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Health Psychology – PSYC 219
Course Syllabus – Spring 2010
Formerly PSY 219: Health Psychology
Credit will only be given for either PSY 219 or PSYC& 219
Instructor: Jan C. Kruper, Ph.D. Office: #6: Academic Education
Office Telephone: 509-527-4319 Email Address:
Cell Phone: 509-240-2495 Office Hours: 11:30 AM- 12:30 PM Daily and by Appointment
Required Materials:
Straub, R.O. (2007). Health psychology: A biopsychosocial approach. (2nd Ed.). New York: Worth.
Turning Point ResponseCard RF
Course Description:
This course will help students gain an understanding of the interplay of biological, psychological, and social factors that impact people’s health. The course focuses on the human body’s physical systems, how stress effects health, coping processes, prevention and treatment of substance abuse, weight control, traditional and alternative medicine approaches to health and treatment, lifestyle practices and impact on health, chronic illnesses, as well as the effects of age, gender, and sociocultural differences in health and health practices.
Learning Outcomes:
The intention is for students to come away from this course understanding of how the body’s physical systems work in connection with environmental stress.
Students will have a greater understanding of the close connection and interaction of mind and body.
Students will develop an awareness of how stress effects health.
Students will have a greater understanding of lifestyle practices and the impact of health over the lifespan.
Students will develop a capacity for critical thought and reasoning when assessing issues dealing with health psychology.
Students will develop a more open attitude and empathy towards traditional and alternative medicine approaches to treatment and prevention of diseases.
Grading Policy:
A = 94 - 100% A- = 90 - 93%
B+ = 87 - 89% B = 84 - 86%
B- = 80 - 83% C+ = 77 - 79%
C = 74 - 76% C- = 70 - 73%
D+ = 67 - 69% D = 60 - 66%
F = 59% and below
Classroom Policies:
Attendance and Engagement through Classroom Response System Technology:
We meet as a class Monday through Friday starting promptly at 12:30 PM and ending at approximately 1:20 PM. I expect that you will be ready to go at 12:30 PMand will be in class the entire time. Attendance will be taken for each class. If you are running late, please enter the classroom in the least disruptive manner possible. You may earn a maximum of 2 points per class for attending and showing active engagement and participation through the classroom response technology. You are required to purchase a Turning Point ResponseCard RF (clicker) as you will need this device each class. Not engaging in the class, sleeping, doing homework for this class or another class, texting, being disruptive to others, and the like may cause you to forfeit your attendance and engagement points. You may earn up to 100 points in attendance and engagement points.
Classroom Behavior:
I expect that all student behavior will be consistent with the Student Code of Conduct as outlined in the WWCC Student Handbook. Simply stated, this means that students will conduct themselves in ways that do not interfere with the education process for themselves and others.
Cell Phones,Earphones, or Headsets:
Turn your cell phone/pager off unless you need to keep it on in case of a specific emergency. If it does ring, step outside of the class to answer the call. Your cell phone mustbe turned off during exams and you may not take cell phone calls during exams. You may notwear earphones or headsets during class or during exams.
Cheating and Plagiarism:
The first time a student is found cheating or plagiarizing, she/he will received no points for that assignment/exam. The second time a student is found cheating or plagiarizing, she/he will receive an “F” for the course.
Eating and Drinking During Class
You may have snacks and beverages during class. Please clean up any drink containers, papers, and the like and thrown them away at the end of class. Recycle what you can please!
Disability Accommodations:
If you have a disability for which you feel you may need academic accommodations, please contact Claudia Angus, Disability Services Coordinator, whose office is in the StudentDevelopmentCenter. To make an appointment with Claudia, call 509-527-4262 or stop by the main desk of the StudentDevelopmentCenter.
Evaluations will be based on:
Exam 1 (Chapters 1 - 5) 50 points
Exam 2 (Chapters 6 - 10) 50 points
Exam 3 (Chapters 11 -14) 50 points
Attendance and Engagement 100 points
Homework 100 points
Healthy Habit Presentation50points
Total Point Base 400 points
Homework Assignments:
Throughout the quarter, you will be given homework assignments with specific due dates. Each will be worth
a maximum of 10 points. Homework cannot be handed in past the due date unless prior arrangements have been made.
Exams:
All exams are closed notebook, closed book. However, you may bring a 4 x 6 index card (or paper cut to this size) with you to each of the exams. You may use both sides of the card/paper and have any notes, tips, words of inspiration, or the like on this card/paper. You may not make up a missed exam unless you have made arrangements with me prior to missing the exam.
Extra Credit:
There will be several opportunities for extra credit which will be offered throughout the quarter. You may earn a maximum of 40 points extra credit. All extra credit is optional. The last time to turn in extra credit is at the beginning of class on Friday June 4, 2010.
