Syllabus for PY 101-901: Intro to Psychology

PY 101 Section 600: Intro to Psychology

Summer 2013 3 Credit Hours Primary Instructor: Tammy Carroll, Ph.D., BCBA-D Core Designation: Social and Behavioral Sciences Syllabus subject to change

Office Hours Professor: Dr. Tammy Carroll

Office hours: Virtual, by appointment only

E-mail: [email protected]

Phone: 205-394-5752 (cell)

.Readiness for an Online Course

Online learning requires a unique combination of technological knowledge, motivation, and time management skills. Please consider that the course platform that we will use (called "Connect") is time-and-effort intensive since it is meant to teach as well as assess your knowledge. As a result, this course will take at least as much time as a conventional course in introductory psychology.

Course Description and Learning Outcomes

Psychology is the scientific study of behavior and mental processes. Psychologists study many questions that make up the very fabric of our lives. For example: Why do we risk our own safety to help another in an emergency? How do we remember names? What happens in the brain when we sleep? Why do some people lead healthy lifestyles while others do not? What causes mental illness and who is susceptible? What methods can be used to treat such individuals? How do children learn complex tasks? Why do some people join cults? Psychology is a fascinating field and I am excited about teaching this course. I hope to spread that enthusiasm to you.

The range of topics that we will explore is impressive. Among them are brain functions, learning, memory, sleep and dreams, aggression, gender, stress and health, psychological disorders and treatment, social influence tactics, prejudice, and group dynamics. Covering these areas will allow you to achieve the following outcomes:

General Learning Outcomes for 100-Level and 200-Level Courses:

Explain the scientific method and use it to evaluate scientific information. Discriminate between reliable and less reliable information in your decision-making.

1 Specific Learning Outcomes for PY 101:

Demonstrate how course concepts apply to daily living. Understand that behavior, thoughts, and emotions are shaped by heredity, immediate environment, and culture. Understand that people’s experience of the world is subjective. Recognize that psychological conclusions are based on the scientific method.

See the section below called Learning Outcomes Assessment for details on how these outcomes will be evaluated.

Required Text

Feldman, R. S. (2011). Connect plus online access for Essentials of Understanding Psychology (9th Ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill. ISBN 9780077381448 (required text) http://connect.mcgraw-hill.com/class/t_carroll_100-600_summer_2013_1

Staying Informed

All communication is done via Blackboard, the web address is: https://ualearn.blackboard.com/

"Ask Dr. C." There will be several opportunities to post questions. This is a great opportunity for students to engage the course content as well as ask general questions about deadlines, etc. and converse with others in your class. Throughout the semester, I will post times that we can meet virtually and simply have an open discussion. Pay close attention to your course calendar for these announcements.

Course Sequence

The Connect home page contains all course activities except for the discussion. Within each section (e.g., Personality) you will find a sequence of events that should be followed in order. For example, most sections begin with reading specific pages in the e-book, followed by various exercises and videos, and end with completion of the relevant LearnSmart module. The semester

2 is divided into three segments and you are required to complete all course assignments (typically 4 e-book chapters plus additional tasks) for that period.

Requirements and Deadlines

LearnSmart Modules. An integral part of this course is LearnSmart. In this system, the content of each of the e-book chapters is taught and assessed in segments called modules. In each module, you answer items in several formats including multiple-choice, short answer, true-false, and matching. Before answering each question, you indicate how sure you are of the correct response and then answer the question and get feedback. The question difficulty goes up or down based on how well you are doing. Topics that you miss are re-administered until you consistently get them correct. Should you continually miss items in a specific content area from the chapter, you may be timed out and referred to the eBook for further study.

Although you may work through an individual module as often as you wish prior to the deadline, you will only earn credit for the module if you complete it with at least 100% accuracy. When you enter the LearnSmart system for the first time, you can check out the tutorial.

Psych & Life Assignments. These assignments will give you practice in applying the course content to everyday life. Each involves a 3-4 page written paper. For more details on the topics and format, see Training Children and Pets and Implicit Attitudes.

