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INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE
PSYCHOLOGY 150
FALL 2012
Class Time:
Lab Time:
Instructor:
Office:
Office hours:
Office phone:
Email:
Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 9:30 – 10:20 AM
Roger Milliken Science Center 225
Thursday, 2:30 – 5:30 PM
Roger Milliken Science Center 225
Katherine R. Mickley Steinmetz, Ph.D.
Roger Milliken Science Center 231D
Monday and Friday 10:30-11:30 AM or by appointment
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steinmetzkr@wofford.edu
(Probably the easiest way to get in contact with me)
Text:
Nairne, J. S. (2009). Psychology (5th edition). Thomson Wadsworth;
USA.
Slides:
Printable versions of all slides presented in class are available in PDF
format on my website for the course:
http://webs.wofford.edu/steinmetzkr/Teaching/Psy150/Psy150.html
Format:
This is a lecture-laboratory based course on the fundamental aspects
the scientific study of human behavior and cognition.
Course
Description:
This course will provide students with a broad knowledge base of the
major concepts and findings in the field of psychology. A scientific
approach will be taken to examine these topics so that the students
will be able to apply knowledge of basic research methodology.
Emphasis will be placed on the use of critical thinking. Students will
apply psychological principles to their everyday lives. They will also
develop written communication skills through APA style reports of their
laboratory work.
Course
Goals:
1. Knowledge base of psychology: Students will demonstrate
familiarity with major concepts, theoretical perspectives, empirical
findings, and historical trends in psychology.
2. Research methods: Students will understand and apply basic
research methods in psychology, including research design, data
analysis and interpretation.
3. Critical thinking: Students will respect and use critical and
creative thinking, skeptical inquiry, and when possible, the scientific
approach to solve problems related to behavior and mental
processes.
4. Application of psychology: Students will understand and apply
psychological principles to personal, social, and organizational
issues.
5. Values in psychology: Students will be able to weigh evidence,
tolerate ambiguity, act ethically, and demonstrate cultural
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awareness.
Grading:
The final grade for this course will be based on scores from 3 exams
(15 % each), a cumulative final (20 %) 3 laboratory reports (10%
each), and an oral presentation (5%).
A = 93 – 100
C+ = 76 – 79
A- = 90 – 92
C
= 73 – 75
B+ = 86 – 89
C- = 70 – 72
B = 83 – 85
D
= 60 – 69
B- = 80 – 82
F
= 0 – 59
Exams: Three exams will cover the material from class and the textbook for
each unit. Exams may consist of a combination of multiple choice,
short answer, and essay questions. Exam format will be discussed
before each exam, as I reserve the right to modify as necessary. The
final cumulative exam will follow a similar format as previous exams,
but will also include questions that will require you to integrate the
material you have learned over the course of the semester. Make-up
exams will not be given. If you need to reschedule an exam due to a
legitimate excuse or illness, please talk to me before the exam (proof
will be necessary). The schedule for the exams is as follows:
Exam
1
2
3
Final
Chapters
1, 2, 3, 5, 6
4, 7, 8, 9
12, 13, 14
Comprehensive, 16
Date
Monday, Oct. 1, 2012
Monday, Nov. 5, 2012
Friday, Nov. 30, 2012
Wednesday, December 12, 9-12
Laboratory There will be a series of laboratory experiences that require your
Sessions: participation. However, not all laboratory experiences will be graded.
You will be responsible for completing 3 lab assignments for grades.
Each lab report will be worth 10 percent of the final grade. Each
student will be independently responsible for writing each lab
assignment. Each written lab report will describe the major question
under study, the hypotheses that were tested, methods used in the
study, the results of the study, and a discussion of the findings as it
pertains to the hypotheses. In addition to lab reports, the team
members may also be called upon to present the study to the class
and defend their work. These should be original contributions and any
references should be cited in the text. Before turning in lab reports,
students are required to meet with the TA and to bring their draft to the
lab the week before the lab report is due. If you do not go to the TA,
there will be a 10% reduction from you lab report grade. If you do not
bring you draft to class the lab period before the lab report is due, you
will receive a 20% reduction in your grade.
Lab 1 Biological Psychology
Lab 2 Cognitive Psychology
Lab 3 Social Psychology
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Due Oct. 11, 2012
Due Nov. 1, 2012
Due Nov. 14, 2012
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Presentation: Each student will be responsible for preparing and delivering a
research presentation to the class. This presentation will be no longer
than 5 minutes, have visual aids (i.e. slides) and will follow the general
pattern of a laboratory report. Students will make the presentation
before the class and will be evaluated by the professor and the other
students. The presentation will be worth 5% of the final grade.
Presentation
Nov. 29, 2012
Calendar: This is the tentative schedule for the course, including exams and days when class will
not be held.
