Examples of possible topics include counseling and guidance, exceptional individuals, problems of the aged, animal behavior, etc. A flexibly structured course to allow the advanced student to pursue individual study in a specific area under the supervision of a member of the department. The course is available every semester but may be taken only with written permission from a member of the department. The dynamics of abnormal behavior are studied as the basis for detailed consideration of the neurotic personality, psychosomatic disorders, and behavior deviations. Further topics include the effects of brain injuries and the major psychoses, especially schizophrenia.
Considerable attention is given to the specific methods of psychotherapy.
This course is a survey of the major theories that have influenced contemporary psychological thought on the subject of psychotherapy. Psychotherapy is viewed as an interpersonal process designed to bring about modifications of feelings, cognitions, attitudes, and behaviors which have proven troublesome to the person seeking help from a trained professional. The basic assumption of the course is that therapeutic skills and attitudes are learned, not endowed. This course is designed to study the theory, administration, scoring and interpretation of the standard instruments employed in psychological measurement and evaluation. Emphasis is given, in particular, to the assessment of intellectual ability, aptitudes and achievement, and, personality functioning.