Healthy HabitGroup Presentation:
You and your group will be responsible for giving a presentation in which you synthesize the knowledge you have gained about health psychology. To demonstrate what you have learned, your group will give an informative and creative presentation to the rest of the class focused on how to incorporate a healthy habit or change a negative behavior. Your target group for behavior change is either a subset or the entire cohort of WWCC students. For example, you may choose to design a program to help students who smoke cigarettes to stop smoking, to help anxious students reduce stress during quarter, etc.
Your group presentation is to be approximately 5 minutes per group member with a group size anywhere between one and four members. Be sure you are compatible working with and scheduling meeting times with your group members, as the results of their effort will be a part of YOUR grade as well.
Presentations will be graded on the following criteria:
10 points for participation
Your group members will tell me (confidentially) how well you contributed to the project.
5 points for APA or MLA style reference list
The reference list, turned in at the beginning of the presentation, must include (at least) one scholarly book (besides the textbook) and one scholarly journal article. (Note that APAand MLA style guides are available in the writing center or the library. I will also help you with the basics of APA style references.)
5 points for a handout or outline of your presentation
The handout must turned in at the beginning of the presentation.
20 points for content
Did you design a good program to help students incorporate a health habit or change a negative behavior? Did you use concepts and construct relevant to health psychology? Is it obvious that your research went beyond the book? Is it obvious that you really investigated the topic and learned something of value? Did you have enough material to present for your required time? Your classmates will tell me (confidentially) how well they thought your group did as well.
10 points for presentation style
Did you just read your notes to us, show us a great PowerPoint, or did you make eye contact and show you know the material? Was it clear you had practiced?
Extra Credit:
There will be several opportunities for extra credit which will be offered throughout the quarter. You may earn up to a maximum of 40 points of extra credit. All extra credit is optional.The last day to turn in extra credit is Friday June 4, 2010.
Course Calendar:
I expect that you will have read the assigned chapters priorto the class for which they were assigned. Being prepared will make my presentations more meaningful to you and will enable you to participate more fully in class discussions and class activities.
Week 1
March 29Welcome to Health Psychology! Introductions and Course Overview
March 30Chapter 1: Foundations of Health Psychology
March 31Chapter 1
April 1Chapter 2: Research in Health Psychology
April 2Chapter 2
Week 2
April 5Chapter 3: Biological Foundations of Health and Illness
Clickers are required for each class beginning today
April 6Chapter 3
April 7Chapter 4: Stress
April 8Chapter 4
April 9Chapter 4
Week 3
April 12Class Discussion of Health Habit Presentation
April 13Chapter 5: Coping with Stress
April 14Chapter 5
April 15Wrap-Up Chapters 1-5
April 16Exam #1
Week 4
April 19Chapter 6: Staying Healthy: Primary Prevention and Positive Psychology
April 20Chapter 6
April 21Group Meeting for Health Habits
April 22Chapter 6
April 23Chapter 7: Nutrition, Obesity, and Eating Disorders
Week 5
April 26Chapter 7
April 27Chapter 7
April 28Chapter 8: Substance Abuse
April 29Chapter 8
April 30 Chapter 8
Week 6
May 3Chapter 9: Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes
May 4Chapter 9
May 5Chapter 10: Cancer
May 6Chapter 10
May 7 Wrap-Up Chapters 6 - 10
Week 7
May 10Exam #2
May 11 Chapter 11: HIV and AIDS
May 12 Chapter 11
May 13 Group Meeting for Health Habits
May 14Chapter 11: Last Day to Drop Classes
Week 8
May 17Chapter 12: The Role of Health Psychology in Health Care Settings
May 18 Advising Day – No Class
May 19Chapter 12
May 20Chapter 12
May 21Chapter 13: Managing Pain
Week 9
May 24 Chapter 13
May 25Chapter 13
May 26Group Meeting for Health Habits
May 27 Chapter 14: Complementary and Alternative Medicine
May 28 Chapter 14
Week 10
May 31MemorialDay – No Class
June 1 Wrap-Up Chapters 11 - 14
June 2Exam #3
June 3Chapter 15 and Jan’s Wrap-Up
June 4Group Presentations
Week 11
June 7Group Presentations
June 8No Class
June 9 Group Presentations – “Final Day and Time Slot”
PSYC 219– Spring 2010
Student ______
Attendance and Engagement ______points (Maximum 100 points by end of quarter)
List days that you missed class ______
Homework Assignments ______points (Maximum 100 points by end of the quarter)
# 1 ______/10 points# 6 ______/10 points
# 2 ______/10 points# 7 ______/10 points
# 3 ______/10 points# 8 ______/10 points
# 4 ______/10 points# 9 ______/10 points
# 5 ______/10 points# 10 ______/10 points
Exam 1 ______/50 points
Exam 2 ______/50 points
Exam 3 ______/50 points
Healthy Habit Presentation ______/50 points
Extra Credit ______points (Maximum of 40 points by end of the quarter)
______
Course Grade based on ______/400