Elementary Psychology

PSY 12000-003

Maymester -- 2011

Instructor: Professor Kipling Williams

Office: PSYC 2166
Phone: 494-0845
Email: kip@psych.purdue.edu
Instructor Webpage: http://www1.psych.purdue.edu/~willia55/
Class Meetings: Monday through Friday, 7:30am - 9:40am in PRCE 277
Office hours: Wednesdays, 1:00pm - 2:00pm
or by appointment

Download Syllabus


 

Textbook: ONLINE SUBSCRIPTION ONLY: Go to: http://www.worthpublishers.com/customstore/PU/Williams/ and purchase the online subscription. This is the Myers, D. G. (2009). Psychology (9th Edition). NY: Worth. There are two options: the eText only (Option 1) and the eText with the hard copy (Option 2).

 

Once you have registered for PsychPortal, you can enter it here: http://courses.bfwpub.com/myers9e.php

Help Line is: 1-800-936-6899

 

I recommend Option 1 (eText version only) and that is all that is expected for this class. If you really want a hard copy of the textbook, feel free to pay the extra amount and choose Option 2.

 

The i>Clicker in NOT needed for this class.

 

Either option provides you with the electronic version of the text and access to PsychPortal, both of which expire a year after purchase. PsychPortal provides you with many aids for studying, including practice exams, flashcards, and online demonstrations.

 

Using an eText reduces your costs and was recommended and approved overwhelmingly from my previous classes.

 

If you purchase the hard copy first, from Amazon or another outlet, you would first need to return your book (and get a refund) to Amazon, then proceed through the steps above.

 

Let me know if you have any questions.

 


 

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Welcome to Psy 12000 (003)!

This is the official PSY 12000-003 webpage.

You should make this page a "favorite" and check it out daily

for announcements and changes.

Grades will be posted through PsychPortal.

--->Exam 4 will be taken on-line in the same manner as the first three exams. (10-1 for most; 6-9 for Friday Night Exam Group)<---

 


 

Notice from iTAP:


"Be sure students know to go *into* your class and click on their My
Grades tool (in the lower left) to see all the grades you've released."

 


Results for each Exam will be posted here, and will consist of the following information:

 

Exam 1 Results:

 

Top Score: 50

Mean = 43.4

Median = 44.5

Mode = 44

N = 47

SD = 5.11

 

Top Cumulative Score to date: 50

 

Exam 2 Results:

 

Top Score: 50

Mean = 40.0

Median = 40.0

Mode = 46

N = 47

SD = 12.3

 

Top Cumulative Score to date: 97

 

Exam 3 Results:

 

Top Score: 50

Mean = 42.3

Median = 43

Mode = 44

N = 46

SD = 12.3

 

Top Cumulative Score to date: 143

 


 


 

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FAQ of the week:

Question: "My cumulative total works out to a percentage of 89.47. Can you round up so I get an A-,
or do I need to take Exam 5 in order to try to raise my grade to an A-?"

 

Answer: You will need to take Exam 5 in hopes of raising your total to be on or above 89.5 if you want to try for an A-."

 

 

**************************************************************************************************************************************************


PODCASTS


To access the current podcasts:
Click on the link listed on the course website: www.itap.purdue.edu/tlt/BoilerCast .
From the new Boilercast page, click the link on the left that says "BoilerCast File Access"
Once you do that it will ask you what you want to use to open the program and you will want to use Itunes
That should open your iTunes - in iTunes select the College of Health and Human Sciences
Scroll to the bottom of the list of classes until you see "Psychological Sciences" - under that heading, click on "PSY120 - Williams"
That will open a new screen in iTunes that says "Maymester 2011" and all of the current lectures are listed.

They are dated so that you can listen to them in order or to only the ones you need.

 


Important Class Information

Course Objectives: The purpose of this course is to introduce you to the field of psychology. There are three major sub-goals: (1) To explain how psychologists think about and study behavior. (2) To introduce you to the body of knowledge and underlying principles that currently exist in the field. (3) To encourage reflection about the implications of psychological research for everyday life.

Class Format: This class involves textbook readings, lectures, and any videoclips shown during class. The text and lectures overlap, but not completely. Consequently you will need to attend lectures and read the text to learn all of the examinable material.

Grading. Course grades will be based on your cumulative performance on the four exams (each worth 25% of the final grade). So, for example, if your scores are: 35, 36, 34, and 37, you would have a grand total of 142/200, which would roughly equal 71% of a perfect score (for which the grade would be a C-). But wait, the news is better. Your grade would actually be higher than that because I would not use a perfect score in the denominator; I use the highest accumulated score achieved by a single student for the four exams. So, if the highest accumulated score was a 190, you would get: 142/190 = 75%, which is a C. Exams are comprised of 50 multiple-choice questions (four options for each question).

The first three exams are taken on-line and will be open for a few hours after class on each Friday. I will announce the window of time in class.

Make-ups will be granted ONLY for a validated medical/emergency excuse, and the request for a make-up MUST be made (by phone or email) prior to the exam time. If you are granted a make-up, it will be given at a time and place convenient for me. The grades will follow the following breakdown.

There are NO extra credit opportunities (participation in experiments and/or alternative written assignments are NOT extra credit; they are a required part of the course).

