The Science of Psychology

This course is designed to introduce students to the study of the mind, brain, and human behavior. Participants are introduced to many of the broad areas of scientific research in psychology.

The course establishes a strong grounding in scientific principles and methodology and then applies these concepts to areas such as personality, learning, memory, prejudice, and psychopathology.

Students are encouraged to think about how empirical methods can be used to study the human condition, to recognize and appreciate experimental rigor, and ultimately to question common assumptions about human behavior found in ordinary discourse and the popular press.

Armed with an understanding of the scientific method and an introduction to important findings in psychology, participants conduct their own research. The course includes asynchronous work, which students are expected to complete between class sessions.