Psychology 101: General Psychology
Section: 07 Room: NC2100 Days/Time: MW 11:30-1:05
Text: Wade & Tavris, Invitation to Psychology, Fourth Edition
Instructor: Wendy M. Welsh, Ph.D. e-mail: wendywelsh67@hotmail.com; wwelsh@ohlone.edu
Website: www.wwpsych.blogspot.com Office hours: Wed. 10:30-11:15 location TBA and by appt.
Course Objectives:
This course is designed to introduce you to important topics, research, and theories in psychology; and to increase your understanding of how psychological research is conducted and how psychological theories are developed. The class covers a broad range of psychological topics, including the study of the brain, processes of human development and cognition, and personality, clinical, and social psychology. Through class discussions, written assignments, and exams, you will be expected to demonstrate your understanding of the information covered in class and in the text, to demonstrate critical thinking about psychological issues, and to apply psychological principles to human behavior.
Course Requirements, Expectations, and Grading:
Attendance and participation (100 points): Attendance and participation in classroom exercises are required. In accordance with Ohlone College policy, I reserve the right to drop students who are absent for a total of six consecutive or nine cumulative instructional hours. Please see me if you have a valid excuse for missing class or if you arrive late and miss the taking of attendance. I will consider a tardy (arriving in class after your name has been called during roll) as equal to 1/4 of an absence.
You will do better in this course, and class discussions will be more interesting and useful for everyone, if you come to class having read the material. Your participation grade will be based on written, in-class assignments (usually completed in pairs or small groups), and on the quality of your involvement in class. I expect you to contribute to class discussions by stating your points thoughtfully and respectfully, and by listening to the views of others. It is not acceptable to show disrespect to the instructor, or to other students, by talking while others are talking, or by making rude or insulting comments. This behavior will of course affect your participation grade, but in extreme cases you may be asked to leave class, and I will pursue disciplinary action by the college.
This class will include discussion of issues that some people consider controversial, and that may be personally meaningful to some students. There will be differences of opinion, and they are to be handled with mutual respect and consideration.
Written assignment portfolios (340 points): There will be five written assignments during the term; you will turn them in during the first and second halves of the semester as two portfolios. In some cases you will have class time to work on and discuss these assignments in small groups, but your written work will be completed and graded individually. You will receive detailed guidelines for each assignment in class. Point values of assignments will vary depending upon their difficulty, and will be specified in the assignment guidelines. All written assignments must be typed, double-spaced, with one-inch margins and 12-point font.
Late paper policy: To receive full credit, papers must be turned in within 10 minutes of the beginning of class on the date listed in the syllabus. Papers turned in more than 10 minutes late on the original due date will be accepted with a 5% reduction in points. I will accept assignments during the first ten minutes of the following class with a 10% reduction in points. Past that point, portfolio #1 may be turned in up to the date of the midterm for a 25% reduction in points, and portfolio #2 may be turned in up to the date of the final for a 25% reduction in points. I do not accept papers via e-mail.
Quizzes (160 points): There will be three quizzes throughout the term. Please note that I give no make-up quizzes. Instead, I will count only your two highest quiz grades toward your final grade. This allows you to miss one quiz for any reason without a penalty, or to drop your lowest grade if you take all three quizzes. Quizzes will take place at the beginning of the class period, and will cover the textbook chapters noted on the syllabus. Quizzes will include a matching section and a multiple-choice section. Matching questions will cover terms highlighted in the text, and multiple-choice questions will cover concepts covered in the text and in class. You are responsible for all material covered in the text or in lectures.
Midterm and Final Exams (400 points): There will be a midterm exam covering the first half of the course, and a final exam covering the second half of the course; each will be worth 200 points. The midterm will take an entire course period, and the final will take place according to the official final exam schedule. The midterm and the final will follow the same format: matching and multiple-choice questions similar to those on the quizzes, and short essay questions. You will be given a list of potential essay questions to study before the midterm and final.
Extra credit assignments (up to 30 points): Throughout the term, you will have the opportunity to earn extra credit by conducting research on your own to answer questions that are raised in class or to learn more about an area of interest. You may turn in two extra credit assignments, and points for each assignment will range from 10-15 depending on the quality of the writing and the research.
