Psychology, Imperial Valley Campus
Psy 380
Spring 2014
Instructor Contact Information
Instructor: Roger Dunn
Office: EF 109
Office hours: Wednesday: 10:30 - 11:30 (except 2/26, 3/26, & 4/23) and Thursday: 1:30 2:30
Phone: 760 768-5616
Email: roger.dunn@sdsu.edu
Section and Enrollment Information
Class meeting: Wednesdays 12:55 – 3:35
Class location: N 101
Schedule number: 60050
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 75 points. Each exam will be worth a maximum of 25 points. There will also be
one multiple-choice quiz worth up to 7 points. If you are unable to take an exam or quiz 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 remaining points in the course will be earned as follows:
12 points for weekly written assignments.
6 points for online research assignments (ZAPS).
Exam and quiz 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: Quiz, Perception
Feb 19: Attention
Feb 26: Memorial Processes
Mar 5: Exam
Mar 12: Encoding & Retrieval
Mar 19: Memory Errors
Mar 26: Concepts & Associative Networks
Apr 2: NO CLASS - Spring Break
Apr 9: Language, Social Cognition (video)
Apr 16: Exam
Apr 23: Mental Images
Apr 30: Judgment & Reasoning
May 7: Problem Solving & Intelligence
May 14: 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: Ch. 4
Feb 26: Ch. 5
Mar 5: none (exam)
Mar 12: Ch. 6
Mar 19: Ch. 7
Mar 26: Ch. 8
Apr 2: none (spring break)
Apr 9: pp. 323-335; 350-360
Apr 16: none (exam)
Apr 23: Ch. 10
Apr 30: Ch. 11
May 7: Ch. 12
May 14: 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, please contact our Disabilities
Service Coordinator, Barbara Romero, MSW, at 760-768-5509, email:
bromero@mail.sdsu.edu or visit the office located in Student Affairs. Please do so before
making an appointment to see me.
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