General Psychology:Psych 101 B01
3.0 credit hours
Semester: Fall2007
Instructor: Nancy Kneeland, MS, MAC
Email Address: Office Phone: (208) 726-0088
Prerequisites: None
Required Textbooks and Supplies:
Ciccarelli, Saundra K., & Meyer, Glenn E. (2006) Psychology (1st Ed.). Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc.
The following is not required, but recommended:
American Psychological Association. (2002). Publication Manual (5th Ed.). Washington DC:
·Study Guide Psychology: Concept Notes (Ciccarelli & Meyer, 2006) (ISBN: 0-13-228335-2).
·Notebook A simple 100-page spiral notebook.
Prerequisite Skills:
·Literacy This course requires a high reading demand.
·Assertiveness Nancy is a psychotherapist, not a psychic; you must be active in your education.
·Persistence This course is demanding and rigorous (but not impossible) if offered and received properly.
·Open-mindedness It is not required that you change your mind, but you must be willing to do so.
Policies and Procedures:
Attendance For every absence 5 points will be lost. Excused absences will not count against you.
Excused Absences:
· School-sanctioned and military-required absences if you provide advance written notice.
Behavior Any conduct that disrupts the educational experience of other students will not be tolerated. Violations of CSI behavioral policies will result in appropriate disciplinary actions including zero credit, classroom expulsion, and disenrollment (see CSI catalog). Specifically:
· Turn off your cell phones.
· There are no electronic devices allowed in class.
· Come on time, stay until the end of class, and pay attention.
Examinations: There will be four exams covering material from classroom lecture and the textbook. Remember! You are responsible for reading the information in the text. If it is not covered in lecture, it is risky to assume that it will not show up on an exam. All exams are take-home. They are to be typed and double spaced- NO EXCEPTIONS. Each exam is worth 100 points. We will have an exam approximately every 4 weeks. Missed exams due to scheduling conflicts must be personally justified prior to the exam date. Students missing exams due to illness or other unexpected personal issues are required to notify me by e-mail or telephone as soon as possible. A note from a physician or other authority will be required to take the exam late.
Class Quizzes: There will be eight pop quizzes randomly “popped” throughout the semester over the material (both text and lecture). The quizzes will help you keep up with the content and aid in educated participation in the classroom. Falling behind in reading and lectures guarantees poor performance in the course. Each quiz is worth 50 points. There are no makeup quizzes (attendance is thus advised).
Term Paper: You will be required to write a critical and scientific analysis of one of the major topics discussed during the semester. The paper is a review of the “peer-reviewed” literature. We will discuss the nature of peer-reviewed work within the first few days of class. The paper will be no shorter than five pages, and must be in American Psychological Association (APA) format, 5th edition. You will receive an example of a paper previously written as a template for the APA format. Topics for your paper should (but are not required) be reviewed via a one-to-one conversation between you and I. This will assure you are on the right track. You take a risk by not discussing your topic with me first. Finally, you may not use papers written for other current or previous classes. If discovered, you will receive a zero.
I will be available to help you with this assignment throughout the semester to give feedback on your drafts and style, provided you use your semester efficiently. Thus, waiting until the eleventh hour to start your paper will result in a poor grade. The paper is worth 200 points. Late papers will be reduced by 20 points per day from the due date.
A Final Note about Honesty: Any forms of plagiarism or cheating are violations of campus policy and professional ethics. If you plagiarize, cheat, or contribute to the cheating of another, you will receive a zero for the work in question. In more extreme cases, you may be removed from the class and reported to the department head for more extensive review.
*The grade of "I" (incomplete) will only be granted if, by the last day of finals week, 1) more than half of all your coursework is received by me, and 2) you request the grade of “I” in writing.
Extra Credit: There will be no opportunities for extra credit. You must concentrate on putting your best academic foot forward from the outset and keeping current on your coursework through to the end of the semester.
Online Course Evaluations: As part of the Outcomes Assessment for CSI, each student is requested to complete an online class evaluation form at the end of the semester. Students will access the evaluation at http://evaluation.csi.edu. The name and password is the same as for network email and Blackboard. It is important to complete these evaluations so we can continually improve courses.
