Instructor: Dr. R. Jacob LeonesioSummer 07, June. 18 to August. 17
Hitchcock (HCK) 132, MTWThF 9:40 – 10:40University of Washington
Welcome to Psychology 101 - A
Even though this class is fairly large, I want to encourage an atmosphere where you will ask questions and express your ideas. I will perform demonstrations and expect a good deal of class participation. When either myself or your fellow students have the floor, please be attentive. When you talk or whisper to the person next to you, it may seem quiet to you, but the noise adds up fast.
I would like to do everything I can to help you learn the material presented in this course and to appreciate psychological science in general. Please do not hesitate to continue a discussion after lecture or to see me, or your teaching assistant, during office hours.
Lectures will include: computer presentations, video presentations, films, class demonstrations and discussions. Many of the research findings and psychological concepts presented in this course are thought provoking. I encourage you to take the time to think about how psychological knowledge is obtained and used. It is my hope that you will find the material engaging and that you will learn much more than I am able to measure.
Exam advice: A one or two page “Study Guide” will be handed out for each of the 4 sections of the course. These “Study Guides” are also available on the class website. These are your best guide as to what will be on the exams. If you can (without using your notes or the book) explain the meaning of each of the terms and answer any questions derived from this study guide (i.e., meaningfully talk about each term and/or question for a few minutes) to your kid brother or sister you will probably do well on the tests. Also, always read and think about the questions that appear along the right hand margin of your textbook. These questions guide you toward the important material presented in the text which is likely to appear on exams.
You should both read the book and attend lectures. Be sure to test yourself using the study guide without relying on notes or the book. Look up information on the terms that you have trouble with. Finally, retest yourself on the terms in the one page study guide. Research has shown that students usually overestimate their knowledge of material because they fail to test themselves when the material is no longer in front of them. Note that there are practice testquestions for the first exam on the website. The generic notes that are on the website are also useful study aids, because they hit many (although not all) of the important points covered in lecture.
Come to office hours or make an appointment to talk about concepts you don’t fully understand or to find out more about areas that may interest you. Don’t wait to interact with myself or with your teaching assistant.
Please don’t wait until the end of the quarter to seek help
Required Text: Psychology: The Science of Mind and Behavior (3nd Edition)
Authors: Michael W. Passer and Ronald E. Smith
WEB site:
Class related e-mails can be sent to Carissa at
Teaching assistant: Carissa Leeson
Location: Guthrie Hall, basement room 10B.
Tuesday 11:00am to 12:00 pm and Thursday 11:00 – 12:00
Also by appointment (E-mail Carissaor see her before or after class to make an appointment)
Dr. Leonesio’s office hours will be in Guthrie224
Office hours Wednesday 11:00 to 1:00 and by arrangement (do not hesitate to arrange a time to meet with me).
Section 1 (Epistemology of psychology, How the brain works)
DayDateTopicRequired Readings
Mon.6/18History and PerspectivesChapter 1, all
Tue.6/19Perspectives, Epistemology.Chapter 2, all
Wed.6/20Epistemology cont.: Prediction
Thurs.6/21Epistemology cont.: Causation
Fri.6/22How the Brain Works: NeurotransmissionChapter 3, all
Mon.6/25How the Brain Works: Neurotranmitters
Tue. 6/26How the Brain Works: Neuroanatomy
Wed.6/27How the Brain Works: Split Brain
Thurs.6/28How the Brain Works: SensationChapter 4, all
Fri.6/29How the Brain Works: Perception
Mon.7/2Exam 1
Section 2 (How the Mind Works)
Tue.7/3 How the Mind Works: ConditioningChapter 6, all
Wed.7/4Holiday (Independence Day)
Thurs.7/5How the Mind Works: Conditioning cont.Chapter 7, all
Fri7/6How the Mind Works: Short-Term Memory
Mon..7/9How the Mind Works: Long-Term Memory
Tue.7/10How the Mind Works: Constructed Memory
Wed.7/11How the Mind Works: Schema
DayDateTopicRequired Readings
Thurs.7/12How the Mind Works: HeuristicsChapter 8, 297 - 309
Fri.7/13How the Social Mind Works: ObedienceChapter 16, all
Mon.7/16How the Social Mind Works: Attribution
Tue.7/17How the Social Mind Works: Social Influence
Wed.7/18Exam 2
Section 3 (Development, Personality, and Consciousness)
Thurs.7/19Development: prenatal Chapter 11, all
Fri.7/20Development: cognitive
Mon.7/23Development: cognitive cont.
