101 INDV Section 41: Structure of Mind & Behavior Fall Semester 2008
Instructor: Julie Feldman, Ph.D. Office: Psychology Building 444 Phone: [phone] Office Hours: Thursdays before class (10:00-12:00) or by appointment Email: [e-mail] D2L course web site: http://d2l.arizona.edu Graduate Teaching Assistants:
TA
picture
Office Loca tion & Offic e Hou rs Psych 111 Wednesdays 11:30-1:30
Focella, Elizabeth
TA grading pap ers wit h last na mes : A-Co
Email
[e-mail]
Hohman, Zachary
Psych 135 Mondays 1:30-3:30
Cr-Hi
[e-mail]
Rossi, Filippo
Psych 129 Mondays 9:30-11:30 Psych 121 Thursdays 1:55-3:55
Ho-M
[e-mail]
David Yokum
N-Ti
[e-mail]
ADDITIONAL GRADER for To-Z: SEAN IRVING (email: [e-mail]) Messages: Written messages can be placed in our mailboxes on the third floor of the psychology building (room 312) or via Email. Lectures: Tuesday and Thursday, 12:30-1:45, Social Sciences 100
Course Overview: I have four goals for this course. First, by the time you have completed this class, I want you to understand what psychology truly is, including all of the different areas that psychologists study. Although some of you may have a sense of what psychology is all about, many people think that all psychologists do is "help people" either through therapy or counseling. While it is true that therapy and counseling are part of psychology, they represent just the tip of the iceberg. Different types of psychologists study many different things, and my guess is that you will be surprised at some of the topics that fall under the heading of "psychology." Second, I want you to understand that psychology is a research science, and to realize that research psychologists test their assumptions using the scientific method (i.e., generating predictions, collecting data, and then seeing if the data supports or refutes the hypothesis). I hope to dispel some of the myths you might have about human behavior and to understand why psychology is more than "common sense." Third, although this class will be fast-paced, I do want it to be fun, enjoyable, and thought-provoking and I want us to have interesting conversations. Above all, I hope to get you to think about what youre reading and learning. Finally, I hope that you will find some part of this course relevant to your own lives. Although I can't promise that you'll gain any great insights, you will hopefully be armed with more knowledge about psychology than when you started. Class will cover the high points of the chapters, and will provide information beyond the content of the text. I will not go over all of the chapter contents. You will be responsible on tests for things covered in the text even if they are not mentioned in class. So please do the reading. I recognize the fact that you all have lives outside of this class, and have geared the assignments to what I hope is a reasonable, if slightly challenging level. If for some reason you have a problem, please come and talk to me. I am willing to work with you ahead of time to avoid problems before they occur; however, there tend to be fewer options available afterwards. Required Text: Wood, S. E., Wood, E. G., & Boyd, D. (2007). The world of psychology: Portable edition. Allyn & Bacon. One of the very nice features of this portable modular textbook is that it has a wonderful web site that contains an online learning tool mypsychlab that provides a text-specific ebook that matches the exact layout of the printed textbook (the access code is packaged with the purchase of the textbook). The ebook is broken down into major topics and contains multimedia icons in the margins that expand on the traditional textbook approach with videos, audio clips, interactive activities, and simulations designed to further illustrate key concepts and psychological principles. Also included is a customized study plan, generated from chapter pre-tests and post-tests that identifies areas of weakness and strength to help you focus your attention and efforts where theyre needed the most. D2l course web site: You can access the web site for the course at d2l.arizona.edu. Visit often. This will have the most up-to-date information about the course at all times. The web site contains an online version of this syllabus that will be updated should topics or readings be changed. It will also: Serve as the means for you to turn in your papers; your papers must be turned in via the web site; no paper copies will be accepted Provide up-to-date grade information & announcements Allow you to track your attendance points Post slides covered in lecture (not a substitute for lectures, but very useful to print in advance of lecture so that you do not need to write so much) Provide a link to the textbook web site (MyPsychlab), which contains several tools that will aid your studying Provide a link to the iClicker registration site
Post study tips and study guides for exams Post additional information about the research participation requirement Provide a checklist to track course requirements and due dates
Course Requirements:
1.
