San José State University Department of Psychology PSYC 158, Perception, Spring 2015

Transcription

1 San José State University Department of Psychology PSYC 158, Perception, Spring 2015 Contact Information Instructor: Dr. Jeremiah Still Office Location: DMH 318 Telephone: (408) Office Hours: Class Days/Time: Tuesday 9 to 10:00am; Or by appointment Tuesday & Thursday from 12:00 to 1:15pm Classroom: DMH 348 Prerequisites: PSYC 001 The intent of this course is to provide a survey of scientific findings related to our perception of the world around us. I personally hope you take this course as an opportunity to develop a thorough understanding of the processes of human sensation and perception. Further, I hope the course allows you to gain a respect for how the brain both accurately and efficiently completes difficult tasks by processing staggering amounts of sensory information without any explicit conscious effort. Our sensory and perceptual systems work so effortlessly, most people take their brain processing power for granted. Further, it is also not commonly recognized that our perception of the world is an interpretative construct, unique to the individual perceiver and that it is continually changing over time. Traditionally, perceptual research has primarily revolved around the visual system. Thus, we will focus on exploring the processes involved in forming useful visual representations from complex and visually overwhelming environments. Canvas Course Web Site This course is on Canvas and the following will be available: Exam Scores Syllabus Class Materials Related Links Perception PSYC 158, Spring 2015 Page 1 of 9

2 Accessing Canvas Canvas Login: You must first set up your SJSUOne account before accessing Canvas. Please visit to setup your SJSUOne account. Your Username and Password for SJSUOne and Canvas are the same. Further Assistance with Canvas You should first visit the online student guide (see before requesting support from the University Help Desk (see Course Description Empirical and theoretical approaches to the psychology of perception with an emphasis on vision. Topics include the perception of form, color, depth and motion as well as the effects of attention and experience. Program Learning Outcomes (PLO) Upon successful completion of the psychology major requirements PLO1 Knowledge Base of Psychology Students will be able to identify, describe, and communicate the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, empirical findings, and historical trends in psychology. PLO2 Research Methods in Psychology Students will be able to design, implement, and communicate basic research methods in psychology, including research design, data analysis, and interpretations. PLO3 Critical Thinking Skills in Psychology Students will be able to use critical and creative thinking, skeptical inquiry, and a scientific approach to address issues related to behavior and mental processes. PLO4 Application of Psychology Students will be able to apply psychological principles to individual, interpersonal, group, and societal issues. PLO5 Values in Psychology Students will value empirical evidence, tolerate ambiguity, act ethically, and recognize their role and responsibility as a member of society. Course Goals and Learning Objectives Course Learning Outcomes (CLO) Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: CLO 1 explain basic structures and functions of our system s sensory hardware CLO 2 describe how the brain processes sensory input CLO 3 discuss competing theories of perception for an array of systems CLO 4 write a summary of an empirical journal article Perception PSYC 158, Spring 2015 Page 2 of 9

3 Recommended Textbook Goldstein, E. B. (2007). Sensation and Perception, (7 or 8)th edition. Pacific Group: CA, Wadsworth. - Exams may include some limited material only presented in the textbook (i.e., < 5%). Many students find reading the textbook useful; especially if they miss a class. The first three exams will cover Chapters 1-4 (plus, appendix: SDT), Chapters 4-6 and Chapters 7-10, respectively. The 4th exam will be a comprehensive final. Approximately half of the final exam will test material covered during the last 2 weeks of the course, Chapters 11 & 14-15, and the other half important takeaways or big picture questions. Library Liaison Bernd Becker Phone: (408) Bernd.becker@sjsu.edu Classroom Protocol It is OUR responsibility to maintain a good learning environment. Please... Turn off/mute your cell phone before class No texting, Youtubing, Facebooking, MySpacing, or Twittering during class Refrain from conversations that do not involve the entire class Respect the opinions of others Arrive to class on time (critical information is often shared in the first five minutes)! If you must leave early, be as discrete as possible (e.g., sit near the door) Attendance: Attendance is an important factor in classroom performance. You are responsible for any announcements and all material covered in class if you cannot attend. Be aware that a majority of the exam content will come directly from class activities. If you must miss a class, please get activity notes and announcements from your fellow classmates. Course Requirements and Assignments SJSU classes are designed such that in order to be successful, it is expected that students will spend a minimum of forty-five hours for each unit of credit (normally three hours per unit per week), including preparing for class, participating in course activities, completing assignments, and so on. More details about student workload can be found in University Policy S12-3 at Perception PSYC 158, Spring 2015 Page 3 of 9

