judging faces and bodies, morality, decision-making, the impact of culture and development, among others. Overall, this course will introduce students to the field of social neuroscience and its multi-level approach to understanding the brain in its social context. 

• MW 2:40 p.m.-3:55 p.m.
• Instructor: Jon B Freeman
  Wikipedia Info
• 3 points

DRUGS AND BEHAVIOR

Prerequisites: PSYC W1001 or PSYC W1010, or the equivalent. The effects of psychoactive drugs on the brain and behavior.

• TR 8:40 a.m.-9:55 a.m.
• Instructor: Carl Hart
  CULPA: 43 Wikipedia h-index: 54 Info
• 3 points

INTRODUCTION TO PERSONALITY

INTRO TO PERSONALITY

• TR 10:10 a.m.-11:25 a.m.
• Instructor: Usha Barahmand
  Info
• 3 points

ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR

Prerequisites: An introductory psychology course. Examines definitions, theories, and treatments of abnormal behavior.

• TR 4:10 p.m.-5:25 p.m.
• Instructor: E'Mett McCaskill
  CULPA: 38 Info
• 3 points

SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY

Surveys important methods, findings, and theories in the study of social influences on behavior. Emphasizes different perspectives on the relation between individuals and society.

• TR 2:40 p.m.-3:55 p.m.
• Instructor: Tory Higgins
  CULPA: 23 Wikipedia h-index: 134 Info
• 3 points

From lab to life: How cognition research

Cognition Rsrch: Lab to L

How do we study smarter and not harder? How can we learn better from mistakes?
How does stress affect our attention, learning, and memory? Is scrolling through TikTok
on our phones while watching a video recording of a lecture a good thing? What does
stress do to our cognition and the brain? Do brain training apps really work? These are
the kinds of questions we aim to answer in the class UN3211- From lab to life: how
cognition research affects everything you do.
The goal of the class is twofold: to understand 1) how laboratory research in cognitive
psychology and neuroscience can be applied to everyday life, and 2) how observations
and research from an applied setting can contribute to our understanding of cognitive
processes.
Given the applied and interdisciplinary nature of this content, this seminar course will
be heavily discussion-based. We will discuss primary literature on various topics of
cognition and bring it into the real world with applied research. Topics will include the
application of research on perception, attention, memory, learning, and metacognition
to real-world settings such as education, driving, health and well-being, law, media,
and society

• R 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Manasi Jayakumar
  Info
• 4 points

The Science and Psychology of Music

Music is present in every culture around the world and it plays important roles in human existence. In this course, we discuss the impact of music on mental and cognitive health and explore contexts in which music is used.

• R 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Mayron Piccolo
  Info
• 4 points

Evolution of Intelligence, Animal Commun

Prerequisites: PSYC UN1001, and the instructors permission.

A systematic review of the evolution language covering the theory of evolution, conditioning theory, animal communication, ape language experiments, infant cognition, preverbal antecedents of language and contemporary theories of language.  

 

• T 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Herbert S Terrace
  CULPA: 29 Wikipedia Info
• 3 points

Neurobiology of Working Memory

Working memory is our ability to retain information in mind in the absence of sensory stimuli. In this course we will gain a more thorough understanding of what working memory is and how the brain supports it.

• R 10:10 a.m.-noon
• Instructor: Sarah Demoya
  Info
• 4 points

Seminar on Stigma and Belonging

Stigma and Belonging Semi

Description: This course seeks to (1) illuminate psychological pathways through which stigma
impacts members of devalued social groups, and (2) investigate the mechanisms through which
interventions at different levels of an ecological system either succeed or fail. The course
considers identity devaluation, discrimination, and exclusion as general processes that apply to
an array of social categories and status characteristics, including sexual orientation, obesity,
mental illness, racial and ethnic identity, physical disability, immigration status, and having a
criminal record. Conceptualizing stigma as a multi-level construct, we will focus on both
psychological and structural mechanisms through which stigma harms its targets and contributes
to population-level inequalities. While the course will draw primarily on the literature in social
psychology, we will also consider research and writing from other disciplines, including clinical
psychology, sociology, public health, and law. Over the course of the semester, we will also
consider methodological issues in psychological research, including ways in which stigma, its
impacts, and intervention effects can be measured.

• R 7:30 p.m.-9:20 p.m.
• Instructor: Michael J Naft
  Info
• 4 points

CHILDREN AT RISK

Prerequisites: PSYC UN1010, PSYC UN2280, PSYC UN2620, or PSYC UN2680, and the instructors permission. Considers contemporary risk factors in childrens lives. The immediate and enduring biological and behavioral impact of risk factors.

