Systems of Psychology
Course Syllabus
Instructor:
Class meets:
Email:
Phone:
Office:
Office hours:
PSY 306.01
Spring 2009
Dr. Brooke Bennett-Day
Taylor 110, T/Th 3:00-4:15
bbennettday@wesleyancollege.edu (preferred)
478-757-3749
Taylor 106
W 3:30-5:00pm; T/Th 1:30-2:30 and by appointment
Textbooks:
Benjamin, Jr. (2007). A Brief History of Modern Psychology
Benjamin, Jr. (2006). A History of Psychology in Letters
Guthrie. (2003). Even the Rat was White: A Historical View of Psychology
Scarborough & Furumoto. (1987). Untold Lives: The First Generation of American
Women Psychologists
The class website is located at https://wesportal.wesleyancollege.edu/ics/
You will need your login name and password to access the website.
Announcements and schedule changes will be posted there. Please check this
website at least twice each week.
Course Description and Objectives
“Psychology has a long past, but only a short history”
~ Hermann Ebbinghaus (1908)
This course seeks to acquaint the student with contemporary points of view in
psychology through a survey of modern psychological schools, their historical
development, special problems, and contributions to the field. Content includes
historical development and current position of structuralism, functionalism,
behaviorism, Gestalt psychology, psychoanalysis, humanistic psychology, and
cognitive psychology. Although not currently listed in the catalogue, a primary
goal of this course is to focus on the contributions of a diverse group of individuals
to the field of psychology.
Classroom Expectations
I feel that being in class is a very important part of the learning process and I
expect you to be here. I will be taking attendance regularly. Additionally,
attendance is required for the class sessions in which student presentations are
taking place. Failure to attend these sessions will result in a deduction from your
own presentation grade, with exceptions being made only for absences that I have
approved. Be aware that excessive absences can have a detrimental effect on your
Participation grade.
Academic Honor Code
"The Honor Code is the foundation upon which life in the Wesleyan College
community is built. It is based upon the idea that individual freedom is a right
founded upon responsibility. A student is expected to tell the truth, respect others
and their property, and maintain academic integrity and honesty in all areas of
college life."
Plagiarism and cheating are not tolerated within this course. Instances of either
will result in a zero for that exam or assignment, with possible further
repercussions as per college guidelines. Be aware that your summaries of research
findings should be in your own words, just like everything else.
Students with Disabilities
Wesleyan College is committed to equal education and full participation for all
students. Any student who requires reasonable academic accommodations or the
use of auxiliary aids in class must first identify herself to the Director of Student
Disability Services in the Academic Center. Documentation is required which will
be evaluated and appropriate accommodations recommended. The student will
then be expected to collaborate with each of her professors. Please contact Christy
Henry in the Academic Center at 757-5219.
Grading
Your grade for the course will be based on discussion comments, exams, a group
presentation, a paper, and participation.
Discussion comments. Each Tuesday afternoon (beginning Jan 20th) a topic will be
posted in the discussion board section of our class website. You will have until
5pm on the following Monday to comment on that topic before the discussion is
closed. Depending on the thought given to your response, you will either receive 0,
1.5, or 3 points per topic. More information about quality responses can be found
on the class website. There will be a total of 12 discussion topics; you only need to
comment on 10 of those to receive your full points. You will also be assigned to be
a comment-reader for a certain period of the semester. I’ll provide more
information on this when drop/take has closed.
Exams. There will be three equally weighted exams (50 points each), consisting of
multiple-choice and short answer questions. Make-up tests will be administered
only when that absence is considered excused and proper documentation can be
provided. If you know in advance that you must miss an exam for a legitimate
reason (e.g., religious holidays, medical reasons), please contact me as soon as you
are able. If you have an unforeseen emergency (e.g., severe illness, death in the
family), contact me within 24-hours of the exam or you will not be able to make up
the exam regardless of your reason for missing it.
Presentation. Each student will be part of a team that will present a reading to the
class to further add to an area of discussion in the history of psychology. It is
expected that this presentation will last approximately 15-20 minutes, and
presenters will be able to answer questions on their topic. There are no format
requirements and handouts are not necessary. Tentative presentation options are
shown below. Topics will be assigned after drop/take has closed.
