Johnson State College External Degree Program. PSY-3010-JX01 Theories of Personality Syllabus Spring 2017

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1 Johnson State College External Degree Program PSY-3010-JX01 Theories of Personality Syllabus Spring 2017 Instructor: Blagorodna Nori Efremovski, MA, LCMHC, LADC (preferred method of communication) Phone: Dates: Saturday, January 28, February 25, March 25, April 29 Time: 8:30 am to 5 pm Location: CCV in Montpelier (Directions found at Attendance Policy: Please note that attendance is mandatory at all class meetings. Please do not register for this course unless you can attend all classes for the full day. If you miss a session, contact your advisor immediately. ADA Statement: Students with disabilities who believe that they may need accommodations in this class are encouraged to contact JSC s Learning Specialist in Academic Services, as soon as possible to ensure that accommodations, if needed, are implemented in a timely fashion. Please call or Kevin.Fleck@jsc.edu. Academic Honesty: (from JSC Catalog) Students are expected to conform to the highest standards of academic honesty in all of their academic work at Johnson State College. Academic dishonesty in any form is prohibited and unacceptable. Acts of dishonesty for which a student may be disciplined include, but are not limited to, receiving or providing unauthorized assistance on an examination and plagiarizing the work of others in writing assignments. The American Heritage Dictionary defines plagiarism in the following way: To steal or use (the ideas or writings of another) as one s own. Students are responsible for knowing what specific acts constitute plagiarism; if students are uncertain as to whether a particular act constitutes plagiarism, they should consult with their instructors before turning in assigned work. Cancellation Policy: If a class meeting must be cancelled, you will be notified through your JSC account, Moodle and/or the JSC course cancellation board on the portal. Please check for class cancellations before leaving home for your class. Texts: Texts are available through the JSC bookstore. Call or go to Required Textbook: Ewen, R.B. (2010). An introduction to theories of personality (7 th Ed). New York, NY: Taylor & Francis Group.

2 Course Description: This course provides an introduction to and builds a foundation for learning about the major Theories of personality that have been proposed to conceptualize how a personality or the Self develops over the life span. It includes a historical, systematic, contemporary and comparative exploration of the rationales for understanding how people, think, feel and behave from the domains of: Psychodynamic, Humanistic, Existential, Cognitive, Behavioral, Trait and Social Theorists with a nod to the gender and multicultural biases and influences of each. The purpose of this course is to support the student s development of a conceptual, experiential and personally meaningful framework for Self and other understanding, gaining an asset that aids the student s personal development whether used professionally in clinical, business or creative practice. Course Objectives: To master the basic principles of the major approaches which have been proposed to explain the structure and development of personality, including theories drawn from psychodynamic, behavioral, cognitive, humanistic, and existential bases. To consider the issues involved in developing a theory which explains how people become the way they are. To begin to develop your own approach to resolving these issues; that is, to work on developing your own theory of personality, as an essential base for understanding and working effectively with people. Teaching Methods: A variety of teaching methods will be employed in this course. These will include lectures, class discussions, films and webinars, interactive group work, role-play and student presentation. Reminder; this is primarily an intensive in-person class; students will be expected to help class members experience the aspect of personality theory under consideration. We will be covering a large amount of information and it will be very important that you complete the assigned readings prior to class. My advice to you is to READ, READ, and READ. read the chapters before we discuss it in class. If you have questions from the readings, let me know, otherwise my assumption will be that you have been able to read and understand the assignments. At times we will not cover everything in class however, as a college student YOU are expected to do considerable independent study. I will do everything that I can do to help you succeed in this course, but if you need help ask me; don t assume that I will address the issue!!! Grading and Evaluating ~ The final grade for the course will be determined as follows: Class attendance & participation 20% 20 points Class presentation 10% 10 points Book study (1) 5% 5 points Personal reflection (1) 5 % 5 points Overview/commentary (4) 20% 5 points each Film critique (2) 10% 5 points each Final Paper 10% 10 points Final exam 10% 10 points Case study 10% 10 points Overview/Commentary, Book study, Case study & Film critique ~ Each student will be required to review & analyze at the end of each course day the chapters that were due for that

