Courses
PSYC 29SI. ASB: Illuminating Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Mental Health in the Bay Area and Beyond. 1 Unit.
Sheds light on campus mental health resource availability, different types of mental health disorders, root causes of mental health disorders, current care and treatment methods. Topics include the impacts of mental health issues on larger communities and how students can serve as allies to those seeking to make mental health a priority in personal lives, government policy, education and medical research. Includes service trip during spring recess.
PSYC 35SI. Clinical and Societal Issues of Neurological Disorders. 2 Units.
Provides introductory exposure to some of the most common neurological disorders currently diagnosed in the U.S. Looks at clinical and societal aspects of such neurological disorders.
PSYC 50Q. Brain Training: Hype or Help?. 3 Units.
Focuses on primary literature to evaluate evidence supporting claims that concerted practice can lead to improvements in capacities such as working memory, speed of processing and IQ. Looks across lifespan from childhood and remediation of learning disabilities to elderly individuals and the potential for brain training to delay onset of dementia. Examines new research into brain training as treatment for psychiatric disorders, as well as neuroscience behind learning and memory. Considers ethical implications of these programs. Students participate in brain training and track and analyze progress.
PSYC 51Q. Culture, Psychology, and Mental Health Treatment. 2 Units.
Focuses on a critical analysis of Western approach to psychology and psychiatric terms of understanding mental illness, psychiatric phenomena, and treatment of mental health disorders. Includes an orientation to and critique of western clinical psychology/psychiatry and an inquity as to its relevance outside Western settings. Includes guest speakers representing cross-cultural providers of mental health services as well as medical anthropologists and critics of the Western generalizations in psychiatry. Special attention place on cross-cultural psychiatry and international mental health efforts.
PSYC 52Q. Public Mental Health and Community Psychiatry. 2 Units.
Focuses on mental health systems of care in the United States with special attention to community Psychiatry and mental health for the underserved. Emphasizes understanding issues involved with providing mental health treatment in a public health setting as well as to special populations. Guest speakers include policy makers and local providers. Students introduced to possibilities for Stanford-supported local public service opportunities.
PSYC 53Q. Secret Mind: Getting to Know and Living with your Unconscious. 3 Units.
Focuses on the motivational unconscious. Topics include the science of the unconscious mind and the techniques used to gain conscious access to these psychological process, as well as methods of exploring students' own unconscious for creative purposes and to understand personal habits, reactions, motives, emotions and thoughts. Case-based, problem-oriented format utilized to develop foundational understanding of the science of the unconscious mind. Emphasis on student study of self and own unconscious as case for the class. Student privacy will be protected.
PSYC 54N. Genes, Memes and Behavior. 3 Units.
Examines how natural selection operates to shape successful genes in the gene pool, how cultural selection operates to shape successful "memes" in the pool of cultural ideas, and how selection by consequences operates to shape successful behaviors in our repertoires. Topics include cases in which selection produces undesirable consequences (e.g. genetic mutations, cultural problems, and aberrant behaviors in children). Emphasis on understanding the role of modern natural science in complex behaviors and why study of human life from an interdisciplinary perspective is important.
PSYC 60N. The Psychology of Stoked. 3 Units.
Examines the biological, psychological and social aspects of what it means to live a positive, life-affirming existence. Drawing from a wide range of sources, from psychiatry and psychology, to spirituality and philosophy, seminar informs on the latest thinking about the psychology of happiness, and questions assumptions about personal happiness. Explores the new field of positive psychology and pulls from a multidisciplinary literature, examining life satisfaction and happiness from many perspectives, and the psychiatry of stimulation including substance, human sexuality, and healthy methods of attaining happiness. Includes guest speakers from many different backgrounds and perspectives. Examines what it means to be truly mindful.
PSYC 70N. Mind-Body Medicine: A Global Perspective. 3 Units.
