Psych 100-General Psychology
Instructor: Mike Witmer
Office: L-48
Office hour: 8:00-8:30 and 12:30-1:30 daily or by appointment
e-mail: mike.witmer@skagit.edu
Introduction: General Psychology is the single most frequently taken elective college
course. It has appeal to students with a wide range of interests from law enforcement to
business to teaching to counseling and research. In addition, people take psychology for
personal interest and to hopefully gain some knowledge about themselves and the folks
around them. This is not to say that this is a course in “how to win friends and influence
enemies,” but hopefully there will be practical, everyday application for what you learn
here and you will leave with an appreciation of the complexity of behavior. Our goal at
SVC is not simply that you will learn a number of new facts and job skills, but that your
way of thinking about the world and your place in it will be substantially and positively
changed by your experience here.
4 Themes: There are four major themes to this course that reflect what I think is the
essence of psychology.
1. The power of a “Social Science perspective” for analyzing behavior.
2. The important impact of biology on behavior.
3. The important impact of experience on behavior.
4. The personality as the mechanism for adjustment to the environment.
The themes are reflected in the following Learning Outcomes.
Cognitive Goals: During the quarter you will work toward developing these
understanding and abilities:
1. Understand the definition of psychology.
2. Describe and use the scientific method. (scientific literacy outcome 9.2)
3. Understand some of the interactions of biological, psychological and social factors in
explaining behavior. (integration outcome 0.2)
4. Identify and describe specific psychological principles in everyday life.
5. Critically analyze information about human behavior and distinguish between good
evidence and nonsense. (critical thinking outcome 2.2)
6. Recognize real life situations that may require professional psychological help.
Affective Goals: During the quarter you will have some experiences designed to help
you develop these attitudes:
1. An appreciation of the discipline of psychology.
2. An appreciation of the similarities and differences between individuals. (diversity
outcome 4.1)
3. An appreciation of the impact of various prejudices and attitudes on behavior.
4. An appreciation of the process by which our understanding of human behavior is
changing as increasingly refined theories continue to develop.
Behavioral Goals: During the quarter you will have some experiences that will help you
develop skills to use to:
1. Maintain adaptive current behavior.
2. Modify maladaptive behavior in yourself and others. (indivividual awareness
outcome 6.1)
3. Behave in ways that are more constructive, socially adept and personally fulfilling.
4. Begin to demonstrate the ability of write in the APA style. (communication outcome
3.1)
Methods: You will have a variety of experiences this quarter as we work toward these
goals.
Lectures will be given to clarify and expand on the text. You are advised to take
good notes.
Discussion and questions are encouraged and should be viewed as an
opportunity to clarify points.
Group work will be an integral part of your learning experience.
Videotapes and other media will be used when applicable.
Blackboard may be used for some group discussion, some assignment
submission and class documents and or quizzes.
Text: Psychology by Ciccarelli and Meyer .
Evaluation:
Exams: will be given 3 times during the quarter. Each exam will be composed of a
combination of multiple choice and essay questions and worth a total of 50 points.
Exams will be announced at least a week in advance. No make-up exams will be given.
Pop Quizzes: There will be a number of unannounced “pop” quizzes given over the
course of the quarter. These will be worth a total of 50 points. No make-up quizzes will
be given.
Group activities and homework assignments will be added for a total of 50 possible
points. None of these assignments can be submitted late.
Group project: There will be a Major group presentation and writing project that we
will work on during the quarter that will be an evaluation experience. This project will
be worth a total of 50 points
Individual project: There will be an individual “self-improvement” project completed
during the quarter that will employ principles of learning theory and other theories of
academic psychology. This project will be worth 50 points.
Optional project For extra credit, you may select one of the following projects to be
completed during the quarter. If you choose to do a project SEE ME during the first
FOUR WEEKS of the quarter for complete details. You may choose from the following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
15 reviews of articles appearing in any psychological journal.
A term paper covering an area of personal interest in psychology.
A research project including doing an experiment and writing it up.
Working in a social service agency for a minimum of 20 hours.
Read 3 “psychological thrillers” and writing reviews of these books.
Grades – Your final grade will be based on the total number of points that you
accumulate over the quarter. The total number possible is 250: the total of your 5
highest scores (out of 6 possible scores)
Total points needed for each letter grade:
A 260 and above
A- 250-259
B+ 245-249
B 230-244
B- 225-229
C+ 220-224
C 205-219
C- 200-204
D+ 195-199
D 180-194
D- 175-179
F below 175
Successful completion of an extra credit project raises your letter grade two levels.
(for example a C+ would become a B upon successful completion)
Added Thoughts:
1. See me early if you are having problems with this course.
2. While demeanor and attitude are not objectively scored, these factors can influence
your grade.
3. Any evidence of cheating or plagiarism will be severely responded to and may result
in failure in the course as per student handbook.
4. If you are a student with a disability, please contact the Disabled Student Services in
the Counseling Center to arrange accommodation. Telephone: 416-7654
5. Smoking is ONLY allowed in the designated smoking areas on campus.
6. No forms of sexual, racial, ethnic or any other type of harassment will be tolerated.
7. No cell phone noises!!
All written assignments will be keyboarded and assessed by me for both content and
style, unless otherwise noted. The writing objective of this class is for you to become
more comfortable and competent in writing within the APA academic style.
Topic and Test schedule
Week # Date
Chap.
Topics
Tests/Assignment
1
9/22-9/26
1
“family psychologist”
2
9/29-10/3
“Historical Self”
Def. & history
Scientific Method
3
10/6-10/10
2
“Biological Self”
Nervous system
Endocrine glands
Begin Behavior Mod Project
Brain Drawings
4
10/13-10/17
3
9
Sensation and Perception
Motivation
Begin research project
TEST 1
5
10/20-10/24
5
6
10/27-10/31
6
“Information Processing Self”
Learning
Memory
7
11/3-11/7
8
Cognition and Language
8
11/10-11/14
9
11/17-11/21
12
“Adjusting Self”
Personality
10
11/24-11/26
14
Psychological Disorders
11
12/1-12/5
15
Treatment
TEST 3
12
12/8-12/10
Group Presentations
Extra credit due
TEST 2