PSYCHOLOGY OF HAPPINESS/ADJUSTMENT

SPRING, 2006
PSY 3322 3.0 Course Credit Hours
Call Number 11639 9-12 Workload Hours (est.)
Section 001

Instructor: Dr. Teresa Nezworski

Office Phone and Voice Mail: 214-905-3033 Primary Office: Callier Dallas
email: nezworsk@utdallas.edu
Class Meeting: M 3:30- 6:15 pm Classroom: GR 4.301
Office Hours: M 1:00- 2:00 pm * Callier Richardson Office1.530*
*Please contact me to schedule an appointment and to verify my office location for the specified date and time.

Teaching Assistant: Brittney McGill

Phone and Voice Mail: 817-692-2705
email: bcm023000@utdallas.edu

Syllabus
Course Description
This upper level lecture course on the psychology of happiness and human adjustment
will present the most well-known psychological perspectives and research findings on
happiness, life satisfaction, optimal personality development, self-actualization, and the
nature of “the Good Life”. The themes of active coping and resilience will be
emphasized through consideration of biological factors, intrapersonal factors,
interpersonal contexts, and superordinate dimensions.

Required Text:
Santrock, John. (2006) Human Adjustment. New York: McGraw-Hill
ISBN: 0072990597

Expectations for Successful Achievement

The successful student will make it a priority to complete the required reading,
associated text assignments, homework assignments and attend the entirety of every
class meeting. They will bring their textbook to each class. Students are advised to
review their lecture notes and extensive text materials well in advance of the exam
dates. Students who actively participate in the learning assignments and ask relevant
questions during lecture generally show better achievement.

Class attendance is required. During class we will cover material discussed in the
required reading and I will also provide experiential opportunities and mini-experiments
for learning first hand about some of the strategies now considered important for
supporting individual adjustment and happiness. Many of these opportunities will
involve a small in-class assignment in which you will complete a questionnaire, write a

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short summary of your reactions to the experience, reflect on what you learned from
your homework assignment, etc.

In-class assignments must be handed in during class in order to obtain credit. No

assignments will be accepted by email. Every student will be given one “free day” on which
they can receive credit for a “missed” in-class assignment if they must be absent due to
illness or unavoidable emergency.

Students who are unable to attend the entire class lecture or who find themselves
unavoidably missing multiple classes due to illness, family emergency or other
circumstances should understand that their course grade will necessarily be reduced and
they may wish to consider dropping the course. If you find yourself in this situation, please
contact me as soon as possible so that I can help you review your options. No extra credit
opportunities will be offered as the reading and assignments for the course are already
extensive.

Homework assignments must be turned in to me or the teaching assistant during class time.
Assignments that are turned in past the due date will be penalized unless you provide
acceptable documentation of your illness or emergency.

It is each student’s responsibility to be an active learner and make their own notes from the
readings and lectures. Students who must be absent are responsible for obtaining all class
materials (announcements, changes in assignment dates, lecture notes, hand-outs,etc.)
from a willing classmate. I encourage you to maximize your learning by meeting with
classmates to discuss the course materials and lecture notes with a classmate who has
been unavoidably absent. Research findings show that students who tutor others
consolidate their own learning and gain as much or more in enhanced achievement than
those they tutor.

Students who wish to share their contact information with others enrolled in the course may
indicate this by checking the relevant box on the Course Roster sheet available on the first
day of class. I will compile a list of enrolled students that are interested in making contact
with others and distribute this in a later class.

I welcome your questions as I lecture, although at times I may need to minimize discussion
in order for us to cover the scheduled lecture content.

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Course Grading Overview
Course Grading will be based on student performance on two examinations, successful
completion of in-class assignments, homework assignments and student attendance
The examinations will be composed of multiple choice items, short answer items and
essay questions.
Exam I = 350 points possible
Final Exam= 350 points possible
Class Participation 75 points possible
In-Class Assignments 75 points possible
Homework Assignments 150 points possible
Overall Course= 1,000 points possible

Expected Grade Distribution

Course Grade A = 920-1000

B= 860-919
C= 720-859
D= 650-719

Exam Procedures
All students will be required to provide the instructor or exam proctor with their official
UTD Comet Card Photo Identification and sign-in prior to sitting for any examination.
The instructor or proctor will return each student's Comet Card when they turn in their
exam and leave the classroom. It is your responsibility to have your Comet Card
available. No other photo ID may be substituted. There will be no exceptions.

