Social Sciences Division
PSYC 1101, General Psychology
TR Sections
I. General
Information
Instructor: Dr. Susann Doyle-Portillo
Office: Room 136, Acad-II
Phone: 678.717.3857 (You can leave a message
24hrs a day on this voice mail system. It is checked only once
each business day.)
e-mail: Sdportillo@gsc.edu Do not email me from any account other than
your GSC account, the official means of communication at GSC. Also, note that NO papers will be accepted via email. All work must be submitted in class.
Office Hours: MWF 9:50-10:50am and 1-2pm; TR
10:45-12:45pm and by appointment.
Supplemental
course information: https://web.gsc.edu/sci/ See this link for more information on inclement weather,
plagiarism/cheating policies, administrative office hours, and so on.
Important
Dates: Students
who drop on or after 10/13/08 will receive a WF
II. Text
We will be using What is Psychology?2e
by Pastorino & Doyle-Portillo.
This text is required and it should come prepackaged with a study guide at the
GC bookstore.
III. Course
Description
This course is a
survey course in Psychology that is designed to familiarize the student with
the scientific study of human thought and behavior. As such, we will cover
methods of scientific inquiry and theories pertaining to many aspects of human
behavior. Completion of this course earns 3 credits in area E of the core
curriculum. The purpose of this course is to prepare students to transfer to
four-year colleges and universities to pursue upper division courses and
programs successfully. Prerequisites for this course are READ 0099.
In addition to
learning about the theories and constructs of psychology, the student will
learn to think more critically about issues pertaining to human behavior.
Successful performance in this course will require much more than simply
memorizing definitions and concepts. The successful student must learn to
USE the theories of psychology in applying them to situations and in comparing
and contrasting theoretical positions.
This is an active learning course. The instructor is going to require that you
take responsibility for your own learning.
You will be tested over material that is not covered in lecture, but is
covered in the text. You will be
required to participate in classroom activities that can only be accomplished
successfully if you have prepared prior to coming to class.
IV. Course
Objectives
Upon completion of this course the student will be
able to:
1. Identify and describe the development of the discipline of
psychology including, but not limited to how psychology evolved as a science,
the various subfields comprising psychology, and the different perspectives
psychologists hold in explaining behavior.
Assessment: Formal objective testing, essay testing, class
activities, and/or projects.
2. Demonstrate critical thinking skills
and a basic understanding of systematic methods of inquiry and apply those
principles and procedures
Assessment: Written evaluation of published research and
design a study to test a hypothesis that has been provided.
3. Identify and describe the social,
physical, cognitive, and emotional processes which are involved in development
across the lifespan and how the nature/nurture debate is relevant.
Assessment: Formal objective testing, essay testing, class
activities, and/or projects.
4. Describe the major theories of
learning, including classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and
social-cognitive learning.
Assessment:
Formal objective testing, essay
testing, class activities, and/or projects.
5. Explain the biological basis of
functions which underlies behavioral processes including neurological, brain,
and hormonal functions.
Assessment:
Formal objective testing, essay
testing, class activities, and/or projects.
7. Describe the major classifications of
abnormal behavior, the theoretical perspectives on the cause of these
behaviors, and treatment approaches.
Assessment: Formal objective testing, essay testing, class
activities, and/or projects.
8. Describe different personality
theories.
Assessment: Formal objective testing, essay testing, class
activities, and/or projects.
9. Describe cognitive functions such as
memory, thinking, language development, and/or intelligence.
Assessment: Formal objective testing, essay testing, class
activities, and/or projects.
10. Explain the relationship of motivation,
emotions, and/or health with overall psychological well-being.
Assessment: Formal objective testing, essay testing, class
activities, and/or projects.
11. Describe how people are influenced by
others and the relationship of attitudes and behavior.
Assessment: Formal
objective and/or essay testing.
12. Become acquainted with cultures different
from their own.
Assessment: Written
assignments.