• T 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Geraldine Downey
  CULPA: 9 Wikipedia Info
• 4 points

TOPICS IN CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY

Prerequisites: (PSYC UN1001) Instructor permission required. A seminar for advanced undergraduate students exploring different areas of clinical psychology. This course will provide you with a broad overview of the endeavors of clinical psychology, as well as discussion of its current social context, goals, and limitations.

• R 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• W 12:10 p.m.-2 p.m.
• Instructor: Jeffrey M Cohen
  h-index: 5 Info
• Instructor: Irit Felsen
  Info
• 4 points

Adolescent Mental Health: Causes, Correl

ADOLESCENT MENTAL HEALTH

Prerequisites: PSYC UN1001 and Prior coursework in Abnormal Psychology and Research Methods strongly preferred. Adolescence is a peak period for the onset of mental disorders and suicidal behaviors. The seminar is designed to enhance understanding of topics including, prevalence, etiology, risk factors, mechanisms, prevention and treatment approaches, and ethical considerations related to clinical research.

• T 10:10 a.m.-noon
• Instructor: Randy P Auerbach
  h-index: 50 Info
• 4 points

Psychology/Neuroscience Senior Thesis Ad

Advanced Research Seminar

The seminar component of the Psych/Neuro Senior Thesis Advanced Research program. Students admitted to the research program should plan to take this seminar in the spring of their junior year and in the fall and spring semesters of their senior year. Students are expected to be working in a lab as part of their participation in this program. In addition to supporting students throughout their independent research project, this seminar will introduce students to some of the big questions in the field through its connection with the Psychology Department Colloquium and will train students in reading and evaluating scientific research and communicating their own research findings. 

 

• W 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Nim L Tottenham
  Info
• 1-3 points

Theories of Change in Human Development

Theories of Change-Human

What are the agents of developmental change in human childhood? How has the scientific community graduated from nature versus nurture, to nature
and
nurture? This course offers students an in-depth analysis of the fundamental theories in the study of cognitive and social development.

• W 10:10 a.m.-noon
• Instructor: Dima Amso
  CULPA: 1 h-index: 31 Info
• 4 points

Machine Intelligence

This course will survey historical and modern developments in machine intelligence from fields such as psychology, neuroscience, and computer science, and from intellectual movements such as cybernetics, artificial intelligence, neural networks, connectionism, machine learning, and deep learning. The emphasis is on the conceptual understanding of topics. The course does not include, nor require background in, computer programming and statistics. A crucial aspect of the seminar is for students to become informed consumers of applications of artificial intelligence.

• R 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Trenton Jerde
  h-index: 11 Info
• 4 points

COG NEURO NARRATIVE FILM

Prerequisites: (PSYC UN1010 or Equivalent introductory course in neuroscience or cognitive psychology This seminar will provide a broad survey of how narrative stories, films, and performances have been used as tools to study cognition in psychology and neuroscience.

• T 10:10 a.m.-noon
• Instructor: Christopher Baldassano
  h-index: 13 Info
• 3 points

Mentalizing: How we read people

Success in a social world requires understanding other people’s thoughts and feelings, a process typically referred to as
mentalizing
. Yet, other people’s mental states are not directly observable: you cannot see a thought or touch a feeling. Nonetheless, humans are quite proficient in inferring these invisible states of mind. How do we accomplish these mentalizing feats? In this course, we will answer this question from multiple angles, relying heavily on neuroscience and psychology research. The seminar will discuss recent and classic studies that reveal how humans effectively interpret the people around them, as well as when and why they make mistakes. 

• T 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Meghan Meyer
  Info
• 4 points

LANGUAGE AND MIND

Prerequisites: PSYC UN1001 and Preferably, an additional course in psychology, focusing on cognition, development, or research methods. Instructor permission required. This seminar explores the relationship between language and thought by investigating how language is mentally represented and processed; how various aspects of language interact with each other; and how language interacts with other aspects of cognition including perception, concepts, world knowledge, and memory. Students will examine how empirical data at the linguistic, psychological, and neuroscientific levels can bear on some of the biggest questions in the philosophy of mind and language and in psychology.

• W 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Nora Isacoff
  CULPA: 1 Info
• 4 points

AUDITORY PERCEPTION

Prerequisites: PSYC UN1010 PSYC UN1010 or equivalent; background in statistics/research methods recommended How does the human brain make sense of the acoustic world? What aspects of auditory perception do humans share with other animals? How does the brain perform the computations necessary for skills such as soundlocalization? How do we focus our auditory attention on one voice in a crowd? What acoustic cues are important for speech perception? How is music perceived? These are the types of questions we will address by studyingthe basics of auditory perception from textbook readings and reviews, and reading classic and current literatureto understand scientific progress in the field today.

