Departmental Notes
Subject Code: PSYC
World Wide Web Address: http://www.queensu.ca/psychology/
Head of Department: Kate Harkness
Departmental Office: Humphrey Hall, Room 232
Departmental Telephone: 613-533-2874
Chair of Undergraduate Studies: Meghan Norris
Undergraduate Office: Humphrey Hall, Room 235
Undergraduate E-Mail Address: ug.psyc@queensu.ca
Undergraduate Telephone: 613-533-2493
Coordinator of Graduate Studies: Mark Sabbagh
Graduate E-Mail Address: psycgrad@queensu.ca
Graduate Telephone: 613-533-2872
Overview
Departmental Policies
PSYC 100 Requirement
PSYC 100 is a prerequisite for all other psychology courses. It can only be waived if a student has completed a similar advanced high school (AP, IB) or college level introductory psychology course. PSYC 100 must be taken at Queen’s for admission into an Honours Psychology plan.
Online Course Examination Requirement
All online courses in Psychology shall have a proctored final examination; students cannot pass an online course without passing the final examination.
Examination Absence
If a student has received instructor permission to defer an examination, they must register with the Undergraduate Office and be available to write the examination on the Department’s deferred examination day. Procedures for requesting a deferred examination and the deferred examination schedule can be found on the Psychology undergraduate website.
Special Study Opportunities
Special Directed Courses
Directed lab and reading courses are a great opportunity for students to work with a faculty member in a research area of interest. For more information, please visit the Psychology undergraduate website.
Graduate Courses
Requests for permission to register in certain graduate courses from especially well-qualified fourth-year honours students will be considered where space permits. Students desiring such consideration or more information should consult with the Undergraduate office in Psychology.
Faculty
- Jill Atkinson
- Christopher Bowie
- Monica Castelhano
- Meredith Chivers
- Wendy Craig
- Hans Dringenberg
- Lee Fabrigar
- Cynthia Fekken
- Stanka Fitneva
- Randy Flanagan
- Luis Flores
- Jason Gallivan
- Kate Harkness
- David Hauser
- Tom Hollenstein
- Jill Jacobson
- Li-Jun Ji
- Elizabeth Kelley
- Valerie Kuhlmeier
- Tara MacDonald
- Janet Menard
- Michele Morningstar
- Kevin Munhall
- Meghan Norris
- Mary Olmstead
- Jordan Poppenk
- Caroline Pukall
- Mark Sabbagh
- Tim Salomons
- Jonathan Smallwood
- Jeremy Stewart
- Dean Tripp
- Anita Tusche
- Sari van Anders
- Vera Vine
- Jeffrey Wammes
- Daryl Wilson
Courses
An introductory survey of basic areas of psychology including perception, cognition, learning and motivation and their biological substrata. Also reviewed are child development, individual differences, social psychology and clinical psychology. Research participation experience is provided for students on an individual voluntary basis. Students are encouraged to participate in up to five hours of research experimentation. The course is based on a blended model where on-line learning is supplemented with a weekly lecture and small-group learning lab.
NOTE Also offered online. Consult Arts and Science Online. Learning Hours may vary.
NOTE Also offered at the Bader International Studies Centre, Herstmonceux. Learning Hours may vary.
An introductory survey of basic areas of psychology including perception, cognition, learning and motivation and their biological substrata. Also reviewed are child development, individual differences, social psychology, health and clinical psychology.
NOTE Not offered at Queen's; only available as a transfer credit.
EXCLUSION PSYC 100; PSYC 102; PSYC 103.
An introductory survey of basic areas of psychology including history, methods, perception, cognition, learning and motivation and their biological substrata.
NOTE Not offered at Queen's; only available as a transfer credit.
EXCLUSION PSYC 100; PSYC 101.
An introductory survey of basic areas of psychology including child development, individual differences, social psychology, health and clinical psychology.
NOTE Not offered at Queen's; only available as a transfer credit.
EXCLUSION PSYC 100; PSYC 101.
An introduction to descriptive and inferential statistics in psychology. Topics will include descriptive statistics, probability, correlation and regression, experimental design and one-way ANOVA.
