(PSY 1513), 2018 COURSE SYLLABUS

Transcription

1 Northeast Mississippi Community College Humanities and Social/Behavioral Sciences Psychology Department General Psychology (PSY 1513), Spring 2018 COURSE SYLLABUS Contents COURSE & INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION:... 2 CATALOG DESCRIPTION... 2 REQUIRED TEXT... 2 COURSE EXPECTATIONS... 2 SUPPORTING MATERIALS:... 2 ATTENDANCE... 3 COURSE OUTCOMES:... 3 STUDENT OUTCOMES:... 3 Unit 1:... 3 Unit 2:... 4 Unit 3:... 5 Unit 4:... 6 ASSESSMENT... 9 EVALUATION... 9 ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES & EVALUATIONS:... 9 TEACHING METHODS ACADEMIC HONESTY: AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT/SECTION 504 OF THE REHABILITATION ACT OF (ADA)... 10

2 COURSE & INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION: General Psychology, PSY 1513, 3 Hours Dr. Tabitha Perrigo Office: Patterson Hall Rm. #219 Classroom: Patterson Hall Rm. #206 Phone: (662) tcperrigo@nemcc.edu *NOTE: Please use your NEMCC for all electronic correspondence with me. Please feel free to stop by my classroom or come by my office at any time between or after classes. My class and student conference times are posted on my office door, and on Canvas. CATALOG DESCRIPTION: This course includes a broad range of general psychological (cognitive, emotional, behavioral, psychosocial, biopsychological, and developmental) terms, concepts, principles, methods, and theories. It will involve the promotion of critical and independent thinking through reading, advanced writing, and discussion activities among students in these respective topic areas associated with current research and ethical issues. REQUIRED TEXT: Psychology, Openstax College Rice University ISBN Your textbook can be found at and is free. You can download the PDF and view the textbook online. ***Other required reading will be provided on Canvas as it is assigned. COURSE EXPECTATIONS 1. The pace of instruction and required student activity will be set by the instructor. 2. The course is divided into five units including 3 or more chapters per unit (see the Course Outcomes and Learning Objectives Section of this Syllabus). 3. We will cover course information and activities for one complete unit before I allow anyone to move to the next sequential unit. 4. Attendance will be monitored weekly by timely submission of academic-related activities (see Attendance section below). 5. Failure to submit assignments in a timely manner will result in: a) An absence. b) Missed Exams: You may make up a missed exam at a designated time during the semester. If you fail to make up the exam at the designated time, you will have a grade of 0. c) Assignments: Work must be submitted in a timely fashion. If you turn in an assignment late, 10% of the value of the assignment will be deducted. If you attempt to turn in an assignment after the allowed makeup period, it will count as a 0. SUPPORTING MATERIALS: Faculty website, library online databases, Canvas, textbook companion website.

3 ATTENDANCE: Attendance is mandatory. Attendance will be monitored by timely submission of academic-related activities. Each week, students should submit academic related activities to gauge attendance in the online classroom. An academically-related activity can include: taking a quiz or examination, submitting an academic assignment, posting a discussion activity concerning academic activities, and completing online tutorials and computer-based activities, etc. A student is expected to complete all assignments by the appropriate due date. Failure to complete such assignments by the due date will result in an absence. Students will be cut by the instructor on the third absence, barring any extenuating circumstance. COURSE OUTCOMES: After completion of the course, each student should be able to perform the following: 1. Demonstrate three of the basic processes of critical thinking, (such as, objectively form and analyze positions/assertions on psychological phenomenon, search and evaluate evidence in support of or opposition to positions/assertions and conceptualize positions/assertions within formal theory (i.e., apply assertions, empirical evidence, and theoretical explanations in intellectual arguments). 2. Identify attitudes and value systems essential to establishing human dignity, respect, and tolerance for cultural diversity and differing worldviews. 3. Identify how norms of immediate and global cultures contribute to any approach proposed to describe, explain, predict, and control human thinking, emotion, behavior and development. 4. Describe basic processes that are essential for one to establish self-awareness, selfesteem, autonomy, and self-actualization (specific cognitive processes and experiences associated with attaining these attributes). 5. Identify the major contributions of psychological history and current systems to the understanding of human behavior. 6. Identify basic psychological research methods and design used to investigate various psychological phenomenon. 7. Demonstrate understanding of major conceptual positions, principles, issues, limitations, theories and respective models of the major psychological (psychoanalytical, behavioral, cognitive, humanistic, and biopsychological) schools of thought. 8. Demonstrate independent, empirical and theoretical thinking when evaluating the major psychological theories STUDENT OUTCOMES: Unit 1: Chapter 1 & 2: 1. Identify psychology's historical roots, schools of thought, current perspectives, major issues, and academic and professional subfields. 2. Identify and explain the basic terms, principles, concepts, and methods

