PSYC 101: Section C-4 General Psychology
Fall 2008, THURSDAY 7-9:30 p.m., SHLDS 113
Instructor: Mark W. Wiseman, LPC, NCC, M.Coun. Phone: (208) 316-1237
E-mail:
Course Overview and Objectives: PSYC 101 is an introduction to psychology, the study of behavior. It consists of an overview of major psychological topics including areas such as psychological research methods, biopsychology, sensation and perception, learning, memory, cognition, emotion, development, personality, psychological disorders, and psychotherapy.
Outcomes Assessment: After this course students will have gained a general knowledge of psychology and will have learned how to adequately write and understand APA formatting style. This will be acquired and proven by Exams and research/writing papers pertaining to psychology in APA format. In a matrix the course assessments for each objective is demonstrated. A second matrix demonstrates the alignment of course assessments with General Education Criteria-where appropriate, Social Science Department goals, and program objectives.
Course Format: PSYC 101 will be taught at a level suitable for lower-level undergraduates. No prior knowledge of psychology is assumed. Much of the course will be presented in lecture format, but there will also be many demonstrations, exercises, examples, and illustrations to promote interaction and discussion.
Course Material: The textbook for the course is Psychology by Ciccarelli & Meyer. This textbook provides an overview of the most major areas in psychology, and does so in an accessible fashion. Many examples, illustrations, and applications will be given in class. Lectures will not be a simple restatement of the readings, but will instead consist of new information that either expands on textbook material or covers completely new issues and topics. All of the information you need to know for the class will be given in lecture or textbook.
Evaluation: Grades will be determined using a straight scale (where 90%=A, 80%=B, 70%=C, 60%=D). There will be three exams (two midterms and a final) worth 100 points each. None of the exams will be cumulative. Each will consist of multiple choice and short essay questions, and will primarily test your conceptual understanding of the material rather than specific details like names and dates. There will also be two term papers worth 50 points each. The total points you can possibly earned in this class equals 400. All exams will be given in the class room, NOT the testing center.
Make-up Policy: If you know in advance that you must miss an exam, let me know ahead of time and it will usually be possible to take the exam at another time. If you miss an exam, you may take a make-up test only if you had an emergency and you contact me as soon as possible (i.e., the same or next day). Note that make-up exams may differ in format or content from those given at the scheduled time and may be graded at partial credit. No other reasons will be allowed to make up the exams. The two term papers will be discussed and assigned with ample time to complete each paper. Any term papers that are late will not be accepted.
Term Papers and Library Use: There will be two terms papers given throughout the semester. The First term paper will simply be a summary of a research article, which is related to psychology in one way or another, of your choice. The article will need to be cited in APA style at the end of the paper. The paper should be made up of two parts: (1) a summary of the article, and (2) your own opinion, thoughts, and feelings concerning the article. The Second term paper is a research paper. You will be required to research out a psychology topic of your choosing and write an in depth paper concerning the topic. You must have five sources cited at the end of the paper and the paper is to be written in APA format. In order to properly format your paper you will need to refer to the attached APA 5th Edition guidelines on this syllabus. Refer to make-up policy section of this syllabus if you miss a deadline for turning in a paper.
Honesty: To ensure you are able to receive the best education possible plagiarism and other forms of cheating are violations of the honesty policy. If you plagiarize or otherwise contribute to cheating, you will receive a zero for the work in question.
Attendance: Classroom attendance will not be taken. It is not necessary to contact me if you are going to miss a lecture. Note, however, that if you wish to do well in the course, it is imperative that you attend lectures regularly. If you miss a lecture I will not go over the material with you at another time. You will be responsible to get the material you missed from another student. As discussed above, lectures will consist of much information that cannot be found in the readings. So attendance is highly encouraged—students will have great difficulty with this course if they do not attend regularly. Remember to turn off all cell phones when attending class.
Correspondence: Don’t hesitate to contact me if you need help with the course—the best way to contact is through email or after class. I’m here to help, so definitely let me know if I can be of assistance!
On-line course evaluation statement: Students are strongly encouraged to complete evaluations at the end of the course. Evaluations are very important to assist the teaching staff to continually improve the course. Evaluations are available online at: http://evaluation.csi.edu. Evaluations open up two weeks prior to the end of the course. The last day to complete an evaluation is the last day of the course. During the time the evaluations are open, students can complete the course evaluations at their convenience from any computer with Internet access, including in the open lab in the Library and in the SUB. When students log in they should see the evaluations for the courses in which they are enrolled. Evaluations are anonymous. Filling out the evaluation should only take a few minutes. Your honest feedback is greatly appreciated!
A Note Regarding Disabilities: Any student with a documented disability may be eligible for related accommodations. To determine eligibility and secure services, students should contact the coordinator of Disability Services at their first opportunity after registration for a class. Student Disability Services is located on the second floor of the Taylor Building on the Twin Falls Campus. 208.732.6250 (voice) or 208.734.9929 (TTY), or e-mail .
The College of Southern Idaho Mission Statement
The College of Southern Idaho, a comprehensive community college, provides educational, social and cultural opportunities for the diverse population of South Central Idaho. In this rapidly changing world, CSI encourages our students to lead enriched, productive and responsible lives.
General Education Criteria: This course satisfies all eight criteria for general education. It is designed to:
1. provide a broad-based survey of a discipline and show the interconnectedness of knowledge.
