Western New Mexico University
Syllabus for PSY-102 – (CRN: 10785)
General Psychology –Fall 2013
August 20th – December 12th
Revised: 08/19/13
Instructor Information:
Professor: David Swackhamer
Phone: To be announced
Email: Please use the Canvas course shell email for all correspondences. As an alternative,
use:swackhamerd@wnmu.edu
Office Hours: Tuesdays from 3:15pm – 5 :15pm & Thursdays from 12:00pm – 2:00pm.
Office Location: Phelps Dodge - Room 235, Silver City Campus
Class Information:
1. CRN: 10787 of general psychology will meet Tuesdays 5:30pm – 8:30pm in the Martinez Building Room #260
Course Catalog Description:
Psychology 102 is an introduction to basic psychological concepts such as learning, motivation, emotion, and
personality, as well as, an overview of major findings about human behavior.
This course is designed to introduce you to the different areas within the science of psychology. In the study of
human behavior and experience, we will examine human physiology, including how our sensory systems
operate, thinking and memory, motivation, emotion, mental health and mental disorders, as well as how we are
influenced by the people and world around us. The readings will provide an introduction into each of the
subfields in psychology including their theoretical foundations and practical applications. It is the goal of this
course for you to learn and enjoy this material. Some of the topics covered will be highlighted through videos,
discussions, and assignments.
Instructional Objectives:
These “core competencies” are provided by the NM Higher Education Department.
 Describe and explain human behaviors and how they are influenced by social structures, institutions, and
processes within the contexts of complex and diverse communities.
 Articulate how beliefs, assumptions, and values are influenced by factors such as politics, geography, economics,
culture, biology, history, and social institutions.
 Describe ongoing reciprocal interactions among self, society, and the environment.
 Apply the knowledge base of the social and behavioral sciences to identify, describe, explain, and critically
evaluate relevant issues, ethical dilemmas, and arguments.
Aspects of this course which will support working toward these competencies include:
 Learning about the study of psychology, including information about methodology, ethical issues, and
professional specializations within the field.
 Thorough review of the major subfields within psychology.
 Exposure to the main theories and debates within the study of psychology, including appreciation of the
relationship between nature and nurture.
 Exercises in self-reflection and examination of personal views about current debates within the field.
 Acquisition of skills to find additional, professional references regarding topics in psychology.
A brief description of the purpose/goal of your required work is provided here:
 Readings from the text provide material to be learned.
 Chapter quizzes allow you to check your learning, and unit tests allow you to demonstrate it.
 Class modules and discussions allow you to process information and to be an active, attentive student.
Assessment of Course Outcomes/Competencies:
In accordance with the NM Higher Education Department, we will be assessing your achievement of course
outcomes/competencies this semester through assessment tools created by our psychology program. This process serves to
give us feedback about the job we are doing in supporting your learning. It is an evaluation of our work in serving you.
Required Text:
Myers, D. (2012). Exploring Psychology (9th Edition) Worth Publishing.
|ISBN-10:1464111723 | ISBN-13: 978-1464111723|
***Note: The first two chapters from the 8th edition of the text are posted, for free,
to our online course shell.
Course Requirements:
Academic Integrity Contract: Every student must read and sign this
contract. The contract is designed to ensure your honesty/integrity within
class and in your written work. This assignment is mandatory and must be submitted by the second day
of class (August 27th).
 Attendance: You earn two points with each class attended. Be sure to sign the attendance sheet every
class so that I can award your points. Based on thirty days of class , you may earn up to 60 points.
Points will not be awarded to students who arrive to class late or leave early. Disruptions
(chatting/texting/inattentiveness, etc.) will forfeit your points for that day.
****Students who miss three or more class meetings (without a legitimate/provable excuse) risk being
dropped from this course.
 Quizzes [Optional/Extra-Credit]: There are a total of fifteen quizzes available in this class. These
quizzes are optional and designed to help you prepare for the exams. Each quiz is composed of ten
multiple choice questions. You will have ten minutes to complete a given quiz. Quizzes may be
accessed through “Canvas,” our new online learning management system.
***For each quiz which you score 80% (16/20) or higher, I will award one point (2%) extra-credit to
your exam grade for that unit.
 Essays: During the course of this semester you are required to complete two essays. The essays must be
