Course Information
PSYC 1060:
Honors Introductory
Psychology
Spring 2005
Class
Instructor
Rawl 1101
TTH 2:00-3:25
Christyn Dolbier, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Office Hours
Contact Info
TTH 11:00-12:00
M 11:30-2:30
or by appointment
Office: Rawl 218
Phone: 252-328-2119
Email: DolbierC@mail.ecu.edu
Course Description: In this course, I will provide you with an overview of how psychologists attempt
to discover how we think, feel, and behave. I will introduce you to psychology as a science and its subdisciplines. I will also expose you to its various theoretical orientations, methodologies, and applications to
society. I will challenge your preconceptions of psychology by helping you to think critically about its
issues and assist you in applying what you have learned in this course to your own life.
Course Materials:
 Required:
 Wood, S.E., Wood, G.E., & Boyd, D. (2004). Mastering the World of Psychology.
 MyPsychLab
 Smith, R.A. (2002). Challenging Your Preconceptions: Thinking Critically About Psychology.
Course Objectives: Successful completion of this course will enable you to accomplish the following
objectives:
1. Gain factual knowledge of psychology. The focus of this objective is to build a knowledge base of
factual knowledge. Psychology is a broad discipline and I will help you develop an understanding of its
basic content.
2. Comprehend psychological principles and theories. The focus of this objective is to connect facts and
understand relationships. This entails gaining an understanding of fundamental principles and theories.
3. Apply psychological knowledge. As much as possible, I will try to help you understand how these
concepts and principles relate to your life and the lives of those around you. The focus of this objective
is to apply your knowledge to everyday situations.
4. Achieve personal development. It is my hope that the material presented in this class will increase your
understanding and tolerance of others’ behavior; stimulate your curiosity to explain why people (and
you) behave as they do; promote intelligent skepticism about unwarranted truths; and enhance your
appreciation of human diversity, accompanied by a reexamination of stereotypes and biases.
Grading: Final grades are based on your best three out of four exams, fourteen chapter quizzes, and
assignments.
Component
Exam 1
Exam 2
Exam 3
Chapter Quizzes
Assignments
Percent
20%
20%
20%
14%
26%
Points
100
100
100
70
130
1
Total points
450-500
400-449
350-399
300-349
0-299
Grade
A = 90-100%
B = 80-89%
C = 70-79%
D = 60-69%
F = 0-59%
To maintain confidentiality, grades cannot be reported by phone or email. Exam and quiz grades are posted
on MyPsychLab. Final grades are posted electronically at the end of the semester. You may view your final
grade via OneStop (https://onestop.ecu.edu/onestop/) using your ECU userid and password.
Your grades in this class are earned by you, not given by me. You have a number of opportunities to master
the material, demonstrate what you have learned, and earn extra credit. Final grades will not be curved; the
points you earn determine your grade, not how other people perform. Please do not embarrass yourself or
me by asking or expecting me to “give you points” toward your final grade, by requesting additional
assignments to earn more points, or by suggesting that your grade was somehow my responsibility.
Exams: There will be four exams in this class. Each exam will be 50 multiple-choice questions worth
two points each for a total of 100 possible points. I will drop your lowest exam and your best three out of
four exam grades will each be worth 20% of your final grade. Exam questions will emphasize points made
in both the lectures and readings, however, you are responsible for text material assigned that is not
discussed in lecture as well as lecture material that is not covered in the text. Exams will cover both facts
and application of the facts to examples.
 You are expected to take the exams at the times designated on the schedule unless changed by me.
 Answer sheet: Your answers for each exam must be submitted on a blue and white General Purpose
Answer Sheet (form no. 30423). You are responsible for obtaining your own answer forms. An exam
will only be graded if this form is in good condition and filled out correctly with a #2 pencil.
 Content: Exam 1 will cover chapters 1, 2, and 8; Exam 2 will cover chapters 4, 5, and 12; and Exam 3
will cover chapters 9, 10, and 14.