 

100 – 93% of top score achieved
=
A
92 – 90% of top score achieved
=
A-
89 – 87% of top score achieved
=
B+
86 - 83% of top score achieved
=
B
82 - 80% of top score achieved
=
B-
79 – 77% of top score achieved
=
C+
76 – 73% of top score achieved
=
C
72 – 70% of top score achieved
=
C-
69 - 67% of top score achieved
=
D+
66 – 63% of top score achieved
=
D
62 – 60% of top score achieved
=
D-
< 60% of top score achieved
=
F

Purdue Student Code of Honor: Know it and follow it. For your own sake, do your own work. Plagiarism is a serious offense, and is easily detectable with the advent of search engines. It does not matter if you plagiarized intentionally or unintentionally—either way it is plagiarism. Here is a useful website to understand the definition and issues surrounding plagiarism: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_plagiar.html


Emergencies. In the event of a major campus emergency, course requirements, deadlines and grading percentages are subject to changes that may be necessitated by a revised semester calendar or other circumstances. Here are ways to get information about changes in this course: MyPurdue webpage, my class web page, email address: kip@psych.purdue.edu, and my office phone: 494-0845. FOR INFORMATION on EMERGENCIES, GO TO: http://www.purdue.edu/emergency_preparedness/


Schedule of Topics and Readings for Lecture

This schedule is only an approximation. The instructor may extend, shorten, or even re-arrange the lectures. All students are responsible for any changes mentioned in class, including changes in test dates. PLEASE ROUTINELY CHECK THIS COURSE WEBPAGE FOR UPDATES, CHANGES, AND ANNOUNCEMENTS.

The links below are for pdfs of the lecture presentations. They are all-inclusive of the entire chapter, even though the lectures themselves are not. If the first slide of the pdf has a green background, then it is an old lecture that has not yet been updated to this semester (but, for those of you who like to work ahead, they will serve as a reasonable proxy until the new lectures are uploaded).

This semester's slides will have an Purple background for the first slide.

 

Date
Lecture Topic
Reading
May 16, Mon
Introduction - Go over syllabus; answer questions
Thinking Critically with Psychological Science
Prologue; Ch 1
May 17, Tue
Methods

Ch 1

May 18, Wed Neuroscience and Behavior
Ch 2; Ch 3.1.1-3.1.2 
May 19, Thur Nature, Nurture, and Human Diversity (although we didn't get through too many slides, most of the slides after #11 duplicate the textbook, so they are worth perusing)
Ch 4
(read up to and including p. 153)
May 20, Fri

Development Through the Lifespan

TAKE EXAM 1 TODAY (take in PsychPortal)

Ch 5
May 23, Mon

Sensation & Perception
Transcript
from Scientific American Frontiers episode on "Tasters and Supertasters."

Ch 6
May 24, Tue

Gestalt Principles & Illusions

May 25, Wed
Learning: Classical conditioning
Ch 7
May 26, Thur

Operant conditioning
May 27, Fri

Memory

TAKE EXAM 2 TODAY (take in PsychPortal)

Ch 8 
May 30, Mon
M E M O R I A L   D A Y - N O   C L A S S
May 31, Tue
Thinking and Language
Ch 9
June 1, Wed
Intelligence
Ch 10 
June 2, Thur
Motivation
Ch 11 
June 3, Fri

Emotion

TAKE EXAM 3 TODAY (take in PsychPortal)

Ch12
June 6, Mon
Personality
Ch 13
June 7, Tue
Psychological Disorders
Ch 14
June 8, Wed
Therapy
Ch 15
June 9, Thur Social Psychology
Ch 16
June 10, Fri


FINAL EXAM (take in PsychPortal)

 
     


FAQ

Do we have to attend lectures?
Purdue says you should, but I do not take roll. When you attend lectures regularly, you are more likely to know about changes in exam dates, lecture topics, and special guests. And, you are more likely to perform better on the exams. Whether you attend lectures or not, you are responsible for any information announced in lectures.

As a reminder, be courteous to all in attendance. This means: don’t read your newspaper during class, talk excessively to your neighbor, text others on your cell phones, surf on the Internet, or snore too loudly.

I bought a used book; do I get the online version of the text and access to PsychPortal free?
No. You are expected to purchase the online subscription to Myers 9th edition and PsychPortal. It is on this material (in addition to lectures) that you will be tested.

Can I use an introductory psychology textbook that is used in another Psy12000 class (e.g., by Nairne) ?
No, the exams are written based upon the material in the Myers (9th edition) textbook, so you would not fare well on the exams.

Can I audiotape your lectures?
Sure, no problem. I’ll get my lectures recorded for podcasting, as well.

Are the exams cumulative?
No, they cover the material from the previous exam to the present.

How about the Final Exam; is it cumulative?
No, it is nothing more than Exam 4 (except it will be held in class).

If you didn’t get finished lecturing, are we still responsible for the material that you didn’t cover?
Yes, you are responsible for the material in each assigned chapter, whether or not I have time to cover that chapter’s material. Also, you are responsible for any material on my powerpoint slides, which are posted on my class website: http://www2.psych.purdue.edu/~kip/120/index.htm

If I miss an exam, can I take a make-up?
Only if (a) you contact me by phone or email before the exam, and (b) you have a validated medical or emergency excuse that you bring me prior to your rescheduled make-up.

Can I drop my worst exam score?
No.

Is there any way to get extra credit?
No.

Are there any special rules while we take exams?
Yes.

(1) For on-line exams, you will take your exams from your own computer (or one available on campus);

(2) For Exam 4, (a) no caps or hats (or if you are surgically attached to your cap, turn it around so the bill is behind you, (b) No cell phones or computers are allowed in the classroom, (c) bring your own pencil, and (d) try your best to cover your exam so as not to tempt others, and try to spread out as much as possible leaving an empty seat between you and any other student (if possible).


Useful Web Sites and Resources:

http://www.psywww.com/

PsychPortal: http://courses.bfwpub.com/myers9e.php