PSY 2012 General Psychology (Section 4042) Fall 2013 Class Time: MWF 9:35 AM-10:25 AM Class Venue: Weimer Hall Rm 1094 Instructor: Nathaniel Hall Email: njhall1@ufl.edu Office: Psychology Building Room 327 Office hours: Monday 3-4 pm, Wednesday 11 am- 12:00pm, and by appointment. Teaching Assistant: Adriana Collada Course Outline Overview This course is an overview of major topics in modern psychology, the scientific study of behavior, and mental processes. As a first course in the discipline of psychology, it introduces some of the fundamental concepts, principles, and theories with a consideration for the complexity of behavior. Course Goals 1. Provide an overview of the diversity of psychological science 2. Teach concepts in the field and how to apply them 3. Teach and practice discerning psychological science from pseudoscience. Required Material Text: Lilienfeld, Lynn, Namy and Woolf Psychology from Inquiry to Understanding 3rd edition ISBN: 0205966837 Iclicker Note: Most stores are storing the Iclickers behind the registers. Expectations You are expected to attend class regularly and carry out the reading assignments listed in this syllabus. You are also expected to check your email regularly (at least once a day) and to visit E-learning on a regular basis. Students typically find that for each hour in class, at least two additional hours are required for preparation. Nathaniel Hall Page 1
will need a make-up. Attendance Regular attendance is a requirement for this course and will be checked randomly via Iclickers. Students with Special Needs If you are a student with a disability and would like to request disability-related accommodations, you are encouraged to contact the Disability Resource Center as early in the semester as possible. The Disability Resource Center is located in 001 Building 0020 (Reid Hall). Their phone number is 392-8565. If you have a documented disability you must contact me by September 4th. Examinable material The lectures and the readings from the textbook listed below define the full syllabus of this course. Certain sections of the textbooks that are not examinable are identified at the bottom of the lecture timetable below. Assessment You will be tested in four non-cumulative multiple-choice short exams during class hours (see list below for dates) as well as a mid-term and non-cumulative final. There are no special exams, optional papers or catch-up projects to compensate for poor exam performance. All exams are closed book and closed notes and you will need a #2 pencil for the bubble sheet. Make-ups will be given for universityapproved absences, illness, or a family emergency with appropriate documentation (e.g. a doctor s note). Forgetting and oversleeping are not grounds for make-ups. You must let me know prior to the missed exam that you Nathaniel Hall Page 2 Grading Exams: There will be a total of four 30-point multiple-choice exams. In addition to these exams, you will have a mid-term and a noncumulative final. WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS There will be one 500-word paper worth 45 points due Nov 6 th. You will compare and contrast a news article with the peer-reviewed scientific article the news article is describing. The rubric will be posted on Sakai. There will be two ten-point applying psychology assignments. Details of the assignment and rubric will be posted the night before two of the Applications to Psychology days, and the assignment will be due the following week. LATE WORK Only the paper will be acceptable late, with a loss of 5 points per day late. PARTICIPATION At the beginning of the semester you will set a goal to achieve in this class. Working on your goal throughout the semester will result in 5 participation points. Failure to document your goal or progress on meeting your goal will result in a zero. Graded Item Points Midterm Exam 80 Final Exam 80 4 exams 30 pt each 120 2 Psych Apps 10pt ea 20 Paper 45 Goal Participation 5 Research Experience Total points available 30 380 The good news is these grades are firm there is no curve. Everybody in the class can get an A grade (and I hope you do).
