Psyc 101 – Intro – Summer 2010
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Psychology 101, Introduction to Psychology
Summer 2010
Tuesday & Thursday, 9:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Sewall Hall 560, Rice University
Anna I. Stupina
Corinne Allen
Office: Sewall Hall 150-A
Office Hours: by appointment
Email: ais@rice.edu
Phone: (713) 348 - 4147
Website: http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/~ais1/
Office: Sewall Hall 121-B
Office Hours: by appointment
Email: C.Allen@rice.edu
Phone: (713) 348-2215
Website: http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/~cma3917/Home.html
Contacting Instructors
E-mail: easiest and fastest way. PUT THE COURSE NUMBER IN THE SUBJECT.
Textbook
Psychology, by Daniel L. Schacter, Daniel Gilbert, and Daniel Wegner. Worth Publishers, 2008.
ISBN: 978-0-7167-5215-8
Syllabus
This syllabus serves as a contract between the instructors and the students. By choosing to take
and remain in this class, instructors and students accept the schedules, objectives, and policies
outlined in this syllabus.
Disclaimer
The syllabus and course schedule are subject to change. If a change is made, it will be made in
writing (in the form of an updated syllabus), and announced in class and on the course website.
Table of Contents
A. Course Description
B. Course Objectives
C. Instructor Responsibilities
D. Student Responsibilities
E. Grading
F. Make-up Work
G. Extra Credit
H. Disability Statement
I. Course Schedule
A. Course Description
Psychology 101 serves as the beginning course in psychology; as such, it is broad in scope. The
Psyc 101 – Intro – Summer 2010
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course will introduce students to the history of psychology, current paradigms and theories,
research methods, and statistical techniques. We will cover neuroscience, experimental
psychology, and cognition, including sensation, perception, memory, and language. We will
examine various psychological disorders, stress and health psychology, personality and social
psychology, intelligence, and developmental psychology. Because of time limitations, none of
these topics can be covered in great depth. The textbooks and the material presented in class will
serve as the primary sources for the material to be covered. Guest lectures may supplement
regular lectures.
B. Course Objectives
What follows here is a very broad list of skills that you will come away with at the end of the
class. The course schedule, as well as the lecture notes, will contain more detailed objectives
specific to the topic at hand.
Objective 1: Students will be able to define and describe what psychology is, and distinguish
psychology from the work done in other disciplines.
Objective 2: Students will be able to describe, and provide specific examples of how the study of
psychology is relevant in various aspects of life: family and relationships, education, policy and
law, arts and entertainment, business and the workplace, and healthcare.
Objective 3: Students will be able to describe, in their own words, the main tenets and
approaches to the study of psychology (both historical and contemporary), which are listed
below in the course schedule. They will also be able to describe, in their own words, the main
questions studied in the different areas of psychology (experimental, cognitive,
neuropsychology, social, industrial-organizational, clinical, and health).
Objective 4: Students will be able to outline the steps to the scientific method. They will also be
able to define the terminology used in the field, and evaluate ethical considerations regarding
research on humans. They will be able to apply the scientific method and reasoning to design a
simple psychological experiment.
Objective 5: Students will be able to list, describe, and evaluate the importance of, critical
experiments, major findings, and leading scientists in the major areas of psychology (specifics
are listed below in the course schedule).
Objective 6: Students will be able to explain psychological phenomena (perceptual, cognitive,
developmental, abnormal, and social) in terms of various theories (specific phenomena and
theories are listed in the course schedule below). Students will also be able to evaluate competing
models in regard to how well they explain the phenomena.
Objective 7: Students will be able to distinguish between the basic brain structures (specified in
the course schedule below).
Objective 8: Students will be able to describe, in their own words, the main developmental
milestones (i.e., the biological, cognitive, and social aspects) of each stage of life – prenatal,
infancy and childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and old age.
Objective 9: Students will be able to describe, in their own words, the main symptoms and
treatments for specific psychological disorders (listed below in the course schedule).
C. Instructor Responsibilities
1) Make course objectives explicitly clear, in written form via the course syllabus and in
oral form during class time.
Psyc 101 – Intro – Summer 2010
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2) Assess student progress regularly, and provide feedback to students. (This is mostly
accomplished through individual grades and comments on assignments.)
3) Be fair and consistent in grading and examination practices to all students.
