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DaVinci Academy of Science and Arts
Introductory Psychology 

New Message 11/25

Course Description:  The major theme of the course will be how best to think about human nature. This theme will be explored by surveying the major topics in the discipline of psychology.  These topics include research methods, biological basis of behavior, learning, thinking and intelligence, personality, social psychology, motivation, development, abnormal behavior and other topics as time permits. This will be also be a project intensive course, with students working together on demonstrations, research and community projects.

Course Objectives: The course will explore classic and contemporary theories of and research in scientific psychology. The specific objectives are: 

1. To learn about ‘human nature’ from the perspective of the discipline of scientific psychology.
    
2. To understand the multiple scientific perspectives (behavioral, biological, cognitive, socio-cultural, evolutionary) on human behavior and how each of these differ from our ‘everyday’ theory.
    
3. To appreciate that all behavior is the result of a complex interaction between genetic, biological, cognitive, environmental, and social-cultural factors.
    
4. To learn about the methods, procedures, and techniques that psychologists use in academic studies and professional practice.

   5.  To have students reflect on their own beliefs about explaining their own and others' behavior.

General Plan: In the first week of classes we will examine everyday explanations of behavior. The structure of these ‘folk’ explanations will be explored and the four underlying assumptions will be identified. These four assumptions include the existence of mental states, the power of awareness, the centrality of rationality, and the immutability of perception. These assumptions will be the the focus of attention over the the next seven weeks of the semester as we consider Behaviorism and Conditioning (which denies the power of awareness), Biological Psychology (which denies the existence of mental states), and Cognitive Psychology (which demonstrates human irrationality and the inaccuracy of perception). During the last nine weeks of class, we adopt a new tact in understanding human beings. As an alternative to everyday psychological explanations, we will examine human behavior as a product of complex interactions between distinct forces. These forces include environmental, biological, cognitive, genetic (evolutionary psychology & behavioral genetics), and socio-cultural influences on behavior.  These forces and their interactions will be examined in the contexts of Social Psychology, Motivation & Emotion, Development, Personality, Psychopathology, and Treatment.

Textbook: Dewey, R., A.  (2008).  Psychology: An Introduction.  The book is available free online at http://www.intropsych.com/index.html.  Students without ready access to the internet will have a textbook made available to them. 

Grading: There will be four Exams. Each exam will include multiple choice and short answers based on the assigned textbook chapters, class discussions, demos, assignments, and lectures. A Study Guide will be available before each exam as will practice exams in the form of Quizzes. Each exam will cover only material from approximately 3-5 textbook chapters. In addition, there will be 8 short Essay Assignments. Each of the assignments will involve written (typed, doubled-spaced) answers to questions will be distributed to students approximately a week before they are due. Every week or so you will be expected to complete a practice Quiz that will be available online. You are required to complete 12 quizzes -- 11 quizzes based on the content (lectures and the textbook) and one quiz based on the syllabus and class policies. To pass a quiz you will need to score 90% or higher, but you can take the quiz as many times as you wish during the period in which it is available (see the calendar) and can use your books and notes. Eight course related Demos will be assigned to be completed by students during lab Wednesday. Finally, Attendance and Participation  in class will also be factored into final grades.

Distribution of Grades
    Exams (4).......................40%
        Each Exam........10%
    Essay Assignments (8)...........40%
        Each Assignment...5%
    Quizzes (12).....................5%
    Demos(8).........................5%
    Participation & Attendance......10%

Student/Teacher Expectations:  As a Weber State University concurrent enrollment course, you will be held to college-level personal and academic standards. You will be expected to read lectures prior to the classes in which they are assigned. This will promote class time devoted to two-way discussions (which are usually fun and interesting) rather than one-way lecturing (which is often boring, although sometimes necessary). You will also be expected to read the relevant sections in the textbook during the period we are discussing the topic. Finally, I will insist on ethical behavior (respecting each other) and the creation of a positive academic atmosphere in the class. This does not mean sitting quietly with your hands folded. Quite the contrary, it means being active and engaged.

Class Policies:  For a review of class policies, click here. (For Late Contract, click here)