Exams (220 points) There will be four exams: three during the semester (September 25, October 23 and November 25) and one during the scheduled Final Exam period (December 18 from 11:001:00). Exams will cover class lectures and required reading. All exams during the semester will consist of 30 multiple choice questions and will be worth 60 points. The final exam will be cumulative (with an emphasis on the most recently covered material) and will consist of 50 multiple choice questions worth 100 points. The exam on which you score lowest during the semester will not be counted towards your final grade. If you miss an exam during the semester, it will be treated as your lowest exam score. You must take the final exam, and it may not be dropped as your lowest exam. In order to do well on the tests, you should keep current on the readings and attend class. It is very easy to get behind on the readings; strive to have the readings completed prior to the class period for which they are assigned. I must also caution you against a strategy that I have been known to use all too often: procrastination. The textbook has many pages that you are required to read. I find that reading an entire chapter in a single sitting can be rather overwhelming. You would be best advised to read fewer pages more often. Cramming is an especially poor strategy for mastering the material you will need to know for the exams. Exam review sessions will be conducted by a TA outside of class. Appeal Procedure: If your answer to an exam question is marked incorrect, but you feel that it is correct, then you may write an appeal based on why you think your answer is correct. Please base your appeals on course material. Appeals need to be turned in within 1 week after the exam scores are posted. I will review your appeal, and if I think it justifies your answer, you will receive credit. If not, Ill explain why.
2.
Assignments (60 points) To receive full credit, assignments MUST be turned in on or before the due date at the d2l web site dropbox on the blue navigation bar (except for the syllabus quiz see instructions below). Assignments turned in after that will lose 10% per day. No paper copies will be accepted. No emailed papers will be accepted.
Syllabus Quiz (5 points) Due September 4 you will need to download and print the course syllabus to complete this assignment. To do this, go to d2l.arizona.edu, select Content from the blue navigation bar, and select Course syllabus under Course information. Print the syllabus, read it carefully, and use it to answer the quiz questions. When you are ready to take the quiz, select Quizzes on the blue navigation bar, then select Syllabus Quiz followed by Start Quiz. You have an hour to complete the quiz (there are 5 multiple-choice questions on the quiz worth 1 point each). Small projects: During this course you will complete 2 small projects (15 points each). The two projects will essentially be activities accompanied by a short paper. The papers will all be just 2 pages long (1 margins, double-spaced, 12-point font, with name and title of the assignment at
the top). Because the papers are so short, they will be graded on clarity and succinctness. Keep in mind that it is often more difficult to fill up 2 really good pages than 10 pages of rambling.
o
Project #1: Personality Test (Due September 16) Find a popular media personality test in a magazine (e.g., Cosmopolitan, GQ) or on a web site (e.g., search for personality test). This test could be a serious test or a funny test. Take the test and address the following issues in your paper: What is the nature of the psychological issue? How does it relate to something covered in the course? Is it a credible test? Does it measure what it claims to? What the tests faults? Its strengths? Copy and paste the personality test at the end of your paper (you may have to type in the questions if you cant copy it from the web site). Project #2: Break a Social Norm (Due October 14) In our complex society, there are many social norms (e.g., dont chew with your mouth open, hold the door for others, face the front of the elevator). Some norms are explicit, while others are not. For this project your assignment is to break a social norm. Important: YOU CANNOT CAUSE INJURY TO ANYONE OR BREAK THE LAW!! However, find a norm and break it. Write about your experience: Page 1 should be a detailed description of your motivation. What norm did you pick? Why did you pick it? Where does this norm come from? What purpose does it serve? How did you learn about it? Page 2 should be a description of your experience in breaking the norm. What happened? What were peoples reactions? What was your reaction? How did you feel? How do you imagine others felt?