4) Address student concerns regarding course objectives, class materials, and
grading/examination practices. This includes holding office hours, being available by
appointment, and being available through e-mail (on a reasonable schedule).
5) Create a classroom environment most conducive to attaining course objectives. This
includes providing a classroom that is: free of distractions, hostility, and intolerance,
equipped with the appropriate tools (technology, equipment, seating room), stimulating,
and engaging. The instructor should also provide guidelines, in written form via the
syllabus, towards acceptable behavior.
D. Student Responsibilities
1) Achieve a specific set of objectives set forth by the instructor in the syllabus. This
includes the responsibility to seek help from the instructor in achieving objectives. In
addition, if certain objectives are not covered specifically in class, but are outlined,
students are still responsible for those items on the exam.
2) Alert the instructor if, and when, the student feels that s/he does not understand course
content, objectives, or guidelines. This includes asking questions and/or asking for further
explanation both during class time, and also during office hours or by appointment with
the instructor.
3) Assist the instructor in creating a classroom environment most conducive to attaining
course objectives. This includes: being aware of, and complying with the instructor’s
guidelines towards attendance, behavior, grading, and examinations, as outlined in the
syllabus.
4) Complete all assignments and take all the examinations.
5) Follow all university rules and policies regarding Honor Code for assignments, research
participation, and examinations.
E. Grading
Attendance
We will not take attendance – it is your responsibility to show up to class and complete all
necessary assignments. That being said, it is to your benefit to come to class. In addition to novel
material not in the textbook, assignments will be discussed and handed out in class. Furthermore,
in-class assignments and quizzes are subject to make-ups only as per the make-up policy stated
below.
Assignments and Quizzes
Assignments which should be completed before each class are listed in the course
schedule. This includes readings from the textbook and/or other supplementary readings, projects
or papers, and several other small assignments. Explanation of and criteria for all assignments
will be provided during class time. Additional assignments may be assigned in class; in such
cases, it is the student’s responsibility to know when the assignment is due (as indicated by
instructor) and turn the assignment in on time.
Psyc 101 – Intro – Summer 2010
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In-class quizzes will be given at instructors’ discretion throughout the course. Quizzes
will take place at the beginning of the class period, and will cover the assigned reading for that
day.
Examinations
There will be two (2) semi-cumulative exams, followed by a cumulative final exam. The
dates are listed in the course schedule. The final exam date will be set by the University
Registrar.
Exam format. There will be 2 parts to each exam:
1. 60 objective (multiple-choice) questions, @ 1pt each (60 pts)
2. 5 essay/short answer questions, @ 8pts each (40 pts)
The format of the final exam will be similar to the exam format stated above,
though it may be longer given it is comprehensive. This has not yet been
determined, but students will be notified of the format and length well in advance.
Exam material. Questions will be based on students’ attainment of course objectives as
outlined in the course schedule for the topics to be covered on the exam. For the second exam,
previously-tested objectives will be tested again, but to a lesser degree than newer material. For
the final exam, all objectives will be tested equally from all topics covered in the course.
Presentation
Each student will be required to make a 15-20 minute presentation to the class on a topic of the
student’s choice and interest. Presentations will be made during class-time, on the date that the
topic the student chooses is scheduled (as per the course schedule below).
Research Participation (Extra Credit)
As a part of this course, you can elect to get some “hands-on” experience with psychological
research. Each (1) hour of research participation you earn will be translated into (2) points added
to your final exam grade. Available experiments will be announced in class.
Summary
Your grade in this course depends on the following:
Assignments & Quizzes
Average of 2 Exams
Final Exam
Presentation
25%
40%
20%
15%
Grades are assigned according to the following:
A+ 97-100
A
94-96
A- 90-93
B+
B
B-
87-89
84-86
80-83
C+ 77-79
C 74-76
C- 70-73
D+
D
DF
67-69
64-66
60-63
<59
Psyc 101 – Intro – Summer 2010
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F. Make-up Work
Notify instructors (via e-mail) of all scheduling conflicts known to the student by the
third class day. Things such as unavoidable family schedule, conflicts with other classes, planned
health-related absences, athletic trips/commitments, or other unavoidable scheduling conflicts
which directly fall on the scheduled exam or assignment-due date should be disclosed. If the
instructors don’t receive notice of any of these situations by the end of business on the third day
of class, such scheduling conflicts will not be eligible for make-up work. If there is an
emergency (such as illness), the instructors should be notified as soon as possible.
