Social Science & Policy Studies

This course is intended for anyone interested in human behavior and sustainability. This course applies psychological theory and research to understand the causes of human behavior that degrades natural systems and to identify and promote more sustainable actions and policies. Topics will include: social dilemmas and cognitive limitations as root causes of environmental problems; psychological methods for studying sustainability; the potential for and limitations of changing individual environmental cognition and behavior; environmental knowledge, attitudes, and values; motivations for sustainable behavior; and the relationship between environmental quality and human health and mental health. Students will gain experience applying social and cognitive behavior change strategies to reduce their own environmental impact.

Students may not receive credit for both ENV 2400 and ENV 2500/PSY 2500.

This course will be offered in 2025-26, and in alternating years thereafter. 

This course is intended for anyone interested in human behavior and sustainability. This course applies psychological theory and research to understand the causes of human behavior that degrades natural systems and to identify and promote more sustainable actions and policies. Topics will include: social dilemmas and cognitive limitations as root causes of environmental problems; psychological methods for studying sustainability; the potential for and limitations of changing individual environmental cognition and behavior; environmental knowledge, attitudes, and values; motivations for sustainable behavior; and the relationship between environmental quality and human health and mental health. Students will gain experience applying social and cognitive behavior change strategies to reduce their own environmental impact.

Students may not receive credit for both ENV 2400 and ENV 2500/PSY 2500.

This course will be offered in 2025-26, and in alternating years thereafter. 

Twenty-first century engineers tackle complex problems influenced by not only technology but also social systems. In order to develop sustainable solutions, there is a need to understand the interface between engineering and societal processes such as public policy. This course examines the interactions between engineering and public policy, and introduces students to the concepts, tools and methods involved in public policy making and policy analysis to understand policy impact on engineering domains. This course is a bridge between engineering and public policy.

How does the courtroom work and where does psychology come into play? Is it really “innocent until proven guilty”? Do people confess to crimes they never committed? How accurate are eyewitnesses? In this course, we will discuss and examine questions like these and many more. This course examines empirical research at the interface of psychology and law. We will learn about standard practices in the criminal justice system and empirical psychological research devoted to understanding these practices. As a discussion-based course, we will tackle topics such as: courtroom procedures, confessions, death penalty, deception, decision making, deliberations, eyewitnesses, expert testimony, jury selection, memory, police, and pretrial publicity. We will also explore how and when psychologists can impact legal guidelines and policies. This course is intended for psychology majors, psychology minors, and students studying government, law, and/or policy studies.

This course will be offered in 2025-26, and in alternating years thereafter.

How does the courtroom work and where does psychology come into play? Is it really “innocent until proven guilty”? Do people confess to crimes they never committed? How accurate are eyewitnesses? In this course, we will discuss and examine questions like these and many more. This course examines empirical research at the interface of psychology and law. We will learn about standard practices in the criminal justice system and empirical psychological research devoted to understanding these practices. As a discussion-based course, we will tackle topics such as: courtroom procedures, confessions, death penalty, deception, decision making, deliberations, eyewitnesses, expert testimony, jury selection, memory, police, and pretrial publicity. We will also explore how and when psychologists can impact legal guidelines and policies. This course is intended for psychology majors, psychology minors, and students studying government, law, and/or policy studies.

This course will be offered in 2025-26, and in alternating years thereafter.

Environmental issues present some of the major international problems and opportunities facing the world today. Worst-case scenarios envision irrevocable degradation of the earth’s natural systems, but virtually every analysis sees the need for major change worldwide to cope with problems such as global warming, deforestation, ozone layer depletion, loss of biodiversity, and population growth, not to mention exponential increases in “conventional” pollutants in newly industrialized countries. The global environment issues represent a “second-generation” of environmental policy in which the focus of concern has moved from national regulations to international law and institutions. In addition, the environment has emerged as a major aspect of international trade, conditioning corporate investment and accounting for some $200 billion in sales of pollution control equipment in 1991. Exploration of the genesis and implications of these phenomena is the essence of the course. Topically, the material begins with the nature of global environmental problems, drawing on literature from large-scale global modeling as well as particular analyses of the problems mentioned above. Approximately half the course focuses on international laws and institutions, including multilateral treaties (e.g., the Montreal Protocol limiting CFC use, ocean dumping, biodiversity), international institutions (UNEP, the Rio Convention, the OECD) and private initiatives (international standards organizations, ICOLP (Industry Committee for Ozone Layer Protection), etc.) In addition, US policy toward global environmental issues will be compared with that in Japan, Europe and developing countries, from which it differs significantly. Students will design and undertake term projects that address particular issues in detail in an interdisciplinary manner. This course will be offered in 2021-22, and in alternating years thereafter.

