COURSE SYLLABUS General Psychology - PSYC 110 Fall 2013

Course Section: Meeting Time and Place: Course Credit Hours: 005 12:20-1:10 pm, Alumni Memorial Building 210 3

FACULTY CONTACT INFORMATION: INSTRUCTOR: Teri Preddy, M.A. TA: Steven Kyle OFFICE HOURS: W 11:00-12:00, Austin Peay 221C T 9:00-10:00am and by appointment Th 3:00-4:00, Austin Peay 307 EMAIL : tpreddy@utk.edu skyle@utk.edu
Welcome to Psychology 110! I hope that you find the course both enjoyable and stimulating. Psychology 110 is survey course that will focus on the basic concepts, principles, and theories related to the scientific study of behavior and mental processes. This course seeks to provide students with an appreciation of and sensitivity to the many facets of human behavior. This course explores a wide array of topics that psychologists study, such as biology, learning, cognition, social behavior, human development, and abnormal behavior. The class is taught in a lecture/discussion format. Due to time constraints, not all material presented in the book will be presented in class. Additionally, some material that will be discussed in class will not be covered in the book. You will be responsible for learning all material, whether it is covered in the book, in class, or both.
I.

COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course is designed to introduce many of the major topics and
theories of psychology. Both historical perspectives and current research are included. Application of psychology to various aspects of everyday life, investigation of the impact of culture on psychological processes, and critical thinking about how psychological research and theory inform contemporary issues will be emphasized. This course serves as a prerequisite to most other psychology courses offered through the department, which tend to offer a more indepth analysis of specific topics introduced in this course.

II.

COURSE OBJECTIVES AND STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:

This course is a pre-requisite to the psychology major and directly supports two of the program goals, which are adapted from the American Psychological Associations Guidelines for the Undergraduate Psychology Major (v2.0, 2012): a. Scientific inquiry and Critical Thinking. More specifically, by the end of this course, students should be able to: Use scientific reasoning to interpret behavior. (e.g., Based on the results of several research studies, what conclusions can be drawn about the relationship between aggression and exposure to violent media? Is the claim in this news story consistent with what I know about psychological processes? What

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additional information would help me decide?) Assessed through performance on in-class exams and activities, quizzes, written assignments, and online departmental pre- and post-tests. b. Knowledge Base in Psychology. By the end of this course, students should be able to: Describe key concepts, principles, and overarching themes in experimental, biological, cognitive, developmental, social, and applied psychology (e.g., What is operant conditioning? What is cognitive dissonance?). Assessed through performance on in-class exams and activities, quizzes, written assignments, and online departmental pre- and post-tests. Apply this knowledge to events and situations in their everyday lives (e.g., How could I use operant conditioning to train my cat? How does cognitive dissonance help explain why people remain committed to a position that seems to be failing?) Assessed through performance on in-class exams and activities, quizzes, written assignments, and contributions to class discussions.
III.

LEARNING ENVIRONMENT: Psychology is an intriguing, exciting discipline, and it is hoped

that you will discover your own fascination with psychology in this class. To facilitate this, you are encouraged to be an active participant in the learning process. Due to the large number of topics to cover in this class and the large number of students enrolled, most of the class will be an interactive lecture format. By interactive, I mean that I expect you to contribute your own knowledge and ideas during lectures, as I will be asking for class feedback and participation while I teach. I expect you to apply your own experiences up to now to the course material, and thoughtfully question the topics we cover in this course. You will be provided with many opportunities to demonstrate your mastery of the material through exams, quizzes, and written assignments, however I also expect you to participate in class discussions and contribute to the class. As your instructor, I have designed the course, planned the schedule and readings, and thought carefully about the types of assignments and format that would be best suited to the course goals. However, the primary responsibility for class discussions and the atmosphere of the course will rest with the students. The quality of the course will depend very much on the preparation and effort expended by members of this class. Thus, you are expected to have completed all assigned readings prior to the class for which assigned and to come to class with a basic knowledge of the topics so that you may participate fully in the class activities.