at least two pages in length and reflect your understanding of core psychology concepts. Essay prompts,
along with a rubric, will be distributed later in the semester. Each essay is worth 50 points.
o Essay #1 – Due October 24th
o Essay #2 – Due November 21st
 Tests: During the semester you will be required to complete four unit tests. Each test is worth 100
points. The test questions will be specific to the chapters covered in the textbook as well as the
supplemental information provided within each lecture (including videos).
Assessment/Evaluation and Grading Scale:
[1] AI Contract:
[30]Attendance:
[2] Essays:
[4] Tests:
Required for grade
60 points (2 points each)
-10.7% of final grade
100 points (50 points each) - 17.8% of final grade
400 points (100 points each) -71.4% of final grade
Total Points Possible: 560
Final letter grades are based on the following percentage points:
A 90 – 100%
B 80 – 89%
C 70 – 79%
D 60 – 69%
F ≤ 59%
Course Schedule/Due Dates:
Date:
August 20th
Readings:
Syllabus, Academic
Integrity Contract, and
Chapter #1
Topic/Assignments Due:
-Course expectations and policies
-Introduction to course
-Overview of Psychology
-The history of psychology
August 27th
Chapter #1/Chapter #2
-The Scientific Method
-Neurons
-Neural Communication
-Central & Peripheral Nervous Systems
-Class Pictures & Introductions
DUE: Academic Integrity Contract
September 3rd
Chapter #2/Chapter #3
-The Brain: Anatomy & Physiology
-The Split-Brain Procedure
-Consciousness
-The Sleep Cycle, Sleep Disorders Dreams
-Hypnosis &-Psychoactive Drugs
September 10th
Chapter #3/ Chapter #4
September 17th
No Readings
September 24th
Chapter #5
October 1st
Chapter #6
October 8th
Chapter #7
October 15th
Chapter #8
October 22nd
No Readings
October 29th
Chapter #9/ Chapter #10
November 5th
Chapter #11/ Chapter #12
November 12th
No Readings
November 19th
Chapter #13/Introduction
to Chapter #14
-Introduction to Social Psychology
-The Bystander Effect
-The Zimbardo Prison Study
-Conformity & Asch
-Obedience & Milgram
-Intro to psychopathology
-DUE: Essay #2
November 26th
December 3rd
No Readings
Chapter #14/Chapter #15
December 9th –
December 12th
No Readings
Enjoy your break!
-Psychological Disorders & Treatment
Considerations
-Test Review
-Test #4 (Ch.13-Ch.15).
***The date, time, and location for our final exam
will be announced during class
-Developmental Psychology
-Stage Theorists & Theories
-Jean Piaget/Erick Erickson/Sigmund Freud
-Test Review*
Test #1 (Ch.1 -Ch.4 and lecture material.)
-Gender Differences
-Human Sexuality/Orientation
-Sensation & Perception
-Vision: Anatomy & Physiology of the Eye.
-Audition & the Ear
-Olfaction (Smell)
-Taste, Touch, and Pain
-Associative Learning: Classical & Operant.
-Ivan Pavlov & B.F. Skinner
-Observational Learning & Albert Bandura
-Introduction to Memory
-Types of Memory & Brain Substrates
-Eyewitness Testimony, False Memories
-Test Review*
-DUE: Essay #1
Test #2 (Ch.5-Ch.8 and lecture material)
-Thinking: Problem-Solving Methods
-Heuristics & Algorithms
-Language & Intelligence
-Hierarchy of Motives
-Sexual Motivation & Sexual Disorders
-Theories of Personality & Personality Theorists
-Psychoanalytic & Humanistic Perspectives
-The Trait Perspective & Social-Cognitive
Perspective
-Test Review*
Test #3 (Ch.9-Ch.12 and lecture material)
*Test reviews are contingent on class time available.
Note: This is a tentative schedule that is subject to change with advance notice from the instructor.
Course Policies:
Academic Honesty & Integrity is required in this course, as it is in all courses at WNMU. Please refer to the current
WNMU catalog for details regarding the university policy. In this course, you are required to sign an Academic Integrity
Contract in order to have your work considered for a grade.
Attendance in this class is mandatory. You will be required to sign an attendance sheet each day. You are expected to be
on time for class and to stay for the entire duration. If special circumstances dictate that you miss class, speak with me
immediately. (Documentation may be required.) As noted in the WNMU catalog, missing three class sessions may result
in your dismissal from this course.
Audit: A student may register for a course as an auditor, providing permission of the instructor is obtained. Students are
charged the normal tuition rate for auditing a course. In this course, completion of all work is required for an audit.
Communication Policy Statement regarding official email: WNMU’s policy requires that all official communication
be sent via Mustang Express. As a result, all emails related to your enrollment at WNMU and class communication –
including changes in assignments and grades – will be sent to your wnmu.edu email address. It is very important that you
access your Mustang Express e-mail periodically to check for correspondence from the University. If you receive most
of your email at a different address you can forward your messages from Mustang Express to your other address.
Follow the directions provided at http://www.wnmu.edu/campusdocs/direction%20for%20forwarding%20email.htm
Copyright: All materials found in this course are only for the use of students enrolled in this course for purposes