 Final exam: The cumulative Final Exam will cover all nine chapters covered during class time. It will
be given during the University scheduled final exam period (Thursday, April 28 from 2:00 to 4:30 in
our regular classroom). You must take the final exam at the time scheduled for the section in which
you are officially registered (exceptions require prior approval from an academic dean). You CANNOT
take the final exam anytime during the scheduled time block - the exam begins promptly at 11:00. If
you are satisfied with your first three exam scores, then you can choose not to take the final exam.
 Dropping lowest exam: Your best three out of four exams will be used in determining your final grade,
which enables you to miss one should special circumstances arise. If you miss an exam for an
unapproved or avoidable reason, that will count as the exam you drop. You do not have to inform me
about missing one exam or provide any reason for doing so.
Chapter Quizzes: To ensure your mastery of the course content, there will be fourteen multiple-choice
quizzes, one for each chapter. Nine of these chapters will be covered during class time and five will be
covered outside of class time. Your fourteen quiz grades combined will be worth 14% of your final grade.
The quizzes will be taken online through our corresponding MyPsychLab course and are open-book and
open-notes. There are 25 questions per quiz that cover both facts and application of the facts to examples.
The quizzes are time-limited; you will have 40 minutes to take each quiz. For detailed instructions for how
to take online quizzes, read the handout “Taking Online Chapter Quizzes” located on MyPsychLab under
Course Information.
 Quiz mastery: You must make at least a 70% on all fourteen chapter quizzes. There are three versions
of each chapter quiz, so you have three tries to earn at least a 70%. For any chapter quiz for which you
do not earn at least a 70%, you will need to demonstrate completion of further study. If you do not
demonstrate completion of further study, you will receive a zero for that chapter quiz. If you make a
70% on the first try but want to try to improve your quiz grade, you may take the additional two
quizzes. I will take the best grade out of all three quizzes per chapter.
Assignments: To build your critical thinking skills, there will be 12 assignments required in conjunction
with the Challenging Your Preconceptions: Thinking Critically About Psychology text. For chapters 2
through 13 of this text, you may choose one of the Critical Thinking Challenges presented at the end of
chapter to complete. All of these assignments must be typed. Each of these critical thinking assignments
will each be worth 10 points. Throughout the course, we will engage in various demonstrations,
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discussions, and class activities for which there will be corresponding class assignments. For these class
assignments, you will typically be asked to write about, answer questions, and/or examine additional
material pertaining to a particular activity/discussion. You may earn a total of 10 points throughout the
semester for these class assignments. Your critical thinking assignments and class assignments combined
will be worth 130 points or 26% of your final grade. Late assignments will NOT be accepted, so do not
forget to turn them in at the designated times.
Deadlines: The quizzes and critical thinking assignments for chapters to be covered during class time
have specific deadlines throughout the semester as noted on the schedule at the end of the syllabus. The
quizzes and critical thinking assignments for chapters to be covered outside of class time have a deadline
of the last day of classes, April 25. Failure to submit a quiz or assignment by its deadline will result in zero
points earned for that particular quiz or assignment. You have access to all quizzes on MyPsychLab up
until their respective deadlines, at which time they become inaccessible. If you have any problems
accessing, taking, or submitting quizzes you must contact me as soon as possible. Students have had their
computers lock up or been interrupted while taking a quiz resulting in an incomplete submission. Other
students have had last minute situations that prevented them from completing a quiz. For these reasons, it is
in your best interest to anticipate potential problems and not wait until the last minute to take the quizzes.
Difficulty accessing or utilizing MyPsychLab will not be accepted as an excuse for absent quizzes, so you
must contact me as soon as possible if you experience any such difficulties.
Extra Credit: You have the opportunity to earn a maximum of 16 extra credit points, which will be
added to your final point total (not your class average) at the end of the semester in determining your final
grade. Some extra credit activities have deadlines and submissions after deadlines will earn no extra credit.
In no case can extra credit be earned after the last day of classes.
 Research participation: In order to provide you with an appreciation for and familiarity with how
psychological research is conducted, you may participate in psychological research studies to receive
extra credit. For each half hour you participate in research you will receive two extra credit points. To
participate in research for extra credit you must register through the ExperimenTrak system at (see
weblink under External Links on MyPsychLab). You will receive a handout with further instructions
about the steps involved in taking advantage of this extra credit opportunity. Maximum of two hours of
research participation allowed for extra credit.
