Psychological Science: Psych Science in Action

See Schedule of Courses for specific titles. Prerequisites: PSYS 2002; and PSYS 2100 or PSYS 2200 or PSYS 2300 or PSYS 2400 or PSYS 2500.

Prereqs: (PSYS 2000 or PSYS 2002) and PSYS 2300; Junior and Senior class standing only PSYS majors and minors only Special Topics courses cannot carry CC designations. PACE students by permission and override.

If you want practical, hands-on experiencing conducting research in psychological science, this class is for you. If you are: (a) hoping to pursue a thesis in psychological science; (b) seeking a more active experience with research, or (c) trying to get in a lab but unable to find a placement, Psychological Science in Action is also for you. Finally, if you are in a lab but want more responsibility in the research process, this class is also for you. In this class, we get our hands dirty (metaphorically speaking) by digging into the process of psychological science and all that it has to offer society. Psychological science has enormous potential to help people develop effective, evidence-based solutions to any number of pressing issues that plague the individual, their relationships, groups, societies, and the world at large. As a student of psychological science, you often learn about this potential, but you rarely have the opportunity to put it into effect and see it in action. In this class, you will put psychological science to work. Each research group focuses on a specific issue to address, based on the individual members' overlapping interests. Options could include (among others): navigating the transition to college; relationship struggles; addressing climate change; promoting positive health behaviors; addressing intergroup tension; and reducing aggression. Although, we will review basic research methods in psychological science and read relevant research articles, the majority of class time will be spent on high-impact, action-oriented activities. The end result will be a research study that you complete from start to finish.

Not everyone starts this class thinking they like research. Most students leaving this class have changed their minds by the end. It is one thing to learn about research passively. It is another to conduct your own research on a topic that interests you! You will be expected to come to class, work as a group as well as individually, and read and discuss psychological research. With the help of your professor and your classmates, you will be expected to carve out research questions, develop methodologies, carry out data analyses, and complete oral and written reports of your research. NOTE: CLASS PARTICIPATION IS A MUST FOR THIS COURSE.

You will be evaluated on a combination of class participation, group and individual work, and writing.