PSY 1775 - BIOPSYCHOLOGY OF HEALTH INEQUALITIES

Minimum Credits: 3
Maximum Credits: 3
Long Description What is socioeconomic status? What does it have to do with our physical health? This seminar addresses these questions from biopsychological perspective. In doing so, an emphasis will be placed on specific aspects of physical health and health behaviors for which there are known socioeconomic inequalities. By the end of the course, students will have a deeper understanding of how biological and health psychologists (1) define and measure socioeconomic status, (2) conceptualize health inequalities, and (3) investigate the complex factors associated with socioeconomic health inequalities. Students will also learn about intervention approaches aimed at reducing socioeconomic health inequalities across the lifespan. Class meetings will consist of discussions of primary readings from the literature. These discussions will be facilitated by students and the instructor. Reaction papers to reading assignments and a final term paper are required. This course will introduce you to the primary research literature on health inequalities, emphasizing studies of inequalities in health that are patterned by socioeconomic status. By the end of the course, you will have an advanced working knowledge of key research on the main questions in this area, including major research methodologies and theories that have a biological emphasis. As a result of this knowledge, you will be able to write a term paper that expresses your ability to synthesize and critique existing concepts and research in the health inequalities literature and proposes to take work in this area in new directions. Course meetings will be interactive and discussion-based. Each week, we will focus on a particular topic within the field of socioeconomic health inequalities. There is no textbook for the course. In the first few weeks of the course, I will be leading discussions to provide you with foundational knowledge needed for the rest of the semester. Thereafter, the primary format of the course involves student-led discussions of current research articles.
Academic Career: Undergraduate
Course Component: Seminar
Grade Component: LG/SNC Elective Basis
Course Requirements: PREQ: PSY 0010 and 0037 and 0505

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