General Psychology -Honors (PSY 2012)

Tallahassee Community College - Spring Term, 2009
Instructor: Dr. Russell McGuff
Reference #: 66417
Office: History and Social Sciences Building, room 218 Phone 201-8157
E-mail: mcguffr@tcc.fl.edu    Fax:  201-8164
Office hours: T/H 11:30 - 1:00; MWF 11:00 - 12:00 (or just drop by)
First day of class:  January 8th;----- Last day of class: April 24th
Final Examination: _______________________
Text: Weiten, Wayne (2006). Psychology: Seventh Edition. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth-Thomson.
Web page: accessed through Blackboard.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

To gain a critical, thoughtful understanding of each of the major theories and topics in psychology.
To develop and demonstrate critical thinking about theories and topics in psychology, in class discussion and written assignments.
To hone scientific skepticism toward knowledge of human experience as encountered in class, in reading, in research and in daily life.
To appreciate how the methods and means of science lead to better understanding of self and others.
To exercise written and spoken critical evaluation skills applied in all fields that study the human experience.
To develop an appreciation of psychology and its application to mental disorders.
To become familiar with the range of fields in which psychology is applied.
To begin to recognize the effect that our own psychology has on each of our individual lives, on society at large, and on our environment.
To learn new ways of thinking, feeling and behaving.
To begin to appreciate the wondrous complexity of ourselves and our world.

ATTENDANCE POLICY:

ATTENDANCE IS EXPECTED OF ALL, and active participation in lecture/discussion is what makes an honors class possible.

! If an emergency requires you to be absent, then naturally you are responsible for all work assigned, and all information provided during your absence,
just as if you had attended. If possible, CONTACT ME IN ADVANCE in the event of an absence.
Never miss an exam!  If you must miss an exam I will not care WHY you missed it.  Make-up exams are given to those students who contact me in person or by phone (I have voice mail) on or before the day of the exam that is missed (and only one exam can be approved for a make-up).  Coming to me with an excuse, no matter how well documented, any day AFTER missing an exam will not result in a change of your grade, or of the make-up policy; you will receive a zero.  Those approved to take a make-up will appear at my office (HSS 218) on the last Thursday of the semester before finals week (April 23rd) at 8:30 AM ready to take a more difficult exam than the original.

! TCC's attendance policy states that any student who misses more than a class meets for any one week may be withdrawn with an AW. I will not feel responsible to automatically drop you due to excessive absences.
! Please come see me first if you have plans to drop the course.
! Absences for military service, jury duty, college sponsored activities that were approved by the college president, and religious holidays are excusable if the Assistant Vice President for Instruction at TCC is given prior notification. See me as well and keep me informed.

 

CELL - FREE CLASSROOM POLICY:

Cell phones, PDA's, i-Pods, and other electronic devices, have become a near daily distraction in many college classrooms. Their interruptions are disruptive to classes and impede learning. The following policy shall apply throughout the semester:
Classrooms in History & Social Sciences are CELL PHONE -FREE academic learning environments. Cell phones may not be used in the classroom, nor will they be permitted to disturb the learning of others at any time. All cell phones, i-Pods, and other electronic devices must be turned off and put away upon entering the classroom. They should not be visible on desks or in students' hands or laps while our class is in session. Any student who violates this policy and/or anyone whose cell phone or otther electronic device rings/sounds off during our class must immediately leave class, will be counted absent, and may not return until the following class. If it happens during a test, that person's test will be considered complete and immediately collected.
TURN OFF YOUR CELL PHONE OR BEEPER BEFORE YOU WALK IN THE DOOR.

CLASSROOM ETIQUETTE:

! Turn off (or leave at home) all beepers, cell phones (see above), CD players, i-Pods, radios, etc. Feel free to tape the class in order to assist you in reviewing your notes, but let me know if you are doing so. Laptops may be used for taking notes and course related work, but their use will be prohibited if it becomes distracting to other students.
! Be respectful of others and of their opportunity to learn. We will not waste much time on idle chit chat. Everything we talk about is part of the course. Be prepared to learn from others and to share what you know as well.
! Do not come late to class. Do not leave early. Do not leave the room except in an emergency. When I arrive, class has begun --pay attention; I often announce important things and hand back papers at the beginning of class. If you have inadvertently arrived late, slip in as quietly and unobtrusively as possible; take a seat near the door.
! Do not carry on private conversations with others around you. Do not "hit on" or try to date your classmates while in class. You can do that at other times and elsewhere.
! Raise your hand and be prepared to keep it up; I try to call on everyone eventually. Do not hesitate to ask questions offer comments or share insights; we will all benefit when you do so.
! Be prepared and well equipped. Always have two number two pencils and a pen handy.

