Course Syllabus Fall Lecture three hours per week. John Cowgill Office hours: 7:30-8:15 a.m. on Mondays Office location: Room T-6

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1 James Madison University/Clarke County High School GPSYC 101: Introduction to Psychology Professor: Dr. Krisztina Varga (University of Georgia) Affiliate Instructor: John A. Cowgill, M.Ed. (James Madison University), M. Liberal Studies (Fort Hays State University) Course Syllabus Fall 2009 Course Information General Psychology 101 Bridge Course: Introduction to Psychology (3 credits) Meets 3 rd block on odd day schedule (11:45-1:20), Clarke County High School Campus, Room T-6 Course Description A study of the nervous system, sensation, perception, consciousness, learning, memory, language, intelligence, motivation, emotion, life span development, personality, psychopathology, psychotherapy, social psychology, and the scientific method. Lecture three hours per week. Contacting the Instructors John Cowgill Office hours: 7:30-8:15 a.m. on Mondays Office location: Room T-6 cowgillj@clarke.k12.va.us Phone: (540) ext 263 (work) (540) (home to be used in emergencies only) Dr. Varga vargakx@jmu.edu Text Exploring Psychology in Modules, by David G. Myers (7 th ed.). Worth Publishers, (Required) Other readings as directed by the instructors. General Psychology Objectives Students completing this course should be able to: 1. Summarize basic theories, concepts and principles of the field of psychology, and how they are influenced by various factors, such as biological, cognitive, developmental, environmental, and social processes. 1

2 2. Describe the empirical nature of scientific inquiry, and summarize basic research procedures used within the field of psychology. 3. Summarize key ethical issues encountered in conducting research and making use of research findings. 4. Recognize the key components of critical thinking, and apply critical thinking skills to scholarly and popular media. 5. Recognize the historical and cultural influences on basic psychological processes, research findings, and psychological theories. 6. Describe the relevance and practical application of psychological knowledge to their everyday lives. General Education Goals (Cluster Five, Sociocultural Dimension) After completing any Cluster Five Sociocultural Dimension course, students should be able to: 1. Identify factors that affect individual and group behavior in social contexts. 2. Identify factors that lead an individual or group to adopt a particular position on social and behavioral issues. 3. Discern the extent to which sources of information about the sociocultural dimension are reputable and unbiased. 4. Evaluate the extent to which the approach to, and uses of, psychosocial research are ethical and appropriate. Course Requirements Exams. Students will complete four exams during the semester. Exams will focus primarily on the most recently covered material (i.e., they are not cumulative). However, each exam will require students to evaluate research using skills developed throughout the semester. Each exam will consist of multiple-choice, multiple-response, and short answer questions. Please bring a #2 pencil to each of the exams. Quizzes. Students will complete brief quizzes covering reading assignments. Quizzes will be unannounced. Mini Papers. Students will write 4 mini papers throughout the semester. Assignments will be announced in advance and completed in class. Topics will not be announced, but will relate to recently covered material (within the previous 2 weeks). Students will be given 25 minutes to respond to a specific question. Film Analysis Essay. Students will be required to complete a major essay assignment, as directed by the instructors. 2

3 Grading System Final grades in this course will be based on the following percentages: Exams 60% Quizzes 10% Mini Papers 10% Film Analysis Essay 20% Grade Percentage A A B B B C C C D D F Below 65 Classroom Procedures and Policies Attendance Each student is expected to attend all classes and is responsible for class work, homework, and lecture notes, whether present or absent. Students must make arrangements with classmates to obtain missed materials. Exams and mini-paper assessments will take place during class on assigned dates, and unannounced quizzes will also be given from time to time. Students are expected to be in class during all assessments. Students who will be absent for school or family activities must make arrangements to complete any assessments that will be missed prior to the absence. Make up assessments will be allowed only under the most serious circumstances (e.g., hospitalization, death in the immediate family, etc.), which can be properly documented. Allowance for make up work is solely at the discretion of the instructors. Behavioral Expectations Courteous, attentive behavior is expected at all times. No electronic devices (including pagers, beepers, cell phones, and music-listening devices) are allowed in the classroom. Students who engage in disruptive behavior will be dismissed from the class and marked absent. Plagiarism and Academic Dishonesty The first offense of any form of cheating will result in a grade of zero on the assignment or test and probation for the remainder of the course. Documentation of the offense will be forwarded to the appropriate 3

4 administrator at Clarke County High School and to James Madison University. A second offense will result in course failure (F) and referral for possible disciplinary action by both the high school and the university. Blackboard Students should check the course Blackboard site regularly for course announcements and materials. Supplemental Readings Supplemental readings may be provided by the instructor from time to time. These materials will be available on the course Blackboard site. Late Work Work will not be accepted late. Week Class Topic Reading Assignments Assessment 1 8/26/08 Introduction to the course Text: Module 1 8/28/08 History & nature of psychology 2 9/2/08 Research, statistics, & ethics Text: Module 2 9/4/08 Experimentation 4

