Ecological Psychology.

Catalog description

This course explores the ecological perspective of psychology, meaning that because people live in relationship to specific environments, analyses of these environments are just as essential as analyses of individuals in order to fully understand human behavior. Real or perceived opportunities for action within an environment, known as affordances, increase the potential for some behaviors while reducing the potential for others. Thus, different environments result in different types and frequencies of behaviors and, as a corollary, these behaviors can be modified by changing the environments in which people live. To better understand the ecological perspective, the course also examines corresponding qualitative social research methods, including especially phenomenology, ethnography, and action research.