PSY 111AR Introduction to Psychology

Spring Semester, 1998 at Houghton College

Paul Young, Department of Psychology

Office: Academic Building N - 324

Phone: 567-9308

e-mail: pyoung@houghton.edu

Office hours: 10- 10:50 a.m. daily or by appointment

Scientific study of human behavior. Fundamental facts, theories, issues, concepts, and principles of psychology.

1. To develop a broad understanding of the many parts of psychology and the methods of gathering and evaluating relevant evidence.

2. To appreciate ways in which psychological knowledge may be applied to the problems of life.

3. To understand, compare, and evaluate the major ideas, concepts, and theories in psychology.

4. To develop skills in critical thinking.

5. To understand more of what it is to be human.

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Upon successfully completing this course, you should be able to

1. Recognize and cogently discuss major psychological principles.

2. Connect and explain the theories upon which major principles are based.

3. Identify the theorists and worldviews from which major principles arise.

4. Use psychological theory to analyse and explain examples of human behavior.

5. Communicate more clearly in writing.

6. Critically analyze and evaluate information and assess the relative validity of different sources of information.

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This is an R-course. If you are using this course to fulfill your integrative studies research requirement, you must:

1. Attend and complete all assignments in six scheduled library sessions. Prof. Linda Doezema will distribute a separate syllabus and signup schedules, and she will give me a list of the names of students who successfully complete the library sessions.

2. Complete the research term paper.

If you complete both the library requirements and the research paper satisfactorily, I will certify to the records office that you have met the R-esearch requirement.

If you have already met your R requirement through another course, you are not required to attend the library sessions again. Nonetheless, you still must complete the research term paper for this course.

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Carlson, N.R. & Buskist, W. (1997) Psychology: The science of behavior, 5th ed. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Purchase this as the PsychWorks Book in a Box. I recommend a 2" binder, as well.

1. Participate. In addition to attending every class session, you will be expected to participate in the course in the following ways:

a. Class projects and reaction/application papers, assigned irregularly through the semester

b. Electronic discussion. I intend for the class to have ongoing discussion through electronic means during the semester. The main channel is to be the shared folder set up in Groupwise. Alternatively, you may use direct e-mail on occasion. I prefer the folder, since that permits everyone to benefit from your wisdom and experience.

Electronic discussion is designed to continue class discussions after meeting times, to raise issues that have come up in your readings, conversations, or thinking, and to give a voice to people who do not have the opportunity to speak in class.

For each substantive contribution you make in electronic discussion, I will record 1/2 point toward your final grade, up to a maximum of five points. Check the discussion folder at least twice per week.

c. Peer evaluation of a classmate's research and writing of the term paper, as explained in 4, below.

2. Read the book. Follow the schedule in the calendar. I will attempt to assess your reading through

a. In-class quizzes and writing assignments, unscheduled

b. A completed summary sheet for each chapter. You may use a notebook or an electronic portfolio, as you prefer. A suggested format will be attached to the course website.

i. Record a general outline of the chapter. Under each point, list the key terms.

ii. Identify any researchers whose experiments are explained in detail.

iii. Write down questions which occur to you as you read. Make them significant. If none come to you, read the section again.

iv. Identify connections between material in the book and what you have learned in class, in other courses, and in life.

Grading will emphasize items iii and iv.

If you are concise, one page of notes will suffice for each chapter. You may choose the day, but be sure that I grade your notebook at least once in each month of the course. I will give you my comments on the spot, and record my rating of your work.

3. Write three examinations:

Examinations are essay format, and include terms and concepts to identify, define or explain. You may be asked questions about assigned electronic material as well as class content and assigned research. Your answers will be graded for presentation (English usage and organization) as well as content.

Friday, February 6............................15%

Friday, March 13..............................15%

Friday, May 1, 8 a.m........................20%

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4. Term paper ...............................................15%

a. Choose a topic on which you wish to become expert. You may get ideas from the table of contents in the textbook, or any other relevant source. If you are really stuck, see me for suggestions. Please have your topic approved orally by January 21.

b. Your topic, along with a paragraph describing what you hope to learn by writing this paper, and a working bibliography of not less than 12 scholarly, primary sources must be submitted typed in APA format by February 2. Use your Research skills!

c. A first draft, with sources cited, is due by March 4. Before submitting the draft, have your peer reviewer read it. Your reviewer should circle all errors of grammar and spelling, and make written comments about organization, clarity of expression, and style.

Print a copy of the peer review sheet from the course website, and attach it to the front of your draft before giving it to your peer reviewer. You may also wish to consult the Essay Evaluation Sheet which I will return with your draft and my comments.

The peer reviewer's evaluation will be part of her participation grade for this course. Each peer reviewer should read only one draft, so that all class members may take part in the review process.

d. A final copy, in APA style with formal citations and an alphabetical reference list, is due April 3. The neatness, English usage, punctuation, and spelling should reflect the seriousness with which you take your work. Again, before submitting your copy, have your peer reviewer proofread the final draft and circle (in pencil or electronically) all errors. Correct the errors before submitting your work. Have your peer reviewer sign the cover sheet.

