BETHEL COLLEGE

Department of Psychology

General Psychology Honors

(PSY 211H, 2007)

Meeting in the Psychology Labs

Paul T. Lewis, Instructor

Course Description and Learning Objectives

            This course is an embellishment of 211 General Psychology.  It is designed for students with a strong interest in at least one of seven different but potentially related psychological topics.  Application should be made for working on two of the seven following projects, with a final decision to be made sometime after the second meeting of Honors Psychology.

One project focuses on the relationship of music to emotion.  In most studies as a participant is listening to a musical composition, emotion is tracked.  In some studies the musical experience and background of the listener has been taken into account, along with what is going on in the listener’s brain.  Another project pertains to the structure and function of mind in everyday life.  Part of our work has focused on the relationship between behavioral explanation and change of that explanation over time.  Another part of our work has concerned people’s narrated accounts of those times when they believe God, or an emissary, has specially intervened in their lives; this may reveal an important effect on people’s developing self-narratives.  In both of these parts of the study of mind in everyday life, there may be some thought and language and culture implications.  A third research effort relates this just mentioned second project, in part, to a clinical population, in particular, those diagnosed with schizophrenia.  We have finished up data collection on the clinical and non-clinical groups, and hope to commence and complete a number of analyses this Spring.  If you have some interest in the helping professions, this project may be worth considering.  A fourth project focuses on learning how to measure psychophysiological functioning in humans:  skin conductance, blood pressure, skin temperature, muscle tension, etc., and relating such indices to salient psychological factors.  A fifth and final project focuses on the development of theory of mind in children.  In particular, we hope to look at the relationship between social and individual origins of theory of mind.  As is known, the lack of a theory of mind distinguishes those diagnosed with autism from those who are not.  Theory of mind research has all kinds of implications for explaining occasions when people are able to communicate with and understand one-another and occasions when that does not seem to happen. 

            The plan is to pursue these topics in greater depth than is possible in a standard lecture course, primarily for the purpose of satisfying our curiosity.  Our curiosity should be served by studying some of the theoretical and empirical literature relating to these topics, critically evaluating this literature, and expressing our new-found ideas in the provocative give and take of stimulating conversation.  In addition, depending upon the project that is selected, training will be provided in observational methods and operating a low-light camcorder, in questionnaire and interview construction and administration, and in using computers to record and analyze data.

            The class will include the regular meetings of 211 General Psychology.  In addition, it will meet six to eight times of varying lengths throughout the semester at days and times convenient to participants and the requirements of the project they elect to work on.  Select field trips may be arranged to destinations in Wichita and Newton relevant to the specific research project the student is working on. 

Requirements and Evaluation.

            Your grade will be based on your performance in the regular lecture section of the course.  Your work in the honors section will be reflected in the "211H General Psychology--Honors" instead of "211 General Psychology" on your transcript.  However, a student with more than one absence or with obvious lack of participation will be dropped from the honors section.  This will be by mutual agreement between the student and instructor and without prejudice on the instructor’s part.