Stress Across Cultures Seminar

Stress Across Cultures Seminar is a crosslisted Cognitive Science/Natural Science class taught by Cynthia Gill.

Course Description
Stress responses are adaptive neurophysiological responses to challenging life events. The stress response and coping strategies differ among people in intersting ways, though, as a result of varying cognitive processes that influence the perception of stressors. In this course, we will begin with the basic understood patterns of physiological reaction to stress and methods of measurement. We will then explore the rich primary literature on cultural and population variation in stress perception, response and resiliency. Analyses could compare, for example, developmentally, culturally, or medically distinct populations. Students will develop topics in areas of their own interest and present primary research information to the class and as papers submitted throughout the course. This is a Culture, Brain, and Development advanced course.