Lectures will focus on basic research methodologies. Labs will include the collection and statistical analysis of data, and the reporting of experimental findings. To introduce students to the breadth of psychological research, there will be a series of guest lectures in which professors present their own research.
This course explores how the psychological sciences are applied in practice, and identifies education and training paths required for work in the psychological sciences. Students will gain significant exposure to career and education planning considerations within the psychological sciences.
An introduction to the empirical study of mental processes. Topics include perception and attention, working memory, long-term memory, visual imagery, problem-solving, language, and decision-making.
NOTE Also offered online. Consult Art and Science Online. Learning Hours may vary.
NOTE Also offered at the Bader International Study Centre, Herstmonceux. Learning Hours may vary.
The experimental approach to understanding the causes, symptoms, course, and treatment of mental illness is emphasized in the analysis of disorders of cognition (e.g., schizophrenia), and problem behaviours (e.g., addictions, sexual disorders).
NOTE Also offered online. Consult Arts and Science Online. Learning Hours may vary.
The study of the individual in the social context: Self and identity, social cognition, interpersonal behaviour (affiliation, attraction, sex, aggression, altruism); social attitudes, prejudice and discrimination; social influence and group processes (conformity, leadership and intergroup relations); applied social psychology.
NOTE Also offered online. Consult Arts and Science Online.
Introduction to the scientific study of human development, as well as the fundamental theories, methods and applications in the field of developmental psychology. A major focus of this course is the social, cognitive, and neurobiological processes that underlie perceptual, cognitive, and emotional development from conception to adolescence.
NOTE Also offered online. Consult Arts and Science Online. Learning Hours may vary.
An introduction to behavioural neuroscience. The course primarily focuses on the basics of neuronal operation, functional neuroanatomy, neuropharmacology, and behavioral neuroscience methods. This will be followed by an examination of input (sensory) and output (motor) systems of the brain. Finally, topics relevant to lateralization of function and language will be covered.
NOTE Also offered online. Consult Arts and Science Online. Learning Hours may vary.
Laboratory courses to be arranged in consultation with individual Faculty members of the Department.
Statistical inference (continuation of PSYC 202/PSYC 203) and laboratory projects. The course covers critical thinking about research and statistics and three types of statistical analyses: tests of categorization, comparisons of means, and association.
NOTE Enrollment is limited. Restricted to students in a PSYC Major Plan.
The application of previous statistical and methodological courses (continuation of PSYC 202/PSYC 203/PSYC 301) toward the design, execution, analysis, and communication of a research project. Lectures and laboratories cover data collection, data management, some advanced statistical analyses, and communication skills.
NOTE Enrollment is limited. Restricted to students in a PSYC Major Plan. Required for admission to PSYC 501.
An overview of the evolution and function of cognitive processes. Emphasis will be placed on understanding how natural selection shaped cognition across animal species. Topics such as memory, decision making, cooperation, and communication will be examined from a behavioural ecology and experimental psychology perspective.
The objective of this course is to (1) introduce the student to basic techniques for the quantitative analysis of time-varying signals and (2) teach the student how to apply these techniques using MATLAB. Emphasis will be placed on methods appropriate to the psychological research environment.
Upper year courses related to the discipline of cognitive neuroscience. Offered periodically.
LEARNING HOURS may vary
An introduction to psycholinguistic research and theory. Weekly lectures and laboratories will introduce topics including language perception, language production, conversation and linguistic representation. Applied issues in language research will be emphasized (e.g., speech pathology, language aids, and machine recognition of speech).
The laboratory in attention course provides students with both demonstrations and hands-on experience with the methodological design and data analysis techniques used in conducting classic studies of attention. Experimental techniques include attentional cueing, visual search, change blindness, inattentional blindness, eye-tracking, multi-object tracking, and functional imaging.
How does the brain perceive, think, and feel? This course in cognitive neuroscience provides a window into contemporary views of how different features of cognition are implemented by the human brain. The course will cover advances in our understanding of the brain mechanism of human cognition.
Upper year courses related to the discipline of clinical psychology. Offered periodically.