• R 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Sarah Woolley
  CULPA: 13 Wikipedia h-index: 31 Info
• 3 points

The Psychology of Curiosity

PSYCH OF CURIOSITY

Prerequisites: PSYC UN1001 or equivalent introductory psychology course What is curiosity and how do we study it? How does curiosity facilitate learning? This course will explore the various conceptual and methodological approaches to studying curiosity and curiosity-driven learning, including animal and human studies of brain and behavior.

• R 12:10 p.m.-2 p.m.
• Instructor: Caroline B Marvin
  CULPA: 1 Info
• 4 points

The Accuracy of Human Judgement

Course Description:
We all make judgments about what is true or false, probable or improbable. Additionally, we all use these judgments to inform important decisions: who to marry, what career to pursue, where to live, what medications to take, which theories to accept and who to trust, to take a few of countlessly many example. What differentiates us, however, is how accurate these judgments are: research has shown that some individuals and groups are much more accurate than others, and you might be surprised at which variables do (or do not) correlate with this accuracy.

In this course, we will investigate how to understand, measure and improve the accuracy of human judgment. Topics covered include the following: the concept and measurement of judgmental accuracy, studies assessing judgmental accuracy across various domains, the accuracy of our metacognition (that is, of our thoughts about our thoughts), heuristics as potential causes of inaccuracy, evolutionary explanations of the inaccuracy of human judgment and studies revealing means by which to potentially improve the accuracy of our judgments. We will also explore applications to real-world contexts, including law, medicine, geopolitics and the concept of “expertise”.

• F 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: John E Wilcox
  Info
• 4 points

Neuroscience of Imagination

Visual Mental Imagery (VMI) is perceptual processing in the absence of direct sensory input – a quintessentially human faculty. It is our “Mind’s Eye” - the faculty we use to relive our memories, enjoy a novel, create a painting, or predict whether our car will fit in a parking spot. As William Blake famously stated: “The imagination is not a state: it is the human existence itself”. In short, VMI simulates the content of perceptual experiences, perhaps by translating conceptual knowledge into a visual format. Nobody has yet provided a convincing theory as to how to explain the subjective nature of our mental lives in objective physical terms. In this seminar, we will get a detailed understanding of the underlying neural processes responsible for conscious processing and awareness - one of the hottest topics in contemporary neuroscience

 Discussion will be related of current issues in the scientific studies of mental imagery, particularly in the visual modality, including the search for the neural correlates of visual imagination, and the various kinds of impairments of VMI in clinical and non-clinical cases.

A crucial aspect of this seminar is to help students develop their ability to critically read and evaluate the latest published research in this field.

Prerequisites

Open to Ph.D. students in the Psychology department and graduate students in other related departments, with instructor’s permission. Open to advanced undergraduate students who have taken an introductory course in neuroscience or cognitive psychology (e.g., UN2430), with instructor’s permission

• T 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Alfredo Spagna
  CULPA: 3 h-index: 15 Info
• 4 points

PSYCH & NEUROPSYCH OF LANGUAGE

• T 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Michele Miozzo
  Info
• 4 points

The Parental Brain

This course will provide an overview of the field of parental and social biology, with an emphasis on changes in the adult rodent brain surrounding childbirth and caretaking behavior. We will explore how the experience of parenthood prepares the brain for survival of offspring. We will also discuss the dynamic between caregivers and parents in order to provide the structure necessary to rear young. This course will illustrate the fortitude of molecular, behavioral and circuit level investigations in concert to unveil mechanisms of social learning.

• T 12:10 p.m.-2 p.m.
• Instructor: Bianca J Marlin
  Wikipedia Info
• 4 points

BEHAVIORAL EPIGENETICS

Prerequisites: basic background in neurobiology (for instance PSYC UN1010, UN2450, UN2460, UN2480, and GU4499) and the instructors permission. This course will provide an overview of the field of epigenetics, with an emphasis on epigenetic phenomena related to neurodevelopment, behavior and mental disorders. We will explore how epigenetic mechanisms can be mediators of environmental exposures and, as such, contribute to psychopathology throughout the life course. We will also discuss the implications of behavioral epigenetic research for the development of substantially novel pharmacotherapeutic approaches and preventive measures in psychiatry.