5 Week Class Topic Reading Assignments Assessment 3 9/8/08 The brain and neurology Text: Modules 3-4 9/10/08 Genetics and evolutionary psychology Text: Module 5 9/12/08 Genetics, environment, & behavior Text: Module 6 4 9/16/08 Development: prenatal, newborn, & infancy Text: Modules 7-8 Mini-paper #1 9/18/08 Development: childhood, adolescence, & adulthood Text: Modules /22/08 Exam #1 9/24/08 Introduction to perception Text: Module 11 9/26/08 Sensory perception Text: Module /30/08 Consciousness Text: Modules /2/08 Continued Text: Module /6/08 Introduction to learning Text: Module 18 10/8/08 Classical & operant conditioning Text: Modules /10/08 Other learning theories Mini-paper #2 5

6 Week Class Topic Reading Assignments Assessment 8 10/14/08 Memory Text: Modules /16/08 Exam #2 9 10/20/08 10/22/08 10/24/08 A personal learning model Group presentations Theories of personality Text: Modules /28/08 10/30/08 Personality continued Introduction to disorders Text: Module 35 Text: Module /6/08 Introduction to social psychology Text: Module /10/08 Social thinking & influence Text: Module 44 Mini-paper #3 11/12/08 Social relations Text: Module 45 11/14/08 Film: Citizen Kane 13 11/18/08 Film continued / analysis 11/20/08 Exam #3 6

7 Week Class Topic Reading Assignments Assessment 14 11/24/08 Psychological therapies Text: Module 40 11/26/08 Biomedical therapies Text: Modules /2/08 Personality disorders Text: Module /4/08 Anxiety and dissociative disorders Text: Module /8/08 Evaluating social influences through film: 12 Angry Men Mini-paper #4 12/10/08 Film continued / analysis 12/12/08 Wrap-up/Review 17 12/18/08 Exam #4 18 1/6/09 1/8/09 Crafting a psychological experiment Conducting a psychological experiment Film analysis essay due 7

8 Film Analysis Essay Assignment Brief Introduction In addition to entertaining us, movies offer detailed portrayals of human social behavior. Your task in this assignment is to analyze from a psychological perspective the behaviors and events depicted in one of the films listed below. You are not being asked to critique the film in terms of its value as a work of art or as entertainment. Rather, you should think carefully about the human actions and events portrayed in the film. Then, to make sense of this material, apply what you've learned this semester regarding the factors that predict and explain human behavior and mental processes. This assignment is comprehensive: We urge you to use as many concepts encountered in this course as you can that relate to the issues, interactions, and behaviors portrayed in the film. Assignment Choose one of the films below. View the film at least once (though additional viewings may be beneficial). After viewing the film, review your notes and readings. Identify three (3) psychological principles that appear to be operating in the events or individuals depicted in the film. For each principle that you identify: a) briefly describe the relevant scene (you may assume that your reader has seen the film); b) describe in detail the psychological principle you believe is relevant, bringing in course information and research findings as much as possible (that is, briefly state the findings of relevant experiments you've read or heard about); and c) elaborate on how the selected scene conforms and/or fails to conform to the psychological principle you have identified, as well as to the research findings that support the principle (for example, describe how the scene is similar to or different from relevant experiments you've read or heard about). Your written analysis should be succinct and well-written (6-8 pages) and adhere to the following format: a) The paper MUST be typed, double-spaced, in 12-point Times New Roman font (or equivalent), with one-inch margins (at top, bottom, and both sides). b) The essay should have a title, but students should not use a title page. Student name, the course designation, and the assignment name should be placed in the upper left corner of the first page. The title of the paper should be centered on the next double-spaced line. c) All pages of the paper should be stapled together, with the staple placed in the upper left corner. Do NOT place the paper into any kind of presentation folder. d) Any material, whether quoted or not, that is not your original thought and which you have summarized, paraphrased, or quoted MUST be cited using footnotes or endnotes. The APA format should be used for citations and all other questions of style for the paper. 8

9 The essay will be graded using the following criteria: Adequately Done Needs Improvement Well-Done Did the student adhere to the proper format for the paper? (See items a-d above) How effectively did the student tie the first psychological principle to a scene from the film? How effectively did the student tie the second psychological principle to a scene from the film? How effectively did the student tie the third psychological principle to a scene from the film? How effectively did the student incorporate research findings of familiar experiments into the analysis? What is the overall quality of the writing (including mechanics, such as spelling and grammar)? Grading Scale Rubric Score Letter Grade A+ A A- B+ B B- Points Rubric Score Letter Grade C+ C C- D+ D D- F Points Students who do not turn in the assignment receive zero (0) points. Movies Vertigo Rear Window Anatomy of a Murder Cool Hand Luke The Incredibles The Illusionist Marnie A Beautiful Mind Sybil To Kill a Mockingbird The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari The Long, Hot Summer Analyze This As Good As It Gets Regarding Henry Trading Places Revised 8/19/08 9