SYLLABUS FALL 2015
INTRODUCTORY GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY – PSY201
INSTRUCTOR:
George Longden, MSW, LCSW
E-MAIL:
glongden@roguecc.edu
(Please use email for communications with instructor between classes,
if you do not have access to email use voicemail at 541 659-5190.)
Required Text:
Coon, D. & Mitterer, J. (2016). Introduction to Psychology:
Gateways to Mind & Behavior, 14th edition. Boston, MA
Cengage Learning.
General PSY201 is designed to help students gain an appreciation of the study of the scientific
approach to human behavior. The course includes exposure to the major theories of
psychology. This course is the beginning of the psychology sequence required for entry into
upper division psychology programs at Oregon Universities (and other higher education
settings). It is a key part of the social sciences for the transfer AA degree as well as a
requirement for students seeking an AAS degree in Human Services. And finally, PSY201 is
designed to stimulate further interest in the study of human behavior.
Course Description:
PSY201 provides students with the foundational knowledge required for further study in the
field of psychology. This course is designed to help students gain a historical perspective of the
field of psychology; an understanding of the scientific method applied to human behavior, and
knowledge of the physiology of human behavior including the brain functions, sensations and
perception process. The course also explores states of consciousness, memory, cognition and
creativity, motivation, emotion and stress. PSY201 provides learning opportunities in the
application of study skills, critical thinking and cross cultural awareness.
In addition to the text, students are asked to sample the literature of psychology. While
popular magazines such as OMNI, Discover, and Psychology Today (along with a myriad of
websites) provide reports on issues and research in psychology for the general population,
students of psychology need to become familiar with the more scientific aspects of the
discipline. Scholarly journals, such as Journal of the American Psychological Association, Journal
of Abnormal Psychology, etc., offer more technical details about the work being done at the
cutting edge of psychological research. By gaining an understanding of the way scientific
research is conducted in psychology, you will be better equipped to discriminate between fact
and fiction in the popular media.
Course Objectives:
1. To stimulate interest in the study of human behavior.
2. To encourage new personal insights and experiences which may lead to a better
understanding of self, others and our complex society.
3. To understand the processes involved in thinking, learning and remembering.
4. To enhance understanding of psychology and psychologists, their functions, methods
and terminology.
5. To acquire an understanding of how the brain directs behavior.
6. To promote better understanding of emotions and motivation.
7. To build skills in critical thinking and intellectual dialogue.
Expected Outcomes:
Key ILO Indicators
Assessment Methods:
1. Understand the historical
perspective of the field of
psychology as a science.
AL 3 - Internalize and
assimilate information into
new situations.
1. Pass objective tests and/or
quizzes. Participate in large and
small-group discussions.
2. Know the scientific
method and procedures as
applied to the
understanding and
prediction of human
behavior.
AK 1 - Demonstrate ability to
transfer learning in familiar
and unfamiliar contexts in
order to complete tasks.
2. Demonstrate their knowledge
and application of the scientific
method to psychology through a
written evaluation of a
professional journal article, by
designing a psychology
experiment, and/or through an
exam.
3. Acquire knowledge
regarding the physiological
determinants of human
behavior.
AK 2 - Integrate previous and
new learning, along with
practical skills, to solve
problems.
3. Pass objective tests and/or
quizzes. Complete in-class writing
assignments and/or activities and
experiments and homework
assignments. Participate in large
and small-group discussions.
4. Understand the various
states of consciousness
experienced by humans and
the conditions that cause
variations in these states
AK 3 - Apply knowledge and
skills through a global
perspective with an
awareness of context,
personal assumptions, and
4. Pass objective tests and/or
quizzes. Complete in-class writing
assignments and/or activities and
experiments. Participate in large
and small-group discussions.
Expected Outcomes:
Key ILO Indicators
Assessment Methods:
worldview.
5. Understand and explain
human behavior using
theories of learning,
cognition and memory
AK 2 - Integrate previous and
new learning, along with
practical skills, to solve
problems.
6. Describe the components CT 5 - Foresee consequences
of and relationships
of actions.
between motivation,
emotion and stress as
related to human behavior.
5. Pass objective tests and
quizzes. Complete in-class writing
assignments and/or
activities/experiments.
Participate in large and smallgroup discussions.
6. Pass objective tests and
quizzes. Complete in-class writing
assignments and/or activities and
homework assignments.
Participate in large and smallgroup discussions.
Required Course Work and point values:
Exams
See reading schedule
Human Behavior Experiment
See details below
270 points
50 points
Journal Article Review
“
60 points
2 Topic Essays (at 50 points each)
“
100 points
Class Attendance & Participation
100 points
TOTAL
580 points
Grades are based on the following percentages of total points accumulated:
A=90% and above
B=80%
C=70%
D=60%
Exams must be taken on the scheduled date unless prior arrangements have been made with
the instructor. Make-up exams will have an automatic 10 percent deduction and may not be in
the same form as the original (i.e., short answers or essays instead of multiple choice). Exams
are not cumulative. They will be based on material covered in class as well as the assigned
reading in the text. Students will need a scantron and a #2 pencil for each of the exams. No
books, notes, or other reference materials will be allowed for exams. If you leave the room
during an exam you may not be readmitted to complete the exam. There are no make-ups for
the final exam.