Academic integrity: I will strictly enforce all Ohlone College regulations regarding academic dishonesty (cheating on exams or passing off the work of others as your own). If you feel pressure to cheat because you do not understand the material or the assignments, talk with me about how you can get extra help. Take special note of my policy on plagiarism, which is explained in detail on your paper guidelines. You will receive zero points on any paper in which you copy material from another source without clearly crediting that source. In addition, all written assignments, including extra credit, must be completed independently (although you will develop class assignments with other students, any written reports of those assignments must be completed independently). Assignments that appear overly similar to other students’ work will be investigated as potential plagiarism, and may be given 0 points.
Adding and dropping: Although I reserve the right to drop you from the class for non-attendance (see above), it is your responsibility to monitor your status in the class. Do not rely on me to add you to the class, or to drop you from it. You can drop online until 2/10 without a “W” (and get a refund); you can drop with a “W” (no refund) until 5/25.
Course grades will be based on your overall course points, according to the standard 90%=A, 80%=B scale. You can determine your grade in the course at any time by keeping track of your points and calculating your percentage of the total points available to that point. Final course grades will be calculated as follows:
900-1000=A, 800-899=B, 700-799=C, 600-699=D, 0-599=F
Please note: This syllabus is an important guide to the course; keep it with your notes at all times. You will be held responsible for meeting the following deadlines even if I do not remind you of them. If you lose your syllabus, make sure to get another copy from me or from a classmate. I do, however, reserve the right to change this schedule somewhat if necessary (if, for example, a topic or assignment takes significantly more or less time than planned). I will announce any such changes in class.
Date Topic Chapter # Assignments
1/28-2/4 What is Psychology? 1 Portfolio assignment
An introduction to the course and to the field of psychology. On 1/28 students will work in groups to design a simple study, for which you will individually collect observations. On 1/30 you will discuss your individual findings with your group, and you will work together to come to conclusions. On 2/4 you will present your group’s findings and conclusions to the class.
2/6-2/11 Theories of Personality 2 Portfolio assignment
On 2/6 we will discuss APA style, and go over the assignments in greater depth, as well as beginning our discussion of personality. On 2/11, we will continue our discussion of personality, and work in groups on the personality analysis assignment.
2/13-2/20 Quiz 1/ Human Development 3 Quiz on chapters 1-2
Holiday on 2/18. We will discuss human development from conception through late life.
2/25-2/27 Neurons and the Brain 4 Portfolio assignment
We will make brains out of Play-Doh! We will prepare on Wednesday and work and present on Monday.
3/3-3/5 Quiz 2/ Consciousness 5 Quiz on chapters 3-4
We will discuss sleep and dreams, hypnosis and meditation, and consciousness-altering drugs.
3/10-3/12 Memory 8 Portfolio #1 due 3/10
We will discuss how we remember, misremember, and forget information.
3/17 Midterm Review
3/19 Midterm Exam: Chapters 1-5, 8 Bring a scan-tron, #2 pencil, and paper
3/24-3/26 Spring Break!
3/31 Social Behavior Human Behavior Experiments video
This video relates significant social psychology experiments to real situations. We will have time to discuss the issues raised in the video at the end of class.
4/2 Social Psychology Article Review Portfolio assignment
A selection of social psychology articles is on reserve in the library. You are responsible for copying the article of your choice and coming to class prepared to discuss it in a small group. This discussion will help prepare you for a written assignment analyzing your article.
4/7-4/9 Social Behavior 10
We will discuss rules and roles, social influence, and group conflict and cooperation.
4/14 Clinical Psychology Case Study Review Portfolio assignment
A selection of clinical case studies is on reserve in the library. You are responsible for copying the article of your choice and coming to class prepared to discuss it in a small group. This discussion will help prepare you for a written assignment analyzing your case study, and expanding on it using your own library research. We will also discuss how to use the library’s electronic databases to access academic research in psychology.
4/16-4/21 Psychological Disorders 11
We will discuss ways of understanding psychological disorders, and their symptoms.
4/23-4/28 Treatment and Therapy 12 Portfolio #2 due 4/28
We will discuss biological treatments for psychological disorders, and different forms of psychotherapy and their effectiveness.