LEARNING HOURS may vary
This course will introduce the leading theories and core research findings in personality psychology. It will review perspectives on personality research including dispositional, biological, intrapsychic, cognitive, social/cultural and adjustment domains. The class will also cover personality assessment methods and common personality disorders.
Key issues in health and health care require approaches embodying psychological, biological, and sociological factors. For every CT scan, injection, or doctor visit, there is a person to be considered. This course explores a variety of health-related topics where psychology has a significant role (e.g., health promotion, stress, psychoneuroimmunology, medical contacts, pain, illness, sport). Canadian statistics used in discussions.
An overview of typical sexual behaviour and its variations. Topics include the history of sex research, the sexual response cycle, sexual dysfunction, gender identity, and sexual orientation. Particular attention will be paid to current issues in sex research and theory.
NOTE Also offered online. Consult Arts and Science Online. Learning Hours may vary.
NOTE Also offered at the Bader International Studies Centre, Herstmonceux. Learning Hours may vary.
A lecture and laboratory course on psychometrics. Test development and evaluation will be the focus of student projects. The course will introduce software packages used for analyzing psychological test data.
Positive Psychology is the scientific study of optimal human functioning. Lectures review the history and empirical support in areas such as interpersonal relationships, and applying positive thinking. Homework assignments will include experiential exercises designed to foster an increased understanding of the role of positive psychology in everyday life.
NOTE Also offered at the Bader International Studies Centre, Herstmonceux.
LEARNING HOURS may vary.
The purpose of this course is to provide students with an advanced understanding of theories of the etiology, pathology, and treatment of mental illness in adults. Theory and research will be emphasized that cut across traditional diagnostic categories and focus on domains of social, cognitive-affective, and biological functioning.
The purpose of this course to provide students with an advanced understanding of child and adolescent psychopathology with an emphasis on developmental considerations. Students will learn about different theoretical perspectives on the etiology, pathology, and treatment of a variety of child and adolescent mental disorders.
Upper year courses related to the discipline of Social Psychology. Offered periodically.
LEARNING HOURS may vary.
This course aims to provide students with hands-on experience in social psychology research. Students will learn principles of research methods in social psychology, involving literature review, research designs, data collection/management/analysis, and report.
This course reviews theory and research on the processes by which people exert influence on one another's behaviours, beliefs, emotions, and attitudes. Topics of study include conformity, compliance, obedience, and persuasion. The course will focus on both the theoretical and applied implications of social influence research.
NOTE Also offered at the Bader International Study Centre, Herstmonceux. Learning Hours may vary.
NOTE Top Hat (Student Engagement Platform/Software): estimated cost $30.
This course is focused upon research in judgment and decision-making such as biases due to anchoring, relativity, intuition, and social norms. Assignments will apply topics to students' everyday lives, help students be aware of common reasoning errors, and improve students' ability to predict and influence the behavior of others.
Lecture courses on selected topics in the area of developmental psychology offered periodically.
An overview of the development of emotions and their regulation. Topics range from basic emotions in infancy and interactions with caregivers that lay the foundations of socialized behaviour to the emotional upheaval and radical social changes of adolescence. Individual differences in social and emotional behaviour will be considered in light of both typical and atypical development.
An overview of the development of cognitive and language processes in children. Topics include a discussion of the biological and social foundations of cognitive and language development, perceptual development, early communication, development of concepts and scripts, and improvements in reasoning and problem-solving ability over the course of development.
This course will begin by defining atypical development and discuss how gaining better understanding of atypical development allows us to understand typical development, and vice versa. We will cover six disorders in greater detail: Language Disorders, Dyslexia, Down Syndrome, Williams Syndrome, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism.
Advanced study in comparative cognition with a focus on the evolution and function of cognitive processes across animal species. Through lectures, laboratory activities, and readings, theory and research methodology in the areas of number, timing, casual reasoning, social learning, tool use, social cognition, and communication will be discussed.
The course will introduce students to: the physiology and neurobiology of sleep; methodology of sleep research; evolution and comparative aspects of sleep; discussion of potential functions of sleep; overview of sleep disorders.