GRADING POLICY:

Your grade will be based on the total of your scores on
 APA referencing exercise...................................... at 20 points .................................... ______
Notice: You must pass this exercise before ANY of your papers will be accepted or read.
TWO critical write-ups at 40 points ( x2 = 80) ......... ______+______ = ______
BrainPower computerized tutorial................... ( = 25) ........................................  ______
Tests 1 & 3 at 50 points each ............................................. ( = 100) ____+____ = ______
Cumulative Midterm (Test #3) at 75 points .....( = 75) ....................................... ______
Cumulative Final @ 100 points ........................( = 100) ....................................... ______
= ................................................................... 400 points total ........................................_______

A = 360; B = 320; C = 280; D = 240; F = 239 or less

! ALSO, up to 20 extra credit points are available to those who participate in class discussions, activities and projects the most often and the most productively.

! Any work handed in late will lose five points per day for each weekday it is late, regardless of the reason. In addition, late work will not be graded until after all other work is graded, making it nearly impossible for you to get timely feedback on your efforts.

BRAIN-POWER COMPUTERIZED TUTORIAL:

All students in this course are required to complete, outside of class time, a computerized tutorial on the structures and functions of the human brain. The tutorial is found on computers available at the Academic Computing (AC) lab and in the Learning Commonslab. (It can also be downloaded from my 'Psychology Classes' webpage, unzipped, and used on your own Windows-based computer. Sorry; no Mac version exists.)

I will provide a BrainPower worksheet to allow you to operate, explore and find answers to questions about the human brain's structure and function. The BrainPower tutorial worksheet must be handed in when you arrive for TEST #1 (or earlier). BRING YOUR VALIDATED STUDENT ID to gain access to these labs.

Available Hours for the Computer Lab (AC 210/211) are:
           MON - THU AC 210/211 8:00 a.m.- 7:00 p.m. / LC 7:30 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
           FRI  8:00/7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
           SAT: LC only 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

WRITING REQUIREMENTS

I. First, do this:
The APA Exercise -

1. Write one small original paragraph, entirely in your own words, of your thoughts or observations about ANY topic you choose (in psychology).  Include in this paragraph, in your own words, a single fact, observation or idea you learned from our book, Psychology: Seventh Edition.
DO NOT QUOTE YOUR SOURCE. Cite that source in APA format, (Author, Year format) within the body of your paragraph.

2. Attach a References page with the full APA style identification of the source (there is an example below). 

3. ATTACH A PHOTOCOPY of the source material.  The purpose of this exercise is merely to show me that you know how to write, cite and reference sources in APA format. That way I know you will be able to apply this skill in the papers (see below) due later.

4. Put a proper title page on the APA Exercise as well (see the example below).

5. Turn it in on January 15th.

! The APA manual for writing papers, and a handout summarizing APA format are both available at your campus library (in the reference section) and in the writing lab. This syllabus tells you what is needed but I will provide a handout or gladly answer questions to help you acquire this skill, if you have not already learned it.

II. Next, do this:
Two Critical Write-ups -

Write-up #1: For the first one you will complete two-and-a-half (minimum) to three double-spaced, type-written pages (750 words minimum; in a normal 10 or 12 point font throughout on a topic using specific instructions and exercises that I will hand out in class.

Write-up #2: For the second one you will write an essay exploring and explaining your thoughts, critical evaluation, and impressions about a single specific topic (which you will choose) that we covered in any previous lecture.