Dates and times for make-up exams will be arranged as soon as notification is provided
to the instructors. Make-up exams will be scheduled per instructor availability.
Make-up assignments will be decided on by the instructors at the time that notification of
absence on an assignment due date is received.
If a student was absent on the day of an in-class assignment (without prior notification),
the student will then receive a zero (0) for that assignment, and that assignment will not be
eligible for make-up work.
Late assignment policy
Any assignment which is not handed in by the specified deadline without prior permission from
the instructor will be considered late. The late penalty is 1 letter grade for each day the
assignment is late (e.g., an “A” assignment will receive a B if one day late, a C if two days late,
and a D if three days late). If the assignment is late for more than 3 days, the grade of the
assignment will be a zero (0).
G. Extra Credit
Two (2) points added to the Final exam score will be added for each (1) hour of participation in
research experiments (see above).
H. Disability Statement
Any student with a documented disability who needs adjustments or accommodations needs to
notify the instructor before the third day of class. All discussions will remain confidential.
Students with disabilities should also contact Disability Support Services in the Ley Student
Center.
I. Course Schedule
Date
Topic
June 8
Introduction (Corinne)
Objectives:
- Define what psychology is
- List, describe, and distinguish between the historic
movements: nativism, philosophical empirism, phrenology,
structuralism, functionalism, Gestalt psychology,
psychoanalysis, humanism, behaviorism.
- Describe what cognitive psychology is, and how it came
about
Assignments
Due
Textbook pg.
1-38
Textbook pg.
39-72
Psyc 101 – Intro – Summer 2010
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-
June 10
List three influential investigators in the field of cognitive
psychology and describe their main contributions
- Describe what is neuroscience
- Distinguish between behavioral and cognitive neuroscience
- Describe what is evolutionary psychology
- Describe what is studied in social psychology (and cultural
psychology)
- List and describe 3 career paths of psychologists
Methods (Anna)
Objectives:
- Define: empiricism, operational definition, validity,
reliability, population, sample, law of large numbers,
frequency distribution, normal distribution, mode, mean,
median, range, demand characteristics, naturalistic
observation, confound (third) variables,
- Distinguish between construct validity and predictive
validity
- Describe and be able to identify in an experimental set-up:
dependent and independent variables.
- Describe what a correlation is, and come up with an
example of when you would use this method
- Describe types of correlations (positive, negative, zerocorrelation) and identify larger correlations from smaller
ones (numerically and graphically)
Neuroscience (Corinne)
Objectives:
- Describe the location and function of the 4 lobes of the
brain: frontal, parietal, temporal, occipital
- Define and describe: neurons, cell body, dendrites, axon,
myelin, node of Ranvier, refractory period,
neurotransmitters, receptors, sensory neuron, interneuron,
motor neuron, somatosensory cortex, homunculus, gene,
chromosome, heritability
- Describe major types of neurons and where they are found
- Explain the sequence of events during an action potential
- List and describe at least 3 neurotransmitters and their
functions, as well as their associated diseases (pg. 83)
- Describe how drugs mimic neurotransmitters, with at least
3 examples of this
- List and describe the major divisions of the nervous system
(pg. 88 diagram)
- List, describe, and be able to label on a diagram the three
divisions of the brain and basic brain structures: forebrain,
midbrain, hindbrain, brain stem, pons, medulla, reticular
formation, cerebellum, hippocampus, pituitary gland,
Assignment
DUE course
expectations
Textbook
pg. 73-120
Psyc 101 – Intro – Summer 2010
June 15
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hypothalamus, corpus callosum
- List and describe a method for studying genetic and
environmental influences on the development of the
nervous system
- List and describe methods for studying the brain: damaged
brain, single-neuron recording, EEG, brain imaging
- List and describe types of brain imaging techniques
Sensation and Perception (Anna)
Textbook pg.
Objectives:
121-166
- Define: sensation, perception, transduction, psychophysics,
absolute threshold, just noticeable difference, rod, cone,
binocular disparity, motion parallax, perceptual constancy,
visual form agnosia, haptic perception, referred pain
- Describe signal-detection theory and describe two types of
experiments in which this can be tested
- List and describe the three properties of light waves (pg.
