Psychology, Imperial Valley Campus
Psy 380
Spring 2015
Instructor Contact Information
Instructor: Roger Dunn
Office: WF 171
Office hours: Wednesdays by appointment and Thursdays 3:35-4:30
Phone: 760 768-5616
Email: roger.dunn@sdsu.edu
Section and Enrollment Information
Class meeting: Thursdays 12:55 – 3:35
Class location: N 101
Course Description
Theory and research on attention, learning, memory, thinking, understanding, and
language. Our emphasis will be on contemporary theories and the experimental methods
that allow us to explore the mind.
Student Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this course, you will be able to:
1. Describe how your current knowledge base enhances your perception and memory as
well as your judgments, decisions, and ability to solve problems.
2. Describe how your current knowledge base limits your perception and memory as well
as your judgments, decisions, and ability to solve problems.
3. Describe the assumptions and key concepts that underlie cognitive psychology.
4. Describe and apply methods used in the study of the mind.
5. Apply your knowledge of mental functioning to real-life situations.
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Required Readings and Materials
Cognition: Exploring the Science of the Mind, Fifth Edition by Daniel Reisberg, published in
2012 by Norton, available in the campus bookstore, online, or as an e-book. We will also
use the ZAPS software that comes bundled with the bookstore version but must be
purchased separately in the online and e-book versions. It is not necessary to get the
student workbook for the text.
Course Website
The course website will be on SDSU’s Blackboard system.
Assessment and Grading
There are 100 points possible in the course. The three multiple-choice exams will be
worth a total of 82 points. If you are unable to take an exam as scheduled for a medical
emergency or similar reason, make sure to talk to me by the end of the test day to
arrange a make-up test. You will need to document the reason.
The course points will be allocated as follows:
First Exam - 22 points
Second & Third Exams - 30 points each
Weekly written assignments – 11 points
Online research assignments (ZAPS & IAT) – 7 points
Exam scores, course points, and grades will be posted on the course website.
Assignments
For each set of assigned readings, you will be asked to identify a concept or issue that you
do not understand and to prepare a short paragraph-length description of your questions
about that issue. These assignments should be posted to the Discussion Board on thie
Blackboard website by 9:00 a.m. on the day of the class corresponding to the readings. A
new thread will be created for each set of topics in the readings. Two examples will be
included in the opening post of the thread for the first reading assignment. Late questions
from a reading assignment will be accepted for half-credit up to the time of the exam
corresponding to the readings.
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Final Grades
Letter grades corresponding to exam scores are as follows. Note that the exam scores (the
numbers), not the letter grades, will be used in the calculation of the final course grade.
91 or more = A
88-90 = A84-87 = B+
81-83 = B
78-80 = B…….
58-60 = D-
Schedule of Exams & Tentative Schedule of Lecture Topics
Jan 22: Introduction, History
Jan 29: More History, Research Methodology
Feb 5: The Brain
Feb 12: Perception
Feb 19: Exam
Feb 26: Attention
Mar 5: Memorial Processes
Mar 12: Encoding & Retrieval
Mar 19: Memory Errors & Associative Networks
Mar 26: Exam
Apr 2: NO CLASS - Spring Break
Apr 9: Concepts, Social Cognition
Apr 16: Speech Perception, Mental Images
Apr 23: Judgment & Reasoning
Apr 30: Problem Solving
May 7: Final Exam
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Schedule of Readings - Due Dates
Jan 22: none
Jan 29: Ch.1
Feb 5: pp. 29-56
Feb 12: Ch. 3
Feb 19: none (exam)
Feb 26: Ch. 4
Mar 5: Ch. 5
Mar 12: Ch. 6
Mar 19: Ch. 7
Mar 26: none (exam)
Apr 2: none (spring break)
Apr 9: Ch. 8
Apr 16: pp. 328-335; Ch. 10
Apr 23: Ch. 11
Apr 30: pp. 445-470
May 7: none (final exam)
Academic Honesty
On all assignments and exams, you will be expected to be doing your own work and using
your own words in accordance with university policy. Failure to do so can result in a failing
grade for the assignment or exam.
Students with Disabilities
Students who need accommodation of their disabilities should contact me privately to
discuss specific accommodations for which they have received authorization. If you need
accommodation due to a disability but have not registered with Student Disability Services,
please contact our Disabilities Service Coordinator, Norma Aguilar (760 768-5637 ; email:
naguilar@mail.sdsu.edu or visit the office located in Student Affairs (760 768-5502). Please
do so before making an appointment to see me.
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