4/30-5/5 Quiz 3/ Emotion, Stress, and Health 13
This chapter covers theories of emotion, stress, coping, and health.
5/7-5/12 Learning 9
We will teach each other using classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and observational learning
5/14 Final Review
5/23 9:30-11:30 Final Exam: Chapters 9-13 Bring a scan-tron, #2 pencil, and paper
The final exam will be given according to the official final exam schedule (9:30-11:30), but the format and length of the test will be the same as for the midterm exam.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Monday, January 21, 2008
Chapter 1 lecture outline
Psych 1
Chapter 1 Outline
I. Introduction to class and each other
II. What is psychology and why should we care?
A. Psychology--The study of behavior and mental processes
III. What makes psychology more effective than common sense?
A. Common biases
i. false consensus effect
ii. hindsight bias
iii. confirmation bias
B. The scientific method
i. Relationship between theories, hypotheses, operational definitions and research
C. Types of research methodology
1. Descriptive research
a. case studies
b. surveys
c. naturalistic and laboratory observation
d. correlation
2. experimental research
a. random assignment
b. independent and dependent variables
c. limitations
3. Research ethics
IV. What are the dominant perspectives in psychology?
A. Breadth of perspectives
i. Biological end: The biological perspective
ii. Philosophical end: The psychodynamic perspective, developed by Freud
iii. The evolutionary perspective considers how evolution influences behavior tendencies.
iv. The learning perspective examines how the environment and experience affect a person’s or animal’s actions.
v. The cognitive perspective studies how we process, store, and retrieve information.
vi. The social-cultural perspective examines how behavior and thinking vary with the situation and culture.
B. Types of psychological research and practice
i. Basic research
ii. Applied research
iii. Professional practice
Chapter 1 Essay Question for Midterm Exam
1. Name and explain three kinds of descriptive research methodology. How is descriptive research different from experimental research?
Chapter 1 Outline
I. Introduction to class and each other
II. What is psychology and why should we care?
A. Psychology--The study of behavior and mental processes
III. What makes psychology more effective than common sense?
A. Common biases
i. false consensus effect
ii. hindsight bias
iii. confirmation bias
B. The scientific method
i. Relationship between theories, hypotheses, operational definitions and research
C. Types of research methodology
1. Descriptive research
a. case studies
b. surveys
c. naturalistic and laboratory observation
d. correlation
2. experimental research
a. random assignment
b. independent and dependent variables
c. limitations
3. Research ethics
IV. What are the dominant perspectives in psychology?
A. Breadth of perspectives
i. Biological end: The biological perspective
ii. Philosophical end: The psychodynamic perspective, developed by Freud
iii. The evolutionary perspective considers how evolution influences behavior tendencies.
iv. The learning perspective examines how the environment and experience affect a person’s or animal’s actions.
v. The cognitive perspective studies how we process, store, and retrieve information.
vi. The social-cultural perspective examines how behavior and thinking vary with the situation and culture.
B. Types of psychological research and practice
i. Basic research
ii. Applied research
iii. Professional practice
Chapter 1 Essay Question for Midterm Exam
1. Name and explain three kinds of descriptive research methodology. How is descriptive research different from experimental research?
Psych 1 Spring '08 LPC Syllabus
Psychology 1: General Psychology
Section: V06 Room: 202 Days/Time: TTh 8-9:15
Text: Wade & Tavris, Invitation to Psychology, Fourth Edition
Instructor: Wendy M. Welsh, Ph.D. e-mail: wendywelsh67@hotmail.com; wwelsh@laspositascollege.edu
website: www.wwpsych.blogspot.com
Office hours: Tues. 9:30-10:30 location TBA, and by appointment
Course Objectives:
This course is designed to introduce you to important topics, research, and theories in psychology; and to increase your understanding of how psychological research is conducted and how psychological theories are developed. The class covers a broad range of psychological topics, including the study of the brain, processes of human development and cognition, and personality, clinical, and social psychology. Through class discussions, written assignments, and exams, you will be expected to demonstrate your understanding of the information covered in class and in the text, to demonstrate critical thinking about psychological issues, and to apply psychological principles to human behavior.