3 specific day (total of 4), each student will pick ONE book written by a theorist by your choice, each student will pick ONE personality well known to the larger culture for your case study, as well as providing a summation of 2 selected movies and discuss it from a psychological viewpoint regarding the topic of personality characteristics and traits presented in the movie. A handout will be distributed describing in detail what my expectations for these papers are!!! Outline about Student Presentation will be distributed in class (details will be discussed in class). Due at 1 st class (01/28/17): Personal reflection The Self or Personality Outline attached with syllabus. Your personal reflection is about you and your beliefs about personality that you choose to describe NOT the text; therefore the assignment should be reflective and not a chapter summary. Required readings: Ch.: 1, 2, 3 and 4. Topics discussed: Introduction, overview of the syllabus, the meaning of personality, and the unconscious before Freud, Psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud personality theory, Analytical psychology (Carl Gustav Jung), and Individual Psychology (Alfred Adler). Due at 2 nd class (02/25/17): Overview/commentary & Book study Required readings: Ch: 4, 5, 7, and 8. Topics discussed: Student presentations, Individual psychology continues, neurosis and human growth (Karen Horney), the interpersonal theory of psychiatry (Harry Stack Sullivan), and Ego psychology (Erik Erikson). Film # 1. Due at 3 rd class (03/25/17): Film Critique #1 & Case study outlines will be given in class. Required readings: Ch.9, 10, 11, and 13. Topics discussed: Student presentations continued, the humanistic perspective (Carl Rogers), the self-actualization theory (Abraham Maslow), Existential psychology (Rollo May), and the trait perspective (Raymond Cattell & others). Film #2. Due at 4 th class (04/29/17): Overview/commentary; Film critique # 2 and Final Paper. If you wish - Please bring SASE (self-addressed & self-stamped envelope) to the final class (04/29/17) for materials from the 4 th class to be mailed back to students with grades and comments. Required readings: Ch.14, 15, 16 and 17. Topics discussed: Student presentations continued, the behaviorist perspective (Skinner), the cognitive perspective (George Kelly), the social-cognitive theory (Albert Bandura), conclusion, and Final Exam!!! Due at 04/30/17 Overview/commentary of the Chapters discussed at our last class (Saturday 04/29/2017). Due Sunday before midnight! PLEASE NOTE: PAPERS AFTER THE DUE DATE WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED!!!

4 Students are expected to use their JSC account as an official means of communications. For the purposes of class work and administrative communications they should not be given the option of using alternative address. This saves considerable time and energy on the part of faculty (who otherwise must create their own class address lists), and helps to insure that students will be checking their JSC on a regular basis. Our sister VSC institutions inform us that their students are required to use their assigned s and that this has proven to be very effective. With students checking their more regularly, they are less likely to be overwhelmed by the volume of messages in their inbox, something that is currently cited by students as a reason for not using their JSC accounts. Amendments to the syllabus may occur over the semester. Students will have any changes communicated to them in advance. Final Note ~ I sincerely hope that you find this subject to be interesting and enjoy this psychology course. It is my goal for each of you to successfully learn in this class, as well as, think critically about issues related to Theories of Personality. Please feel free to contact me at any time during the semester in class, by phone, or with any questions. (Please see next page)

5 External Degree Program PSY-3010-JX01: Theories of Personality Spring 2017 Personal Reflection Self or Personality Your paper must touch upon the listed outline below and must be typed (doublespaced, 12-point font, 1-inch margins). Your reflection must be at least 2-4 pages in length. At the beginning of this exploration describe your thoughts on how much Nature (biology/physiology) and how much Nurture (environmental and relationships) are behind personality development and the evolution of a Self or Personality. What is Your present understanding of what a Self or Personality is??? Try to describe what Nurture vs Nature means to You, personally. Work through Your personal experiences. Think about Your own beliefs, norms, and values that shaped your personality so far. Muse about Your own Personality. Later as you do the readings for class and listen to class presentations You will go back and reflect on Self in your Final Paper.