 Campus presentations: Throughout the semester there may be presentations given on campus in the
area of psychology or related to psychology. Attend a presentation and then prepare at typed reaction
paper of at least one page consisting of four parts: 1) a brief summary of the topic of the talk; 2) your
reaction to the talk or some aspect of it; 3) how the talk pertains to some aspect of your life; and 4) how
the talk relates to material in your text or covered in class. For more detailed instructions for taking
advantage of this opportunity, read the handout “Campus Presentation Reaction Paper Extra Credit” on
MyPsychLab under Course Information. Each presentation you attend and submit a reaction paper
for is worth a maximum of four points (quality counts). The reaction paper is due during the next
class period following the talk. Each presentation must be approved by me beforehand. Maximum of
four presentations with accompanying reaction papers allowed for extra credit.
MyPsychLab: MyPsychLab is an online interactive and instructive multimedia resource for students.
The MyPsychLab online course contains an online version of the textbook, plus simulations, animations,
video and audio clips, and assessment features (pre-tests, post-tests, quizzes) that reinforce the concepts in
the text. Class materials, announcements, and grades are posted on the MyPsychLab course. It is your
responsibility to check MyPsychLab regularly for important class information. To enter our course, go to
the MyPsychLab gateway at http://www.mypsychlab.com. Follow the instructions on the handout
“MyPsychLab Registration and Login” to register and then login to the system. After you login to
MyPsychLab, you will be given a list of the MyPsychLab courses in which you are registered. Select PSYC
1060 Section 299 and you are in. You must go through the Installation Wizard, located on the
Announcements page, to use the audio, video and testing items of MyPsychLab. Use Course Information
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and Course Documents to locate course materials; Announcements to check for important updates;
Communication to send email; External Links to access various websites that may be useful to you; and
Tools to check your grade. In addition to the quizzes, the following resources are available under Course
Documents: 1) A pre-test assesses your knowledge prior to reading the chapter, and results are used to
customize your study plan (can only be taken once). 2) A customized study plan identifies your specific
areas of weaknesses and strengths in the chapter to enable you to focus your attention and efforts where
they are needed most. 3) A post-test assesses your knowledge after reading and reviewing the chapter and
results are also stored in your study plan (can be taken multiple times as you continue your studying to
assess your improvement). 4) The Index of Multimedia allows you to access the various simulations,
animations, and video and audio clips available for each chapter. 5) For each chapter, an e-book is available
that contains the actual text. 6) Answers to Study Guide Questions in response to the Study Guide Questions
included at the end of each chapter. 7) Two Practice Tests per chapter are provided. 8) The Student
Solutions Manual contains the answers to the practice tests. 9) Contact information about the Psychology
Tutor Center, which provides free one-on-one tutoring to students via toll-free phone, email, fax, and
interactive web access. 10) Research Navigator provides access to three databases of credible and reliable
source material. 11) An Audio Glossary allows you to hear and read keywords and their definitions.
Class Policies:
 Active learning: Active learning takes place when students engage in “hands-on” and “minds-on”
activities in the classroom (e.g., demonstrations, discussions, games, problem solving, writing
assignments, and interactive lectures). We will engage in as many of these types of learning strategies
as we can in this class because the opportunity to engage in active learning has been found to have a
variety of positive effects in addition to increased learning and retention of material. Please come to
this class prepared, ready to learn actively, and willing to participate in class activities. We all benefit
when people share their experiences, ideas, and insights with one another.
 Attendance: While I do not have an attendance policy, you are expected to attend all class periods. The
issues covered in class will often go beyond the course text. Also, this course is designed to facilitate
interaction and discussion between class members as well as between class members and the instructor,
so your attendance is necessary and your participation is encouraged. Regular class attendance is
important for learning the material and doing well on exams. Since you are adults, however, I do not
take attendance for each class but allow you to be responsible for your own learning. Note that exams
include text material as well as material presented in class, and that you may earn up to 10 points for
class assignments. For these reasons, it is in your best interest to attend class. If you miss a class, it is
your responsibility to get the notes and any handouts from someone in class.