130)
- Explain the function of the eye in terms of its anatomy: eye
muscles, retina, fovea, optic nerve, blind spot, lens, pupil,
iris, cornea
- Explain nearsightedness and farsightedness in terms of the
accommodation of the lens
- Describe what the receptive field is, and explain its function
in terms of its usefulness in color vision
- Explain the relationship between images projected on the
retina and images in the visual fields of each eye
- Distinguish between additive and subtractive color mixing,
and provide examples of each
- Describe what an after-image is, and explain why it occurs
- Distinguish between dorsal stream and ventral stream, and
provide specific experimental evidence for this distinction
- Describe the overall functions of the different parts of the
visual cortex: V1-5
- List and describe 5 Gestalt grouping principles, and provide
examples of each
- Provide an example of an ambiguous figure
- Distinguish between template-matching and recognitionby-components theories of object recognition, provide
experimental evidence for both, and evaluate the two types
of theories in terms pros and cons for each
- List and describe at least 4 monocular depth cues
- List and describe the 3 properties of sound waves (pg. 150)
- Identify the major structures of the ear and describe the
functioning of the ear in terms of these structures: pinna,
outer ear, middle ear, inner ear, auditory canal, ossicles,
eardrum, semicircular canals, cochlea, basilar membrane,
Psyc 101 – Intro – Summer 2010
June 17
June 22
auditory nerve to brain
- Explain how pitch is perceived in terms of place and
temporal code
- Explain how sound is localized
- Identify 5 types of touch receptors, and their functions
- Explain the gate-control theory of pain
- Describe the functions of major olfactory structures:
olfactory receptor neurons, glomerulus, olfactory bulb
- List the 5 primary taste sensations
Memory (Corinne)
Objectives:
- Define: memory, encoding, storage, retrieval, chunking,
encoding specificity principle, state-dependent retrieval,
priming, tip-of-the-tongue experience, memory
misattribution, source amnesia, flashbulb memories
- List and describe the 3 main processes of memory loop:
encoding, storage, retrieval
- Explain 3 methods of encoding into memory: rehearsal,
elaborative, and visual imagery encoding, and evaluate
them, providing experimental evidence, in terms of
effectiveness
- List, describe, and explain: sensory memory, short-term and
working memory, long-term storage
- Distinguish between anterograde and retrograde amnesia,
with examples for both
- Distinguish and explain encoding specificity principle and
state-dependent retrieval using your own examples
- Distinguish and describe explicit and implicit memory, with
examples of each
- Describe the 3 types of memory (procedural, semantic,
episodic) with your own examples for each
- Distinguish retroactive and proactive interference, and
provide examples
- Explain what suggestibility is, describe the experimental
evidence, and name 1 researcher in this field
- Explain consistency, change, and egocentric biases, with
examples
Learning (Anna)
Objectives:
- Define: habituation, law of effect, operant conditioning,
classical conditioning, reinforcer, punisher,
overjustification effect, shaping, latent learning,
observational learning, implicit learning
- Describe the main tenets of behaviorism, and name at least
2 researchers associated with this movement
- Distinguish between classical and operant conditioning
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Textbook pg.
167-208
Textbook pg.
209-252
Psyc 101 – Intro – Summer 2010
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June 24
June 29
Explain classical conditioning, providing examples, and
being able to use the following terminology: unconditioned
stimulus (US), unconditioned response (UR), conditioned
stimulus (CS), conditioned response (CR)
- Explain the process of classical conditioning in terms of
acquisition, second-order conditioning, extinction,
spontaneous recovery, generalization, discrimination
- Describe experiments done with Little Albert, and list the
researchers involved
- Explain “one-trial learning”, describe what situations can
produce this effect, and explain why it might be
advantageous to have this kind of learning
- Name at least 1 researcher who did some of the first
experiments using operant conditioning
- Distinguish between primary and secondary reinforcers,
with examples of each
- Distinguish between positive reinforcement, positive
punishment, negative reinforcement, negative punishment
(with descriptions and examples of each)
- Explain the 4 types of reinforcement schedules, and
evaluate them on effectiveness. Provide specific examples
of situations in which each would be effective.
