| Introduction to Psychology PSYC 1000-01, Spring 2003 Core 6 Meets MWF 11:00-11:50 am and Th 09:00 am-09:50 am in Sullivan-Harrell Hall, Room 321 Instructor: Xavier Sonnerat Office: Sullivan-Harrell Hall, Room 385 Office Hours: MWF afternoons; drop by or schedule an appointment Phone: 974-1384 Email: xav_son_psy@hotmail.com Website: http://www.oocities.org/xavsonnerat/PSYC1000-01 Required Text: Zimbardo, P. G., Weber, A. L., & Johnson, R. L. (2000). Psychology (3rd edition). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. You may also want to visit the website related to this book to help you prepare for class and exams at http://cwabacon.pearsoned.com/bookbind/pubbooks/zimbardo2_ab Additional readings may be assigned in class throughout the semester Course Description and Objectives: This course will introduce you to psychology as a scientific discipline. Psychology is composed of many sub-fields, each designed to study a particular aspect of behavior and cognition. Thus, although the most well known kind of psychology is probably counseling, in this class we will also discuss the biological bases of behavior as well as current theories on memory, thinking, intelligence, human development, perception, motivation, and social/cultural influences. Many students become overwhelmed when they realize how broad the field of psychology is. Therefore, one of the main goals of this course is to integrate knowledge gained from the sub-disciplines of psychology into a larger picture of human thought and behavior. Another important goal of the class is to understand how what you read in your book relates to your everyday experience of the world, and how you can use your newly acquired knowledge to become better human beings and improve your quality of life. Finally, using the scientific method to study complex behaviors does not guarantee that “facts” introduced in your book represent an accurate picture of reality. Therefore, special emphasis will be placed on thinking critically about the research on which current knowledge is based, and questioning the assumptions held by researchers and practitioners. By the end of the semester, you should have acquired the necessary skills to see the connection between the different areas of psychology, and apply at least some of the information to your life. In the long run, I hope the class will also help you in the important task of incorporating large amounts of diverse information into a global understanding of human thoughts and behaviors. Finally, we will further develop your ability to think critically and creatively about complex issues, thus helping you in many aspects of your life. Course Format: This is your class. True learning can only occur by processing new information actively. In other words, passively listening to a lecture and taking notes does not lead to a good understanding of information. Thus, your book and other assigned readings will provide you with basic “factual” information, and class time will be used to discuss this material, compare different points of view, integrate the information with prior knowledge, participate in activities that illustrate important concepts, and put these concepts into practice when possible. Your role in building a good learning environment is crucial. You will be expected to have read all assigned materials prior to class and to share your thoughts, ideas, and experiences with the class in an open-minded fashion so that we can all learn from each other. You will also be expected to come to class with questions regarding what you read, so that we can spend time going over concepts that are difficult to understand, and focus on issues that the class thinks are most important. Course Requirements: 1. Attendance It would be a mistake not to attend every class, as, due to the class format discussed above, you would miss many important aspects of the course. Although reading the book is necessary to learn information, it is in no way sufficient to gain a satisfactory understanding of the material. The exams will be structured to test your understanding of psychological processes and your ability to apply this knowledge. Not attending class will prevent you from participating in discussions and activities, which could greatly impair you and affect your participation grade. Every time you miss class without excusing your absence, 2 points will be taken off your participation/attendance grade. If you were to miss class for any reason, it would be your responsibility to see me and inquire about what was done in class and whether you missed an assignment. You should also ask your classmates for their notes. Please warn me in advance if you know you are going to miss a class. Also, please be courteous of everybody in the class by arriving promptly and not disrupting class. Being consistently late would also impact your attendance grade. 