Explores ways in which the powerful connection between the brain and the body can be harnessed to maintain health or fight disease.Intended for students who have a general interest in matters of mind and health, and students who are specifically interested in the psychological/biological/medical sciences. Course begins with a historical perspective on how diverse cultures and medical systems from around the world grapple with the concept of the mind-body connection, then goes through a clear and accessible overview of the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems, and then explores mind-body techniques used in modern societies. Investigates the mind-body connection in the context of: western medicine, traditional medical systems of different cultures, health effects of "good" versus "bad" stress, meditation and other stress reduction techniques, positive and negative emotions, medical applications of hypnosis, the placebo and nocebo effects, and disorders such as anxiety and depression.
PSYC 71N. Eight Ages of Man. 3 Units.
Ways in which a psychologcially-minded attitude can add to the appreciation of literature; how literature can be used to understand issues and themes of the developing personality. Using the well-known essay by psychoanalyst Erik Erikson, "The Eight Ages of Man," as a foundation, works reflecting elements of an age or ages are read. "Wisdom of the Ego" by Dr. George Valliant serves as a resouce to better understand this model, as well as offering a more contemporary theory of personality development.
PSYC 76Q. Temperament and Creativity in Mood Disorders. 2 Units.
Preference to sophomores. Western cultural notions of mad geniuses and artistic temperaments. How many individuals who suffer from depression, bipolar disorder, and related problems are nonetheless productively creative. Current psychological and neurobiological research, and assessment of mood, temperament, and creativity. Emphasis is on written and oral communications and multimedia presentations.
PSYC 77N. Deviants in Literature. 3 Units.
Many literary works are enhanced by, in fact demand, a psychological perspective to achieve a fully informed reading. In The Devils Dostoevsky uses the issues and process of anarchy as a platform on which to develop some of the most unforgettable characters in literary history. Death in Venice contains among its many themes the darker dynamic of paraphilia. Guilt searches for a validating crime in Kafka's The Penal Colony. Capote uses a journalistic style to manage horrible fact during In Cold Blood. Conrad shows that telling a story of the journey outward is more nearly an analysis of the journey inward in Heart of Darkness. Albee's Zoo Story asks whether the man on the street is prepared to confront his own worst nightmare. Close reading of works such as these presents opportunities to learn about character pathology and to expand traditional approaches to literary criticism by applying a psychological perspective.
PSYC 78N. Mental Health in Collegiate Athletes. 3 Units.
Developmental, psychological, social, and performance issues in collegiate sports. Topics include transition to Stanford, time management, optimizing mental fitness, coping with injuries.
PSYC 79Q. Family Dynamics in Literature. 3 Units.
Preference to sophomores. Using a psychological approach, explores relationships between and among the characters of well-known literary works. Primary readings include: Freud's Dora: An Analysis of a Case of Hysteria; Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 1, which anticipates what Freud later calss "the unconscious,"; Kafka's Metamorphosis, the "identified patient" in family of seemingly unconventional make-up; and Flaubert's Madame Bovary.
PSYC 81Q. Fate of Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Sub Saharan Africa. 2 Units.
The complicated forces,shaped by geopolitcal history and current events, that frame all social programs, the care of orphans in the context of the AIDS pandemic in particular; history of the care of orphans; developmental effects of deprivation of care and nurturing. Guest speakers.
PSYC 82Q. Psychosis and Literature. 3 Units.