Course Requirements, Expectations, and Grading:
Attendance and participation (100 points): Attendance and participation in classroom exercises are required. In accordance with Las Positas policy, I reserve the right to drop students who are absent for a total of four consecutive or six cumulative instructional hours. Please see me if you have a valid excuse for missing class or if you arrive late and miss the taking of attendance. I will consider a tardy (arriving in class after your name has been called during roll) as equal to 1/4 of an absence.
You will do better in this course, and class discussions will be more interesting and useful for everyone, if you come to class having read the material. Your participation grade will be based on written, in-class assignments (usually completed in pairs or small groups), and on the quality of your involvement in class. I expect you to contribute to class discussions by stating your points thoughtfully and respectfully, and by listening to the views of others. It is not acceptable to show disrespect to the instructor, or to other students, by talking while others are talking, or by making rude or insulting comments. This behavior will of course affect your participation grade, but in extreme cases you may be asked to leave class, and I will pursue disciplinary action by the college.
This class will include discussion of issues that some people consider controversial, and that may be personally meaningful to some students. There will be differences of opinion, and they are to be handled with mutual respect and consideration.
Written assignment portfolios (340 points): There will be five written assignments during the term; you will turn them in during the first and second halves of the semester as two portfolios. In some cases, you will have class time to work on and discuss these assignments in small groups, but your written work will be completed and graded individually. You will receive detailed guidelines for each assignment in class. Point values of assignments will vary depending upon their difficulty, and will be specified in the assignment guidelines. All written assignments must be typed, double-spaced, with one-inch margins and 12-point font.
Late paper policy: To receive full credit, papers must be turned in within 10 minutes of the beginning of class on the date listed in the syllabus. Papers turned in more than 10 minutes late on the original due date will be accepted with a 5% reduction in points. I will accept assignments up to the following class day with a 10% reduction in points. Past that point, portfolio #1 may be turned in up to the date of the midterm for a 25% reduction in points, and portfolio #2 may be turned in up to the date of the final for a 25% reduction in points. I do not accept papers via e-mail.
Quizzes (160 points): There will be three quizzes throughout the term. Please note that I give no make-up quizzes. Instead, I will count only your two highest quiz grades toward your final grade. This allows you to miss one quiz for any reason without a penalty, or to drop your lowest grade if you take all three quizzes. Quizzes will take place at the beginning of the class period, and will cover the textbook chapters noted on the syllabus. Quizzes will include a matching section and a multiple choice section. Matching questions will cover terms highlighted in the text, and multiple choice questions will cover concepts covered in the text and in class. You are responsible for all material covered in the text or in lectures.
Midterm and Final Exams (400 points): There will be a midterm exam covering the first half of the course, and a final exam covering the second half of the course; each will be worth 200 points. The midterm will take an entire course period, and the final will take place according to the official final exam schedule. The midterm and the final will follow the same format: matching and multiple choice questions similar to those on the quizzes, and short essay questions. You will be given a list of potential essay questions to study before the midterm and final.
Extra credit assignments (up to 30 points): Throughout the term, you will have the opportunity to earn extra credit by conducting research on your own to answer questions that are raised in class or to learn more about an area of interest. You may turn in two extra credit assignments, and points for each assignment will range from 10-15 depending on the quality of the writing and the research.
Academic integrity: I will strictly enforce all Las Positas College regulations regarding academic dishonesty (cheating on exams or passing off the work of others as your own). If you feel pressure to cheat because you do not understand the material or the assignments, talk with me about how you can get extra help. Take special note of my policy on plagiarism, which is explained in detail on your paper guidelines. You will receive zero points on any paper in which you copy material from another source without clearly crediting that source. In addition, all written assignments, including extra credit, must be completed independently (although you will work on some assignments with other students, any written reports of those assignments must be completed independently). Assignments that appear overly similar to other students’ work will be investigated as potential plagiarism, and may be given 0 points.
Adding and dropping: Although I reserve the right to drop you from the class for non-attendance (see above), it is your responsibility to monitor your status in the class. Do not rely on me to add you to the class, or to drop you from it. You can drop online until 2/10 without a “W” (and get a refund); you can drop with a “W” (no refund) until 4/11.
