Course Offerings
The following course information is provided for your convenience. Schedules are subject to change and should be checked on LORIS, where location information can also be found. Please use the LORIS Browse Classes to check course offerings in Psychology for the current academic year. Full, official academic information, including prerequisites and exclusions, can be found on the academic calendars.
All courses listed on this page are held on the Waterloo campus. For courses held on the Brantford campus, see Psychology (Brantford). For e-learning courses, see Online Learning.
If no faculty member is named, the instructor is to be announced.
Unless otherwise indicated, undergraduate courses are 0.5 credit. Graduate courses may work differently. See academic calendar for details.
* = 1.0 credit
100-Level Courses
Methods for understanding human and animal behaviour are introduced. This course introduces psychology and its history, and shows how the different areas of psychology are integrated. Topics such as research methods, biological bases, learning, consciousness, personality, disorders, and treatment are surveyed.
Methods for understanding human and animal behaviour are discussed. This course continues the introduction to psychology and shows how different areas are integrated by covering topics such as research methods, sensation and perception, memory, language and thought, intelligence and testing, motivation and emotion, development, stress and coping, community psychology, and social psychology.
200-Level Courses
Notes: Irregular course
A cognitive approach to psychological processes such as perception, attention, memory, language, thinking and problem solving. The emphasis is on theoretical issues and empirical studies within the cognitive tradition of human information processing.
Principles of classical and instrumental conditioning, and contemporary cognitive views of animal behaviour.
Psychophysical, physiological and behavioural techniques and research findings concerning the visual, auditory, chemical and mechanical processing systems.
Behavioural neuroscience examines the relationship between the brain and behaviour. The course reviews topics such as brain structure, neuronal communication, and the evolution and mechanisms of sensory processing, learning, and motor performance in the brain.
Prerequisites: PS101 and PS102
An overview of topics such as the neural bases of human language, memory, emotion, motor control, cognitive control, social cognition, and consciousness using functional neuroimaging techniques (fMRI, PET, EEG, MEG, and TMS) as well as evidence from brain-damaged patients.
This course is an introduction to the use of drugs in modern society. The emphasis will be on psychoactive drugs, including drugs of abuse (stimulants, depressants, opiates, nicotine, marijuana and psychedelics) and psychotherapeutic drugs (antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, antidepressants and anxiolytics). Different aspects of drug use will be explored, including their effects on the brain and behaviour, psychological and biological factors responsible for their use, as well as social, cultural, historical and legal aspects of drug use. The content will range from general principles of drug action to focused information on specific classes of drugs.
An introduction to how evolution relates to behaviour and cognition, including topics such as natural selection, genetics, development learning, sexual selection and mate choice, social evolution, cognition, and cultural evolution, drawing on the diversity of biological life to learn about general rules of behaviour and cognition. Students will develop the ability to scientifically evaluate the functions of behaviour and cognition at multiple levels of analysis
Introduction to the scientific study of how people think about, influence, and relate to one another. Topics include: social cognition, the self and identity; attitudes and attitude change; persuasion; conformity; group processes; cultural influences; prejudice and discrimination; helping; aggression; interpersonal attraction; intimate relationships; and applied issues (e.g., health, environmental, political and legal applications).
Classic and contemporary personality theories and their usefulness in analyzing behaviour. Recent empirical research. Personality measurement.
Introduction to the scientific study of how people influence and interact with one another in groups. Topics may include: group dynamics; group cohesiveness; group performance; group decision making; conflict; and crowd behaviour.
Human development with emphasis on research and theories in the physical, cognitive, personality and social growth of infants and children.
Human development with emphasis on research findings and theories in the physical, cognitive, personality and social growth of adolescents and young adults.
An introduction to psychopathology theory and research in abnormal behaviour with a focus on historical and global perspectives. The course will focus on biological, psychological and societal factors in abnormal behaviour, including the role of cultural, personal and interpersonal context.
An introduction to both a conceptual and an experiential understanding of issues and topics in community psychology. Topics include: the history of community psychology; stress and social support; oppression and social intervention; primary prevention and health promotion; self-help; mediating structures; community mental health; alternative settings; organizational change; community organization and community development. (A community service learning/field placement is required. Note that Online Learning versions of PS282 do include a community service-learning placement, whereas Online Learning versions of PS275 and PS276 do not offer a community service-learning experience.)