Disabilities: Any student with a documented disability may be eligible for related accommodations. To determine eligibility and secure services, students should contact the coordinator of Disability Services at their first opportunity after registration for a class. Student Disability Services is located on the second floor of the Taylor Building on the Twin Falls Campus. (208)732-6250(voice) or (208)734-9929 (TTY), or email .
Psychotherapeutic Resources: The content and nature of this course often lead students to inquire after individual counseling with the instructor. She will gladly assist you in academic and career advisement to the best of her ability; however, the instructor is ethically and legally not allowed to cross boundaries by offering psychotherapeutic advice of any kind. The Center for New Directions (CND) offers individual counseling free to CSI students. The CND is located on the west side of campus south of the tennis courts and behind the Quality Assurance Lab. You may contact the CND at 732-6680.
The College of Southern Idaho Mission Statement
The College of Southern Idaho, a comprehensive community college, provides educational, social and cultural opportunities for the diverse population of South Central Idaho. In this rapidly changing world, CSI encourages our students to lead enriched, productive and responsible lives.
General Education Criteria: This course satisfies all eight criteria for general education. It is designed to:
1. provide a broad-based survey of a discipline and show the interconnectedness of knowledge.
2. develop a discerning individual.
3. practice critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
4. promote awareness of social and cultural diversity in order to appreciate the commonality of mankind.
5. foster the balance between individual needs and the demands of society.
6. reinforce reading, writing, speaking, and/or quantitative skills.
7. encourage and inspire life-long learning.
8. encourage creativity.
Social Science Department Mission Statement
The mission of the Social Science Department is to provide educational, social, and cultural opportunities which encourage enriched, productive and responsible lives primarily by instructing students to understand, interpret, and apply Social Science discipline coursework.
Social Science Department Goals: This course addresses the following Social Science Department goals, which are to:
1. help students understand important facts, concepts and theories of Social Science subjects.
2. help students acquire techniques and methods used to gain new knowledge in the disciplines.
3. help students learn to distinguish between fact and opinion.
4. teach students to use evaluation, analysis and synthesis to interpret and solve problems.
5. teach students to use different perspectives from the social sciences to make better-informed decisions
6. help students acquire an informed understanding of various cultures.
7. prepare students to transfer to a university.
Psychology Program Mission Statement
The mission of the CSI Psychology Program is primarily to prepare graduates to transfer as Junior-level students to 4-year universities.
Psychology Program Objectives: Students will…
1. gain mastery of a breadth of knowledge of the discipline of psychology (breadth of knowledge).
2. gain mastery of a depth of knowledge of the discipline of psychology (depth of knowledge).
3. be well practiced as a critical consumer of information (critical thought).
4. be well practiced in professional written communication (professional writing).
5. be well- prepared as a potential contributor to scientific discovery in psychology (scientific capability).
6. be well-prepared for upper-division coursework in psychology (career-focused education plan).
PSYC Catalog Course Description: This survey course is an introduction to psychology. Psychology is the scientific study of thinking, emotion, and behavior. This course introduces students to the diverse research areas of psychology such as psychobiology, motivation, learning, cognitive and social processes, personality, and abnormality, emphasizing empirical findings of the discipline.
Course Outcomes Aligned with GE Criteria (GE), Social Science Goals (SS) and Program Objectives (PSYC):
Students will… / GE / SS / PSYC1. Demonstrate familiarity with the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, empirical findings, and historical trends in psychology / 1, 4, 6, 7 / 1, 4, 6, 7 / 1, 2, 4, 6
2. Understand basic research methods in psychology, including research design, data analysis, and interpretation / 2, 3, 7, 8 / 2, 3, 4, 7 / 2, 3, 4, 5
3. Respect and use critical and creative thinking, skeptical inquiry, and the scientific approach to solve problems related to behavior and mental processes / 2, 3, 6, 7, 8 / All but 1 and 2 / 2, 3, 6
4. Understand and apply psychological principles to personal, social, and organizational issues / All but 6 / All but 1 and 2 / 2, 3, 6
5. Be able to weigh evidence, tolerate ambiguity, act ethically, and reflect other values that are the underpinnings of psychology as a discipline / All but 6 / All but 1 and 2 / 2, 3, 5, 6
Course Outcomes Aligned with Course Assessment Activities:
Chapter Quizzes / Unit Tests / Term Project / Absence Demerits1 / Ψ / Ψ / Ψ
2 / Ψ / Ψ / Ψ
3 / Ψ / Ψ
4 / Ψ / Ψ
5 / Ψ / Ψ / Ψ
Topical Outline for the Course: The course is organized into seven units:
final syllabus 101
1
· Unit 1: Chapter 1 – Introduction and Scientific Method
· Unit 2: Chapters 2, 3, & 4 – The Biological Perspective
· Unit 3: Chapters 5 & 6 – Learning and Memory
· Unit 4: Chapters 7 & 8 – Development and Cognition
· Unit 5: Chapters 9 & 11 – Motivation, Emotion, & Stress
· Unit 6: Chapters 12 & 13 – Personality/Social Psychology
· Unit 7: Chapters 14 & 15 – The Clinical Perspective
final syllabus 101
1
Course Outline:
1 / August 27th -31st / Discussion of course objectives, exams, attendance, grading scale, late policy, plagiarism, learning approaches. Introduction
2 / September 3rd-7th / LABOR DAY
Chapter 1 The Science of Psychology.