Quizzes. To supplement the e-book, I have included interactive exercises and videos in the course. Those not assessed in the LearnSmart modules will be tested via three brief quizzes each composed of 20 multiple-choice items. You will be given one attempt to take the quiz and a 25- minute time limit. The quizzes are closed-book and closed notes; in other words, please do not refer to any course content while you are taking the quiz. For a description of the lectures, readings, videos, exercises, and other tasks to be covered on each quiz, please see the quiz content list.

Course themes. Toward the end of the semester, I will ask you to reflect on the course content. On the eLearning discussion board, you will post a reply to the following items: 1. Thinking back on the semester identify a general theme from the course in each of the following areas (Note that there are no correct or incorrect answers): The brain, disorders and treatment, social behavior, staying healthy in mind and body. 2. Complete the following statement: “In this course, I learned that people……" You will be awarded 2% toward your course grade.

UA course-instructor evaluation. Toward the end of the semester, you will receive instructions on how to complete UA's anonymous course-instructor evaluation. This form is used to evaluate teaching the effectiveness of instructors and is reviewed by the Psychology Department Chair and the Arts and Sciences Dean. The link to the evaluation is on myBama. You will receive 2% toward your course grade by providing me with verification that you completed the evaluation. I understand that you can see a status note (e.g., "PY 101: Submitted") for each course you are taking. I suggest sending me a screenshot or other image of the status note.

3 Deadlines

Here are important dates for completing the course. Details on the tasks can be found on the Connect home page.

Task Date Introduction to psychology and post your 6/1 student introduction Last date to drop course without a grade 5/30 of “W” All tasks and assignments related to 6/14 Chapters 1, 2, 4, 5 Quiz 1 6/15-6/17 Psych & Life paper: Training children and 6/21 pets All tasks and assignments related to 6/30 Chapters 6, 8, 9, 10 Quiz 2 7/1-7/3 Psych & Life paper: Implicit attitudes 7/8 All tasks and assignments related to 7/26 Chapters 11, 14, 12, 13 UA course-instructor evaluation TBA Course themes assignment on Blackboard 7/29 Quiz 3 (may be taken only on this date) 7/27-7/29

Grades: You can use either the Connect website to view your grades and/or Blackboard. The following weights for assignments are below:

1. LearnSmart modules (CONNECT): 72% (For each of 12 modules completed with 100% accuracy, you earn 6 points. Any module completed with less than 100% accuracy will receive 0 points.) 2. Psych & Life 1 assignment (CONNECT): 5% 3. Psych & Life 2 assignment (CONNECT): 4%

Quizzes (CONNECT): 15% (For each of 3 quizzes, you can earn up to 5 points) 4. Course themes assignment (BLACKBOARD): 2% 5. UA course-instructor evaluation (email send to you by the University): 2% (Credit given for submitting an evaluation)

4 There are 100 points possible for the course. Letter grades for the course will be assigned using the following scale.

A+ = 97-100...A = 93-96.....A- = 90-92

B+ = 87-89.....B = 83-86.....B- = 80-82

C+ = 77-79.....C = 73-76.....C- = 70-72

D+ = 67-69.....D = 63-66.....D- = 60-62

F = 59 and below

Additional Policies

Professional behavior. As the instructor, I am responsible for creating an environment that helps students learn. I take that obligation seriously by being prepared, treating you with respect, and establishing a positive atmosphere. One of the most valuable aspects of college is exposure to the variety viewpoints. You can gain the most by presenting your views respectfully. It's no problem to disagree with me or with a classmate in an email or online discussion, but please avoid hurtful comments about others.

Writing: Please write in complete, grammatically correct sentences rather than using the type of abbreviations used when instant messaging. Be careful what you put in writing. Even if you are writing an e-mail message to one person, assume that anyone could read it. Grammar and spelling matter. Never use profanity in any area of an online course. The transcripts of online course bulletin boards and e-mails can be saved. When responding to messages, only use "Reply to All" when you really intend to reply to everyone on the original email. Use sarcasm cautiously. In the absence of nonverbal cues such as facial expressions and voice inflections, the context for your sarcasm may be lost, and your message may be misinterpreted.

E-mail guidelines: I welcome your e-mails. However, please observe the following guidelines: Send e-mail to: [email protected]

Include your full name and CWID (Campus-Wide ID) in the sender or subject line.

