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COURSE INFORMATION
SGL Name: Ollie Curme
Course Meeting Times/Dates: Mondays, Second Period 11:10am to 12:35pm, Sept 11 and 18, October 2, 16, 23. No class September 25 or October 9
Contact information of SGL: ocurme@gmail.com
ZOOM Link for Course Meetings: https://brandeis.zoom.us/j/7817604971?pwd=ajhVaW5xSFdZQjhUY0FFWU5hMDJyUT09
Meeting ID: 781 760 4971
Password: bolli
Welcome!
I'm so glad that you've signed up for this course! I'm sure we'll all learn a lot from each other and enjoy ourselves in the process. The idea for this course came about because as an owner of dogs and cats, I tend to think of them and treat them as little kids, albeit better behaved than my own offspring. But I've realized that anthropomorphising our pets does them a disservice; they aren't children at all. So I dug around and found some great resources on canine and feline cognition that I think we'll enjoy discussing.
The syllabus that I've written (so far) is on this web site, you can bookmark this page for easy reference, or just type psychologyofpets.com into your browser and it will take you here. At the top right are pages for each of our sessions. If you click on Sept 11, above, you'll go to the materials that we'll discuss in the first session. The agenda for the course is as follows:
Sept 11: Domestication of Dogs and Cats
Sept 18: Psychology of Cats
Sept 25: No Class
Oct 2: Dog psychology part 1: Dog from Wolves
Oct 9: No Class
Oct 16: Dog psychology part 2: Dogs toward Humans
Oct 23: Psychology of Pet Owners
As you read the material, you'll find optional links to Youtubes and various reference articles. Feel free to click the links and explore.
During class we'll discuss the readings. I may have a few slides or Youtubes, but I'd like the bulk of the class to consist of your questions, comments, and reactions to the materials.
As promised in the course description, I'd love it if you would like to give a ten minute presentation on a topic of your choice. This is completely optional, for people who want to dig into a specific subject. If you have an idea of what you might want to present, just let me know. If not, click HERE for a list of some possible topics.
Finally, if you've read this far, please do me a favor and fill out THIS POLL, so I have a sense of your background and interests.
Looking forward to seeing you via Zoom in September. Feel free to contact me with any questions, comments or complaints.
Course Description
Have you ever wondered what your pet was thinking? Do pets think? We often take for granted that they perceive and react to the world much the way humans do, but that assumption is often wrong. Dogs and cats are wired very differently than people and they experience the world in very different ways than we do. In this course we’ll explore how and why dogs and cats were domesticated and in recent times became some of our most beloved companions. We’ll look at the latest scientific understandings of how they perceive the world, and why they behave the way they do. We’ll also look at why humans readily welcome pets into our families and love them the way we love people. Our classes will be discussion based with lots of opportunities to compare our own experiences. Class members will be given the opportunity to give an optional ten minute presentation on a research topic of their choice.