Psychology 2301 –
02, 03 General Psychology Spring 2010
Instructor: Dr.
Deborah Horn, LP
Office: Arts and Sciences 202, Brenham Office hours: MW 9-10 & 12:15-1:10, T 9-1
Phone: 979-830-4245 Virtual office hours: T 7–9pm, W 7-9pm
Email address: please use the email in the communication module in the online course room.
Course Description: This is an introductory course presenting elementary principles of human behavior, development, and mental process. Course material includes an overview of psychology, psychological research basics, biological bases of behavior, perception, learning, cognition, emotion, motivation, individual development, psychological disorders, methods of treatment, and an introduction to social psychology. Prerequisites: Appropriate score on the THEA test or alternative test or completion of READ 0306 with a grade of 'C' or better. Credit: Three semester hours. This is a Core Course in the 42-Hour Core of Blinn College. As such, students will develop proficiency in the appropriate Intellectual Competencies, Exemplary Educational Objectives, and Perspectives. The URL for the Blinn College Core Curriculum web site is http://www.blinn.edu/corecurriculum.
Learning Outcomes: Successful completers of this course will be able to (a) discuss the goals of psychology, (b) assess the use of scientific method in Psychology, (c) Evaluate the central features of major psychological theories, (d) summarize basic psychological terms and concepts, (e) utilize key psychological terms and concepts in real life examples, (f) characterize the work of leading contributors to the field of psychology, (g) discuss how psychological, biological, and social, factors can effect behavior and mental processes, (h) demonstrate the ability to use critical thinking skills to analyze research and reports of human behavior, (i) assess real-life situations that may require professional psychological help and compare various treatment options, and (j) differentiate the various parts of the nervous system and summarize their role in behavior.
Required Textbook: Ettinger, R. H. (2007). Understanding
Psychology.
Successful completion
of this course will require that you read and study your textbook, study your
class notes, and attend class. You must also have access to a computer that is
connected to the Internet to access eCampus in order to turn in assignments,
communicate with the instructor and classmates, etc. Such computers are
available in the library. The
computer you use must have one of the following browsers:
· Internet Explorer 7.x (Link to IE 7 for Windows XP)
· Firefox 2.0 or 3.0 (Link to Firefox 2 and Firefox 3)
· Macintosh computers running Mac OS X: Firefox (Link to Firefox 3)
· (Safari is NOT supported)
Such computers are available in the library. If you have difficulty navigating eCampus, you can get more information at http://www.blinn.edu/disted/internet/onlineorient.htm or you may call the help desk at 979-209-7298.
You should activate your Blinn email account within the next
couple of days. Instructions can be found at http://www.blinn.edu/acadtech/studentemail. You
should check your email regularly. Email regarding absences and drops will be
sent to your Blinn email. It is your responsibility to keep up with your
absences.
Class Calendar:
Week
1: Introduction,
Ch 1. The Nature and Origins of
Psychology
Week 2: Ch 2. Research Methods
Week 3: Ch 3. Biological
Basis of Behavior
Week 4: Ch 4. Sensation and Perception, Ch 5.
Sleep, Dreaming, and Consciousness
Week 5: Ch 6. Learning
Week 6: Exam I (
Week 7: Ch 7 Memory, Ch 8. Motivation
Week 8: Ch 9 Emotion and Stress, Ch
10. Cognition: Thinking and Language
Week 9: Ch 11 Developmental: Conception to Childhood, Ch 12 Adolescence to End of Life
Week 10 Ch
13
Intelligence, Ch 17 Social Psychology
Week 11: Exam II (Chs. 7 – 13, 17) (Apr 5, 2010); Ch 14 Personality Theories
and Assessment
Week 12: Ch 15 Behavioral Disorders
Week 13: Ch 15 continued
Week 14: Ch 16
Treatment of Behavior Disorders
Week 15: Ch 16 continued
Week 16: Final Exam for section 02 will be over Chs 1- 17 on Wed., May 12, at
10:30 am
Final Exam for section 03 will be over Chs
1- 17 on Mon., May 10 at 1:30 pm
Make-up exams will be on Wed., May 12 at
3:45 pm
Uncivil or unacceptable behavior in this class consists
of:
Threats to faculty or other students Poor hygiene
Intoxication Consistently failing to report to class on time
Talking on a cell phone Texting on a cell phone
Wearing or listening to headphones Using profanity
Eating, smoking, chewing gum Carrying weapons (guns, knives, explosives)
Initiating arguments with faculty or other classmates Sleeping in class
Speaking out inappropriately Wearing inappropriate clothing
Wearing clothing in such a way undergarments are showing
Course Requirements: Exam I = 100 points Grades:
Assignments 1, 2, 3 = 100 points 480 to 539 = B
Assignment A = 100 points 420 to 479 = C
Final Exam = 100 points 360 to 419 = D
Attendance = 100 points 000 to 359 = F
Total = 600 points
Exams: Exams will cover lecture notes and assigned readings including the materials found online. Exams I and II may consist of multiple choice or short answer. The Final Exam will be a comprehensive examination consisting of all multiple-choice items. You must be on time in order to take an exam. Once a student has turned in the exam, no students arriving late will be permitted to take the exam. There are no make-ups for exams unless you have missed class for one of the excused absences designated by Blinn in the student handbook. All make-ups exams will be given on May 12 at 3:45 pm.
