Psychology

This course provides an introductory look at the study of psychopathology. It emphasizes the description, theory, and intervention of maladaptive behavior patterns and relates multicultural and diversity aspects to the major concepts of psychopathology and psychological treatments.

This course is intended for undergraduate students in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences who have some background knowledge in Neurobiology and Behavioral science. This class covers the basics of cognitive neuroscience. Cognitive Neuroscience is a subfield of neuroscience that examines behavioral and neurobiological foundations underlying cognitive functions including perception, movement, attention, learning and memory, emotion, language, decision-making, and social cognition.  

Students will explore the methodology of cognitive neuroscience and its applications to investigation of human behavior and decision. The course focuses on 8 major functions of the brain: Perception, Movement, Attention, Emotion, Memory, Executive functions, Decision-making, Social cognition. Students are expected to actively participate in questions and answers, debates, and discussions during class. 

This course examines the role of human psychology, human thought and behavior, in the climate and biodiversity crises. It explores how we got where we are, what it is about human thought and behavior and the structures and systems created that produced these crises and inactions. The course covers how the Climate Crisis is affecting human health, behavior, and well-being as well as the ways these effects are unevenly distributed across the world and the implications of this inequity. Finally, this course covers what psychology has to offer in terms of solutions and how to leverage our understanding of human thought and behavior to enact climate justice.

This course introduces students to the classic and current personality theories and theorists in an in-depth manner, and encourages critical evaluation and reflection. The major theories include: psychoanalytic theory, evolutionary theory, humanistic and existentialist theories, social cognitive theory, behaviorist perspectives, and biological and trait theories. Additionally, the course reviews taxonomies such as the DSM-V.

This course provides an overview of the psychology of love in the Egypt context. It explores psychological theories of love, attraction, attachment, and others. Topics include the relationship life cycle in Egypt, including courtship and marriage. A psychological lens is used to examine conflict and divorce within the Egyptian context, as well as interventions aimed at promoting healthy relationships.

This course consults readings drawn from the social sciences, humanities, and the law; specifically, foundational texts in cultural and moral psychology, philosophical texts on value pluralism, and legal cases from psychological, anthropological, and sociological perspectives. These readings serve as an entry point into class discussions related to provocative cultural practices (polygamy, education quotas, circumcision, minarets, inequalities, honor killings). Each week, different students present assigned readings and have in-depth discussions based on the material. The course involves group work, debates, as well as final presentations, based on students emerging viewpoints.

This course examines leadership effectiveness from a psychological perspective, covering a range of theories developed and utilized by psychologists. Topics include job characteristc theory, self-determination theory, expectancy theory, and equity theory. Students participate in group discussions and projects, analyzing real-world leadership issues and propose intervention plans to resolve issues. 

This course focuses on the protocols for the evaluation and diagnosis of individuals in work and social settings. It discusses social evaluation, job performance, and professional competencies. Topics include: areas of evaluation in the social and work context-- individual, group, and organizational; evaluation process in the context of work; personnel evaluation models; psychometric requirements of evaluation methods and techniques; evaluation in personnel selection and training; ergonomics, performance, and occupational health assessment; social interaction assessment; consumer psychology assessment.

The course introduces the psychology of religion, focusing on insights from contemporary cognitive and evolutionary psychology into human religious belief and behavior. It explores questions such as: Can science explain religious belief? What do cognitive and evolutionary theories reveal about belief in God? Is religion universal or a product of human evolution? How does religious belief develop in childhood? What social functions does religion serve? The course combines research from psychology and religious studies to examine topics including the psychology of atheism, terrorism, and the effects of religion on prejudice and tolerance.

This course covers advanced topics in areas such as sensation, perception, attention, consciousness, memory, language, and decision making. It focuses on behavioral and neuroscience methods and findings, and critically examines theories that account for key empirical results.