INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE PSYCHOLOGY 150 FALL 2012 Class Time: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 9:30 10:20 AM Roger Milliken Science Center 225 Lab Time: Thursday, 2:30 5:30 PM Roger Milliken Science Center 225 Instructor: Katherine R. Mickley Steinmetz, Ph.D. Office: Roger Milliken Science Center 231D Office hours: Monday and Friday 10:30-11:30 AM or by appointment Office phone: 4643 Email: steinmetzkr@wofford.edu (Probably the easiest way to get in contact with me) Text: Slides: Format: Course Description: Course Goals: Nairne, J. S. (2009). Psychology (5 th edition). Thomson Wadsworth; USA. Printable versions of all slides presented in class are available in PDF format on my website for the course: http://webs.wofford.edu/steinmetzkr/teaching/psy150/psy150.html This is a lecture-laboratory based course on the fundamental aspects the scientific study of human behavior and cognition. This course will provide students with a broad knowledge base of the major concepts and findings in the field of psychology. A scientific approach will be taken to examine these topics so that the students will be able to apply knowledge of basic research methodology. Emphasis will be placed on the use of critical thinking. Students will apply psychological principles to their everyday lives. They will also develop written communication skills through APA style reports of their laboratory work. 1. Knowledge base of psychology: Students will demonstrate familiarity with major concepts, theoretical perspectives, empirical findings, and historical trends in psychology. 2. Research methods: Students will understand and apply basic research methods in psychology, including research design, data analysis and interpretation. 3. Critical thinking: Students will respect and use critical and creative thinking, skeptical inquiry, and when possible, the scientific approach to solve problems related to behavior and mental processes. 4. Application of psychology: Students will understand and apply psychological principles to personal, social, and organizational issues. 5. Values in psychology: Students will be able to weigh evidence, tolerate ambiguity, act ethically, and demonstrate cultural 1 1
2 awareness. Grading: The final grade for this course will be based on scores from 3 exams (15 % each), a cumulative final (20 %) 3 laboratory reports (10% each), and an oral presentation (5%). A = 93 100 C+ = 76 79 A- = 90 92 C = 73 75 B+ = 86 89 C- = 70 72 B = 83 85 D = 60 69 B- = 80 82 F = 0 59 Exams: Three exams will cover the material from class and the textbook for each unit. Exams may consist of a combination of multiple choice, short answer, and essay questions. Exam format will be discussed before each exam, as I reserve the right to modify as necessary. The final cumulative exam will follow a similar format as previous exams, but will also include questions that will require you to integrate the material you have learned over the course of the semester. Make-up exams will not be given. If you need to reschedule an exam due to a legitimate excuse or illness, please talk to me before the exam (proof will be necessary). The schedule for the exams is as follows: Laboratory Sessions: Exam Chapters Date 1 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 Monday, Oct. 1, 2012 2 4, 7, 8, 9 Monday, Nov. 5, 2012 3 12, 13, 14 Friday, Nov. 30, 2012 Final Comprehensive, 16 Wednesday, December 12, 9-12 There will be a series of laboratory experiences that require your participation. However, not all laboratory experiences will be graded. You will be responsible for completing 3 lab assignments for grades. Each lab report will be worth 10 percent of the final grade. Each student will be independently responsible for writing each lab assignment. Each written lab report will describe the major question under study, the hypotheses that were tested, methods used in the study, the results of the study, and a discussion of the findings as it pertains to the hypotheses. In addition to lab reports, the team members may also be called upon to present the study to the class and defend their work. These should be original contributions and any references should be cited in the text. Before turning in lab reports, students are required to meet with the TA and to bring their draft to the lab the week before the lab report is due. If you do not go to the TA, there will be a 10% reduction from you lab report grade. If you do not bring you draft to class the lab period before the lab report is due, you will receive a 20% reduction in your grade. Lab 1 Biological Psychology Due Oct. 11, 2012 Lab 2 Cognitive Psychology Due Nov. 1, 2012 Lab 3 Social Psychology Due Nov. 14, 2012 2
3 Presentation: Each student will be responsible for preparing and delivering a research presentation to the class. This presentation will be no longer than 5 minutes, have visual aids (i.e. slides) and will follow the general pattern of a laboratory report. Students will make the presentation before the class and will be evaluated by the professor and the other students. The presentation will be worth 5% of the final grade. Presentation Nov. 29, 2012 Calendar: This is the tentative schedule for the course, including exams and days when class will not be held. MON TUES WED THURS (Lab) FRI 3-Sep 1 4-Sep 5-Sep 1-2 6-Sep CLA, Ethics, APA 7-Sep 2 10-Sep 3 11-Sep 12-Sep 3 13-Sep Stats and Graphing 14-Sep 3 17-Sep 6 18-Sep 19-Sep 6 20-Sep Biological 21-Sep 6 24-Sep 5 25-Sep 26-Sep 5 27-Sep Biological 28-Sep 5 1-Oct E1 2-Oct 3-Oct 7 4-Oct Biological 5-Oct 7 8-Oct 7 9-Oct 10-Oct 8 11-Oct Cognitive* 12-Oct 8 15-Oct SfN 16-Oct 17-Oct 8 18-Oct Cognitive 19-Oct Holiday 22-Oct 9 23-Oct 24-Oct 9 25-Oct Cognitive 26-Oct 4 29-Oct 4 30-Oct 31-Oct 4 1-Nov Social* 2-Nov E2 5-Nov 12 6-Nov 7-Nov 