Citations and references are needed whenever you use ideas or knowledge obtained from any source other than your own mind, or our lecture. Citations and their references must always follow APA format. Always strive to cite your sources clearly in the body of your paper. Include a separate References page, AND ALWAYS ATTACH A PHOTOCOPY of the actual material you used (even if it is from our textbook). For the purposes of this class you may NEVER DIRECTLY QUOTE (never use the actual words of) ANY SOURCE. Put everything in your own original words and thoughts. Integrate their ideas into your thoughts and writing, and cite your sources throughout your papers.

! Plagiarism is the use of someone else's IDEAS OR WORDS without giving proper credit. It is cheating. Plagiarism, or any other form of cheating on any test or assignment will result in immediate failure of the assignment, AND the course, and all penalties appropriate, including disciplinary action by TCC.

III. You may turn in one EXTRA WRITE-UP (a very good idea) in order to get a higher grade. The extra write-up will replace your lowest write-up grade.

! Write-ups will be graded on the basis of whether they DEMONSTRATE CRITICAL THOUGHT, UNDERSTANDING AND INSIGHT into the course material, and for organization, correct grammar, spelling, etc. In your papers you should feel free to relate your understanding of the lecture to the assigned reading or any outside sources but DO NOT MERELY SUMMARIZE OR PARAPHRASE what you are learning. I will read the write-ups, make suggestions for improvement of your writing and thinking, and give them a grade.

Your title pages should look just like this:

Here's the title
Your own name
General Psychology
Dr. R. McGuff
The date turned in

Citations should work like this:
(This is what might be your original writing..)
... Sternberg's triangular theory argues that romantic love has several important components (Weiten & Lloyd, 2005).   (That was your citation.)  This means that couples still have plenty to look forward to --like deeper intimacy and long lasting commitment, even if their early passion for each other does cool a bit with time.

NEVER put a web address in the body of a paper instead of a proper (Author, Year) citation!
Do not use bold, oversized type, funky, fancy fonts, or any graphics on your title pages or in your papers. A simple elegance is the best accompaniment to your good ideas.

The References page should look like this:

References

American Psychological Association (2003). Considering a Career in Psychology? Found online at: http://www.apa.org/students/student1.html.
Grassian, E. (1999).  Thinking Critically about World Wide Web Resources.   Found online at: http://www.library.ucla.edu/libraries/college/help/critical/index.htm.
Jaynes, Julian (1976).  The origin of consciousness in the breakdown of the bicameral mind.  Boston, MA:   Houghton-Mifflin.
Jones, D. & Thomas, K. (1997).  The basis of adult personality in early childhood attachment patterns. Journal of Personality Origins, 7(3), 241 - 267.
Weiten, Wayne. (2006). Psychology: Seventh Edition   Belmont, CA: Wadsworth-Thomson.
Weiten, W. & Lloyd, M.A. (2005). Psychology Applied to Modern Life; Adjustment in the 21st Century: Eighth Edition. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth-Thomson. (That last one was the reference for the citation above. The others give you examples of how to reference a website, a website with a corporate author, a journal or magazine article, and a book.)

RESPONSE WRITE-UP CHECKLIST:
USE THIS BEFORE YOU TURN IN EACH WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT

 Does your write-up:

YES

NO

Convey your thoughts, critical evaluation, and impressions? 

Yes

 

 Demonstrate critical analysis and understanding?

Yes

 

 Is it typed and double-spaced everywhere?

Yes

 

 Is it at least 500 words of text?

Yes

 

 DOES IT QUOTE ANY SOURCE DIRECTLY?

 

NO

 Is a proper APA style  References page attached?

Yes

 

 Are photocopies of your actual outside source material attached?

Yes

 

  DOES IT MERELY SUMMARIZE THE MATERIAL?

 

NO

When you are sure you have met all the criteria above --------------------- TURN IT IN

!I will count only your top two write-ups into your final point total, but you must hand in both before you can write an extra.  Any student who tries to hand me two write-ups in the last full week of class will be summarily executed, without trial or hearing, and his or her lifeless body will be fed to ravenous Vietnamese coffee civets.  Or, I will simply refuse to read them, depending upon my mood at the moment.  Be warned!  

COURSE SCHEDULE AND ASSIGNED READINGS:

READ THE MATERIAL each week (book, optional CD if assigned, and web pages) before doing the optional Unit Exercises to obtain maximum benefit.   Stay on top of your work, be timely and you will probably do well.