One of the great gifts of literature is its ability to give us insight into the internal worlds of others. Perhaps nowhere is this gift as rare and crucial as in our attempt to understand the experience of mental illness. This is particularly true of that state clinicians call "psychosis." But psychosis is a slippery term, with definitions ranging from being "out of touch with reality" to states of hallucination and delusion, to "disorganization of thought and speech." It is devastating and terrifying both for patients and families, and yet shares many characteristics with other, less pathological states, such as mysticism and creativity. How then can we begin to make sense of it? In this course, we will examine the first-hand experience of psychosis in letters, memoirs and fiction. Our goal will be to learn how to read such texts from multiple perspectives, examining not only clinical, social, and historical aspects of psychosis, but also what they offer as unique literary works or art. We will look at texts as diverse as Shakespeare and the science fiction writer Philip K. Dick, supplementing them with film and art. This class is not only for students thinking of career in medicine, psychology or anthropology, but also readers and writers interested exploring extraordinary texts. Along the way, we will be paying attending to lessons that we take for our own writing, both fiction and non-fiction. There are no prerequisites necessary¿all that is needed is a love of language and a curiosity about the secrets of other minds.
PSYC 111Q. Madness and the Womb: Medical and Artistic Approaches to Mental Illness in Women Through the Ages. 3 Units.
Historical and current concepts of mental illness in women. Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMS), postpartum depression, menopausal mood disorders, and eating disorders. Historical biopsychosocial approach. Readings include women's diaries and advice books, physicians' casebooks, and 19th- and 20th-century medical texts. Guest speakers from art and literature departments. Literary and artistic images, and the social and cultural contexts of these disorders during the last 300 years.
PSYC 135. Sleep and Dreams. 3 Units.
The course is designed to impart essential knowledge of the neuroscience of sleep and covers how sleep affects our daily lives-- both physical and mental functions of our well-being. The course covers the science of sleep, dreams, and the pathophysiology of highly prevalent sleep disorders such as sleep deprivation, biological rhythms, and focuses on the physiology of non-REM and REM sleep. Course content empowers students to make educated decisions concerning sleep and alertness for the rest of their lives and shapes students' attitudes about the importance of sleep. Learning about the science of sleep provides tangible reason to respect sleep as a member of what we term the triumvirate of health: good nutrition, physical fitness, and healthy sleep.
Same as: PSYC 235
PSYC 136A. Valuescience: Shedding Illusion to Live Better. 3-4 Units.
Apply scientific methods and principles to discern and realize value. Read history, philosophy, ecology, economics, sociology, linguistics and psychology pertinent to emergence of valuescience as foundation for an increasing range of human action. Explore perceptual, cognitive, and cultural impediments to valuescience; strategies for overcoming these; and personal and social benefits of doing so. 4 units includes weekly practice (e.g., meditation, aerobic exercise). Students may enroll in PSYC 136A or PSYC 136B or both. Either may be taken first.
Same as: PSYC 236A
PSYC 136B. Valuescience: Shedding Illusion to Live Better. 3-4 Units.
Apply scientific methods and principles to discern and realize value. Read history, philosophy, ecology, economics, sociology, linguistics and psychology pertinent to emergence of valuescience as foundation for an increasing range of human action. Explore perceptual, cognitive, and cultural impediments to valuescience, strategies for overcoming these, and personal and social benefits of doing so. 4 units includes weekly practice (e.g., meditation, aerobic exercise). Students may enroll in PSYC 136A or PSYC 136B or both. Either may be taken first.
Same as: PSYC 236B
PSYC 139. Understanding Relationships: A Couples and Family Therapy Perspective. 4 Units.
Considers the premises of the family-systems approach to intimate and family relationships, drawing on concepts from psychology, psychiatry, neurobiology, anthropology, and organizational behavior. Examines relationship formation and commitment, intimacy and sexuality, family development and structure, interpersonal conflict and communication, historical patterns and legacies, gender and power, and the cultural and larger systemic contexts of close relationships. Frameworks for assessing relationships and tools for changing romantic, family, and social relationships are examined in detail, and case examples illustrate the relationship change strategies of major contributors to the field. Highlights practical applications of the family-systems approach in educational, medical, business, and community settings. Students do not need to have a background in Psychology or Human Biology, and all student levels are welcome (including GSB, Law, Medicine, GSE for PSYC 239).
Same as: PSYC 239
PSYC 195. Special Laboratory Projects. 1-3 Unit.