This course is open to students accepted to off-campus IQP centers and programs. The course introduces students to research design, methods for social science research, and analysis. It also provides practice in specific research and field skills using the project topics students have selected in conjunction with sponsoring agencies. Students learn to develop social science hypotheses based upon literature reviews in their topic areas and apply concepts drawn from social psychology, anthropology, sociology, economics and other areas as appropriate. Students make presentations, write an organized project proposal, and develop a communication model for reporting their project findings.

Are you fascinated by the ways in which artists and scientists reach creative breakthroughs? Ever wonder why you have aha! eureka moments in the shower? Do you wonder how you can improve your own creativity? This course is intended for anyone interested in understanding the science behind creativity. Creativity is considered one of the most sophisticated forms of human cognition and is used by both artists and scientists to push the frontier of knowledge and expression. This course will introduce students to the predominant theories and research findings from cognitive science on creativity, including theories of divergent and convergent thinking, flow experiences, and eureka moments of insight. This course mixes lectures with in-class activities to teach students the latest findings from creativity research and elaborate on these concepts through creative experiences inside and outside the classroom. Students who complete this course will gain a solid understanding of the theoretical frameworks of creativity and activities that promote creativity, apply class concepts to improve their creative problem-solving and leverage creative processes to their advantage to work on reaching their full creative potential. This course will be taught in 2025-26, and in alternating years thereafter.

This course is intended for anyone interested in learning more about how the mind works and how to make it work better. The purpose of this course is (1) to provide students with the basic psychological knowledge needed to understand and evaluate such important cognitive skills as memory, problem solving, and decision making, and (2) to provide students the practical skills and experience necessary to improve and assess their cognitive performance. Topics will include but not be limited to: memory improvement, study skills, problem solving techniques, creativity training, brainstorming, making effective choices, evaluating claims about the mind, and cognitive health. 

This course is intended for anyone who wants to understand how people learn in educational settings. This class covers select topics from educational psychology, including theories of learning from cognitive science and learning science, evidence of effective study strategies and educational practices, as well as how non-academic and social factors can influence student experiences and achievement in education. The course will also cover common misconceptions in education that are not supported by research. Students will read journal articles on central topics in educational psychology and complete assignments designed to apply concepts learned in class.

This course will be offered in 2024-25, and in alternating years thereafter.

This course is intended for all students from all backgrounds and all experience levels. Social psychology is the scientific study of how people think, feel, and act toward other people in real or imagined social contexts. This course will examine human behavior in a variety of domains of social life. Topics will include, but not be limited to, person perception, attitude formation and change, conformity and obedience, helping others, interpersonal attraction, stereotyping and prejudice, and group behavior. Throughout the course, students develop a broad knowledge of the field, including core theoretical perspective, empirical research, and emerging trends. No previous experience with psychological science is necessary to take this course.

Students may not receive credit for both PSY 1402 and PSY 2402.

This course is intended for anyone interested in learning about the mental processes and strategies underlying human behavior. The ways in which sensory input is transformed, reduced, elaborated, stored, and recovered will be examined in order to develop a picture of the human mind as an active processor of information. Topics will include perception, pattern recognition, attention, mental imagery, memory, categorization, problem solving, and decision making. Students will gain experience with research methods in cognitive psychology by participating in online experiments. Course assignments will emphasize applications of cognitive research to everyday life. No previous experience with psychological science is necessary to take this course.

Students may not receive credit for both PSY 1401 and PSY 2403. 

This course is for anyone with any experience level who is interested in understanding human development from conception to death. The course will cover development from biological, cognitive, emotional, social, personality, linguistic, and moral perspectives over the lifespan. No previous experience with psychological science is needed to take this course. Students may not receive credit for both PSY 1404 and PSY 2404.