NOTE Students will spend two full nights in the Sleep Laboratory.
Upper year courses related to the discipline of behavioral neuroscience. Offered periodically.
LEARNING HOURS may vary.
This course explores hormones as biochemical substances and cultural narratives. It is interdisciplinary, including neuroscience/psychology, as well as feminist/queer/trans studies. Topics may include: sex development, gender diversity, sport, health, sexuality. It is an interactive class, and evaluations include essays, assignments, and quizzes.
The relationship between brain and behaviour. The first part of the course examines topics relevant to brain plasticity, including neurodevelopment, brain damage and learning and memory; followed by a section on the biopsychology of motivation that covers the neural mechanisms of eating, sexual behaviour and sleep. The final section deals with disorders of cognition and emotion, including drug addiction, stress and psychiatric disorders.
NOTE Also offered online. Consult Arts and Science Online. Learning Hours may vary.
This course covers recent research in comparative cognition at an advanced level. Emphasis will be placed on critically evaluating scientific controversies in specific topics, such as episodic memory in animals, mechanisms of spatial navigation, and value-based decision-making. Laboratory sessions will explore the principles discussed in lectures.
Brain imaging, and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in particular, has become a revolutionary tool in the study of human brain function and organization. This course will cover brain imaging technology, current tools and techniques for analysis, and highlight the key role that fMRI has played in the field of cognitive neuroscience.
The course introduces basic principles governing the emerging field of neuroeconomics, drawing on insights from economics, psychology, and neuroscience to understand human decision-making. The course covers fundamental principles like risk and ambiguity, the basic architecture of the decision process in the brain and insights from psychology.
This advanced course in visual and auditory perception will integrate findings from neuroanatomy and physiology with psychophysics, perception, and behaviour. Information processing will be traced from sensory structures through to motor output and communicative behaviour. The course will introduce you to psychophysical and neurophysiological methodology and will contain many demonstrations and hands-on experiments.
A survey of the history of modern psychology, from the early 19th century to the close of the 20th. The more important empirical findings of psychology and related disciplines will be examined together with their theoretical explanations. The course will lead to an examination of the causes of differential scientific progress in the various subfields of psychology.
NOTE Also offered online. Consult Arts and Science Online.
NOTE Also offered at the Bader International Study Centre, Herstmonceux.
Lecture courses on selected topics in psychology offered periodically.
NOTE Prerequisites vary depending on specific course content; consult instructor or Undergraduate Office in the Psychology Department.
Lecture courses on selected topics in psychology offered periodically.
NOTE Prerequisites vary depending on specific course content; consult instructor or Undergraduate Office in the Psychology Department.
An introduction to the scholarship and practice of teaching including what it means to be a scholarly teacher, how pedagogy research informs educational practice, and how people learn complex information. In addition to readings, critiques and facilitated discussions, a practicum component will include facilitating weekly tutorials.
NOTE Students must complete an application and be invited for an interview in the spring to be eligible for this fall term course. During the fall term, students will be responsible for facilitating 2-3 PSYC 100 tutorials per week as part of their teaching practicum.
An examination of selected topics in cognitive psychology which may include: computational modelling; problem-solving; face recognition; gestalt influences on cognitive science; motor control processes; cognitive neuropsychology. Exact topics to vary by year.
In this course you will gain an in-depth understanding of the literature studying memory from multiple methods and theoretical perspectives. You will learn about research exploring the mechanisms that allow us to learn, store, retrieve and update memories. Along the way, you will gain hands-on skills in experimental design.
Addresses topics in attentional control including limits in attentional control, cortical mechanisms of attention, spatial and temporal attention, interaction of attention and memory, and influence of videogame playing on attentional control.
Visual cognition has been studied extensively in the lab, but it's not always clear how theoretical questions apply to the real world. In this course, we will examine both theoretical questions on perception, attention and memory as well as see how these apply to real world situations - examining x-rays, distracted driving and gaming.
This seminar will provide students with an in-depth understanding of research in psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia and severe mood disorders. Topics will include neurocognitive dysfunction and its relationship to disability, pharmacological and psychological treatment, and assessment of symptoms across the lifespan.
