Professor

Jhon Wlaschin
Office:

117 GLC

Office Hours:
M,W,F 1:00-3:00
and by appointment
Email
jwlaschin01@hamline.edu
Class Meetings
MWF 9:10 10:10
GLC 106 W

PSY 1330 01
Spring 2015

PSYC 100-02

General Psychology
Course Description
Introduction
to Psychology
Psychology 1330 is an introduction to the scientific study
of human thought and behavior. This course is designed
for students who may major or minor in psychology and
serves as a foundation for upper level courses in
psychology. It is also an excellent addition for any nonpsychology student who is interested in understanding
people at a deeper level. This course introduces the major
theories, methods, and findings of modern psychology to
examine how the thoughts, feelings and behaviors of
humans are influenced by biological, social and
environmental factors.

Please note: I enjoy meeting with

students and look forward to
getting to know you better during
office hours. I believe that you
will learn most effectively in an
atmosphere that is comfortable,
productive and fun. If there is a
concept or topic you do not
understand, I encourage you to
meet with me to discuss it in a
way that makes sense to you. Feel
free to stop by my office to discuss
any other issues about psychology
you are curious about such as
getting into graduate school or
possible ways that psychology
could apply to your future career.

We will cover a diverse set of topics such as perception,

communication, learning, memory, decision-making,
persuasion, relationships and personality. We will
explore how these aspects of the mind develop in children,
how they differ across people and how they break down
due to illness and injury.
Together we will begin to understand how useful
psychology is and I will help you discover many ways for
applying this information to your own life. I hope the
science of psychology will provide you with wisdom about
how you interact with your environment, interpret the
behavior of others and clarify the processes involved with
how you have become a unique individual.

Course Goals and Structure

By the end of the course you will understand how a psychological perspective brings an
appreciation for the complexities of human behavior. Students who do well in this class will:
understand the important concepts, theoretical perspectives, research methods, and research findings
in psychology
think critically and logically about research findings and explain human behavior with terms used in
psychology
become a knowledgeable consumer of psychological and scientific research
Lectures
Lectures will often go beyond the material in the textbook so it is important you attend class.
I hate to be the only person talking in the room so I will often encourage you to contribute
your thoughts, questions, and personal experiences relevant to the lecture topics. It is
important that you all find many ways to translate your thoughts about this class into
conversation. Doing so will help turn abstract concepts into tools that you can use in your
own life. Lectures will often be supplemented with videos, class discussions, small group
activities, and demonstrations. If you miss a lecture for whatever reason, you should get notes
from at least one, preferably two, of your fellow students. I will post the lecture slides on
blackboard.
Small group discussions/activities
You will be provided with an opportunity to engage in small group discussions and activities
with your fellow classmates. In general, these will be related to materials presented in lecture
and occur on Wednesdays or Fridays. Activities will occur in class and most will not require
advance preparation. Each activity will require a small amount of assessment and writing
based on the reading for that week and will be worth 3 points. The activities can not be
made up if you are absent on the days they are completed in class. You can drop 1
grade for these discussion section assignments, so your final grade will be based on the
percentage of total points from 11 of the 12 discussion activities. You may keep the additional
points as extra credit if you complete all 12 activities.
Homework assignments
Each week there will be a few short essay type questions for you to complete as homework. I
will post these questions on Blackboard. You will download them, complete and turn them in
with your discussion activity on Friday. They are also worth 3 points. Points will be awarded
roughly as follows:
Have you followed instructions? Does your response suggest that you understand the
question and are evaluating the information? Are you forming connections to your own
experience? Have you provided supporting evidence or original insight to make your
point?
Homework essays are designed to encourage you to practice writing about the different
psychological concepts each week. Do your best to translate these concepts into your own
words and avoid copying directly from the book. Like the discussion activities, you may drop 1
homework assignment without penalty to your grade percentage. If you know you will be
absent on a particular Friday, you may turn in homework early either in person or by
uploading directly to Blackboard. In general, I will not accept late homework unless you have
discussed your issue with me directly.
2

Quizzes, Exams and Grades

Practice quizzes
On Blackboard there are practice quizzes for each chapter of the Lilienfeld text that you will
take outside of class. Each quiz consists of 10 multiple-choice questions. They are worth a
total of 5 points each. You can take them as often as you need to earn all 5 points. The
quizzes will be available for you to take all semester long. Each one is timed for 30 minutes.
Many of the questions you see in the quizzes will be the same items you see on the exams.
The more you practice taking these quizzes, the better you will get a taking multiple choice
tests and the more familiar you will get with the key topics in each chapter. Often quiz items
will ask about specific details in the book that are not covered in class. Your ability to get
these items correct assesses how carefully you have read the textbook.
This is a survey course that will cover a lot of material. It is critical that you form a
routine early on that keeps you up to date with the reading. The homework and the
bylineabout the material
practice quizzes will help you focus and organize your thinking
in each chapter. Making a habit of completing the specific [Name]
homework and chapter
quiz each week will put you in an excellent position for doing well in this class.
Exams
There will be three 50 point multiple choice exams held during class time and a 100 point
multiple choice final exam. The final will be cumulative but a majority of the items will come
from the sections covered after the 3rd exam. Please let me know well in advance if you cannot
attend the scheduled time of an exam.
GRADES
Writing assignments, quizzes and exams will count toward your total grade as follows.
ITEM
Quizzes (14 total)
Exam 1
Exam 2
Exam 3
Final Exam
Discussion activities (11 of 12)
Homework (11 of 12)
TOTAL Points

