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HONORS INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY
MWF 11:00a-12:00p -> IAC-109
FACULTY INFORMATION:
Office: IAC 214 Email: clifford.j@mccd.edu
COURSE WEB PAGE: http://www.mccd.edu/faculty/cliffordj/
Grades, lecture outlines, announcements, and course information will be maintained on the web page. Check this page regularly for updates.
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
PSYC-01A is a survey course designed to provide introduction to facts and theories underlying human behavior. Special emphasis is given to the following topics: schools of psychology, physiological factors, sensation, perception, motivation, learning, thinking, emotion, abnormal behavior, personality, heredity, environment, and social factors.
EXPECTED STUDENT OUTCOMES:
1. Analyze the major psychological approaches to the study of the behavior of organisms.
2. Compare and contrast the major problems in psychology.
3. Demonstrate knowledge of the origins of psychology as an area of study.
4. Demonstrate knowledge of important contributors to the field of psychology.
5. Demonstrate knowledge of research findings, concepts, and basic terminology.
6. Demonstrate an ability to ask and answer basic questions about human and animal behavior.
7. Demonstrate an understanding of the scientific method.
8. Assess the methods of psychology and appraise their usefulness.
REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS:
Carpenter, S. & Huffman, K. (2008). Visualizing Psychology: Themes and Variations. (1st Edition). Wiley.
· A student companion site is available with numerous useful resources such as quizzes, flashcards, and web links. See the following link:
o http://bcs.wiley.com/he-bcs/Books?action=index&bcsId=3563&itemId=0471767964
· You may purchase the electronic version of the textbook at the following web site:
o http://www.wiley.com/legacy/desktopeditions/soc-psych.html
ADDITIONAL MATERIALS:
Six Scantrons (form No. 882-E) available for purchase at the bookstore.
ACADEMIC HONESTY, CHEATING, AND PLAGIARISM
Academic dishonesty is a violation of the Student Code of Conduct and is handled by the Vice-President of Student Personnel. Merced College has the responsibility to ensure that grades assigned are indicative of the knowledge and skill level of each student. Acts of academic dishonesty make it impossible le to fulfill this responsibility, and they weaken our society. Faculty, students, administrators, and classified staff share this responsibility.
Academic dishonesty includes cheating, plagiarism, collusion, misuse of college computers and software, and other dishonest conduct. Students in violation of the Merced College Academic Honesty Student Code of Conduct are subject to dismissal from this course.
Plagiarism involves directly quoting, summarizing, or paraphrasing the work of others without specific indication of sources, or handing in work that is not the student's own. Cheating is the unauthorized giving or receiving of information in examinations or other exercises. Instructors have the responsibility to report such incidents and serious penalties may be imposed, depending on the nature of the incident.
ATTENDANCE POLICY:
Students are expected to attend each class and to be responsible for all of the materials covered in lecture and text. In most instances lectures will complement and NOT review the assigned reading materials. Consequently, if for some legitimate reason you are unable to attend class it will be advisable for you to make arrangements with another student to acquire the lecture notes and to stop by during my office hours if you have questions regarding the material.
PUNCTUALITY:
It is important to be on time to each class. Quizzes and important announcements will be presented at the beginning of class (e.g., reminders, expanded assignment instructions, changes to the class schedule, etc.). If you are late, you may miss these quizzes and announcements. Do not come late to the final exam. The exam will end when the last person who arrived on time has completed their exam. This means that if the final exam starts at 10am and everyone who arrived on time is finished by 11:30am, the class will end at that time. If you come in at 11:25, you will only have 5 minutes to complete the 80 question exam.
EMAILING THE PROFESSOR:
Every student has a Merced College email account. If you wish to contact me via email, it is best to use your campus email account. The college has a filter that blocks many emails from outside addresses. If you email from another account, you take the risk of having your message blocked. Go to the Merced College homepage (www.mccd.edu) and click on the MCCD Portal to access your email account and many other resources. If you turn in an assignment via email, you do so at your own risk. If I do not receive the message, the assignment will not be accepted or will be counted late. In addition, I will not accept assignments that are sent as attachments. For these reasons, please turn in your assignments in person.
CLASSROOM BEHAVIOR:
For the benefit of everyone, disruptive classroom behavior will not be tolerated. Do not use your cell phones or other devices during class (i.e., do not make or receive calls, text message, take pictures or make audio or video recordings). If you must leave class early for any reason, please inform me prior to the start of class and sit toward the back of the room so that your exit does not create a disturbance. Some of the material covered in this course is controversial. It is important for students to show respect for their classmates and the instructor. Please come to me with any questions or concerns.
WITHDRAWAL FROM THE COURSE
Merced College does NOT assign an automatic "W" or "Withdrawal" grade if you stop attending class or turning in assignments. You will receive an "F" to connote you failed the course. It is your responsibility to officially drop the course by the drop date.
