Psychological Science: Eastern Perspectives on Health

Introduction to the Eastern perspectives of Ayurveda and yoga and the psychological science relevant to them for students grounded in the field of Psychological Science. Foundational lessons from these Eastern traditions and reading and discussion of relevant empirical papers. Topics include the Ayurvedic perspective on health, the eight limbs of yoga, Ayurvedic constitutions, the role of diet and lifestyle in human psychology, and the benefits of breathwork. Prerequisites: PSYS 2000 or PSYS 2002; PSYS 2100, PSYS 2200, PSYS 2300, PSYS 2400, or PSYS 2500.

Prereqs enforced by the system: PSYS 2002 or 2000, and PSYS 2100, 2200, 2300, 2400, or 2500; Junior and Senior class standing only; PSYS majors and minors only; PACE students by permission and override.

This course exposes you to the Eastern traditions of Ayurveda and Yoga, discussed alongside of contemporary (and largely Western) Psychological Science. Each week we will discuss the Ayurvedic/Yogic perspective on a psychological topic, and we will discuss the research relevant to this topic. For example, we will cover the concept of “agni,” roughly translated into “digestive fire” along with psychological research on the microbiome. As another example, we will cover yoga’s emphasis on “ceasing fluctuations of the mind” along with psychological research on mindfulness.

This course places a strong emphasis on student participation and active involvement. I expect you to read the course readings and come to class prepared to discuss them. I expect you to engage actively with the material and to approach it with a critical eye. I have developed the class plan and assignments with this goal in mind.

This course will emphasize all three of the learning goals for the Department of Psychological Science. This means that you will learn core content; you will gain practice analyzing, interpreting, and critiquing this content; and you will gain practice accessing and communicating core content. Your most important assignment for this course will be to SHOW UP. Attendance will be worth more than half your grade. In addition, you will be evaluated on short quizzes, discussion questions, and a final project.