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Psych 370: Personality Theory
Syllabus
Contents
Page
Required materials ........................................................................... 2
Course requirements ........................................................................ 3-4
Grading policies ............................................................................... 5
Exam/makeup exam policies ........................................................... 6
Using Canvas ................................................................................... 7
Extra credit opportunities/research participation ............................. 8-9
Make-up policies and FAQ............................................. 10-12
Emailing policies ............................................................................. 13
Academic honesty statement ........................................................... 14-15
Accommodation statement............................................................... 15
Diversity statement .......................................................................... 16
Title IX statement ........................................................................... 16
Course objectives ............................................................................ 16
General FAQ .................................................................................... 17-19
Technology resource summary ........................................................ 20
Course schedule ............................................................................... 21
CONTACT EMAIL FOR ALL PURPOSES
Psych370Bickford@gmail.com
Fall, 2025
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PSYCH 370: Personality
Instructor
Dr. John Bickford (he/him/his)
Psych370Bickford@gmail.com
Graduate Teaching Assistants
Jasna Hardin
Psych370Bickford@gmail.com
Madison Eamiello
Psych370Bickford@gmail.com
Undergraduate Teaching Assistants
A number of Undergraduate Teaching
Assistants are available. Their names and
contact information (as well as full contact
info for the Instructor and Graduate
Teaching Assistants) are posted on Canvas.
Whom to contact for what
The Graduate Teaching Assistants are your first
point of contact for all questions and concerns
about class policies, grading issues, and other
logistical matters.
If your concern needs to be addressed by the
Instructor, a grad TA will make the decision to
escalate it.
The Undergraduate Teaching Assistants assist with
questions about course material. They can help
explain or review major concepts discussed in class
and in the readings. They can also help with study
strategies and exam preparation. They cannot
discuss specific grade concerns at all.
Required materials
Textbook
Feist, Feist, & Roberts. (2021). Theories of Personlity (10th ed.). McGraw Hill. ISBN: 9781260175769
The textbook is available for purchase, for access as a digital or print copy, at
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1260575446/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_GCIdGbWP1KFP8 (10th ed.,
international edition—it’s exactly the same) or https://www.amazon.com/dp/0077861922 (9th ed.) in
addition to the campus store. You may of course secure it from any source of your choosing. The previous
(8th) edition should be fine. I cannot vouch for editions earlier than that.
OPTIONAL: iClicker 2 response unit
The iClicker 2 response unit is an electronic device used for classroom interaction. For further details on
iClicker, see the Getting Started with iClicker handout on Canvas. I do not recommend that you purchase an
iClicker solely for this class—it’s strictly optional, and only worthwhile if you already happen to have one.
Canvas
Canvas is the UMass online course-management system; it functions as a class website. Grades will be
reported to students only via Canvas, so access is required. All students enrolled in this class will
automatically be enrolled in Canvas. For further details on using Canvas, see page 7.
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Course Requirements
Summary of course requirements (700 total points)
How many
counted?
Points each?
Total points?
% of final
grade?
Exams
Reaction
papers
Learning
modules
Projects
Self-exploration, person analysis,
& issue analysis
4
4 (of 8)
4 (of 6)
2 (of 3)
100
25
25
50
400
100
100
100
~57%
~14%
~14%
~14%
Exams
Four in-class, noncumulative multiple choice exams will be given. All are required. Each exam is worth 100
points (400 points total for all four). For further details about exams, see page 6.
In-class activities
Two kinds of in-class activities, reaction papers and iClicker sessions, will be assigned on an unannounced
basis throughout the semester. iClicker sessions are optional. Reaction papers are required and can only be
completed in class when assigned.
•
Reaction papers. At least eight unannounced in-class reaction papers will be assigned throughout the
semester, of which students are required to complete four (four of them may be missed without
penalty). Each reaction paper is worth 25 points (100 points total for all four).
•
iClicker sessions iClicker is a tool for classroom interaction. Students use an iClicker transmitter—a
device that looks similar to a television remote control—to respond to questions that are asked in class.
Aggregated response data (a summary of how students responded as a class) will be presented onscreen immediately. Several iClicker sessions will be conducted in class. While not required, consistent
participation in iClicker will enhance your learning experience. (In other words, you don’t have to
participate—but if you already have an iClicker transmitter anyway, you might as well. It’ll make class
a bit more interesting and it facilitates class demonstrations and discussions.)
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Learning modules
Six online learning modules will be assigned throughout the semester, of which students are required to
complete any four (two of them may be missed without penalty). These modules are presented on Canvas
and they contain short additional readings (usually readable summaries of specific major research studies
and/or relevant articles from popular media) and links to one or more online interactive activities (various
personality tests). These activities are intended to be fun and interesting demonstrations of applications of
personality psychology that also tell you something about yourself. Each module has two or three
straightforward questions that students answer in a brief paper that is written at home and submitted in
class. Each learning module is worth 25 points (100 points total for all four).
Projects
Of the three project options below (self-exploration project, person-analysis project, and issue-analysis
assignment), students are required to complete any two.