Why do people stand so close to you in other countries? Why should you avoid eating with your left hand in some places? Why do people drive on the left side of the road in some countries? How does your nationality influence the way you think about food? How is the U.S. viewed by other countries? In this course, we will explore these questions and many more as we learn about cross-cultural psychology. Cross-cultural psychology is the study of cultural effects on human behavior and diversity. We will examine theoretical perspectives and empirical findings in cross-cultural psychology. This course will cover topics such as: development, understanding the self, cognition, communication (verbal and nonverbal), emotion, relationships, prejudice, gender, mental and physical health, and what it means to live and work in a diverse and multicultural society. We will examine these issues both within the cultural groups in the United States as well as cultures around the globe. This course is designed to increase awareness and sensitivity to issues pertaining to diversity and differences among people and to allow for discussions on these sensitive topics.

This course will be offered in 2024-25, and in alternating years thereafter.

This course is intended for students interested in exploring the links between the mind, brain, and social behaviors. In this class, we will focus on recent theorizing and methodologies from neuroscience that have identified psychological processes at play as we go about our dynamic and complex social lives. Specifically, we will examine the brain bases of social judgments, the experience and regulation of emotions, empathy, attachment, theory of mind, sexual attraction, romantic love, and neuroeconomics, among other topics. Along the way we will learn about a variety of methodological approaches used by social neuroscientists, including social psychology paradigms, lesion studies, patient research, and functional neuroimaging. Coursework will include group projects and presentations that summarize various social phenomena that may be of interest (e.g., social rejection) and their neural underpinnings, as well as opportunities to work with real brain data collected at WPI and other neuroimaging sites. This course will be offered in 2024-25 and in alternate years thereafter. Students may not receive credit for both this course and PSY 2800: Social Neuroscience.

This course is intended for anyone from any background who is interested in learning about mental health. This course will introduce mental health more broadly, including topics such as well-being, stress, anxiety, etc. In addition, we will discuss what makes something a disorder and the wide variety of psychological disorders that exist in society (personality, anxiety, mood, psychotic, etc.). Possible causes, symptoms, preventions, and treatments will be examined. Empirical research on mental health will be emphasized. No previous experience with psychological science is needed to take this course. Students may not receive credit for both PSY 1412 and PSY 2412.

This course is intended for students interested in learning about gender and psychology. The course will provide an overview of research and theory in the field. We will examine the myths and stereotypes associated with gender in our society, the social and psychological gender similarities and differences that have been identified in research, and consider gender with an intersectional lens (e.g., considering different identities). We will also examine longstanding and contemporary issues pertaining to the psychology of gender. Students may not receive credit for both PSY 2407 and PSY 3407.

This course will be offered in 2025-26, and in alternating years thereafter.

This course is intended for students interested in learning about health and will be useful for students pursuing psychology, biology, healthcare, biomedical engineering, etc. Health Psychology is an interdisciplinary field that examines the complex relationship between psychology and physical health. Health psychologists study how psychology contributes to the promotion and maintenance of health, the prevention and treatment of illness, and the evaluation and improvement of the healthcare system. This course takes a deep dive into the scientific research on how various psychosocial factors are implicated in health, wellness, and illness. Topics covered in this course include: stress, health behavior change, health communications, psychoneuroimmunology, health disparities, patient-provider relationships, social support, coping, aging, and more. We will explore pressing questions such as: What does stress do to your health? What psychological and social factors lead people to behave in healthy or unhealthy ways? What drives racial, ethnic, or gender differences in health? Does it matter how your doctor talks to you? Can a sugar pill help back pain? En route to answering these questions, students will curate their knowledge in foundational Health Psychology theory and the core biopsychosocial constructs in the field. They will integrate these constructs to analyze and understand drivers of health, wellness, and illness in themselves and the world. No prior experience with psychology is needed to take this course. Students may not receive credit for both PSY 2408 and PSY 3408.

How do religion, laws, and public policies influence perceptions of sex? What effects does pornography have on sexual attitudes and behaviors? How widespread is sexual and domestic violence? In this class, we will explore questions relating to sexuality. Human sexuality is the study of the biological, evolutionary, social, cultural, and political perspectives relating to sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity. We will discuss topics such as: gender identity, sexual orientation, anatomy and physiology of the act of sex, relationships, sexual aggression, pornography, contraception, pregnancy, abortion, sexuality over the lifespan, and the role of religion, law, policies, and culture on sexuality. We will think about how sexuality influences how we think and act in the world around us. We will examine sexuality within the United States and throughout the world. This course is designed to increase awareness and sensitivity to sexuality and issues relating to it. Discussions in class will be candid and on sensitive and controversial topics. No prior experience with psychology is needed to take this course, just an open mind. Students may not receive credit for both PSY 2504 and PSY 3504.