GRADE CONTRACT:
Your course grade will be based on the following:
Exams: There will be 5 exams consisting of approximately 40 multiple choice questions and 2 or 3 short answer or essay questions. Each exam is worth 50 points. The questions will be taken from the text, lectures, guest lectures, class activities, and videos.
(Total Possible Points: 5 X 50 = 250)
Final Exam: The final exam is comprehensive and will consist of 100 questions, each worth .5 points.
(Total Possible Points: 50)
Quizzes and Homework: There will be quizzes given at the beginning of some classes. These quizzes will not be announced and will need to be completed at the beginning of class. If you are late, you will not be able to make up the quiz. Your lowest quiz score will be dropped, so do not panic if you miss one. Questions will come from the text book so you should read the chapters prior to class. The format of the questions will be multiple choice, matching, or short answers.
(Total Possible Points:
40)
Active Learning/Critical Thinking: Throughout the course, you will have many opportunities to participate in group and individual critical thinking activities. You must be in class and participate to earn these points.
(Total Possible Points: 30)
Papers: For this assignment, you will write 4 papers in which you will apply psychological concepts to your personal experiences. The purpose of this assignment is to provide you with an opportunity to practice writing, to apply what you learn, and to help develop critical thinking skills. Grades will be based on relevance to course, application of course material, thoughtfulness, clarity of expression, grammar, spelling, etc. Be sure to relate the assignment to the course material and describe key concepts. Suggested topics are listed below and more will be provided in class throughout the semester. Your papers should be three to four double-spaced typewritten pages in length. Plagiarism will not be tolerated. Be sure to turn your papers in on time. Two points will be subtracted for each day the paper is late.
(Total Possible Points: 60)
So, there are a total of 340 points available, and your course grade will be assigned according to the following criteria:
90% = 306-340 = A
80% = 272-305 = B
70% = 238-271 = C
60% = 204-237 = D
Below 204 = F
Point Record: The record below is provided to assist you in keeping track of your points. All scores are recorded in my grade book and those are the official scores.
Exam 1: /50
Exam 2: /50
Exam 3: /50
Exam 4: /50
Exam 5: /50
Final Exam : /50
Papers: /60
Active Learning: /30
Make-ups: Your lowest scoring exam or final will be dropped. If you miss an exam for ANY reason, that will be the score that is dropped and replaced by your score on the final exam. Except for extraordinary circumstances, make-up tests will not be given. If a make-up is approved, it will be administered with the final exam.
PAPER TOPICS
Paper 1 (Due 9/5/08): Design an experiment to test extrasensory perception (ESP) (worth 5 points)
Write a 2-3 page paper on the following:
Based on the in-class demonstration of your instructor’s “psychic” abilities, develop an hypothesis and design a study to test your explanation utilizing key research terms from Chapter 2 and the lecture.
Paper 2 (Due 9/12/08): Biological Bases of Behavior Writing Project (worth 10 points)
Write a 2-3 page thoughtful response to one the following (choose A or B):
(A)
The Case of Charles Whitman
As a child and young man, Charles Whitman was kind, quiet, and known by all as a "good boy"--serving as both an altar boy and an Eagle Scout. As a student at the University of Texas, however, he began to experience severe headaches, assaulted his wife, and became involved in numerous fights. He confided to his psychiatrist that he was fighting the urge toward even more extreme violent behavior. He lost the fight. Climbing to the top of the campus observation tower with a high-powered rifle, he shot wildly at his fellow students, ultimately killing 14 people and wounding more than 20 before the police finally killed him. An autopsy on Whitman's body revealed a large tumor pressing against his amygdala.
Recognizing that this area of the brain is known to regulate aggressive behaviors in animals (the research is less clear for humans), should Whitman be held fully responsible for his actions? Why or why not? If Whitman had lived, would you have been in favor of capital punishment or life imprisonment for his crimes?
(B)
What do you think about the possible use of brain stimulator implants to achieve control over mental patients? Under what circumstances would you believe such implant procedures should be considered? What about the idea of implanting electrodes in the pleasure centers of all newly born infants? If these electrodes could be used to soothe a crying baby, to replace drug effects in drug addicted teenagers and adults, would there be any disadvantages? Would you be willing to volunteer your own child or yourself for implantation if there was no possibility of physical harm?
Paper 3 (Due 10/10/08): Learning Application (worth 15 points)
The focus of the paper is to answer the question "WHAT HAVE I LEARNED" in my life with as much depth and detail as possible. After reviewing Chapter 6 of your text, please submit a 3-4 page, typed and double spaced paper that includes applications of classical conditioning and/or applications of operant learning. You must include all of the elements of classical and/or operant conditioning. For example, if you choose to discuss classical conditioning you will need to describe the unconditioned stimulus, the unconditioned response, the neutral stimulus, the conditioned stimulus, and the conditioned response. You will want to describe the learning situation in detail. Your goal is to explore your past and its influence on who you are today while demonstrating an understanding of terms, concepts, and application of learning principles. Below are some examples you may follow.