Self-exploration project
A list of options for completing a self-exploration project is posted on Canvas. Students choose any one of
these and complete it before the indicated deadline. This project is intended to be a fun and interesting way
of exploring and creatively expressing your own personality.
Given options (from which students choose one to complete) include analyzing your personality from
different theoretical perspectives, assessing how you are perceived by other people, analyzing major traits
that define you, or preparing a collage of media images (magazine photos, etc.) that represents your
personality. Detailed guidelines for each option are given on Canvas.
Person-analysis project
A list of options for completing a person-analysis project is posted on Canvas. Students choose any one of
these and complete them before the indicated deadlines. These projects entail the application of personality
psychology to understand something about other people.
Given options (from which students choose one to complete) include analyzing an acquaintance's social
media profile, analyzing a famous person's life, analyzing media influences on personality, or conducting
naturalistic observation of people in a public place. Detailed guidelines for each option are given on
Canvas.
Issue-analysis assignment
Two readings are posted on Canvas. One represents a debate in which respected researchers in psychology
take a position (pro or con) on a controversial issue pertaining to personality. Students read these articles at
home in advance of the indicated Issue-Analysis Assignment day (see the Course Schedule). On IssueAnalysis Assignment day, students who come to class will form small groups of about 4-6 to engage in
debates on the controversial issue and work together to answer some thought questions. Students who elect
not to complete the Issue-Analysis Assignment (because they elected to complete both the Self-Analysis
Project and the Person-Analysis Project instead) need not come to class at all on that day.
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Reporting of grades
Grades for all assignments will be reported on Canvas. Allow about one week for the posting of each
reaction paper grade. Exam grades are normally reported within one day. Students should check their grade
records on Canvas regularly to monitor their progress. Problems or concerns with a specific grade must be
raised in a timely manner (within a week of the posting of the grade in question).
Grading scale (grading is based on this scale only, not on any percentages)
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD+
D
F
651
630
609
581
560
539
511
490
469
420
0
-
700
650.99
629.99
608.99
580.99
559.99
538.99
510.99
489.99
468.99
419.99
Truly exceptional performance (top of the class)
Substantially exceeded minimum requirements (above average)
Exceeded minimum requirements (average performance)
Met minimum requirements only
Did not meet minimum requirements
Grade disputes

Students who believe that a grade reported on Canvas is in error for any reason must report the error
within one week of the date that grade was posted to Canvas. After any given grade has been posted to
Canvas for one week, it is considered closed and is no longer subject to dispute.
All grade disputes must be submitted in writing to an Graduate Teaching Assistant (not the Instructor
nor the Teaching Assistants) using the form that is available on Canvas.
The form may either be emailed to a Graduate Teaching Assistant or submitted in person, but it may not be
left at any office. No other method of reporting a grade dispute will be accepted. (We need the form because
it gives us all the information that we need in one place to research your dispute.)
“A” doesn’t stand for “Average”
Please be aware that outstanding grades recognize outstanding performance.
Mere completion of the minimum requirements ensures that you will pass the
class (D is passing), not that you will get an A. Students earn an A by consistently
applying high effort to exceed minimum requirements and achieve exceptional
performance.
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Exam dates
Exams
Four exams will be given in class during the regularly scheduled
class time. Each exam will consist solely of multiple-choice
questions and be worth 100 points. Bring a sharpened #2 pencil
with an intact eraser to every exam and know your UMass ID!
Exams are non-cumulative and will cover material discussed in class
as well as material from the assigned readings. Exam scores will
usually be reported to students on Canvas within one day. Only a
score will be reported to students. Exam materials cannot be returned.
EXAM 1: Tuesday, September 25
EXAM 2: Thursday, October 9
EXAM 3: Thursday, October 30
EXAM 4: Tuesday, December 2
Make-up 1: Thursday, October 16
Make-up 2: Tuesday, December 9
Exams are open note. Students may bring as many self-generated hardcopy only
(handwritten or typed) notes as they wish. Students may not, however, refer to the textbook
or to any photocopied materials.
Make-up exams
Two make-up exams will also be given in class during the regularly scheduled class time.
These make-up exams are primarily opportunities to make up a missed exam, but they may
also be used to improve your exam grades.
•
•
•
•
One make-up exam (Make-up 1) will be given covering Exam 1 and Exam 2. A second
make-up exam (Make-up 2) will be given covering Exam 3 and Exam 4.
Make-up exams use the same format as the primary exams. They are entirely multiple
choice. Each make-up exam covers more material than a single primary exams does
(roughly ½ the semester per make-up exam).
Students who miss an exam must take the corresponding make-up exam. That is the
only make-up option available. Missing both a primary exam and its corresponding
make-up exam will result in a non-reversible grade of zero for that exam.
Students who do not need to take a make-up exam because they completed the
corresponding primary exams as scheduled may elect to take the make-up exam
anyway. The make-up exam grade replaces the lower of the two corresponding
primary exam grades (only if doing so would be an improvement).
o
o
o
o
•
Example 1: Fred misses Exam 1 (thereby getting a 0) and has a 75 for Exam 2. He takes
Make-up 1 and gets an 85. His make-up grade replaces his missed Exam 1. He still has
a 75 for Exam 2.
