This seminar course will discuss various topics in research on the self (e.g., self-esteem, self and relationships, cultural models of the self, transcending the self). Using a research-based approach, scholarly journal articles will make up most of the readings. Students will lead discussions throughout the course.

This course will delve into electrical properties of neurons and principals of synaptic transmission, integration, and information processing. We will analyze the foundation of modern neurophysiology by revisiting the work done by Hodgkin and Huxley. We will study the development of research methods and experimental design measuring electrical activity and signal processing at the level of synapse, single neurons, circuits, and systems. Special emphasis will be placed on central auditory neurophysiology, electrophysiology, and perception of vocal communication signals in human and non-human animals.

The study of aesthetics involves examining our interactions with art, which can be defined broadly as human creations, our experiences of beauty and ugliness, and our encounters with the things of our world. In fact, the psychology of aesthetics is one of the oldest fields in psychology, and yet it remains relatively obscure because of the difficulty of studying what “moves us” with the tools of psychological science. In this course we will explore cerebral and embodied approaches to understanding aesthetic experience, as well as the relationship between aesthetic experience and resilience, health and well-being.

This course provides an in depth examination of the structure and function of the prefrontal cortex, with a focus on human evolution and the role of this brain region in human cognitive achievement. A variety of topics will be discussed, including neurodevelopment, structure, comparisons with other species, and the various functions attributed to the prefrontal cortex (planning, strategizing, memory organization, etc.) that are typically thought of as defining strengths of human cognition.

Like humans, animals show robust differences in individual behavior. In this class, we will explore different conceptions of animal personality across a range of organisms including nematodes, insects, dogs, cats, dolphins, and nonhuman primates. In doing so we will explore the neuronal underpinnings of personality, the potential evolutionary benefits of differing personalities among a population, and how it affects our understandings of the cognitive abilities of different species.

The study of aesthetics involves examining our interactions with art, which can be defined broadly as human creations, our experiences of beauty and ugliness, and our encounters with the things of our world. In fact, the psychology of aesthetics is one of the oldest fields in psychology, and yet it remains relatively obscure because of the difficulty of studying what “moves us” with the tools of psychological science. In this course we will explore cerebral and embodied approaches to understanding aesthetic experience, as well as the relationship between aesthetic experience and resilience, health and well-being.