Psychology Major

Notes:

• At least six of the courses in the major must be completed at CMC.
• PSYC 110 CM  - PSYC 111L CM  should be taken before the senior year.
• PSYC 109 CM  should be taken before PSYC 110 CM  - PSYC 111L CM . 
• With approval from the department chair, at most one Independent Study in Psychology (PSYC 199 CM ) may be counted toward the psychology major.

In unusual circumstances, exceptions to these rules may be approved by the department chair. Students who do not complete PSYC 110 CM  - PSYC 111L CM  before the senior year are not eligible for honors in the major.

Dual Majors

Students with a dual major including psychology may waive one of the three core/cluster requirements and one of the three upper-level elective requirements. At least four major courses must be taken at CMC. Students with a dual major including psychology may write their senior thesis on a topic in psychology. For further information, see Senior Thesis in Psychology above. Please note the restrictions on honors in the major for students with a dual major under Honors in Psychology.

Dual majors in economics and psychology take MATH 030 CM - Calculus I  or higher for the general education requirement in mathematics.

Honors in Psychology

To qualify for honors in psychology, students must:

• Have a GPA in psychology courses of at least “B+” (10.00) at the beginning of the senior year and at time of graduation
• Have a grade of B+ (10.00) or higher in PSYC 109 CM 
• Have a grade of B+ (10.00) or higher in both PSYC 110 CM  and PSYC 111L CM 
• Complete PSYC 198 CM - Psychology Senior Research Seminar 
• Complete a two-semester, two-unit empirical research thesis project in psychology (see above)
• Present a report on the completed research project at a formal conference held around the time theses are turned in. Following this conference the faculty in psychology selects the students to be awarded honors on the basis of criteria included with the instructions for thesis preparation.

Under College policy, students with a dual major including psychology who wish to be considered for honors in psychology are eligible for honors in psychology if they satisfy the following conditions:

• Complete all requirements for a full major in psychology and are granted honors, or
• Qualify and receive honors in both disciplines of their dual major. See Academic Honors at Graduation  for details.

In unusual circumstances, exceptions to these requirements may be approved through a petition to the department chair.

Psi Chi

Psi Chi is the national honor society for psychology majors. To be eligible, students must satisfy the following conditions:

• Have completed at least 3 semesters of college work
• Have completed at least 3 psychology courses
• Rank in the top 35% of their class at CMC
• Have a minimum GPA of 9.0 in both psychology classes and in cumulative grades.

Each year the psychology faculty and current members of Psi Chi elect new members from among those who are eligible. For further information, contact the Psychology Department.

Research Laboratories

Psychology majors have the opportunity to work with CMC faculty connected with the following research labs and institutes:

• Center for Applied Psychological Research
  The research center explores the applications of psychological theories and research to two broad areas: the legal system and intergroup relations. Students in psychology contribute to research in areas such as jury decision-making, expert testimony, the prediction of dangerousness, interrogations and false confessions, the death penalty, stereotyping, prejudice, and intergroup conflict. For further information, contact Professors Costanzo, Krauss, or Levin.
   
• Claremont Autism Center 
  Students in psychology with interests in clinical interventions and behavior modification with autistic children have the opportunity to participate in the work at the Leon Strauss Foundation Autism Clinic of The Claremont Autism Center. For further information, contact Professor Charlop.
   
• Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory
  In the lab, faculty and students use the tools of cognitive psychology, cognitive neuropsychology, and functional neuroimaging (fMRI, EEG/ERP) to investigate the role that the body plays in directing our perception, attention, recognition, and emotional processing. In addition to studying the behavior and brain function of typical individuals, we collaborate with neurologists and neuropsychologists to study people with brain-damage and atypical development. Students are encouraged not only to contribute to on-going studies but to develop their own original experiments. For further information, contact Professor Reed.
   
• Cultural Influences on Mental Health Center
  This center seeks to answer two primary questions. How does culture affect mental health? And, how do we improve the treatment of mental illness for those from diverse backgrounds? Students conduct research in areas such as immigration’s impact on family relationships, adaptation of mental health services for those from different backgrounds, cultural competence and mental health outcomes, and ethnic differences in dating preferences. For further information, contact Professor Hwang.
   
