Psychology is a fascinating subject. It attempts to answer some of the most fundamental questions about life, e.g. What is the nature of the human personality? What is normal behavior? What is abnormal behavior? How do we facilitate normal development? How do we help people overcome maladaptive patterns of functioning?
The psychology program provides students with a strong theoretical and applied understanding of human functioning based on the biopsychosocial model. Students are introduced to the various influences upon attitudes, behavior, and emotion and explore how these influences affect assessment and treatment of psychopathology. Our program is unique in that the psychology courses are fully professional and uncompromising on Torah and hashkafa.
Students receive an education which provides a foundation for fields such as psychology, social work, special education and counseling. Maalor Students apply their coursework towards a BA with a major or concentration in psychology or social science.
Major topics covered in the course are: historical perspective, major psychiatric (DSM-IV) categories, causes and treatment, and four major therapeutic orientations: Psychoanalytical, Biological, Cognitive-Behavioral, and Humanistic.
Biopsychology PSY374
The course focuses on research methodology in biopsychology, on understanding the structure and function of the nervous system, of the sensory and motor systems, on learning and behavior, and on neurological dysfunction and its causes. Topics include: subdivisions of neuropsychology, scientific methods, critical thinking, anatomy of the nervous system, neural conduction, synaptic transmissions, research methods of biopsychology, pharmacological research, genetic engineering, biopsychological patterns of animal behavior, visual system, sensory system, somatosensory systems, chemical senses, sensorimotor system, brain damage and neuroplasticity, sleep, emotion, psychiatric disorders.
Major topics covered in the course are: theory and research on physical, mental, emotional and social development from birth through middle childhood; Piaget’s theory; Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development; and language and intellectual development.
Major topics covered in the course are: physical, cognitive, emotional, and social aspects of various stages from adolescence through adulthood; life-time transitions including marriage; career; family, maturation and facing death.
In this course, the student acquires a basic understanding of the construction and evaluation of experimental, quasi-experimental, and non-experimental research. Included among the many topics discussed are: the scientific method, research ethics, research design, experimental control, sampling and generalization, hypothesis testing and statistical significance. Students will learn how to review journal articles, design a hypothetical study, and write an APA-style research report.
History and Systems of Psychology PSY400
This course explores the development of the science of psychology. Topics include: pre-scientific psychology such as mental healing, phrenology; the birth of the science of psychology including Wundt, Ebbinghaus; Scientific psychology in America; Early schools of American Psychology, Structuralism, Functionalism; Applied Psychology in America, Psychoanalysis, Freud; Neo-Freudian (Adler, Erikson, Jung and Horney) Behaviorism; Radical Behaviorism; Social Action and Social Change; Gender differences, Gestalt and cognitive psychology.
Major topics covered in the course are: groups, group formation and development; emergent group structures; mediating group processes; interpersonal power within groups; status and role; group tasks and group goals; groups in action; effective participation in groups; and leadership styles.
The course will be presented in two complementary parallel tracks: Track 1: Psychological Topics and Skills: Examine the concepts and application of emotional intelligence, social intelligence, and positive psychology; practice related skills such as mindfulness and emotional regulation (e.g., assertive training and thought defusion), and interpersonal effectiveness skills (e.g., reflective listening and conflict resolution). Track 2: Jewish Topics: Examine the Jewish view of personality and character development and some of the key concepts that relate to interpersonal relations, e.g., exercise of responsible free will, acts of loving kindness, an attitude of compassion, and recognition and gratitude for the good done to us.
Major topics covered in the course are the nature of helping relationships, goals in counseling skills and techniques, ethics in counseling, and the components of effective helping in a theoretical as well as a practical framework.
Major topics covered in the course include biological bases of behavior, perception, learning and memory; problem solving, mental health; psycho development, and social psychology.
Major topics covered in the course are: psychology, organizations and society, Industrial Psychology as a science, motivation, attitudes towards work and jobs, social behavior in organizations, leadership within organizations, stress within the organization, job analysis, performance appraisal and feedback, job fit, training and development, the content of work and the future industrial/organizational psychology.
Major topics covered in the course are: theoretical perspectives and research pertinent to education and educational experience. It includes teaching in the classroom, how different children develop, interact, learn within educational settings and psychological evaluation of classroom learning and school achievement.
Major topics include assessments by intelligence tests and personality tests, both standardized and projective. The course also mentions educational, vocational, aptitude testing and interest inventories.
The course will be presented in two complementary parallel tracks each taking one/half of a three hour class: Track 1: Positive Psychology: Examine the concepts and application of positive psychology; practice related skills such as focusing on human strengths and virtues, e.g., gratitude, and forgiveness. Track 2: Jewish Topics: Examine the Jewish view of the meaning and purpose of life and the personality and character strengths needed to achieve a happy and fulfilled life.
Seminar in Social Psychology PSY379
Seminar in Social Psychology provides an in-depth exploration and application of the principles addressed in Social Psychology. This seminar covers a range of topics that apply to contemporary society, with a focus on social groups and issues within the Jewish community. Topics include: self-esteem, motivation, aggression, abuse, and gender separation in educational settings. Social psychological concepts such as motivation, self esteem, gender differences, conformity, aggression in children and adolescents within an educational setting, interpersonal dynamics in the classroom, fostering sensitivity to special populations, abstract thinking, dependence vs. independence; conformity, peer pressure, depression, suicide, eating and alcohol disorders, group cohesiveness as it relates to youth and their religious identity.
An introduction to research and theory in social psychology. Topics include human processing of social information, social influence, persuasion and attitude change, social interaction and group phenomena. The application of social psychological knowledge to current social problems is discussed.
Major topics covered in the course are: an introduction to the study of exceptional children: hearing impairment, visual impairment, mental retardation, emotional and behavioral disorders, physical disabilities, speech and language disorders, giftedness, and normalization. The incidence of these phenomena; etiology; diagnosis and treatment; behavior management and intervention.
Major topics covered in the course are the nature of theoretical paradigms, the major personality theories, development of normal and abnormal behavior, and historical influences on the development of various personality theories.
Major topics covered in the course are the nature and perspectives of sociology; methods of sociological research; organization of social life; socialization; groups; social stratification; deviance and social control; racial and cultural minorities; formal organizations; collective behavior and social movements; role, position, identity, and social change.
Major topics covered in the course are an examination of definitions and varieties of families, family roles, relationships, and functions, problems facing the contemporary family, mate selection, divorce, death and remarriage, stress and conflict in family life, alternatives to the family and ageing in the family. Theoretical perspectives provide a framework for studying families.
See Interpersonal Behavior in Small Groups