Collin College Syllabus
Course Number: PSYC 2301 C02
Course Title: General Psychology
Instructor’s Information:
Instructor’s Name: Connie M. Siciliano Avila, Ph.D, LPC
Office Number: Associate Faculty Office B-342
Office Hours: Before and after class and/or by appointment on M, W, & F.
Contact Information: Associate Faculty Office 972-548-6830 or Instructor 214-830-9879
Email: CSicilianoAvila@collin.edu
In case of emergencies: contact instructor direct or Office of Academic Affairs, B-122 F
214.491.6270
Class Information:
Class Meeting Times: MWF 9:00-9:50 AM
Class Meeting Location: Central Park Campus E201
Course Description: Introduction to scientific psychology as applied to humans behavior, including
research methods, physiological factors, learning, motivation, emotions, personality, adjustment,
stress, psychological disorders, and therapies. These principles will be applied to the human
experience. Must demonstrate by assessment or prerequisite course, placement in READ 0310.
Course Credit Hours:
Lecture Hours: 3
Assessment(s): Prior to enrolling in this course, the student must demonstrate eligibility to enroll in
the following:
College-level reading
ENGL-1301
College Repeat Policy:
A student may repeat this course only once after receiving a grade, including “W”.
Course Delivery Method:
A variety of teaching methods will be utilized in this class, including lecture, class discussion, audio-visual,
student presentations, and experiential exercises.
Textbook:
Required
Myers, D. G. (2010). Psychology (9th ed.). New York, NY: Worth
ISBN-13: 978-1-4292-1597-8
ISBN-10: 1-4292-1597-6
Required Readings: Please see the Tentative Course Calendar later in this syllabus for a list of
required readings. The instructor may assign additional readings during the semester.
Supplies: Required: 4 Scantron sheets and one #2 pencil.
Student Learning Outcomes:
Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to do the following:
1. Demonstrate an understanding of the history of psychology and its development.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of the scientific methods used to study behavior and mental
processes.
3. Demonstrate knowledge of the basic vocabulary of psychology.
4. Describe the basic theories of psychology, how they are used, and their current status in the
discipline.
5. Demonstrate an understanding of basic processes such as motivation, learning, emotions, group
processes, personality, and human development.
6. Demonstrate an appreciation for the uniqueness of the individual.
7. Demonstrate a respect for cultural differences in the human experience.
8. Demonstrate an understanding of how to apply the above to everyday life.
Course Requirements: Students are expected to read the assigned textbook chapters in advance of the
lectures, so students can integrate the textbook and lecture information to answer critical thinking
questions. Students are expected to follow instructions regarding PowerPoint presentation criteria and
complete four examinations. Students must earn 330 points or higher to pass the course.
General Description of the subject matter of each lecture or discussion.
8/22-8/26: Prologue and Ch. 1 Psychology history and scientific method/research.
8/29-9/9: Ch. 2 Neuroscience, effects of brain processes on cognition, emotion, and behavior.
9/12-9/14: Ch. 4 Genes, gender, and cultural influences on development.
9/16-9/23: Ch. 5 Overview of lifespan development: physical, socio-emotional, and cognitive
development.
9/28-10/3: Ch. 6 Overview of sensation and perception processes.
10/5-10/12: Ch. 7 Types of learning: behavioral and observational.
10/14-10/19: Ch. 8 Memory: Overview of memory including types, strategies, and processes.
10/24-10/28: Ch. 9 & 10 Overview of thinking, language, and intelligence processes including theories
and measures.
10/31-11/2: Ch. 11 Biological processes and theories.
11/4-11/9: Ch. 12 Emotions: functions, universalities, and physiology.
11/11-11/18: Ch. 13 Overview of personality: theories, traits, and assessment.
11/21 Ch 14 Psychological disorders: DSM-IV-TR and types of disorders.
11/28: Ch. 15 Therapies for disorders: overview of types and empirically supported treatments.
11/30-12/2 Ch. 16 Social psychology: classic experiments on conformity, groups, and obedience.
Brief Description of Major Course Requirements: Students are required to give one 5 minute
PowerPoint presentation and provide a hardcopy of the slides, write 14 answers to critical thinking
questions in class, and pass 4 written exams.