Example 2: Daphne has a 65 for Exam 3 and an 80 for Exam 4. She takes Make-up 2
and gets a 95. Her make-up grade replaces her Exam 3 grade (the lower of the two).
Her Exam 4 grade remains an 80.
Example 3: Shaggy misses both Exam 1 and Exam 2, thereby getting a zero for each.
He takes Make-up 1 and gets a 55. His grade for Exam 1 is now 55, and his grade for
Exam 2 remains a zero. Shaggy really needs to lay off the weed.
Example 4: Velma has an 80 for Exam 3 and an 85 for Exam 4. She takes Make-up 2
and gets a 60. Her Exam 3 and Exam 4 scores remain unchanged.
Make-up exams are a courtesy rather than a course requirement and they therefore
absolutely cannot be made up for any reason without authorization from
administration. There are no make-ups to make-ups!
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Using Canvas
Canvas is a learning management system, much like a class website. Using Canvas, you can access
important class materials (such as this syllabus), check for announcements, or check your grades from any
Internet-enabled computer.
Students enrolled in this class are automatically enrolled in Canvas.
Access Canvas by browsing to https://www.umass.edu/it/canvas
Log in using your Net ID and password. If you do not know what your Net ID and password are, contact the
IT office (see box below).
Once you log in, you will be presented with a menu of classes in which you are enrolled that use Canvas.
This one may be the only class listed, or you may see others as well (depending on whether your other
classes also use Canvas). Select the link for this class.
Problems?
Canvas Technical Support
IT Help Desk
https://www.umass.edu/it/get-help
413-545-9400
Major features in Canvas
Click the various links in Canvas to access further content. These
include:
Grades
Online learning modules
Syllabus
Echo 360 videos
Instructor/TA office hours and contact information
Class PowerPoint presentations
Guidelines for self-exploration, person-analysis, and issue-analysis
assignments
Canvas information:
https://www.umass.edu/provost/lmstransition/students
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Extra Credit
Faculty and graduate students in the Psychology Department
continually conduct psychological research of their own, and they
always need people to participate in their psychology studies.
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Help!
For help with research participation
issues, please email the SONA
administrator at
psychsona@umass.edu
The instructor has no control over
Sona Systems, scheduling of
studies, or awarding of credits
One way to earn extra credit is by participating in up to 3 hours*
of these psychology studies. Each one-half hour of participation
earns you one research credit. Each research credit is worth 3.5 course points*.
If you participate in the maximum of 3 hours*, you’ll receive 18 points added to your final average at
the end of the semester (3 hours = 6 research credits, each worth 3 points).
Extra-credit research participation (MAXIMUM OF 21 POINTS*)
Find studies to participate in by using the SONA website linked from Canvas. Instructions for using this
website are available at the link below.
• Log onto the SONA website and complete the prescreen questionnaire, which helps determine
which studies you're eligible to participate in.
• Use the SONA website to sign up for a maximum of 3 hours* of participation
• Receive 1 research credit for each half-hour of participation (up to a maximum of 6 research
credits*)
• Each research credit earns you 3.5 points* toward your point total in this class (up to a maximum
of 21 points* in this class for the full 6-credit maximum)
• Do not exceed the maximum* of 6 research credits! You’ll just be wasting the excess*.
(Note: this extra-credit limit applies to research participation only, and not to any other extracredit opportunities that may be made available)
• Use the SONA website to review and manage your credit total as well as to sign up for studies.
•
Be absolutely certain to allocate your research credits to this class (Psych 370, Bickford)!
The instructor teaches other classes. If you allocate your research credits to the wrong
class and do not fix the problem before the end of the semester, you will lose those
credits! Don’t let that happen!
•
Your research credit total is automatically reported to the instructor by the Psychology
Department at the end of the semester. You do not have to submit anything.
*These policies and maximums apply to this class only; if you are enrolled in another
psychology class that also accepts SONA credit, you may of course earn additional credits to
apply to that class.
SONA website (also linked from Canvas):
http://umasspsych.sona-systems.com/
Further information about research participation: https://www.umass.edu/psychological-brainsciences/undergraduate/sona-and-research-participation
Note that the end-of-semester SONA deadline for this class is earlier than the general date
indicated by the Psychology Department!
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Departmental SONA policies
Alternative to SONA
Alternative extra-credit opportunities are
available to students who cannot participate in
SONA (e.g., who have not yet attained the age
of 18) or who do not wish to participate in
research. These alternative options will be listed
on SONA along with the research participation
opportunities.
•
•
•
SONA will be available from 9/2/25 – 12/9/25 at 11:59pm.
The last day to make changes to the credit record is 12/15/25.*
Any student who no-shows three times will be locked out of
SONA for the rest of the semester.
*Note: The deadline for making changes for this particular class is
noon on 12/12/25 because the instructor will retrieve the SONA
report for this class at that time.
Other extra-credit options
iClicker participation: Occasional iClicker sessions will be conducted in class. Participation in
iClicker is purely optional, but students who do put in a good-faith effort at regular participation
will be given appropriate consideration when final grades are calculated (that is, if you end up very
close to the next higher letter grade, the extent of your iClicker participation may be considered
sufficient justification to bump your grade up).
