Humans are inherently social creatures. As a human being, you already have extensive personal experience with relationships of many sorts—family bonds, friendships, and probably romantic partnerships as well. The objective of this course is to introduce you to a different perspective on relationships: the scientific perspective. You will see how research psychologists apply the scientific method of data collection and analysis to investigate how people experience and think about relationships in general, and romantic relationships specifically. What makes someone attractive? Do we each have one true love out there or is the person you end up with determined by who happens to be around? Is it better to see your romantic partner for who they really are or to see them through rose-colored glasses? Might relationships affect your physical health and well-being? How do relationships influence your sense of self?

This course will investigate findings from various areas of psychology including developmental, evolutionary, and biopsychological, with a heavy emphasis on the social psychological approach. We will consider how these research findings offer an improved understanding of relationships in everyday life. Active learning and discussion will promote development of students’ scientific literacy as well as ability to apply scientific research to offer insights into relationship phenomena in everyday life.