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Introduction to Psychology (PY101, CRN
#3511, Sec. 13) Fall, 2002 Friday mornings, 9:00 AM to 11:45 AM Room A221 |
Course Description: An introduction to the basic principles, methods of study and theories relating to human behavior. Topics covered include the scientific method, biological aspects of psychology, sensation and perception, altered states of consciousness, memory, major theories of learning, motivation, behavioral change, responses to stress. This course is designed to provide a foundation for other psychology courses offered at this and other colleges.
Prerequisite (or parallel) course: ENGLISH 101
| Instructor: Madeleine Burbank, M.A. | |
| Office: Room 211A Office phone: 332-5174 | |
| Office Hours: Mon/Wed. 12:30-1:30 PM, T/Th 10:00-10:30 AM, Fridays 12-1:00 PM | |
| e-mail address: ho_burbank@commnet.edu | |
| Website for course: access through housatonic.net |
- to provide a solid understanding of psychological concepts and methodology
- to develop appreciation for the complexity and richness of human behavior
- to develop the ability to apply psychological theories to real-life situations
- to develop the ability to think critically and write clearly
- to provide directions for further study in the field of psychology
Course Information
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We will be covering Chapters 1,2,3,5,6,7, and part of 15.
Other Resources: Packaged with the text is a study guide that provides reviews and self-tests. Copies of study guides will be on the website for the course. (New books are packaged with a Media User's Guide which is useful, but not needed for this course.) Sample test questions, as well as copies of any auxiliary materials used, including videos, will be on reserve in the library.
2. Absence/Tardiness policy: Not surprisingly, research shows that attendance correlates highly with achievement. In order to encourage regular attendance and adequate class preparation, there will be an assignment exercise or quiz to be handed in or carried out at the start of each class. These quizzes or assignments will contribute 25% toward the final grade for the course: they will not be graded as to the correctness of the answers, but will be graded instead in terms of the adequacy of effort put into them. They will not be accepted late, but students are encouraged to do each assignment even if a class must be missed, as they are designed to contribute to your understanding of the material. (In order to allow for illness and other unexpected difficulties, two assignments/classes may be missed without affecting your grade.)
b. Attendance alone does not, of course, ensure that learning takes place; class preparedness and participation are important factors in how much a student learns. If you do the assignments and study the material thoroughly, you can do well, but class participation is encouraged, and the instructor will be available for questions before and after classes.
c. If more than one class has to be missed for any unavoidable reason, please contact the instructor.
3. Grading:
- 25% Preparation for class, class attendance and class participation in class will make up 25% of the grade. (Grading: 0-2 classes/assignments missed = 95%, 10 points off for each subsequent assignment/quiz missed.
- 50%% Average of test grades. A test will be given following each major section, with a total of five tests in all. Correct test answers will be posted on the bulletin board outside my office. Tests will be graded as promptly as possible and grades will be posted by a 4 digit number on the course web site as soon as they are available. No make-ups will be given, but the lowest test grade ("0" if a test is missed) will be dropped from the average of these tests and this average will be worth 50% of the total final grade for the course. Correct test answers will be posted on the bulletin board outside my office immediately after the test.
- 25% Final Exam. The final will be cumulative and will be based on the material covered in previous tests as well as materials from the last section of the course. The final exam will make up the remaining 25% of the final grade for the course.
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COURSE OUTLINE (subject to change when necessary) |
Sept 6: Introduction. Orientation on course methods, requirements and
expectations. In-class review of how to study, how to learn, how
to remember, and of behavioral self-management. Lecture: Overview of course
content. Defining psychology. Past
and present: history of the development of psychology as a scientific
discipline (early approaches, important people in the history of
studying the human mind). |
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Sept. 13:
Discussion of homework assignment and questions on
readings. Lecture: Definitions of science, belief, theory and fact.
Current major views of human behavior. Psychology as a profession. Short video on
working as a psychologist. |
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| Sept. 20: This
is a staff training day: there will be no
class!!!! Assignment: Study for Test #1. (For test details, see the web notes.) |
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| Sept 27. Question/answer
session preceding test, then Test #1. Lecture: Introduction to the biology of Psychology. Assignment: Read Chapter 2, pages 45-55, and 63-75. In the Review Manual (Page 45, 46) label the subsystems of the nervous system, and the neuron, the parts of CNS, and label the cortical lobes and subcortical structures of the brain . If you do not have the review manual, draw out or trace the the structures of a) the parts of the nervous system, b) the brain and c) a neuron, and label the various parts. For an animated tutorial on the mechanics of neurons, click on: neurons and how they work . |
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| Oct 4:
Lecture: The evolution of
behavior. The function and structure of
the nervous system. Structure of the
nervous system as a whole and how it works, from simple reflexes to rational thinking..