2. Reaction papers Reading the assigned chapters before coming to class is an essential part of the course. The book will familiarize you with the concepts we will explore in more depth in class and will provide very useful background information for discussion. To help you prepare for class and to get you to start thinking about the issues covered in the chapter you will have to write and turn in a 1- to 2-page paper (see format for writing assignments below) on the day we start talking about a specific topic. Your paper should not be a summary of the chapter. Rather, it is your opportunity to apply the materials in the book to examples in your daily life, or to think critically about certain aspects of the chapter. Also, you can use a paragraph in your paper to tell me what information in the book you did not master and thus what information you would like me to lecture on in class for greater understanding of a concept. I will then use your comments and questions in the following class periods, thus making the class interactive instead of me lecturing on information you already mastered or have no interest in. These papers should give you the opportunity to express you ideas, concerns, and needs, as well as to explore your interests and ways to apply psychology to your life. You will have to turn-in 7 reaction papers of your choice throughout the semester, and I advise you to start doing so early. Papers will be graded on a 10-point scale; papers turned in late will be have the grade halved. No paper will be accepted after April 17. Please pledge your papers. 3. Exams A. Regular Exams Four exams will be given during the semester. Each of them will focus on materials covered in the assigned chapters. Exams will consist of multiple-choice items, short-answer questions, as well as essay questions designed to test your critical thinking skills and how well you can apply your knowledge to practical situations. Questions will focus on basic information covered in your book, lecture materials, and major themes brought up in discussions. Details about how to study efficiently for these exams will be discussed in class throughout the semester. Please feel free to see me if you have any concerns regarding the tests. B. Make-Up Exams If you know you are going to miss an exam, please see me as soon as possible so that we can make the necessary arrangements for you to take the test early. If you do not notify me of your absence early enough, or if you miss the exam altogether, you will be given the opportunity to take a make-up test if and only if you bring me the written proof of an extreme case of emergency. If you miss the exam and do not take the make-up test you will be given a 0. C. Final Exam The final exam will be comprehensive and will consist mainly of multiple-choice items, though I may add an essay question. It will focus on information covered in the previous exams (presented differently, of course), and will thus test your global understanding of the psychological processes discussed throughout the semester. Students who have already shown mastery of the material by getting an A on each of the regular exams and also have a final average of at least 93 may choose not to take the final exam. 4. Research Paper An APA (American Psychological Association) research paper will be required. Students may work on papers in groups of up to 4 people. The paper will follow the format used in most psychological journals and will be based on research that we conduct in class. Each person in the group will turn in all of the sections of the paper, and the group will edit and compile the best of each person's sections for one final group version. The format required for the paper and the group assignments will be discussed in class in detail. On two dates during the semester (see schedule) various sections of the paper will be due, and groups will have the opportunity to work on the group paper in class. Each student will be responsible for emailing copies of these drafts to me and the other members of their group. These drafts will not be graded, but you will lose 5 points off of your final paper grade for each section that you do not turn in on these due dates (this will not affect everyone in the group; only your personal paper grade). It is essential that you attend class if you wish to do well on the paper. The paper will be worth 100 points. Five of these points will be based on your group's rating of your performance. The paper is due on Friday April 25. If your group does not hand in the paper by this date, you will lose 25 points per day. There will be no exceptions to the above policies. For your information: Take advantage of the Writing Center for your paper! They can help. The Writing Center is located in John Stone Hall. Its hours are Monday through Thursday 2-5 and 6-9, Thursday and Friday 10-1, and Sunday 6-9. For more info go to http://www.millsaps.edu/dean/writing/center_info.htm 5. Activities/In-Class Exercises/Participation Throughout the semester you will have the opportunity to take part in several kinds of activities such as watching videos, designing small experiments, discussing key issues in small groups, and writing on critical thinking questions related to the materials presented in the book and discussed in class. Active participation in these activities will affect your final grade. 