- Describe at least 1 experiment on observational learning,
and explain what the findings were and what were the
implications of those findings
- Distinguish between implicit and explicit learning,
providing examples of each
Exam 1
Topics: Intro/Methods, Neuroscience, Sensation and Perception,
Memory, Learning
Language and Thought (Corinne)
Objectives:
- Define: phoneme, morpheme, grammar, syntactical rules,
morphological rules, phonological rules, fast mapping,
telegraphic speech, language acquisition device, genetic
dysphasia, aphasia, concept, category-specific deficit,
algorithm, means-ends analysis, analogical problemsolving, reasoning, belief bias, syllogistic reasoning
- List the requirements for a mode of communication being
classified as “language”
- Distinguish between the deep and surface structure,
providing specific examples
- Distinguish between the three main types of theories of
language development: behaviorist, nativist, interactionist
- Identify the 2 main areas in the brain where language is
processed, distinguish and describe their specific functions,
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Textbook pg.
253-292
Psyc 101 – Intro – Summer 2010 10
July 1
and describe the deficits which occur when each area is
damaged
- Describe the experimental evidence which seeks to answer
the questions, “Do other animals have language? Can other
animals learn language?”
- Explain how the linguistic relativity hypothesis ties together
language and thought, and provide examples
- Distinguish and evaluate the 3 types of theories of concepts:
family resemblance theory, prototype theory, exemplar
theory. Identify the pros and cons of each (i.e. what are they
good at accounting for? What evidence is there that they are
failing to account for?), providing specific experimental
evidence.
- Explain rational choice theory, prospect theory, frequency
format hypothesis
- List at least 2 heuristics and explain how they work, and
how they don’t
- Explain what creativity is, and describe at least 1
impediment to it (provide specific examples)
- Distinguish between practical and theoretical reasoning,
with examples
Consciousness (Anna)
Textbook pg.
Objectives:
293-336
- Define: Cartesian screen, phenomenology, mental control,
rebound effect of thought suppression, placebo, meditation
- Explain what the problem of other minds is, and why is it a
problem?
- Explain what the mind/body problem is, and describe some
experimental studies aimed at solving this problem, and
their findings
- List and describe the 4 basic properties of consciousness
(pg. 298)
- Describe the experimental tasks and manipulations which
led to the discovery of the cocktail party phenomenon.
Explain what this phenomenon is.
- List and describe the 3 levels of consciousness (pg. 300)
- Evaluate how effective thought suppression is, with
examples
- Distinguish between Freud’s view of consciousness
(dynamic unconscious), and the cognitive view (cognitive
unconscious)
- Evaluate the scientific evidence regarding the effectiveness
of subliminal processing
- Describe the sleep cycle in terms of the different wave
activities (pg. 310)
- Explain the importance of REM sleep, and what happens
Psyc 101 – Intro – Summer 2010 11
-
July 6
July 8
after REM sleep deprivation
List and describe 4 sleep disorders
Describe the 2 theories of dreams: Freudian, activationsynthesis model
Distinguish between latent and manifest content
List the 4 categories of drugs, with 2 examples from each
category
Distinguish between depressants and stimulants, with
examples of each
Explain drug tolerance, and describe how and why drug
users can have an overdose
Explain the expectancy theory as it relates to alcohol use,
and describe the experimental studies and the evidence
Evaluate the evidence on the effectiveness and
susceptibility to hypnosis
Describe a beneficial use of hypnosis
Intelligence (Corinne)
Objectives:
- Define: ratio IQ, deviation IQ, prodigy, savant, intelligence
- Explain the most common method for testing intelligence
- List 2 commonly-used intelligence tests
- Describe Spearman’s two-factor theory of intelligence
- Distinguish between fluid and crystallized intelligence
- Explain what the heritability coefficient is
- Calculate the IQ scores which fall into any division of the
normal curve
Emotion and Motivation (Anna)
Objectives:
- Define: reappraisal, emotional expression, display rules,
motivation, hedonic principle, metabolism, need for
achievement
- Explain what the two dimensions of emotion are, and
provide at least 4 examples of different types of emotion
which can be produced using this classification
- Distinguish the 3 main theories of emotion: James-Lange,
Cannon-Bard, two-factor
- List the 3 main brain structures which are central to the
experience of emotion
- Explain what the fight-or-flight response is
- Describe 1 method that people use to regulate emotion
- Explain what the universality hypothesis is, and scientific
support for this claim
- Explain what the facial feedback hypothesis is
- List and describe 4 ways that careful observers can tell
whether an emotional expression is sincere, providing
Textbook pg.
