*Writing Intensive Course
**Applications Course
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
The students will be responsible for all the
assigned readings; whether or not they are discussed in class.
Required Text: Lefton, L.A. (1997). Psychology, 6th ed. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
Additional Required Readings: On reserve in Carlson Library.
Recommended Readings: Study guide to accompany text, web site to accompany text.
GRADING:
Grades will be based on the total points achieved
out of a total of 550 possible points on exams (400 points) and quizzes
(75 points), a brief paper (40 points), two computer assignments (20 points),
and three exceptionally brief "thinking" assignments (15 points).
Extra Credit may be obtained for attendance at announced university lectures
or for research participation to a maximum of 15 points. The grades
will be assigned as follows:
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NOTE: Excessive unexcused absences, disruptive behavior which detract from rather than contribute to the class may result in a point penalty of as many as 10 points at the instructor's discretion. There will also be a penalty of 2 points for each instance of neglecting to put one's name on quizzes or exams. This is not a capricious notion. Matching exams to computer response sheets is a major problem if people neglect to put their names on exams.
PSYCHOLOGY IN THE NEWS:
Events in the local, national, or international
scene that relate to the class will be discussed as appropriate.
Information covered in these brief discussions may be included on the exam.
EXAMS:
There will be four exams, consisting of multiple
choice items and brief identification items. Each exam will be worth
100 points. Some exams may contain one or more brief essays.
The readings and the class will each account for approximately half of
the points.
Make-up exams are discouraged but when absolutely
necessary may be arranged in advance. Make-up exams will consist
of essays only and will be taken during the last week of classes.
Students who are representing the University in athletic events or band
trips, etc. may arrange to take exams at an alternate time if they notify
Dr. Krauss in advance.
QUIZZES:
We will have four brief quizzes consisting of 10
true-false questions. The lowest quiz grade will be dropped.
We will go over the questions immediately following the quizzes.
CHEATING:
The penalty for cheating of any kind is a grade
a 0 on the quiz or exam. Cheating includes plagiarism: the use of
someone else's ideas and/or words as one's own. Cheating may result
in failure for the entire course at Dr. Krauss' discretion.
ATTENDANCE:
Students are expected to attend all scheduled classes.
Attendance records will be kept, and will, in some cases, affect grades.
In my experience, those students with better attendance achieve higher
grades. Having someone sign the attendance record for you or signing
it for someone else is cause for failing the course.
Late arrivals will not be permitted after a five-minute
grace period without advance permission. Any student needing to leave
class early for any sufficient reason (medical appointment, job, interview,
etc.) is to request permission from Dr. Krauss in advance. The student
should sit by the door and slip out as unobtrusively as possible after
being acknowledged by the instructor. The reason for this policy
is that the late arrivals are distracting to the class and instructor.
Valuable time is lost by the entire class.
CONSIDERATION OF OTHERS:
Ideas are to be freely exchanged. Once an
idea is expressed the idea is fair game. But the person expressing
the idea is not. Please consider the feelings and thoughts of the
individual before commenting on the idea. This is tricky. We
need to avoid sexist, ageist, and racial attacks, but we should feel free
to discuss these sexist, racist and ageist topics, in a civil, respectful
manner.
Two computer exercises are to be completed.
They will involve internet activities and/or CD-ROM activities. These
will be discussed in class. Each will be worth 10 points. In
addition, I will communicate with the class through e-mail. If you
have not done so, please activate you e-mail account.
3x5 CARDS:
Each student is to submit three 3x5 cards.
On one, the student is to complete the following phrase: "But, but, but..."
The purpose is to encourage students to express how information presented
in class runs counter to ideas and knowledge currently held. This
will be worth 5 points. On the other two cards students are to complete
the phrase: "What if..." with a very brief description of a possible research
study or ways in which a study discussed in class or presented in the text
could be changed. Each is worth 5 points.
MOVIES:
Since psychological themes underlie many if not
all movies, it is useful to watch at least one movie critically, attempting
to determine how an understanding of psychological theory could help a
viewer interpret the themes and behavior in films. You are required
to see at least one of the the films below but are urged to see as many
as possible. As you watch the film(s), think about how what the characters
do could be interpreted according to the five major psychological perspectives
discussed in class. An essay question on the final exam will require
you to relate the film to major themes discussed in class.
Titles:
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Biological psychology, aka physiological psychology, psychobiology, and neuroscience, explores the relationship between behavior and the brain. This theory of psychology assumes that all behavior is controlled and monitored by the brain. Furthermore, abnormal behavior is caused by a direct result of damage to the brain or malfunctions in the brain's biochemistry or electrical properties. Some psychologists of importance in this area are Sperry, Geschwind, Tulving, and Lynch.
Harvard Whole Brain Atlas - If you're interested in brain structure and/or anatomy, this is the site for you.
Cognitive psychology is the study of how a person thinks and reacts to situations in life. It also takes into consideration how a person feels about his or herself. Therefore, cognitive psychologists try to analyze the active thinking processes that occur when a person is displaying a particular behavior. Psychologists who follow the cognitive perspective believe that all abnormal behavior is a result of flawed thinking. Thus, the only appropriate way to treat abnormal behavior is to alter the way the person thinks. Some psychologists who follow the cognitive perspective include Piaget, Sternberg, Beck, and Gardner.
Behavioral psychology is founded in the belief that all behavior is a direct result of rewards and punishments. Behaviorists believe that behavior does not involve thinking. Behaviorists focus solely on what can be observed. Thus, they reject any notion that behavior is produced by thought processes or brain chemistry. What they do believe is that every action is either reinforced or punished. If an action is met with reinforcement, it will likely happen again. If an action is met with punishment, it will likely not happen again. In addition, behaviorists also believe that people can learn beaviors by watching other people being rewarded or punished. Pavlov, Skinner, Milgrim, Darley, and Mishel are some psychologists who represent the behavioral theory well.
B.F. Skinner Site - Site with some great information on B.F. Skinner.
Psychodynamic psychology, aka Freudian psychology, and psychoanalytic psychology, was the first real theory of human behavior. It was developed by Dr. Sigmund Freud, a physician who lived in Austria in the late 1800's. Dr. Freud's theory states that all behavior is a result of unconscious forces of sex and aggression, and any traumatic experience that took place in the person's childhood. He also stated that behavior was directed by a person's unconscious drive to win the affections of the parent of the opposite sex while trying to avoid punishment from the parent of the same sex. While most of Dr. Freud's theory has been dismissed by modern psychiatry and psychology, Freudian psychology is still practiced heavily in Europe and has several thousand followers in the United States. In addition to Freud, these psychologists represent the psychoanalytic perspective well: Jung, Erikson, and Weiss.
Center for Modern Psychoanalytic Studies
- Homepage for a school specializing in psychoanalysis.
San Francisco Psychoanalytic Institutue
- Homepage of a school for psychoanalysis.
Freud and Jung Dream
Interpretation Primer - A great site that explains Freud's theory on
dreams and symbols in dreams.
Also known as holistic psychology, humanistic psychology examines the entire spectrum of possibilities for behavior. Humanistic psychology is based on the belief that all people have a drive inside of them that pushes them to be the best person they can possibly be. This internal drive is what causes all behavior. However, this drive can be hindered by many negative aspects of life. Any biomedical or psychological problem or abnormality can prohibit a person from achieving the best he can. Thus, when a psychologist who follows the humanistic perspective treats someone, the psychologist must look at all aspects of that person's life. Two psychologists who represent the humanistic perspective are Maslow and Rogers.
Association for Humanistic Psychology - Site of an organization dedicated to humanistic psychology.