Introduction to Psychology s8

Tentative1 Introduction to Psychology Syllabus Psych 1a Section 1 – Fall 2017

Instructor: Ellen J Wright, PhD Office Hours: Tu 9:30-10:50, W 8:30-9:50, or by appointment Office Phone #: 781-736-2809 Email [email protected] Office: Brown 128 Class Meetings: Mon, Wed, & Thurs 10-10:50 a.m. Schwartz 106

Course website: http://latte.brandeis.edu/ Optional PsycPortal: http://courses.bfwpub.com/schacter1e.php (textbook study resources)

Graduate Teaching Fellows (also available by appointment): Name: Office: E-mail: Primary contact for last names: Nicole Ayasse Volen 354 [email protected] Office hours: Wednesdays 9:20-9:50, Thursdays 8:50-9:50 Marissa DiGirolamo Volen 220 [email protected] Office hours: Th 1:30-3 Dan Levin Brown 108 [email protected] Office hours: F 10-11:30 Luke Hanlin Schwartz 90-2 Office hours: 1-2:30

Undergraduate Peer Assistants (also available by appointment): Name Office Email Primary contact for last names Youbin Ahn Library Green Room [email protected] Office hours: Tuesdays 4-5 Nathan Kline Library Green Room [email protected] u Office hours: Thursdays 5-6 Maddie Lefkowitz Library Green Room [email protected] Office hours: Tu 5-6pm Ruxuan Zhao Library Green Room [email protected] Office hours: Mondays 2-3

Bugs Tutor:, Office hours:

Research Familiarization Questions: Carrie Robertson, [email protected], Office hours by appointment

Textbook: Schacter Psychology, 3rd Edition, MacMillan, Required Additional packages: Schacter Psychology (Looseleaf) MacMillan Higher 3rd Bookstore Rec Schacter Psychology- Launchpad Access MacMillan Higher 3rd Rec Additional readings for assignments will be posted on LATTE, as needed.

Required Accessories: iClicker. This system will be used for interactive participation during class. Data from this system will be used to calculate the attendance and participation portion of your grade. You must purchase the iClicker remote or download

1 Some changes may take place in the first two weeks of class 2 the REEF app from following the links on Latte, bring it to every class yourself, and participate in order to receive participation credit!! Please note the information in part C of this syllabus regarding class participation

The iClicker should be bundled with the textbook through the bookstore. I have also asked the bookstore to order additional remotes in case students purchase the book from other sources. According to the iClicker website, you should follow this procedure if the remotes are unavailable (http://www.iclicker.com/ordering_iclicker/ordering_iclicker.html): Go to your bookstore, and tell them that you need to place an order for a stand-alone iClicker remote. Give them ISBN 0- 7167-7939-0, and tell them that the manufacturer is MPS (formerly VHPS). You will need to give your bookstore the ISBN and the manufacturer in order for them to place the order. The bookstore will then give you an idea of cost and next steps to obtain your iClicker. The iClicker is also sold via Amazon.com if your needs are more urgent. Optional Accessories. PsychPortal is Worth's online learning space that integrates the full eBook along with activities, interactive learning objects, videos, and more. Use of this resource is optional. PsychPortal access should be included with textbooks purchased through the bookstore. If you purchase a textbook from another source or would like to purchase only the eBook (rather than a hard copy of the book), you can consult the following webpage for direct purchase: www.worthpublishers.com/courses/schacter.

PsychVideos

I. Course Description: What is this course about? Psychology 1a (Introduction to Psychology) is an introduction to what many describe as the science of the mind and behavior, concerned with how and why organisms do what they do. In some ways, it is like a tasting menu at a fancy restaurant – you get the opportunity to try various aspects of what is (in my humble opinion) the coolest scientific field, and see which one or ones excite you. You will get a broad overview of behavioral neurosciences, sensation and perception, social psychology, developmental psychology, theories of personality, clinical psychology and health psychology. Obviously, it is a prerequisite for all other psychology courses, as it gives you the opportunity to learn the basics in each of major branches of psychology that are active today. We will be taking a topical approach, examining many different perspectives on human behavior. To make the semester coherent, we will be emphasizing common themes that hold the various areas of psychology together as an academic discipline. This is a course about the science of the mind, the body, and behavior, rather than a course about ‘pop’ psychology.

