Psychology 3100/ Psychology of Diversity

Spring 2007

 

Professor:  Parrilla de Kokal

Text:  Race, Class, and Gender in the U.S.  by P.S. Rothenberg (6th ed.)

Assigned Readings:  Check my website

My website:  http://faculty.weber.edu/mdekokal//

Phone:  626-7622   The best way to reach me is by phone.

Fax:  626-6275  email:  mdekokal@weber.edu

As with anthropology, and sociology where behavior is examined at the level of groups and entire cultures, recent psychological research and theory examines how and why social class, disabilities, age, culture, ethnicity, and gender influence behavior, but psychologists focus on individuals from diverse backgrounds, paying particular attention to individual thought processes, emotions, motivation and behavior. 

 This course integrates material relating diversity into all areas of psychology, from interpersonal relations, to child development, to abnormality, to thinking, problem solving and personal interactions. After taking this course, successful students should be able to relate it to their understanding of others and apply it successfully to real problems and issues they will encounter.   

Class objectives include the following:

1.        Mastery of concepts & theories from text & class

2.        Development of greater awareness & acceptance of diversity

3.        Application of course concepts in life

 

Course Requirements

Grading is based on quizzes/assignments, test performance, attendance, class participation, papers assigned, journals, and special projects.  

 

Absences

More than one excused absence adversely affects grade. If you miss a class, you are responsible for getting lecture notes from a classmate and for finding out about any announcements or handouts you missed.

Grading System
In order to treat all students equitably, there will be no make-up quizzes/assignments nor exams unless previously arranged with instructor before the exam date. Students failing to take quizzes or exams on designated days will earn a "0" for those quizzes or exams. Legitimate excuses, such as illness, with documentation substantiating the excuse (a doctor's note) may justify alternative accommodations.

Students failing to turn in assignments on time will also earn a "0" for those assignments. Assignments will be considered late if they are handed in after the due date and/or after the beginning of class. Late assignments will not be accepted. Students failing to hand in assignments on designated days will earn a "0" for those assignments. Legitimate excuses, such as illness, with documentation substantiating the excuse (a doctor's note) may justify alternative accommodations.
 

Cross-cultural Experience

Students will choose s diverse cultural experience to participate in.  This experience is to be described in a 3 - 5 page paper.  Some possible cross-cultural experiences include pow wows, Black History Month, Disability Awareness Month, Native American Month, Women’s History Month, a visit to the GLBT Community Center of Utah or knowledgeable participation in a church/temple/synagogue service.

 

 

Exams

There are a total of four exams including the final.   They will consist of essay questions. These exams will be taken during class and may involve group work.

 

Journals

Students type 1-2 page journal responses to material read prior and after discussions. These are to be turned in weekly.

 

Paper

Students will work together on producing one group paper based on a diversity topic they find interesting and relevant to diversity. 

 

In Class Activities

Each week students will participate in “in class” activities and discussions.  These cannot be made up.

Turning in/Picking up Assignments

Corrected assignments will be returned in the classroom. Students failing to pick those up, can pick them up in the box outside my office (Social Science Room 384). Worksheets and other handouts from class will also be available there. Due to limited space, corrected assignments, worksheets, and other handouts will only be in the box for up to 1 week after they've been given in class. It is the student's responsibility to pick up their assignments and to keep track of them until the semester's final grades are calculated.

Appropriate Classroom Behavior

As learning in this course is a community endeavor, respect for one another is required. This includes freedom from harassment and dishonesty, respect for others' personal space, and respect for others' appropriate questions and comments in the quest for learning. Additionally, it includes a freedom from unacceptable distractions i.e., talking, cell phones, pagers, etc. If you have any of these items or if you find alternative means of distracting classmates, you will be required to leave the class.

 

Free APA format template address:  http://www.gwinn.us/apastyle/template.html

 

PLAGIARISM AND CHEATING (Shaw’s Document, 2004)

All work submitted in this course must be your own and be written exclusively for this course.  The use of sources (ideas, quotations, paraphrases) must be properly documented.  “Plagiarism” means the intentional unacknowledged use or incorporation of any other person’s work in, or as a basis for, one’s own work offered for academic consideration or credit or for public presentation.  Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, representing as one’s own, without attribution, any other individual’s words, phrasing, ideas, sequence of ideas, information or any other mode or content of expression.  For example, you are engaging in plagiarism if you turn in a paper purchased from a commercial website, turn in the work of another student as your own, or fail to attribute quotations or ideas to the original author of the work.  If you include verbatim text in your coursework, you must quote the original source.  You must put the text in quotes and give the specific citation for the questions.  Consider the following hypothetical response as an example. 