Pain is easy to recognize, but enormously challenging to define, describe and treat. This interactive and interdisciplinary course approaches the challenge of pain from the perspectives of philosophy, neuroscience and clinical psychology. We will examine what pain is, how we measure and treat it, and how it is instantiated in the body and brain.
This course reviews theory and research on the self, primarily from a social psychological perspective. Topics include: the nature of the self, search for self-knowledge, self-development, self-cognition, self-regulation of behaviour, self-presentation, self-esteem, and the role of the self in psychological health.
This course will provide students with an overview of common sexual dysfunctions, including prevalence, clinical presentation, and comorbid diagnoses. Particular attention will be paid to assessment and treatment (both therapy and medical management) in sexual dysfunction; in addition, past and current research strategies will be presented and critiqued, with an emphasis on classification difficulties.
Recent developments in the experimental investigation and conceptualization of aspects of mental health such as anxiety, depression, thought and memory disorders, etc.
NOTE Prerequisites vary depending on specific course content; consult instructor or Undergraduate Office in the Psychology Department.
This course provides an overview of the main theoretical perspectives on gender differences and similarities in sexuality, and examines how differences and similarities manifest in multiple domains, including sexual attitudes and behaviours, sexual motivation, mating strategies, sexual orientation, sexual psychophysiology, atypical sexuality, and sexual functioning.
An intensive study of the state of research and controversies in the area of mood disorders. Specific topics covered will include bio-genetic, cognitive, interpersonal, and stress theories of etiology, as well as state-of-the-art advances in treatment.
Why do people intentionally hurt themselves? In this course, students will develop an advanced scientific understanding of suicide and non-suicidal self-injury. We will focus on: (a) definition, phenomenology, assessment, and epidemiology; (b) modern theories; (c) transdiagnostic risk factors; and (d) intervention, prevention, and postvention.
In this course, students will learn about interpersonal theories of depression, empirical findings related to interpersonal factors of depression, and interpersonal approaches to the treatment of depression.
A discussion of some areas and issues in social psychology emphasizing techniques and methods of social psychological research. Substantive topics may include attitudes and attitude change, psychology of women, conformity and deviance, etc.
This course provides an overview of classic and contemporary theories of attitudes and persuasion. Topics include the structure of attitudes, the role of attitudes in information processing, the impact of attitudes on behaviour, and the psychological processes underlying attitude change. A particular emphasis is placed on reviewing and evaluating theories of persuasion.
This course will examine a wide range of social cognitive topics (e.g., reasoning, decision making, attribution, language, self-concept, cognitive styles, emotion, relationship and subjective well-being) from a cultural perspective by drawing on a wide range of cross-cultural studies.
Classic and contemporary research pertaining to adult romantic relationships. Topics include attachment styles, relationship development, communication, and conflict in relationships.
Topics vary from year to year and may include prenatal factors in development, infancy, aging, adolescence, cultural deprivation and intervention programs in early childhood, and developmental psychopathology.
NOTE Prerequisites vary depending on specific course content; consult instructor or Undergraduate Office in the Psychology Department.
This course is designed to be a relatively broad discussion of brain development, with a particular focus on issues such as development course, measurement, brain functioning, plasticity, and atypicality.
This seminar focuses on the human ability to produce and comprehend language and its development. Using original empirical articles the participants in the seminar will examine topics like syntactic and lexical disambiguation, structural priming, the development of reading, and cultural variability in language ability.
This seminar examines social and cognitive development during the first two years of life. Topics include the early differentiation between animate and inanimate entities, goal attribution, imitation, and prosocial behaviour.
The seminar focuses on the development of children's ability to navigate the social world. How do children understand social structures and processes? What determines their place in these structures? Topics will vary, e.g., the cognitive representation of social structures, modeling of social dynamics, cultural learning, essentialism, cooperation.
This seminar will explore psychological development from the transition out of childhood to the transition into adulthood. The content of the course will cover typical and atypical adolescent development within several domains: cognitive, social, emotional, neurological and physical. Readings will focus on both basic developmental theory and applied research.
