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Introduction to Psychology I
Course Overview
Introduction to the biological basis of behavior and the experimental approach to cognition. This is one-half of a two-semester introduction to the field of contemporary psychology. The course has to do with the organization and operation of the nervous system as it pertains to behavior and its cognitive underpinnings. Topics receiving special attention include the development of sexual identity, sensation and perception, learning and memory, love, fear, and other emotions. The course fulfills one-half of the introductory course requirement for psychology majors. Particulars: All students enrolled in the course are required to participate in psychology department human subject research studies.
Course Information
- Course Number:
- PSYCH 110
- Credit:
- 3
- Grading:
- Letter-based Grading A-F
- Categories:
- Psychology
Program Information
- Summer College Program
Emory Summer College is a nonresidential program in which exceptional high school students, who have completed their sophomore or junior year, may enroll in Emory undergraduate courses and earn college credit.
Course Dates and Details
| Program | Course Dates | Class Time | Format | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer College Program | Session 1: Sat, May 17 - Thu, Jun 26, 2025 |
| online | open |
Instructors
Rick Thompson
Work in my lab explores how steroid hormones and neuropeptides in the vasopressin / oxytocin family influence social behaviors in vertebrate animals. Specifically, we want to learn where and how within the brain these molecules act to rapidly modulate interactions between individuals, thereby allowing them to adjust ongoing behavioral outputs to changing social contexts. Although I have worked with numerous species across vertebrate groups, current work is focused on goldfish and zebrafish, two closely related teleost fish in which we can study the cellular and molecular mechanisms through which these molecules affect brain and behavioral responses to social stimuli. We are currently 1) investigating the receptor mechanisms through which androgens and estrogens influence early stages of sensory processing, 2) characterizing the neural circuits through which vasotocin and isotocin, fish versions of vasopressin and oxytocin, promote social approach and withdrawal, and 3) determining if steroid hormones produce some of their rapid behavioral effects by modulating activity within vasotocin or isotocin circuits. A complementary line of research explores how vasopressin modulates social perceptions in humans. Ultimately, we hope to characterize the steroid and peptide mechanisms that evolved in different species to solve social challenges unique to their life histories, as well as to identify similarities in how these systems work across species that represent the fundamental mechanisms through which brain neurochemistry affects social behavior in vertebrate animals.