IV. TEXTS/MATERIALS/RESOURCES FOR THE COURSE: REQUIRED TEXTBOOK: Lilienfeld, S. O., Lynn, S. J., Namy,

L. L., & Woolf, N. J. (2013). Psychology: From Inquiry to Understanding. Custom Edition for University of Tennessee. Hoboken, NJ: Allyn & Bacon. ISBN 10: 1-269-43581-7; ISBN 13: 978-1-269-43581-9
This text covers core topics in psychology (e.g., research methods, human development, learning and memory) with an emphasis on psychological science, critical thinking, and realworld applications. While comprehensive, this textbook is in no way a complete or exhaustive overview of all the topics addressed by the science of psychology. However, the material in this book along with our work in class should provide you with a strong foundation to take more advanced courses in psychology later in your academic career, and with information that you may apply to your everyday life. All students in this section of Psychology 110 are required to purchase this book. You have two options for purchasing the book: (1) full eBook with access to MyPsychLab, an online learning system; or (2), for students who prefer a hard copy of the textbook, a loose-leaf version of the textbook. New copies come with the eBook and access to MyPsychLab for free. MyPsychLab is NOT required for this course, but you may find it useful when preparing for exams.

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a. BLACKBOARD COURSE: When you registered for the class you were automatically enrolled on the Blackboard website for your section of Psychology 110. Important announcements, supplemental resources, and daily graded assignments will be available through Blackboard. Students are responsible for all announcements and information posted on Blackboard, and thus all students are expected to have an active NetID account and to access Blackboard at least once before each class session.
V.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS, ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION METHODS: Exams (60% of grade): There will be four closed-book, in-class exams during the semester. Exams
will consist of multiple choice, matching, and fill-in-the-blank questions, and will cover material from the assigned readings (~30% of the test) and lecture/class activities (~70% of the test). To earn an A, you must be able to demonstrate a deep understanding of the concepts and an ability to apply the concepts; being able to recognize and/or reiterate definitions will not suffice. In general, exams will include only new material covered since the previous exam. However, some topics build on older topics, and as such, these older topics may come up again on later exams (e.g., to answer an exam question about social psychology, you may need to be able to describe and analyze an experiment, which in turn will require you to use terms covered in the research methods chapter). More details will be given closer to the exam. Each exam is worth 15% of your grade.

Exam Policies Arrive on time for each exam since no one will be allowed to take the examination after the first person turns in his or her examination and leaves the classroom. In other words, if you come to an examination after one person has turned in their test, you will miss that examination and receive a zero for that exam. There are no exceptions to this rule. You will take your exams on a scantron form, which you can purchase at the bookstore. Be sure you get the half sheet forms that are for Psychology. Scantron forms will not be available at the exams. If you do not have a form you may not be able to take the exam, so you should go to the bookstore and buy a bunch of forms. You will also need a #2 pencil. Bring your picture Student ID with you to each examination as we may ask to see it. You must fill in the identifying information on the scantron form correctly at the examination. This includes entering your full name, student ID number, and other information in the correct place on the form. Forms that are filled out incorrectly, are damaged (e.g., crumbled or folded) or are otherwise unscorable (e.g, from improperly erasing, marking multiple answers) will incur a 5-point penalty. If your form is unscorable and cannot be run through the scantron machine, you may be asked to bring a new scantron form to office hours so that you can complete a new form. This will delay processing of your grade. Directions for properly filling out the scantron will be provided at the beginning of each exam.