Tue.7/24Development: Moral & Parenting
Wed. 7/25Love, attachment, security
Thurs.7/26SexualityChapter 10, 361 – 370
Fri.7/27FreudChapter 12, 440 - 450
Mon.7/30Freud cont.
Tue.7/31States of Consciousness: Rhythms & SleepChapter 5, all
Wed.8/1States of Consciousness: Sleep
Thurs.8/2States continued: Dreams & DrugsChapter 13, 520 – 525)
Fri.8/3States continued: Drugs & Harm Reduction
Section 4 (Mental Illness, Treatment and Prevention)
Mon.8/6Exam 3
Tue.8/7DSM Diagnosis, Anxiety DisordersChapter 14, all
Wed.8/8Mood Disorders
Thurs.8/9Somatoform and Dissociative Disorders
Fri.8/10Schizophrenia
Mon.8/13Personality Disorders, PsychotherapyChapter 15, all
Tue.8/14Psychotherapy
Wed.8/15Psychotherapy (anorexia)Chapter 10, 353 - 361
Thurs8/16Stress, Health, Social SupportChapter 13, all
Fri.8/17Exam 4 (Final exam)
Course description: Human behavior and experience are surveyed from a scientific perspective. Research methods and findings relevant to perception, learning, cognition, individual differences, personality, attitudes, social behavior, social influence, development, states of awareness, and psychological disorders are reviewed.
Course objectives: Students will learn (1) how the knowledge base of academic psychology is acquired, (2) many of the field's fundamental concepts, and (3) some of psychology's most recent research findings. Students will develop an appreciation of the under-application of psychological knowledge, and consider how aspects of this knowledge might apply to real-world individual and social problems.
Final grades will be based on all 4 of the exams, according to the following formula. Your best 2 exams will count for 66.67% of your grade (33.335% each) and your worst 2 exams will count for 33.33% of your grade (16.665% each). This will help lesson the impact a low score on one exam might have on your final grade. Remember to bring a computer test form to each exam (8 1/2 by 11). Computer test forms (mark-sense forms) can be purchased at the U.W. bookstore, at the Student Union Building (HUB), and at the ‘By George’ candy store in the basement of the undergraduate library. We do NOT provide these forms in class.
Makeup exams will only be arranged by prior notice. Makeup exams will be essay exams.
Incompletes: Only students with special circumstances beyond their control who have obtained advanced permission from Dr. Leonesio are eligible for a grade of Incomplete.
Extra Credit. Extra credit points can be earned by serving as a research subject in projects approved by the Department of Psychology for that purpose. More information about this program is available at: Psychology experiments are advertised on the bulletin board in the basement waiting area in Guthrie Hall.
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Approximate Grade Scale
PercentGradePercentGradePercentGradePercentGradePercentGrade
1004903.6802.6701.8601.3
994893.5792.5691.8591.3
984883.4782.4681.7581.2
974873.3772.3671.7571.2
964863.2762.2661.6561.1
954853.1752.1651.6551.1
944843742641.554.9
933.9832.9732631.553.9
923.8822.8721.9621.452.8
913.7812.7711.9611.451.7
Note: .7 is the lowest passing grade used at the U. W (i.e., grades of .1 through .6 do not exist at the U.W.)
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