Download psychology 499 - ULM Web Services

PSYCHOLOGY 4099
Advanced General Psychology
(capstone course for psychology majors)
I.
Course Description
The course is a one semester survey of advanced topics in the field of psychology. There are two main
goals of the course:
A. To provide students with additional knowledge of the scientific basis of psychology, the characteristics
of human behavior and cognition, and a number of content areas including learning, motivation, social
and biological factors in behavior, abnormal behavior and therapy techniques;
B. To aid students in integrating the knowledge gained from previous psychology courses into a coherent
concept of psychology through lecture, discussion, and a research project.
II.
Rationale
The ULM Interactive Learning Model to Prepare Learning Facilitators provides the framework support the
College of Education Professional Programs. This Psychology 499 integrative studies course will interact with and
extend the knowledge gained in all psychology courses, such as Psychology 2001 (Introduction) Psychology 2003,
2005, and 2078 (Child, Adolescent, and Lifespan), Psychology 3015 or 3016 (Experimental), Psychology 3019
(Comparative), Psychology 3039 (Research Methods), Psychology 4002 (Social), Psychology 4039 (Statistics), and
Psychology 4011 (Advanced Topics). Advanced General Psychology serves as the capstone course for psychology
majors.
The learning philosophy expounded in this course is in the ULM Interactive model, developed by the
School of Education. This unique approach emphasizes:
A. Knowledge acquisition,
B. Knowledge acquisition skills,
C. Ability to demonstrate transfer of knowledge to diverse problems, and
D. Application of this knowledge base to research and clinical conditions. Content related to the
conceptual framework permeates the course and is specifically evident in the Objectives and Outcomes
listed below.
III.
Course Objectives and Outcomes
This course is designed to enable students to:
A. Define psychology, understand the basis for science, know important events in the history of
psychology.
B. Know structure and function of major neurological structures, understand sensory and perceptual cues as
well as the biological basis of motivation of emotion.
C. Know the major stages of development, the influence of prenatal development and critical periods.
Understand the development of language and Piaget’s theory of intellectual development.
D. Understand concepts and procedures of classical and operant conditioning and recognize examples.
Know basic theories of cognition and theories of memory.
E. Understand the principles of applied behavioral analysis and demonstrate proper behavioral observation
techniques.
E. Know psychoanalytic theory as well as the controversies between that theory and those of humanistic
psychology.
F. Have knowledge of the Stanford-Binet, Wechsler, projective and pencil and paper tests.
G. Know major categories of deviant behavior according to DSM-IV.
H. Understand the central role of research in the field of psychology; conduct a research project, produce a
written report in APA format, and present report to class.
IV.
Course Topics
Major topics to be considered are:
A. Characteristics of science:
1. Method
2. Theory
3. Explanation
B. Biological basis of behavior:
1. Evolution
2. Genetic variation
3. Physiology and behavior
4. Sensory capacities
C. Development:
1. The process of development
2. Nature and nurture
3. Critical experience
4. Cultural and multicultural factors in development
5. Stages in cognitive development
D. Learning:
1. Classical and instrumental conditioning
2. Cognition
3. Memory
E. Motivation:
1. Arousal and direction
2. Motivation and biology
3. Motivation and learning
4. Motivation and emotion
5. Human motivation
F. Personality and Testing:
1. Individual characteristics
2. Psychological testing
3. Multicultural factors in test interpretation
4. Theories of personality
5. Social influences
G. Behavior Disorders:
1. Abnormality
2. Major categories of moderate and severe behavior problems
H. The APA style of technical writing:
1. Topic selection
2. Hypothesis formation
3. Experimental design
4. Analysis of behavior
V.
Instructional Methods and Activities
A. Lecture, discussion
B. Multimedia presentations
C. Demonstrations
VI.
Evaluation and Grade Assignments
The method of evaluations and criteria for grade assignments are:
A. Method
1. Knowledge Assessment
a. Knowledge Assignments (20%): 40 chapter quizzes (multiple choice, on Blackboard)
b. Comprehensive Final Exam (30%): In-class test (multiple choice, discussion, short answer)
2. Research Paper (35%)
3. Oral Presentation (15%)
B. Test grading scale:
90 - 100
A
80 - 89
B
70 - 79
C
60 - 69
D
below 60
F
VII.
Course Schedule and Policies (see attached)
VIII.
Textbooks
The textbooks adopted for this course are:
Mynatt, C.R. & Doherty, M.E. (2002). Understanding Human Behavior (2 nd ed.). Allyn and Bacon, Boston.
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (5 th Ed.),
IX.
Bibliography
The knowledge base that supports course content and procedures includes:
A. Contemporary References
Cooper, J.O., Heron, T.E., and Heward, W.L. (2007). Applied behavior analysis (2 nd Ed.). Prentice Hall.
Domjan, M. (2003). The principles of learning and behavior (5th Ed.). Thomson Wadsworth: Belmont, CA.
Drickamer, Vessey, & Jakob. (2007) Animal Behavior: Mechanisms, Ecology, Evolution (5th Ed.).
Goldstein, B. (1999). Sensation and Perception (5 th ed.). Wadsworth: New York.
Hergenhahn, B.R. and Olson, M.H. (2001). An introduction to theories of learning (6 th Ed.). Prentice Hall.