Quizzes (15% of grade): In order to fully assess your knowledge and understanding of the concepts described in the course readings and lectures, you are required to complete 2 quizzes worth 75 points each (7.5% of course grade). Quizzes will be administered through blackboard and are due at 11:59 pm on the date due listed in the course schedule.
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You may use your book or any course materials to complete the quizzes; however, you are to complete the quizzes independently and ARE NOT ALLOWED to work with any other person. Essay Assignments (10% of grade): In order to fully assess your knowledge and understanding of the concepts, you are required to complete 2 essays worth 50 points each (5% of course grade). Essays are to be submitted through Blackboard BEFORE THE START OF CLASS on the due date and will be run through the SafeAssign plagiarism tool (see below). Papers and any citations you use should be written in APA format (12 point Times New Roman font, 1 inch margins, double spaced). Rubrics and final assignment details will be posted on Blackboard. PAPER 1: DUE OCTOBER 2 Read ONE of the great myths in popular psychology from your textbook and write a 1 to 2 page paper discussing: (1) what you learned from the myth, (2) what you previously thought about the topic and whether the myth was surprising or not, (3) how the information relates to your life or how you behave or think, and (4) how the information relates to what you have learned in class or the textbook. PAPER 2: NOVEMBER 13 Watch a TV show or movie involving a character that has some form of mental illness, developmental disorder, or intellectual deficiency. After watching the show or film of your choice, write a 2 to 3 page paper including the following information: (1) the character and his/her symptoms, (2) how the symptoms interfere with his/her daily functioning, (3) the characters diagnosis (as diagnosed on the show/film or by you), (4) whether the actors portrayal of the disorder is accurate and fits with what we know about the disorder, and (5) what treatments may be appropriate for the character. You may use your book, class notes, or any other resource you desire to discuss the diagnosis and potential treatments. If you use any resource other than your book or notes, please cite the resource using APA format.
SafeAssign is a tool that helps students to prevent plagiarism by helping students to avoid inadvertently plagiarizing others work and helping instructors to detect plagiarism when it does occur. SafeAssign checks all submitted papers for unoriginal content and reports the results back to the student and the instructor. All of your papers will be submitted to SafeAssign on Blackboard. Please be aware that, in accordance with the academic dishonesty policy of the University of Tennessee, high unoriginality count in your final paper will result course failure.

Research Experience (12.75% of grade): Psychology is a science, which means it relies on research using the scientific method to gain new knowledge. Given how important research is to psychology, you are required to gain experience with and exposure to psychological research, consistent with a no-credit lab experience. You have two options for fulfilling this requirement: the research participation option or the research paper option. You will earn 1 credit (20 points, or 2% of your course grade) for each hour of research you participate in and for each paper you write. You must complete a total of 6 credits for the semester. This means you must participate in either 6 hours of research, complete 6 papers, or complete a combination of papers and research participation (ex. 4 hours of research and 2 papers for a total 6 hours). Of the total

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hours (6) only 3 hours can come from online research studies. DO NOT WAIT UNITL THE END OF THE SEMESTER TO COMPLETE THIS REQUIREMENT, AS AVAILABLE RESEARCH STUDY AND PAPER OPPORTUNITIES MAY BE LIMITED. See the attached handout for more information about these options. Regardless of which option you choose, you are required to create an account in SONA, our online research experience management system, by August 30, 2013. You will earn 7.5 points (0.75% of your course grade) for creating your SONA account by the deadline. Assessment (2.25% of grade): You will be contacted near the beginning, middle, and end of
the semester to complete a brief (20-30 minute) online survey about your learning and experience in PSYC 110 this semester. This survey is part of the Department of Psychologys regular assessments of its courses and -- because PSYC 110/117 is a University General Education course -- will also contain questions pertaining to the University's accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). Each time you complete the assessment, you will earn 7.5 points (0.75% of your course grade).
VI.

Grading Assignment Exam 1 Exam 2 Exam 3 Exam 4 Quiz 1 Quiz 2 Paper 1 Paper 2 Creation of SONA account by deadline Research Experience (2 @ 60 each) Course Assessments (2 @ 10 each) Total
Final Grade

Possible Points 150 150 150 150 75 75 50 50 7.5 120 22.5 1000
Total Points

A+ A AB+ B BC+ C CD
F

965-1000 925-964 895-924 865-894 825-864 795-824 765-794 725-764 695-724 650-694
<650

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VII.