Extra-credit questions on exams: Each exam will have one extra-credit question. These are
mainly intended to help compensate for instances where a regular exam question may strike some
students as confusing, oddly worded, or otherwise problematic.

No other extra-credit opportunities are available beyond these. No individual
extra credit will be authorized. Please do not ask.
Key benefits of research
participation
Insight into the research process
Contribution to psychological science
Extra credit opportunity
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Make-Up Policies
Extensions are never an option
Exam dates and assignment deadlines are absolute. Extensions or individualized make-ups
on exams will not be granted to anyone for any reason.
Reaction papers must be turned in at the end of the class meeting when they were
assigned. They absolutely will not be accepted at any time thereafter. Please do not ask.
Learning modules
Students may miss 2 (of 6) learning modules without penalty.
Reaction papers
Students may miss 4 (of 8) reaction papers without penalty. Reaction papers are designed to
be meaningful only to students who are present in class when they are given. They follow a
sequence, make reference to in-class events, and/or are completed interactively. For these reasons,
make-ups of reaction papers would be pedagogically nonsensical. However, students may have
valid reasons for missing class (illness, emergency). Therefore, eight reaction papers will be
assigned but only four are counted.
Projects: Self-exploration, person analysis, issue-analysis
Students may miss any one of the three projects without penalty.
Exams
Students who miss an exam for any reason may make it up by taking the corresponding in-class
make-up exam as scheduled. This is the only option for making up a missed exam.
Makeup exams cannot be made up without explicit authorization from an administrator.
Finally, please note that students can potentially make up for minor deficiencies by earning extra credit (see
pages 8-9 for details).
The options indicated here are the only remedies for missed course requirements. They are very
generous. No other makeup options will be offered for any reason. Please do not ask.
Key purposes of rigid deadlines
Ensure fairness
Encourage discipline
Teach real-world responsibility and time-management
Encourage planning
Facilitate course management
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Allowances for missing course requirements without penalty are intended as
accommodations for hardships and other valid reasons for excusal. They are essentially
pre-authorized excusals for emergencies, illnesses, hospitalizations, death in the family,
religious observances, participation in University-sanctioned events, job interviews,
athletic travel, and any other similar kinds of circumstances that reasonably warrant an
excusal from class. They are not “free” days to be used frivolously. Students who use up
their allowances and then have a genuine hardship will have no further recourse and
must accept any penalties that accrue from the hardship.
Because the allowances of penalty-free misses act as pre-authorized excusals from class,
students need not inform the Instructor or the Graduate Teaching Assistant of their
illnesses or absences. Your excusal is automatically granted if you are within the
allowance. You don’t need to explain your reason. Informing us of the circumstance,
providing a letter from a physician, or providing a letter from any university official does
not get you additional penalty-free misses. We have already complied by giving you the
penalty-free miss allowance.
If you have exceeded your allowance of penalty free misses, any further misses will count
against you. Nothing can be done about this. If you have such an extraordinary hardship
that you are missing that much class, you need to speak to your Academic Dean about
your situation.
So there.
Reasonable allowances have been made for occasional hardships.
Beyond those allowances, students are simply missing too much
required coursework for it not to affect their grades.
It may seem terribly unfair, but in the real world, failing to meet your
responsibilities often has unavoidable negative consequences, despite
the reasons.
What would be truly unfair is for some students to get equivalent
grades as others by doing less work, regardless of the reason.
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Make-Up Policies: Frequently Asked Questions
I have a reason for missing class, so can I make up the reaction paper I missed?
No. Everyone who misses class has a reason for doing so (although some reasons are better than others). I understand
that people sometimes have unavoidable reasons to miss class, such as emergencies, illnesses, and hardships. That is
exactly why you’re allowed to miss up to half of the assigned reaction papers over the course of the semester without
penalty.
I am missing class for a religious observance (or death in the family, or documented illness, or athletic travel), so that
means it shouldn’t count as one of my penalty-free misses, right?
No, that’s wrong. Religious observances, athletic travel, illnesses, and bereavement are perfect examples of valid
reasons to use your penalty free misses. That is exactly what they are for. They are intended to accommodate valid
reasons for absence from class, such as these.
I missed an exam, took the make-up, and got a bad grade on it. Can I retake either the original exam or the makeup
to improve my grade?
No. Missing an exam leaves students with only one opportunity (the corresponding make-up) to recover the lost grade.
But I had a reason for missing the original exam!
Everyone who misses an exam has a reason for doing so (although some reasons are better than others). I understand
that people sometimes have unavoidable reasons to miss an exam, such as emergencies, illnesses, and hardships. That
is exactly what the make-up exams are for.
I am an athlete on a UMass competitive athletic team. Our team will be away during one of the exams. Is the makeup my only option for taking the exam?
Let the instructor know immediately about the conflict and we will try to work out a fair solution.
I am an athlete on a UMass competitive athletic team or I have some other documented reason for missing a
number of classes. Can I make up the reaction papers or have them waived?