4 Exams: These exams test what you have learned from class activities and associated material. They will compose 90% of your final grade. Exam review sessions will be provided during the class preceding the scheduled exam. Please arrive on-time for the exam! After the first person finishes the exam others will not be allowed to start. Except under extraordinary circumstances, you will not be able to make-up a missed exam. If you have such a circumstance, please me immediately. There will be four in-class exams in this course that equally sum to 90% of your final grade. If you complete all four exams and score above 50% on each, then each of your three best exam scores will account for 30% of your final grade. If you miss an exam or you score less than 50% on an exam, then each of the four exams will count as 22.5% of your final grade. Summary of Empirical Journal Article: This independent paper provides a summary of an empirical article. This paper is worth 10% of your final grade. Your chosen journal article must be approved by the instructor. The summary must be submitted through Canvas, which automatically checks for plagiarism. Additional details for this paper will be provided at a later date. Technology Policy: If you have computational devices (such as laptop, PDA, etc.), I encourage you to bring them to class. However, their use must be related to class activities. For example, recording notes, searching for discussion related information, and working on class activities are encouraged. However, surfing the net, watching Youtube videos, listening to Mp3s, or drafting players for your Fantasy Football team are not acceptable class technology uses. Furthermore, please make sure that your computational devices do not disrupt (e.g., alarms) or distract (e.g., interesting screen content) others trying to learn around you. Recording & Distributing: You must obtain my written permission to make audio or video recordings in this class. The recordings are my intellectual property; you have not been given any rights to reproduce or distribute the material. In classes where active participation of students or guests may be on the recording, permission of those students or guests should be obtained as well. Course material developed by the instructor is their intellectual property and cannot be shared publicly without their approval. You may not publicly share or upload my generated material for this course (e.g., exam questions, lecture notes, activities) without written permission. Dropping and Adding Students are responsible for understanding the policies and procedures about add/drop, grade forgiveness, etc. Refer to the current semester s Catalog Policies section at Add/drop deadlines can be found on the Perception PSYC 158, Spring 2015 Page 4 of 9

5 current academic calendar web page located at The Late Drop Policy is available at Students should be aware of the current deadlines and penalties for dropping classes. Information about the latest changes and news is available at the Advising Hub at Assignments and Grading Policy Assignments Portion of Final Grade*: Due Dates: Exam or 30 % Feb. 17th Exam or 30 % March 19th Exam or 30% April 28th Cumulative Final Exam 22.5 or 30 % May 15th Empirical Article Summary 10 % May 7th * Exam scores will comprise 90% of your final grade. Late Assignments The due date for each assignment is indicated in the syllabus. Changes will be announced in class. Late assignments will not be accepted. If circumstances beyond your control prevent you from turning in an assignment on time, please send me an explaining your situation. Grading Scale A+ = % A = 92-94% A- = 90-91% B+ = 87-89% B = 82-86% B- = 80-81% C+ = 77-79% C = 72-76% C- = 70-71% D+ = 67-69% D = 62-66% D- = 60-61% F < 60% Perception PSYC 158, Spring 2015 Page 5 of 9

6 University Policies Academic integrity Your commitment as a student to learning is evident by your enrollment at San Jose State University. The University Academic Integrity Policy S07-2 at requires you to be honest in all your academic course work. Faculty members are required to report all infractions to the office of Student Conduct and Ethical Development. The Student Conduct and Ethical Development website is available at Instances of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Cheating on exams or plagiarism (presenting the work of another as your own, or the use of another person s ideas without giving proper credit) will result in a failing grade and sanctions by the University. For this class, all assignments are to be completed by the individual student unless otherwise specified. If you would like to include your assignment or any material you have submitted, or plan to submit for another class, please note that SJSU s Academic Policy S07-2 requires approval of instructors. Campus Policy in Compliance with the American Disabilities Act If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, or if you need to make special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible, or see me during office hours. Presidential Directive requires that students with disabilities requesting accommodations must register with the Accessible Education Center (AEC) at to establish a record of their disability. Accommodation to Students' Religious Holidays San José State University shall provide accommodation on any graded class work or activities for students wishing to observe religious holidays when such observances require students to be absent from class. It is the responsibility of the student to inform the instructor, in writing, about such holidays before the add deadline at the start of each semester. If such holidays occur before the add deadline, the student must notify the instructor, in writing, at least three days before the date that he/she will be absent. It is the responsibility of the instructor to make every reasonable effort to honor the student request without penalty, and of the student to make up the work missed. See University Policy S14-7 at Student Technology Resources Computer labs for student use are available in the Academic Success Center located on the 1 st floor of Clark Hall and on the 2 nd floor of the Student Union. Additional computer labs may be available in your department/college. Computers are also available in the Martin Luther King Library. Perception PSYC 158, Spring 2015 Page 6 of 9