13. Work effectively in groups.
Assessment: Group evaluation.
14. Read effectively.
Assessment: Formal
objective testing covering material assigned from text, outside reading
assignments.
15. Write effectively.
Assessment: Written
assignments and papers.
16. Develop oral communication skills.
Assessment: Informal
feedback from discussion groups.
V. TR Course
Calendar- (subject to change)
|
8/19 |
Introduction/syllabus |
|
8/21 |
Ch 1 |
|
8/26 |
Ch 1 |
|
8/28 |
Ch 2 |
|
9/2 |
Ch 2 |
|
9/4 |
Ch 2 |
|
9/9 |
Ch 2 |
|
9/11 |
Ch 4 |
|
9/16 |
Ch 4 |
|
9/18 |
Ch 5 |
|
9/23 |
Ch 5 |
|
9/25 |
Ch 5 |
|
9/30 |
Exam I |
|
10/2 |
Ch 6 |
|
10/7 |
Ch 6 |
|
10/9 |
Fall Break |
|
10/14 |
Ch 7 |
|
10/16 |
Ch 7 |
|
10/21 |
Ch 8 |
|
10/23 |
Ch 8 |
|
10/28 |
Ch 9 |
|
10/30 |
Ch 9 |
|
11/4 |
Exam II |
|
11/6 |
Ch 11 |
|
11/11 |
Ch 11 |
|
11/13 |
Ch 11/13 |
|
11/18 |
Ch 13 |
|
11/20 |
Ch 14 |
|
11/25 |
Ch 14 |
|
11/27 |
Thanksgiving |
|
12/2 |
Research Presentations |
|
12/4 |
Research Presentations |
|
Finals Week |
Exam III |
|
EXAM TIME |
TUES, 12/9 |
WED, 12/10 |
THUR, 12/11 |
FRI, 12/12 |
SAT, 12/13 |
MON, 12/15 |
|
8:00 am - 10:00am |
ENGL 1101 & 1102 Day Classes |
7:35 am MW 8:00
am MWF, MW, W only, MTWR |
7:00 am TR, MTWR 8:00
am TR |
7:00 am MWF, F only |
8:00 am S 8:30 am S 9:15 am S |
9:00 am MWF, MTWR, MW 9:15
am MWF |
|
10:30 am - 12:30 pm |
11:00 am TR, MTWR 11:30
am TR |
10:00 am MW, MWF, MTWR, WF, W only 10:30
am MWF |
9:00 am TR 9:15 am TR 9:30 am TR 9:45 am TR 10:00 am TR |
11:00 am MWF |
11:00 am S |
10:00 am M only 11:00
am MW 12:00
pm MF, M only |
|
1:00 pm - 3:00 pm |
2:00 pm TR 2:05 pm TR 2:40 pm TR |
12:00 pm MWF, MTWR, MW, W only |
12:00 pm TR 12:30 pm TR 1:00 pm TR 1:15 pm TR |
11:55 am
MF 12:00
pm F only 1:00
pm MWF 1:35
pm F only |
|
1:00 pm MW 1:15 pm MWF, MW 1:30
pm MW 2:05 pm MW |
|
3:15 pm - 5:15 pm |
ENGL 1101 & 1102 Evening Classes |
2:40 pm MW 3:00 pm MW 3:30 pm MW |
3:00 pm TR 3:30 pm TR 4:00 pm TR |
|
|
5:00 pm M only 5:30
pm M only 7:00
pm MW, M only |
|
5:30 pm - 7:30 pm |
4:30 pm TR 5:00 pm TR 5:30 pm TR, T only |
4:00 pm MW 4:05 pm MW 5:00 pm MW |
5:30 pm R only 6:30
pm TR 7:00 pm TR, R only 7:10
pm TR |
|
|
7:30 pm MW 8:30 pm MW |
|
8:00 pm - 10:00 pm |
7:30 pm TR 8:30 pm TR |
5:30 pm MW, W only 5:50
pm MW |
7:15 pm R only |
|
|
|
Find the
starting time for each class on your schedule and match it to the corresponding
exam day and time. For example, a TR 11:00 am course would have its final exam
on Tuesday, Dec 9, at 10:30am – 12:30 pm. A student who has three final
examinations scheduled within a calendar day or two examinations at the same
time may request to reschedule one exam to a different day or
time. First seek resolution with the course instructor, and then, if
necessary with the Division Chair, or for Oconee students, the Instructional
Coordinator for the academic division.