II. Format and Procedures: Classes will rely on an interactive lecture format. To learn the most in this class, you should complete the readings before class, attend each class, and participate actively. The iClicker system is intended to help you to engage with the material and to make it more personally relevant, features that we know aid in learning and remembering information.

III. Course Requirements: Overall, Success in this 4 credit hour course is based on the expectation that students will spend a minimum of 9 hours of study time per week in preparation for class (readings, papers, discussion sections, preparation for exams, etc.).

A. Examinations: three tests, each worth 100 points. All exams will be unit tests (NO cumulative exams). The format for each exam will include a combination of multiple choice and short-answer questions (which may include some matching). Lecture, all in-class materials and discussions, and reading assignments will be covered. The ONLY excuses acceptable for missing a quiz are illness (documented by a note from a physician), funeral of close friend/relative (documented by a funeral notice or funeral bulletin), mandatory religious obligations or other unavoidable circumstances or University activities. If one of these difficulties occurs, you should immediately contact the office of Student Life, who will document the difficulties and take care of notifying your professors. If you must be away at the time of an examination, you may schedule an early exam. You will receive a review sheet (posted on Latte) that serves as a general guide. Test questions will not be limited to this review sheet, but the short questions posed on the review sheet should help prepare you for the short-answer questions. B. Assignments: There will be four written assignments. Specific details will follow about the format and due dates. These will be submitted on line and will be due by midnight the night of the class it is due. Assignments turned 3 in late will be docked with an 1- point penalty for each day that the assignment is late. Computer problems are no excuse. If you need some assistance with your assignments, please plan to talk to the TAs and course assistants in advance of the deadlines, if you have questions about the assignments. The Writing Program also offers helpful services: http://www.brandeis.edu/programs/writing/ C. Class attendance and participation: Based on the use of iClicker devices, as explained above. iClickers are to be used in class by you, and you alone. The attendance grade can be penalized for students who use more than one remote or lend theirs to a classmate in order to receive attendance credit. Issues with absence, and documentation for athletes, see the ‘attendance god(dess).’ For those that are just going to show up but spend their time playing video games, watching movies, television, or other social media rather than listening and participating in class, please see me ASAP and we will make alternative means to get attendance points rather than wasting any of our time in class. D. Research Participation or Role-Playing Option: There will be opportunities across the semester to participate in Research Projects (also called Research Familiarization Requirement). Students who choose not to participate in the Research Projects can fulfill this requirement by completing alternative writing assignments called Role- Playing options, which requires you to summarize what it would be like to be a participant in a published psychological experiment. This part of the course will be discussed on the first day of class. All Sona questions should be referred to Carrie Robertson (aka she who must be obeyed), [email protected]

IV. Evaluation: Your grade will be based on three class exams, research experience, and four written assignments (to be provided in detail later). Your grade will be on a standard grading scale out of a total of 425 points (A > 92, A- 90-92, B+ 87.5-89.5%, B 82.5-87, B- 80-82%, C+ 77.5-79.5%, C 72.5-77%, C- 70-72, D+ 67.5-69.5%, D 62.5-69, D- 60-62%)

V. Special Needs If you are a student with a documented disability on record at Brandeis University and wish to have a reasonable accommodation made for you in this class, please see me immediately.

VI. Academic Honesty: You are expected to be honest in all of your academic work. The University policy on academic honesty is distributed annually as section 5 of the Rights and Responsibilities handbook. Instances of alleged dishonesty will be forwarded to the Office of Campus Life for possible referral to the Student Judicial System. Potential sanctions include failure in the course and suspension from the University. This includes copying a classmate’s paper, using your phone or iPad/tablet to look up answers during the exam or any other form of cheating. If you have any questions about my expectations, please ask.