Human Behavior Experiment: For this assignment you will need to refer to the section on
experimental design and the scientific method in Chapter 1. Select a topic, develop a
hypothesis and design an experiment to test whether or not your hunch about human behavior
is accurate. You will be developing operational definitions, defining your target population and
determining how subjects will be selected and assigned, detailing methods to be used and how
variables will be controlled . . . in short, you will do everything but carry out the experiment.
Additional instructions will be provided in class and can also be found in the Tips for writing a
HBE paper towards the end of this syllabus. Papers should be 750-1000 words, typed, and
double spaced.
Journal Article Review: For this assignment, students will select one article from a peerreviewed journal documenting scientific research in psychology. Journals are available in the
RCC library or through EBBSCO Host. Librarians are there to help you find what you need, just
tell them what assignment you are working on. Please keep in mind that you must access the
entire article, not just a synopsis or abstract. The article you read will be in an APA format,
including an abstract, description of experimental methods and findings, and an analysis of
results. There will likely be graphs and statistics as well. These articles can be arduous to read
but they will introduce you to the world of psychology as a science. It is highly recommended
that you select a journal article to review by November 5th and show it to the instructor for
his approval before you begin writing your review. If you do not do this and your article does
not meet the stated requirements it will result in a reduced grade on this assignment.
Towards the end of this syllabus you will find Tips on reading a journal article and writing a
review. That section will provide additional information about this assignment and how to
succeed at it. Additional information will be provided in class sessions and any questions you
have will be addressed by the instructor. Your review should be 1000-1500 words, typed, and
double spaced.
Topic Essays: We will cover a wide variety of topics in this course. For this assignment, you will
be asked to relate these psychological topics to “real life”. Select a topic area and apply the
ideas and concepts you are learning to experiences you have had or observation you have
made about human behavior. Papers should be original (no outside research required), 7501200 words, typed, and double spaced.
Class Participation is important. Full and appropriate participation will earn five points per
class meeting up to a total of 100 points for the term. To earn these points, please arrive on
time, stay for the entire class period, and actively engage in discussions and activities. 2 points
will be deducted for late arrivals. All assigned reading must be completed by the date the
chapters appear in the schedule.
Extra Credit: Students may earn up to 40 extra credit points by giving a brief (8-12 minutes), in
class presentation about a topic of their choice from a chapter covered in this course. You must
schedule this in advance with the instructor (first come, first scheduled) and presentations will
be limited to the amount of class time not taken up with other activities. You must notify the
instructor not later than Nov 10th if you intend to take advantage of this opportunity.
Additional Information:
Students and instructor will treat each other with dignity and respect in this class, as outlined in
RCC’s codes of responsible behavior. Academic honesty is also required. Cheating, including
plagiarism will result in reduced grades and may be grounds for more serious disciplinary
action.
Please turn off or silence all cell phones and pagers during class (on call emergency personnel
are exempt from this requirement). It is preferable that you return calls during class breaks (as
long as you return on time after the scheduled break) or when class has ended. Audible ring
tones during class, leaving to take a call or texting during class time, will result in loss of points
for the day.
Any student with a documented disability and needing academic accommodations for that
disability should make an appointment with the RCC Disability Services office. That office can
be reached at the Redwood Campus at 541-956-7337 or Riverside Campus at 541-245-7537.
PLEASE NOTE: ALL assignments are required. You will receive a zero (0) for any assignment not
turned in, and at the discretion of the instructor, your final grade may be reduced by up to one
full letter grade. Late papers will be accepted up to one week from the due date and will
receive an automatic 10% point deduction.
Students should keep track of their own points for each exam and project as well as their
accumulated total. In case of any discrepancies, retaining your papers and exams will reduce
anxiety and keep the records straight.
All assignments completed outside class must be typed in 12-point font and have double
spacing. Each paper must include the student’s name, the date submitted, a title that
identifies which of the four required papers you are submitting, an accurate word count, and
must be stapled. Papers that do not comply with these requirements will be returned
ungraded. Spelling and grammar will be considered in grading all written work completed
outside class. It is highly recommended that you have one or more individuals proof read your
paper prior to submission. Students are also encouraged to use the resources for writing
assistance in the campus tutorial center.
PSY201 FALL 2015 (Tue & Th, 11:00 am to 12:50 pm) TENATIVE SCHEDULE
(Note that chapters are not in sequence. Chapters 3, 9, 11 &12 are not included in this course.)
