psychology department
Department Head: Dr. Marni Benak
The goal of the psychology program at Maalot is to provide students with a strong theoretical and applied understanding of human functioning based on the biopsychosocial model. Students are introduced to the various influences upon attitudes, behavior, and emotion and explore how these influences affect assessment and treatment of psychopathology. The unique aspect of the program is the attempt to integrate and analyze contemporary psychological theory with traditional Jewish thought.
Psychology courses are fully professional and uncompromising on Torah and hashkafa. Students receive a B.A. in Psychology that provides a foundation for fields such as special education, counseling, and outreach.
Click here for our printer friendly version or scroll down to view the detailed course descriptions.
Major topics covered in the course are: the nature of helping relationships, goals in counseling skills and techniques, ethics in counseling, and the components of effective helping in a theoretical as well as a practical framework.
Major topics covered in this course include biological bases of behavior, perception, learning and memory; problem solving, mental health; psychological development, and social psychology.
Major topics covered in the course are the nature and perspectives of sociology; methods of sociological research; organization of social life; socialization; groups; social stratification; deviance and social control; racial and cultural minorities; formal organizations; collective behavior and social movements; role, position, and identity, and social change.
Major topics covered in the course are: historical perspective, major psychiatric (DSM-IV) categories, causes and treatment, and four major therapeutic orientations: Psychoanalytical, Biological, Cognitive-Behavioral, and Humanistic.
Major topics to be discussed are: curriculum design and implementation in childhood education; lesson planning, skills in communicating with children; classroom management and collaborating with parents and staff. This course places a major emphasis on the application and implementation of the theories taught through supervised teaching internship.
Major topics covered in the course are: physical, cognitive, emotional, and social aspects of various stages from adolescence through adulthood; life-time transitions including marriage; career; family, maturation and facing death.
In this course, the student acquires a basic understanding of the construction and evaluation of experimental, quasi-experimental, and non-experimental research. Included among the many topics discussed are: the scientific method, research ethics, research design, experimental control, sampling and generalization, hypothesis testing and statistical significance. Students will learn how to review journal articles, design a hypothetical study, and write and AOA-style research report.
The course will cover a variety of topics relating to Industrial/Organizational Psychology including: the history and science of industrial/organizational psychology, the role of the industrial/organizational psychologist in job analysis, training and development in industrial/organizational settings, performance appraisal and feedback, motivation, attitudes, social dynamics, and stress in work settings, and future trends in industrial/organizational psychology.
Major topics covered in the course are: groups, group formation and development; emergent group structures; mediating group processes; interpersonal power within groups; status and role; group tasks and group goals; groups in action; effective participation in groups; and leadership styles.
The course will be presented in two complementary parallel tracks: Track 1: Psychological Topics and Skills: Examine the concepts and application of emotional intelligence, social intelligence, and positive psychology; practice related skills such as mindfulness and emotional regulation (e.g., assertive training and thought diffusion), and interpersonal effectiveness skills (e.g., reflective listening and conflict resolution). Track 2: Jewish Topics: Examine the Jewish view of personality and character development and some of the key concepts that relate to interpersonal relations, e.g., exercise of responsible free will, acts of loving kindness, an attitude of compassion, and recognition and gratitude for the good done to us.
Track 1: Positive Psychology: Examine the concepts and application of positive psychology; practice related skills such as focusing on human strengths and virtues, e.g., gratitude, and forgiveness. Track 2: Jewish Topics: Examine the Jewish view of the meaning and purpose of life and the personality and character strengths needed to achieve a happy and fulfilled life.
Major topics covered in the course are: theoretical perspectives and research pertinent to education and educational experience. It includes teaching in the classroom, how different children develop, interact, learn within educational settings and psychological evaluation of classroom learning and school achievement.
Major topics include assessments by intelligence tests and personality tests, both standardized and projective. The course also introduces educational, vocational, aptitude testing and interest inventories.
Major topics covered in the course are: an introduction to research and theory in social psychology. Topics include human processing of social information, social influence, persuasion and attitude change, social interaction and group phenomena. The application of social psychological knowledge to current social problems is discussed.
Major topics covered in the course are an examination of definitions and varieties of families, family roles, relationships, and functions, problems facing the contemporary family, mate selection, divorce, death and remarriage, stress and conflict in family life, alternatives to the family and aging in the family. Theoretical perspectives provide a framework for studying families.
Major topics covered in the course are: are an introduction to the study of exceptional children: laws and legislation regarding individuals with special needs, early intervention, Regular Education Initiative, learning disabilities, mental retardation, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, speech and language disorders, autistic spectrum disorder, hearing impairment, visual impairment, emotional and behavioral disorders, physical disabilities and giftedness. The incidence of these phenomena; etiology; diagnosis and treatment; behavior management and intervention in the inclusive classroom.
Major topics covered in the course are the nature of theoretical paradigms, the major personality theories, development of normal and abnormal behavior, and historical influences on the development of various personality theories.