COURSE SYLLABUS
WAYLAND BAPTIST UNIVERSITY
DIVISION OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
SPRING 2011
University Mission: Wayland Baptist University exists to educate students in an academically challenging and
distinctively Christian environment for professional success, lifelong learning and service
to God and humankind.
COURSE NUMBER & TITLE:
TIME
INSTRUCTOR:
Phone:
OFFICE HOURS:
PSYC Theories of Personality 3310
Virtual Campus
Jeremy J. Berry
Email: berryphd@hotmail.com
806-281-8400
You can arrange a time to meet with me before or after class as needed.
COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course will address the various ways of defining “personality” and will
cover the major theories of personality as well as the various issues related to the study of personality.
PREREQUISITES: Psyc1301 and Psyc2301, or consent of instructor.
TEXTBOOKS:
Personality: Classic Theories & Modern Research (5th ed) by Friedman and Schustack
Textbooks are an information source and a means of explaining and stimulating interest in the material. It does
not contain all the information students need to know, however. Additional information, interpretations, and
analyses will be given in class.
COURSE OBJECTIVES: By the conclusion of the course, successful students will be able to:
1. Identify and understand the major theories of personality
2. Be able to describe the various issues of personality and how personality is studied and assessed
3. Define personality and discuss applications of the various personality theories
CLASSROOM ACTIVTIES: Three major methods will be utilized in the class to facilitate the students’
understanding: 1) Lecture to keynote major aspects of personality, 2) Reading to further elaborate on various
issues in the study of personality theory, and 3) Presentations and films.
COURSE EXPECTATIONS
Reading Assignments: Assigned readings and/or chapters are to be completed prior to the week
for which they are assigned. Students should read a chapter at a time so that they can participate in
online discussions as well as ask and answer questions.
* I will read every exchange in the discussion forum and keep track of your participation, effort
and depth of thought, though there are no “wrong answers.” While I certainly expect you to
respond to every discussion topic with your own input, I do not expect you to comment on every post
from every other student, but rather, to choose at least one other student’s post per discussion on
which to comment. I will occasionally comment on some of your posts, but this forum is primarily for
students to interact with each other and replaces what would be a class discussion in a face to face
class.
Note: While different points of view are wonderful and I expect and encourage healthy debate
through the discussion boards, please be sensitive to those shoes in which you have not
walked. There is always the possibility that another student is dealing with some of the issues
that we will discuss in this class. Also refrain from using profanity, inappropriate
suggestions, innuendos and the like. In addition, realize that some of the material we cover
may be morally objectionable to you. The materials/opinions covered in your textbook are not
to be considered in any way the opinion of Wayland Baptist University and are for educational
purposes only.
Plagiarism Policy: Intellectual integrity and truthfulness are fundamental to scholarship. Scholars, whether
they are performing as students or as teachers, are engaged in a search for truth. Plagiarism is a form of
cheating and also a form of theft. Plagiarism occurs when a student fails to give proper credit when information
is either quoted or paraphrased. In essence, plagiarism takes place when you take credit for someone else’s
work. This happens when you copy someone’s exam or when you fail to explain which parts of a paper reflect
your own ideas and which came from someone else. Looking at or copying someone else’s test, answer sheet,
and/or paper is counted as cheating. Carelessness is no excuse. As such, it is a breach of scholarly
responsibility. It is also unethical, immoral, and in some cases, illegal. Plagiarism may result in an “F” in the
course or in your being expelled from the class.
Disabilities: It is university policy that no otherwise qualified disabled person be excluded from participation
in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any educational program or activity in the
University. Students should inform the instructor of existing disabilities at the first class meeting.
Evaluation of student performance:
Exams: (Exams: (60% of final grade (20% each)) Three exams will be administered during the course of the
semester. The exams may consist of objective questions such as multiple choice or “fill-in-the-blank”
questions, or may also include true/false questions. The tests may consists of items from either the textbook(s)
or from material discussed on discussion boards or in lecture notes provided..
Self-Study: (15%% of final grade) You will be expected to write a reflective paper on yourself emphasizing
the specific personality characteristics that make you who you are. How do you see yourself? How do your
friends and family describe you. What are the most appealing features of your personality? What are your
personality flaws? The case study should be at least four pages in length. Be as honest and genuine as
possible. This assignment will be evaluated on comprehensiveness, coherence, and grammatical style. Give
specific personal examples to support your personality features.
Movie Character Analysis: (15% of final grade) Choose a movie to watch and analyze one of the characters
using 3 different theoretical approaches (psychoanalytic, neoanalytic, and biological). This paper is to be 6
pages long. More details will be provided in class. Spend no more than one page describing the character’s in
the movie and spend the rest of the paper analyzing the character’s personality by integrating as many terms and
concepts from the textbook as you explain your character’s personality. Please highlight, underline, or bold
the personality terms that you use in describing your character.
Attendance, and Participation: (10% of final grade). Throughout the semester, you will be given a few
assignments to complete to help you better understand the various theories of personality. You will also be
graded based on your overall attendance and participation in class discussions. More details will be provided in
class.
University Grading Scale: The University has a standard grading scale as follows: 90 - 100 = A (excellent);
80 - 89 = B (good); 70 - 79 = C (average); 60 - 69 = D (acceptable but below average); below 60 = F
(unacceptable); W=the student withdrew from the course before the deadline; WP=the student withdrew passing
before the deadline; WF=the student withdrew failing before the deadline (note that WF and F count the same in
the GPA); and I=incomplete. A grade of “incomplete” is given only if circumstances beyond the student’s
control prevented completion of work during the semester enrolled and any attendance requirements have been
met. A grade of “incomplete” is changed if the deficiency is made up by midterm of the next regular semester;
otherwise, it becomes an “F”.
Course Outline (Tentative Schedule)
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8
Week 9
Week 10
Week 11
Introduction/Syllabus/Ch. 1 What is Personality/ Ch. 2 How is Personality Studied
Ch. 3 Psychoanalytic Approach/ Ch. 4 Neo-analytic and Ego Approach
Ch. 5 Biological Aspects of Personality / Self Study Due
Exam #1 (ch. 1-5)/
Ch. 6 Behavioral & Learning Theory/Ch. 7 Cognitive Aspects of Personality
Ch. 8 Trait Perspective/ Ch. 9 Humanistic/Existential Approach
Exam #2 (ch. 6-9)
Ch. 10 Interactionist Approach/ Ch. 11 Male-female Differences
Ch. 12 Stress, Adjustment, & Health// Movie Character Analysis Due
Ch. 13 Cultural and Ethnic Differences / Ch. 14 Love and Hate
Final Exam (Ch. 10-15)
Professor reserves the right to modify syllabus as needed. Please consult catalog for important deadlines such
as add/drop, withdrawal, etc.