Psychology

Faculty

Deborah Harris O'Brien, Associate Professor of Psychology (Program Chair)
Stacey Baugh, Assistant Professor of Psychology
Christopher Bishop, Assistant Professor of Psychology
Carlota Ocampo, Associate Professor of Psychology
Jonathan Segal, Associate Professor of Psychology

Description

The study of psychology emphasizes the behavior and experience of the individual. Psychology investigates the effects on the individual of other individuals, groups, the environment, and the world of sensation and perception. This investigation can be undertaken from a number of different perspectives: physiological, sociocultural, behavioral, cognitive, humanistic, and psychoanalytic. Psychology thus interfaces with fields such as sociology, economics, political science, education, biology, and philosophy. In summary, psychology contributes to an understanding of how people behave, think, interact, and make sense of the world around them.

The goals of the Psychology Program are to prepare students to continue on to graduate training in psychology or related fields (such as counseling or social work); to enable students to apply psychological theory and research to everyday experience; and to provide students with the skills to devise, execute, analyze, and write reports of psychological studies. In accordance with the overall goals of Trinity, the Psychology Program strives to heighten student awareness of the diversity of human behavior and experience, notably with respect to gender, ethnicity, and age, as well as to teach and instill an ethical approach to the study of human behavior and cognition.

Psychology supports a major and a minor in the College of Arts and Sciences. Psychology also supports the human relations major in both the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Professional Studies.

Major Requirements

In addition to completing a set of required courses (30 credits), all psychology majors are required to complete one of four course clusters (15 credits): general, developmental, forensic, or social psychology. Each cluster is designed to give the student a degree of expertise within a given area of psychology.

All psychology majors must take the following courses:

Required Courses (30 credits)

ALL of the following courses:

PSYC 101 Introductory Psychology

Introduces the student to the scientific study of the mind and behavior. All major sub-areas of psychology (social, developmental, clinical, physiological, motivation and emotion, sensation and perception) are explored, as well as the major theoretical perspectives (behavioral, cognitive, psychoanalytic, and humanistic). Formerly PSY 121 Introductory Psychology.

3 credits

General Education Curriculum: Knowledge and Inquiry Area

FLC Area V

Core: Area II


PSYC 301 Experimental Psychology: Research Methods
PSYC 311 Experimental Social Psychology
PSYC 490 Practicum
PSYC 499 Senior Seminar in Psychology

BOTH of the following statistics courses:

MATH 110 Introduction to Statistics

Presents the basic principles of statistics with applications to the social sciences. Topics include descriptive statistics, probability theory, normal and binomial distributions, and central limit theorem, with an introduction to the use of statistical software. Formerly MAT 110 Introduction to Statistics.

3 credits

General Education: Knowledge and Inquiry Area

Prerequisites: MATH 108, MATH 109 or higher level mathematics course


MATH 210 Statistical Inference

ONE ethics course, such as:

PHIL 241 Introduction to Theoretical Ethics

Examines Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics and Kant's Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals in order to see how these texts expose the influence and direction of our consciousness of obligation on our actions. The focus is on what kind of agency human beings must have in order to be in a moral domain and on what the influence of socialization and biology might be on our understanding of this domain. Formerly PHI 210 Introduction to Theoretical Ethics.

3 credits

General Education Curriculum: Values and Beliefs Area

FLC Area III - Philosophy Cluster


PHIL 245 Ethics I
PHIL 251 Bioethics
PHIL 341 Moral Psychology

ONE biology course chosen from among:

BIOL 101 Introduction to Biology

Explores various aspects of biology from cell structure to metabolism, diversity and ecology. The course consists of two hours of lecture and three hours of laboratory per week. Recommended for non-science majors. There is an additional laboratory fee for this course. Formerly BIO 101 Introduction to Biology.

4 credits

FLC Area I

Core Area II


BIOL 111 General Biology I
BIOL 112 General Biology II

Additional courses in mathematics and natural sciences are highly recommended.

General Psychology Cluster (15 credits)

THREE of the following courses:

PSYC 211 Social Psychology

Studies the individual interacting in a social context. Theories of attitude formation and change, social perception, and small group behavior are examined, as well as current theories, research, and methodology. Formerly PSY 255 Social Psychology.

3 credits

Prerequisites: PSYC 101 or permission of instructor


PSYC 221 Personality and Psychopathology
PSYC 231 Child Psychology
PSYC 241 Physiological Psychology
PSYC 251 Learning

TWO additional psychology electives (6 credits minimum)

Developmental Psychology Cluster (15 credits)

ONE required course in child psychology:

PSYC 231 Child Psychology

Reviews theories of development and contemporary research and how they relate to current social issues concerning children. The developmental period from conception through middle childhood is the focus, with topics including cognitive changes, language acquisition, sensory-motor, moral, and socioemotional development. Formerly PSY 257 Child Psychology.