Course grades will be based on your overall course points, according to the standard 90%=A, 80%=B scale. You can determine your grade in the course at any time by keeping track of your points and calculating your percentage of the total points available to that point. Final course grades will be calculated as follows:
900-1000=A, 800-899=B, 700-799=C, 600-699=D, 0-599=F
Please note: This syllabus is an important guide to the course; keep it with your notes at all times. You will be held responsible for meeting the following deadlines even if I do not remind you of them. If you lose your syllabus, make sure to get another copy from me or from a classmate, or check online at www.wwpsych.blogspot.com. I do, however, reserve the right to change this schedule somewhat if necessary (if, for example, a topic or assignment takes significantly more or less time than planned). I will announce any such changes in class.
Date Topic Chapter # Assignments
1/22-1/29 What is Psychology? 1 Portfolio assignment
An introduction to the course and to the field of psychology. On 1/22 students will work in groups to design a simple study, for which you will individually collect observations. On 1/24 you will discuss your individual findings with your group, and you will work together to come to conclusions. On 1/29 you will present your group’s findings and conclusions to the class.
1/31-2/7 Theories of Personality 2 Portfolio assignment
On 1/31 we will discuss APA style, and go over the assignments in greater depth, as well as beginning our discussion of personality. On 2/5 and 2/7, we will continue our discussion of personality, and work in groups on the personality analysis assignment.
2/12-2/21 Quiz 1/ Human Development 3 Quiz on chapters 1-2
We will discuss human development from conception through late life.
2/26-2/28 Neurons and the Brain 4 Portfolio assignment
We will make brains out of Play-Doh! We will prepare on 2/26 and work and present on 2/28.
3/4-3/6 Quiz 2/ Consciousness 5 Quiz on chapters 3-4
We will discuss sleep and dreams, hypnosis and meditation, and consciousness-altering drugs.
3/11-3/13 Memory 8 Portfolio #1 due 3/11
We will discuss how we remember, misremember, and forget information.
3/18 Midterm Review
3/20 Midterm Exam: Chapters 1-5, 8 Bring a scan-tron, #2 pencil, and paper
4/1 Social Behavior Human Behavior Experiments video
This video relates significant social psychology experiments to real situations.
4/3 Discussion of video/ Social Psychology Article Review Portfolio assignment
A selection of social psychology articles is on reserve in the library. You are responsible for copying the article of your choice and coming to class prepared to discuss it in a small group. This discussion will help prepare you for a written assignment analyzing your article.
4/8-4/10 Social Behavior 10
We will discuss rules and roles, social influence, and group conflict and cooperation.
4/15 Library Orientation
We will focus on how to use the library’s databases of academic research in psychology, so that you can conduct the research for your next assignment.
4/17 Clinical Psychology Case Study Review Portfolio assignment
A selection of clinical case studies is on reserve in the library. You are responsible for copying the article of your choice and coming to class prepared to discuss it in a small group. This discussion will help prepare you for a written assignment analyzing your case study, and expanding on it using your own library research.
4/22-4/24 Psychological Disorders 11
We will discuss ways of understanding psychological disorders, and their symptoms.
4/29-5/1 Treatment and Therapy 12 Portfolio #2 due 5/1
We will discuss biological treatments for psychological disorders, and different forms of psychotherapy and their effectiveness.
5/6-5/13 Quiz 3/ Emotion, Stress, and Health 13 Quiz on chapters 10-12
This chapter covers theories of emotion, stress, coping, and health.
5/15-5/20 Learning 9
We will try teaching each other using classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and observational learning
5/22 Final Review
5/27 7:30-9:20 Final Exam: Chapters 9-13 Bring a scan-tron, #2 pencil, and paper
The final exam will be given according to the official final exam schedule (7:30 instead of 8:00), but the format and length of the test will be the same as for the midterm exam.
Section: V06 Room: 202 Days/Time: TTh 8-9:15
Text: Wade & Tavris, Invitation to Psychology, Fourth Edition
Instructor: Wendy M. Welsh, Ph.D. e-mail: wendywelsh67@hotmail.com; wwelsh@laspositascollege.edu
website: www.wwpsych.blogspot.com
Office hours: Tues. 9:30-10:30 location TBA, and by appointment
Course Objectives:
This course is designed to introduce you to important topics, research, and theories in psychology; and to increase your understanding of how psychological research is conducted and how psychological theories are developed. The class covers a broad range of psychological topics, including the study of the brain, processes of human development and cognition, and personality, clinical, and social psychology. Through class discussions, written assignments, and exams, you will be expected to demonstrate your understanding of the information covered in class and in the text, to demonstrate critical thinking about psychological issues, and to apply psychological principles to human behavior.