associated with this course and may not be retained by students in any electronic form or further disseminated or
distributed to anyone not enrolled in this course.
DISABILITY SERVICES AT WESTERN NEWMEXICO UNIVERSITY: Services for students with disabilities are
provided through the Disability Services Office in the Juan Chacon Building, Room 220. Some examples of the assistance
provided are: audio materials for the blind or dyslexic, note takers, readers, campus guides, audio recorders, a quiet testing
area, and undergraduate academic tutors. In order to qualify for these services, documentation must be provided by
qualified professionals on an annual basis. Disability Services forms are available in the Academic Support Center. The
Disability Services Office serves as Western New Mexico University's liaison for students with disabilities. Please contact
them by phone at 575-538-6400 or email dss@wnmu.edu.
Due dates will be enforced. Late assignments, without an official note, will be accepted at the professor’s discretion and
may involve the loss of points.
Incompletes, Withdrawals, and Drops: Incompletes will only be granted under appropriate circumstances. If you are
running into problems with the course, please contact me as early as possible so you do not fall behind. It is university
policy that grades of incomplete are assigned only when the majority of work for the class has been completed before
something interferes with completion of final course work. If the large majority of the course is not experienced through
course involvement and completed assignments, a Withdrawal request is more appropriate than an Incomplete in the
course. Please speak with me as soon as possible if you feel you are facing a decision regarding your ability to fully
participate in this course. Drops can be processed by sending an email request through course email, and I can provide my
signature of support through an email response to your clear request.
Informed Consent - Some individuals may choose to disclose personal information during class. Therefore, it is
important that all classmates agree not to discuss or write about what others have discussed in class. Be sure to show
respect for yourself in what you share; please don’t share anything you will later wish you had kept to yourself.
Sometimes you can share things safely by depersonalizing them (e.g., I knew someone once who…).
WNMU Policy on Email Passwords:WNMU requires that passwords for access to all of the protected software,
programs, and applications will be robust, including complexity in the number of characters required, the combination of
characters required, and the frequency in which passwords are required to be changed. Minimum complexity shall
include: passwords shall contain at least six (6) characters, at least one capital (upper case) letter, and at least one symbol
(numbers and characters such as @ # $ % & *), and passwords shall be changed at least every 90 days.
Written Work – all written assignments should have a professional appearance - typed in black ink on white
paper/background, using a professional 12 point font. Neatness and professionalism count! Use clear college (or graduate)
level writing with correct spelling and grammar for all assignments. Use appropriate formatting (e.g., capitalization), even
when posting to discussion boards. If you need help in writing, consult a tutor at Smarthinking, WNMU’s e-tutoring tool.
Connect with Smarthinking via the WNMU homepage under Quick Links.
***Cell Phones: When you are in class, your complete attention is expected. Using your cell phone during class
inherently diverts concentration from my instruction. (See “selective attention” in chapter #3.) If you use your cell phone
during class, you will be considered absent for that day. All phones should be silenced and put out of sight during class.
Related, text messaging is NOT allowed during class. If you are anticipating an emergency notification, you should sit by
the door.
Academic Integrity Contract
(Created By Dr. Jennifer Coleman - 01/2012)
Academic integrity is required in this course, as it is in all courses at WNMU. Many students report not being aware of the details of
what is expected in terms of academic integrity, in particular they report not fully understanding plagiarism and issues around
inappropriate collaboration. This document, which you are required to read and sign, is intended to serve as educational material so
that you can understand these issues and complete your work according to the academic standards of this course and its WNMU
instructor.
For students in lower-level courses (100 and 200 level), it is assumed that there is some basic knowledge with a need for greater
understanding and appreciation of these issues. This document serves as some basic education on issues of academic integrity.
If you do not fully understand issues surrounding academic integrity and plagiarism, regardless of the level at which you are taking a
class, it is your responsibility to seek out such information. Ignorance does NOT excuse violations of academic integrity among college
students.
Outlined below are a few things that are relevant to academic integrity in this course.