Method of Evaluation:
Students are expected to complete the following assignments:
PowerPoint Presentations: Students will provide a 5 minute PowerPoint presentation about
one topic in conjunction with information in corresponding chapters. Students will be expected to
expand on a topic from the textbook. Additionally, students will provide a reference list in American
Psychological Association (APA) style. Students are expected to provide the instructor with a
hardcopy of the PowerPoint presentation at the time of the presentation in order to receive a grade.
Students must notify the instructor of the topic on 8/29/11 and give the presentation on an
assigned date.
Topic Presentation Grade Sheet
Name_________________________________________________ Total Points_____
Topic/Chapter_______________________________________________
Item
Provided background
information
Comments
Points
Possible
Actual
5
Provided relevant information
that expands on textbook.
15
Presented information without
reading verbatim from slides.
5
Used creativity
5
Used bullet points in
PowerPoint slides with short,
clear, concise, statements.
Provided reference list with a
minimum of two sources.
Used APA Style for reference
list
Met time limit of 5 minutes.
5
5
5
5
Total 50 possible
Critical Thinking Questions and Answer Papers: In class, students will write one half page
answers to critical thinking questions that relate to information presented in the chapter and lecture.
Papers will be collected within the same class period as the question is given. Papers are worth up to 5
points each, and 10 bonus points will be randomly awarded 3 times during the semester. Students must
be present to receive bonus points. See grading sheet below.
Chapter
Critical Thinking Grade Sheet
Critical
Bonus Points
Thinking Paper
1
2
4
5
6
7
8
9 & 10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Total
Bonus Total
Grand Total
Method of Evaluation: Grades:
Exam I
Exam II
Exam III
Final Exam
PowerPoint Presentation
Critical Thinking Questions/Answer Papers
Total
A = 495 pts. and higher
B = 440-494 pts.
C = 385-439 pts.
Points
Possible
Actual
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
70
30
100
100 pts.
100 pts.
100 pts.
100 pts.
50 pts.
100 pts.
550pts.
D = 330-384 pts.
F = 329 pts. and under
Attendance Policy: See the current Collin Registration Guide for the last day to withdraw.
Students are expected to attend class regularly to maximize learning opportunities. If in the event of an
absence, students are responsible to seek missed information from other class members. Exams,
PowerPoint presentations, and Critical Thinking papers may only be made up for either extenuating
circumstances or religious holy days. For extenuating circumstances, such as illness, death in family,
family emergency, etc., students are expected to notify the instructor as soon as possible and provide
appropriate documentation, such as a doctor’s note, bereavement letter, etc., for the instructor’s
consideration. The acceptance of documentation and any exception to this policy is at the instructor’s
discretion.
Religious Holy Days: please refer to the current Collin Student Handbook
Course Drop Limit Provisions: Texas Education Code 51:907
Students who enroll as an entering freshman or a first-time college student in undergraduate courses at
any Texas public community college, technical institute, health sciences institution, or any public
university offering undergraduate courses must comply with the legislation of TEC51.907.
TEC51.907 states that students who enroll for the first time during the fall 2007 semester, or any
subsequent semester, are subject to the course drop limit of six course drops. This includes any course
a transfer student has dropped at another institution. Collin College will not begin to count dropped
course until the fall 2009 semester. For more information, please contact Academic Advising or the
Admissions and Records Office on any campus.
ADA Statement: It is the policy of Collin County Community College to provide reasonable
accommodations for qualified individuals who are students with disabilities. This College will adhere
to all applicable federal, state and local laws, regulations and guidelines with respect to providing
reasonable accommodations as required to afford equal educational opportunity. It is the student’s
responsibility to contact the ACCESS office, SCC-G200 or 972.881.5898 (V/TTD: 972.881.5950) in a
timely manner to arrange for appropriate accommodations.
Scholarstic Dishonesty: Every member of the Collin College community is expected to maintain the
highest standards of academic integrity. Collin College may initiate disciplinary proceedings against a
student accused of scholastic dishonesty. Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to,
statements, acts, or omissions related to applications for enrollment or the award of a degree, and/or
the submission as one’s own work material that is not one’s own. Scholastic dishonesty may involve,
but is not limited to, one or more of the following acts: cheating, plagiarism, collusion, use of
annotated texts or teacher’s editions, use of information about exams posted on the Internet or
electronic medium, and/or falsifying academic records. While specific examples are listed below, this
is not an exhaustive list and scholastic dishonesty may encompass other conduct, including any
conduct through electronic or computerized means:
Plagiarism is the use of an author’s words or ideas as if they were one’s own without giving credit to
the source, including, but not limited to, failure to acknowledge a direct quotation.