4 associated with psychological science. 3. Explain how scientific research addresses questions about behavior. 4. Discuss how scientific research guides public policy. Describe the different research methods used by psychologists. 5. Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of case studies, naturalistic observation, surveys, and archival research. 6. Compare longitudinal and cross-sectional approaches to research. 7. Recognize that correlation does not indicate a cause-and-effect relationship between variables. Discuss how experimenter or participant bias could affect the results of an experiment. Unit 2: Chapters Explain the basic principles of the theory of evolution by natural selection. Discuss how gene-environment interactions are critical for expression of physical and psychological characteristics. Recognize the differences between genotype & phenotype. Identify the basic parts of a neuron. 2. Explain how drugs act as agonists or antagonists for a given neurotransmitter system. Differentiate between the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions of the autonomic nervous system. 3. Identify the hemispheres and lobes of the brain. Explain the functions of the spinal cord. Recognize the types of techniques available to clinicians and researchers to image or scan the brain. 4. Understand what is meant by consciousness. Explain how circadian rhythms are involved in regulating the sleep-wake cycle, and how circadian cycles can be disrupted. Discuss the concept of sleep debt 5. Differentiate between REM and non-rem sleep. Describe the differences between the four stages of non-rem sleep. Understand the role that REM and non-rem sleep play in learning and memory. 6. Describe the symptoms and treatments of insomnia. Recognize the symptoms of several parasomnias. Describe the symptoms and treatments for sleep apnea. Recognize risk factors associated with sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and steps to prevent it. Describe the symptoms and treatments for narcolepsy. 7. Describe the diagnostic criteria for substance use disorders. Identify the neurotransmitter systems affected by various categories of drugs. Describe how different categories of drugs effect behavior and experience. 8. Distinguish between sensation and perception. Describe the concepts of absolute threshold and difference threshold. Discuss the roles attention, motivation, and sensory adaptation play in perception. 9. Describe important physical features of wave forms. Show how physical properties of light waves are associated with perceptual experience. Show how physical properties of sound waves are associated with perceptual experience.