VII. Personal Reactions To Topics Sometimes material covered in a Psychology class can bring up personal feelings and reactions that you may not know how to handle. In these cases, please feel free to make use of the counseling services available on campus at the Psychological Counseling Center, located in the Mailman House at (781) 736-3730. More information is available on their website: http://www.brandeis.edu/pcc/.

VIII. Sexual Assault, Dating Violence, Domestic Violence, Stalking, and Sexual Harassment If you experience one of these, Sheila McMahon or Julie Rickey at the Brandeis Office of Prevention Services can provide resources and confidential assistance: http://www.brandeis.edu/preventionservices/resources/index.html. Here is the link to a resource guide: https://www.brandeis.edu/studentlife/srcs/misconduct.html. Please note that all Brandeis faculty, teaching fellows, and teaching or course assistants are responsible reporters under Title IX, which means that we are not confidential sources, but must instead report disclosures of sexual assault or harassment to the Title IX Coordinator, Linda Shinomoto. Please refer to the resource guide for more information: https://www.brandeis.edu/studentlife/srcs/misconduct.html 4 Tentative Course Schedule2 Please note, the chapter numbers vary depending on the book edition you are using, so please go by the titles of the chapters

Dates Topics Readings 8/30 Welcome and Introduction to the course Syllabus and supplements 8/31 Psychology: Evolution of a Science Text Chapter 1

9/4 Labor Day 9/6 Methods of Psychology (Brandeis Monday) Text Chapter 2 9/7 Methods (contd.)

9/11 Presentation of Research Participation Requirement and Methods (contd.) 9/13 Neuroscience and Behavior Text Chapter 3 (Begin iClicker practice) 9/14 (contd.)

9/18 (contd.) 9/20 Stress and Health Text Chapter 14 9/21 Rosh Hashanah – no class

9/25 Stress (contd.) Assignment 1 due (iClicker officially begins) 9/27 Sensation & Perception. Text Chapter 4 9/28 S& P (contd.)

10/2 S&P (contd.) 10/3 Brandeis Thursday – Exam 1 (chapters 1, 2, 3, 14) 10/4 Language and Thought Text Chapter 9 10/5 Sukkot – no class

10/9 Consciousness Text Chapter 5 10/11 Consc. (contd.) 10/12 Shmini Atzeret – no class

10/16 Learning Text Chapter 7 10/18 Learning (contd.) 10/19 Learning (contd.)

10/23 Memory Text Chapter 6 10/25 Memory (contd.) 10/26 Emotion and Motivation Text Chapter 8 Assignment 2 due

10/30 E&M (contd.)

2 Please Note: The content on this syllabus is tentative. The instructor maintains the right to make changes to the timing of the content as the course progresses. This need will be dictated by the interest of the class and the uncontrollable loquacity of the instructor. We will cover as much material as we can, but I will neither go so quickly that students are lost, nor so slowly that the lecture becomes unbearably repetitive. However, assignment and exam dates are inflexible. 5

Dates Topics Readings 11/1 Exam 2 (Chapters 4, 9, 5, 6, 7, 8) 11/2 Social Psychology Text Chapter 13

11/6 Soc. Psych (contd.) 11/8 Soc. Psych (contd.) 11/9 Soc. Psych (contd.)

11/13 Development Text Chapter 11 11/15 Devel. (contd.) 11/16 Devel (contd.) Assignment 3 due

11/20 Psychological Disorders & Treatment Text Chapters 15, 16 11/22-23 Thanksgiving

11/27 Psych Dis & Tx (contd.) 11/29 Psych Dis & Tx (contd.) 11/30 Personality Text Chapter 12

12/4 Personality (contd.) Assignment 4 due 12/6 Personality 12/7 Last Class Wrap up Third Exam – Tentatively Scheduled December 19 th (chapters 11, 12, 13, 15, 16) 9:15-12:15