• F 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Jennifer Blaze
  Info
• 4 points

Frontiers of Justice

Frontiers of Justice is designed to encourage students and equip them with the skills to become active and effective  “Change Agents” within their academic institutions and larger communities.. Oriented by the question,
What does justice look like?
, this course aims to raise political and social awareness and engagement with the challenges facing New York City and strengthen ties between Columbia University, disadvantaged communities, and city government agencies and community organizations. Through sharing ideas about how to make structural and systemic change in ways that integrate science, law, politics, history,  narrative and community engagement, the course is intended to support students in working to break down racial and ethnic barriers and toward a more fair and just society.

• M 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
• Instructor: Ayanna Sorett
  Info
• 4 points

CULTR,MOTIVATN,PROSOCIAL BEHAV

CULTRMOTIVATNPROSOCIAL BEHAV

Prerequisites: Some knowledge of Research Methods, Statistics, and Social Psychology, plus Instructors Permission. 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.

• M 10:10 a.m.-noon
• Instructor: Svetlana Komissarouk
  CULPA: 3 h-index: 3 Info
• 4 points

MORAL PSYCHOLOGY

Prerequisites: Two courses in psychology, including at least one course with a focus on social and/or developmental psychology, and permission of the instructor. Review of theories and current research on moral cognition and behavior. Topics include definitions of morality, the development of moral cognition, the role that other aspects of human experience (e.g. emotion, intentions) play in moral judgments, and the relationship between moral psychology and other areas of study (e.g. religious cognition, prejudice and stereotyping, the criminal justice system).

• W 10:10 a.m.-noon
• Instructor: Larisa H Solomon
  Info
• 4 points

FAQS ABOUT LIFE:APPL OF PSYC RSCH TO EVE

Prerequisites: Two courses in psychology, with at least one focusing on statistics and/or research methods in psychology, and permission of the instructor. Review of basic psychological research that is relevant to questions people frequently encounter during the course of everyday life. Potential topics for this seminar include research on decision-making, emotion, and/or interpersonal relationships.

• W 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Larisa H Solomon
  Info
• 4 points

Fundamentals of Human Brain Imaging: fro

Fund of Human Brain Imagi

Fundamentals of human brain imaging is a new advanced course open to undergraduates students from the Psychology, Neuroscience, Engineering, and Statistics Departments, that traces the key steps of the recent “neuroimaging revolution”, and introduces the various methodologies and associated analytic approaches that are now available in the field of cognitive neuroscience. Specifically, the course develops around three main questions, currently under-represented in our undergraduate curriculum:
1) What is the advantage to study human cognition using correlational methodologies (e.g., EEG, MEG, fMRI)? 2) Which is the particular contribution of each method in the understanding of brain/behavior relationship? 3) Which are the most common ways to approach the analyze the neuroimaging data?
By promoting an inclusive environment and implementing active learning strategies, this course stimulates critical thinking and fosters collaboration among students from different departments. 

 

• T 12:10 p.m.-2 p.m.
• Instructor: Alfredo Spagna
  CULPA: 3 h-index: 15 Info
• 4 points

INTRO-STAT MODELING IN PSYCHOL

Corequisites: additional lab statistical exercises. Methods of data analysis and mathematical modeling illustrated with examples from psychological research.

• MW 10:10 a.m.-noon
• Instructor: Niall Bolger
  CULPA: 4 h-index: 55 Info
• 4 points

Introduction to Neural Networks and Deep

Neural Networks&Deep Lear

This seminar will introduce both the concepts and practical implementation in PyTorch of neural networks and deep learning, with a focus on general principles and examples from vision.

• M 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Nikolaus Kriegeskorte
  h-index: 56 Info
• 3 points

PRACTICUM IN TEACHING OF PSYCH

Practical and theoretical issues relating to the teaching of psychology and the psychology of teaching.

• W 2:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
• Instructor: Katherine T Fox-Glassman
  CULPA: 6 h-index: 4 Info
• 2-3 points

Research Seminar in Psychology

 

Monday seminars are open to the public and take place in Schermerhorn Hall on alternate Mondays in room 200B Schermerhorn from 12:10-1:30pm. The seminar series semester schedule can be found
here
. 

• M 12:10 p.m.-2 p.m.
• Instructor: Niall Bolger
  CULPA: 4 h-index: 55 Info
• 1 points

DEPARTMENTAL COLLOQUIUM

Members of the staff, graduate students, and outside speakers present current research.

• W 4:10 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Instructor: Niall Bolger
  CULPA: 4 h-index: 55 Info
• 0 points