Feb 26th – Margaret Floy Washburn
Mar 3rd – Christine Ladd-Franklin
Mar 17th – Hugo Munsterberg
Mar 24th – Freud & Jung
Mar 31st – John B. Watson’s take on behaviorism
April 2nd – B. F. Skinner’s heir conditioner (or plans for a behavioral utopia)
April 7th – Walter Freeman’s psychosurgery
Apr 14th – Francis Cecil Sumner
April 16th – Mamie & Kenneth B. Clark (Brown v. Board of Education)
April 21st – Nazi Germany’s influence on Gestalt psychology
Paper. A short paper (6-8 pages) will be due near the end of the semester. This
paper will represent your thoughts and original research in one of a number of
areas. You may choose to:
• Further explore the contributions of a lesser known figure in psychology
• Explore the lesser-known contributions of a famous figure in psychology
• Analyze an older psychology textbook (1880s-1960s), making connections
between the material and the larger world of that time
• Imagine that you are a historical figure in psychology and interpret modern
issues in the field
• Come up with your own idea – just run it by me before you begin!
Participation. A portion of your grade is made up of participation points. The
assumption is that a student who shares her ideas in class, completes the readings,
and takes care of her comment-reading responsibilities will earn all 30 points. Due
to the relationship between being in class and actively participating, excessive
unexcused absences (>5) will result in a deduction of 5 participation points for
each additional absence.
The whole semester breaks down like this:
Discussion comments 30 pts
Exams
150 pts
Paper
50 pts
Presentation 40 pts
Participation 30 pts
So, with a grand total of 300 possible points, the grading scale is as follows:
A
=
269-300 points
(90-100%)
B
=
239-268 points
(80-89%)
C
=
209-238 points
(70-79%)
D
=
179-208 points
(60-69%)
F
=
below 178
(below 60%)
Course Plan
Tuesday
Jan
6/8
Jan
13/15
Jan 20/22
Jan 27/29
Feb 3/5
Feb 10/12
Feb 17/19
Feb 24/26
Mar 3/5
Mar 10/12
Mar 17/19
Mar 24/26
Mar 31/2
Apr 7/9
Apr 14/16
Apr 21/23
Apr 28/30
Doing historical research
HPL Ch 1 pgs 1-13
Prescientific psychology
BH Ch 1 pgs 1-18
Physiology, etc.
ERW Ch 2 pgs 42-52
Germany & birth of a new science
BH Ch 3 pgs 68-71
HPL Ch 5 pgs 55-67
Exam 1
Early American Labs
BH Ch 4 pgs 55-63
A quest for graduate education
UL Ch 1 pgs 17-51
HPL Ch 9 pgs 113-123 (optional)
Early schools of psychology
BH Ch 5 pgs 84-92
Spring break
Applied psychology
BH Ch 6 pgs 93-112
Psychoanalysis
BH Ch 7 pgs 113-127
Behaviorism
BH Ch 8 pgs 133-143
New profession of psychology
BH Ch 9 pgs 154-174
Psychology of Social Action
BH Ch 10 pgs 177-183
Cognitive Psychology
BH Ch 11 pgs 196-215
Future of psychology
readings to be assigned
Thursday
Syllabus & course introduction
Philosophical roots
online reading selection
Physiology, etc.
BH Ch 3 pgs 19-35
Germany & birth of a new science
BH Ch 3 pgs 36-54
no class
Early American Labs
HPL Ch 6 pgs 69-80
BH Ch 4 pgs 63-68
no class
Early schools of psychology
BH Ch 5 pgs 74-83
Other early issues
readings to be assigned
Exam 2
Psychoanalysis
BH Ch 7 pgs 127-132
Behaviorism
BH Ch 8 pgs 144-153
Psychology of Social Action
ERW Ch 4 pgs 93-104
Psychology of Social Action
BH Ch 10 pgs 183-187; 191-195
Cognitive Psychology
Note. Exam 3 will take place during the final exam period on ___________.
HPL = History of Psychology in Letters; BH = A Brief History of Psychology; ERW
= Even the Rat was White; UL = Untold Lives. The instructor reserves the right to
make changes at any time and for any reason to the syllabus, course schedule and
exam dates. Changes will be announced both in class and on WesPortal.