o
Written Assignment (25 points) Review a pop-psychology book (Due December 4) One goal of this course is to help you to become more critical consumers of how psychology is depicted in popular books, magazines, and newspaper articles. Some of these writings are excellent summaries of psychology today, while others have little to do with anything that has been discovered through psychological research. Your task is to select a book on a psychological topic that has been written for the general public. A suitable book can be found in the psychology section of most bookstores (e.g., self-help books like How to boost your self-esteem in 5 days or books about psychological disorders like ADHD in adults). Just browse these sections for a while until you find a book that looks interesting. Then, read your book and write a review of it. Your review should include: A summary of the main thesis of the book. assessment An of whether the thesis is supported or contradicted by research we covered in the course. Is this book based in psychological science? Explain your answer. Your paper should be 4-5 pages (1 margins, double-spaced, 12-point font, Times New Roman). Provide citations in the paper to all sources and an APA Style reference list at the end (examples are posted on the d2l web site). Generally, better grades on this assignment are given
to students who go beyond the assigned readings for this course and find at least one or two empirical papers on the topic that have been published in psychological journals. 3. Attendance: Your attendance will be tracked using the clickers beginning September 2 (except on exam days). There are 24 class sessions remaining (including Sept 2). It is expected that you will attend at least 80% (19) of the remaining class lecture sessions, and you will receive 20 points (about 7% of your grade) for doing so. Students attending more than 50% but less than 80% (between 12 and 18) of the sessions will receive 10 points. Students failing to attend at least 50% of the sessions will receive zero points. So you need to miss no more than 5 class lecture sessions to get full attendance credit (20 points). If you miss two or fewer of the class sessions, you will receive 10 extra credit points. Attendance is counted on a given day only if you answer questions with your clicker throughout the lecture. Grading: Points toward the final grade will be counted as follows:
2/3 exams (lowest dropped), 60 points each Final Assignments Attendance Extra Credit
120 points 100 points 60 points 20 points (10 points) 300 points total
Course grades will be based on total points earned at the end of the semester out of a possible 300 points. Grading will be based on percentages with guarantees. You must earn at least 180 points to pass (60% and a grade of D). 210 points (70%) or better guarantees a C. 240 points (80%) or better guarantees a B. 270 points (90%) or better guarantees an A. Grades for these point totals may be higher but will not be lower. A Final Note on Grading: Grades in this course will be based solely on the system discussed above. There wont be any possibility of doing extra reports, papers etc., to raise your grade. If you have trouble with the course material or arent doing as well on the exams as you think you should be, then be sure to seek help right away. I will make sure that I and all TAs devote tremendous energy to those students who plan ahead and use office hours for clarifying concepts and help with developing effective study habits, so please take advantage of this excellent opportunity.
Participation & iClickers: In this class we will use remote transmitters to answer questions during lectures. You need to purchase an "iClicker" from the bookstore (a rebate for the clicker is included with the purchase of the textbook) and bring it to class every day (except exam days). Make sure to purchase the correct type of clicker (iClicker - Radio Frequency Classroom Response System). Attendance is counted on a given day only if you answer questions with your clicker throughout the lecture.
You must register your iClicker at www.iclicker.com (type your university NetID into the Student ID box). Your NetID is the part of your email address before the @email.arizona.edu part. Use of an iClicker registered to another student is considered a violation of the Student Code of Conduct. All responses collected during class are being permanently recorded beginning September 2. If you register your iClicker after September 2, you will receive full back-credit for all responses collected. From this date forward, you will be asked several questions (3-7) throughout each class (except on exam days). Using iClicker will give you immediate feedback about your understanding of the material we are covering in class and will help guide your studying. Course Policies: Attendance and Participation: Class attendance has routinely been shown to be one of the best predictors of final grades, with students who attend frequently doing much better on the exams. Please be on time for class. Recurrent lateness disrupts the class and the flow of discussion. If you need to leave early, please sit in the back. Please do not talk or whisper to your neighbor consider writing short notes. Thank you for you cooperation. If you miss a class you are responsible for any material covered, announcements made, or assignments given. Feel free to ask questions and make comments during class. Your participation is helpful to the class and can provide me with feedback about how well I am communicating with you. Cell phones: Please turn off cell phones or other electronic devices that make sounds at the beginning of class. Plagiarism and cheating: I understand that there can be pressure for some students to cheat on exams or to plagiarize on their papers. The University of Arizona places a high value upon the integrity of its students. Any student found guilty of an act of academic misconduct (including, but not limited to, cheating, plagiarism, or using another students iClicker because they are absent) may be subject to having his or her grade reduced in the course, being placed on probation or suspended from the university, or being expelled from the university or a combination of these (please see the academic code of integrity and the student code of conduct; http://dos.web.arizona.edu/uapolicies) Plagiarism is taking quotes from the material you read or any other material (e.g., web site) without identifying the source. Key points: quote and cite others work and write original prose. Cheating includes copying someone elses exam answers. If you are unsure of whether something would constitute cheating or plagiarism, please ask the instructor or a TA. I assume all of you are bright students so do not jeopardize your academic careers. Students with special needs: Students requiring special accommodations for note-taking or testing should see the instructor at the beginning of the course or any time the need arises.
