An examination of childhood psychological disorders, including etiology, approaches to treatment and research issues. Topics include autism, mental retardation, anxiety disorders, and learning disabilities, as well as the child's interaction with family and society. Relevant psychological theories, approaches to research, and research results will be critically discussed and evaluated. Related topics to be covered include biological differences between males and females, intimate relationships, stereotypes, and language. This course addresses psychological knowledge as it pertains to law.
Emphasis is in two broad areas.
First, is presentation and critical analysis of the application of Psychology-based research to areas of law, such as the influence of sensation and perception on witness memory. Second, is the presentation of usual and customary practice of Psychology in areas of law, such as assessing police personality, jury selection, child abuse evaluations and effects of imprisonment on behavior. Last, given the youth of the discipline, paradigms for the structure of Psychology and Law will be reviewed. 41 Political Psychology Application of psychological theory to the practical political realm to identify rationales and motivations associated with political thinking processes and behavior. Topics include social thinking, understanding the psychological causes of our social behaviors and beliefs, attitudes and attitude change, social influence on health behavior, group psychology, romantic attraction, aggression and prejudice, altruism, and environmental influences on social behavior.