6. Assignments for Extra Credit For those of you with additional eagerness to learn about psychology, or in need of improving their grade, extra-credit assignments may be given on an irregular basis. For the moment, I have two assignments in mind. You will notice that, although you have to turn-in only 7 reaction papers, you will have 14 opportunities to do so. If you so desire, you will get extra credit (1 point for good papers, 0.5 point for average papers, 0 point for poor papers) for each reaction paper you turn in after the 7th one. Again, no paper will be accepted after April 17. Additionally, you will be given the opportunity to participate in experiments done in the psychology department. You will earn 1 extra credit point for each experiment you participate in. Email Account: Every student at Millsaps College has a user-ID. For this course you are required to activate this account and check your email. I often email the class due dates for assignments, reminders, or class changes through email. It is your responsibility to check your email for this information. Course Grade: The grade for the course will be determined as follows: Participation/Activities 5 % of final grade Reaction Papers 8 % of final grade Research Paper 10 % of final grade Regular Exams 52 % of final grade (13% each) Final Exam 25 % of final grade Grading Scale: No curve will be used to compute your grades. Grades will be rounded to the nearest whole number (decimal value of .50 and above will be rounded up, and decimal values of .49 and below will be rounded down). A 93-100 B 83-86 C 73-76 D 63-66 A- 90-92 B- 80-82 C- 70-72 D- 60-62 B+ 87-89 C+ 77-79 D+ 67-69 F 59 & below Format for writing assignments: All assigned papers should be typed in ‘Times New Roman’ 12-point font, double-spaced, with 1-inch margins at the top and bottom and 1- to 1.25-inch margins on the left and right (default setting on Word 97 and Word Perfect). Using another format will result in loss of points on the grade. Academic Misconduct: Millsaps College takes the Honors Code very seriously. Academic misconduct, such as cheating on exams or plagiarizing papers, will be promptly reported to the Honors Council. Special Needs: If you need special assistance in the classroom due to a disability of any kind, please inform me of what I could do to assist you as soon as possible. Liberal Arts Abilities: As part of the Social Science Core Requirement, this course contains all of the Liberal Arts Abilities listed below. Reasoning: Through the use of scientific method students will practice reasoning to determine the value of various theories, and work through their own ideas concerning psychology as the study of behavior and mental processes. Communication: Students will be expected to coherently express their thoughts and ideas during the semester through classroom discussions, written exams, and the research paper. Quantitative Thinking: Students will collect and discuss the significance of numerical data throughout the semester. Historical Consciousness: In order to understand current psychological theories, it is important to follow the progression of this relatively new field and discuss the major advances and insights that have been developed over the years. Aesthetic Judgment: Creativity plays a crucial role in the development of new theories and new methodology to study mental processes or behavior. Global and Multicultural Awareness: In order to study behavior and mental processes, we must be aware that there are individual differences among humans that are often related varied cultural experiences. Valuing and Decision Making: In psychology, it is important for students to understand and appreciate different moral viewpoints and consider these values and beliefs before making decisions. Students will learn to use the scientific method to better appreciate value systems and the importance of decision-making skills. Academic Honor Code of Millsaps College: Millsaps College is an academic community dedicated to the pursuit of scholarly inquiry and intellectual growth. The foundation of this community is a spirit of personal honesty and mutual trust. Through their Honor Code, the students of Millsaps College affirm their adherence to these basic ethical principles. An Honor Code is not simply a set of rules and procedures governing the students' academic conduct. It is an opportunity to put personal responsibility and integrity into action. When