PSY 3340 - Explorations through Psychology and the Arts

There is a long tradition linking psychology and art; however, examining art from the perspective of psychology, or psychology from the perspective of art is too reductionist, because either perspective does not encourage a thoughtful dialogue where both disciplines can mutually inform and challenge one another. A well grounded interdisciplinary approach should value contributions and criticisms from both disciplines. Perhaps the best way to integrate these two disciplines meaningfully is to focus on the notion that both are attempting to understand the human condition. Specifically throughout this course we will integrate perspectives from art and psychology by using diverse theoretical perspectives and presenting compelling research.