An introductory survey of the scientific discipline of psychology. Attention will be given to such standard topics as the nature of empirical, scientific research, and the learning process, intelligence, perception, personality, motivation, emotion, cognitive processes, abnormal behavior, human sexuality, psi-phenomena, major systems of psychotherapy, human growth and development, psychobiology and physiology, social psychology, memory, stress, forensic and industrial psychology. Students will be guided towards an appreciation of the six major theoretical perspectives that psychology has to offer. As psychology is intended to describe, predict, understand, and to control behavior, students should emerge from the course with an increased degree of enlightened control over their lives.

Meets MSU-Northern General Education Core Social Sciences/History (CAT IV) requirement.
Montana University System Core Course

Human development is the study of how and why people change over time, as well as how and why they remain the same. Thus, this course will provide an overview of what is empirically known about all the periods of life from conception to death of our physical vehicles. We shall examine what is known scientifically about physical, cognitive, and psychosocial development in humans. We shall examine how changes in each one of these major areas impacts change in each of the other two. The relative importance of nature and nurture will be examined for each of the various life stages. The issues of native temperament and physical appearance will be given special emphasis as these areas impact psychosocial and cognitive development. A considerable amount of time will be devoted to what is known about methods of effective/ineffective, successful/unsuccessful parenting. Finally, we shall look at the physical, cognitive, and psychosocial aspects of our final years of life.

Meets MSU-Northern General Education Core Social Sciences/History (CAT IV) requirement.
Montana University System Core Course

This course will survey the psychotic, neurotic, and life adjustment disorder/diseases to which humankind is subject. Each problem area will be analyzed as to its etiology, behavioral symptomology, and viable therapeutic modalities. Emphasis will be placed on the biological underpinnings of behavioral pathology, and upon the ways whereby such underpinnings influence social learning and environmental experiences. Additional emphasis will be placed on classical and operant conditioning as these processes relate to the development of counterproductive, abnormal behavior patterns. The course will also examine the impact of lifestyle (including thinking style) upon brain biochemistry. Finally, the course will examine several of the major theories (and related research) of personality.

A survey course examining major theories of personality development and change. Particular attention will be paid to the impact of lifestyle upon brain biochemistry, and to the major “trait” approaches to assessing and understanding human personality. The causes, treatment, and prevention of severe shyness will be accorded special attention.

In this course students will study the developmental process from conception to death in light of the changes/challenges that each individual will face throughout his/her life. Adjustment will be studied in light of coping strategies and therapeutic interventions. Sequences and patterns of psychological, biological, and social development are emphasized.

A survey course examining major theories of personality development and change. Particular attention will be paid to the impact of lifestyle upon brain biochemistry, and to the major “trait” approaches to assessing and understanding human personality. The causes, treatment, and prevention of severe shyness will be accorded special attention.

This course will survey the psychotic, neurotic, and life adjustment disorder/diseases to which humankind is subject. Each problem area will be analyzed as to its etiology, behavioral symptomology, and viable therapeutic modalities. Emphasis will be placed on the biological underpinnings of behavioral pathology, and upon the ways whereby such underpinnings influence social learning and environmental experiences. Additional emphasis will be placed on classical and operant conditioning as these processes relate to the development of counterproductive, abnormal behavior patterns. The course will also examine the impact of lifestyle (including thinking style) upon brain biochemistry. Finally, the course will examine several of the major theories (and related research) of personality.

This course is designed to allow students to explore educational psychology domains in-depth. The current domains of exploration included (a) the nature, value and application of educational psychology research to instruction, (b) an in-depth exploration of learning theory, and (c) the application of learning theory to instruction. Each of these domains is addressed within a broad view of learning and instruction including bridging the gap between research and practice. Thus, this course has a dual emphasis: research and instruction.