Assist Behavioral Neuroendocrinology Program with data entry, library organization, and study-related projects.
PSYC 199. Undergraduate Research. 1-18 Unit.
Students undertake investigations sponsored by individual faculty members. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
PSYC 208. Hypnosis. 2 Units.
Hypnosis is a psychophysiological state of attentive, receptive concentration, with a relative suspension of peripheral awareness. It is the first Western form of psychotherapy. The course, in seminar format, combines presentation of lecture material on hypnosis and its applications with experience for students to practice assessing hypnotizability and teaching patients to use self-hypnosis in treatment. Topics covered include the nature of hypnosis, the neurophysiology underlying it, the measurement of hypnotizability, and applications of hypnosis in the treatment of pain, stress, anxiety, smoking, obesity, and psychosomatic disorders.
PSYC 211. Child and Adolescent Psychopathology. 1 Unit.
Common syndromes in child psychiatry. Topics include diagnosis, epidemiology, etiology, course, outcome and therapeutic interventions. Prerequisite: familiarity with the basics of psychiatric and psychological discourse; psychiatry clerkship or course in psychology.
PSYC 212. Pediatric Psychosomatic Medicine: Psychological Issues in the Physically Ill Child. 1 Unit.
Open to MD and graduate students; qualified undergraduates by consent of instructor. Diagnosis and management of emotional disorders and difficulties in physically ill children and adolescents. Topics include psychotherapeutic and psychopharmacologic approaches to psychiatric disorders encountered in the pediatric medical health care setting. Oral and multimedia presentations. Prerequisite: familiarity with basic principles of psychopathology.
PSYC 225. Stanford Klingenstein Fellowship Program. 1 Unit.
A mentoring program designed to expose first and second year medical students to the rewarding field of child and adolescent psychiatry, and to increase awareness and education about child and adolescent mental health issues. Offers a year-long program wherein medical students are paired with child and adolescent psychiatrists, meeting bimonthly for clinical experiences and mentoring. Also provides opportunities for the students to get involved in cutting-edge scientific research, networking opportunities, and opportunities to attend professional conferences.
PSYC 233. Mindfulness: An Awareness-Based Stress Reduction Program in Medicine. 3 Units.
An experiential program in which the participants learn the techniques of mindfulness meditation and its application in the management of stress and in healthcare. Modeled after the MBSR, Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, started by Jon Kabat-Zinn at UMASS Medical Center. Designed to work with the mind/body relationship to stress and chronic illness teaching open sensitive awareness without judgement of mental or physical reactivity. Requirement for the course is the daily practice of mindfulness meditation, attendance at weekly class meetings and the all day retreat, home reading, and a final paper covering the student's observations.
PSYC 235. Sleep and Dreams. 3 Units.
The course is designed to impart essential knowledge of the neuroscience of sleep and covers how sleep affects our daily lives-- both physical and mental functions of our well-being. The course covers the science of sleep, dreams, and the pathophysiology of highly prevalent sleep disorders such as sleep deprivation, biological rhythms, and focuses on the physiology of non-REM and REM sleep. Course content empowers students to make educated decisions concerning sleep and alertness for the rest of their lives and shapes students' attitudes about the importance of sleep. Learning about the science of sleep provides tangible reason to respect sleep as a member of what we term the triumvirate of health: good nutrition, physical fitness, and healthy sleep.
Same as: PSYC 135
PSYC 236A. Valuescience: Shedding Illusion to Live Better. 3-4 Units.
Apply scientific methods and principles to discern and realize value. Read history, philosophy, ecology, economics, sociology, linguistics and psychology pertinent to emergence of valuescience as foundation for an increasing range of human action. Explore perceptual, cognitive, and cultural impediments to valuescience; strategies for overcoming these; and personal and social benefits of doing so. 4 units includes weekly practice (e.g., meditation, aerobic exercise). Students may enroll in PSYC 136A or PSYC 136B or both. Either may be taken first.