The peripheral nervous system (PNS) and the central nervous system
(CNS). Neurons, the biological
building blocks of behavior. Assignment: Study pages 55-63 and 75-85. Write a paragraph on how a single neuron both receives information from one neuron and then communicates it to another. Also, if you did not complete the assignment for today, do so. |
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| Oct.
11 Lecture: Structure and function of the neuron. Research on the brain: How do we know what’s going on in
there? Video. Structure and function of the brain. Comparison of the two systems of
communication within the body (endocrine and nervous systems). Assignment: Study for test on Chapter 2. |
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| Oct. 18:
Test #2. I cancelled the lecture which was to be: Introduction to Sensation: the world/brain connection. How do we sense the world? What is the scope of what we can sense? SEE THE WEB NOTES FOR THIS CLASS FOR AN INTRODUCTION TO THE TOPIC. Assignment: Skim the Chapter on sensation and perception. and focus your study on the senses. Writing assignment: begin drafting a detailed essay on a comparison of how visual and auditory information about your environment gets transmitted to the brain, describing the similarities and differences in processes and paths of the flow of these two types of information in detail. Nothing to hand in, but be prepared for mini quiz on readings. |
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Oct. 25:
"Minute
quiz". Lecture: General overview of the sensory organs:
what do they have in common? How is sensation studied?
How do we see? The structures of the eye, the neurology of seeing. The
mechanics of light and color. Comparison with the mechanics of
hearing. |
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| Nov 1:
Lecture: Deafness, causes. Other sensory systems:
Smell, taste, somaesthetic senses. Why are we more aware of some
senses than others? What influences sensitivity to stimuli? Physical
and psychological factors. Discussion of sensory gating. Sensation vs. Perception:
What is reality? Is my reality the same as yours? Do we sense what we
know or know what we sense? The roles of learning, attention and
motivation in perceiving. Seeing: innate skills vs. learned organizing
principles (Grouping, depth perception) in vision. I am available from 12:00 to 1:30 for a study group (A221) or 1:30 to 2:00 for individual questions (office).
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| Nov 8:
Test #3 Lecture: Introduction to States of Consciousness, effects on perception. Biological rhythms, internal clocks, the need for sleep and the role of dreaming. Assignment: Skim Chapter 5, States of Consciousness. Read/study pages 189-212. Write a paragraph on the necessity of sleep. Study pages 213-231. Write a short summary of at least two theories of the origins and functions of dreams. Which theory do you find most credible? Use examples from your own experience to support your statements. |
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Nov. 15
Lecture: The stages and
states of sleep. Sleep deprivation, jet lag, shift work, sleep
apnea and other sleep disorders. Videos on sleep and dreaming. Handout
on recent research on dreaming. Discussion of other altered states of
consciousness. |
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Nov. 22. Test #4 |
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| Nov. 29 Thanksgiving Break: Read these web notes for information on memory as well.. | ||
| Dec. 6: Lecture: Learned vs. innate behaviors.. The big question: How do we learn? The
behavioral ABC's: associations and reinforcements. Classical conditioning: phobias and
other aspects of classical conditioning. In class exercises in classical
conditioning. Short video on conditioning. How operant conditioning works.
Reinforcement schedules, operant conditioning in real life; effects of punishment.
Beyond conditioning: what are some other kinds of learning? cognitive
learning, latent learning, discovery learning, observational learning and social
imitation. . Learning vs. remembering. We will began the
section on memory. Please read this chapter carefully for next week Assignment: read/study the material on learning and memory and review the web notes posted for Nov. 29th. |
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Dec. 13 Lecture: Memory: recall,
recognition and relearning. Attention and the role of meaning in memory: forgetting,
repression and suppression. Memory vs. fantasy and dreams. Second lecture topic: Stress and eustress: positive and negative effects. The effects of
perception and personality on stress. Psychological defense mechanisms, threat,
frustration, approach/avoidance, depression and learned hopelessness. Coping
mechanisms and the power of positive thinking. |
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| Friday, Dec. 20: FINAL EXAM | ||
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For Class Notes and details on assignments, click on the date of the class you are interested in. |
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To access test scores, click on GRADES |
