13 Psychology and Behavioral Science Summer Course Programs

Undergraduate Prerequisites: high school algebra. - Fundamentals of logic (the laws of logic, rules of inferences, quantifiers, proofs of theorems). Fundamental principles of counting (permutations, combinations), set theory, relations and functions, graphs, trees, and sorting. 

This course explores learning, language/communication, and development as windows into the human mind. tudents will examine how we acquire words and ideas, how adolescents and adults learn new skills, how memory, social understanding, and empathy emerge, and how culture and neurodiversity shape thought.

Critical review of research and theories pertaining to intellectual and social development of infants and children. Role of early experiences and biological factors in later formation of personality, and intellectual and motivational behaviors; includes theories of Erikson, Piaget, and Freud.

This course offers an examination of virtual reality (VR) and digital human representations, focusing on creation, interaction, and applications. Students will explore the multidisciplinary landscape of VR including psychology, computer science, and communication.

Provides an understanding of how behavior, feelings, and thoughts of individuals are influenced and determined by characteristics of the situation. Topics: attraction, attitudes, prejudice, social roles, aggression, person perception, and groups. Readings cover theories, experimental research, and application.

Focuses on the scientific study of psychological aspects of living a fulfilling and flourishing life. Topics include happiness, empathy, optimism, friendship, goal setting, achievement, emotion, creativity, humor, and mindfulness. Students become familiar with theory and research in this relatively new subfield and critically consider application to their teaching, coaching, leadership, and/or counseling

This course introduces a social psychological approach: the idea that our actions stem from the meanings we create: about who we are, who we could become, what we believe others think, and how we interpret situations.

The enigma of Consciousness is perhaps the most fascinating mystery in the Universe. There are many hypotheses, on the basis of which we try to give an answer to the most difficult problems but, wanting to schematize, all can be traced back to two broad categories: those who consider Consciousness entirely reducible to the electro-chemical-physical processes that take place in the brain, and those who acknowledge that Consciousness has an intrinsic existence, independent, at least in part, from its physical substratum.

Are any of us really ‘normal’? Understand what it means to be ‘neurotypical’ and feed your curiosity of the mind on our fascinating Psychology course at Oxford Summer Courses. We’ll explore a wide range of topics from the basic functioning of our brains to disordered thought processes and conflicting behaviours.

The course begins with an introduction to Computational Psychology and Artificial Intelligence, exploring the ways in which process-based computational models may be used to represent the workings of the human brain, employing algorithms to simulate aspects of cognition and predict behavior. We shall then turn to how such models correlate with neurobiology, the actual network of cells and signals which constitutes the brain, investigating neuron models, how neural networks perform computations, and neuropsychological theories of learning.

How are we able to focus on one thing rather than something else? Why do we remember some things and forget others? What makes human beings intelligent? This course offers the opportunity to explore these questions and more through an introduction to Cognitive Psychology, a key area within Psychology that examines how the brain works.

What is the secret to a life well lived? People may accumulate wealth and success, and yet find themselves feeling lonely and unfulfilled – what’s missing? The empirical evidence is unusually clear: the most significant determinant in how happy, healthy, and long a life we lead is our social connection, that is, how connected we feel to other human beings. In many societies, however, loneliness has been on the rise, attributed variously to pandemic restrictions, an increasing reliance on digital interactions, or an emphasis on individualism over community.

How have expressions of sexuality and gender in British literature been shaped by the social constraints of different periods? How have female authors navigated systems of patriarchy, and what has been the role of literature in confirming and subverting gender norms? And how are the rapid changes in approaches, attitudes, and practices around gender and sexuality since the 20th century reflected in contemporary British writing? This course offers a unique and exciting opportunity to explore these questions and more, examining a wide range of British literature from various genres and periods through the lens of gender and sexuality.