Introduction to Psychology
PSY 301 (unique# 41255)
Spring 2005
Instructor: Dr. Randy Diehl
Office:
Hours:
Phone:
e-mail:
Teaching Assistants: Becca North
SEA 4.222
MW 1:30-2:30
475-7595
diehl@psy.utexas.edu
Office: SEA 3.120A
Hours: T, Th 9-10, F 10-11
e-mail: rebeccajnorth@yahoo.com
Jennifer Guinn Sellers (record keeping)
Date
Lecture Topic
Chapter Readings
Jan 19
Studying Psychology
Chapter 1 (pp. 1-14)
Jan 21
Scientific Method in Psychology
Chapter 1 (pp. 15-36)
Appendix A
Jan 24
Biology and Behavior
Chapters 2, 3
Chapter 4 (recommended)
Feb 14
Motivation, Stress, and Health
Chapters 10, 11
Feb 16
First Exam
Feb 18
Conditioning and Learning
Chapter 7
Feb 28
Sensation and Perception
Chapters 5, 6
Mar 11
Second Exam
Mar 21
Cognition, Language, and Intelligence
Chapters 8, 9
Apr 1
Personality
Chapter 12
Apr 11
Third Exam
April 13
Psychological Disorders and Therapy
Chapters 13, 14
May 2
Social Psychology
Chapter 15
May 16
Final Exam
(9 a.m.-noon)
2
Course Grade
The course grade will be entirely determined by performance on four in-class multiple-choice
exams (including the final). The first three exams have 40 questions each; the final has 80
questions, is comprehensive, and counts 40% of your course grade. On each exam, roughly half
the questions will be drawn from the lectures and the other half will be drawn from the textbook.
Textbook: David G. Myers Exploring Psychology (6th Edition)
Research Requirement
As an important part of the educational experience of Introductory Psychology, you are required to
participate in 5.5 hours of faculty-sponsored research or to write a 5-page research paper. This
requirement is explained on the first day of class and at
http://www.psy.utexas.edu/psy/undergrad/courses/info/301experiment.html.
Students with Disabilities
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.
Important Tips for Doing Well in This Course
1. Attend every lecture. Fully half of the test items are drawn from the lectures. Although there
is considerable overlap between the lectures and the textbook, much of the lecture material is not
discussed in the textbook and such material will be covered on exams. Missing a single lecture
may well be the difference between an A and a B on an exam. Studying someone else’s class
notes is a very poor substitute for getting the information first-hand.
2. Stay attentive during the lectures and take detailed and comprehensive notes. A main
reason for poor test performance is failure to pay full attention during class and the
corresponding failure to take adequate notes.
3. Review your class notes at regular intervals. The most effective strategy is to reread all the
lecture notes since the beginning of the course (or at least since the previous exam) every 3-5
days. By the time you study for an exam, you will have already learned most of the lecture
material
3. Study the appropriate chapters of the textbook as we progress through the various topics
of the course. About half of the test questions are drawn from textbook material and much of this
material is not covered in the lectures. We will begin each topic at approximately the date listed
next to that topic on this syllabus.
4. Use the SQ3R study aids and other learning tips described on pages xx-xxi of the
textbook preface and on pages 31-32 of Chapter 1. These aids have been proven to enhance
learning and test performance significantly.