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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY
COURSE CODE: "PS 101-2"
COURSE NAME: "General Psychology"
SEMESTER & YEAR:
Spring Semester 2012
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SYLLABUS
INSTRUCTOR:
Luti Elaine
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS:
TTH 11:30-12:45
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS:
45
CREDITS:
3
PREREQUISITES:
OFFICE HOURS:
before and after class and by appointment
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COURSE DESCRIPTION:
The
aim of this course is to introduce the student to some of the many
areas of research in the field of psychology, with particular emphasis
on the epistemological bases of different psychological theories. The
course is designed to foster a capacity for critical analysis: of
psychological readings, of research and of the application of
theoretical models.
Because psychology is a field with many
conflicting theories and where there is disagreement even on the simplest
methodological questions, emphasis will be given to the importance of
reading psychological literature with a critical eye. It will
emphasize the centrality of theories and how they influence the
gathering of data and the difficulty of objectivity in a field where
the object of study - the human mind - is also its primary tool. By
the end of the course, the student should be able to write coherent
essays utilizing this critical analysis and to apply the information
gained to new contexts.
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SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:
This
course will introduce the study of psychology in some of its many
facets: the
brain, perception, learning, language, intelligence, consciousness, motivation,
development,
personality, social influences, pathology.
Most
students take psychology for its intrinsic interest: why we are the way we
are. This factor will determine the
choice of emphasis in the different areas of psychology, in an attempt to bring
the scientific and scholarly aspects of the field into the realm of everyday
life with relevance for understanding the student's personal experiences as
well as more general theoretical issues.
In the
following schedule, note that "units" do not refer to class meetings
but to topics that will take more or less than one class meeting. The
following outline represents the sequence of topics, but the time
dedicated to each varies with each class, depending on student
interest, amount of class discussion generated, and difficulty.
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LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Critical understanding of psychological theories and the research they generate;
Ability to critically analyze articles on psychology;
Ability to apply knowledge acquired in the course in new contexts;
Ability to express in writing coherent arguments concerning psychological issues.
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TEXTBOOK:
| Book Title | Author | Publisher | ISBN number | Library Call Number | Comments | Format | Local Bookstore | Online Purchase |
| Psychology | Kowalski, Westen | Wiley | ISBN 978-0-470-64644-1 | | This book does not need to be the latest edition, though page numbers can vary | | | |
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REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
| Book Title | Author | Publisher | ISBN number | Library Call Number | Comments |
| The mismeasure of man | Steven Jay Gould | | 0393314251 (0-393-31425-1) | | Readings will be required from this book |
| It Ain't Necessarily So | Lewontin | | 978-0-940322-95-0 | | |
| The Language Instinct | pinker | | 0-06-097651-9. | | |
| the feeling of what happens | damasio | | 9780099288763 | | |
| Punished by Rewards | Alfie Kohn | | 10: 0618001816 / 0-618-00181-6. | | |
RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
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GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
| Assignment | Guidelines | Weight |
| homework essays (300 to 500 words) | There will be several required homework essays on topics to be announced (check the website regularly) which, together, will count for 20% of the grade. Essays that are not satisfactory will be rewritten. This is an important component of the learning process. Some of these may be assigned as group projects. | 20% |
| "main points and questions" | At the end of each class the student will hand in a sentence or two where he will indicate one of the the main points of the lesson and ask any questions that may have been stimulated by the contents of the lesson and that weren't asked in class. These will be addressed at the beginning of the following class. <br />
These will help me determine if the class is understanding the material, and will be an important source of feedback and extra credit. | extra credit |
| optional homework essays | As we approach the exams I will assign optional homework essays that will be useful as practice for the exams, where the student can receive feedback and which can give extra credit if they are well done. | extra credit |
| Midterm exam | An in-class essay exam will be held in the middle of the semester during a usual class session (1 and 1/4 hours). | 30% |
| Final exam | A final, cumulative essay exam will be given during final exam week on the scheduled date and will last 2 and 1/2 hours. <br />
This exam will be averaged as 40% of the total grade, but if it is an improvement over the midterm, it will also replace the midterm in the calculation of the final grade. (For example, if the student receives a D on the midterm and a B on the final, the midterm will also be calculated as a B, because it will indicate that the student has improved since the midterm. | 40% (or more) |
-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
A will be awarded for work showing thorough understanding of
the material and the theoretical framework behind it and ability to apply it in other contexts
B for work that shows understanding as well as knowledge
C for work that is mediocre in understanding and knowledge
D for work that is deficient in understanding and knowledge
All
exams and papers will be in essay form and will require
critical analysis of the material, its application, comparisons and
confrontations. Exams will be with open books and notes. This means
the knowledge of the material is almost irrelevant for assessment, but
is taken for granted. Students will need to be able to find the
information and apply it. These exams are more, not less difficult.