No, you must accept the consequences of taking this class despite having a known conflict. It is your responsibility to
mitigate the impact of such conflict by making sure you always come to class otherwise. If you exceed your allowance
of missed reaction papers, even with a documented excuse, you're simply missing too much class and that fact must be
reflected in your grade.
Summary of make-up options
•
•
•
•
•
Learning modules: Two of the six may be missed without penalty
Reaction papers: Four of the eight may be missed without penalty.
Exams: Make-up exams are scheduled
Makeup exams: Cannot be made up except upon approval of an administrator
Self-exploration, person-analysis, and issue-analysis projects: One of the three
may be missed without penalty
These are the only remedies available for all illnesses, emergencies, bereavements,
religious observances, time conflicts, time travel, extracurricular commitments,
extramarital affairs, athletic travel, alien abductions, or any other hardships or
absences, whether documented or not. Unavoidable penalties begin applying
whenever these allowances are exceeded for any reason. Students are urged to save
these allowances for times of genuine hardship!
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Emailing Policies
The Instructor and the Graduate Teaching Assistant are accessible to
students by email. However, to help us manage this volume of email
and respond to you as quickly and as thoroughly as possible, please
follow these rules when emailing any of us.
Email the instructional staff
Psych370Bickford@gmail.com
Check this syllabus before emailing with a question
Most questions are already answered here, perhaps in the Frequently Asked Questions section on pages 16-18.
Indicate your full name in the body of every email
Not-so-fun facts
It is simply discourteous to send unsigned emails that force us to spend extra time and
effort looking up your name from your email address. We will not do so.
Many emails from students
require further clarification
before we can respond. In
most of those cases, it’s
because we cannot
immediately identify who
the student is.
Remind us of any history to the issue you are raising
Copy all previous messages and replies in any ongoing email thread (that is, if we email
back and forth, keep the history of the entire conversation in every email). With hundreds
of students this semester, we are unlikely to remember the details of our past
communications with you. If we spoke in class, mention that!
Keep your expectations reasonable
About a third of questions
asked in emails were
already answered in the
syllabus.
We can answer specific questions or address focused problems over email. We cannot
address complex concerns, teach course material, or engage in philosophical discussions
over email. Office hours are a better option for those issues.
Understand that we are human beings with lives outside of work
We do not work 24-hour days, no do we work weekends, holidays, or school breaks. Just
like you do not spend your time off working for your employer, we do not read or answer email when we are not at
work. Even when we are at work, we do many other things in addition to answering emails. Please allow sufficient
time for a response.
Be respectful
Our communications with you will always be respectful and courteous. We fully expect the
same of you.
Say thank you
Remember that it is customary to say thank you when someone takes time to help you. An
email of thanks goes a long way toward building good will; on the other hand, failing to
show appreciation for a favor makes it unlikely that you will be helped a second time. Like
it or not, that’s just how the world works.
Remember that you are
communicating with
human beings who have
normal human feelings
and limitations. Please be
courteous and patient!
“Your poor planning does not constitute my emergency”
This maxim, while blunt, makes an important point: Concerns must be raised in a timely manner. Students
must allow sufficient time for us to address a time-sensitive problem or request. One week is the usual
minimum. With less notice than that, we are unlikely to be able to help you.
Of particular note, any concerns about a specific grade must be addressed within one week of the reporting
of the grade. Check your grades regularly and report any problems immediately.
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Academic Honesty
Earning a college degree is
UMass Amherst is strongly committed to academic integrity, which
challenging—it’s supposed to
be! That’s how you grow, and
is defined as completing all academic work without cheating, lying,
that’s what makes a degree
stealing, or receiving unauthorized assistance from any other person,
valuable. What’s truly
or using any source of information not appropriately authorized or
important is not grades and
attributed. As a community, we hold each other accountable and
college credit, but the
support each other’s knowledge and understanding of academic
experience of meeting the
integrity. Academic dishonesty is prohibited in all programs of the
challenge by developing your
University and includes, but is not limited to: Cheating, fabrication,
skills and broadening your
knowledge base. A degree is
plagiarism, lying, facilitating dishonesty, via analogue and digital
meaningless without the effort
means. Sanctions may be imposed on any student who committed or
that goes into it.
participated in an academic integrity infraction. Any person who has
reason to believe that a student has committed an academic integrity
Academic dishonesty erodes
the value of everyone’s degree.
infraction should bring such information to the attention of the
appropriate course instructor as soon as possible. All students at the
University of Massachusetts Amherst have read and acknowledged
the Commitment to Academic Integrity and are knowingly responsible for completing all work
with integrity and in accordance with the policy: https://www.umass.edu/senate/book/academicregulations academic-integrity-policy
All cases of academic dishonesty are reported to the student’s Academic Dean and to the Academic
Honesty Board, and a notation that the student engaged in academic dishonesty is permanently added to the
student’s University of Massachusetts transcript.
Classroom decorum
Talking during class disrupts the educational process for other students who expect and are entitled to a
distraction-free classroom experience. It also distracts the instructor and shows disrespect. Students who are
caught disrupting class by talking may be asked for ID and penalized with a course point deduction.