The application of psychology to educational environments, with consideration of topics such as social, moral and cognitive development, theories of learning, effective instructional techniques, individual differences and evaluation. (A community service learning/field placement is required.)
Prerequisites: PS101 and PS102
This course is a survey of how psychological theories and research methods can contribute to our understanding of health and illness. The course will cover a variety of health-relevant topics, including models of health and illness, stress and coping, chronic and communicable diseases, and health promotion.
Prerequisites: PS101 and PS102
Theories and research on gender. Gender similarities and differences will be discussed from various psychological perspectives, including biological, social and developmental.
Prerequisites: PS101 and PS102
Fundamentals of the logic of science, research design and interpretation. Weekly laboratory sessions provide experience with various aspects of research, including demonstrations, experiments and preparation of reports.
Lecture/Discussion: 3 hours/week
Lab: 1.5 hours/week
Fundamentals of data analysis and interpretation. Weekly laboratory sessions involve further discussion of lecture topics, data analysis and computer applications.
Lecture/Discussion: 3 hours/week
Lab: 1.5 hours/week
300-Level Courses
Students develop, conduct and write reports on experiments in selected areas of cognitive psychology.
Students develop, conduct and write reports on experiments in selected areas of animal learning and cognition.
Students develop, conduct and write reports on experiments in selected areas of perception.
Students develop, conduct and write reports on experiments in selected areas of behavioural neuroscience.
The functional consequences of brain damage with an emphasis on case studies of patients with disorders of attention, perception, memory, language, and motor control. Assessment tools used in the diagnosis and prognosis of such functional deficits will also be examined.
This course introduces the vocabulary and concepts used by cognitive psychologists and linguists who study human language. The course covers traditional psycholinguistic topics such as meaning, speech perception, language comprehension, and theories of language acquisition. Another major goal of this course is to provide students with examples of how psycholinguistic research is conducted.
Students develop, conduct and write reports on experiments (primarily fMRI, ERP, and TMS) in selected areas of cognitive neuroscience.
Overview of the structure of the brain and spinal cord with an emphasis on function using clinical applications. Laboratory work emphasizes the identification of structures via interaction with models and tissues.
Students develop, conduct and write reports on studies in selected areas in social psychology. This course focuses on experimental methodologies, quasi-experimental techniques, qualitative methods, observational methods and survey strategies in social psychology. Additional topics include experimenter and participant bias as well as ethics.
This course aims to provide an overview of research and theory in close relationships. The course will review major theoretical perspectives in relationship science, such as evolution, attachment, interdependence, and social-cognitive approaches. The focus will be primarily on adult romantic relationships as we examine relevant research on topics such as attraction, the development and maintenance of commitment and intimacy, biased thinking in relationships, and social support. We will also explore the stressors that can accompany relationships, such as conflict, infidelity and dissolution.
Prerequisites: PS270
Students develop, conduct and write reports on studies in selected areas of developmental psychology. Experiences with more than one age group will be provided. A range of experimental, observational and interview techniques will be included. Special attention will be given to ethical considerations in working with children.
Theoretical, empirical, and practical perspectives on development across adulthood, with an emphasis on psychological, social, and physical aspects. (A community service learning/field placement is required.)
This course provides an in-depth introduction to children's language development, including the acquisition of phonology, syntax, and semantics. The course focuses on the typical course of language development in first language, second language and bilingual language acquisition, and the atypical development of language in children who have conditions such as autism or specific language impairments that affect their ability to acquire language. The overall objective of the study of language development is to explain the "what, when, how and why" of children's comprehension and production of language as well as understanding our current knowledge in language acquisition and the experimental and analytic techniques used to investigate these issues? (NOT OFFERED 2022/23)
People with special needs and their development in community settings. Awareness of thoughts and feelings, and effective question-asking, theory-building, and problem-solving in relation to individuals with special needs. (A community service learning/field placement is required.)
A survey of diagnostic and treatment procedures and resources; professional duties and skills of the clinical psychologist; history of clinical psychology and current problems.