3 credits

FLC Area V

Prerequisites: PSYC 101 or permission of instructor

THREE of the following courses:

PSYC 261 Psychology of Gender Roles

Studies theories and relevant research on the development of gender roles and the impact of gender roles on self-impression formation, achievement, interpersonal relations, and sexuality. Other topics include an analysis of gender stereotyping, the influence of biology, the concept of androgyny, and the reciprocal qualities of gender roles. Formerly PSY 205 Psychology of Gender Roles.

3 credits

Prerequisites: PSYC 101 or permission of instructor


PSYC 233 Psychology of Adolescence
PSYC 235 Psychology of Aging
PSYC 325 Behavior Disorders in Children

ONE additional psychology elective (3 credits minimum)

Social Psychology Cluster (15 credits)

ONE required course in social psychology:

PSYC 211 Social Psychology

Studies the individual interacting in a social context. Theories of attitude formation and change, social perception, and small group behavior are examined, as well as current theories, research, and methodology. Formerly PSY 255 Social Psychology.

3 credits

Prerequisites: PSYC 101 or permission of instructor

ONE course chosen from between:

PSYC 221 Personality and Psychopathology

Surveys different perspectives on personality and behavior disorders. Emphasis is on theories of normal personality development and on the continuum between normality and abnormality, classification of abnormal behavior, and therapeutic methods of bringing about behavior change. Formerly PSY 258 and PSY 259 Personality and Psychopathology.

3 credits

Prerequisites: PSYC 101 or permission of instructor


PSYC 231 Child Psychology

TWO of the following courses:

PSYC 261 Psychology of Gender Roles

Studies theories and relevant research on the development of gender roles and the impact of gender roles on self-impression formation, achievement, interpersonal relations, and sexuality. Other topics include an analysis of gender stereotyping, the influence of biology, the concept of androgyny, and the reciprocal qualities of gender roles. Formerly PSY 205 Psychology of Gender Roles.

3 credits

Prerequisites: PSYC 101 or permission of instructor


PSYC 313 Attribution Theory and Decision Making
PSYC 315 Psychology of Group Behavior
PSYC 317 Psychology of Aggression and Violence
PSYC 319 Psychology of Irrational Thinking

ONE additional psychology elective (3 credits minimum)

Forensic Psychology Cluster (15 credits)

THREE required courses:

PSYC 211 Social Psychology

Studies the individual interacting in a social context. Theories of attitude formation and change, social perception, and small group behavior are examined, as well as current theories, research, and methodology. Formerly PSY 255 Social Psychology.

3 credits

Prerequisites: PSYC 101 or permission of instructor


PSYC 221 Personality and Psychopathology
PSYC 323 Criminal and Forensic Psychology

TWO of the following courses:

PSYC 317 Psychology of Aggression and Violence

Examines interpersonal, intergroup, and international violence and aggression. The topic is approached from the standpoints of physiological, motivational, learning, cognitive and interpersonal factors, and structural and ecological factors. Aspects of the psychology of nonviolence are covered. Formerly PSY 204 Psychology of Aggression and Violence.

3 credits

Prerequisites: PSYC 101 and PSYC 211 or permission of instructor


PSYC 343 Drugs and Human Behavior
PSYC 325 Behavior Disorders in Children
SOCY 205 Criminology: An Introduction

Minor Requirements

Psychology minors are advised to pursue a pattern of courses similar to the major described above. Eighteen credits are required for the minor; additionally students must obtain permission of the Program Chair to minor in psychology.

Minor in Forensic Psychology (18 credits)

Introductory Psychology is a prerequisite for more advanced courses in Forensic Psychology. Additionally, those desiring to minor in forensic psychology must take the following courses:

PSYC 211 Social Psychology

Studies the individual interacting in a social context. Theories of attitude formation and change, social perception, and small group behavior are examined, as well as current theories, research, and methodology. Formerly PSY 255 Social Psychology.

3 credits

Prerequisites: PSYC 101 or permission of instructor


PSYC 221 Personality and Psychopathology
PSYC 323 Criminal and Forensic Psychology
SOCY 205 Criminology: An Introduction

Students must choose ONE additional course from the following:

PSYC 317 Psychology of Aggression and Violence

Examines interpersonal, intergroup, and international violence and aggression. The topic is approached from the standpoints of physiological, motivational, learning, cognitive and interpersonal factors, and structural and ecological factors. Aspects of the psychology of nonviolence are covered. Formerly PSY 204 Psychology of Aggression and Violence.

3 credits

Prerequisites: PSYC 101 and PSYC 211 or permission of instructor


PSYC 325 Behavior Disorders in Children
PSYC 343 Drugs and Human Behavior

Program Policies

Advanced Placement:
Credit is granted for a 4 or 5 on the AP examination. These credits may count toward the major and may be accepted as FLC credits upon consultation with psychology faculty members.

