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LAMAR UNIVERSITY – BEAUMONT
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
PSYCHOLOGY 2301 – SECTION – 48F_1
GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY
WINTER MINI – 2016
INSTRUCTOR: Justin Babineaux, M.S.
E- mail: [email protected]
OFFICE HOURS: Available by appointment
COURSE DESCRIPTION: An introductory survey of the major areas of psychology, such as learning, personality,
psychological testing, developmental issues, and physiological bases of behavior. Emphasis is on psychology as the
scientific study of behavior, and includes both human and animal behavior.
Given that this is an online course that is also a MINI SESSION, it is extremely important that you be self
motivated. Completing the assigned readings, participating in discussions, and other assignments will be critical for
you to do well in the class. As you will see in the course outline below, many items will be due on the same day.
This is a result of this course being a general course that covers a large amount of material. You must be diligent and
proactive in keeping up with studying and completing assignments for success in the course.
I encourage questions, both those directed to the instructor and those directed to other students in the Discussion
Board. The quickest way to ask questions of me is to e-mail my Gmail account. Asking questions about material will
enable you to understand psychology better. While I have listed certain discussion topics for each lesson, the
Discussion Board can and should be used for any topic relevant to the subject matter of the current lesson (or past
lessons). Please do not hesitate to utilize me, or your classmates for information on course content. The course is
very fast pace and due dates are strict. However, I made most content available ahead of time so that you can
complete assignments early if desired.
COURSE OBJECTIVES :
l) Learn the basic vocabulary associated with the field of psychology
2) Comparison of five major contemporary theoretical perspectives
3) Apply diverse perspectives and critical thinking in examining human behavior and emotions
4) Demonstrate understanding of appropriate research methods, technologies, and ethical standards
employed in psychological research with humans and animals
5) Analysis of the complex interaction among biological, psychological, and environmental influences
6) Understanding of the contributions of nature and nurture to human development
7) Demonstration of understanding of the application of psychological principles to our daily lives
8) Definition of types of memory and discussion of factors that influence encoding, storage, and
retrieval
9) Understanding of the basic concepts of classical conditioning, operant conditioning, insight learning,
latent learning, and social learning
10) Understanding of the existence of individual differences and variety within the range of “normal”
behavior and ability to differentiate these from psychopathology
11) Examination of the major theories of human development
12) Exposure to professional research by participation in department research and/or evaluation and
summary of research articles from A.P.A. journals
13) Examination of types of stress, coping strategies, the impact of psychological stress upon
physical and mental health, and discussion of personality factors related to stress & coping
TEXTBOOK REQUIRED: Gazzaniga, M.S., Heatherton, T.F., & Halpern, D.F. (2015). Psychological Science
(5th Edition). New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.
ACADEMIC HONESTY: Students are specifically warned against all forms of cheating and plagiarism. The Lamar
University Student Handbook states: Any student found guilty of dishonesty in any phase of academic work will be
subject to disciplinary action. Punishable offenses include, but are not limited to, cheating on an examination or
academic work which is to be submitted, plagiarism, collusion, and the abuse of resource materials. One aspect of
the handbook’s definition of cheating is, “purchasing, or otherwise acquitting and submitting as one’s own work any
research paper or other writing assignment prepared by an individual or firm’. Plagiarism is defined as, “the
appropriation and the unacknowledged incorporation of another’s work or ideas into one’s own offered for credit”.
Students seeking to avoid plagiarism should consult with the course instructor or recent handbooks such as the MLA
Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (6th edition). The instructor will thoroughly investigate all cases of
suspected plagiarism or any other academic misconduct and may issue an incomplete (I), even to a
graduating senior, while the investigation is underway. Accidental plagiarism may be avoided by consulting
web pages such as
http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/plagiarism.shtml
http://www.hamilton.edu/academics/resource/wc/usingsources.html
DISABILITY STATEMENT: Lamar University is committed to providing equitable access to learning
opportunities for all students. The Disability Resource Center (DRC) is located in the Communications building
room 105. Office staff collaborate with students who have disabilities to provide and/or arrange reasonable
accommodations. If you have, or think you may have, a disability (e.g., mental health, attentional, learning, chronic
health, sensory, or physical), please contact the DRC at (409) 880-8347 or [email protected] to arrange a confidential
appointment with the Director of the DRC to explore possible options regarding equitable access and reasonable
accommodations. If you are registered with DRC and have a current letter requesting reasonable accommodations,
contact your instructor early in the semester to review how the accommodations will be applied in the course
SYLLABUS SUBJECT TO CHANGE: While information and assurances are provided in this course syllabus, it
should be understood that content may change in keeping with new research and literature and events beyond the
control of the instructor. Students will be informed of any substantive occurrences that will produce syllabus
changes.
ONLINE ETIQUETTE: Adhere to the same standards of behavior online that you would follow in face-to-face
conversations. Use the discussion board to ask questions about material or assignments.
All students are required to contribute to class discussions appropriately. The course requires active participation
in all discussions of assigned topics. A student owes it to his colleagues to approach each assigned topic with
enthusiastic contributions to the discussion underway.
Full participation requires a student to give and to receive ideas in a courteous and forthcoming manner. Refusal to
actively contribute to discussions is an insult to a student’s colleagues and his instructor. Dominating the discussion
is equally insulting. Contributing willingly and productively to discussions is ideal.
