Psychology
Psychology: Past, Present, and Future
There are many common misconceptions held about the discipline of psychology. Often times, psychology is seen as a field based on "common sense," one that lacks scientific thought and theory. This course aims to rectify these views and to open students’ minds to the theoretical, scientific, and real-world applications of this field.
Students in the psychology track will explore the different facts and fictions of psychology that have been debated over the course of its history and will examine where this discipline may go in the future. In addition to learning about the theories and studies of famous psychologists, we will also attempt to gain a better understanding of why humans think and act in certain ways and learn to apply current psychological concepts to our everyday lives. Finally, a main portion of this track will focus on the different domains of psychology. Students will learn about the various "types" of psychology, including developmental, clinical, and forensic, and will gain a better understanding about the work of professionals in each of these subfields. They will conduct their own research studies and will talk to guest speakers who can offer perspective about the application of psychology to real world scenarios. Primarily, the main goal of the psychology track will be to help students recognize that there is much more to the successful understanding of psychology than just common sense.
Academic Director
Dr. Patricia Mitchell recently received her Ph.D. in developmental psychology from the University of Notre Dame. She received her undergraduate degree from Notre Dame in 2001 and her master’s degree from the University of Cardiff, Wales. She currently works at the Family Studies Center at Notre Dame on a research project examining the effects of family factors, including marital conflict, parenting, and psychopathology, on children’s development. She has taught or been a teaching assistant for a variety of classes over the course of her studies, including abnormal and developmental psychology.
University of Notre Dame