CLEP Policy:
CLEP examination scores will not be accepted as qualifying for psychology credits or requirements.

Grades in Major Courses:
A minimum of a "C"(2.0) average must be earned in the required courses for the major. A grade of C- may be counted toward fulfilling the requirements, at the discretion of the program faculty, if the overall average in the required courses is at least a 2.0. This policy applies to the required Psychology classes, including the co-requisites in Mathematics (MATH 110 Introduction to Statistics

Presents the basic principles of statistics with applications to the social sciences. Topics include descriptive statistics, probability theory, normal and binomial distributions, and central limit theorem, with an introduction to the use of statistical software. Formerly MAT 110 Introduction to Statistics.

3 credits

General Education: Knowledge and Inquiry Area

Prerequisites: MATH 108, MATH 109 or higher level mathematics course

, MATH 210 Statistical Inference ), but not in Biology and Philosophy.

Pass/No Pass:
No major courses may be taken on a pass/no pass basis. MATH 110 Introduction to Statistics

Presents the basic principles of statistics with applications to the social sciences. Topics include descriptive statistics, probability theory, normal and binomial distributions, and central limit theorem, with an introduction to the use of statistical software. Formerly MAT 110 Introduction to Statistics.

3 credits

General Education: Knowledge and Inquiry Area

Prerequisites: MATH 108, MATH 109 or higher level mathematics course

and MATH 210 Statistical Inference may not be taken on a pass/no pass basis. However, required related courses (Biology and Philosophy) may be taken pass/no pass.

Senior Assessment:
All students are required to take PSYC 499 Senior Seminar in Psychology

Explores major issues in both the history of psychology and current research. Students are exposed to both classic works in psychology and recent theories. The impact of psychology on society is stressed. Formerly PSY 480 Senior Seminar in Psychology.

3 credits

Prerequisites: Psychology or human relations majors; senior status (92 completed credits) preferred

, which prepares students for the Senior Assessment. Students receive eight comprehensive questions by the end of the fall semester in which PSYC 499 Senior Seminar in Psychology is taken. Two of these questions are chosen for the assessment, which occurs early in the spring semester. Two three-hour sessions are used to develop and present analyses of two selected questions, one question per session.

TELL Policy:
Psychology faculty review TELL portfolios and will accept up to nine credits toward the major.

Transfer Credits:
The following courses must be taken at Trinity:
  • One of the three Experimental Psychology courses
    • PSYC 301 Experimental Psychology: Research Methods
    • PSYC 311 Experimental Social Psychology
    • PSYC 331 Experimental Developmental Psychology
  • PSYC 499 Senior Seminar in Psychology
  • At least three psychology electives

All other psychology courses, as well as the Biology and Philosophy requirements, may be accepted as transfer courses toward the psychology major.

Course Descriptions

 PSYC 100 Fundamentals of Psychology PSYC 101 Introductory Psychology PSYC 161 Women: Developmental and Multicultural Perspectives PSYC 210 Theories of Social Psychology PSYC 211 Social Psychology PSYC 221 Personality and Psychopathology PSYC 231 Child Psychology PSYC 233 Psychology of Adolescence PSYC 235 Psychology of Aging PSYC 241 Physiological Psychology PSYC 251 Learning PSYC 261 Psychology of Gender Roles PSYC 301 Experimental Psychology: Research Methods PSYC 311 Experimental Social Psychology PSYC 313 Attribution Theory and Decision Making PSYC 315 Psychology of Group Behavior PSYC 317 Psychology of Aggression and Violence PSYC 319 Psychology of Irrational Thinking PSYC 323 Criminal and Forensic Psychology PSYC 325 Behavior Disorders in Children PSYC 329 Assessmt, Counseling Spec Pop:Subs Abuse PSYC 331 Experimental Developmental Psychology PSYC 341 Health Psychology PSYC 343 Drugs and Human Behavior PSYC 365 Seminar on Human Sexuality PSYC 373 Family Psychology and Family Thearpy PSYC 385 Ethnic & Cross Cultural Psychology PSYC 401 Seminar in Contemporary Psychoogy: Psychology of Prejudice and Racism PSYC 481 Research Problems in Psychology PSYC 482 Research Problems in Psychology II PSYC 483 Research Problems in Psychology III PSYC 484 Research Problems in Psychology IV PSYC 490 Practicum PSYC 491 Psychology Practicum II PSYC 499 Senior Seminar in Psychology

Trinity reserves the right to change, without prior notice, any policy or procedure, tuition or fee, curricular requirements, or any other information found on this web site or in its printed materials.

Questions may be directed to Virginia Broaddus, Ph.D., Provost at BroaddusV@trinitydc.edu