PSY 3450 Community Psychology

This course presents students with an introduction to the breadth of concepts, social issues, and research approaches that characterize community psychology. Unlike many other areas of Psychology,community psychology utilizes an ecological approach in examining adaptive and maladaptive behavior such that it may not be an issue with an individual but rather the fit of the individual with the context. Context here is viewed as multi-layered, behavior is examined as a function of the individual within networks of people, institutions, and social systems. Students will learn to recognize the complexity of the ecological perspective and the many circles of social influence with an eye to advancing the well-being of individuals and communities. In addition to examining theory-based research, this course will also focus on applied service delivery. The promotion of health, the prevention of mental health problems, and the design of community-level interventions will be addressed.
Credits: 3.0