5 10. Describe the basic anatomy of the visual system. Discuss how rods and cones contribute to different aspects of vision. Describe how monocular and binocular cues are used in the perception of depth. 11. Describe the basic anatomy and function of the auditory system. Explain how we encode and perceive pitch. Discuss how we localize sound. 12. Explain the figure-ground relationship. Define Gestalt principles of grouping. Describe how perceptual set is influenced by an individual s characteristics and mental state. Unit 3: Chapters Explain how learned behaviors are different from instincts and reflexes. Define learning. Recognize and define three basic forms of learning classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and observational learning. 2. Explain how classical conditioning occurs. Summarize the processes of acquisition, extinction, spontaneous recovery, generalization, and discrimination. 3. Define operant conditioning. Explain the difference between reinforcement and punishment. Distinguish between reinforcement schedules. 4. Define observational learning. Discuss the steps in the modeling process. Explain the prosocial and antisocial effects of observational learning. 5. Describe cognition. Distinguish concepts and prototypes. Explain the difference between natural and artificial concepts. 6. Define language and demonstrate familiarity with the components of language. Understand how the use of language develops. Explain the relationship between language and thinking. 7. Describe problem solving strategies. Define algorithm and heuristic. Explain some common roadblocks to effective problem solving. 8. Define intelligence. Explain the triarchic theory of intelligence. Identify the difference between intelligence theories. Explain emotional intelligence. 9. Explain how intelligence tests are developed. Describe the history of the use of IQ tests. Describe the purposes and benefits of intelligence testing. 10. Discuss the three basic functions of memory. Describe the three stages of memory storage. Describe and distinguish between procedural and declarative memory and semantic and episodic memory. 11. Explain the brain functions involved in memory. Recognize the roles of the hippocampus, amygdala, and cerebellum. 12. Compare and contrast the two types of amnesia. Discuss the unreliability of eyewitness testimony. Discuss encoding failure. Discuss the various memory errors. Compare and contrast the two types of interference 13. Recognize and apply memory-enhancing strategies. Recognize and apply effective study techniques.

6 Unit 4: Chapters 9, 10, & Define and distinguish between the three domains of development: physical, cognitive and psychosocial. Discuss the normative approach to development. Understand the three major issues in development: continuity and discontinuity, one common course of development or many unique courses of development, and nature versus nurture 2. Discuss Freud s theory of psychosexual development Describe the major tasks of child and adult psychosocial development according to Erikson. Discuss Piaget s view of cognitive development and apply the stages to understanding childhood cognition 3. Describe Kohlberg s theory of moral development. Describe the stages of prenatal development and recognize the importance of prenatal care. 4. Discuss physical, cognitive, and emotional development that occurs from infancy through childhood. Discuss physical, cognitive, and emotional development that occurs during adolescence. Discuss physical, cognitive, and emotional development that occurs in adulthood 5. Discuss hospice care. Describe the five stages of grief. Define living will and DNR. 6. Define intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Understand that instincts, drive reduction, self-efficacy, and social motives have all been proposed as theories of motivation. Explain the basic concepts associated with Maslow s hierarchy of needs 7. Describe how hunger and eating are regulated. Differentiate between levels of overweight and obesity and the associated health consequences. Explain the health consequences resulting from anorexia and bulimia nervosa. 8. Understand basic biological mechanisms regulating sexual behavior and motivation. Appreciate the importance of Alfred Kinsey s research on human sexuality. Recognize the contributions that William Masters and Virginia Johnson s research made to our understanding of the sexual response cycle. Define sexual orientation and gender identity 9. Explain the major theories of emotion. Describe the role that limbic structures play in emotional processing. Understand the ubiquitous nature of producing and recognizing emotional expression. 10. Differentiate between stimulus-based and response-based definitions of stress. Define stress as a process. Differentiate between good stress and bad stress. Describe the early contributions of Walter Cannon and Hans Selye to the stress research field. Understand the physiological basis of stress and describe the general adaptation syndrome. 11. Describe different types of possible stressors. Explain the importance of life changes as potential stressors. Describe the Social Readjustment Rating Scale. Understand the concepts of job strain and job burnout. 12. Explain the nature of psychophysiological disorders. Describe the immune system and how stress impacts its functioning. Describe how stress and emotional factors can lead to the development and exacerbation of cardiovascular disorders, asthma, and tension headaches.

