Risk-Taking Behavior

Professor Nancy Bell, Coordinator.

Risk-Taking Behavior is offered as an interdisciplinary minor at the master's or doctoral level. The 15-hour minor consists of an introductory course, Seminar in Risk Taking, examining the concept of risk taking from developmental, social psychological, sociological, and biosocial perspectives. Students then choose the additional 12 hours from courses covering substance abuse and vulnerability to chemical dependency, family problems associated with risk taking, deviance, and criminology. At least two of these courses must be outside the student's home department.

The minor is administered by the Committee for Multidisciplinary Research on Adolescent and Adult Risk-Taking Behavior. The committee is composed of faculty in Human Development and Family Studies; Psychology; Education; and Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work. The purposes of the committee are to foster collaborative research on risk taking and to serve as a resource for Texas Tech and the community. Research interests of participants include substance abuse, codependency, decision processes associated with adolescent sexual behavior, coping and social support, gender issues in risk taking, and developmental processes associated with risk taking.

This minor should be useful for students interested in research on risk-taking behavior or for those planning to work in applied settings with adolescents and young adults or with families. Consult the program coordinator or individual departments for information on course scheduling. In addition to the courses listed below, special topics courses related to risk taking may be included with the approval of the coordinator.

Program Courses

EPCE 5369. Seminar in Counseling (3:3:0). (addiction counseling section)

HDFS 5341. Socialization Processes and Addiction (3:3:0).

HDFS 6320. Seminar in Risk Taking (3:3:0).

HDFS 6330. Family Problems (3:3:0).

HDFS 6371. Practicum in Human Development and Family Studies (3:3:0).

PSY 5381. Research Seminar in Alcoholism and Substance Abuse (3:3:0).

PSY 5382. Psychopharmacology of Psychoactive Drugs (3:3:0).

SOC 5311. Seminar in Criminology (3:3:0).

SOC 5325. Seminar in Deviant Behavior (3:3:0).


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LAST UPDATE: 11-22-99