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PSYCHOLOGY OF PERSONALITY
Psychology 620, Fall 2005 Reference #23010
Kansas State University - www.ksu.edu/psych
Instructor
Teaching Assistant
Scott Hemenover, Ph.D.
Tirza Shulman
414 Bluemont Hall
4101 Bluemont Hall
shemenov@ksu.edu
tirza@ksu.edu
532-0609
532-6851
Wen 10 – 12, or by apt
Class Location/Time: 120 KF from 9:30 AM – 10:45 AM TU
Readings:
Personality (2005), 9th edition by Pervin, Cervone & John
This is the textbook for the course. It is designed to provide you with a thorough
(but somewhat basic) coverage of the material (i.e., the building blocks). It is from here
that most of my lectures will derive.
Current Controversies and Issues in Personality (2002) 3rd edition by Pervin
This is a companion book to the text. It addresses more advanced conceptual issues in
personality psychology. Pervin reviews and critiques the literature, discussing the issues
from the perspective of the field as a whole. This book will often serve as a point of
discussion during group activities.
Pieces of the Personality Puzzle (selected articles) (2001) by Funder & Ozer
This is a collection of personality articles by leading personality theorists addressing
various conceptual issues. We will read a selected few articles that will also be used in
some of our activities and class discussions. Copies will be provided at standard copying
cost.
Can Personality Change (selected chapters) (1994) by Heatherton and Weinberger
This is a collection of chapters on change in personality written by experts in the field and
will be used in our class discussions and activities. Copies will be provided at standard
copying costs.
Class listserve:
All students registered for this course are automatically subscribed to a class
listserve. To post messages the WHOLE CLASS will see send email to
personality@ksu.edu. KSU email can be forwarded to a preferred account by going to
www.ksu.edu/forward/.
Class Web page:
All class materials are available online
(http://courses.ksu.edu/fall2005/PSYCH/PSYCH620/). Here you can download the power
point presentations (Power Point), syllabus and study Qs (MS Word).
Course Description:
This is a foundation course intended for upper level Psychology majors. The emphasis
will be on contemporary personality theory and the course will be organized around
several BIG PICTURE questions.
Course goals:
1.
Develop a good understanding of methodology and relevant issues/concerns in personality psychology.
2.
Develop a good understanding of the major contemporary theoretical approaches in personality theory
(including advantages and problems of each).
3.
Develop a good understanding of the various answers to the BIG PICTURE questions addressed during
the course, including all relevant issues and the views of major theoretical approaches.
Class Time
We will cover approximately 1-2 chapters and (sometimes) 1 article per week, and I recognize that different
students learn best in different ways. Some students prefer reading on their own and lectures, others active
demonstrations or activities and still other students learn best through the give and take of class discussions. I
also recognize that it is hard to effectively pay attention to a lecture for more than about 30-40 minutes. To take
these factors into account and maximize the learning of most students I have structured class time to involve
several different types of activities.
Lectures
Lectures serve an important purpose because this format makes it easy for students to ask
questions (and test their understanding gleaned from the text), and allows the instructor to clarify
complex material as well as to supplement the text with additional, more current material.
So most days I will probably lecture for approximately 30-40 minutes. This will vary depending
on the material (some days I may not lecture at all) but I will try not to ever lecture non-stop for
more than 30-40 minutes. My lectures will focus on important material from the readings as well
as include related material not found elsewhere. As a result some material will not be covered in
class and it will be left to you to glean this information from the readings. To help with this for
each reading I will provide you with LEARNING GOALS that identify the most important
information. These should be used to guide your studying.
Group Activities and Class Discussion
Educational research has revealed the benefits of cooperative and active learning, and for many
students interacting with the material produces superior learning than does passively listening to
a lecture or reading a text. To take advantage of these forms of learning we will often engage in
class discussions, commonly following a group activity. During group activities you will interact
with the material to produce some product to be turned in (e.g., answering some questions,
writing a skit to be performed). Although many students like and benefit from these experiences,
some may not. The intent however is benevolent: They are meant to help students learn and make
class time more enjoyable for all.
Reaction Papers
Reflecting on newly learned material helps retention. Numerous studies have shown that
describing/writing your understanding of material (e.g., rewriting your notes) dramatically
enhances learning (i.e., exam performance). Moreover, during class time concepts can come so
quickly it is challenging to absorb them. Taking a few minutes to think and write about the
material allows everyone time to incorporate what they just learned into what they already know
(key for retention). So occasionally during the semester I will ask you (in class) to write for 5
minutes on some topic/issue/Q I provide.
In sum I have structured class time to involve a variety of different activities to aid you in developing an
understanding of the material. Some require more involvement from students than others. However, taking an
active approach to this course (asking questioning, relating new material to old, etc.) will for most students
result in a better understanding of the material and hence a better grade. So I encourage you as students to be
active learners throughout the semester.
Course Requirements/Grades
Exams
There will be 4 multiple choice exams with approximately 60 questions each. Exams will cover the main
issues addressed through readings and in class and will closely follow the learning goals (i.e., all exam
questions will address one or more learning goals). Each exam will count for 21.25% of the final course
grade. All together exams will be worth 85% of your final course grade.
