3858 - The Psychology of Fiction (Marshall Duke)
Course Description
Instructor: Marshall Duke
Good fiction offers something unique: access to the private thoughts, feelings, motives, and reactions of other people. In real life, we usually must guess about these things using what psychologists call our "Theory of Mind." Fiction serves as a "flight simulator" for developing these important mind-reading skills.
In this four-week course, we'll dive deeply into Margaret Atwood's fascinating novel, Alias Grace, exploring its rich plot and complex characters. We'll learn about real people by studying fictional people, applying psychoanalytic (Freud) theory, cognitive-behavioral theory, and other psychological perspectives. Along the way, we'll explore the history of psychiatry, the nature of abnormal behavior, and the fascinating connections between psychology and human behavior.
By the end, participants will have gained a deeper understanding of both literature and psychology—and we'll have a mighty good time!
Required Book: Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood. First reading will be emailed before the start of class, so students can read before the first day of class.
Bio: Marshall Duke, PhD, is Charles Howard Candler Professor of Psychology, Emeritus, at Emory University, where he taught for more than 50 years before retiring in 2022. A two-time recipient of the Emory Williams Teaching Award, he has published more than 150 research articles and seven books. He is also a Georgia-licensed clinical psychologist and former Chair of Emory's Psychology Department.