2009–2010 Catalog - Lourdes College

Course Descriptions243of increasing age and other conditions thatinfluence individual development throughoutthe human life cycle. Emphasizes currentresearch and practical implicationsfor and applications to the developmentalprocess. Prerequisite: PSY 110.PSY 215 Statistics for Psychology (3)Examines statistical theory and methodologyas it relates to the field of psychology.Students will receive instruction in a varietyof topics including central tendency,probability theory, statistical inference andhypothesis testing. Special emphasis will beplaced on the use of hypothesis testing inpsychological research. Prerequisites: PSY110, MTH 098 or equivalent placementtest score.PSY 300 Experimental Psychology* (3)Provides instruction on the basic principlesof experimentation including: experimentaldesign, the differences betweencorrelational studies and experiments, laband field studies, reliability, validity, andethics in research. Issues relating to theoryconstruction are also discussed. In addition,students will learn how to design andimplement an experimental study as wellas write an APA style research paper. Prerequisites:PSY 110 and PSY 215.PSY 310 Psychology of HumanLearning* (3)Studies the nature of learning as well as themethods used to assess learning. Includesan in-depth study of classical and instrumentalconditioning. Special emphasis isplaced on biological constraints on learning.Prerequisite: PSY 110.PSY 311 Information ProcessingApproach to Psychology* (3)Includes an overview of the acquisition,transformation, storage, retrieval, and useof information. The role of pattern recognition,attention, short and long termmemories will be examined. Applicationsfor problem solving, decision-making, categorization,and semantic organization willbe emphasized. Prerequisite: PSY 110.PSY 312 Physiological Psychology* (3)Examines the biological substrates of behavior.Topics include basic neuroanatomy,neural transmission, sensory transduction,genetics, sexual behavior, emotion, hunger,sleep, learning, and memory. Prerequisite:PSY 110.PSY 320 Developmental Psychology III- Adult Psychology (3)Involves the theory and research related toyoung and middle adulthood as a sequenceof psychological stages involving adjustmentand coping behaviors; considersrelationship of adulthood to other lifespanstages. Emphasizes the applicationof course material to real life situations.Prerequisite: PSY 110.PSY 330 Developmental Psychology IV- Psychology of Aging (3)Encompasses the entire process of agingfrom birth to death, but stresses the specialcharacteristics of later life from sixty onwith its promise of life fulfillment. Prerequisite:PSY 110.PSY 340 Psychology of Women (3)Critiques the theory, research, and literatureon the psychology of women.Examines scientific evidence relating togender roles and gender related behavior.Special emphasis is placed on biologicaland evolutionary theories of gender development.Social-developmental theories arediscussed. Prerequisite: PSY 110.Lourdes College Academic Catalog 2009-10