Participation
Class participation will be worth 15% of your final course grade. Participation points are earned in 3
ways:
Group Activities (you must do 5 for 1% each = 5% of final course grade)
Reaction papers (you must do 5 for 1% each = 5% of final course grade)
Class Involvement (class discussions and interactions, teaching spotter = 5% of final grade)
Teaching Spotter: With the goal of improving my teaching I will assign approximately 2 students/class
to provide me with brief written comments on that day’s class (due at the end of that class). These
comments can be anything at all but must address at least: 1 thing that worked/you liked, 1 thing that did
not work/you did not like (if anything). When appropriate I will discuss these comments the next class
(or via email) and address any reasonable concerns/issues.
Extra Credit
For every group activity or reaction paper you do > 5 you will earn .5% (1/2 percentage point) increase
on your final course grade. The max extra credit you can earn is 5%. So if you do 9 group activities and
9 reaction papers you will earn 4% extra credit (.5 x 8 = 4) and your final grade will be increased by a
total of 4% (e.g., an 86% becomes a 90%).
Missed Work: Students with reasonable, documented excuses for missing work will be allowed to make up the
work. However, you must inform the teaching staff as soon as you know you will miss (email, phone – leave a
message if need-be) and not after. Keeping us fully informed no matter the situation is the way to go here.
Grading Scale (always rounded up):
A
90-100% of possible points
B
80-89%
C/P 70-79%
D
60-69%
F
< 59%
Note: I do not ‘curve’ grades (though I always look at exam Qs and toss bad items) because I believe in
objective standards for performance. This means that you are not competing with each other for grades,
and that everyone in the course can get an A if they earn enough points. Also students less than 1% away
from the next highest grade (for the final course grade) will be considered for movement up. They will
not be automatically moved up. Students who show steady performance, substantial improvement,
and/or have excellent participation during the semester will have the best chance of being moved up.
Grade Components:
4 exams
% of Final Course Grade:
85% (4 @ 21.25% each)
Participation
15% (5 group activities @ 1% each = 5%; 5 reaction papers @ 1% each =
5% and class involvement = 5%).
Honor System
Kansas State University has an Undergraduate Honor System based on personal integrity, which is presumed to
be sufficient assurance in academic matters one's work is performed honestly and without unauthorized
assistance. Undergraduate students, by registration, acknowledge the jurisdiction of the Undergraduate Honor
System. The policies and procedures of the Undergraduate Honor System apply to all full and part-time
students enrolled in undergraduate courses on-campus, off-campus, and via distance learning.
A prominent part of the Honor System is the inclusion of the Honor Pledge which applies to all assignments,
examinations, or other course work undertaken by undergraduate students. the Honor Pledge is implied,
whether or not it is stated: "On my honor, as a student, I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid on
this academic work."
A grade of XF can result from a breach of academic honesty. An XF would be failure of the course with the X
on the transcript indicating failure as a result of a breach of academic honesty.
For more information, please visit the Honor System web page at: http://www.ksu.edu/honor
August 23
August 25
TENTATIVE COURSE CALENDAR (Fall 2005)*
Topic
Pervin 9/e
Controversies
Article
Section 1 – METHODOLOGICAL AND ASSESSMENT ISSUES
Introduction
1
Methodology
2
August 30
Sept 1, 6
3 research traditions
Nature of science
Sept 8
Exam 1 – Pervin 1, 2; Controversies 1, 11
September 13
September 15
Motive Units
September 20, 22
Cognitive units
12, 13 (p. 497-501)
2 (p. 45-51)
September 27
September 29
Trait units
7
8 (NOT ps. 274-290)
2 (p. 25-29)
2 (p. 29-36)
October 4
Integration
Oct 6
Exam 2 - Pervin 3, 4, 7, 8, 12, 13; Controversies 2, 8; McAdams
October 11
October 13
Section 3 – HOW DOES PERSONALITY DEVELOP?
Biology
9
9
October 18, 20
Genes
5
October 25, 27
Evolution
6
November 1
Learning
Nov 3
Exam 3 - Pervin 9, 10; Controversies 5,6: Dabbs
November 8
November 10
Section 4 – DOES PERSONALITY CHANGE?
Person v. Situation
3
3
Date
1
11
Section 2 – WHAT IS PERSONALITY?
3
2 (p. 36-45)
4 (p. 155-159)
8 (p. 195-209)
2 (p. 51-54)
McAdams
Dabbs et al
10
4
4
Kenrick & Funder
November 15
November 17
Stability?
November 22
November 29
Phenomenology
December 1, 6
December 8
Why do people change?
Catch up day
December 13
EXAM 4 - from 2 PM – 3:50: Pervin 5, 6; Controversies 3, 4, 9;
Kenrick, Miller, Baumeister
5
6 (p. 214-219)
Miller & C’deBaca
Baumeister
9
*Depending on our progress I may make schedule changes. I will inform you ASAP of any changes.