University of California, Berkeley
Department of Psychology
Psychology 24
Freshman Seminar
Section 2
Herbs and the Mind
Spring Semester, 2003
Instructors:
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Lucy Canter Kihlstrom, MSSW, MBA, PhD Email: lucyck@uclink4.berkeley.edu |
John F. Kihlstrom, PhD |
Interior of the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum
Photograph © Lucy Canter Kihlstrom, 2000.
In 1823, Louis J. Dufilho, Jr., the first licensed pharmacist in the United States, opened an apothecary shop on this site. He grew the herbs needed for his medicines in an inner courtyard.
Seminar Description
In this seminar, we will examine four herbal remedies: St. John’s Wort (used as a treatment for depression), Kava (stress and anxiety), Gingko (memory), and Valerian (insomnia). The focus of the seminar will be on the portrayal of these remedies in the popular media and their status in the scientific literature.
Required Reading
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Herbs for the Mind by J.R.T Davidson and K.M. Connor (Guilford Press, 2000) |
Format of the Class
We will devote two weeks to each herb: The first week we will examine the scientific literature: the second week, students will take the role of consumers who are interested in the herbal product. The teams will employ critical thinking skills as they evaluate these herbs, their marketing, and their use in light of the scientific evidence. The eight substantive weeks will be preceded by two introductory classes. Class sessions will be approximately 90 minutes in length.
Grading
1. Group presentations will be the core of the seminar.
2. Students will be assigned to four-person project teams. Each week, the team will collect data on the assigned herb from local retail stores, using data-collection forms provided by the instructors. This team will then present its findings in class, and relate them to the scientific literature. The presentation must be a group effort, meaning that each person in the group must make a contribution to the overall team product. Purchase of herbal remedies is not required for the class.
3. A final individual integrative writing assignment is due in class on April 10, 2003. Students will respond to their choice of any two of four questions (typed, double-spaced, maximum of 500 words each) posed by the instructors. These essays will serve as the basis for a final class discussion.
Course Website
This course has a Website on the World Wide Web, employing WebCT software. This Website includes a copy of the syllabus, course materials, and supplements, as well as links to other resources related to herbal remedies. It is updated from time to time during the semester. The URL is:
http://elearning.berkeley.edu:7000/public/psy24k3/index.html.
The course website includes a “Bulletin Board" that will be used for a wide variety of communications among students, and between students and the instructors.
The “Main” topic of the Bulletin Board will be used for communications to the entire class. From time to time we will post announcements concerning the course. Students may also post comments and questions concerning the readings, lectures, and other items relevant to herbs and the mind; note that these messages will be distributed to the entire class. Responses from the instructors also will be posted to the entire list, so that everyone may benefit from the exchange (so don’t post anything of a personal or confidential nature!).
In order to access the course website, students should point their web browsers to the URL given above. This will take you to the course “Welcome Page”. Create a bookmark for this course welcome page. Scroll down to the bottom of the page, and click on the “Create Account” button, and follow the instructions for creating an account:
enter your first and last name, and your UCB Student ID#;
enter a WebCT ID (which should be the first part of your email address, before the “@”);
enter a password (which should be your regular E-mail password).
Keep a record of your password, as you will need it to gain access to certain course records, such as your entries in the course gradebook. If you should forget your password, do not create multiple accounts, as this confuses our record-keeping. Multiple student accounts will be deleted as they are discovered.
Once you have created your account,
you may use your bookmark to conveniently reach the Welcome Page. Scroll down to the bottom, and Log In using
your WebCT ID and password.
Alternatively, you can create an account by pointing your browser to Berkeley’s WebCT homepage:
Bookmark this WebCT homepage. Click the “Create” link, and a form will appear. Fill out the requested information and click the “Continue” button. A dialog box will appear asking for a name and a password. Type in your WebCT ID and password (see above) and click “OK”. This will take you to your “My WebCT” portal. Once you have enrolled in any courses employing the WebCT software, this page will provide a gateway to the corresponding course websites. For subsequent logins, use your bookmark to go to the main WebCT webpage (URL above), click “Log On To”, type in your WebCT ID and password, and click “OK”.
Students who do not have Internet access from their living units may reach the course Website from any computer that has Internet access, including the various workstations in campus libraries and other sites.