Same as: PSYC 136A
PSYC 236B. Valuescience: Shedding Illusion to Live Better. 3-4 Units.
Apply scientific methods and principles to discern and realize value. Read history, philosophy, ecology, economics, sociology, linguistics and psychology pertinent to emergence of valuescience as foundation for an increasing range of human action. Explore perceptual, cognitive, and cultural impediments to valuescience, strategies for overcoming these, and personal and social benefits of doing so. 4 units includes weekly practice (e.g., meditation, aerobic exercise). Students may enroll in PSYC 136A or PSYC 136B or both. Either may be taken first.
Same as: PSYC 136B
PSYC 239. Understanding Relationships: A Couples and Family Therapy Perspective. 4 Units.
Considers the premises of the family-systems approach to intimate and family relationships, drawing on concepts from psychology, psychiatry, neurobiology, anthropology, and organizational behavior. Examines relationship formation and commitment, intimacy and sexuality, family development and structure, interpersonal conflict and communication, historical patterns and legacies, gender and power, and the cultural and larger systemic contexts of close relationships. Frameworks for assessing relationships and tools for changing romantic, family, and social relationships are examined in detail, and case examples illustrate the relationship change strategies of major contributors to the field. Highlights practical applications of the family-systems approach in educational, medical, business, and community settings. Students do not need to have a background in Psychology or Human Biology, and all student levels are welcome (including GSB, Law, Medicine, GSE for PSYC 239).
Same as: PSYC 139
PSYC 247. Principles and Practices in Care of the Dying. 1 Unit.
Detailed, systematic survey of a generalized terminal illness and elaboration of the basic principles underlying approaches to the care of the dying. Particular attention is paid to problem areas involving medical ethics and multi-culture. Practical strategies for managing the special medical and emotional problems that arise in the care of the dying patient. There may be guest speakers and patient interviews. No final examination. (Minimum: 4 students).
PSYC 250. Methodology of Research in Behavioral Sciences. 1-3 Unit.
Statistical and methodological issues in twomajor psychiatric research themes: clinical psychiatric research (Aut), neuroimaging research (Win), and statistical genetics and general statistical modeling (Spr). Autumn series includes: basics of inferential statistics, group comparison, analysis of variance, regression analysis, multivariate analysis, and longitudinal analysis in the context of psychiatric and behavioral research. Also included are conceptual topics such as risk factors, mediation, moderation, and causal inference. Winter series includes: functional and structural neuroimaging research methods (e.g. functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), structural MRI (sMRI), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), electroencephalogram (EEG)). Basic principles, statistical analysis methods, advantages and limitations, and applications are discussed. Spring series includes: tests and effect estimation for multiple SNPs, genes or pathways in genetic association studies, gene-gene interactions, twins and heritability estimates, Hardy-Weinberg and linkage equilibrium, interpretation and presentation of results for a range of statistical models for different types of data. Practical examples from recent research within the Department of Psychiatry will be used throughout the course. Prerequisite: Some exposure to statistical methods, either from course work or from participation in research having some behavioral aspects, or consent of instructor. 1 unit for class participation only, 2 units includes weekly assignments, 3 units includes a final project.
PSYC 290. Teaching in Psychiatry. 1-10 Unit.
Practical experience in teaching by serving as a teaching assistant in a psychiatry course. Unit values are allotted individually to reflect the level of teaching responsibility assigned to the student.
PSYC 299. Directed Reading in Psychiatry. 1-18 Unit.
Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
PSYC 370. Medical Scholars Research. 4-18 Units.
Provides an opportunity for student and faculty interaction, as well as academic credit and financial support, to medical students who undertake original research. Enrollment is limited to students with approved projects.
PSYC 399. Graduate Research. 1-18 Unit.
Students undertake investigations sponsored by individual faculty members. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.