This course will be offered in 2024-25, and in alternating years thereafter.

This course is intended for psychology majors and minors, and those interested in upper-level discussions on education and schools. School psychology focuses on understanding children and adolescents’ mental health, behavioral health and learning needs to work with educators and parents to help students succeed academically and socially. School psychology draws from educational, developmental, and cognitive research. Students will critically examine the theoretical, methodological, and practical approaches to understanding how in and out of school interventions and contexts influence the academic, social, and emotional development of children. Topics may include: school readiness and transitions, behavioral and self-regulatory skills, socio-cultural diversity and skill gaps, assessment tools and classification, teacher- child interactions, and school- based interventions that promote positive development. This course differs from PSY 2401: Psychology of Education as it focuses on school systems rather than education more broadly. Students cannot earn credit for both PSY 2410 and PSY 4100.

This course will be offered in 2025-26, and in alternating years thereafter.

This course is intended for students interested in the integration between psychology and physiology and will be especially useful for students pursuing degrees and careers in psychology, biology, healthcare, biomedical engineering, and neuroscience. The field of Psychophysiology seeks to answer two key questions: (1) How do psychological factors get “under the skin” to affect our physiology? (2) How can we infer someone’s psychological state based on a physiological measurement? This course covers topics relevant to fundamental stress physiology (e.g., the nervous system, neuroendocrinology, the immunity system etc.), advanced methodologies for assessing psychophysiological constructs (e.g., neuroimaging, electromyography, biospecimens), and both foundational and emerging findings from the field. Students will develop an integrated knowledge of the core anatomy and activities of physiological systems relevant to psychology, the primary methodologies used in psychophysiological research, and key relationships between psychological factors and physiological outcomes. They will also learn to apply this knowledge to critically examine scientific research and literature and contextualize psychophysiology research into real-world trends in health and illness.

This course will be offered in 2024-25, and in alternating years thereafter.

This course is designed for psychology majors and minors and other students interested in learning how to conduct scientific survey research. The course will focus on the common mistakes of first-time survey researchers and strategies to avoid them. Topics covered will include alternatives to survey research, sampling, response rates, questionnaire design and implementation, question wording, pretesting, ethical issues in survey research, and communicating survey results. Special attention will be given to the effective use of on-line survey platforms. During the course students will be guided through the development, implementation, and analysis of a survey on a topic of their own choosing. Students cannot receive credit for both PSY3400 and PSY 4400. This course will be offered in 2024-25, and in alternating years thereafter.

This course is designed for psychology majors and minors or students interested in learning about experimental design and analysis in psychological research. This course will explore different processes used when designing experiments. In addition, this course will cover different analyses that can be used based on different experimental designs. Students will design and run experiments in the course. In addition, students will analyze the data and present their findings. Topics covered in the course include experimental design, experimental methods, ethical issues related to human participants research, use of statistical analyses and programs to analyze data, and hypothesis testing. Students may not receive credit for both PSY 3500 and PSY 4500.

This course will be offered in 2025-26, and in alternating years thereafter.

The focus of global health research and practice is improving the overall health and health equity of all people worldwide. In this course, we will use an interdisciplinary approach to explore the major biological, social, political, environmental and economic determinants of health. We will analyze the dual burden of communicable and non-communicable disease facing the world’s populations including study of current health systems, global health practices and priorities as well as major organization and institutional players. Class sessions will consist of lecture, intensive small group discussion, and global health case analyses. After successful completion of this course, students will be able to explain the basic principles of public health; discuss the determinants of health; describe how globalization has changed the patterns of the spread of disease and the methods needed to control disease; evaluate the complex, multi-faceted links between health, social and economic factors; and identify critical issues in the delivery of health care services, with a particular emphasis on challenges faced with regard to different cultural and economic settings.

The course is designed to integrate each student’s educational experience and interests in Global Public Health, (e.g., core global public health courses, specializations, and experience). Through seminar discussions and writing assignments students will critically reflect on what they learned in their previous courses and project experiences. In teams, students will prepare a final capstone paper and presentation that critically engages their educational experience in global public health and anticipates how their courses and experiences will translate into their future personal and professional. The course is especially designed as the capstone seminar for Global Public Health minors, but is also open to non-minors. This course will be offered in 2021-22, and in alternating years thereafter.