Students using a PC should use either Netscape Navigator 4.7 or Microsoft Explorer 5.0 or beyond. WebCT does not support Netscape 6.0 or 6.1. Students using a Macintosh should use Explorer 5.0 or beyond. In either case, make sure that JavaScript is enabled on your browser.
Students who use an Internet Service Provider other than UCB, such as AOL or Hotmail, may experience some difficulty in accessing the course website. Make sure that JavaScript is enabled on your browser. Make sure that you include the phrase “/index.html/” in the URL (it shouldn’t be necessary, but it sometimes is). Check whether your browser adds a final forward slashmark [/] after the “index.html” phrase (this isn’t strictly necessary either, but sometimes this helps). Try reaching the course website through the Psychology Department’s website (click on “Classes and Syllabi”), or through the UCB WebCT website (URL above). When you’ve reached the course Welcome Page, make a bookmark for easy access on subsequent occasions.
If you still have problems reaching the course website from home, create your account, following the instructions above, from a machine on the campus network. Then contact the instructors, and we’ll do our best to help you solve the problem.
Class Schedule
January 23: Organizational Meeting
Topics: Welcome
Introduction of Instructors and Students
Overview of Course and Projects.
January 30: Foundations
Discussion: History of Herbal Medicine
Where Do We Obtain Information About Herbs?
Regulation and Labeling of Dietary Supplements
Herbal Lab: Herbal Preparations
Reading: Davidson & Connor, Introduction (pp. 1-19)
Handouts: “Laws and Regulations”
“History of Herbs”
“Ethnomedicine: Ancient Wisdom for Contemporary Healing”
Formation of Project Groups
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Valerian
Valeriana officinalis Photograph © Lucy Canter Kihlstrom,taken at the UC Botanical Garden
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February 6
Reading: Davidson & Connor, Chapter 4 (pp. 192-233)
February 13 Presentation
by Group 1
Herbal Lab
Discussion : Perspectives on Herbal Healing
Handouts: “Healing with Herbs”
“The Herb-Drug Connection”
“Pros and Cons”
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St. John’s Wort
Hypericum perforatum Photograph © 2000 Lucy
Canter Kihlstrom, taken at the U.C. Botanical Garden |
February 20
Reading: Davidson & Connor, Chapter 1 (pp. 21-91).
February 27 Presentation by Group 2
Herbal Lab
Discussion: Clinical Trials
Handouts: “Clinical Trials”
“Drug
Companies Limit Researchers, Study Says”
“Researchers Under-Report Drug Safety Problems”
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Ginkgo Ginkgo biloba Photograph © Lucy Canter
Kihlstrom, taken at the UC Botanical Garden |
March 6
Reading: Davidson & Connor, Chapter 3 (pp. 146-191)
March 13 Presentation by Group 3
Herbal Lab
Discussion: Placebo Effects
Handout: “Astonishing Medical Fact: Placebos Work!”
March 20 No Class
March 27: No Class (Spring Break)
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Kava
Piper methysticum Photograph © 2000 PDR for Herbal Medicines |
April 3
Reading: Davidson & Connor, Chapter 2 (pp. 92-145)
April 10 Presentation by Group 4; Final Reports in Class
Herbal Lab
Discussion: Safety
Handout: “Kava Safety Questioned…”
Faculty Biographies
Lucy Canter Kihlstrom received her PhD in Health Services Research and Policy from the University of Minnesota and completed post doctoral training at Yale School of Medicine. Prior to entering a doctoral program, she earned an MSW and an MBA from the University of Wisconsin, Madison and, since 1978, held professional positions in various health care and mental health care programs and facilities. She currently is Research Scientist at the Institute for the Study of Healthcare Organizations & Transactions (ISHOT), and is also working on a Diploma in Herbal Studies (Master Herbalist) from the Australasian College of Herbal Studies (Oregon Branch). She is the author of several articles and chapters that focus on aspects of the current system of health care.
John F. Kihlstrom
received his PhD in Personality and Experimental Psychopathology from the
University of Pennsylvania, and completed a clinical
psychology internship at Temple University. He is Professor in the Department
of Psychology, and a Fellow of ISHOT.
Before coming to UCB, where he is affiliated primarily with the
cognitive psychology program, he held positions at Harvard University
(Personality & Developmental Studies), the University of Wisconsin (Social
Psychology & Personality), the University of Arizona (Cognitive Psychology
& Cognitive Science), and Yale University (Cognitive Psychology).