The bad news is these grades are firm there is no curve. If you score just one point below the cutoff then you will get the lower grade. Points Grade 342 & Above A 335-341 A- 323-334 B+ 304-322 B 297-303 B- 285-296 C+ 266-284 C 259-265 C- 247-258 D+ 228-246 D 221-227 D- 220 & Below E (Fail) Honor Code It is important that you understand that I am not willing to give a passing grade to those who do not abide by the UF honor code. Any student who cheats or helps another student cheat will receive an E (Fail) in this class. University of Florida Student Honor Code, found at http://regulations.ufl.edu/chapter4/4017. pdf complete the research experience by completing 11 credits of research, you will receive 30 points that are added into your PSY2012 grade. If you do NOT complete the full number of credits by the deadline, you will receive points at a rate of 2.5 points per credit completed. Option 2: Is a paper assignment. Rules and details are available in the Research Requirement document on Sakai. For more info go to: http://www.psych.ufl.edu/files/undergrad/p SY2012Research.pdf **Note the contents of this syllabus may be changed during the semester. If changes are made to this syllabus they will be announced in class and on E-learning. It is your responsibility to come to class and to check for announcement of any changes online. Experimental participation requirement There is a Psychology Department requirement that all students enrolled in PSY 2012 participate in a research experience. The deadlines for this requirement are posted on Sakai. Completion of this requirement affects your course grade based on the amount of research credits you earn. Option 1: One credit is given for every half-hour you spend in an experiment, and you need to earn 11 credits in total. When you Nathaniel Hall Page 3
Tentative Course Schedule Date Lecture Topic Reading Aug. 21 Welcome to Psy 2012 Discussion in class Aug. 23 Introducing Psychology Chapter 1 Aug. 26 Introducing Psychology contd. Chapter 1 Aug. 28 Research Methods Chapter 2 Aug. 30 Research Methods cont. Chapter 2 Sept. 2 Sept. 4 No Class: Labor Day EXAM 1: INTRODUCTION & RESEARCH METHODS Sept. 6 Behavioral Neuroscience Chapter 3 Sept. 9 Behavioral Neuroscience contd. Chapter 3 Sept. 11 Sensation and Perception Chapter 4 Sept. 13 Sensation and Perception cont. Chapter 4 Sept. 16 Consciousness Chapter 5 Sept. 18 Applications to Psychology (Brain Injury) Sept. 20 Consciousness Contd. Chapter 5 Sept. 23th EXAM 2: BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE, SENSATION AND PERCEPTION & CONSCIOUSNESS Sept. 25 Learning Chapter 6 Application of Psychology Assignment 1 Due Sept. 27 Learning cont. Chapter 6 Sept. 30 Learning cont. Chapter 6 Oct. 2 Memory Chapter 7 Oct. 4 Memory cont. Chapter 7 Oct. 7 Thought and Language Chapter 8 Oct. 9 Thought and Language cont. Chapter 8 Oct. 11 Intelligence Chapter 9 Oct. 14 Oct 16 No Class: Study for Midterm Nathaniel Hall Page 4
Oct 16 MID-TERM EXAM 8:20-10:10 MCCC 100 Oct. 18 Development Chapter 10 Oct. 21 Motivation & Emotion Chapter 11 Oct. 23 Motivation & Emotion cont. Chapter 11 Oct. 25 Oct. 28 EXAM 3: INTELLIGENCE, MOTIVATION/EMOTION & DEVELOPMENT Oct. 30 Social Chapter 13 Nov. 1 Social Cont. Chapter 13 Nov. 4 Personality Chapter 14 Nov. 6 Nov. 8 Nov. 11 Nov. 13 Personality cont. Papers Due by 5 pm. No Class: Homecoming No Class: Veteran s Day Chapter 14 Nov. 15 EXAM 4: SOCIAL & PERSONALITY Nov. 18 Disorders Chapter 15 Nov. 20 Disorders cont. Chapter 15 Application of Psychology Assignment 2 Due Nov. 22 Treatment Chapter 16 Nov. 25 Treatment Chapter 16 Nov. 27 Nov. 29 No Class: Thanksgiving No Class: Thanksgiving Dec. 2 Health and Well-being cont. Chapter 12 Dec 4 Dec 10 FINAL EXAM in Car 100 12:30PM- 2:30 PM Nathaniel Hall Page 5