This course offers insight into the connections between psychology and the environment. A key focus of this course will be the human dimensions of environmental problems (e.g., global climate change, pollution, water shortage, and species lost) and what theoretical and empirical contributions psychology has made and can make in addressing these problems. The course adopts a community service learning approach and includes a significant placement experience. Students will apply theories and principles of different psychological approaches in the context of their community-service placements with different local environmental organizations. Students will be encouraged to critically reflect on their experience and the course content using an environmental justice framework. A community service learning/field placement is required.
Prerequisites: Two of PS260, PS261, PS262, PS263, PS264, PS267, PS268, PS270, PS275, PS276, PS280, PS282, PS283, PS285, PS295, PS296
Multiple regression and correlation analyses in psychological research. Topics include simple and multiple regression with qualitative and quantitative variables, model selection procedures and residual analysis. Development of familiarity with a standard statistical package is an integral part of the course.
The logic of controlled experimentation, and introduction to complex analysis of variance designs commonly used in psychological research. Topics include factorial designs, repeated measure designs, Latin square designs, and planned and unplanned comparisons. Development of familiarity with a standard statistical package is an integral part of the course.
This course is an introduction to qualitative research methods in psychology (open-ended, inductive research methodologies that are concerned with theory generation and exploration of meanings and that utilize non-numerical data). Topics covered include the philosophical foundations of qualitative research, qualitative research design, a variety of different approaches to qualitative research (e.g., grounded theory, narratives, case studies), qualitative data-gathering methods (e.g., observation, interviews), and techniques for qualitative data analysis and verification.
400-Level Courses
Recent theoretical and empirical developments in cognitive psychology focusing on memory or attention.
Lectures and seminars in selected topics in animal learning and cognition.
Current experimental findings and models in perception with an emphasis on vision.
Lectures and seminars in selected topics in behavioural neuroscience.
This course will cover recent findings in cognitive neuroscience. We will critically examine peer-reviewed research articles culled from the scientific literature. Topics will include attention, perception, language, memory, emotion, and motor control.
The application of social psychology methods, theory and research to contemporary social issues and problems in areas such as health, the environment, law and criminal justice, social conflict, consumer behaviour, mass media and international relations.†
Seminar on contemporary theoretical and empirical work in selected topics, such as cognitive development, memory development, social or moral development, language and communication development.
This course extends understanding of theory and empirical studies regarding cognitive development across the lifespan to real world contexts. A key goal in the course is to provide students with skills necessary to create, evaluate and implement programming in applied contexts including educational and professional environments. At least two specific topics will be examined in each course offering. Topics will vary across offerings but will include opportunities for active learning in and beyond the classroom environment
Seminar on topics such as personality development, mental health and well being, psychotherapy with individuals, groups, couples and families, the diagnosis and treatment of abnormal behaviour.
Seminar and practicum to examine ideological and structural considerations in the promotion of mental health and in the alleviation of health problems, programs for prevention, politics of community control, emerging professional and paraprofessional roles, politics of social intervention.
A student may undertake individually supervised work under the designation "Directed Study ...", in some areas not included in listed courses.
Irregular course.
Prerequisites: Registration status: Year 3 or Year 4 in any discipline. A 200 level course in research methods (e.g., PS295, PS382, CS235, GG258, GS202, HE201, PO217, SY280, SY281) and PS282 or permission of the department.
Notes: Students wishing to complete this fieldwork course must apply to the department chair for PS492* by May 31. Decisions about admission to this course will be based on a consideration of grades, appropriate preparation, an interview and the availability of fieldwork supervisors/faculty advisors. Decisions will be made by June 28th of that year. Students meet in-class 3 hours per week during the month of September. After this time, students work on their placement projects where student research teams spend at least 8 hours per week on placement-related activities.
Students select an appropriate topic, design and carry out research, and write a thesis demonstrating competence in both content and method. Students meet regularly as a group with the instructor, and individually with a faculty advisor. All students wishing to complete a thesis must apply to the department chair for admission to PS499* by April 1 of Year 3. Decisions about admission to this course will be based on a consideration of grades, appropriate preparation for a thesis and the availability of supervisors. Decisions will be made by June 1 of that year. All students not admitted to PS499* must take an additional credit in psychology at the 300 or 400 level, in order to fulfil the Honours Psychology requirements.
For more information, see Honours Thesis.