Consult the course website for clarification on assignments before contacting me.

I typically do not check my e-mail after 5:00 pm.

Special needs. Should you need assistance due to a disability, please contact the UA Office of Disability Services at Osband Hall (205-348-4285) or visit 133-B Martha Parham Hall east as soon as possible to register for services. After registering with that office, please contact me.

5 Code of academic conduct. All students enrolled at the University of Alabama are expected to be honorable and to observe standards of conduct appropriate to a community of scholars. The University expects from its students a higher standard of conduct than the minimum required to avoid discipline. Academic misconduct includes all acts of dishonesty in any academically related matter and any knowing or intentional help or attempt to help, or conspiracy to help, another student. The Academic Misconduct Disciplinary Policy will be followed in the event of academic misconduct.

Subject to change. Current assignments are listed on the Connect home page. However, I may ask you to do additional assignments during the semester. Should changes become necessary, I’ll notify you on the course news page.

Helpful links. You can find information on a variety of UA resources (e.g., Counseling Center, Center for Teaching and Learning) as well as additional information on course topics by going to the links page.

System Requirements

This course requires a high-speed Internet connection and the following free multimedia plug- ins:

* Adobe Reader * Flash Player * PowerPoint Viewer * QuickTime, RealPlayer, or Windows Media Player

You must have speakers working properly on your computer before beginning the course. You will also need access to Microsoft Word to complete some assignments.

Technical Support

For Blackboard: Monday – Friday, 8:00am to 4:45pm; Contact: Phone – (205) 348-5555 email – [email protected]

For Connect: When you register for Connect, you can have your computer assessed quickly for the appropriate plug-ins. Any that are needed can be downloaded from Connect. Tutorials can be found at the support center website (http://mpss.mhhe.com/products-connect.php). If you need further technical assistance with Connect, go to the support center website

Learning Outcomes Assessment

6 Learning Outcome Assessment LearnSmart module: Psychology as Science Explain the scientific method Self-tests in interactive exercises: Designing and experiment, and use it to evaluate scientific Correlation, Self-report bias in surveys, Naturalistic observation, information. Ethical dilemmas Discriminate between reliable Quiz on activities and readings in Psychology as a Science (e.g., and less reliable information in Seven signs of bogus science) your decision-making. Psych & Life paper: Training children and pets Recognize that psychological conclusions are based on the Psych & Life paper: Implicit attitudes scientific method. Course themes assignment LearnSmart modules: All e-book chapters have an applications emphasis that is assessed in the modules.

Psych & Life paper: Training children and pets

Psych & Life paper: Implicit attitudes

Self-tests in interactive exercises: Exercises include Stress in college, Mouse party (drug effects), Parts of the brain and their Demonstrate how course function, Your ideal self, Defense mechanisms, Reading a face concepts apply to daily living. Quizzes on videos and readings (e.g., items target videos such as eyewitness memory, anger and heart disease choosing a psychotherapist; items target articles such as changing gender roles for fathers, role of exercise in brain functioning, and myths of aging). Thought questions are provided to guide watching the videos.

Course themes assignment Understand that behavior, LearnSmart modules: Development, Personality, Social thoughts, and emotions are Foundations shaped by heredity, immediate environment, and culture. Self-tests in interactive exercises: Your personality, Your ideal self, Fundamental attribution error, Piaget's stages of development, Stages of moral development

Quizzes on videos and readings (e.g., items target articles, lectures, and videos such as Fatherhood 2.0-changing gender roles for fathers, Monsters or heroes?-the power of the situation, Stanford prison study, bystander effect, interview with cult

7 survivor). Thought questions are provided to guide watching the videos.

Psych & Life paper: Training children and pets

Course themes assignment LearnSmart modules: Memory, Personality, Health, Development, Social Foundations

Self-tests in interactive exercises: Exercises include Stress in college, Mouse party (drug effects), Parts of the brain and their Understand that people’s function, Your ideal self, Defense mechanisms, Your personality, experience of the world is Fundamental attribution error, Piaget's stages of development, subjective. Stages of moral development

Course themes assignment