Sept 29
Review Course Syllabus, Introduction – The Psychology of Studying,
Oct 1
Chapter 7 – Memory, 20 questions from The Psychology of Studying
Oct 6
Complete Chapter 7
Oct 8
Chapter 1 – Intro to Psychology & Research Methods, First Exam Chapter 7
Oct 13
Complete Chapter 1 and review tips for HBE paper
Oct 15
Chapter 2 – Brain & Behavior, Human Behavioral Experiment Paper Due
Oct 20
Complete Chapter 2
Oct 22
Chapter 4 – Sensation & Perception, Second Exam Chapters 1, 2
Oct 27
Complete Chapter 4 and discuss topic essay paper
Oct 29
Chapter 5 – States of Consciousness, discuss JAR paper, First Topic Essay Due
Nov 3
Complete Chapter 5, review of journal articles for JAR Paper assignment
Nov 5
Chapter 6 – Condition and Learning, Third Exam Chapters 4, 5
Nov 10
Complete Chapter 6, last day to sign up for student presentations
Nov 12
Chapter 8 – Cognition, Language, and Creativity, JAR Paper Due
Nov 17
Complete Chapter 8
Nov 19
Chapter 10 - Motivation and Emotion Fourth Exam Chapters 6, 8 and student
presentations
Nov 24
Complete Chapter 10 and student presentations, Second Topic Essay Due
Nov 26
No class scheduled, Happy Thanksgiving!
Dec 1
Chapter 13 - Health, Stress & Coping, and student presentations
Dec 3
Complete Chapter 13 and student presentations
Dec 8
Any remaining student presentations, Final Exam Chapters 10, 13
TIPS ON WRITING A HUMAN BEHAVIORAL EXPERIMENT PAPER
Make this assignment easier for yourself (and your instructor) by designing a simple and
straightforward experiment. Don’t get complex and fancy here. If there is a more complex
topic that you are interested in, save that topic for one of your assigned topic essays.
Located in Chapter 1 of the course textbook carefully review pages 22-23 Scientific Research –
How to Think Like a Psychologist, The Scientific Method (you are only doing elements 1-4 of the
scientific method). Then review pages 36-38, The Psychology Experiment – Get Causality Right.
As you write your HBE paper you should highlight each of the following elements and use
them as headings; Hypothesis, Experimental subjects, Random assignment, Experimental
group, Control group, Independent variable, Dependent variable, Extraneous variables,
Operational definitions (as necessary), and Means of measurement. The definitions for all the
above terms, except Means of measurement, can be found on pages 23, 37, and 38. Means of
measurement will be discussed in class.
If you apply what you learn from those selected readings, stick with a simple experiment, and
evaluate your paper using Figure 1.7 on page 38 you should have success with this assignment.
TIPS ON READING A JOURNAL ARTICLE AND WRITING A REVIEW PAPER
Most journal articles follow the general guidelines listed below (Also see Table 1.1 on page 23
of Chapter 1). Be aware that there may some variation from journal to journal on the items
that are included and the order in which they may be presented.
1. Article title and author’s names.
2. Abstract – A short statement which provides a summary about the article you are about
to read which may include: Objectives, Method, Results, Conclusions, and Key Words.
3. The body of the article is then likely to include the following elements: An Introduction
(What are the authors studying, why is it of interest, how might the findings be useful), A
Review of the Literature (A summary about the efforts of other researchers to perform
similar or related research, their findings and the limits of those findings), Methods
(How have the authors selected subjects for their research, how will they have an
experimental group and a control group, what will be the independent and dependent
variables, and how will the results be measured), Results (A summary of the results and
findings of the experiment), Discussion, Conclusions or Comments (An analysis of the
findings, their usefulness in answering the original research question, limitations of the
research effort, and the usefulness of these findings for practical applications,
suggestions for further research that might provide even more useful information).
As you write your journal article review paper think about how you have written book reports.
You want to communicate to the reader of your paper the same kinds of information you would
likely include in a book report.
1. Provide the name of the paper, the authors’ names, the name of the journal in which
the article appeared and the date of the article.
2. Tell us why you chose to review this article. Is there something about this article that
was of particular interest to you? Why?
3. Then, much like the bolded headings above, give us (in your words) details about the
content of the article. What did the authors do? How did they do it? What were their
results? How did they think their results could be useful?
4. Tell us what you think about the article. Did you learn something you didn’t know
before? Do you think the researchers did a good job in setting up their experiment? Did
they do anything that you might do differently? What conclusions have you come to
after reading and writing about this article? Anything else that you wish to
communicate about the article’s content and your experience of finding it, reading it
and thinking about it.
LONGDEN’S TOP 10 LIST FOR HAVING SUCCESS IN THIS CLASS
1. Eat well, sleep well and find ways to manage your stress.
2. Read the course syllabus and carefully follow all the instructions found there.
3. At the beginning of each chapter set a personal goal for yourself. Even if the topic
doesn’t seem interesting, find the things that you really didn’t know before and how you
can use them to live your life.
4. Attend every class and always bring your book.
5. Come to class having done the assigned reading and use the study guide questions to
prepare for exams and class discussions.
6. Come to class not to sit and be taught but to participate and learn. When you have a
question, ask it.
7. Find some fellow students and form a study group.
8. Take all the exams and turn in all four papers.
9. Get an early start on each of the four written assignments. Find a journal article for
your JAR paper and let the instructor review and discuss it with you before you begin
this assignment.
10. Take the challenge and do an extra credit presentation for the class. There is no better
way to learn something than to teach it.