Graduate Seminar Descriptions

PSYC 628C: CROSS-CULTURAL PSYCHOLOGY

SPRING 2005 (Dr. Forrest Tyler)

Interrelating Cultural, Community, and Clinical Perspectives

The goal of this seminar is to utilize a cross-cultural approach in psychology to explore (a) the impact of cultural and community factors and personal experiences on the beliefs and activities of individuals, and (b) the impact of individuals on community factors and of both on cultural factors. This seminar is based on two fundamental assumptions. The first is that individuals, communities, and cultures influence each other by their interactions so cannot be considered completely independent of each other or as only different levels of analysis. The second is that those interacting influences are constructive as well as destructive.

The course will involve background lectures; representative literature readings, and class discussions and presentations. Each student will be expected to write and present a paper which integrates relevant concepts, research, and implications of a topic relevant to understanding some aspect of the nature and interrelations of individual and social behavior.