 Reading the textbook - Reading the text outside of class is critical to success in this course. A thorough
understanding of the material in the textbook is essential and you will not be able to obtain this from a
superficial reading of the chapters. The class sessions will typically NOT review the textbook. Instead,
we will use the class time to examine selected topics in depth, to try demonstrations and activities, and
to discuss important issues. Therefore, you will be expected to know the background information in the
textbook. If you feel that you need to have the textbook reviewed in class, then this course may not be
appropriate for you. Of course, I would be very happy to answer any questions about the topics in the
textbook during class time!
 Challenging exam/quiz questions: If you wish to challenge your answers to exam/quiz questions that
were scored as incorrect, you must provide specific evidence from either the text or lecture that
supports why your answer is the best answer. You must submit your challenge on an “Exam/Quiz
Question Challenge Form” within one week of the exam/quiz. These forms are available on
MyPsychLab under Course Information.
 Make-up exam/quiz policy: There are very few acceptable reasons for missing an exam/quiz that will
result in the possibility of a make-up. Make-up exams/quizzes will only be given in cases of
documented, legitimate absences (verified illness, family emergency, religious observance, or
University-authorized absence). In this event, a “Make-up Exam/Quiz Request Form” (available on
MyPsychLab under Course Information) AND a note from the doctor or academic official will be
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necessary and required in order to provide make-up accommodations. It is your responsibility to
submit this form and accompanying documentation BEFORE the exam/quiz to be missed unless it is
truly a last-minute emergency or you are in the hospital (in which case you must submit the form
within one day after the missed exam/quiz). Failure to submit the form beforehand or by this deadline
will result in your receiving a score of zero for that exam/quiz. If allowed a make-up, you must take it
within one week of the missed exam/quiz. I reserve the right to ask different questions on make-up
exams. There are no exceptions to this make-up policy.
Disability accommodations: ECU seeks to fully comply with the Americans with Disability Act.
Students needing accommodations must go to the Department for Disability Support Services (DDSS;
Brewster A 114; 252-328-6799) to verify a disability before any accommodations can occur. In order to
receive accommodations, you must initiate this process with DDSS, inform me in advance of when
accommodations are needed, and provide the necessary documentation from DDSS.
Academic dishonesty: Without honest effort, a learning community has no substance or validity. It is
expected that each student will complete the requirements of this course according to the Principles of
Academic Integrity as outlined in the Student Handbook (http://www.ecu.edu/studenthandbook/).
Actual or attempted cheating, plagiarism or falsification are serious violations of academic honor and
will be dealt with as outlined in the Code of Conduct. Please don't put yourself, other students, or me in
the position of having to deal with these serious infractions.
Weather emergency: In case of a weather emergency, information is available via ECU’s emergency
alert website: http://www.ecu.edu/alert; and emergency information hotline: 252-328-0062.
Counseling services: If you experience personal distress or difficulties, the Center for Counseling and
Student Development offers individual counseling, couples counseling, groups, workshops, medication
evaluations, and prescriptions when appropriate. Phone: 252-328-6661; location: Wright Building room
316; website: http://www.ecu.edu/cs-studentlife/counselingcenter/.
Contact me: I would enjoy having the chance to get to know as many of you as possible. Ask questions,
stop by my office hours or make an appointment, e-mail me, give me a call. Let me know your
thoughts and concerns. I am available to discuss not only course-related questions, but also any other
interests that you may have regarding psychology. If you need special help, do not hesitate to contact
me. The university has many resources of which you might be unaware.
Class Etiquette: The classroom is meant to be a learning environment, both from the instructor and
from one another. However, learning is inhibited when there is a lack of respect for one another’s
individuality as well as for the class as a whole. In order to facilitate a beneficial environment for all, I
have decided to set a few ground rules.
 Limit disruptions. People coming in late or leaving early, and cells phones or pagers going off all
disrupt the flow of the class. Routine disruptions show a lack of respect for the entire class and you are
expected to make every effort to avoid creating them. If you have a special circumstance that requires
you to violate this policy, discuss it with me prior to class.
 Raise your hand when you wish to speak. There are times when several people want to speak, so some
just blurt out their responses. This behavior, especially when done repeatedly, takes away people’s
equal access to the classroom forum. However, when we are in an informal discussion, feel free to take
turns in the dialogue.
