Fall 2009

PSY 341k • Emotion - Beer

Course Description

This is a one-semester course designed to examine and evaluate the scientific literature on the psychology of human emotion. The course addresses a variety of questions to this end and draws on the perspective of both psychology and neuroscience.

What are emotions, anyway? Are they inherently related to facial expressions, to physiological processes, gestures, and other forms of behavior? What causes them to occur at a particular time and place? Are emotions inherently adaptive or maladaptive? Why is it difficult to concentrate when we are angry, disappointed, falling in love, grieving over loss, jealous or frightened? Why are emotions difficult to control? How are emotions related to psychopathology? Do different cultures have different emotions, express emotions differently or have different ways of talking and thinking about them? Do emotions change with psychological development? Are there sex/gender differences in emotion? What are the neurobiological bases of emotion?

Grading Policy

Grades are based on 3 midterm exams, a class project, and a take-home final exam.

Texts

None.

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