Cheating is the willful giving or receiving of information in an unauthorized manner during an
examination; collaborating with another student during an examination without authority; using,
buying, selling, soliciting, stealing, or otherwise obtaining course assignments and/or examination
questions in advance; copying computer or Internet files; using someone else’s work for assignments
as if it were one’s own; or any other dishonest means of attempting to fulfill the requirements of a
course.
Collusion is intentionally or unintentionally aiding or attempting to aid another in an act of scholastic
dishonesty, including but not limited to, failing to secure academic work; providing a paper or project
to another student; providing an inappropriate level of assistance; communicating answers to a
classmate about an examination or any other course assignment; removing tests or answer sheets from
a test site; and allowing a classmate to copy answers.
In cases where an incident report has been filed for alleged violation of scholastic dishonesty, faculty
are requested to delay posting a grade, for the academic work in question, until the Dean of Student’s
Office renders an administrative decision of the case. Students found responsible for scholastic
dishonesty offenses will receive an authorized disciplinary penalty from the Dean of Students Office.
The student may also receive an academic penalty in the course where the scholastic dishonesty took
place. The professor will determine the appropriate academic penalty.
Tentative Course Calendar Fall 2011:
Date
8/22-8/26
Topic
Introductions, policies, and assignments.
Prologue: Psychology History
Ch 1Psychological Science
8/29-9/2
9/5
9/6
9/7-9/9
9/12-9/14
Ch. 2 Neuroscience
8/29 Presentation sign up
Labor Day: No classes campuses closed
Census day
Ch 2 Continued
Ch 4 Nature, Nurture, and Diversity
9/16-9/23
Ch 5 Lifespan Development
9/26
9/28-10/3
Exam I: Prologue and Chs: 1, 2, & 4
Ch. 6 Sensation and Perception
10/510/12
Ch. 7 Learning
10/1410/19
Ch 8 Memory
10/14 Last day to withdraw
10/21
10/2410/28
Exam II: Chs 5, 6, & 7
Ch 9 Thinking & Language
Ch 10 Intelligence
10/3111/2
11/4-11/9
Ch 11 Motivation
11/11
11/14
11/1611/18
11/21
Ch 13 Personality
Exam III: Chs 8, 9, 10, & 11
Ch 13 Personality Continued
11/2311/27
11/28
Thanksgiving Holiday: No classes campuses closed
11/3012/2
Friday
12/9
9-11 AM
Ch 16 Social Psychology
Ch 12 Emotion
Ch. 14 Psychological Disorders
Ch 15 Therapy
Final Exam: Chapters 12, 13, 14, 15, & 16.
Activity
Ice breaker
Grade calculation
Study strategies
Beach ball/Bead: Experiment
PBS: Brain videos
Brain plasticity
Twin studies
Gender similarities and differences
Culture
Prenatal development
Piaget video
Rock-a-bye Baby: Attachment
Erickson
Bring Scantron & #2 pencil.
Sensory input and interpretation
Vision, illusions, & gestalt theory
Inkblot perceptions
Classical and Operant conditioning
Skinner & Little Albert videos
Observational learning
Types of memory
Brain processes
Reliability
Bring Scantron & #2 pencil.
Language and brain
Theories, intelligence tests, bias
Creativity project
Biological processes
Humanism
Universality
Brain processes: low and high roads
Stress response, managing stress
Theories: Freudian, Humanism, etc.
Bring Scantron & #2 pencil.
Online personality tests
Diagnosis, anxiety, somatoform,
dissociative, mood, and personality
disorders. Schizophrenia
Empirically supported treatments
Types of therapy
Conformity, obedience: Milgram
Stanford Prison Experiment Video
Bring Scantron and #2 pencil.
No class this week, final exam
only.
Note: The instructor reserves the right to make modifications to this syllabus. If such changes
are made, they will be provided in printed form to the students.