Course Syllabus

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USPF.png COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES | DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY

 

 

Course Description:

 

Psychology is the scientific study of behavior and mental processes. The content focuses on the exploration of major psychological theories and concepts, methods, and research findings in psychology. Topics include the biological bases of behavior, perception, cognition and consciousness, learning, memory, emotion, motivation, development, personality, social psychology, psychological disorders, and therapeutic approaches, and applied psychology.

 

Student Learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

  • Demonstrate familiarity with the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, research methods, core empirical findings, and historic trends in psychology.
  • Explain (including advantages and disadvantages) and compare major theoretical perspectives of psychology (e.g., behavioral, biological, cognitive, evolutionary, humanistic, psychodynamic and socio-cultural);
  • Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the following nine general domains: (1) biological bases of behavior and mental processes, (2) sensation and perception, (3) learning and memory (4) cognition, consciousness, (5) individual differences, psychometrics/measurement, personality, (6) social processes (including those related to socio-cultural and international dimensions), (7) developmental changes in behavior and mental processes that occur across the lifespan, (8) psychological disorders, and (9) emotion and motivation;
  • Describe and demonstrate an understanding of applied areas of psychology (e.g., clinical, counseling, forensic, community, organizational, school, health);
  • Draw the distinction between scientific and non-scientific methods of understanding and analysis.
  • Recognize and understand the impact of diversity on psychological research, theory and application, including (but not limited to): age, race, ethnicity, culture, gender, socio-economic status, disability, and sexual orientation.
  • Understand and apply psychological principles to personal experience and social and organizational settings.
  • Demonstrate critical thinking skills and information competence as applied to psychological topics.

Course Content:

PRELIM

Chapter 1 Introduction to Psychology

What is Psychology?

History of Psychology

Contemporary Psychology

Careers in Psychology

 

Chapter 2 Psychological Research

                Why research important?

                Approaches to Research

                Analyzing Findings

                Ethics

 

Chapter 3 Biopsychology

                Human Genetics

                Cells in the Nervous System

                Parts of the Nervous System

                The Brain and the Spinal Cord 

Prelim Project: Reflection Paper** (Guidelines are in the latter pages)

Prelim Exam:      Please see the school calendar.

 

MIDTERM

Chapter 4 State of Consciousness

                What is Consciousness?

                Sleep and Why we Sleep?

                Stages of Sleep

                Sleep problems and disorders

                Substance Use and Abuse

                The other States of Consciousness

 

Chapter 9 Lifespan Development

                What is lifespan development?

                Lifespan Theories

                Stages of Development

                Death and Dying

Chapter 10 Emotion and Motivation

                Motivation

                Hunger and Eating

                Sexual Behavior

                Emotion

Project: Reflection Paper** (Guidelines are in the latter pages)

Midterm Exam:   Please see the school calendar.

 

SEMI-FINALS

Chapter 11 Personality

                What is Personality?

                Freud and the Psychodynamic Perspective

                Neo-Freudians: Adler, Erikson, Jung, Horney

                Learning Approaches

                Humanistic Approaches

                Biological Approaches

                Cultural Understandings of Personality

                Personality Assessment

Chapter 12 Social Psychology

                What is Social Psychology?

                Self-presentation

                Attitudes and persuasion

                Conformity, compliance, and obedience

                Prejudice and discrimination

                Aggression

                Prosocial Behavior

Semi-Final Project: Reflection Paper** (Guidelines are in the latter pages)

Semi-Final Exam: Please see school calendar.

 

FINALS

Chapter 14 Stress, Lifestyle, and Health

                What is Stress?

                Stressors

                Stress and Illness

                Regulation of Stress

                The pursuit of Happiness

Chapter 15 Therapy and Treatment

                Mental Health Treatment

                Types of Treatment

                Treatment Modalities

                Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders: A Special Case

                The Socio-Cultural Model of Therapy and Utilization

Final Project: Reflection Paper** (Guidelines are in the latter pages)

Final Exam: Please see the school calendar.

 

 



Textbook:

Great news: your textbook for this class is available for free online!
Psychology from OpenStax, ISBN 1938168356 

You have several options to obtain this book:

You can use whichever formats you want. Web view is recommended -- the responsive design works seamlessly on any device.

Important Notes:

  • Any student needing accommodations should inform the instructor. Students with disabilities who may need accommodations for this class are encouraged to notify the instructor early in the quarter so that reasonable accommodations may be implemented as soon as possible. All information will remain confidential.
  • Academic dishonesty and plagiarism will result in a failing grade on the assignment. Using someone else's ideas or phrasing and representing those ideas or phrasing as our own, either on purpose or through carelessness, is a serious offense known as plagiarism. "Ideas or phrasing" includes written or spoken material, from whole papers and paragraphs to sentences, and, indeed, phrases but it also includes statistics, lab results, artwork, etc.  Please see the College handbook for policies regarding plagiarism, harassment, etc.

Course Summary:

Date Details Due