General Psychology
Psych 101 C08-Spring 2008
January 14th to May 8th
MWF (11:00 a.m. through 11:50 a.m.) Shields 109
Jerod Halvor Opsal M.S.
Email:
Phone: 732-6869
Office Hrs.Aspen 130
MTWThF 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
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, and abnormality, emphasizing empirical findings of the discipline.
Course Text:
Ciccarelli, S.K., Meyer, G. E. (2004). Psychology (1st Ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson, Prentice Hall.
The Following are not required, but highly recommended:
American Psychological Association. (2001). Publication manual(5th Ed.). Washington, DC: Author
What will be Expected of You?
Examinations: There will be four quantitative exams covering material from classroom lecture and the textbook. Remember! You are responsible for reading the information in the text. If it is not covered in lecture, it is risky to assume that it will not show up on an exam. All exams are comprised of a combination of multiple choice, t/f, and fill-in the blank items. Each exam is worth 100 points. We will have an exam approximately every 4 weeks.
All exams are given in the testing center except the final. You must have enrolled in this course through Blackboard prior to taking the first exam. The exam is written to take approximately one hour. However, you will have two hours to take the exam. The TestingCenter hours are:
Monday – Thursday 8:00am to 9:30pm (Last test given at 8:30)
Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm (Last test given at 4:00pm)
Missed exams due to scheduling conflicts must be personally justified prior to the exam date. Students missing exams due to illness or other unexpected personal issues are required to notify me by e-mail or telephone prior to the close of the exam. A note from a physician or other authority will be required to take the exam late. No Exceptions.
Annotated Bibliography: You are required to complete a critical review of three peer-reviewed journal articles of your choice on one topic. Through this assignment, you will become familiar with psychological research and nomenclature. An example is attached to the back of the syllabus. You must complete your bibliography by the due date, submitted with your articles attached to the back. I do not accept papers turned in late. You may turn them in early.
Topical Outline of the Course:
(The following topical outline is only tentative. My teaching style is very relaxed and not strict to demanding structure. However, the classroom is not a democracy and final content decisions are determined by me. The outline is open to adjustment to meet interest needs and pacing of the course. DO NOT SET YOUR PERSONAL OR WORK SCHEDULE AROUND EXAM DATES AS THEY MAY CHANGE.)
Week / Dates / Task at Hand1 / Jan 14th to Jan 18th / Chapter 1: The Science of Psychology: Pgs. 4-35.
2 / Jan 21st to Jan 25th / Chapter 2: The Biological Perspective: Pgs. 44-75.
3 / Jan 28th to Feb 1st / Chapter 3: Sensation and Perception: Pgs. 84-118.
4 / Feb 4th to Feb 8th / Chapter 4: Consciousness: Sleep, Dreams, Hypnosis, and Drugs: Pgs. 126-158.
Exam1: Opens at the TC – Feb 5th. Closes Feb 7th
5 / Feb 11th to Feb 15th / Chapter 5: Learning: Pgs. 166-201.
6 / Feb 18th to Feb 22nd / Chapter 6: Memory: Pgs. 210-241.
7 / Feb 25th to Feb 29th / Chapter 6: Memory: Pgs. 210-241.
8 / Mar 3rd to Mar 7th / Chapter 7: Development Across The Lifespan: Pgs. 250-285.
Exam 2: Opens at the TC – Mar 4th. Closes Mar 6th
9 / Mar 10th to Mar 14th / Chapter 8: Cognition: Thinking, Intelligence, and Language: Pgs. 294-328.
10 / Mar 17th to Mar 21st
(Spring Break Week) / Chapter 9: Motivation and Emotion: Pgs. 336-364.
11 / Mar 24th to Mar 28th / Chapter 10: Special Topic: HIV: Pgs. 395-398.
12 / Mar 31st to Apr 4th / Chapter 12: Theories of Personality: Pgs. 444-472.
13 / Apr 7th to Apr 11th / Chapter 12: Theories of Personality: Pgs. 444-472.
Exam 3: Opens at the TC – Apr 8th. Closes Apr 10th
14 / Apr 14th to Apr 18th / Chapter 13: Social Psychology: Pgs. 480-513.
15 / Apr 21st to Apr 25th / Chapter 14&15: Psychopathology & Tx (Lecture)
16 / Apr 28th to May 2nd / Chapter 14&15: Psychopathology & Tx, (Filling in the gaps)
Finals / Finals Week / Finals Week (Exam 4 – Mixed Comp TBA)
*I do not give Incompletes(I) unless serious circumstances can be shown through documentation. I do not drop people from my course under the same rule after the last day to drop (See course catalogue. Pay close attention to the semester’s Drop Date if you are having academic trouble. Be sure to see me prior to dropping the course to evaluate your decision. I may be able to advise you in the proper direction.
Point Breakdown:
Four Exams(x 100 pts)= 400 pts
Reaction Paper (x 100 pts)= 100 pts
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Total Possible Points= 500
Approximate(Flexible!) Due Dates:
Exam One: Feb 5th through Feb 7th
Exam Two: Mar 4th through Mar 6th
Exam Three: Apr 8th through Apr 10th
Exam Four: TBA
Annotated Bib:Feb. 18th
On-line Course Evaluations 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: Evaluations open up two weeks prior to the end of the course. The last day to complete the course evaluations 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 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 for Students with 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 TaylorBuilding on the Twin Falls Campus. 208.732.6250(voice) or 208.734-9929 (TTY).
A Final Note about Honesty:
Any forms of plagiarism or cheating are violations of campus policy and professional ethics. If you plagiarize, cheat, or contribute to the cheating of another, you will receive a zero for the work in question. In more extreme cases, you may be removed from the class and reported to the department head for more extensive review.
The College of Southern IdahoMission 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).
Supplemental Texts:
·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
Course Outcomes Aligned with Course Assessment Activities:
Multiple-Choice/T-F Exams / Annotated Bibliography1 / X / X
2 / X / X
3 / X / X
4 / X / X
5 / X