PSYCH110

General Psychology (Ref# 96318)

Course Syllabus

Spring 2004

                                                                      

Instructor

Ms. Patricia A. Marsh

Office

226 Anderson Hall

Office Phone

532-5712

Email

 

Web

www-personal.ksu.edu/~pmarsh

Appointments

Arranged with instructor

 

 Course Information

Time:  MW 5:30 – 7:55 p.m. from March 15th – May 12th      

Place:  226 Eisenhower

Credit:  3-hours

Offered through:  Division of Continuing Education—Evening College

 

            Text:  Available at Varney’s Bookstore

                        Title:  Invitation to Psychology (Second Edition; 2002). 

                        Authors:  Carole Wade and Carol Tavris

                        Publisher:  Prentice Hall

 

Course Description

This course is an introduction to the diverse field of psychology that emphasizes:  (1) the scientific foundation of psychology (e.g., biological, methodological, and critical thinking roots); (2) the basic principles of behavior and the factors that influence its expression; and (3) the application of psychological principles to everyday experiences and problems.

 

Course Goals (What the instructor will do)

 

  1. Provide students with information, discussions, assignments, and exams that will help them to develop a better understanding of the field of psychology.

 

  1. Provide opportunities to better understand students’ own lives and goals through the application of psychological principles (e.g., understanding the connection between thoughts and physiological activity).

 

  1. Help students to understand the common terminology used by psychologists.

 

Student Learning Outcomes

 

(What the students will be able to do by the end of the semester).

 

Through written and verbal forms of communication, students will be able to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of . . .

  1. The basic characteristics of the science of psychology as a discipline and as a practice.
    1. The different research methods used by psychologists.
    2. The strengths and limitations of various research designs.
    3. The different types of research designs that permit causal inferences from those that do not.
    4. The necessity for ethical behavior in all aspects of the science and practice of psychology.
  2. The various perspectives of psychology such as the behavioral, cognitive, evolutionary, humanistic, psychodynamic, and sociocultural perspectives.
  3. How sociocultural and international contexts influence individual differences.
  4. Applying psychological concepts, theories, and/or research findings to their personal lives.

 

 

Students will also:

  1. Demonstrate a beginner’s level of skepticism and intellectual curiosity by asking questions about causes of behavior.
  2. Recognize and respect human diversity and understand that psychological explanations may vary across cultures, populations, and contexts.
  3. Demonstrate effective writing skills in various formats such as essays, correspondences, technical papers, note taking, and written assignments.

 

 

Grade Philosophy

Because your grade is based on the work you do and not on the performance of your classmates, there is no reason that everyone cannot earn an “A” in this course.  In addition, because your grade will reflect your mastery of the material rather than your relative position in the class, curving of test grades (and final grades) will not be a regular occurrence.  However, because I recognize that a poorly worded test question may pop up here or there, I reserve the right to shift the class’ grades on individual exams upward to a reasonable level.


Course grades will be assigned by the number of possible points (not by percentage) accumulated in the class.

            A = 459 – 510+                                               D = 306 – 356 

            B = 408 – 458                                                 F = < 306

            C = 357 – 407  

 

Assignment

Description

Point Value

Your Scores

Quizzes

 

Throughout the course there will be 6 quizzes.   At least 4 quizzes will be in-class.  Quizzes cannot be taken after they have been given in-class (i.e., there are no makeup quizzes).

 

6 (x 15)

 

[90 pts]

 

___    ___    ___   

___    ___    ___   

 

 

Mini Paper

 

The purpose for this type of assignment is twofold:  (1) to improve your writing skills in addition to learning APA format for citations and references, and (2) to apply information learned in the course to events in your daily life.  Typical length of this assignment is 2 pages.  Finer details of the tasks will be discussed in class.

 

 

20

 

 

____

Exams

There are three exams in this course, with each exam being worth more points than the previous exam.  Each exam is a combination of the following possible question formats:  multiple choice, short answer, short essay, fill-in-the-blank, T/F, and/or matching.  Exam results and questions will be discussed in class and/or over email. 

I reserve the right to keep the exams.

There are no makeup exams.