Missed Exam Policy

You must be present for exams at the time they are scheduled.
If you might miss an exam due to emergency, serious illness, or you have more than
two final exams scheduled on the same day as an exam for this course, you must notify
me prior to the exam date/time.

If you wait to contact me after the scheduled exam time, you must be ready to provide
acceptable documentation of the extenuating circumstance that prevented you from
contacting me prior to exam time or you will not be able to make up the exam.

Make up exams due to illness will be given only if you have acceptable documentation
from your health care provider. Make up exams due to family crisis or emergency will
be given at the discretion of the instructor. If you believe, you have a true family crisis
or emergency and will need to take a make-up exam, contact me as soon as possible
by telephone to discuss the situation.

Students who miss an exam without following this policy will receive a 0 test score.

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Class Participation
Timely completion of the assigned readings will be essential for effective class
participation and learning. Participation in classroom activities that encourage learning
will be worth 5 points per class (Total possible =75). Points for participation will be
awarded for attendance for the entire class period, showing initiative in class discussion
and activities, asking good questions, making comments that are relevant to those of
previous speakers and the discussion topic specified by the instructor. In order to take
attendance efficiently, students will have assigned seats beginning with the second
class meeting on January 23, 2006.

In Class Assignments
A variety of In-Class Assignments will be distributed during the course of our weekly
lecture time. These small projects will be based on required reading, class
presentations and homework and are designed to be completed during our class period
(Total possible =75). In order to receive full credit for these assignments, be sure to
include your name on all written work and hand it in before you leave the classroom.

Tips for Class and Exam Preparation

1. Preview the chapter outline and skim your reading assignment.

2. Complete every Self-Assessment included in the text. To deepen, your
understanding, there are additional self-assessments for you to complete on the
text's Online Learning Center.
3. Concentrate on the identified Learning Goals as you read each chapter.
Be sure to study all the text boxes, photos, graphs, tables, etc.
4. Review and test yourself by writing out the answers to the Review and Reflect
Questions.
5. Know/memorize the Key Terms (critical vocabulary).
6. Know the recommended adjustment strategies and what they are based on.
7. Know the information in each chapter Summary.
8. Practice your critical thinking skills by completing identified exercises in the Online
Learning Center and the Apply Your Knowledge assignments
9. Bring your textbook to every class meeting. You will be need it for in-class
assignments.
10. Commit sufficient time to reading and study.

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 Class Schedule and Readings

Date Topic Chapter

Jan 9 Adjusting to Life 1

Jan 16 No Class- MLK Holiday 2

Jan 23 Self, Identity & Values 3

Jan 30 Stress 4

Feb 6 Coping 5
Homework: Self Help Book Review Due

Feb 13 Social Influence 6

Feb 20 Communicating Effectively 7

Feb 27 Friendship & Love 8

Exam 1

March 6 Spring Break

March 13 Adult Lifestyles & Work 9, 10

March 20 Adult Development & Aging 11

March 27 Gender Issues & Sexuality 12, 13

April 3 Psychological Disorders 14

April 10 Therapies 15

April 17 Health Issues 16

April 24 Exam II

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 Homework Assignment: Review of Self-Help Book
Date Due: Beginning of Class on February 6th

Value: 20 points

Review Textbook Section "Adjustment Strategies for Selecting a Self-Help Book"

Identify a problem with which you or someone you know well has personal experience.
Select a self-help book that addresses the problem. Read the book and evaluate it
according to the following criteria.

Does it make realistic recommendations?

What is the quality of the evidence on which the recommendations are based?

What causal factors are suggested? How complex is the explanation and discussion?
How are the intervention strategies/recommendations related to the identified causes?

How well does the book specify the problem and provide detailed guidance
for those who are struggling with the issue?

Look for psychobabble and slick writing. Provide quotes with citation for examples you
identify in the book.

Describe the author's credentials. Why should the author be expected to

be an expert on the problem?

What does this author say is the conventional knowledge or basis for
understanding the specific problem? Are they basing their discussion and
recommendations on peer-reviewed research? personal experience? What else? How
is their discussion and recommendations similar and different from what has already
been written?

Is the book clearly written and likely to be easily understood by the general public?

Summarize your review with a statement about the overall value of the book

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Your Review paper should include:

1. Name and UTD ID#.

2. Complete citation (APA format) for the book you select.

3. Each item shown above. Please use bold and underline formatting in the
manner shown above.

4. Your answer and brief explanation should follow immediately underneath.

5. Complete sentences with good grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc.

Be sure to proof-read your paper before turning it in!