Students are required under the UMass Code of Student Conduct to show ID when requested by the
Instructor, a Graduate Teaching Assistant, or any of the teaching assistants.
In short, don’t be that person.
Logging and tracking of work submitted in class
We meticulously log and count every single assignment paper and exam that is collected and then those
logs and counts are independently verified for accuracy before we even leave the classroom. We therefore
have a redundant record of exactly what was collected for every single assignment and exam. We can
definitively verify whether each student turned in any given assignment or exam independently of having
the original submitted hardcopy.
Disrupting iClicker sessions
Giving out-of-range answers on iClicker questions (e.g., answering “100” on a 1-to-5 scale) skews the class
distribution and class average, ruining the intended demonstration. Such behavior is considered deliberate
disruption of class and will be prosecuted as such. iClicker participation is not anonymous and the
instructor can identify any student giving disruptive responses.
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Ownership of course content
All content of the course lectures, including any handouts, Powerpoint slides, notes, the syllabus, the
assignments and exams, and the lectures themselves, is the intellectual property of the instructor. These
materials are provided to students for their own personal use only and may not be sold, shared, licensed,
published, made public, or used to create derivative works. The instructor reserves all rights of copyright
ownership of these materials.
Collusion or use of artificial intelligence
This course assumes that all work submitted by students will be generated by the students themselves,
working individually. Students should not have another person nor entity do the writing of any substantive
portion of any assignment for them, which includes hiring a person or a company to write assignments and
using artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT. Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool, but it can’t do
your learning for you.
University of Massachusetts Academic Honesty Policy
For more information on the University's academic honesty policy, see
this link:
http://www.umass.edu/honesty/
Accommodation statement
The University of Massachusetts Amherst is committed to providing an equal educational
opportunity for all students. If you have a documented physical, psychological, or learning
disability on file with Disability Services (DS), you may be eligible for reasonable academic
accommodations to help you succeed in this course.
This course adheres in most respects to principles of universal design, which means that it is
designed to be already accessible to most students with disabilities. Special accommodations
should therefore not be necessary in the majority of cases. All written assignments are fully
disclosed from the start of the semester, thereby providing long lead times until their respective
deadlines; this practice fulfills extra-time accommodations. All exams are designed to be
completed in one third of the time period allotted, thereby fulfilling 1.5x and 2x time
accommodations on exams; students needing only extra time can take the exam in the classroom as
normal and still be accommodated (other needs such as a distraction-reduced setting, a reader or
writer, a large-print version, and so forth will still require accommodation at the Disability
Services Exam Proctoring Center in 169A Whitmore). Short frequent in-class written assignments
(the reaction papers) do not normally require special accommodation.
We will be happy to accommodate any needs that exceed these most common ones; please just
reach out to any of the graduate teaching assistants to discuss your needs and how we can best
accommodate them. If we do not hear from you directly (that is, independently of the written
notice from the Disability Services office), we will assume that your needs have been adequately
met by the policies already in place as described above.
Please see separate Accessibility Summary handout on Canvas for more details
on how the most common accommodations are provided in this class.
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Diversity statement
In recognition and affirmation of the worth and dignity of all persons, the instructor of this class is
dedicated to upholding the values of diversity and inclusion and to minimizing disparities in access
to learning. All students who are willing to learn are equally welcome without regard to age, race,
ethnicity, birthplace, sex, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation or identity, socioeconomic
status, political party or beliefs, or other group affiliation or personal characteristics. All students
are likewise expected to accord each other the same level of respect, bearing in mind that
becoming more respectful and inclusive is a journey rather than a destination. We will all have
stumbling points along the way, including the instructor, and these are often valuable learning
opportunities. If I ever say or do anything insensitive in this class, I sincerely welcome students to
call me out or communicate their discomfort to me in person after class, during office hours, by
email, or anonymously.
Title IX statement
In accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 that prohibits gender-based
discrimination in educational settings that receive federal funds, the University of Massachusetts
Amherst is committed to providing a safe learning environment for all students, free from all forms
of discrimination, including sexual assault, sexual harassment, domestic violence, dating violence,
stalking, and retaliation. This includes interactions in person or online through digital platforms
and social media. Title IX also protects against discrimination on the basis of pregnancy,
childbirth, false pregnancy, miscarriage, abortion, or related conditions, including recovery. There
are resources here on campus to support you. A summary of the available Title IX resources
(confidential and non-confidential) can be found at the following link:
https://www.umass.edu/titleix/resources. You do not need to make a formal report to access them.
If you need immediate support, you are not alone. Free and confidential support is available 24
hours a day / 7 days a week / 365 days a year at the SASA Hotline 413-545-0800.
Course objectives
Personality psychology is the scientific study of people’s characteristic ways of thinking, feeling,
and behaving. It addresses both individual uniqueness and individual differences. This course will
introduce the student to the breadth and scope of the science of personality psychology by
addressing major approaches to understanding the person and the major theorists associated with
each approach.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Cost of materials
Why do the materials for this class cost so much? What if I can’t afford them?