Assignments 1 through 3: There will be three assignments during the semester that you complete
online. Assignment 1 will consist of taking part in an online discussion. This
assignment is worth 30 points. Assignment 2 will consist of completing a paper
on learning. This assignment is worth 40 points. Assignment 3 will consist of
completing a matching exercise. This assignment is worth 30 points. More
information regarding these assignments will be given in class later in the
semester.
Assignment A: You may select one of the two options below:
Option 1. For the first page of this option, reflect on your opinion, feelings, thoughts, etc., on people who are older than 75 years of age. Then watch the motion picture, "Young @ Heart" (this is not the movie with Doris Day.) For the remaining two pages, describe the older people you viewed on this film. Also reflect on whether your opinion, feelings, thoughts, etc., have changed.
Option 2. For the first page of this option, reflect on your opinion, feelings, thoughts, etc., on people who are older than 75 years of age. Then find an individual who is older than 75 and spend an hour or two getting to know that person. Ask them about their life, what advice they would give a young person today, what do they like best about their life currently. For the remaining two pages, describe the answers your interviewee gave you. Also reflect on whether your opinion, feelings, thoughts, etc., about older individuals have changed. PLEASE NOTE: Be respectful, do not ask personal questions, do not ask questions about health, etc. Thank the individual for his or her help with your assignment.
When writing this assignment, your page should be set with one inch margins, double-spaced, and use Times New Roman with a pitch of 12. The only heading it should have is whether you selected Option 1 or Option 2 to complete. Your completed assignment should be a minimum of 3 pages.
Attendance policy: The College District believes that class attendance is essential for student success; therefore, students are required to promptly and regularly attend all their classes. Without full participation and regular class attendance, students shall find themselves at a severe disadvantage for achieving success in college. The Blinn handbook states: “If a student has one week’s worth of unexcused absences during the semester, he/she will be sent an e-mail by the College requiring the student to contact his/her instructor and schedule a conference immediately to discuss his/her attendance issues. Should the student accumulates two weeks worth of unexcused absences, he/she may be administratively withdrawn from class. Also, we recognize four excused absences: Blinn approved activity, ISD approved activity, military service and religious holy days.” For this class, class participation shall constitute at least ten percent of the final course grade. If you should decide to drop this class, you must initiate the drop. However, if you miss a substantial number of classes, I reserve the right to drop you from the course.
You must sign the attendance log in the classroom as soon as you arrive in the classroom. However, if you have not signed in by the time class has started and arrive late, you will be counted as tardy. Two tardies equal 1 absence.
Please note that you are being given points for attending class. So even if your absence is excused, you cannot be awarded points. Attendance points will be awarded utilizing the following scale:
0 missed classes = 100 points
1 missed class = 90 points
2 missed classes = 80 points
3 missed classes = 70 points
4 missed classes = 60 points
5 missed classes = 50 points
6 missed classes = 40 points
7 missed classes = 30 points
8 missed classes = 20 points
9 missed classes = 10 points
10 or more missed classes = 0 points
Scholastic
dishonesty (from the student handbook): It is the responsibility of
instructors to maintain scholastic integrity at
Makeup Examinations:
Make-up exams are available for students who are excused to participate in a Blinn activity, military, ISD activity (dual-credit students only) or religious activity. If you are ill, you must contact me within 24 hours before the exam to see if a make-up will be available. Make-up exams will be given on the last day of finals at 3:45 pm. There is no make-up for the final exam. You must be present to take your final exam during the time it is scheduled. Do not make plans to leave town until after your exams are over. It is very important that you read the textbook, complete assignments, prepare for exams, and attend class regularly.
No extra credit work is given. It is very important that you complete assignments, prepare for tests, and complete work on time. I reserve the right to change class rules as it becomes necessary. However, class requirements, assignments, and grading policies will not change.
Electronic Device Policy:
All the functions of all personal
electronic devices designed for
communication
and/or entertainment (cell phones, pagers, beepers, iPods, and similar devices)
must be
turned
off and kept out of sight in all
noncompliance
with this policy will be addressed in accordance with the
(Administrative
Policy). Additionally, any communication understood by the instructor to be in
the
nature
of cheating will have consequences in accordance with this
regarding
academic dishonesty [FLB (Local)]. Students exempted from this policy section
include,
active
members of firefighting organizations, emergency medical services
organizations,
commissioned
police officers, on-call employees of any political subdivision of the state of
agencies
of the federal government. Exempted students are expected to set the
emergency-use devices
on
silent or vibrate mode only. Any student violating this policy shall be subject
to discipline,
including
suspension, in accordance with FM.