University and Course Policies:

a. Make-up exams: If you are absent the day of an exam, you must have a valid excuse in order to be allowed to schedule the make-up. Valid excuses include documented illness, university-sanctioned travel, and observance of a religious holy day. Documentation of any absence will be requested. Students are expected to make all reasonable efforts to notify me of their absence in advance, but the excuse must be made known to me by the class period following the absence or the student will not be allowed to schedule a makeup without a penalty. Students who miss an in-class exam without a valid excuse or who fail to provide evidence of their excused absence by the next class period will be allowed to take the make-up with a 25% penalty; however, the make-up must be scheduled within one week of the original absence, or you will not be allowed to take the make-up at all. In all cases, make-ups will cover the same content as the regular exam. b. Late assignments: Unless otherwise indicated, all assignments are due at the beginning of class. Any assignment turned in after the deadline will be penalized 15% for every day it is late. For example, if the homework is due at 11:00 on Monday, and you turn it in at 12:00 on Monday, you will be penalized 15%. If you turn it in at 12:00 on Tuesday, you will be penalized 30%, etc. You may turn late assignments in at any time through Blackboard; therefore, the 15% per day penalty applies to weekends and holidays. If you submit a paper or assignment electronically and I am unable to open it (e.g., wrong file format or the file is corrupted), the paper will be considered late. Please note that an excused absence from class the day an assignment is due does not necessarily mean you have a valid excuse for not turning in the assignment on time. If you must miss class the day an assignment is due, you are expected to have someone else turn your paper in for you or to submit your paper electronically on time. If for some reason this is not possible, you must contact me immediately (preferably in advance) to explain the situation. I will determine what, if any, late penalties (as described above) will be assigned. c. Attendance: Aside from attendance on exam days, class attendance is strongly encouraged, but not required. However, it is unlikely that you will do well on exams if you do not attend regularly. If you miss a lecture for any reason, you will be responsible for all material covered and any announcements made in your absence. Lecture slides may or may not be posted on Blackboard. If slides are not available to the entire class, the slides will not be made available to students who are absent. Please try to get the phone number or e-mail address of at least one other person in the class so you may exchange notes if either of you is absent. Some materials may be available on-line through the Blackboard course page. d. Cell phones and other electronic devices. If you have a cell phone or other noisemaking electronic devices, we ask that you respect the learning environment of the class and silence them before class begins. Most importantly, note that ipods, cell phones, laptops, headphones, and other electronic devices are not permitted during quizzes or exams. Make sure you turn those devices off before the quiz/exam begins. Handling cell phones or other communication devices during an exam (regardless of your intentions) will be treated as cheating (See above section on academic honesty). Please be aware of this and take the necessary precautions beforehand to avoid an unnecessary and unpleasant situation for all of us. Furthermore, laptops are to be used in class for learning purposes only and if your computer or other electronic-use becomes a

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distraction to myself or other students, you will be asked to put it away. e. Classroom behavior: I encourage you to actively participate in class and to share your relevant comments, questions, and ideas. It is my expectation that your behavior at all times will be respectful -- of your classmates, yourself, and me. Language that is disrespectful based on race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, gender or gender expression, religion, ability, social class, or size will not be tolerated. I will always end and begin class on time. Please arrive on time and be attentive throughout the entire class do NOT begin packing up your belongings before class is dismissed or engage in private conversations during class, both of which are very distracting. Finally, please be sure to turn off your cell phones before class. It is my hope that if we all adhere to these minimal guidelines we will be able to engage in fun, thoughtful discussions and activities that make learning psychology what it should be: exciting. f. Communication: Email or coming to office hours is the best way to contact me if you have concerns or questions. Please understand that I receive a large volume of email each day and have numerous meetings throughout the week, so it will often be difficult for me to respond immediately to emails. However, I will make an effort to respond to emails within 48 hours of receiving them. I may not be available to respond to email during the weekend. When emailing your instructor, please follow these guidelines: First, make sure that the answer to your question is not already available on Blackboard or in your syllabus. Questions with answers that can be found within the syllabus or Blackboard documents will not receive replies. Identify yourself as a student in Psych 110 Sign the email with your full name Follow proper email etiquette If your email is not answered within a week, you may send a polite follow-up email to check on the status of your concern, but remember that the best way to get an answer is always to show up during office hours! g. Academic Integrity: I have zero-tolerance for academic misconduct. My goal in this class is to challenge you and to make you excited about learning. Cheating in any form is incompatible with this goal. Further, the UTK Honor Statement prohibits cheating, plagiarism, and any other type of academic dishonesty, (Hilltopics, p. 16). It is your responsibility as a student to be familiar with UTKs Code of Student Conduct, and policies on academic integrity and academic misconduct. These materials can be found in Hilltopics, and at the following web site: http://dos.utk.edu/files/Hilltopics 2012.pdf Evidence of academic misconduct will result in a failing grade for that assignment or a one-letter grade reduction in final course grade, whichever is larger, for any student(s) involved and will be formally reported to Student Judicial Services (SJS). A second offense will result in a failing grade for the entire course and a second report to SJS. h. Grade disputes: I welcome the opportunity to discuss with you any grade you receive in the course. If you simply seek clarification about the grade (e.g., Why did I lose points on this exam answer?), you may discuss the grade with me after class or in my office hours, but you must wait at least 24 hours after receiving the grade before talking with me. This is to allow you time to consider thoughtfully the feedback Ive already provided. If you disagree with a grade, however, you must present your rationale in writing to me.