I understand and sympathize with your concerns about the cost of educational materials. As you know, part of the
process of getting an education entails acquiring and using textbooks and other materials that facilitate your
learning. I selected materials that I decided would best accomplish this goal, balancing considerations of cost ,
quality, and fitness for both the course objectives and my teaching style. Textbooks in this discipline (and many
others) tend to be expensive, and faculty have little control over that. Viable alternatives were about equally
expensive. The selection of the materials can make a big difference in students' depth, breadth, and ease of
learning, and I hope you would agree that those considerations are at least as important as the cost of the
materials. Several copies of the textbook are on reserve at the library for limited use by students. Textbook sharing
is another option for students who wish to minimize their costs.
Do I have to buy the exact book specified? Can I use a different edition or a different textbook to save some
money?
I’m going to act on the assumption that students will acquire and use the textbook I required. If you choose to use
a different textbook for your own reasons, you do so at your own risk. I cannot approve alternate textbooks, nor
can I give you any assurance that your decision will not impact your grade. (But I can confirm that the 8th or 9th
edition of the textbook is acceptable.)
Missing class
I have to choose between attending class tomorrow and doing something else that I really want to do. I don’t
want to miss anything important—what should I do? Can I make up class somehow?
I appreciate your concern about missing class. This is just one of those many learning experiences in college-learning to balance multiple priorities and to make the best decision that fits your needs. So if you feel it's best to
miss class, that's entirely your call. And of course, it will be entirely your responsibility to mitigate (or simply
accept) any negative consequences of that decision. That's all part of learning to be a responsible adult. So what
you can do is speak to any one of the TAs when you return to get up to speed on lecture material you missed, as
well as download the PowerPoint slides from Canvas. If there happens to be an in-class activity on that day, you'll
have to just accept missing it as part of the cost of your decision--these can't be made up. But understanding that
things come up, I've given you some flexibility by allowing you to miss some of these over the course of the
semester without penalty. So as long as you're being otherwise diligent about coming to class, one missed class
should not be a problem.
What do I need to do if I miss a class or an exam? Do I need to notify the instructor or TA?
No. If you miss class, see any of the TAs to get up to speed on what you missed. Any in-class assignments you
missed that day cannot be made up, but you are allowed to miss up to two reaction papers over the course of the
semester without penalty. If you miss an exam, simply plan on taking the scheduled make-up exam. Advance
notice is not required.
Is there some way I can see a video that was shown in class on a day I missed?
The videos are owned by the instructor and cannot be made available to individual students.
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Grade concerns
If I don’t actually miss any of the reaction papers, can that be considered extra credit?
Sort of. In that case, your highest four reaction paper grades (out of the 8) will be counted. The lowest four
reaction papers (the ones that would be zeroes if missed under the no-penalty allowance) will always be dropped,
whether they were actually missed or not.
When I do earn extra credit, where is it added? Is it added to an exam, or to a paper, or to the final grade?
It doesn’t matter. It’s all the same thing: addition is addition. Add them anywhere you want—at the end of the
semester, everything that is counted toward the final grade merely gets added together. The total is the same
regardless of the order in which the parts are added.
Are you going to scale our grades?
I ensure that the distribution of grades is appropriate for each exam as well as for the final grades. If a scale needs
to be applied to adjust the distribution, it will be applied before grades are reported to students.
I’m unhappy with my grade. Can I talk to someone about it?
Yes, if your goal is to understand why you got the grade you did or to discuss ways to do better. Please do not
expect to negotiate your way into a higher grade. We only adjust grades in rare cases of confirmed error.
Logistics/miscellaneous concerns
When is the final exam scheduled? It doesn’t show up on SPIRE.
This class does not have a final exam.
I’m planning on transferring and I need to submit a mid-semester grade report with my application. Can you
provide a tentative grade for this purpose?
Usually, but only on a hardcopy form, and only with sufficient notice. I do not bring grade records to class, so I
cannot do it on the spot. I cannot legally email your grade information to a third party.
I want to do a directed study or honors thesis in psychology. Can you be my sponsor?
I am a teaching-only faculty member and am not presently active in research. I therefore do not have the
facilities to sponsor independent research or honors thesis projects.
I want to take this class as an honors class. Can you add an honors component for me?
This is not an honors class and the Psychology Department prohibits the adding of an honors component to nonhonors classes.
I want to do an internship in psychology. Can you be my sponsor?
I do sponsor internships during the regular semesters and over the summer as well. Proposed internships must
meet certain requirements before I will agree to sponsor them. Email me for more information.
I have (or my friend or family member has) a troubling personal problem and you’re the only psychologist I
know. Can I talk to you about it?
Only in the same way that you would talk to any other friend or mentor about it. I am a psychologist, but I am not
a clinician (that is, I am not trained as a therapist). If you want to speak to a professional mental health counselor,
they are available at the Health Services office.
What is your area of specialization, then?
I am an academic psychologist specializing in personality and social psychology. My primary area of interest is
LGBT psychology.
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Can I be your facebook friend?