12 8-Nov Social 9-Nov 12 12-Nov 13 13-Nov 14-Nov 13 15-Nov Social 16-Nov 13 19-Nov 14* 20-Nov 21-Nov Holiday 22-Nov Holiday 23-Nov Holiday 26-Nov 14 27-Nov 28-Nov 14 29-Nov Presentation 30-Nov E3 3-Dec 11.4 4-Dec 5-Dec 16 6-Dec CLA 7-Dec 16 Final: Wednesday Dec. 12, 9-12 *Lab Due Attendance: Wofford College has a standing policy that class attendance is required. In the case of excused absences, every reasonable effort will be made to help you make up the missed work. But in every case of absence, you are still responsible for the material and experiences covered in class during the absence. Regular attendance is important, expected, and critical to performing well. If you have more than 3 unexcused absences it is an automatic WF for the course. If you miss class, please contact me by phone or email as soon as possible. Arriving to class late also counts as an unexcused absence. Class participation includes being prepared for class and contributing to class discussions. Classes will be more understandable and enjoyable for everyone if you have completed the assigned readings and thought about them before class. All students are expected to actively engage in class discussion by making insightful comments, asking questions, and responding to other students questions in a respectful manner. It is expected that you will contribute to a comfortable class atmosphere in which class members thoughtfully listen and respond to each other. Class discussions may touch on topics that are personally sensitive; we will all need to be considerate of privacy both in and out of class. 3
4 Technology Skills: Reading the Textbook: Make-up Exams and Extra Credit All students in the course are expected to be familiar with word processing software and the use of internet browser technology. Given the dynamic nature of the field, it will be important for students to become familiar with how to execute scientific literature searches through the collections supported by the Wofford College library. Through these exercises, students in the course will develop research and scientific writing skills. Students will also learn to enter and analyze data using Microsoft Excel and the SPSS statistical package. In order to fulfill the goals of this course, it will be necessary for you to learn many definitions, names, findings, theories, as well as critically analyze what you will be learning. Survey courses inherently require a great deal of memorization; therefore it is important you stay up to date with material by reading the textbook and attending class. You are expected to read the appropriate chapter before class to familiarize yourself with the material. After we cover the material in class, re-read the textbook chapter before the next class, so that you can ask questions before we move on to the next topic. Some advice about reading: When given an assignment, some students feel as if they have met their obligation if they have forced their eyes to touch (in appropriate sequence) each word on the pages assigned. Unfortunately, this alone is not an effective way to learn the material. Here are some study strategies to try: Connect to the text: this involves underlining key ideas and making marks and comments in the margins. Write 5 big questions reflecting key concepts in each chapter. Write a response of commentary on these questions; Summarize the readings and visualize the key ideas: Make a visual or graphic organizer for the reading. List, organize or categorize the key ideas; Create a reading response journal: After each section of the reading, respond with a question or comment; Study as a group: Convene a study group where you focus on the key concepts. Write up the ideas that are raised there and distribute them to the group; Create a song or rap: Write a song or rap about the assignment. Record it and use it as a study guide. There will be no make-up exams or extra credit for this course. Special arrangements will be made only in case of medical necessity or personal hardship. Except in emergency situations, alternative arrangements must be made in advance of the exam date or assignment date. Failure to do so will result in placing the student in jeopardy of a null grade for that exam or assignment. Labs need to be turned in at the beginning of class on the day they are due. Any assignment handed in past the deadline will be marked down 10% of the potential points, with an additional 10% mark down every 24 hours. Assignments turned in more than 4 days late will receive a null grade for that report. If you have any questions about assignments, 4
5 please see me before the assignment is due. Academic Honesty Pager, Cell Phone and Text Messaging Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Students are expected to exhibit honesty in all academic endeavors and adhere to the college Honor Code (http://www.wofford.edu/studentlife/honorcode.pdf). Any instance of cheating/plagiarism on exams/assignments will be reported. I encourage collaboration when studying in order to increase understanding and learning of material. However, it is expected that all work you complete and submit is your own. The use of a pager, cell phone, and/or text messaging during class is strictly prohibited. Any student caught using any of these during class will be asked to leave the class immediately and an unexcused absence will be recorded for that class. The ADA requires that all qualified persons have equal opportunity and access to education, regardless of the presence of any disabling conditions. It is the student s responsibility to obtain the necessary documentation from Health Services and to inform the instructor of any special accommodations needed. This needs to be completed prior to the first examination in the course. This syllabus subject to change upon notification 5