Explores children's emerging understanding that others' observable behaviours are motivated by internal mental states such as intentions, desires and beliefs. The first section of the course will cover the development of this understanding from infancy through the preschool years. The second section of the course will cover how this emerging understanding affects children's social and communicative development.
Changes in adolescents' body, brain, and behaviour influence how teenagers perceive and interpret their social environment, navigate their emotional experiences, and behave in social contexts. This course examines how developmental neuroscience research has informed our knowledge of socio-emotional development in adolescence.
Intensive coverage of selected topics in behavioural neuroscience to include, in different years, such topics as neurobiology of learning and memory, neuroendocrinology, biological bases of motivation, biological bases of brain disorders, etc.
The neuropharmacological basis of psychological processes. Topics to be covered include drug actions on neurochemical systems, psychoactive effects of drugs and the neuropharmacological basis of psychiatric disorders.
An examination of current theories on the neurobiology of mental disorders (e.g. autism, schizophrenia, mood and anxiety disorders). Seminars will focus on the evaluation of animal models for investigating neurodevelopmental and pharmacological aspects of various psychopathologies.
Seminar courses on advanced topics in psychology offered periodically by visiting professors.
NOTE Prerequisites vary depending on specific course content; consult instructor or Undergraduate Office in the Psychology Department.
LEARNING HOURS May vary.
Seminar courses on advanced topics in psychology offered periodically by visiting professors.
NOTE Prerequisites vary depending on specific course content; consult instructor or Undergraduate Office in the Psychology Department.
Seminar and lab course on an advanced topic in psychology offered periodically by visiting professors.
NOTE Prerequisites vary depending on specific course content; consult instructor or Undergraduate Office in the Psychology Department.
Each student will, under supervision, formulate and present an original research proposal involving the collection and analysis of data, carry it out, and submit a thesis based on the results. Proposals must be approved by relevant Ethics Review committees. This course is optional for students completing a major in psychology but all students are advised that admission to a graduate program in psychology normally requires the completion of an honours thesis.
NOTE Students whose research involves the care and/or handling of animals must also complete the Introductory Animal Care Course and if required the appropriate Animal Use workshops through the Office of the University Veterinarian.
Reading courses to be arranged in consultation with individual members of the Department.
NOTE Students are limited to a maximum of two of PSYC 550, PSYC 555, PSYC 570, or PSYC 575. Students are also limited to a maximum of two 500-level courses supervised by the same faculty member. (Students registered in PSYC 501 concurrently will not normally take one of these courses with their thesis supervisor.)
Reading courses to be arranged in consultation with individual members of the Department.
NOTE Students are limited to a maximum of two of PSYC 550, PSYC 555, PSYC 570, or PSYC 575. Students are also limited to a maximum of two 500-level courses supervised by the same faculty member. (Students registered in PSYC 501 concurrently will not normally take one of these courses with their thesis supervisor.)
Laboratory courses to be arranged in consultation with individual members of the Department. Courses must involve data collection; approximately 5-7 hours of lab work per week required.
NOTE Students whose research involves the care and/or handling of animals must also complete the Introductory Animal Care Course and if required the appropriate Animal Use workshops through the Office of the University Veterinarian.
NOTE Students are limited to a maximum of two of PSYC 550, PSYC 555, PSYC 570, or PSYC 575. Students are also limited to a maximum of two 500-level courses supervised by the same faculty member. (Students registered in PSYC 501 concurrently will not normally take one of these courses with their thesis supervisor.)
Laboratory courses to be arranged in consultation with individual members of the Department. Courses must involve data collection; approximately 5-7 hours of lab work per week required.
NOTE Students whose research involves the care and/or handling of animals must also complete the Introductory Animal Care Course and if required the appropriate Animal Use workshops through the Office of the University Veterinarian.
NOTE Students are limited to a maximum of two of PSYC 550, PSYC 555, PSYC 570, or PSYC 575. Students are also limited to a maximum of two 500-level courses supervised by the same faculty member. (Students registered in PSYC 501 concurrently will not normally take one of these courses with their thesis supervisor.)