2. develop a discerning individual.
3. practice critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
4. promote awareness of social and cultural diversity in order to appreciate the commonality of mankind.
5. foster the balance between individual needs and the demands of society.
6. reinforce reading, writing, speaking, and/or quantitative skills.
7. encourage and inspire life-long learning.
8. encourage creativity.
Social Science Department Mission Statement
The mission of the Social Science Department is to provide educational, social, and cultural opportunities which encourage enriched, productive and responsible lives primarily by instructing students to understand, interpret, and apply Social Science discipline coursework.
Social Science Department Goals: This course addresses the following Social Science Department goals, which are to:
1. help students understand important facts, concepts and theories of Social Science subjects.
2. help students acquire techniques and methods used to gain new knowledge in the disciplines.
3. help students learn to distinguish between fact and opinion.
4. teach students to use evaluation, analysis and synthesis to interpret and solve problems.
5. teach students to use different perspectives from the social sciences to make better-informed decisions
6. help students acquire an informed understanding of various cultures.
7. prepare students to transfer to a university.
Psychology Program Mission Statement
The mission of the CSI Psychology Program is primarily to prepare graduates to transfer as Junior-level students to 4-year universities.
Psychology Program Objectives: Students will…
1. gain mastery of a breadth of knowledge of the discipline of psychology (breadth of knowledge).
2. gain mastery of a depth of knowledge of the discipline of psychology (depth of knowledge).
3. be well practiced as a critical consumer of information (critical thought).
4. be well practiced in professional written communication (professional writing).
5. be well- prepared as a potential contributor to scientific discovery in psychology (scientific capability).
6. be well-prepared for upper-division coursework in psychology (career-focused education plan).
PSYC 101 Catalog Course Description: This survey course is an introduction to psychology. Psychology is the scientific study of thinking, emotion, and behavior. This course introduces students to the diverse research areas of psychology such as psychobiology, motivation, learning, cognitive and social processes, personality, and abnormality, emphasizing empirical findings of the discipline.
Required Textbook:
·Course Text Psychology (Ciccarelli & Meyer, 2006) (ISBN: 0-13-183959-4).
Recommended Textbook:
·Study Guide Psychology: Concept Notes (Ciccarelli & Meyer, 2006) (ISBN: 0-13-228335-2).
Course Outcomes* Aligned with GE Criteria (GE), Social Science Goals (SS) and Program Objectives (PSYC):
Students will… / GE / SS / PSYC1. Demonstrate familiarity with the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, empirical findings, and historical trends in psychology / 1, 4, 6, 7 / 1, 4, 6, 7 / 1, 2, 4, 6
2. Understand basic research methods in psychology, including research design, data analysis, and interpretation / 2, 3, 7, 8 / 2, 3, 4, 7 / 2, 3, 4, 5
3. Respect and use critical and creative thinking, skeptical inquiry, and the scientific approach to solve problems related to behavior and mental processes / 2, 3, 6, 7, 8 / All but 1 and 2 / 2, 3, 6
4. Understand and apply psychological principles to personal, social, and organizational issues / All but 6 / All but 1 and 2 / 2, 3, 6
5. Be able to weigh evidence, tolerate ambiguity, act ethically, and reflect other values that are the underpinnings of psychology as a discipline / All but 6 / All but 1 and 2 / 2, 3, 5, 6
*Outcomes derived from guidelines of the APA Education Directorate http://www.apa.org/ed/pcue/taskforcereport2.pdf
Course Outcomes Aligned with Course Assessment Activities:
Multiple Choice Exam / Written Papers / Focus Groups / Class Discussion1 / X / X / X / X
2 / X
3 / X / X
4 / X
5 / X / X
Course Schedule (Tentative)
Date: Topic: Reading for Next Class:
8/28 Introduction Chapter 1
9/4 Lecture #1 - Explaining Human Behavior Chapter 2
9/11 Lecture #2 - Studying Human Behavior Chapter 3
Lecture # 3 - Studying Human Behavior
9/18 Lecture #4 - The Evolution and Genetics of Behavior Chapter 7
9/25 Lecture #5 - Neurons, Hormones, and the Brain
Lecture #6 - Neurons, Hormones, and the Brain
10/2 Review for Exam #1 Study for Test
10/9 Exam #1 (Chapters 1-3 & 7) Chapter 5
10/16 Lecture #7 - Behavioral Learning Chapter 8
First Term Paper Instruction Work on First Term Paper
10/23 Lecture #8 - Social and Cognitive Learning Chapter 4
Lecture #9 - Thinking and Reasoning Chapter 6
Chapter 9
10/30 Lecture #10 – Memory
First Term Paper Due
11/6 Review for Exam #2 Study for Test
Instruction Second Term Paper
Research Day
11/13 Exam #2 (Chapters 4-6 & 8-9) Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 13
11/20 Lecture #11 – The Social Context Work on Second Term Paper
Lecture #12 - Cultural Context Chapter 12 Chapter 14
11/27 THANKSGIVING VACATION!
12/3 Lecture #13 - The Inner Life Chapter 15
Lecture #14 – Mental Disorders and Their Treatment Finish Second Term Paper
12/10 Review for Final Exam Study for Final
Second Term Paper Due
12/17 Final (Chapters 10-15)