7 Unit 5: 13. Define coping and differentiate between problem-focused and emotion-focused coping. Describe the importance of perceived control in our reactions to stress. Explain how social support is vital in health and longevity. 14. Define and discuss happiness, including its determinants. Describe the field of positive psychology and identify the kinds of problems it addresses. Explain the meaning of positive affect and discuss its importance in health outcomes. Describe the concept of flow and its relationship to happiness and fulfillment. Chapter 11, 12, & Define personality. Describe early theories about personality development. 2. Describe the assumptions of the psychodynamic perspective on personality development. Define and describe the nature and function of the id, ego, and superego. Define and describe the defense mechanisms. Define and describe the psychosexual stages of personality development. 3. Discuss the concept of the inferiority complex. Discuss the core differences between Erikson s and Freud s views on personality. Discuss Jung s ideas of the collective unconscious and archetypes. Discuss the work of Karen Horney, including her revision of Freud s penis envy. 4. Describe the behaviorist perspective on personality. Describe the cognitive perspective on personality. Describe the social cognitive perspective on personality. 5. Discuss the contributions of Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers to personality development. 6. Discuss the findings of the Minnesota Study of Twins Reared Apart as they relate to personality and genetics. Discuss temperament and describe the three infant temperaments identified by Thomas and Chess. Discuss the evolutionary perspective on personality development. 7. Discuss early trait theories of Cattell and Eysenck. Discuss the Big Five factors and describe someone who is high and low on each of the five traits. 8. Discuss personality differences of people from collectivist and individualist cultures. Discuss the three approaches to studying personality in a cultural context. 9. Discuss the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory. Recognize and describe common projective tests used in personality assessment. 10. Define social psychology. Describe situational versus dispositional influences on behavior. Describe the fundamental attribution error. 11. Describe social roles and how they influence behavior. Explain what social norms are and how they influence behavior. Define script. Describe the findings of Zimbardo s Stanford prison experiment. 12. Define attitude. Describe how people s attitudes are internally changed through cognitive dissonance. Explain how people s attitudes are externally changed through persuasion. Describe the peripheral and central routes to persuasion.

8 13. Explain the Asch effect. Define conformity and types of social influence. Describe Stanley Milgram s experiment and its implications. Define groupthink, social facilitation, and social loafing. 14. Define and distinguish among prejudice, stereotypes, and discrimination. Provide examples of prejudice, stereotypes, and discrimination. Explain why prejudice and discrimination exist. 15. Define aggression and cyberbullying. Describe the bystander effect. 16. Describe altruism and conditions that influence the formation of relationships. Identify what attracts people to each other. Describe the triangular theory of love. Explain social exchange theory in relationships. 17. Understand the problems inherent in defining the concept of psychological disorder. Describe what is meant by harmful dysfunction. Identify the formal criteria that thoughts, feelings, and behaviors must meet to be considered abnormal and, thus, symptomatic of a psychological disorder. 18. Explain why classification systems are necessary in the study of psychopathology. Describe the basic features of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). Discuss changes in the DSM over time, including criticisms of the current edition. Identify which disorders are generally the most common. 19. Discuss supernatural perspectives on the origin of psychological disorders, in their historical context. Describe modern biological and psychological perspectives on the origin of psychological disorders. Identify which disorders generally show the highest degree of heritability. Describe the diathesis-stress model and its importance to the study of psychopathology. 20. Distinguish normal anxiety from pathological anxiety. List and describe the major anxiety disorders, including their main features and prevalence. Describe basic psychological and biological factors that are suspected to be important in the etiology of anxiety disorder. 21. Describe the main features and prevalence of obsessive-compulsive disorder, body dysmorphic disorder, and hoarding disorder. Understand some of the factors in the development of obsessive-compulsive disorder. 22. Describe the nature and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder. Identify the risk factors associated with this disorder. Understand the role of learning and cognitive factors in its development. 23. Distinguish normal states of sadness and euphoria from states of depression and mania. Describe the symptoms of major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder. Understand the differences between major depressive disorder and persistent depressive disorder, and identify two subtypes of depression. Define the criteria for a manic episode. Understand genetic, biological, and psychological explanations of major depressive disorder. Discuss the relationship between mood disorders and suicidal ideation, as well as factors associated with suicide 24. Distinguish normal states of sadness and euphoria from states of depression and mania. Describe the symptoms of major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder. Understand the differences between major depressive disorder and persistent depressive disorder, and identify two subtypes of depression. Define the criteria for a manic episode. Understand genetic, biological, and psychological