Course Requirements, Expectations, and Grading:
Attendance and participation (100 points): Attendance and participation in classroom exercises are required. In accordance with Las Positas policy, I reserve the right to drop students who are absent for a total of four consecutive or six cumulative instructional hours. Please see me if you have a valid excuse for missing class or if you arrive late and miss the taking of attendance. I will consider a tardy (arriving in class after your name has been called during roll) as equal to 1/4 of an absence.
You will do better in this course, and class discussions will be more interesting and useful for everyone, if you come to class having read the material. Your participation grade will be based on written, in-class assignments (usually completed in pairs or small groups), and on the quality of your involvement in class. I expect you to contribute to class discussions by stating your points thoughtfully and respectfully, and by listening to the views of others. It is not acceptable to show disrespect to the instructor, or to other students, by talking while others are talking, or by making rude or insulting comments. This behavior will of course affect your participation grade, but in extreme cases you may be asked to leave class, and I will pursue disciplinary action by the college.
This class will include discussion of issues that some people consider controversial, and that may be personally meaningful to some students. There will be differences of opinion, and they are to be handled with mutual respect and consideration.
Written assignment portfolios (340 points): There will be five written assignments during the term; you will turn them in during the first and second halves of the semester as two portfolios. In some cases, you will have class time to work on and discuss these assignments in small groups, but your written work will be completed and graded individually. You will receive detailed guidelines for each assignment in class. Point values of assignments will vary depending upon their difficulty, and will be specified in the assignment guidelines. All written assignments must be typed, double-spaced, with one-inch margins and 12-point font.
Late paper policy: To receive full credit, papers must be turned in within 10 minutes of the beginning of class on the date listed in the syllabus. Papers turned in more than 10 minutes late on the original due date will be accepted with a 5% reduction in points. I will accept assignments up to the following class day with a 10% reduction in points. Past that point, portfolio #1 may be turned in up to the date of the midterm for a 25% reduction in points, and portfolio #2 may be turned in up to the date of the final for a 25% reduction in points. I do not accept papers via e-mail.
Quizzes (160 points): There will be three quizzes throughout the term. Please note that I give no make-up quizzes. Instead, I will count only your two highest quiz grades toward your final grade. This allows you to miss one quiz for any reason without a penalty, or to drop your lowest grade if you take all three quizzes. Quizzes will take place at the beginning of the class period, and will cover the textbook chapters noted on the syllabus. Quizzes will include a matching section and a multiple choice section. Matching questions will cover terms highlighted in the text, and multiple choice questions will cover concepts covered in the text and in class. You are responsible for all material covered in the text or in lectures.
Midterm and Final Exams (400 points): There will be a midterm exam covering the first half of the course, and a final exam covering the second half of the course; each will be worth 200 points. The midterm will take an entire course period, and the final will take place according to the official final exam schedule. The midterm and the final will follow the same format: matching and multiple choice questions similar to those on the quizzes, and short essay questions. You will be given a list of potential essay questions to study before the midterm and final.
Extra credit assignments (up to 30 points): Throughout the term, you will have the opportunity to earn extra credit by conducting research on your own to answer questions that are raised in class or to learn more about an area of interest. You may turn in two extra credit assignments, and points for each assignment will range from 10-15 depending on the quality of the writing and the research.
Academic integrity: I will strictly enforce all Las Positas College regulations regarding academic dishonesty (cheating on exams or passing off the work of others as your own). If you feel pressure to cheat because you do not understand the material or the assignments, talk with me about how you can get extra help. Take special note of my policy on plagiarism, which is explained in detail on your paper guidelines. You will receive zero points on any paper in which you copy material from another source without clearly crediting that source. In addition, all written assignments, including extra credit, must be completed independently (although you will work on some assignments with other students, any written reports of those assignments must be completed independently). Assignments that appear overly similar to other students’ work will be investigated as potential plagiarism, and may be given 0 points.