At times, all students will work with people of similar backgrounds, with people of opposing views, with people
whose company is enjoyable, or with people there is little to find in common. Cooperation in this style of peer
instruction always results in a pleasant learning environment.
Students should develop course study groups outside of the classroom so that they can exchange information and
ideas on all of the assignments.
All graded work must be submitted as scheduled by 11:59pm on the given due date. All work submitted past this
time will not be accepted and will result in no points assigned.
EVALUATION METHOD AND ASSIGNMENT OF GRADES: There will be three multiple choice exams, each of
which will be worth 100 points. These exams will be open book. Considering this, the questions will not be as
simple as defining a term. While some questions will be factual (although not as simple as a definition), many of the
questions will be application or conceptual questions. You will have practice with these types of questions with the
Quizzes (5 points each). In addition, assignments will be worth 10 points and Discussions 5 points each. Please do
not neglect these; while 5 to 10 points may not sound like much, they do make up a substantial portion of your
grade. NO EXTRA CREDIT IS OFFERED IN THIS COURSE. Therefore, it is very important for you to keep up
with your assignments and reading in order to achieve the grade you desire.
Thus, your final grade will be determined as follows:
Exam 1
100
Exam 2
100
Exam 3
100
Assignments
100
Discussions
40
Quiz
35
Total
475
Letter grades are based of 90, 80, 70, 60% cutoffs for grades of A, B, C, and D, respectively.
Grading of the message boards will be based on the assigned topics (not the open discussion). The open discussion
is provided for the benefit of the students (not for grading).
OFFICIAL DROP DATES: The last day to drop or withdraw without academic penalty (still receive a “Q” or a
“W”, even if failing the course), is Tuesday, 12/20/2016 (no refund of tuition or fees). The final day to drop or
withdraw for the semester with academic penalty is Tuesday, 1/03/2017 (no refund of tuition or fees). Only students
who are passing the course may receive a Q or W between December 20th and January 3rd. All students enrolled in
the course after the final drop date, according to the Registrar’s records, will receive a final course grade and cannot
receive a “Drop” or “Withdraw” from the instructor. Students wishing to drop or withdraw for any reason must
obtain appropriate form and signatures and must follow university procedure
TENTATIVE COURSE PLAN: Any necessary changes in course plan, exam dates, reading assignments, etc.
will be announced on Blackboard
DUE DATE
TOPICS / GRADED ASSIGNMENT
ASSIGNED READING
Class Begins
12/15/16
Course Introduction: Subfields of psychology, major theoretical
approaches
Syllabus
Chapter 1
12/16/16
Participate in the Subfields/Professional Orientation in
Psychology Discussion Board
12/19/16
Complete Subfields/Professions in Psychology Assignment
12/19/16
Chapter 1 Quiz
Research Methods & Ethical Guidelines
12/20/16
Participate in the “Research Ethics” Discussion Board
12/22/16
Complete the assignment on Research Ethics
12/22/16
Chapter 2 Quiz
Biological Aspects of Psychology
12/23/16
Chapter 3 Quiz
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
12/23/16
Participate in the “Changes in the Brain” Discussion Board
12/23/16
Complete the assignment on Biological Aspects
12/26/16
EXAM #1 Available Until 12/26/16 @ 11:59 pm
Chapters 1 - 3
Learning: Classical Conditioning, operant conditioning,
schedules of reinforcement, social learning, and latent learning.
Chapter 6
12/27/16
Chapter 6 Quiz
12/27/16
Participate in the Learning Discussion Board
12/29/16
Complete the assignment on Learning
Memory
12/29/16
Chapter 7 Quiz
12/30/16
Participate in the “Memory’s Implication on Eyewitness
Testimony” Discussion Board
12/30/16
Complete the assignment on Reaction Time and Attention
Cognitive Development (J. Piaget)
Psychosocial Development (E. Erikson)
01/02/17
Chapter 9 Quiz
01/02/17
Participate in the “Psychological Development” Discussion
Board
Moral Developent (L. Kohlberg)
Attachment Theory
Chapter 7
Chapter 9
Chapter 9 continued…
01/03/17
Participate in the “Moral Development” Discussion Board
01/03/17
Complete the assignment on Psychological Development
01/04/17
EXAM #2 Available Until 01/04/17 @ 11:59pm
Chapters 6,7, and 9
Stress Profile; Personality, Stress & Coping
Health & Well-Being
Chapter 11
1/06/17
Participate in the “Stress & Coping” Discussion Board
1/07/17
Complete the assignment on Health & Well-Being
1/08/17
Criteria for Diagnosis of Psychological Disorders
Anxiety Disorders
Somatoform Disorders
Mood Disorders
Complete the assignment on Psychological Disorders
Chapter 14
Schizophrenia; Dissociative Disorders; Personality Disorders;
Substance Abuse
Chapter 14 continued…
Social Psychology
Chapter 12
1/09/17
Complete the assignment on Social Psychology
1/10/17
Complete the assignment on Stanford Prison Experiment
1/10/17
1/11/17
Chapter 12 Quiz
EXAM #3 Available Until 1/11/17 @ 11:59 pm
Chapters 11,12, and 14