Psy 112- General Psychology

Fall, 2001- Section 06

Instructor: Moises F. Salinas, Ph.D. Office: 214 Marcus White

Class Time: T-R 11:00a-12:15p @ EW 211 Telephone: 860-832-3104

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I. OVERVIEW

Psychology is the science of the mind. It seeks to learn and understand what, and why, we behave the way we do. And in a sense, all of us ask that question several times a day: Why did he do that? How can she change? The present course, introduction to psychology, will give you the basic principles and concepts of psychology. It emphasizes the study of theories, applications and ideas related to human behavior. It introduces areas such as human development, sensation, perception, learning, memory, motivation, personality, and social behavior. It will not give you the tools to answer all the "why" questions you might have about human behavior every day, but I hope it will give you the motivation and the tools to keep searching for the answer to this on-going question.

OBJECTIVES

At the end of this course the student will:

1. Have a deeper understanding of himself/herself.

2. Know the fundamentals of human behavior.

3. Appreciate the diversity of human behavior.

4. Use the acquired knowledge in making simple analyses of human behavior.

5. Desire to expand his/her knowledge of psychology.

II. COURSE MATERIALS

Required Text: Exploring Psychology (5th Edition),

by David G. Myers.

How to Write Psychology Papers, Parrot, L. (1999).

Optional: Study Guide that accompanies the text.

III. COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND EVALUATION

A. Class Performance and Attendance: You will be expected to have read the chapters to be discussed in class. This allows you to become familiar with concepts to be discussed and provides time for forethought in formulating pertinent questions for discussion during class. Additionally, staying current with the material supports the retention of concepts and information, making the time necessary for exam studying less intensive (e.g., the more you see/hear the information, the more likely you are to remember it when tested on it). Besides, class participation counts 10% of your final grade!

B. Exams: One middle term and one final exam, each worth 15% of your final grade, will be given. The exams will consist of objectively scored items (multiple-choice, true-false).

C1. Term Paper: You will be asked to write a term paper which counts 30% of your final grade. The details will be discussed when the assignment is given. For this paper, you will be researching a subject area which interests you and writing 8-12 pages integrating the information you have read. You will need at least three (3) outside references to support the points you make in your paper. Due dates are listed both on the term paper assignment (to be passed out), and the tentative course schedule attached to this syllabus.

C2. Comprehensive take home final: A five open-question take-home final can be taken instead of the term paper. This exam will be individual, handed out the last day of class and due on exam day. The test will be worth 30% of your grade.

D. Reaction Papers: Two 1-2 pages papers stating your opinion about any subject discussed in class. Each is worth 10% of your grade. The first paper can be turned in at any point before the midterm and the second paper can be turned in at any point before the final. However, I encourage you not to wait until the two final weeks to submit the reaction papers.

E1. Lecture Presentation: The research team will prepare a short (5-10 min.) presentation about your term paper. The presentation will be worth 10% of your final grade and will be delivered the final week of class.

E2. Poster Presentation: The research team will prepare a poster presentation about your term paper. The presentation will be worth 10% of your final grade and will be delivered the final week of class.

F. Evaluation: Your final grade will be based upon the following:

IV. STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

If a student has any special needs, it is the student's responsibility to notify me at the beginning of the semester so special arrangements can be made. No special arrangments will be made after the 12^th day of class.