VI. Course Policies
Attendance
policy: Attendance is
mandatory! If you miss class, you will not do well in this class. A great deal
of the material given in class is not in the textbook. If you should miss a class,
it is YOUR
responsibility to obtain copies of the notes and any assignments/handouts that
may have been distributed. I will never seek you out to inform you of
missed assignments, announcements made in class, or other classroom events. I
will also never provide individual instruction for material missed due
to absence. No lectures will be taped for students who fail to attend class. A
record of your attendance may be made. Students who do not attend class will be
reported to the VPAA’s office and the financial aid office. Any discussion with the professor concerning
your performance in this class may include an examination of your attendance
record.
Make-up exam
policy: A maximum of
one missed exam can be made up. This
will only be allowed in cases where the student can provide written
documentation of a good reason for missing the exam. In cases where a make-up is allowed, the
student will take an essay exam at the time of the final exam.
Cheating/Plagiarism: Any
student found to have engaged in cheating or plagiarism will be given an F in
the course regardless of his/her course average.
Classroom
Behavior: One important
aspect of any good psychology course is classroom discussion. From time to
time, these discussions will touch upon potentially sensitive topics (e.g., sexuality,
homosexuality, evolution, racial/gender bias, etc.). While students are always
encouraged to participate in such discussions, students are also encouraged to
think of other's feelings before they speak. This classroom will operate under
a policy of mutual respect at ALL times.
In addition to the
above regulations, students who exhibit behaviors that are considered to
obstruct or disrupt this class or its learning activities will be considered
under the Board of Regents Policy on Disruptive Behavior. Additional
behaviors which are considered to be inappropriate in this classroom include
sleeping, coming in after lecture has begun, interrupting others, talking out
of turn, inappropriate behavior during group work, verbal behavior that is
disrespectful of other students or the faculty member, leaving class early,
failing to participate in class, possessing ringing pagers or cell phones, and
reading outside materials in class. Students who exhibit such behavior
may be temporarily dismissed from the class by the instructor and will be
subject to disciplinary procedures outlined in the Student Handbook.
Preparation for Class
This is a survey course in Psychology. As such, we will
have to cover a vast amount of material in the Semester. It is in your best
interest to keep up with your reading. You must
have read the reading assignment prior to coming to class and you must be
prepared to fulfill any assigned classroom activities.
Late work
Classroom
participation points (e.g., in-class exercises, quizzes, or assignments) that
are not completed due to a lack of preparedness and/or absence cannot be made up. Late work will not be accepted.
VII. Course Grading
Exam I-III 100 points each. Exams are not cumulative.
WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT I- DESIGNING AN EXPERIMENT 50 POINTS
WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT II- CROSS-CULTURAL INTERVIEW PAPER 50
POINTS
RESEARCH PRESENTATION 100 POINTS
Your course grade will be determined by calculating what
percentage of 500 points you have earned by the end of the semester. Grades
will be assigned based on the grading scale below:
Grading Scale: A= 89.1+; B=79.1-89; C=69.1-79; D=59.1-69;
F= 59 or less. This scale is firm. There are
no negotiations involved in the assignment of grades. Do not ask!
VIII.
Real-World Applicability
Why should I
take this class if I am not a psychology major? Material learned in this class
is also applicable to the following occupations: law, sales, management,
advertising, parenting, education, law enforcement,
medicine/nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, engineering,
political positions, animal science, and many other fields (including being a
human being!)