Sociology and social psychology are distinct disciplines.  Sociologists “study groups, from small to very large” (Myers, 2003, p. 6).  Social psychologists, by contrast, “study average individuals - how one person at a time thinks about others, is influenced by them, relates to them” (Myers, 2003, p. 6).

Ignorance is not an excuse; understanding and avoiding plagiarism is your responsibility.  Please ask me if you have any questions about how to properly cite sources.  Cheating or plagiarism is an act of academic dishonesty and a violation of University Standards and the Student Code of Conduct. It will result in a grade of zero for the assignment.  It may further result in failure of the course and a hearing before the Dean of Students; therefore, it could have serious implications for your academic career (e.g., academic probation, suspension, or expulsion).   Please refer to the following website for a complete listing of infringements that constitute cheating:  http://documents.weber.edu/ppm/6-22.htm

 

"Any student requiring accommodations or services due to a disability must contact Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) in room 181 of the Student Service Center. SSD can also arrange to provide course materials (including this syllabus) in alternative formats if necessary."

 

As this syllabus serves as a guide, you will be informed of necessary changes.

 

Grading

Activity

Points Possible

Points Earned

Contract

5

 

12 Journal entries @ 15 points each

180

 

4 Exams @ 75 points each

300

 

13 In class activities @ 10 points each

130

 

Cross-cultural experience

75

 

Group Paper

100

 

Total

790

 

 

 

                A         93-100%       

            A-        90-92%                     

            B+       83-89%                     

            B-        80-82%         

            C+       73-79%

            C-        70-72%         

            D+       63-69%

            D-        60-62%

            E         0-59%

 

 

 

Course Schedule

  WEEKDATE

WEEK/UNIT

READINGS

ACTIVITY

January 8

1:  I

Chapters 1 – 5

Gould, J. 1981Part A     Part B

PPT 1 Intro

Handouts in Class:  Critical Thinking;

Identifying Culture

January 15

2:  I

Chapters 6 -11

No Class

January 22

3:  II

Chapters 12 – 21

PPT 2 Research

Journal

Div.Questionnaire;

Research Handout

 

January 29

4:  III

Chapters 22 – 30

PPT 3 Prejudice

Exam 1

Journal

Research Ethics

February  5

5:  III

Chapters 31 - 38

Journal

Read http://www.nicksacy.com/churchill/crimes_against_humanity.pdf  

February 12

6:  III

Chapters 39 - 46

Journal

February 19

7:  IV

Chapters 47 - 57

No Class

February 26

8:  V

Chapters 58 - 66

Journal

Social Interactions

March 5

9:  V

Chapters 67 – 75

Disability

Exam 2

Journal

March 12 - 16

Spring Break

 

Spring Break

MARCH 19

10:  V

Chapters 76 – 82

Journal

Human Development and Socialization

March 26

11:  VI

Chapters 83 - 94

Journal

April 2

12:  VI

Chapters 95 - 105

Journal

Affirmative Action

April 9

13:  VII

Chapters 106 - 115

Exam 3

Journal

History of Sexual Harassment:  http://csu.net/Hr/SHLaw.pd

WSU Sexual Harassment Policy:

http://departments.weber.edu/aaeeo/def.htm

April 16

14:  VIII

Chapters 116 - 121

Journal

Psychological Disorders

April 23

15:  VIII

Chapters 122 - 126

Final Exam

Journal

 

 

HOLIDAYS

1/15/2007                    Martin Luther King Holiday

2/19/2007                    President's Day Holiday

3/12-16/2007               Spring Break

 

 

Psychology 3100

Course Contract

 

Please initial, sign, & turn in to professor in order to receive credit and remain in this class.

 

_______  I understand that Make Up Exams are not allowed.

_______  I understand that NO LATE assignments will be allowed.

_______ I understand that homework is due on the specified due date otherwise I will  receive a 0 on that assignment.

_______ I understand that there will be no extra credit in this class.  

_______ I understand that grade appeals on exams must be done on paper.

_______ I understand that excessive tardiness, early departures, inappropriate behavior, disruption by electronic gadgetry could result in being asked to leave the classroom on that day or could result in a grade that is one letter grade lower than is indicated by my total point accumulation in the class.

_______ I understand that if I demonstrate any sort of academic dishonesty in any coursework, quiz, assignment, paper or exam in this class, I may receive a 0 in the class.

______ I understand and agree to behave and treat my fellow classmates and professor with respect.

______ I understand that announcements made in class “count” just as much as policies outlined in the written syllabus.

______ I understand that if at any time I am in disagreement and unwilling to abide by the policies outlined in the written syllabus, I have the right to drop this class.

My signature indicates that I understand the Psych 3100 syllabus and have agreed to become a member of this learning community as described in the requirements for Psychology of Diversity.

 

____________________________________________        ___________________

                                    (NAME)                                                         (DATE)