Week 1 - 01/08/09:  Getting started
Read the syllabus and ask questions about how the course works.

Week 2 - 1/13/09 - Unit 1
...............Reading: Preface and Chapters 1 & 2
....................Psyk Trek: History and Methods
Introduction to Psychology
Why are we in this class?
What is psychology and where does it come from?
What fields and applications exist in psychology?
What is the connection between psychological theory and psychotherapy?
The Scientific Method; means of studying the mind.
The History of Psychology.

The APA format Exercise is due on Thursday, 1/15/09

To do: Download and install the BrainPower software

so you will have it ready for next week. 

Question........ How do I write an APA style paper? -(Answer: see your syllabus, under Writing Requirement, above)

Week 3 1/20/09- UNIT 2
�............... Reading: Chapters 3, & 7 (285-288)
.....................CD ROM info: Psyk Trek: Biological Bases of Behavior   

The Brain & Nervous System

How do the nerves work? 
How does the brain work? 
How does it interact with the body?
Is there anybody in there? 

Unit 2 Exercise (using the BrainPower Tutorial) is due by Thursday, 1/29/09

Week 4 1/27/09 -Unit 3  SENSATION
.................... Reading: Chapter 4
.............................CD ROM info: Psyk Trek: Sensation & Perception

Organs of sensory reception.
Sensation as input to the brain.
Just how many senses are there, anyway?    

TEST #1 on Units 1, 2, 3 on� Thu 1/29/09

Week 5 2/3/09

- Critical Essay/WRITE-UP #1    See Writing Requirement (under "Next, do this" in syllabus, above)

Unit 4  PERCEPTION & CONSCIOUSNESS

.................. Reading: Chapter 4

Low and high level perception; gestalt perception

  Critical Essay #1 is due by 2/5/09

Week 6 2/10/09 - Unit 4  PERCEPTION & CONSCIOUSNESS (cont�d)
.................. Reading:� Chapter 5; chapter 12 (just pages 472-475)

..............................also, reread page 6 in chapter 1. 
....................................CD ROM info: Psyk Trek: Sensation & Perception
....................................CD ROM info: Psyk Trek: Consciousness

What is consciousness?
Online: Read about Freud's background and theory further at: http://www.ship.edu/%7Ecgboeree/freud.html
Sleep, dreams and hypnosis.
Alcohol and Drugs: Types, Effects, Abuse and Addiction.

Week 7 2/17/09 - Unit 5
................Reading: Chapters Chapters 3 (101-106), 11 (all) & 8 (298 - 309)
..........................CD ROM info: Psyk Trek: Human Development (9a, 9c, 9d)

Human Development I

Theories of development.
Biological Development and Nature vs. Nurture.
Piaget's theory of cognitive development.
Online: Read about Piaget's background and theory further at: http://www.ship.edu/%7Ecgboeree/piaget.html

Week 8 2/24/09 - Unit 6
................ Reading: Chapters 11 and 12 (491 -496)
..................................CD ROM info: Psyk Trek: Human Development (9b)

Human Development II

Life tasks and life-long development.
Erikson's theory of Psychosocial development.
Online:� Boeree's description of Erikson's work: http://www.ship.edu/%7Ecgboeree/erikson.html

Test #2 (CUMULATIVE Midterm Units 1- 6)  Thu 2/26/09

 

Week 9- 3/3/09 - Unit 7

................. Reading: Chapters 6, 7 & 12 (481-486)
..........................CD ROM info: Psyk Trek -Learning

Theories of Learning

Associative Learning.
Classical and Operant conditioning.
Modeling & Observational learning.
Are there other ways to learn?
The meaning of learning theory for the modern world.
Online: Read about Pavlov, Watson, Skinner and Bandura further at:
http://www.ship.edu/%7Ecgboeree/skinner.html
http://www.ship.edu/%7Ecgboeree/bandura.html

SPRING BREAK  3/9 - 3/13/09

Week 10- 3/17/09 - Unit 8

................. Reading: Chapter 14
..........................CD ROM info: Psyk Trek -  Abnormal Behavior 11a, 11b, 11c

Abnormal Psychology

Mental Illness, Mental Disorders and their many varieties. 
The origins of mental disorders.