7 Learning Assistance Resource Center The Learning Assistance Resource Center (LARC) is located in Room 600 in the Student Services Center. It is designed to assist students in the development of their full academic potential and to inspire them to become independent learners. The Center's tutors are trained and nationally certified by the College Reading and Learning Association (CRLA). They provide content-based tutoring in many lower division courses (some upper division) as well as writing and study skills assistance. Small group, individual, and drop-in tutoring are available. Please visit the LARC website for more information at SJSU Writing Center The SJSU Writing Center is located in Room 126 in Clark Hall. It is staffed by professional instructors and upper-division or graduate-level writing specialists from each of the seven SJSU colleges. Our writing specialists have met a rigorous GPA requirement, and they are well trained to assist all students at all levels within all disciplines to become better writers. The Writing Center website is located at SJSU Peer Connections Peer Connections, a campus-wide resource for mentoring and tutoring, strives to inspire students to develop their potential as independent learners while they learn to successfully navigate through their university experience. You are encouraged to take advantage of their services which include course-content based tutoring, enhanced study and time management skills, more effective critical thinking strategies, decision making and problem-solving abilities, and campus resource referrals. Offers small group, individual, and drop-in tutoring for a number of undergraduate courses, consultation with mentors is available on a drop-in or by appointment basis. A computer lab and study space are also available for student use in Room 600 of Student Services Center (SSC). Peer Connections is located in three locations: SSC, Room 600 (10th Street Garage on the corner of 10th and San Fernando Street), at the 1st floor entrance of Clark Hall, and in the Living Learning Center (LLC) in Campus Village Housing Building B. Visit Peer Connections website at for more information. SJSU Counseling Services The SJSU Counseling Services is located on the corner of 7th Street and San Fernando Street, in Room 201, Administration Building. Professional psychologists, social workers, and counselors are available to provide consultations on issues of student mental health, campus climate or psychological and academic issues on an individual, couple, or Perception PSYC 158, Spring 2015 Page 7 of 9

8 group basis. To schedule an appointment or learn more information, visit Counseling Services website at Topics, Readings, and Activities: Course Schedule Week Date Topics; Readings 1 Th Jan. 22 Introduction to the Course; Chapter 1 2 T Jan. 27 Perception & SDT; Appendix: Signal Detection Theory Th Jan. 29 Neurons & The Eye; Chapter 2 3 T Feb. 3 Neurons & The Eye Th Feb. 5 Retina to V1; Chapters 3 & 4 (p ) 4 T Feb. 10 Th Feb. 12 Disorders of Vision I Review Day 5 T Feb. 17 1st Exam Th Feb. 19 The Organized Brain; Chapter 4 6 T Feb. 24 Th Feb. 26 The Organized Brain Object Recognition + Journal Article Assignment Introduction 7 T March 3 Object Recognition; Chapter 5 Th March 5 Visual Attention; Chapter 6 8 T March 10 Visual Attention Th March 12 Disorders of Vision II 9 T March 17 Review Day Perception PSYC 158, Spring 2015 Page 8 of 9

9 Week Date Topics; Readings Th March 19 2nd Exam 10 T March 24 Th March 26 Spring Break Spring Break 11 T March 31 Cesar Chavez Day Th April 2 Color Perception; Chapter 7 12 T April 7 Color Perception Th April 9 Depth Perception; Chapter 8 13 T April 14 Motion Perception; Chapter 9 Th April 16 Perception & Action; Chapter T April 21 Th April 23 Perception & Action Review Day 15 T April 28 3rd Exam Th April 30 Hearing; Chapter T May 5 Touch; Chapter 14 Th May 7 Smell & Taste; Chapter 15 + Article Summary Due 17 Final Exam T May 12 F May 15 Review Day 9:45 am 12:00; Comprehensive Final Exam Notice: I reserve the right to make modifications to this syllabus. However, if modifications are necessary they will be announced in class. Perception PSYC 158, Spring 2015 Page 9 of 9