9 explanations of major depressive disorder. Discuss the relationship between mood disorders and suicidal ideation, as well as factors associated with suicide. 25. Describe the essential nature of dissociative disorders. Identify and differentiate the symptoms of dissociative amnesia, depersonalization/ derealization disorder, and dissociative identity disorder. Discuss the potential role of both social and psychological factors in dissociative identity disorder. 26. Describe the nature of personality disorders and how they differ from other disorders. List and distinguish between the three clusters of personality disorders. Identify the basic features of borderline personality disorder and antisocial personality disorder, and the factors that are important in the etiology of both. 27. Describe the nature and symptoms of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder. Discuss the prevalence and factors that contribute to the development of these disorders. ASSESSMENT: The student will complete: 1. at least three exams on related chapters. 2. quizzes from assigned readings on Canvas. 3. Course project. 4. final examination at the scheduled examination period. EVALUATION: The instructor will: 1. keep on file each student s work to date for self, and instructor evaluation. 2. read and provide students through oral and written responses of their work. 3. provide written evaluation of students projects through a rubric. 4. give a final examination at the scheduled exam time and review each students work for competency. ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES & EVALUATIONS: Exam 1, Unit 1: Chapters 1 & 2 (25 points) Online Exam 2, Unit 2: Chapters 3-5 (100 points) Proctored Exam 3, Unit 3: Chapters 6-8 (25 points) Online Exam 4, Unit 4: Chapters 9,10, & 14 (25 points) Online Exam 5, Final Exam: 11, 12, & 15(100 points) Proctored Discussions: 5 Discussion Submissions (10 points each; 50 points total) Online Quizzes: 5 Online Quizzes (5 points each; 25 points total) Course Project: (Writing Assignment, 50 points) Your final grade will be based upon the following point totals: A = points B = points

10 C = points D = points F = < 240 points Grade Averaging Formula: At any point during the semester to find your average, divide YOUR TOTAL POINTS by the TOTAL NUMBER OF POINTS POSSIBLE TEACHING METHODS: The course instruction will be delivered by the following methods: 1. Virtual lecture on a discussion board over the entire semester. 2. Class discussion activities in threaded discussion (a running/ongoing discussion). 4. Instructor feedback on individual on-line term research project. 5. Instructor feedback on exams and quizzes. 6. Instructor feedback on Discussion Activities. 7. Reading assignments from textbook and other required sources. 8. Electronic illustrations on-line. ACADEMIC HONESTY: Academic honesty is a fundamental attribute of higher learning. Students who violate the principle of honesty deny themselves an opportunity to master the skills that they are credited to possess, cheat their classmates of deserved recognition, and demean the college and its degrees. It is a matter of great concern that all members of the college community strive for high standards of personal integrity. Evaluation of each student s level of knowledge and understanding is a vital part of the teaching process, and requires tangible measures such as reports, examinations, and homework. Any act that interferes with the process of evaluation by misrepresenting the relationship between the work being evaluated and the student s actual state of knowledge is an act of academic dishonesty. These acts of dishonesty include but are not limited to: fraud, cheating, plagiarism, forgery, and facilitating dishonesty. (Definitions found in Northeast Procedures Manual). AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT/SECTION 504 OF THE REHABILITATION ACT OF (ADA) Northeast Mississippi Community College provides adaptations and modifications to the learning environment for eligible impaired and/or disabled students. All students with a disability, including distance learning students, are strongly encouraged to contact Leigh A. Stewart in the Counseling Center, via phone at (662) , or via at lastewart@nemcc.edu to discuss their disability and the appropriate accommodations. Students must self-identify in order to receive accommodations. NEMCC Disability Applications may be obtained from the Counseling Center in Ramsey Hall, or online from the college s website at