337-366
Textbook pg.
367-404
Psyc 101 – Intro – Summer 2010 12
July 13
examples for each
- Evaluate the effectiveness of lie-detection machines
- List and describe 3 ways that organisms might be organized
in order to be motivated to perform the behaviors necessary
for survival (instinctual, cognitive, hedonic)
- Describe Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, with examples for
each level. Explain why it is structured in the form of a
hierarchy
- List and describe 2 eating disorders, their symptoms,
consequences, and possible treatments
- Distinguish between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation,
providing examples from your life of each
- Distinguish between conscious and unconscious
motivation; provide examples
- Distinguish between approach and avoidance motivation,
with examples
Development (Corinne or Guest Lecture)
Objectives:
- Define: developmental psychology, zygote, germinal stage,
embryonic stage, fetal stage, teratogens, fetal alcohol
syndrome, conservation, egocentrism, theory of mind,
attachment, imprinting, infancy, childhood, adolescence,
adulthood, old age
- List the stages of motor development in infancy, and the
principles which govern it
- List and describe the 4 stages of cognitive development
according to Piaget
- Describe 1 way of studying infants’ perception of the world
(bonus for description of such a study and its findings)
- Describe the experiment with Harlow’s monkeys and the
findings, and explain the implications of those findings
- List and describe the 4 attachment styles (pg. 423)
- List and describe the 3 stages towards developing morality,
according to Kohlberg (pg. 426-7)
- Describe the development that goes on during adolescence
- Distinguish between primary and secondary sex
characteristics, with examples of each
- Evaluate findings on heterosexuals’ attitudes towards
homosexuals
- List and describe Erikson’s stages of human development
(pg. 436)
- Evaluate the change in cognitive abilities over the life-span
(senses, memory, etc… find that chart)
- Describe the change in attitudes (positive vs. negative) over
the lifespan
- Describe the findings of studies on marital satisfaction (pg.
Textbook pg.
405-448
Psyc 101 – Intro – Summer 2010 13
July 15
July 20
July 22
444)
Exam 2
Topics: Language and Thought, Consciousness, Intelligence,
Emotion & Motivation, Development
Personality (Anna)
Objectives:
- Define: personality, trait, pleasure principle, reality
principle, defense mechanism, person-situation controversy,
personal constructs, outcome expectancies, locus of control,
self-concept, self-verification, self-esteem, self-serving bias
- Describe 3 methods used to measure personality, and give
examples of each
- List and describe the “Big Five” dimensions of personality
- Describe the evidence for a biological basis for personality,
and the methods and specific studies used to answer this
question
- Describe Freud’s theory of personality in terms of the id,
ego, superego
- List and describe 7 defense mechanisms, according to
Freud, their general purpose, and specific examples for
each
- List and describe Freud’s 5 stages of development
- Distinguish between the different approaches to
personality: humanistic-existential, social-cognitive
Stress and Health (Corinne)
Objectives:
- Define: health psychology, stress, stressors, immune
system, lymphocytes, burnout, relaxation therapy,
biofeedback, somatoform disorders, self-regulation
- Distinguish between acute and chronic stressors, with
examples of each
- Explain the role of perceived control during stressful events
- Explain what the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) is,
listing and describing its three stages
- Describe the effects of stress on the immune system
- Distinguish between Type A and Type B behavior patterns,
providing examples of each
- Describe the 2 stages of stress interpretation: primary
appraisal, secondary appraisal
- Describe the symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder
(PTSD), and provide examples of some situations which
can give rise to this disorder
- Describe 3 strategies of coping with stress, and comment on
their effectiveness: repressive coping, rational coping,
reframing
- Describe Stress Inocculation Training (SIT)
Textbook pg.
449-488
Textbook pg.