A. Describe a learned food aversion that you experienced. Show how the principles of classical conditioning (the UCS, CS, CR, etc.) applied to your experience.
B. Describe an adolescent emotional experience that involves classical conditioning, such as being embarrassed in school or on a date, getting your first kiss, or having your feelings tied up in a song. Show how the principles of classical conditioning (the UCS, CS, CR, etc.) applied to your experience.
C. Describe a fear or a phobia that was learned through classical conditioning. Show how the principles of classical conditioning (the UCS, CS, CR, etc.) applied to your experience.
D. Describe one of your childhood learning experiences that involved operant conditioning, such as having to do something to get a reward or avoid a punishment. Discuss how the principles of operant conditioning (emitted behavior consequences; reinforcement or punishment/schedules of reinforcement) applied to your learning experience.
E. Describe how you could use the principles of operant conditioning to improve your study habits, such as studying for a longer period of time, taking better notes, or reading assignments before they are due. Discuss how the principles of operant conditioning (emitted behavior consequences; reinforcement or punishment/schedules of reinforcement) applied to your learning experience.
F. Describe a small behavior you would like to change in someone you live with -- a roommate, sibling, parent or partner (e.g., not taking out trash, leaving their stuff in the living room). Discuss how the principles of operant conditioning (emitted behavior consequences; reinforcement or punishment/schedules of reinforcement) applied to your learning experience.
Paper 4 (Due 12/8/08): Critique of Freud (worth 30 points)
For this paper, you will critically evaluate Freud’s interpretation of the case of Little Hans in around 4-5 pages.
Read the following article and describe the case, and Freud interpretations. You will then critically evaluate this case and include at least 4 criticisms or alternative explanations to Freud’s interpretation: A CRITIQUE BASED ON FREUD'S. CASE OF LITTLE HANS by WOLPE & RACHMAN http://www.psychology.sunysb.edu/ewaters/345/2007_freud/little_hans.pdf
Date Topic Reading
Week 1
Aug. 18 Introduction
Aug. 20 Introduction Chapter 1
Aug. 22 Introduction Chapter 1
Week 2
Aug. 25 Research Methods Chapter 1
Aug. 27 Research Methods Chapter 1
Aug. 29 Research Methods Chapter 1
Week 3
Sep. 1 Labor Day *NO CLASS*
Sep. 3 Research Methods Chapter 1
Sep. 5 Neuroscience and Biological Foundations Chapter 2
Paper 1 Due
Week 4
Sep. 8 Neuroscience and Biological Foundations Chapter 2
Sep. 10 Neuroscience and Biological Foundations Chapter 2
Sep. 12 Neuroscience and Biological Foundations Chapter 2
Paper 2 Due
Week 5
Sep. 15 Exam 1 (Chapters 1 & 2)
Sep. 17 Consciousness Chapter 5
Sep. 19 Consciousness Chapter 5
Week 6
Sep. 22 Consciousness Chapter 5
Sep. 24 Learning Chapter 6
Week 7
Sep. 29 Learning Chapter 6
Oct. 1 Learning Chapter 6
Oct. 3 Learning Chapter 6
Week 8
Oct. 6 Exam 2 (Chapters 5, & 6)
Oct. 8 Memory Chapter 7
Oct. 10 Memory Chapter 7
Paper 3 Due
Week 9
Oct. 13 Memory Chapter 7
Oct. 15 Motivation and Emotion Chapter 11
Oct. 17 Motivation and Emotion Chapter 11
Week 10
Oct. 20 Social Psychology Chapter 15
Oct. 22 Social Psychology Chapter 15
Oct. 24 Social Psychology Chapter 15
Week 11
Oct. 27 Social Psychology Chapter 15
Oct. 29 Exam 3 (Chapters 7, 11, & 15)
Oct. 31 Stress and Health Psychology Chapter 3
Week 12
Nov. 3 Stress and Health Psychology Chapter 3
Nov. 5 Stress and Health Psychology Chapter 3
Week 13
Nov. 10 Veteran’s Day *NO CLASS*
Nov. 12 Human Development Chapter 9
Nov. 14 Human Development Chapter 9
Week 14
Nov. 17 Human Development Chapter 9
Nov. 19 Exam 4 (Chapters 9 & 3)
Nov. 21 Personality Chapter 12
Week 15
Nov. 24 Personality Chapter 12
Nov. 26 Personality Chapter 12
Writing Assignment Due
Nov. 28 Thanksgiving Holiday *NO CLASS*
Week 16
Dec. 1 Psychological Disorders Chapter 13
Dec. 3 Psychological Disorders Chapter 13
Dec. 5 Psychological Disorders Chapter 13
Week 17
Dec. 8 Therapy Chapter 14
Paper 4 Due
Dec. 10 Sensation and Perception Chapter 4
Dec. 12 Exam 5 (Chapters 12, 13, & 14)
Week 18 FINAL EXAMINATION TENTATIVE TIMES & DATES
MWF 11:00am-12:00pm -> 10:00am, Friday, December 19th