• Decision Neuroscience Laboratory
  Research in this lab examines how valuation and decision-making emerge at the neural level, and how these cognitive processes interact during choice. Using neuroscience techniques such as event-related potentials (ERP), students will contribute to research on how decision-making unfolds over time, and across domains including social and economic choice. For further information, contact Professor Harris.

• Developmental Laboratory
  This research laboratory examines the intersection of developmental psychology and educational policy, in particular children’s cognitive development and school performance as well as the use of longitudinal and cross-sectional methodology. Currently the two active lines of research examine: 1) the role of language development in memory formation in bilingual and monolingual children, and 2) the longitudinal impact of IQ scores on school children’s special education diagnoses. For further information, contact Professor Kanaya.

• Human Cognition Laboratory
  Researchers at this laboratory study how people think and learn. Two current projects are the development and standardization of a test of critical thinking and the development and testing of a computer game that teaches critical thinking and scientific reasoning skills. For further information, contact Professor Halpern.

• Human Learning and Memory Laboratory
  Research in this laboratory is best described as an exploration of the mental representations and cognitive processes responsible for human learning and memory. Research assistants develop an appreciation for the most recent theories and research methodologies used to understand prospective memory, source monitoring, and other memory phenomena related to recognition and free recall. For further information, contact Professor Cook. 
   
• Kravis Leadership Institute 
  The Kravis Leadership Institute sponsors leadership studies at CMC. The Institute hosts conferences, workshops, and speaker series, and conducts research on leadership applications, contributing to the growing body of knowledge in the field. For further information, contact Professors Conger, Mhatre, or Riggio.

• Moral Emotions and Trust Laboratory
  Research in the MEAT Lab examines how emotions and non-conscious processes influence judgments of equity, justice, and harm as well as the tendency to engage in antisocial or prosocial behavior. Examples of current research include 1) the influence of emotional state such as compassion, gratitude and awe on social judgment, and 2) understanding the processes by which institutions lose and regain public trust after moral transgressions. For further information, contact Professor Valdesolo.

Accelerated MA Program in Psychology

CMC and The Claremont Graduate University (CGU) offer psychology and neuroscience majors the opportunity to obtain an accelerated MA degree in psychology from CGU one year after receiving the Bachelor of Arts degree from CMC. Under this program, CGU will grant up to 16 units of graduate credit for advanced undergraduate courses taken while the student is an undergraduate at CMC. In addition to the CMC courses, in their senior year program participants must take two graduate courses (eight units) at CGU, including a core course and a four unit course in either statistics or methodology. After entering CGU, program participants must complete at least 32 units (eight courses) for the MA degree.

Students must formally apply to and be admitted into the School of Behavioral and Organizational Sciences at CGU. Applicants must be majors or dual majors in psychology or neuroscience, who will complete a one-year empirical research senior thesis in one of those fields during the senior year.

Students interested in the accelerated MA program in psychology are encouraged to apply no later than the spring semester of the junior year. The application can be completed online. Students should make sure to note that they are from one of the undergraduate Claremont Colleges and request a fee waiver. The GRE is required. For further information, contact the School of Behavioral and Organizational Sciences at Claremont Graduate University.

Learning Goals

Students who devote themselves to the study of psychology will achieve a variety of learning goals. These goals flow directly from an understanding of psychological science and its applications. In accordance with the American Psychological Association’s Report on the  Undergraduate Psychology Major (APA 2008), we specify the following goals for psychology majors:

1. Knowledge of major concepts, theories, and empirical findings in psychology;
2. Understanding of research methods in psychology, including research design, data analysis and interpretation;
3. Development of critical thinking skills and use of the scientific approach to solve problems related to behavior and mental processes;
4. Application of psychological principles to areas such as education, law, business, politics, and medicine;
5. Awareness of ethical behavior in research and applied settings;
6. Technological literacy;
7. Oral and written communication skills; and
8. Understanding of sociocultural and international diversity and complexity.