581-620
Psyc 101 – Intro – Summer 2010 14
-
July 27
Explain the value of aerobic exercise, social support, and
humor in coping with stress
- List and describe the symptoms of 3 somatoform disorders:
hypochondriasis, somatization disorder, conversion
disorder
- Explain the role of optimism and hardiness in stress
management
Abnormal (Anna)
Objectives:
- Define: medical model, DSM-VI-TR, GAF, comorbidity,
psychotherapy, transference, psychopharmacology, placebo
effect
- List and describe the 3 criteria that, according to the DSMVI-TR, are needed before a cluster of symptoms can be
classified as a potential mental disorder
- List and describe, with examples of specific disorders, at
least 9 of the 17 main DSM criteria (pg. 496)
- Describe the diathesis-stress model, and provide specific
examples
- Describe the main symptoms of anxiety disorders:
generalized anxiety disorder, phobic disorders and specific
phobia, panic disorder, agoraphobia, obsessive-compulsive
disorder
- Distinguish between obsessions and compulsions in OCD
(with examples)
- Describe the main symptoms, causes, and treatments for
dissociative disorders: dissociative identity disorder,
dissociative amnesia, dissociative fugue
- Describe the main symptoms, causes, and treatments for
mood disorders: depressive disorders (major depressive
disorder, dysthymia, double depression, seasonal affective
disorder), bipolar disorder
- Describe the main symptoms, causes, and treatments for
schizophrenia. List and describe the 5 types of
schizophrenia.
- Describe the 3 clusters of personality disorders (pg. 527)
and identify at least 1 specific personality disorder and its
characteristics for each cluster
- Describe the 5 ways/methods of delivering treatment and
their specific techniques: psychodynamic (psychoanalysis,
free association, dream analysis, interpretation, analysis of
resistance), behavioral (exposure therapy, token economy,
aversion therapy, systematic desensitization), cognitive
(cognitive restructuring, mindfulness meditation, cognitivebehavioral therapy, group therapy), humanistic/existential
(person-centered therapy, gestalt therapy), medical
Textbook pg.
489-580
Psyc 101 – Intro – Summer 2010 15
July 29
(antipsychotic drugs, anti-anxiety medications,
antidepressants/mood stabilizers, herbal/natural products,
electroconvulsive therapy, transcranial magnetic
stimulation, phototherapy
- Explain the placebo effect, and describe the importance to
control for it in clinical trials for drugs
- Pick a problem that a patient might have, and deign a
hypothetical research study to evaluate the effectiveness of
two or three possible treatments
Social (Guest Lecture)
Objectives:
- Define: aggression, cooperation, altruism, reciprocal
altruism, group, prejudice, discrimination, in-group, outgroup, deindividuation, social loafing, diffusion of
responsibility, group polarization, social exchange,
comparison level, equity, social influence, norm, normative
influence, norm of reciprocity, door-in-the-face technique,
conformity, obedience, attitude, belief, informational
influence, persuasion, foot-in-the-door technique, social
cognition, categorization, stereotyping, attribution
- Explain the frustration-aggression principle, and provide an
example
- Explain how deindividuation accounts for mob behavior
such as that of the KKK, and what factors might intensify
this phenomenon
- Explain how you would use the principles of social loafing
and diffusion of responsibility to maximize your chances of
getting help in an emergency situation. Describe some
experimental evidence demonstrating these effects.
- Explain why, in our society, women are more selective in
their mating practices than are men
- List, describe, and provide examples of the 3 types of
factors that can account for attraction
- Describe the mere exposure effect, providing experimental
evidence
- Explain what the misattribution of arousal is, citing
experimental evidence
- Distinguish between passionate and companionate love,
commenting on the interaction of them over time
- Describe 3 factors which people seem to use when deciding
on whether to stay in relationships (pg. 639)
- Evaluate the effectiveness of rewards and punishments on
criminal behavior, commenting on the role of observational
learning
- Define normative influence, and provide examples
- Evaluate the power of conformity, citing experimental
Textbook pg.
621-663
Psyc 101 – Intro – Summer 2010 16
evidence, including the implications of these findings
- Describe a famous study on obedience, the researcher
involved and the findings. Evaluate the implications of
these findings.
- Distinguish between systematic and heuristic persuasion
- Describe cognitive dissonance, using specific examples
- List and describe the 4 properties of stereotypes which can
produce harmful results: can be inaccurate, overused, selfperpetuating, automatic
- Distinguish perceptual confirmation and self-fulfilling
prophecy, providing specific examples of each
- Explain the correspondence bias, providing specific
examples
- Explain the actor-observer effect, providing specific
examples
Final Exam – TBD by Registrar
Comprehensive