Papers that are late for any reason and rewrites will be
graded down.
Papers that are not acceptable, and the midterm, will be redone.
-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Students are presumed to be responsible adults who will come to class and get the material when they are absent. The fact that I don't directly factor in attendance to the grade should not lead anyone to presume it's not important. In fact, since the class lectures are extremely important for the course, it is
highly unlikely to pass the course without attending. Students, in any
case, are responsible for all material covered in class. They should regularly check the website (myjcu) to find out if any homework was assigned.
In case of any doubts concerning the assignments they should email me at [email protected]
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ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic
dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred.
In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment,
may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of
academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student
who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from
the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation
to the President, who will make the final decision.
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STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap.
Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning
of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.
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SCHEDULE
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Units may vary in length and do not necessarily correspond to class sessions - any unit may take more or less than one class session.
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Unit
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Reading
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Topics
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1
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Ch 1,
reading on epistemology
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Epistemological issues: What is psychology? How do psychologists think? Is psychology a science? Popper – principle of falsifiability; Is objectivity possible? Function of theories in determining what it is relevant to observe, perspectives in psychology
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2
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chapter 2 text
reading Lewontin: Sex, lies and social science,
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Research methods. Experimental,. descriptive and correlation. Evaluating research in psychology.
-assignment: paper 1
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3
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chapter 3 text p65-74, 87–96
ch 9 to pg 298,
ch,10 344 - 364
readings:
Rizzolatti, Damazio
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Body and mind biological bases of mental life. The neuron, neurotransmitters, the central nervous system, the cortex, Mirror neurons, the biology of emotion. Chemical and organic theories of emotion and pathology – interactionist approach. Consciousness. Emotion
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4
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Chapter 4 text
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Perception. Perception as the interpretation of sensation. Findings of the Gestalt psychologists. Perception as the formation of theories Influences on perception.
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5
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Chapter 5 text
readings: 1.an alternative learning theory 2. Kohn – punished by rewards
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Learning. The behaviorist perspective: learning as conditioning: Pavlov and classical conditioning, , Thorndike, Skinner, and operant conditioning; Cognitive-social theory
Learning in the real world, Popper's criticism of the behaviorist approach. Learning as formation of strategies rather than trial and error.
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6
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chapter 7, text p 260-275
Readings:
Language dev. Notes, Pinker
Chatterboxes
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Thought and Language. Language and its relationship to thought, elements of language, types of language, language development, environmental factors, innate factors. Chomsky and the theory of language as an innate tendency. Transformational grammar. The special function of language in human life: verbalization in therapy.
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7
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chapter 8 text
Reading: Gould the mismeasure of man
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Intelligence: is there intelligence outside of intelligence tests? Approaches to intelligence, Heredity and other factors influencing intelligence, extremes of intelligence, social issues: how the definition of intelligence has gone hand in hand with the development of intelligence tests. Binet and the value of intelligence tests; his successors and the misuse and abuse of intelligence tests.
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8
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Chapter 10 text p 317-328, 340-343, Ch. 13 to p 466, handouts on Instincts
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Motivation – perspectives: Evolutionary, psychodynamic, behaviorist, cognitive, Primary and secondary drives, instincts, the hydraulic model vs. information model. Lorenz and imprinting
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9
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chapter 12 text reading: Freud
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Personality – why there are conflicting theories. The impossibility of objectivity. Perspectives in personality theory. Psychoanalytic theory, the neo-Freudians, object relations theory perspectives, cont. cognitive-.social theories, trait theory, humanistic theory, personality and culture
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11
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chapter 14 reading: Attachment
2. Karen: avoidant society
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Social development: Attachment and development. The work of John Bowlby. Secondary vs. primary drive theories of attachment. Harlow's experiment. Function of attachment as instinctive behavior Protection from predators. Attachment in primates. Importance of healthy attachment for development. Working models of attachment. Anxious attachment. cognition, moral development and the emergence of empathy. Life span development, Erikson
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12
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chapter 15, text, reading: Mental health & pathology;
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Psychological disorders: Concept of "Normality"; Approaches: Psychodynamic: degrees and types of disturbance, other perspectives
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14
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Chapter 17, text
Chapter 18, text
Class notes on social psych
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Attitudes and Social Cognition and interpersonal processes: attitudes, cognitive dissonance, social cognition, stereotypes, prejudice, self-attribution, the self, self-esteem, relationships, evolutionary psychology, attachment, altruism, violence, social influence. Violence and evil, altruism and heroism.
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