2025-26 Catalog
Psychology
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Go to: Division of Philosophy, Religion, Psychology, and Linguistics
Faculty
Kristen G. Anderson
Developmental psychopathology, addictions, gender, clinical psychology.
Megan Bruun
Social psychology, prejudice reduction, stereotypes, anti-transgender bias.
Jennifer Henderlong Corpus
Developmental psychology, academic motivation.
Valeria González
Behavioral neuroscience, animal learning and cognition, “irrational” decision-making.
Pauline Ho
Developmental psychology, identity development, qualitative and mixed methods.
Kevin J. Holmes
Cognitive science, language and thought, categorization, reasoning.
Greg Jensen
Behavior analysis, comparative cognition, applied statistics. On sabbatical and leave 2025-26.
Kathryn C. Oleson
Social psychology, interpersonal relations, social cognition.
Michael Pitts
Cognitive neuroscience, sensation and perception, attention and consciousness. On sabbatical 2025-26.
Vasiliy Safin
Cognitive psychology, judgment and decision-making, behavioral economics, cooperation and prosocial behavior.
Alexander Schielke
Cognitive neuroscience, visual perception, noninvasive neuromodulation.
Lisa Velkoff
Clinical psychology, eating disorders, suicide, non-suicidal self-injury, ecological momentary assessment, intervention development.
Curriculum
Courses in psychology focus on issues in the understanding of both human and nonhuman animal behavior. The department adopts an empirical approach, believing it is through research that we best gain the information necessary to address a broad range of psychological questions. Psychological, biological, and social factors are considered in the context of research findings and current theories of motivation, learning, thinking, language, perception, and human development. Students are encouraged to develop objective and analytic attitudes toward psychological phenomena.
The focus on empirical research begins in the Foundations in Psychological Science introductory course (PSY 101 ), which includes opportunities for students to discuss psychological research in conceptual and applied labs. These introductory experiences represent several disciplinary areas within psychology. The 200-level Psychological Science labs provide further exposure to selected research areas within psychology through structured research projects. Students majoring in psychology gain breadth in the field by completing four of eight “core” courses and by evaluating research in other advanced courses and the junior qualifying exam. It is not uncommon for psychology students to publish the results of their own research in professional journals jointly with faculty members.
In addition to the laboratory and computer facilities in the department, there are opportunities for students to conduct research or to work as participant observers in a number of community settings, including day care centers, local schools, crisis centers, and juvenile detention centers. Students also have access to research programs at the Oregon Health & Science University and the Oregon National Primate Research Center.
A major in psychology frequently leads to professional or graduate study in psychology. Those who intend to do graduate work in psychology should broaden their preparation in mathematics, the other natural sciences, philosophy, linguistics, or the social sciences, rather than concentrating solely on psychology. Some students combine a major in psychology with preparation for medical school, law school, or other advanced professional training. Recent psychology majors have also pursued careers in such diverse areas as computer science, finance, and politics.
200-Level Psychological Science/Methods Labs
The 200-level Psychological Science labs (PSY 200-210) are offered in a seven-week sequence in the first or second half of each semester. Each lab section examines research methods and current topics in a subdiscipline of psychology. Students gain hands-on experience carrying out psychological experiments, leading group discussions, and preparing written and/or oral research presentations. Registration priority is given to intended/declared psychology or neuroscience majors. Consent of the instructor is required for non-intended/declared majors. Note: intended psychology majors often register for multiple labs in a single semester (e.g., one or two per quarter). Not all labs are offered every year.
ProgramsMajorsCoursesPsychology
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