Course Descriptions

A course designed to introduce the beginning psychology student to some of the major concepts and approaches necessary to an understanding of human behaviour from a psychological perspective. Learning, biological basis of behaviour, development, personality, and other selected issues are included.

This course is an introduction to the field of psychology. Course topics include history of psychology, research methods, sensation, perception, consciousness, intelligence, motivation, emotion, stress, coping, health, psychological disorders, and therapeutic approaches.

A study of the dynamics and effects of social influences on individual human behaviour. The course looks at such topics as attitudes and attitude changes, social beliefs, roles, conformity, group processes, prejudice, interpersonal attraction and psychological effects of the physical environment.

This course is an introduction to the study of human growth and changes across the lifespan, including physical, cognitive, social, intellectual, perceptual, personality and emotional growth.

A course for students who intend to major in one of the social sciences; psychology students should take this course and PSYC 213. This course will introduce the student to current research methods in major areas of psychology. Students should understand the principles of research methodology, and be able to evaluate, design and conduct research in psychology.

This course deals with descriptive and inferential statistics as applied in psychology. These will be considered as they are used in psychological research.

A study of the various models and perspectives for viewing patterns and treatment of abnormal behaviour. The course will examine research about how the medical model, behaviouristic school, humanistic school, psychoanalytic school, cognitive school and biological school view normal and abnormal behaviour. This course will also focus on the historical and contemporary approaches to treatment.

This course will expand on material introduced in introductory psychology dealing with the biological basis of behaviour. Students will examine functions of the nervous system, as well as studying brain anatomy and brain chemistry in relation to both normal and pathological behaviour. As well, students will discuss mind-body issues and develop an understanding of broader ethical and other issues in neuroscience.

This course will address many of the issues relating to the thinking processes. Research into consciousness, memory, language, imagery, problem solving, creativity and intelligence will be examined, as well as social cognition and cognition across the lifespan.

This course will introduce major areas of applied psychology. Students will learn about and critically evaluate ways in which psychological evidence and techniques can be applied to areas including mental and physical health management, forensics, business, education, and sports.

This course will include topics in the area of interpersonal relationships, especially romantic or close friendship relationships and family relationships. It will include psychological theories and research about the stages, processes and effects of the development, maintenance, disruption and dissolution of personal relationships.

A study of the behaviour of individuals in social groups and institutions, such as friendship groups, work groups, therapy groups, and families. This course provides an intellectual and experiential approach to small group theory and allows the student to practise constructive interpersonal skills and leadership skills in a supportive, small group setting.

This course will examine the development of psychological thought to gain a critical understanding of contemporary psychology. Issues will range from the mind-body problem, and the nature of science, to an analysis of historical and contemporary schools in psychology.

A study of the child's development from infancy to adolescence, including the development of social behaviour, personality, language and cognitive processes. Students will be encouraged to do research and observations.

A course dealing with the psychological development of the individual from early adulthood to death, with emphasis on intellectual and personality changes, and the social context of aging. As well as being exposed to basic research in the area, students will be encouraged to develop an empathetic understanding of the aging process.

This course examines the biological, cognitive and social transitions of adolescence and how they affect such developmental areas as identity, autonomy, intimacy, sexuality and achievement. As well as being exposed to basic research in the area, students will be encouraged to explore their own identity development.

The psychology of human sexuality examines the psychological, biological and social science of human sexuality. Topics to be covered will include: sexual behaviour and arousal, sexual bodies, puberty and menopause, sexual orientation, sexually transmitted infections, contraception, abortion, sex hormones, sexual disorders, sex therapy, coercive sex, commodity-based sex, pregnancy and fertility.

This course will examine theories of personality including psychodynamic, trait, cognitive and humanistic and other approaches. Included will be a consideration of the historical/cultural development of the theory, what the theory says about the development, structure and dynamics of personality and examples of empirical research.

In this course students will be introduced to the psychology of health. Topics will include research methods in health psychology and ethical issues, health behaviours, stress, coping, social support, pain and pain behaviour, and social factors in the etiology and course of chronic and terminal illnesses.