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This rationale must include reference either to a specific page in the textbook or your class notes from a specific date. In addition, you must follow the 24/7 rule: You must wait 24 hours after receiving the grade to present your written rationale to me, and you must present the rationale to me within 7 days of receiving the grade. I will then carefully consider whether to adjust your grade or not. i. Grade adjustments: I intentionally designed the course so that there are multiple assignments that require varying types of skills and multiple opportunities to compensate for the occasional bad day (occasional extra credit opportunities, assignments that allow you to demonstrate your knowledge in different ways). Unfortunately, students sometimes still earn grades that are lower than they would like. Occasionally, such students ask me to bump their grades up after grades have been posted. Please understand that I cannot help you after grades are in. No matter how close you are to the next higher grade, I will not bump up any students grade at the end of the semester. If you want a good grade in the class, you must do well on the assignments. If you arent doing well on the assignments, you should come to office hours regularly, and/or schedule regular appointments during the semester, rather than ask me what you can do after the semester. Grade postings. Your examination, quiz, and written assignment scores will be posted on the Blackboard website. If you think there is an error in your score, you have until the next exam date to correct any errors for the just completed section of exams, papers, and quizzes. In other words, if you think there is an error in your score, come see me immediately. If we cannot locate your exam or quiz, you will not receive points for it. You should check these postings to be certain you have received all the credit you have earned.

j.

k. Students with Disabilities Policy: Any student who feels s/he may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact me privately to discuss your specific needs. Please contact the Office of Disability Services at 865-974-6087 in 2227 Dunford Hall to coordinate reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities.

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l. Technical difficulties. Experiencing technical problems is not an acceptable excuse for missing a deadline. If you are unable to submit an assignment on time or complete a chapter quiz as a result of computer or internet trouble, you will not receive credit. In order to avoid such complications, contact the Blackboard help desk and give yourself adequate time to resolve these issues before the deadline. Help Desk: http://online.utk.edu/contact/contact_default.shtml or 865.974.9900. The only exception to this rule will be if there is a system- or university-wide reason for the problem, in which it will be determined if a new deadline will be set for the assignment.

m. Office Hours. Office hours are held for your benefit. If you are having trouble in class, you should discuss it immediately. Most students wait until the end of the semester before they realize they are having problems in class. If you wait until the end of the semester, it may be too late so please see us in office hours ASAP. You are always welcome to drop by office hours. However, if you have something specific you would like to discuss (e.g., exam, specific topic in class), please email me or the TA to let us know you are coming for a particular issue. This will allow us time to prepare materials for our meeting. Come to Office Hours When: o You want to review an examination.

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o o o o o o
VIII.

You want to explore a topic more fully. You missed something in the lecture and need help figuring out what it was that you missed (e.g., something in the lecture notes, a point that was made, etc.). You need to investigate strategies for studying the course material. You want to discuss something about the class or psychology in general. You want to discuss interests, career options, or graduate school in psychology. You want me to remember who you are!

