PSY 301: Introduction to Psychology
Summer 2008
Instructor: Ashley H. Brock, M.A.
Email: brockah@mail.utexas.edu
Phone: 512-663-4377
Office: Seay 1.204C
Office hours: T and Th 10-11:30 am
Class Information:
Unique #: 88125
Location: Seay 2.108
Meeting times: Monday-Thursday 8:30-9:45 am
Teaching Assistant for First Summer Session: Jacqueline Rivers
Email: rivers@mail.utexas.edu
Office: SEA 3.426E
Office hours: T and W 11:30am-1pm
June 16th-July 17th
Teaching Assistant for Second Summer Session: Sheila Krogh-Jespersen
Email: skrogh@mail.utexas.edu
Office: SEA 1.316D
Office hours: T and Th 11:30am-1pm
July 17th-August 18th
Course Description:
This course is an introduction to the science of psychology with an emphasis
on biological and evolutionary explanations of psychological phenomena. The
course will cover topics in cognitive, developmental, personality, social, and
clinical psychology.
An opportunity will be provided for students to suggest topics for lectures that
particularly interest them, and a large breadth of topics will be covered.
Classes will often be in lecture format, but student participation and
discussion are strongly encouraged.
Required readings for the course:
Gazzaniga, M. S. & Heatherton, T. F., (2006). Psychological Science, 2nd
Edition, W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., NY.
This text can be purchased in hard copy or is also available online at
nortonebooks.com
Grading Policy:
You will have the opportunity to earn 400 points in this class:
3 exams – 100 points each, or 25% each
2 papers – 40 points each, or 10% each
Attendance and participation – 20 points, or 5%
Final grades will be distributed according to the following scale:
A = 360-400 points
B = 320-359 points
C = 280-319 points
D = 240-279 points
F = 0-239 points
Exams (75%)
Three in-class non-cumulative exams will be given. Each exam will contain a
mixture of multiple choice and short answer/essay questions. There will also
be a cumulative final exam. However, the lowest exam grade will be dropped,
and your best three exam scores will each count for 25% of your grade. You
are responsible for bringing number two pencils and an eraser to exams. You
are encouraged to visit office hours and go over your exams.
If you miss an exam because of an illness or emergency, you may make up the
exam. If you need to miss class because of a religious holiday, you must
notify me at least fourteen days prior to the day you will miss. If there is a
religious holiday within the first two weeks of class, you must notify me on
the first class day.
Papers (20%)
You will be required to write two papers; each will be worth 10% of your
grade. Papers must be handed in before class begins on the due date, and will
be graded on content, style, and grammar. For each paper, you will be given a
choice of topics and will be allowed to choose which topic you would like to
write about. The first paper will be a review and critique of an empirical
research article, and the second paper will be a research paper on a
controversial topic in psychology.
Attendance and Participation (5%)
Attendance will be taken regularly in class, and you will also be graded on
class participation.
Class decided lecture topic:
On the schedule you will notice that 2 lecture topics will be decided by the
class. A few days before the class I will take nominations on topics of interest
and will deliver a lecture on a topic of the class’ choosing.
University Email & Blackboard:
I will sometimes communicate with the entire class by sending bulk email that
automatically addresses each of you at your university email account. For this
reason, you will have to check your university email regularly.
In addition to utilizing email to communicate with the class, I will use the
university internet resource Blackboard throughout the semester. I will post
answers to your questions, course grades, study guides, and links to
supplementary materials for the course on Blackboard.
Disabilities Statement:
The University of Texas at Austin provides upon request appropriate
academic accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. For more
information, contact the Office of the Dean of Students at 471-6259, 471-4641
TTY.
Academic Dishonesty:
Academic integrity is an integral part of the educational process. Please read
the information about academic integrity on this website:
http://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/sjs/
Students who violate University rules on scholastic dishonesty will be subject
to disciplinary penalties, including expulsion from the University. By
enrolling in this class, you are bound by certain rules and regulations.
Specifically, you vow not to lie, cheat, or steal, nor will you tolerate those who
do. All written assignments turned in for this class are assumed to be your
own work, prepared without unauthorized assistance. Furthermore, by
enrolling in this class, you understand that any violation may result in your
dismissal from the University.