3 / September 10th to 14th / Chapter 2 The Biological Perspective
4 / September 17th to 21st / Chapter 3 Sensation and Perception Exam 1
6 / September 24th to 28th / Chapter 5 Learning
7 / October 1st to 5th / Chapter 6 Memory
8 / October 8th to 12th / COLUMBUS DAY HOLIDAY
Chapter 7 Development Across the Lifespan; Exam 2: Term Paper proposal due
9 / October 15th to 19th / Chapter 8 Cognition: Thinking, Intelligence, and Language
10 / October 22nd to 26th / Chapter 9 Motivation and Emotion
11 / October 29th to November 2nd / Chapter 4 Consciousness: Sleep, Dreams, Hypnosis, and Drugs
12 / November 5th to 9th / Chapter 11 Stress and Health Exam 3
13 / November 12th to 16th / VETERANS’ DAY HOLIDAY
Chapter 12 Theories of Personality;
14 / November 19th to 23rd / TERM PAPER DRAFT DUE
HAPPY THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY
15 / November 26th to 30th / Chapter 13 Social Psychology TERM PAPER DUE
16 / December 3rd – 7th / Chapter 14 Psychological Disorders
17 / December 10th to 14th / Chapter 15 Psychological Therapies
Exam 4
December 17th / Finals Week!!!!
The outline is tentative and not necessarily comprehensive. It is open to adjustment as the semester progresses.
Detailed Course Schedule
Assessments, Reading Assignments and Focus Questions for study.
· RA: What you should read before coming to class on the date specified.
· Ψ – Questions you should answer in a notebook while reading. You might want to discuss these questions with classmates or in study groups. (Hint: These are the questions that will be on the Unit Tests.)
Unit 1 (Chapter 1): Introduction and Scientific Method
General psychological approaches and how we study psychology
Week 18/27 / Course Introduction / Syllabus Overview
RA: Introduction (pp. I-1 – I-13) & “Why Study” segments at start of each chapter - Orientation
Ψ What is psychology, and why is its scientific nature important to your college education?
Ψ How does learning style relate to SQ3R, taking notes, and studying for exams?
Ψ How do all 14 of the “Why Study” segments combine into a coherent picture of an individual?
RA: pp. 2-18 – General Theories of Psychology
Ψ How do structuralism, functionalism, and Gestalt differ and relate, and which do you prefer and why?
Ψ How do psychoanalysis, behaviorism, and humanism differ and relate, and which do you prefer and why?
Ψ How do the biopsychological, cognitive, sociocultural, and evolutionary perspectives differ and relate, and which do you prefer and why?
Week 2
9/3 / Labor Day holiday
RA: pp. 18-35 – The Scientific Method
Ψ How does the scientific method reduce bias and error in psychological research?
Ψ What are the strengths and weaknesses of naturalistic observation, laboratory observation, case studies, and surveys, and how would you decide which to use in research?
Ψ What are the strengths and weaknesses of correlations and the experiment, and how would you decide which to use in research?
Ψ How do independent variables, dependent variables, and confounding variables differ and relate?
Unit 2 (Chapters 2, 3, and 4): The Biological Perspective
Physical foundations and the start of perception