Yale University - Psychology 231 - Research Methods in Happiness

Home

How can we scientifically measure and study happiness? How can we distinguish happiness from other emotion states? The goal of this course is to provide students with hands-on laboratory experience in data acquisition, experimental design, computerized software to score and analyze data, learn scientific writing, and current research techniques in happiness and human emotion.

Topics to be included are: overview of general research methods, paradigm development, generating and testing hypotheses, psychophysiology (cardiac, impedance, vascular, electrodermal), behavioral observation and coding (electromyography, FACS), and self-report assessment instruments (questionnaires, experience-sampling, narrative). Students will learn experimental design, acquire data, perform analyses in SPSS, as well as write and orally present final research projects.

Course includes weekly lecture and hands-on laboratory sessions. Additional textbook and journal article readings, videos, and interactive laboratory exercises are included.

Prerequistes:

Psych 110 or 131, course in statistics, or permission of instructor. Prior research experience preferred.

News & Events

*ENROLLMENT OPEN
Enrollment is open, with a course enrollment cap of 16. Contact Instructor or TF if you have questions.

*FIRST CLASS THIS WEEK!*
Thurs, August 29, 2013
1:30-3:20pm
William L. Harness Hall, Room 003

*LAB SECTIONS: REQUIRED*
Thursdays 3:30-4:30pm
Kirtland Hall B01F & B13