POINTS
70 points
50
50
50
100
33
33
386

APPROXIMATE %
~20% of total grade
~12%
~12%
~12%
~26%
~9 %
~9 %

Grades will be determined on a scale based on the following breakdown. These are rough
approximations of the percentage of total points earned.
A
A-

92-100%
90-92

B+
B
B-

87-89
83-86
80-82

C+
C
C-

77-79
73-76
70-72

D+
D
D-

67-69
63-66
60-62

59 and below

Course Policies
Diversity of Views and Class Etiquette:
At times in this course, topics will be discussed and/or debated. Debates and discussion are a mainstay
of academic life! Although you may encounter others with different opinions, you are expected to be
respectful of the opinions and views of others and make efforts to maintain the privacy and respect of
the other members of the class. Behavior that negatively affects the learning environment of the class is
discouraged, and if disruptive enough, a student may be referred to the appropriate committees.
ESL Policy:
If English is not your first language and you believe you will need more than the time allotted to
complete the exam, please see the instructor. Foreign language dictionaries will not be allowed in
exams but all students may ask for help with words that are not technical psychological terms. Please
feel free to discuss any concerns with the instructor.
Scholastic Dishonesty:
Any act that violates the rights of other students with respect to academic work that involves
misrepresentation of a students own work is scholastic dishonesty, including (but not limited to)
cheating on assignments or exams. Scholastic dishonesty will not be tolerated: students who cheat or
engage in unauthorized collaboration on an exam or assignment will receive a zero and may risk failing
the entire course. In addition, instances of scholastic dishonesty may be reported to an appropriate
Scholastic Conduct Committee or Deans Office. Please refer to Hamline University Honor Code on
what constitutes academic dishonesty and misconduct.
Students with Disabilities or Special Needs:
It is the university policy to provide, on a flexible and individualized basis, reasonable accommodations
to students who have disabilities that may affect their ability to participate in course activities or to meet
course requirements. Students who seek special or compensatory arrangements with respect to the
course or testing are encouraged to contact the instructor and Disability Services (651)523-2521 as early
as possible. Please consult Hamline University policies on what constitutes a disability.
Hamline University Counseling Center: (651)523-2204
Website: http://www.hamline.edu/hamline_info/offices_services/student_relations/studentaffairs/chs/
Walk-In Counseling Center: A free, non-profit counseling center open in the afternoon and early evenings. No appt.
needed (612) 870-0565 Address: 2421 Chicago Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55404. Website: www.walkin.org
Crisis Intervention Center at Hennepin County Medical Center: 24-hour psychiatric emergency room
(612) 347-3161
Crisis Connection: (612) 873-3161
Suicide Hotline: (612) 347-2222

Course Schedule
Week
1
2

8
9
10

11

12

13

14

15
16

Day Date
W
Feb 4
F
Feb 6
M
Feb 9
W
Feb 11
F
Feb 13
M
Feb 16
W
Feb 18
F
Feb 20
M
Feb 23
W
Feb 25
F
Feb 27
M
Mar 2
W
Mar 4
F
Mar 6
M
Mar 9
W
Mar 11
F
Mar 13
M
Mar 16
W
Mar 18
F
Mar 20
M
Mar 23
W
Mar 25
F
Mar 27
Mar 30 Apr 3
M
Apr 6
W
Apr 8
F
Apr 10
M
Apr 13
W
Apr 15
F
Apr 17
M
Apr 20
W
Apr 22
F
Apr 24
M
Apr 27
W
Apr 29
F
May 1
M
May 4
W
May 6
F
May 8
M
May 11
W
May 13
F
May 15
M
May 18

Topic
Introductions
Scientific Thinking
Foundations of Psychology
Research Methods

Text

Homework
& Activities

Quiz

Ch. 1
Ch. 2

A1
HW1

Q2

Biological Basis of Behavior

Ch. 3

A2
HW2

Q3

Sensation and Perception

Ch. 4

A3
HW 3

Q4

Memory

Ch 7

A4
HW 4

Q5

Learning

Ch 6

A5
HW 5

Q6

Thinking, Reasoning and Language

Ch 8

Q7

Emotion and Motivation

Ch 11

A6
HW 6
A7
HW 7

Q1

Exam 1

Q8

Exam 2
Spring Break
Human Development

Ch 10

A8
HW 8

Q9

Social Psychology

Ch 13

A9
HW 9

Q10

Personality

Ch 14

A10
HW 10

Q11

Ch 12

A 11
HW 11

Q 12

Exam 3
Stress & Health
Psychological Disorders

Ch. 15

A12

Q13

Treatments

Ch 16

HW 12

Q14

Final Exam 10 AM-Noon

This syllabus is subject to change. I will notify you in advance when any such changes
occur and will post an updated syllabus on Blackboard