Areas of concentration will include behavioral genetics, communication, behavioral endocrinology, altruism, neurobiology, social behavior, sexual behavior, parental care, and human behavior. Lab activities will include both laboratory study and field work. The course begins with a foundation of the more traditional personality theories and move on to more contemporary, innovative approaches to personality. Research findings associated with this field will also be examined. The etiology, diagnosis and treatment of psychological disorders from both traditional and contemporary viewpoints.
Emphasis is placed upon neuroses, psychoses and criminal deviance.
Students will be encouraged to explore their own thoughts and feelings about individual differences and deviance. Tests, surveys, interviews as well as other methods of psychological assessment used in clinical, business and counseling settings will be evaluated by class members. Students will be expected to administer and interpret several tests during the semester. Topics include influences upon the development of social and emotional growth, personality, intellectual capacity, and the acquisition and usage of language. The relevance of these topics to parent effectiveness will be stressed.