students agree to abide by an Honor Code, they liberate themselves to pursue their academic goals in an atmosphere of mutual confidence and respect. The success of the Code depends on the support of each member of the community. Students and faculty alike commit themselves in their work to principles of academic honesty. When they become aware of infractions, both students and faculty are obligated to report them to the Honor Council, which is responsible for enforcement. The pledge signed by all students upon entering the College is as follows: As a Millsaps College student, I hereby affirm that I understand the Honor Code and am aware of its implications and of my responsibility to the Code. In the interests of expanding the atmosphere of respect and trust in the College, I promise to uphold the Honor Code and I will not tolerate dishonest behavior in myself or in others. Each examination, quiz, or other assignment that is to be graded will carry the pledge: "I hereby certify that I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid on this assignment. (Signature)" The abbreviation "Pledged" followed by the student's signature has the same meaning and may be acceptable on assignments other than final examinations. It is the responsibility of students and faculty to report offenses to the Honor Code Council in the form of a written report. This account must be signed, the accusation explained in as much detail as possible, and submitted to the Dean of the College. Note: Although I did my best to provide accurate information in this syllabus, I reserve the right to make changes at any time if they become necessary. The following tentative schedule may also be modified in the future to allow flexibility for the class’ special needs and interests. I will give you as much notice as possible if any changes are made, and an updated version of this syllabus will always be posted on the class website at http://www.oocities.org/xavsonnerat/PSYC1000-01. Although I put a lot of thought into preparing this course, please feel free to share your ideas with me about ways to improve it at any point during the semester. As stated above, this is your class and you should see me as an instrument you can use to enhance your learning experience. Any constructive feedback will always be appreciated. Tentative Schedule Date Assignments January Mon 13 Course overview Wed 15 Talk about Chapter 1; Reaction Paper due* Thur 16 Read Chapter 1 Fri 17 Talk about Chapter 1. Form groups for paper and schedule appointment to discuss paper topic Mon 20 Read Chapter 2; Reaction Paper due* Wed 22 Talk about Chapter 2 Thur 23 Talk about Chapter 2 Fri 24 Talk about how to write the research paper Mon 27 Read Chapter 5; Reaction Paper due* Wed 29 Talk about Chapter 5 Thur 30 Talk about Chapter 5 Fri 31 Talk about Chapter 5 February Mon 3 Read Chapter 3; Reaction Paper due* Wed 5 Talk about Chapter 3 Thur 6 Review Fri 7 Test 1 Mon 10 Go over Test 1 Wed 12 Read Chapter 6; Reaction Paper due* Thur 13 Talk about Chapter 6 Fri 14 Talk about Chapter 6 Mon 17 Read Chapter 7; Reaction Paper due* Wed 19 Talk about Chapter 7 Thur 20 Talk about Chapter 7 Fri 21 No Class; Introduction and Method sections due Mon 24 Read Chapter 12; Reaction Paper due* Wed 26 Talk about Chapter 12 Thur 27 Talk about Chapter 12 Fri 28 Work on Group Research Paper in class March Mon 3 Review Wed 5 Test 2 Thur 6 Read Chapter 4; Reaction Paper due* Fri 7 Go over Test 2 Mon 10 NO CLASS: Spring break Wed 12 NO CLASS: Spring break Thur 13 NO CLASS: Spring break Fri 14 NO CLASS: Spring break Mon 17 Talk about Chapter 4 Wed 19 Talk about Chapter 4 Thur 20 Read Chapter 8; Reaction Paper due* Fri 21 Talk about Chapter 8 Mon 24 Talk about Chapter 8 Wed 26 Read Chapter 11; Reaction Paper due* Thur 27 Talk about Chapter 11 Fri 28 Review Mon 31 Test 3 April Wed 2 Talk about Chapter 9 Thur 3 Read Chapter 9; Reaction Paper due* Fri 4 Gone to conference; no class Mon 7 Read Chapter 10; Reaction Paper due* Wed 9 Talk about Chapter 10; Results and Discussion sections Thur 10 Read Chapter 13; Reaction Paper due* Fri 11 Work on Group Research Paper in class Mon 14 Talk about Chapter 13 Wed 16 Read Chapter 14; Reaction Paper due* Thur 17 Talk about Chapter 14 Fri 18 NO CLASS: Good Friday Mon 21 Review Wed 23 Test 4 Thur 24 Go over Test 4, wrap things up Fri 25 General review for final. Group Research Paper due at noon; Extra credit: attend Jay Nussbaum's talk in AC 215 Mon 28 Final Exam @ 2pm * If this is not one of the 7 topics you want to write on you of course don’t have to turn in anything on that date, although you should still read the chapter carefully to be able to participate in class. |
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| Students: Scroll down to the schedule and click on the appropriate date to get the outline for that class period. (Please let me know if you have any problems doing so) |