IMPORTANT DATES IN THE ACADEMIC CALENDAR FALL 2013 Last Day to Add Classes August 30, 2013 Last Day to Drop Course without W August 30, 2013 Last Day to Drop Course with w November 12, 2013 Last Day of Classes December 3, 2013 Study Day December 4, 2013 Final Exams December 5 - 12

This syllabus is subject to change; changes will be noted online in Blackboard, and a current version of the syllabus reflecting any changes will be available at all times through Blackboard. Students are responsible for ensuring they are referencing the most current version of this syllabus.

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Course Schedule
Day Date Chapter Topic Pages

Psychology is a Science: Foundations of Scientific Inquiry and Critical Thinking

W F M W F M W 21-Aug 23-Aug 26-Aug 28-Aug 30-Aug 2-Sep 4-Sep -1 1 2 2 2 Introduction to Course Psychology and Pseudoscience Scientific Thinking; Psychologys Past and Present Research Design: Case Studies and Correlations Research Design: Experiments NO CLASS Labor Day Holiday Ethics, Statistics & Peer Review 1 20 20 41 42 60 60 66 66 81 82 93 93 105 CH 1-2 106 121 Myth 1 122 135 135 163 135 163 CH 1-4, Myth 1 167 185 185 198 200 211 211 222 223 235 Myth 4 240 262 263 379 263 379 Myth 3 316 336 337 354 Ch 5-7, 9 Myths 3-4

Biological Approaches
F M W F M W F 6-Sep 9-Sep 11-Sep 13-Sep 16-Sep 18-Sep 20-Sep 3 3 3 4 4 4 -Biological Psychology: Nerve cells The Brain-Behavior Network and the Endocrine System QUIZ 1 DUE BY 11:59 PM Mapping the Mind; Nature-Nurture Sensation, Perception, & ESP Vision, Hearing, etc. Vision, Hearing, etc. Continued EXAM 1

Cognitive Approaches
M W F M W F M W F M W 23-Sep 25-Sep 27-Sep 30-Sep 2-Oct 4-Oct 7-Oct 9-Oct 11-Oct 14-Oct 16-Oct 5 5 6 6 6 7 7 7 9 9 -Sleep, Dreams, Altered Consciousness Altered Consciousness and Drugs Classical Conditioning Operant Conditioning Cognitive Models of Learning, Biological Influences, Learning Fads PAPER 1 DUE How memory operates; the three processes of memory The biology and development of memory; False Memories False Memories Cont. Intelligence and Intelligence Testing Intelligence Continued; Catch-up and Review EXAM 2

Applied psychology: Promoting happiness and health, understanding mental illness

F M W F 18-Oct 21-Oct 23-Oct 25-Oct 11 12 12 NO CLASS Fall Break Happiness, Self-Esteem, and Motivation What is Stress? How we adapt and react Coping with Stress 422 435, Myth 8 457 470 470 491

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Day M W F M W F

Date 28-Oct 30-Oct 1-Nov 4-Nov 6-Nov 8-Nov

Chapter 15 16 15/16 15 15

Topic What is mental Illness? QUIZ 2 DUE BY 11:59 PM What is psychotherapy? Is it effective? What about medication? Anxiety Disorders and treatments Mood disorders and suicide Dissociative disorders, schizophrenia, substance abuse EXAM 3

Pages 582 597 Ch 11-12, Myth 8 632 635; 651665 597 603; 635 651 603 610 610 629, Myth 6 Ch 11-12, 1516, Myth 6, 8

Human Development in Context: The power of the situation

M W F M W F M W F M 11-Nov 13-Nov 15-Nov 18-Nov 20-Nov 22-Nov 25-Nov 27-Nov 29-Nov 2-Dec 10 10 10 13 13 13 Human Development: Special considerations, physical development Cognitive Development PAPER 2 DUE Social and Moral Development Disorders of Childhood What is Social Psychology? Social Cognition: Attitudes and Persuasion Helping and Aggression Attitudes, Prejudice, and Discrimination Catch-up and Review NO CLASS Thanksgiving Break Nonverbal Expression, Attraction, Love and Hate FINAL EXAM 358 371 371 383 Myth 2 383 403 Myth 7 492 512 513 519 520 533

11

Tues., Dec. 10 12:30-2:30 PM

416 421; 443 450; Myth 5 Ch 10-11; 13 Myths 2, 5, 7

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