 No talking. Discussions or comments with your neighbors while I or one of your classmates is speaking
is disrespectful to us all. If you missed something that was said, let us know and the speaker will repeat
it.
 Getting ready to go. Occasionally, people will start putting up their material and talking as we near the
end of class. The information at the end of the class is no less important than that covered earlier, and
people are distracted when others make noise. Trust me. I know when we are getting near to the end of
the class. A professor has an uncanny sense of these things.
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TENTATIVE SCHEDULE *
Date
Topic
Jan 11, Tue
Jan 13, Thur
Introduction
Orientation
Jan 18, Tue
Introduction to Psychology
Jan 20, Thur
Introduction to Psychology
Jan 25, Tue
Biology and Behavior
Jan 27, Thur
Biology and Behavior
Feb 1, Tue
Human Development
Feb 3, Thur
Human Development
Feb 8, Tue
Human Development
Feb 10, Thur
Exam 1
Feb 14, Tue
States of Consciousness
Feb 17, Thur
States of Consciousness
Feb 22, Tue
States of Consciousness
Feb 24, Thur
Learning
Mar 1, Tue
Learning
Mar 3, Thur
Psychological Disorders
Reading
Week 1
None
None
Week 2
 Wood
chapter 1
 Smith
chapters 1
and 2
 Wood
chapter 1
 Smith
chapter 3
Week 3
 Wood
chapter 2
 Wood
chapter 2
 Smith
chapter 4
Week 4
 Wood
chapter 8
 Wood
chapter 8
Week 5
 Wood
chapter 8
None
Week 6
 Wood
chapter 4
 Wood
chapter 4
 Smith
chapter 6
Week 7
 Wood
chapter 4
 Wood
chapter 5
Week 8
 Wood
chapter 5
 Smith
chapter 7
 Wood
chapter 12
6
Due Dates**
Smith chapter 2 critical thinking
assignment due by class time
Smith chapter 3 critical thinking
assignment due by class time
Wood chapter 1 quiz due by class time
Smith chapter 4 critical thinking
assignment due by class time
Wood Chapter 2 quiz due by class
time
Wood chapter 8 quiz due by class time
Smith chapter 6 critical thinking
assignment due by class time
Wood chapter 4 quiz due by class time
Smith chapter 7 critical thinking
assignment due by class time
Wood chapter 5 quiz due by class time
Date
Topic
Reading
Week 9
 Wood
chapter 12
 Smith
chapter 11
None
Mar 8, Tue
Psychological Disorders
Mar 10, Thur
Exam 2
Mar 15, Tue
Mar 17, Thur
No class - Spring Break
No class - Spring Break
Mar 22, Tue
Motivation and Emotion
Mar 24, Thur
Motivation and Emotion
Mar 29, Tue
Motivation and Emotion
Mar 31, Thur
Health and Stress
Apr 5, Tue
Health and Stress
Apr 7, Thur
Social Psychology
Apr 12, Tue
Social Psychology
Apr 14, Thur
Social Psychology
Apr 19, Tue
Social Psychology
Apr 21, Thur
Exam 3
Week 14
 Wood
chapter 14
 Smith
chapter 13
 Wood
chapter 14
Week 15
 Wood
chapter 14
None
Apr 28, Thur
FINAL EXAM 2:00-4:30
Week 16
None
Due Dates**
Smith chapter 11 critical thinking
assignment due by class time
Wood chapter 12 quiz due by class
time
Week 10
Week 11
 Wood
chapter 9
 Smith
chapter 10
 Wood
chapter 9
Week 12
 Wood
chapter 9
 Wood
chapter 10
Week 13
 Wood
chapter 10
 Wood
chapter 14
Smith chapter 10 critical thinking
assignment due by class time
Wood chapter 9 quiz due by class time
Wood chapter 10 quiz due by class
time
Smith chapter 13 critical thinking
assignment due by class time
Wood chapter 14 quiz due by class
time
*Schedule is subject to change based on the pace of the class – changes are announced on MyPsychLab.
**Remember for chapters covered outside of class time, the quizzes and critical thinking assignments may
be completed anytime before April 25.
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