5. PsychSim modules. To aid your mastery of psychology concepts you read about and hear about in class, the computer program PsychSim is available in all the labs on campus. (Unfortunately, laptop users, it is not yet on the campus wide network for even easier access.) PsychSim provides 19 different modules that relate to our text chapters.

Select any 5 modules to do. Each module has a rather brief worksheet to complete. You may do more just for fun, but you will not receive extra credit. Turn labs in within a week of the time you do the module. Be smart: spread them across the semester.

Work individually: These are not team projects.

Finding PsychSim on the lab computer:

a.Once you log on using your password, point the arrow and click on Start (lower left), go up to PC lab programs, go right to Psychology and Sociology, then go right again and click on PsychSim.

b. If you get an error message saying," MV/audio will not work", just click ok and move on.

c. If the window does not fill your screen, then point the arrow to the middle of the three buttons at the top right of the PsychSim window and click.

d. To exit , click on the upper right button marked X.

 Finding the module lab sheets: Separate file folders containing lab sheets for each module are in the Reading Room (N303). They are in the top drawer of the small, light tan file cabinet. Take only one sheet for any module. You may want to read descriptions of each of the modules in the folder titled, "The PsychSim Modules-Descriptions," but do not remove the description sheet. Return it to the file folder and leave it in the front of the file drawer. Take sheets from folders only after you have decided to complete that module. This is an honor system, so let's make it work. Do not be wasteful and do not plagiarize another student's work. Work alone for better learning and greater satisfaction.

6. Research Participation. Participation in on-going psychological research is a useful, informative, and interesting means of enhancing your understanding of psychology. Participating in an experiment will typically involve about one hour actively in the research laboratory, and another hour preparing a brief report of your experience.

 Current research in the department of psychology is primarily in the area of learning and social psychology. You may take part in any of the available studies, but if you are under age 18 you must get a note from your parent or guardian giving permission for you to participate in the specific experiment

Participation in any study is voluntary, and you may withdraw from any experiment at any time even after your role in the study is completed.

Researchers will not subject you to any painful or uncomfortable experiences. Investigators are obligated to treat you with respect and dignity, as a colleague in research. You will be given a brief description of the study when you arrive at the laboratory, and you may decline to participate without penalty or prejudice. Your behavior during the experiment and any information you provide will be held in confidence.

 If you feel that you have been mistreated in any way as a result of this research requirement, you are encouraged to make your feelings known to the Department Chair or Associate Dean. If they are unable to settle the problem to your satisfaction, they will refer it to the Academic Dean.

 Upon completing your participation, you are entitled to a full explanation of the study and of your role in it. You may ask any questions you wish, and you may expect truthful answers. Occasionally, the researcher may wish to delay answering some of your questions. If that is the case, you will receive another opportunity at a later time, probably during a regular class session.

 After completing your participation in an experiment, write a one-page report which describes the study and your role in it. Be sure to include the research hypothesis.

 If for any reason you do not wish to participate in any experiment, you may elect one of these alternatives without penalty or prejudice:

 1. Read three articles from any one psychological research journal. Write a synopsis of each. Total expected length: 2-3 pages.

 2. Write a descriptive survey of three separate experiments currently underway in the department of psychology: 2-3 pages

 3. Outline the design of an experiment you would like to conduct, in any area of psychology: 2-3 pages.

 4. Prepare any similar assignment to which your instructor agrees.

 Fulfillment of any of the other assignments above yields course credit equal to that obtained from research participation.

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Narcolepsy, a sleeping disorder, is explained in this Website by current students Gregory Bayse and Lori Scott. It is a good example of format for a course project.

 Although not required, all students could benefit from reviewing the APA pamphlet, An Introduction to Library Research in Psychology. It is found on-line at http://www.apa.org/science/lib.html.

a) PsychWeb (http://www.gasou.edu/psychweb/psychweb.html)

b) American Psychological Association (http://www.apa.org)

c) Whole Brain Atlas (http://www.med.harvard.edu:80/AANLIB/home.html)

d) The Psychology Place is a website from Peregrine Publishers, and it is accessible free of charge until April 30. Use the following parameters to gain access to this site: Student User ID: stu/spring98 For a password, type open This site offers interactive learning activities and new research results.

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A discussion group folder has been added to your Groupwise account. It should show up in the left panel of your Groupwise screen as a folder labeled Discussion group under Introduction to Psychology under your Cabinet files. If there is a plus sign (+) in the box to the left of your Cabinet files icon, click it to show the folders available: one of them should be Introduction to Psychology.

When you get to the Discussion group icon, it chould have a receiving hand over a folder icon. If it doesn't, please let me know.

To post a message to the Discussion group, click on the icon, then click File...New...Discussion. That will open a dialog box, and you can send an e-mail as usual.

Remember that items you post to the discussion group may be read by any member of the class, including the teacher. However, nobody else has access to your musings.

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First posted 9 January, 1998. Last updated 29 April, 1998

Copyright Paul D. Young