PSY 190 explores culture, psychology, and human experience through films from a wide range of cultural and historical contexts. Through film screenings, discussion, short lectures, and reflective writing, students will examine how culture shapes identity, emotion, relationships, moral perception, and ways of understanding the world. The course explores themes such as childhood and family, migration and belonging, cultural values, historical trauma, war and dehumanization, grief and resilience, and the influence of media, social media, and artificial intelligence on contemporary life. Rather than focusing on memorizing theories, the course emphasizes thoughtful observation, self-reflection, empathy, open-minded discussion, and critical thinking about both others and ourselves.
- Teacher: Yueping Zhang