This course provides an introduction to the major concepts and theories of positive psychology, focusing on the scientific study of well-being, happiness and positive human experience. Students will also learn how to apply principles of positive psychology to their everyday lives.

This course will review theories and research in workplace and social psychology to gain an understanding of individuals in the workplace, including individual differences, motivation, job satisfaction and stress. It will also explore topics in human resource management, social processes in group structure and dynamics, and research on leadership, decision making and ethics in the workplace.

This course examines psychological concepts as they apply to the criminal justice system. Forensic psychology includes research and practice in several areas of psychology, including cognitive, social, clinical, developmental, and psychometrics.

This course provides an introduction to community psychology. This discipline is a justice-oriented field of psychology that is uniquely rooted in interconnection and context. In this course, learners will examine the definitions, principles, history, values and methods of community psychology. The course will also explore major theories guiding community psychology practices and the applications of community psychology. Key concepts will be applied to analyze real-world social problems from a community psychology perspective and to identify appropriate social interventions.

This course will address topics in the study of thinking and reasoning, a crucial topic in cognitive psychology, including theory and research on problem solving, thinking and decision-making; formal and "everyday" reasoning; intuition and creativity; cross-cultural and individual variations in thinking processes; and the cognitive heuristics which can bias or distort human rationality and effective decision making when dealing with social issues and problems. The theories will be applied to the problems of human cognitive limitations in solving urgent social and environmental crises.

This course examines issues in psycholinguistics, focusing on how humans acquire, learn, construct, understand, and use language.

This course will address topics in the study of memory, a crucial topic in cognitive psychology, and will include theory and research on explicit and implicit memory systems, working memory, the neurology of memory, forgetting and memory disorders, and how to improve memory (mnemonics). Current issues and research in long term memory such as reconstructive processes in memory, eyewitness memory, and repressed memory will also be included.

This course emphasizes the evaluation and applications of learning theories to human and animal learning. Students will critically examine learning theories and principles including habituation, sensitization, classical and operant conditioning, and cognitive control of behaviour. There will also be an emphasis on applying these concepts to issues of behavioural change, at the self, community, and societal levels.

This course examines the functioning of human sensory systems and explores how the brain receives, processes and interprets stimuli from our environment. Topics include vision, audition, taste, smell, touch, proprioception, and psychophysics.

This course will address research and theories in the allied topics of emotions and motivation. The course will include experiential, behavioural, psychological, biological, cognitive and social aspects of motivation and of emotions, including needs; goals; mindsets and beliefs; and basic, self, and complex emotions. The course will include stress reactions, attachment bonds, the development of self-regulation, empathy, and compassion.

This course examines the relationship between human neurological functioning and behaviour. Neuroanatomy and the organization of the nervous system will be reviewed, with a focus on how they support a wide range of cognitive functions. Neuropathy, psychiatric disorders, neurological disease, and functional issues associated to brain damage will be explored.

This course surveys the field of behavioural pharmacology, examines psychoactive drugs, their mechanisms of action in the nervous system, and their effects on the brain and behaviour. It will focus on current research into the pharmacology of drugs, historical accounts of drug use, an examination of recreational use/clinical applications, and insights into their potential abuse.

This course applies the theory of evolution by natural selection to the study of the human mind. It examines the environments of evolutionary adaptiveness and the success and failure of human adaptations in the contemporary world.

This course surveys the psychology of environmental sustainability, the scientific study of the relationship between humans and the rest of nature. it will focus on the application of theories and research in psychology to the issues of conservation in the face of climate crises and the urgent need to develop environmental sustainability, to decrease the negative impact of humans and to encourage environmentally-friendly behaviour.

This course examines religious and spiritual experiences, attitudes and behaviours from multiple angles within contemporary Psychology. Themes of the course include: history of empirical inquiry into religion and spirituality; modern research methods; interacting roles of biological and psychosocial factors in the formation of religious commitments and predilection toward spiritual experiences; relationships between religious and spiritual orientations and physical and mental health; and determinants of religious behaviours, from altruism to terrorism.