It's probably not a good idea for either of us to be exposed to the other’s personal facebook profile, but feel free
to like my professional page (Professor John Bickford). That’s a good way to have the facebook interaction
without getting too personal. Facebook is not the best channel for raising questions or concerns about this class,
though—for that, please use email or go through my assistant. I do not use Twitter nor Instagram nor TikTok nor
any other social networking platform.
Why is this syllabus so long and detailed? Why are your policies so rigid? Are you just being a jerk?
A class this size would quickly become impossible to manage without clear and firm rules in place. These rules
help to ensure fairness and efficiency and they also clarify for students exactly what they need to do to be
successful in this class. Almost all of the rules, notices, and disclaimers that appear on this syllabus were added
in direct response to issues raised by students in the past. (And I’m sincerely just trying to be consistent and fair.)
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Technology Resource Summary
Canvas
https://www.umass.edu/it/canvas
Technical support:
https://www.umass.edu/it/get-help
Canvas information: https://www.umass.edu/provost/lms-transition/students
iClicker 2
https://www.umass.edu/it/audience-response-system
Sona Systems (extra credit research participation)
http://umasspsych.sona-systems.com/
https://www.umass.edu/psychological-brain-sciences/undergraduate/sona-and-researchparticipation
psychsona@umass.edu
Other helpful resources
Writing Center: http://www.umass.edu/writingcenter
Learning Resource Center: http://www.umass.edu/lrc
Student Success: https://www.umass.edu/studentsuccess/
Center for Counseling & Psychological Health (CCPH): http://www.umass.edu/counseling
English as a Second Language (ESL) Program: https://www.umass.edu/esl/
Disability Services: https://www.umass.edu/disability/
Neither the Instructor nor the Teaching Assistants are able to provide
technical support for any of these technologies.
Please understand that we merely use these technologies for instructional
purposes. We do not have the expertise to help with access problems or
technology failures. Other people provide support when something goes wrong.
Please contact the appropriate technical support personnel for assistance with
getting the technology to work.
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Course Schedule
DAY
CLASS TOPIC
Tu 9/2
Introduction
Th 9/4
What is personality
How is personality studied and assessed
Psychoanalytic aspects of personality: Freud
Psychoanalytic aspects of personality: Freud
Psychoanalytic aspects of personality: Freud
Neo-analytic and ego aspects of personality: Jung
Tu 9/9
Th 9/11
Tu 9/16
Th 9/18
Th 9/23
Tu 9/25
Tu 9/30
Th 10/2
Tu 10/7
Th 10/9
Tu 10/14
Th 10/16
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Learning Module 1
Chapter 4
EXAM 1: Chapters 1 & 2 and all in-class material since 9/2 (NOT Jung)
Neo-analytic and ego aspects of personality: Jung
Neo-analytic and ego aspects of personality: Adler
Neo-analytic and ego aspects of personality: Horney
Chapter 3; Learning Module 2
Chapter 6; Self-exploration
EXAM 2: Chapters 3 & 4 and all in-class material since 9/23
Behavioral/learning aspects of personality: Skinner
Chapter 16; Learning Module 3
MAKEUP EXAM 1: Chapters 1, 2, 3, & 4 and all in-class material since 9/2
Tu 10/21
Behavioral/learning aspects of personality: Dollard & Miller
Th 10/23
Cognitive and social aspects of personality: Kelly
Cognitive and social aspects of personality: Bandura
Tu 10/28
DUE
Short reading on Canvas
Chapter 19; Learning Module 4
Chapter 17; Person-Analysis
Th 10/30
EXAM 3: Chapters 16, 17 & 19 and all in-class material since 10/14
Tu 11/4
ELECTION DAY—no class
Th 11/6
Th 11/27
Trait and skill aspects of personality: Costa & McCrae
Chapter 13
VETERANS’ DAY—no class
Trait and skill aspects of personality: Costa & McCrae Chapter 10; Learning Module 5
Humanistic aspects of personality: Rogers
Humanistic aspects of personality: Rogers
Chapter 9; Learning Module 6
Humanistic aspects of personality: Maslow
THANKSGIVING BREAK
Tu 12/2
EXAM 4: Chapters 9, 10, & 13 and all in-class material since 11/6
Th 12/4
Issue Analysis assignment (done in class)
Tu 12/9
MAKEUP EXAM 2: Chapters 9, 10, 13, 16, 17, & 19 and all in-class material since 10/14
SONA RESEARCH CREDITS POSTED TO CANVAS. NO FURTHER EDITING OF
SONA CREDITS FOR THIS CLASS AFTER 12:00 NOON ON THIS DATE.*
ALL GRADES CLOSED AND FINAL GRADES COMPUTED—ABSOLUTELY NO
FURTHER DISPUTES OR ADJUSTMENTS FOR ANY REASON
Tu 11/11
Th 11/13
Tu 11/18
Th 11/20
Tu 11/25
Fri 12/12
Sat 12/13
NOTE: The scheduling of class topics is tentative. Actual class coverage of material may drift from this schedule.
Specific exam coverage should be as indicated, and any changes will be announced in advance of each exam.
*Note that this date is earlier than the date given by the Psychology Department, to enable early grade reporting for
this class.