Best wishes for an excellent semester!
(see below for course outline/schedule & information about research requirement)
Tentative Course Outline and Guidelines for Required Reading: Reading assignments are closely tied to the lecture schedule and should be completed before the class on the date listed.
Date 8/26 8/28 9/2 9/4 9/9 9/11 9/16 9/18 9/23 9/25 9/30 10/2 10/7 10/9 10/14 10/16 10/21 10/23 10/28 10/30 11/4 11/6 11/11 11/13 11/18 11/20 11/25 11/27 12/2 12/4 12/9 12/18 Topic Schedule Introduction to psychology SURVEY Intro to iClicker & MyPsychlab & begin Personality Personality Theories Personality Assessment Psychological disorders Psychological disorders Therapies Therapies EXAM #1 GUEST SPEAKER Psychological science Psychological science Social Psychology Social Psychology Biology & Behavior Biology & Behavior EXAM #2 Sensation & Perception Sensation & Perception Sensation & Perception Learning VETERANS DAY NO CLASS!!! Learning Memory Memory EXAM #3 HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!! Child & adolescent development Child & adolescent development Wrap up & Review FINAL EXAM: 11:00-1:00 Chapters 1-3, 5,6, 9, 14-17 Chapter 6 Chapters 3, 5, 6 Chapter 9 WRITING ASSIGNMENT DUE Readings & Assignments
Chapter 14 Syllabus quiz due Chapter 15 Project #1 due Chapter 16 Chapters 14-16 Chapter 1 Chapter 17 Project #2 due Chapter 2 Chapters 1, 17, 2 Chapter 3
Chapter 5
Departmental research participation requirement
(A more detailed description of the Research Participation Requirement is available at D2L) Participating in experiments: The research participation requirement is meant to provide students with an opportunity to experience psychological research firsthand and to benefit from the ongoing research within our department. Most students enrolled in INDV101 fulfill this requirement by spending 4.5 hours participating as subjects in ongoing research projects. This is a departmental requirement, failure to complete the full 9 experimental credits will automatically result in a grade of "I" (incomplete). To remove the "incomplete" students will need to complete the experimental credits during the following semester. The incomplete will turn into a failing grade (E) at the end of one year.
http://experiments.psychology.arizona.edu
How do I sign up for an experiment? 1. First step is to create an account Go to http://experiments.psychology.arizona.edu Click on the link that reads: Request an account here Complete the form using your University email user name (NetID) (The part of your email address before the @email.arizona.edu part) Once you request your account your password will be mailed to you at your University email account 2. The second step is to log onto the account you created using the password emailed to you 3. You can use this account to sign up for experiments, find out information about experiments and experimenters, and check your credits earned If you have questions please feel free to ask your TA or your instructor What happens if I do not show up for an experiment? Failure to show up for an experiment that you have signed up for will result in the deduction of credits from your total. You will be deducted the number of credits the experiment was worth. If this happens, you will need to make up the missed credits. If you contact the experiment leader at least one hour prior to the experiment and provide a reasonable excuse for your absence, credit will not be deducted. If you cannot notify the experimenter before the experiment, you have 48 hours to email an excuse to the experimenter. How do I cancel an appointment? 1. You can cancel participation up to 2 hours before the scheduled time by using the web site. 2. You can cancel participation up to 1 hour before the scheduled time by phoning the experimenter or by phoning 621-7448, or by emailing the experimenter. What happens if I show up on time but there is no experimenter? If you show up for an experiment on time and it is canceled without warning, you are entitled to one credit for having shown up. In this instance, send an email to the experimenter or contact the Psychology Department Office, Room 312 in the Psychology Building. How can I find the Psychology Building? The Psychology Building is located across the mall from the Main Library.
Not participating in experiments: Very few students prefer to meet this requirement by writing a "journal article review" paper (3-5 pages in length). If you choose to write the journal article paper, rather than participate in research studies, you will need to submit a copy of the article you intend to discuss and an outline of your journal article review paper by the date of the second exam October 23, 2008