Psychology

It has been one of the fundamental assumptions of the philosophy of mind that there is a basic similarity between information processing in computers and in human cognition. This similarity is thought to allow to use one type of information processing as a model for the other type: Human cognition is thought to provide standards for the ascription of consciousness to artificial systems in the Turing Test, conversely, Deep Neural Networks are thought to provide insight into information processing in human cognition. Recent developments in scientific research and in computer technology, however, have cast severe doubt on this assumption. After a quick look back at the original assumption, the seminar will discuss more recent papers discussing both the use of artificial systems as models for human cognition and the use of human cognition for the attribution of higher cognitive abilities to artificial systems like large language models. The seminar aims at specifying criteria that can help to distinguish between valid and invalid inferences from one system to the other.

This course examines the role and purpose of music for individuals and communities, and the ways people engage with music to regulate their mood and emotions in ways that reinforce their overall wellbeing.

This course introduces theories, methods, and procedures that can be used to assess and manage the psychosocial work environment in work organizations. It covers theoretical and methodological approaches to the understanding of different types of job demands and job resources, and their differential impact on health, well-being, and organizational behavior. The course also discusses theoretical and practical approaches to occupational health assessment and intervention; and workplace bullying: concept, measurement, antecedents, and consequences, and intervention levels. Through group activities and case analyses, it introduces the challenges of translating theory into practice. The course is graded on a pass/no pass basis only.

This course will focus on sensitive but essential topics central to the psychology of globalization, such as colonialism and how it shaped our psychological understanding of ourselves and others; how racism and stereotyping are psychological phenomena that interfere with successful globalization today; or how cultures’ different set of moral values often conflict with one another. This course is an introduction to cultural psychology and focuses on how it is relevant in an increasingly globalized world. The first part of the course will introduce students to some fundamental concepts and findings in the field of cultural psychology. The second part of this course will apply this body of knowledge to our era of rapid globalization, one of the most important developments in the twenty-first century.

This course focuses on the biological foundations of information processing within the body (such as the autonomic nervous system and the central nervous system) to deepen understanding of how human psychological processes are involved in physiological activities. Additionally, students will learn an overview of physiological methods used in psychology and their respective characteristics.

This course explores how culture shapes cognition and mind. By learning how culture shapes one's mental processes, sense of self, worldview, and behavior in daily life, one can develop a more "intercultural mind". This course is good for anyone interested in travel, cultural identity, cultural difference or living abroad.

This course provides an overview of key concepts, models, and strategies for effective teaching and learning from contemporary psychological perspectives. Students are expected to identify and address relevant “Big Ideas in Education” for promoting effective teaching and learning in today’s educational scene in Japan and beyond.  It focuses on various issues in school education and the theoretical knowledge to solve them. Furthermore, the students examine specific case studies, learning the necessary ways of thinking in education and schools.  

This course focuses on childhood cognitive development, a field of study within developmental psychology focusing on how the ability to think and reason develops throughout childhood. The course discusses how children learn to do many of the tasks we accomplish on a daily basis, including speaking language, understanding other people’s thoughts, inhibiting impulses, memorizing and recalling information, and problem-solving.

Students learn about the science of wellbeing, including wellbeing as a measure of welfare and its different conceptualizations such as evaluations and experiences of happiness; behavioral scientific phenomena uniquely captured by wellbeing such as adaptation to changing life circumstances, our tendency to make mistakes and mispredict what actually makes us happy, and relative comparisons (or jealousy); and how happiness differs between individuals and societies. Importantly, students then learn how to apply these insights to policy-making, including policy design, appraisal, and evaluation. Students are being familiarized with wellbeing theories and frameworks; data, measurement, and survey design; methods for wellbeing policy appraisal, including cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analysis; wellbeing policy evaluation; social welfare; and wellbeing interventions.

This course examines clinical psychology (also known as abnormal psychology). The main emphasis is on current views, perspectives, and research in this field. Clinical psychology draws upon most basic areas of psychological knowledge (e.g., social, developmental, physiological, cognitive, learning theory).