 

 

1 (x 75)

1 (x 150)

1 (x 175)

 

[400 pts]

 

____     

____

____      

  

 

 

 

Extra Credit

 

The objective is to design (propose) a research experiment demonstrating your understanding and application of research methodology as used in the Social Sciences.  Typical length of this assignment is 3-5 pages.  APA style for citations and references will be used.  The heart of psychology is its research and this assignment will help you to understand the importance of research.  If interested, please talk with me. 

 

 

1 (x 40)

 

 

____

 

Total Points

 

 

 

510

 

Course Outline

The following is a listing of the chapters and topics that will be discussed.  I reserve the right to keep this outline flexible and to make adjustments if needed.

 

Date

Chapter

Topic

Event(s):

 

3/15

1

What is Psychology?

 

3/17

1

2

What is Psychology?

Theories of Personality

 

3/22-3/26

3

Development over the Life Span (on your own)

Spring Break:  

No class

3/29

5

Sensation and Perception

 

3/31

4

Neurons, Hormones, and the Brain

 

4/5

4

Neurons, Hormones, and the Brain

Due:  Mini-paper

 

 

 

 

 

4/7

 

6

 

Thinking and Intelligence

Exam 1

(chapters 1-2, 4-5)

 

4/12

6

7

Thinking and Intelligence

Memory

 

4/14

7

8

Memory

Learning

 

4/19

9

Behavior in Social & Cultural Context

 

4/21

9

Behavior in Social & Cultural Context

 

 

 

 

 

4/26

 

12

 

Emotions, Stress and Health

Exam 2

(chapters 6-9)

 

4/28

12

Emotions, Stress and Health

 

5/3

13

The Major Motives of Life:  Love, Sex, Food and Work

 

5/5

13

The Major Motives of Life:  Love, Sex, Food and Work

 

5/10

10

11

Psychological Disorders

Approaches to Treatment and Therapy

(On your own.  Bring your questions to class)

 

 

 

 

 

5/12

 

 

Final Exam

(chapters 12-13)

(bonus questions from chapters 10-11)

 

Instructor Policies

  1. Take-home assignments are to be typed, word-processed, or printed VERY NEATLY double-spaced, with 1" for all margins, and in 12 point font. Proper grammar, punctuation, and spelling are expected on all assignments; i.e., points will be deducted if not followed.

 

  1. Please take advantage of appointments. They are set aside so that you can clarify any questions or concerns you have about the class or assist you if you are having difficulty with the class or a particular assignment. My goal in this course is for you to excel and learn something useful, but I cannot do this without some effort on your part.

 

  1. I will not drop students from the class. It is the student’s responsibility to drop from the course if s/he chooses. Simply not attending class or not taking tests is not sufficient. Any student on the roster at the end of the semester will receive a grade regardless of attendance or test performance.

 

  1. The class schedule listed here is tentative, and while I do not plan too many changes, I reserve the right to adjust it as necessary. If you miss a lecture, you should contact someone in the class to find out if I have made any announcements.

 

  1. Attendance Policy: Attendance allows you the opportunity to maximize your learning potential, and is therefore expected. Class attendance is a serious and vital responsibility for all students. Missing class puts you at a significant disadvantage. Obtaining lecture notes for missed classes is your responsibility. If you know in advance that you will be missing class on major due dates or for long periods of time, please notify me immediately and make sure that any missed work is completed in advance of the due date. Attendance does NOT mean that you show up to class and read a newspaper. Individuals, who exhibit behavior that the instructor considers disrespectful or a hindrance to the learning process, will be asked to leave the classroom.

KSU Academic Honesty Statement

Plagiarism and cheating are serious offenses and may be punished by failure on the exam, paper or project; failure in the course; and/or expulsion from the university.  For more information refer to the ‘Academic Dishonesty’ policy in the Undergraduate Honor System (https://webmail.ksu.edu/redirect?http://www.k-state.edu/honor).

KSU Honor Code

On all assignments, examinations, or other course work undertaken by a student in this class, the following pledge is implied, whether or not it is stated:  “On my honor, as a student, I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid on this academic work”.

KSU Accommodations for Disabilities

Any student with a physical and/or learning disability who needs an accommodation or other assistance in this course should make an appointment to speak with me as soon as possible.

 

Copyright Ó 2004 Patricia A. Marsh as to this syllabus and all lectures. Students are prohibited from selling (or being paid for taking) notes during this course to or by any person or commercial firm without the express written permission of the instructor teaching this course.