Your work must be your own and reflect your own ideas: You may not use the work of another.

You may not provide your work to another student for them to submit as their own. This is cheating!

If you copy phrasing from a source, those words must be quoted and an appropriate citation must be included. (The WNMU
Writing Center can assist you with this.) Copying wording without appropriate use of quotations, and a noted page or
paragraph number, is unacceptable.

If you gain knowledge from a source and appropriately reword what you learned to avoid quoting, you must still acknowledge
through citation the source that contributed to your knowledge/understanding. (The WNMU Writing Center can assist you with
this.)

If you do not understand how to use and cite sources appropriately, you are required to ask for assistance. The WNMU Writing
Center is an excellent free resource. The APA manual is a needed guide for students with a declared focus in psychology (or
related field that uses APA style).

You may not fabricate sources or information and present them as if they are real.

You may not submit work for this course that was or will be submitted for another course. If you want to work on the same
topic for two courses (in the same or different semesters), you MUST get permission of the current instructor(s). Submitting
your own work twice for a grade without acknowledging the original work is a form of cheating and plagiarism. In other words,
you must cite and reference yourself if you reuse any parts of your previous work.

You may not interfere with the work of another student in this or any course.

You may not cite a source that you read about through another source without acknowledging the second-hand nature of your
learning. So, if you read about Smith (2007) in Sanchez (2009), but you did not actually read the Smith article, you have to cite
Smith in the following way: Smith (2007, as cited in Sanchez, 2009). (Note: if the source is important enough to cite, then get it
and read it!)

You may not cite an abstract without noting that you failed to read the entire source. That citation would appear as, Smith
(2007, abstract only). (Note: In general, citing something after only reading the abstract is really unacceptable. If the source is
important enough to cite, then get the original article/chapter/book and read all of it.)

If you are citing a source that you did not read in its entirety, be sure to note the page or paragraph sections that you read
when including that source in your reference list. Referencing an entire source that you did not fully read is a
misrepresentation of your effort and knowledge.
It is essential that you understand these issues, as well as other issues around academic integrity. Violations of academic integrity can
result in serious consequences, such as loss of points on an assignment, failure of an assignment, a reduction in your course grade,
and failure of the course. In general, it is my practice that no points will be awarded for an assignment that contains clear plagiarism or
evidence of cheating, and further consequences can be imposed.
If concerns arise about your work in this course, I will do my best to contact you and explain the problem that I have found in your work.
In an online course, this feedback will likely come through a course email or through the assignment grade comments. It is your
responsibility to check those regularly. You are welcome to voice your experience and view of my concerns, as well as issues you have
with any proposed penalty (that information may also come in your original notification). A penalty will be determined so that you will
know whether you want to appeal my judgment. If you disagree with my assessment of your work or the penalty assigned, you may
appeal the decision/penalty according to WNMU policy. Please note that the WNMU Academic Integrity policy is currently under review
and revision. Serious issues at the end of a semester often do not allow sufficient time to notify students of actions before grades must
be submitted. An appeal can still occur after the end of the course (please note timelines for appeals in the student handbook).
In order to receive grades in this course, you must sign this contract showing that you have read and understand what has been
described to you above. Just like other assignments, this assignment must be completed for successful participation in the course. If
you do not understand something presented, and have concerns about signing, please ask for help.
When sending this in an online course, simply copy just the section below this line into an email to your instructor, and type
your name at the end to verify that you have read and understand what has been described to you above. Please also
complete the personal contact information requested below.
“I have read the Academic Integrity Contract provided in this course. I understand that it is my responsibility to understand
and uphold the standards of academic integrity expected in this course and at WNMU. I understand that it is my
responsibility to seek assistance and information if any aspect of academic integrity is unclear to me. Finally, I understand
that violations of these standards of academic integrity can result in penalties that may affect my course grade.”
Type your name here to indicate that you have read and understood this “contract”:
____________________________________
Date: ________________
Requested Student Information:
Student ID Number (W#): __________________________
Year in school:
___________________________
What is your:
Major __________________________
During the current term, I am taking this course from:
Minor ________________________
list your city and state
Phone Numbers: Cell: ______________________________________ May I text you at this number? Yes / No
Home: _____________________________________
Work: _____________________________________
Email Addresses:
WNMU: _________________________________________________
Other: __________________________________________________
Why are you taking this class?
Are there issues that might impact your performance in this class? If so, what?