While many of you may have an inherent idea of what “cheating” means,
academic dishonesty can take many forms. Please check
http://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/sjs/scholdis_avoid.php and read it carefully.
Experimental Research Requirement:
There is a mandatory research requirement in the Department of Psychology
intended to impart Psychology 301 students with a familiarity and
appreciation of the aims, methods, problems and results of psychological
research. There are two options: the Research Paper or Experiment
Participation. A student can choose either option to fulfill the mandatory
research requirement. The details of the procedures for both options can be
found in the handout entitled "The Psychology 301 Research Requirement"
that will be handed out on one of the first days of class or can be obtained in
the Psychology Undergraduate Office in Room 2.218 of the Seay Psychology
Building. Failure to complete the research requirement at the end of the
semester by either not turning in a research paper or not completing the
required number of experimental credit hours will result in an incomplete
grade for the course. The grade will be released when the requirement is
fulfilled. If the requirement is left unfulfilled by the end of the next long
semester the incomplete will automatically revert to an F. Everything that you
need to know about the experimental requirement and experimental sign-up is
located at: http://www.psy.utexas.edu/psy/undergrad/courses/info/301.html
It is important to note that the research requirement DOES NOT influence the
calculation of the course grade. The research requirement is only a condition
of the release of the course grade.
Tentative Schedule
Date
Monday, June 16
Tuesday, June 17
Wednesday, June 18
Thursday, June 19
Monday, June 23
Tuesday, June 24
Wednesday, June 25
Thursday, June 26
Monday, June 30
Tuesday, July 1
Wednesday, July 2
Thursday, July 3
Monday, July 7
Tuesday, July 8
Wednesday, July 9
Thursday, July 10
Monday, July 14
Tuesday, July 15
Wednesday, July 16
Thursday, July 17
Monday, July 21
Tuesday, July 22
Wednesday, July 23
Thursday, July 24
Monday, July 28
Tuesday, July 29
Wednesday, July 30
Thursday, July 31
Monday, August 4
Tuesday, August 5
Wednesday, August 6
Topic
Syllabus/Class announcements
Philosophical foundations of
psychology
Evolution by Natural Selection
Basics of Scientific Inquiry
Experimental Design
Hormones
Genetics
The Neuron and
Neurotransmitters
The Brain
The Brain
The Brain
Class decided lecture topic and
review
Exam 1
Behaviorism
Learning
Memory
Cognition
Intelligence
Motivation
Drugs and Alcohol
Sexual Behavior
Emotions and Health
Development and Attachment
Sexual differentiation
Class decided lecture topic and
review
Exam 2
Theories of Personality
Theories of Personality
Mental Disorders
Mental Disorders
Mental Disorders
Assignments
Psych Science Ch.1
Psych Science Ch.1
Psych Science Ch.1
Psych Science Ch.2
Psych Science Ch.2
Psych Science Ch.3
Psych Science Ch.3
Psych Science Ch.3
Psych Science Ch.4
Psych Science Ch.4
Psych Science Ch.4
Psych Science Ch.6
Psych Science Ch.7
Psych Science Ch.7
Psych Science Ch.8
Paper 1 due
Psych Science Ch.9
Psych Science Ch.9
Psych Science Ch.9
Psych Science Ch.10
Psych Science Ch.11
Psych Science Ch.11
Psych Science Ch.12
Psych Science Ch.12
Psych Science Ch.13
Psych Science Ch.14
Paper 2 due
Thursday, August 7
Evolutionary Psychology
Monday, August 11
Tuesday, August 12
Wednesday, August 13
Thursday, August 14
TBA
Social Psychology
Social Psychology
Social Psychology and Review
Exam 3
Final Exam
Evolutionary psychology
primer
Psych Science Ch.15
Psych Science Ch.15
Psych Science Ch.15
The final exam will be scheduled by the Registrar’s office, and the date and
time will be announced approximately three weeks prior to the end of the
semester. It will be either on Saturday, August 16th, or Monday, August 18th.