This course explores the nature of imagination from a History of Psychology viewpoint. The topic is framed in an evolutionary context; then relevant concepts are traced from preliterate societies to the present. Imagination is examined: as an archaic way of knowing; in relation to historical notions of body, mind, soul and spirit; as cognitive faculty or process; with respect to beliefs about health and illness; and as studied qualitatively and quantitatively in Modern Psychology.

This course examines a range of commonly reported anomalous experiences from the critical perspective of Psychology. Unlike an Abnormal Psychology course, the focus is mainly on nonpathological experiences. The 'critical thinking' approach is reviewed; a brief historical overview of claims and critiques is presented; and several types of anomalous experience are considered with respect to the biopsychosocial processes that affect perception, memory and belief.

This course examines how culture influences psychological processes. Students will learn about methodologies used to study cultural psychology. They will also critically examine and synthesize research findings in this interdisciplinary field.

Indigenous psychology is an emerging field that acknowledges and respects other ways of being and knowing in our world. This course will explore psychological perspectives on Indigenous cultures, histories, languages and identities. There will be a focus on strength from Indigenous perspectives, including Indigenous ways of healing and a consideration of ways to support and engage in decolonialization.

This course provides a basis for integrating knowledge and developing practical skills for addressing ethical issues that arise in counselling and applied psychology. This course will focus on developing a critical analysis of personal and collective worldviews in counselling processes. Learners will develop core knowledge and build practical skills in relational ethics and social justice values while examining the role of regulatory and collegial professional associations in Canada. Materials on Indigenous ethics necessary to promote increased cultural safety in both counselling and research involving Indigenous communities will be presented, alongside ethical issues applied to other traditionally marginalized and/or underserved populations.

This course will address how to develop, plan, and conduct applied research including experimental, correlational, and survey designs, as well as qualitative and field research methods. Students will learn how to identify a research problem and question, design and implement a study, analyze, interpret, and write up the results, and to communicate their research to academic audiences, and in their local communities.

This course outlines a variety of quantitative and qualitative data analytic methods used in applied psychological research. Quantitative topics will include the analysis of multiple independent and dependent variables, outlier identification, non-parametric tests, mixed method analysis of variance and covariance, and regression models. Qualitative data analytic techniques including phenomenological analysis, grounded theory, and narrative analysis will also be outlined.

This course will cover the development of the Internet in a historical context, and explore how personal and collective relationships to technology influence Internet use. We will examine the empirical research evaluating the personal and collective social and psychological costs and benefits of Internet use, especially of activities that exist or are experienced in wholly online formats.

This course focuses on psychometric theories, concepts, and applications. Students will gain the theoretical and statistical knowledge necessary to understand when, why, and how to use psychometrics in their work and research. They will also gain experience in test-taking, interpretation, and design.

This course examines the foundational assumptions, efficacy, ethics and socio-cultural values in clinical and counselling psychology. It also reviews major theories of clinical psychology, counselling psychology, and psychotherapy, including analytic, existential, person-centred, behavioural, cognitive, family systems and postmodern, indigenous and multi-cultural/diversity approaches.

Students will gain experience applying their knowledge of psychology to working in a community organization, under the supervision of the course instructor and an employer or volunteer supervisor. Students will meet regularly with their supervisors to discuss their progress, and will produce reports and presentations related to their practicum experience.

The course will relate contemporary research and knowledge from psychology to various current topics and social issues. Specific topics will vary from year to year. Each delivery of this course will have specific instructor identified course objectives.

This course will entail an in-depth investigation of a topic in psychology. The first half of the course will culminate in a critical literature review and the formulation of a research proposal. In the second half of the course, the research proposed will be executed and the results will be written in a thesis format, and presented.

In this Seminar, the Psychology Honours program and thesis requirements will be reviewed in preparation for the thesis to be completed in PSYC 480 (Honours Thesis). Topics include choosing a thesis topic, researching and writing a critical literature review or summary of foundational knowledge, and methodological issues. Course work will culminate in a presentation of the thesis proposal. If appropriate, the student will submit an application for ethical approval to the Capilano Research Ethics Board.

Students will work with a Psychology faculty member to guide them in the development of a research-based project. Specific course details will be arranged between individual students and faculty members.