Instructor: Andrew Peck, Ph.D.
Office: 350 Moore Bldg.
Phone: 865-1838
Office Hours: M & F 10:15-12:00 and by appointment
E-mail: acp103@psu.edu

TA:
Office:
Phone:
Office Hours:
E-mail:

Text: Meyer, D.G. (1998). Psychology. (5th Ed.) New York: Worth Publishers

Course Purpose and Objectives

To introduce students to theories, research, and procedures used in psychological research and practice

To introduce students to various sub-areas of psychology

To promote thinking about the ways students can apply this knowledge to enhance their lives

Class Format

This course is a survey course. It is designed to cover a wide-range of topics without going into great depth about any particular topic. The course will cover topics from areas of cognitive, social, developmental, clinical, personality, and biological psychology. After taking this course students should be able to make more informed decisions about participating in future psychology courses and have a better understanding of both psychology as a science and human behavior.

Web Support

To devote more attention to listening and less to actual note taking some students like to bring copies of lecture notes to class and add to them during the lecture. This semester lecture notes will be available on the Web at http://www.yournotes.com. Please feel free to use these notes as a study aid, but realize that they cannot replace class attendance and active learning.

General Policies

Questions during class are encouraged. If you don't understand something please ask, chances are that other people have the same question.

No appointment is needed to see me during office hours, although you may have to wait while I talk with other students. If you can not make my office hours please see me to make an appointment. After class is usually a good time to ask brief questions. I welcome student concerns and questions, so if you have one about any aspect of the course please ask.

The Pennsylvania State University encourages qualified people with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation in this course or have questions about physical access, please tell the instructor or TA immediately.

Please do not call me at home. The best way to contact me outside of class is through e-mail.

Earning your Grade

The purpose of grading is to evaluate students' understanding of material presented in course lectures, movies, demonstrations, and readings. In a large class such as this, the only practical way to assess this understanding is with objective, multiple-choice tests. To the extent possible, these tests will be designed to assess understanding and application (rather than just rote memory).

There will be 3 tests: 2 in-class tests and a final exam. Each exam is worth 100 points. Exams will cover lecture material not covered by the book, book material not covered in class, and lecture material covered by the book. Student grades will be based on exam performances and points earned on extra-credit projects. The availability and format of make-up exams is at the discretion of the instructor. In the event of University-approved absences or medical problems, please see the instructor or teaching assistant to discuss making up missed exams. In general, advance notice or appropriate documentation (e.g., doctor's note) will be required to schedule a make-up exam.

Psychological studies have shown that people remember information better when they use it in some way. To promote learning through application and experience, students can earn up to 10 points of extra credit by applying class material in different ways:

1) Read recent newspaper or magazine article, or watch a T.V. show or movie related to class
material. Hand in a 1-2 page discussion about how the article or show relates to class material.
Please hand in news articles and describe the T.V. show or movie in enough detail to make your
points clear to someone who has not seen the show. Each write-up is worth up to 1 point.

2) Often students are needed to participate in research experiments conducted by Penn State faculty
and graduate students. You can sign up for available experiments on the World Wide Web. To do
this access the Department of Psychology home page (http://psych.la.psu.edu.) and select
'Participate in Research'. You will receive 1 pt. for each experiment that you do unless the
experiment takes more than 1 hr. If the experiment takes more than 1 hr. you will receive 1 pt. for
each hour you participate.

3) See PsychSim handout

4) Write multiple-choice exam questions. This is an easy way to get extra credit while studying.
Good questions may appear on an exam or be used for in-class extra credit purposes.
Each question is worth up to .25 pt. Questions are due 4 classes before the exam they are for.

5) Help make the class more interesting. Find a popular movie or a clip of a movie that we can show
in class to demonstrate class material. Let me know about your idea. If we use it, you get an
extra-credit point and class benefits too. If you know of an in-class demonstraction or activity that
is worthwhile and relevant let me know. If we use it, you get an extra-credit point
 

Attendance Credit

The instructor reserves the right to provide in-class extra-credit opportunities (especially on low attendance days). In-class extra credit does NOT count towards the 10 pt. extra-credit cap. You can take advantage of these opportunities even if you have already earned (or plan to earn) 10 points by doing the extra-credit projects discussed above.

Academic Integrity

Students are responsible for maintaining academic integrity. Violations include cheating on exams, removing exams from the classroom without consent from the instructor, plagiarizing extra credit projects, and dishonesty in any aspect of course participation. Violations of academic integrity may result in a grade of F for the course as well as other penalties. All such violations will be handled in the strongest manner permitted under University policy (Faculty Senate Policy 49-20).
 

Grade Breakdown
 

Percentage	Points	Grade
93-100	277.5-300	A
90-92	268.5-277.4	A-
87-89	259.5-268.4	B+
83-86	247.5-259.4	B
80-82	238.5-247.4	B-
77-79	229.5-238.4	C+
70-76	208.5-229.4	C
60-69	178.5-208.4	D
00-59	0-178.4	F

Calculating Your Grade

1) Add your three exam scores (e.g., 93% + 90% + 91% = 274 exam points) and your extra-
credit points together (e.g., 274 exam points + 10 extra-credit points = 284 total points).

2) Use chart above to determine your grade (e.g., 284 total points is an "A")
 

Important Dates

September 6 - No class - Labor Day Holiday
September 29 - Exam 1
October 11 - No class - Fall Break
November 5 - Exam 2
November 26 - No class - Thanksgiving Break
December 10 - Last day of class
December 13 - 17 - Final Exam - Date and time determined by the University

Tentative Course Outline
 

TOPIC	READING
Introduction	Introduction
Child Development	Chapter 3
Adolescence & Adulthood	Chapter 4
Sex, Love, Attraction & Affiliation	pgs. 139, 376 - 383, 413 - 417, 576 - 578, 580 - 585
Social Influences on Decisions	pgs. 549 - 567, 585 - 587
Vision: How do we see the world?	pgs. 153 - 163, 181 - 201
Learning	Chapter 8
States of Consciousness	Chapter 7
Memory	Chapter 9
Personality	Chapter 14
Psychological Disorders	Chapter 15
Drugs and Therapy	Chapter 16, pgs. 41 - 47
Special Topics in Psychology	TBA