Yale University - Psychology 231 - Research Methods in Happiness

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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, and submit written 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

*MIN-CONFERENCE PRESENTATION DAY!
We will be holding a mini-conference poster presentation day on 04/19 from 10:00-11:00am in Kirtland Hall Room 207. Students will present their final group research projects. All are welcome! Refreshments will be provided.

*ENROLLMENT CAPPED
Enrollment is near full at this point. Sorry. Contact instructor if you have questions.

*FIRST CLASS
Thursday, January 12, 2012
9:25-11:15am
Kirtland Hall 207