Adding and dropping: Although I reserve the right to drop you from the class for non-attendance (see above), it is your responsibility to monitor your status in the class. Do not rely on me to add you to the class, or to drop you from it. You can drop online until 2/10 without a “W” (and get a refund); you can drop with a “W” (no refund) until 4/11.
Course grades will be based on your overall course points, according to the standard 90%=A, 80%=B scale. You can determine your grade in the course at any time by keeping track of your points and calculating your percentage of the total points available to that point. Final course grades will be calculated as follows:
900-1000=A, 800-899=B, 700-799=C, 600-699=D, 0-599=F
Please note: This syllabus is an important guide to the course; keep it with your notes at all times. You will be held responsible for meeting the following deadlines even if I do not remind you of them. If you lose your syllabus, make sure to get another copy from me or from a classmate, or check online at www.wwpsych.blogspot.com. I do, however, reserve the right to change this schedule somewhat if necessary (if, for example, a topic or assignment takes significantly more or less time than planned). I will announce any such changes in class.
Date Topic Chapter # Assignments
1/22-1/29 What is Psychology? 1 Portfolio assignment
An introduction to the course and to the field of psychology. On 1/22 students will work in groups to design a simple study, for which you will individually collect observations. On 1/24 you will discuss your individual findings with your group, and you will work together to come to conclusions. On 1/29 you will present your group’s findings and conclusions to the class.
1/31-2/7 Theories of Personality 2 Portfolio assignment
On 1/31 we will discuss APA style, and go over the assignments in greater depth, as well as beginning our discussion of personality. On 2/5 and 2/7, we will continue our discussion of personality, and work in groups on the personality analysis assignment.
2/12-2/21 Quiz 1/ Human Development 3 Quiz on chapters 1-2
We will discuss human development from conception through late life.
2/26-2/28 Neurons and the Brain 4 Portfolio assignment
We will make brains out of Play-Doh! We will prepare on 2/26 and work and present on 2/28.
3/4-3/6 Quiz 2/ Consciousness 5 Quiz on chapters 3-4
We will discuss sleep and dreams, hypnosis and meditation, and consciousness-altering drugs.
3/11-3/13 Memory 8 Portfolio #1 due 3/11
We will discuss how we remember, misremember, and forget information.
3/18 Midterm Review
3/20 Midterm Exam: Chapters 1-5, 8 Bring a scan-tron, #2 pencil, and paper
4/1 Social Behavior Human Behavior Experiments video
This video relates significant social psychology experiments to real situations.
4/3 Discussion of video/ Social Psychology Article Review Portfolio assignment
A selection of social psychology articles is on reserve in the library. You are responsible for copying the article of your choice and coming to class prepared to discuss it in a small group. This discussion will help prepare you for a written assignment analyzing your article.
4/8-4/10 Social Behavior 10
We will discuss rules and roles, social influence, and group conflict and cooperation.
4/15 Library Orientation
We will focus on how to use the library’s databases of academic research in psychology, so that you can conduct the research for your next assignment.
4/17 Clinical Psychology Case Study Review Portfolio assignment
A selection of clinical case studies is on reserve in the library. You are responsible for copying the article of your choice and coming to class prepared to discuss it in a small group. This discussion will help prepare you for a written assignment analyzing your case study, and expanding on it using your own library research.
4/22-4/24 Psychological Disorders 11
We will discuss ways of understanding psychological disorders, and their symptoms.
4/29-5/1 Treatment and Therapy 12 Portfolio #2 due 5/1
We will discuss biological treatments for psychological disorders, and different forms of psychotherapy and their effectiveness.
5/6-5/13 Quiz 3/ Emotion, Stress, and Health 13 Quiz on chapters 10-12
This chapter covers theories of emotion, stress, coping, and health.
5/15-5/20 Learning 9
We will try teaching each other using classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and observational learning
5/22 Final Review
5/27 7:30-9:20 Final Exam: Chapters 9-13 Bring a scan-tron, #2 pencil, and paper
The final exam will be given according to the official final exam schedule (7:30 instead of 8:00), but the format and length of the test will be the same as for the midterm exam.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)