Psychology (PSYC1-CE)

This course will explore psychology from both historical and cultural perspectives, focusing on its evolution in Europe and North America. We will survey the major developments in approaches to the mind, from humor-based theories of Greek philosophers to cutting-edge research on the forefront of neuropsychology. Topics will include the birth of psychoanalysis in Vienna and the development of cognitive behavioral theories in the United States, with the ultimate goal of examining not only how cultural, sociological, and historical contexts shaped each of these approaches, but also how they influenced each other.

Great minds of the 20th century, including the psychiatrists Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung, dedicated themselves to solving the age-old questions: What do dreams mean and what purpose do they serve? With the discovery that virtually everyone dreams several times a night during REM sleep, physiologists joined in the quest. Since then, generations of psychologists have put forth their own theories. This course tells that story and more. Explore the phenomena of lucid dreaming, nightmares, universal dream themes, and supposedly paranormal dreams. Look at dreams across cultures, and analyze our myths and fairy tales as “public dreams.” Students are encouraged to share and discuss their own dreams in class.

In his writing from the first century, Seneca quoted Aristotle as saying, “No great mind has ever existed without a touch of madness,” linking creativity and mental condition. Since then, this connection has been explored from many perspectives. In this course, we will discover various psychological approaches to art and artists throughout history, from art therapy to neuroaesthetics (the study of how humans process beauty and art) via psychoanalysis and the development of art brut, or “outsider art,” in psychiatric hospitals. We also will study the psychology of three iconic artists—Vincent van Gogh, Camille Claudel, and Pablo Picasso—and discuss how they explored and expressed themselves through their art.