MON
TUES
WED
THURS (Lab)
3-Sep
1
4-Sep
5-Sep
1-2
6-Sep CLA, Ethics, APA
10-Sep
3
11-Sep
12-Sep
3
13-Sep Stats and Graphing
17-Sep
6
18-Sep
19-Sep
6
20-Sep Biological
24-Sep
5
25-Sep
26-Sep
5
27-Sep Biological
1-Oct
E1
2-Oct
3-Oct
7
4-Oct Biological
8-Oct
7
9-Oct
10-Oct
8
11-Oct Cognitive*
15-Oct SfN
16-Oct
17-Oct
8
18-Oct Cognitive
22-Oct
9
23-Oct
24-Oct
9
25-Oct Cognitive
29-Oct
4
30-Oct
31-Oct
4
1-Nov Social*
5-Nov
12
6-Nov
7-Nov
12
8-Nov Social
12-Nov 13
13-Nov
14-Nov
13
15-Nov Social
19-Nov 14* 20-Nov
21-Nov Holiday 22-Nov
Holiday
26-Nov 14
27-Nov
28-Nov
14
29-Nov Presentation
3-Dec 11.4
4-Dec
5-Dec
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6-Dec CLA
Final: Wednesday Dec. 12, 9-12
*Lab Due
Attendance:
7-Sep
14-Sep
21-Sep
28-Sep
5-Oct
12-Oct
19-Oct
26-Oct
2-Nov
9-Nov
16-Nov
23-Nov
30-Nov
7-Dec
Wofford College has a standing policy that class attendance is
required. In the case of excused absences, every reasonable effort
will be made to help you make up the missed work. But in every case
of absence, you are still responsible for the material and experiences
covered in class during the absence.
Regular attendance is important, expected, and critical to performing
well. If you have more than 3 unexcused absences it is an automatic
WF for the course. If you miss class, please contact me by phone or
email as soon as possible. Arriving to class late also counts as an
unexcused absence.
Class participation includes being prepared for class and contributing
to class discussions. Classes will be more understandable and
enjoyable for everyone if you have completed the assigned readings
and thought about them before class. All students are expected to
actively engage in class discussion by making insightful comments,
asking questions, and responding to other students’ questions in a
respectful manner. It is expected that you will contribute to a
comfortable class atmosphere in which class members thoughtfully
listen and respond to each other. Class discussions may touch on
topics that are personally sensitive; we will all need to be considerate
of privacy both in and out of class.
3
FRI
2
3
6
5
7
8
Holiday
4
E2
12
13
Holiday
E3
16
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Technology
Skills:
All students in the course are expected to be familiar with word
processing software and the use of internet browser technology. Given
the dynamic nature of the field, it will be important for students to
become familiar with how to execute scientific literature searches
through the collections supported by the Wofford College library.
Through these exercises, students in the course will develop research
and scientific writing skills. Students will also learn to enter and
analyze data using Microsoft Excel and the SPSS statistical package.
Reading the
Textbook:
In order to fulfill the goals of this course, it will be necessary for you to
learn many definitions, names, findings, theories, as well as critically
analyze what you will be learning. Survey courses inherently require a
great deal of memorization; therefore it is important you stay up to date
with material by reading the textbook and attending class. You are
expected to read the appropriate chapter before class to familiarize
yourself with the material. After we cover the material in class, re-read
the textbook chapter before the next class, so that you can ask
questions before we move on to the next topic. Some advice about
reading: When given an assignment, some students feel as if they have
met their obligation if they have forced their eyes to ‘touch’ (in
appropriate sequence) each word on the pages assigned.
Unfortunately, this alone is not an effective way to learn the material.
Here are some study strategies to try: Connect to the text: this
involves underlining key ideas and making marks and comments in the
margins. Write 5 “big” questions reflecting key concepts in each
chapter. Write a response of commentary on these questions;
Summarize the readings and visualize the key ideas: Make a visual
or graphic organizer for the reading. List, organize or categorize the key
ideas; Create a reading response journal: After each section of the
reading, respond with a question or comment; Study as a group:
Convene a study group where you focus on the key concepts. Write up
the ideas that are raised there and distribute them to the group; Create
a song or rap: Write a song or rap about the assignment. Record it
and use it as a study guide.
Make-up
Exams and
Extra Credit
There will be no make-up exams or extra credit for this course. Special
arrangements will be made only in case of medical necessity or
personal hardship. Except in emergency situations, alternative
arrangements must be made in advance of the exam date or
assignment date. Failure to do so will result in placing the student in
jeopardy of a null grade for that exam or assignment.
Labs need to be turned in at the beginning of class on the day they are
due. Any assignment handed in past the deadline will be marked down
10% of the potential points, with an additional 10% mark down every 24
hours. Assignments turned in more than 4 days late will receive a null
grade for that report. If you have any questions about assignments,
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please see me before the assignment is due.
Academic
Honesty
Students are expected to exhibit honesty in all academic endeavors
and adhere to the college Honor Code
(http://www.wofford.edu/studentLife/honorCode.pdf). Any instance of
cheating/plagiarism on exams/assignments will be reported. I
encourage collaboration when studying in order to increase
understanding and learning of material. However, it is expected that all
work you complete and submit is your own.
Pager, Cell
Phone and
Text
Messaging
The use of a pager, cell phone, and/or text messaging during class is
strictly prohibited. Any student caught using any of these during class
will be asked to leave the class immediately and an unexcused
absence will be recorded for that class.
Americans
with
Disabilities
Act (ADA)
The ADA requires that all qualified persons have equal opportunity and
access to education, regardless of the presence of any disabling
conditions. It is the student’s responsibility to obtain the necessary
documentation from Health Services and to inform the instructor of any
special accommodations needed. This needs to be completed prior to
the first examination in the course.
This syllabus subject to change upon notification
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