Week 11- 3/24/09 - Unit 9
................. Reading: Chapters 12 (472 - 481), &  15 (599 - 602)
..........................CD ROM info: Psyk Trek - Personality Theory 10a   

Sigmund Freud's Psychodynamic Theory
The origin of the Ego, or Self
Ego defenses
Online: Read about Freud's background and theory further at: http://www.ship.edu/%7Ecgboeree/freud.html
Adlerian and Jungian Theories of the mind.
Online: Read about Jung's background and theory further at: http://www.ship.edu/%7Ecgboeree/jung.html
AND read about Adler's background and theory at: http://www.ship.edu/%7Ecgboeree/adler.html
The broadening of psychology's role and focus.

TEST #3 over Units 7, 8 & 9 Thu 3/26/09

Week 12 3/31/09

Critical Essay #2    See Writing Requirement in syllabus, above (under "WRITE-UP #2")

UNIT 10: ....... Reading: Chapters 12 (487 - end of chapter) & 15 (all)
..............................CD ROM info: Psyk Trek - Personality Theory 10c & Therapies 11d 

Psychotherapy/Humanistic Theory

Rogerian Psychology: Promoting effective adjustment.
Humanistic Theory and other Therapies. 
Online: Read about Rogers and Maslow further at:
http://www.ship.edu/%7Ecgboeree/rogers.html
http://www.ship.edu/%7Ecgboeree/maslow.html
The application of the major perspectives in the field of mental health treatment

  Critical Essay #2 is due at my office by 4/2/09

Week 13- 4/7/09     

- UNIT 11

Reading: Chapter 16
..............................CD ROM info: Psyk Trek - Social Psychology  12a, 12c

Social Psychology
How do people influence and gain the compliance of others?
Obedient aggression and group conformity
What conditions lead to deviance, rebellion, and assertive resistance?
What is human nature?

Week 14-   4/14/09
UNIT 12: ................ Reading: Chapters 9 & 12 (all)
..............................CD ROM info: Psyk Trek - Testing and Intelligence 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d

Personality and Assessment Introduced
Testing Intelligence 
Theories of Intelligence
Personality Theory Now and Then
The Whole Person

NOTE: THURSDAY, 4/16/09 is the last day on which I will accept any work in this course for any reason.

Week 15 -4/21/09 COURSE WRAP-UP and REVIEW


FINAL EXAM:  from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon Thursday 4/30.

Dates and requirements are subject to change, so listen up for announcements in class.  
Catalogue description: PSY 2012 General Psychology (3) F, Sp, Sm. Prerequisite: Satisfactory completion of College Preparatory English (ENC 0020) and College Preparatory Reading (REA 0002) or appropriate placement scores. Designed to introduce the study of behavior to both majors and non-majors. Interrelates personality, learning, perception, nervous system, emotions and other factors of human behavior. Lecture 3 hours.
This syllabus was last updated on January 5th, 2009 -R.M.

 

HONOR CODE

As an academic community devoted to the life of the mind, this class requires of every student complete intellectual honesty in the preparation and completion of all assigned academic work.

Honor Pledge

Honor, integrity, honesty and effort benefit everyone. I hereby recognize that my honor as a student of this class is dependent on my integrity, honesty and effort. Therefore, I will not cheat, plagiarize or otherwise misrepresent the work I submit. I shall neither give nor receive unauthorized aid on any piece of work, nor knowingly tolerate any violation of the Honor Code of this class.

I hereby certify that all the written work I submit in this course shall be my own original writing, that I will use no idea, fact, information, or phrasing from any source without giving credit by citing that source in my work, and that I shall strive to make as plain as possible the sources used in my work.
I hereby certify that the responses I give on tests in this course shall reflect only my own knowledge, study, effort and belief. I will not attempt to copy the work of others, and will not tolerate any attempt of others to copy my work. If I detect that any student in this class is attempting to copy my work or that of others, I will report my belief to my instructor immediately and without fear of the consequences for doing so.

 

I hereby pledge my honor, integrity, honesty and effort as a student, as a fellow human being and as a member of the academic community in this class.

Pledged on this day, ____/____/____��������� _________________________