COURSE SYLLABUS. Department of Behavioral Sciences and Human Services

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1 COURSE SYLLABUS 1. Department, Course Number, and Title Department of Behavioral Sciences and Human Services PSY 11 General Psychology 2. Group and Area Group IV Behavioral Sciences 3. Transferability of the Course This course transfers as an introductory psychology course within the City University of New York. 4. Bulletin Description of Course The nature of psychology, its fields and divisions, including individual differences, learning, motivation, perception, and personality. 5. Number of Weekly Class Hours Three 6. Number of Credits Three 7. Course Prerequisites or Corequisites None 8. Brief Rationale for Course Psychology 11 is a survey course that provides an introduction to several of the major topics in psychology. This course has been designed to provide the basic factual and conceptual underpinnings for continued study in higher level courses in psychology, or in one of several career or professional programs in which the study of psychology is a requirement. Foundational topics include historical background, scientific methodology, the biological substrate of thought and behavior, principles of learning and memory, etc.

2 2 12. Proposed Textbook(s) and/or Other Required Instructional Materials A contemporary introductory psychology text from a major academic textbook publisher, e.g. Essentials of Understanding Psychology (McGraw-Hill) 13. Required Course for Majors and/or Area of Concentration This course is required for all students in the following programs: A.S. in Biology, Physician s Assistant Concentration A.S. in Education Studies A.S. in Mental Health/Human Services A.S. in Mental Health/Human Services, Substance Abuse Counseling Concentration A.S. in Community Health, Holistic Concentration A.A.S. in Early Childhood Education/Child Care A.A.S. in Education Associate A.A.S. in Nursing Certificate program in Exercise Science/Personal Training For all other students, the course is considered a General Elective. 14. If Open Only to Selected Students This course is open to all students. 15. What Students Will Know and Be Able to Do Upon Completion Gather, interpret, and assess information from a variety of sources and points of view. Evaluate evidence and arguments critically or analytically. Produce well-reasoned written or oral arguments using evidence to support conclusions. Identify and apply the fundamental concepts and methods of a discipline or interdisciplinary field exploring the scientific world, including, but not limited to: computer science, history of science, life and physical sciences, linguistics, logic, mathematics, psychology, statistics, and technology-related studies. Articulate and evaluate the empirical evidence supporting a scientific or formal theory. Understand the scientific principles underlying matters of policy or public concern in which science plays a role. Additional Learning Outcomes: Psychology students will be able to demonstrate knowledge of:

3 3 1. Fundamental precepts of scientific reasoning and methodology. These include: the importance of evidence based reasoning, the concepts of theory and hypothesis, the distinction between a population and sample, basic research methods such as naturalistic and laboratory observation, case study, survey, and experimental techniques, the logic of the control group and random assignment in experimentation, the distinction between independent and dependent variables, and the related but separate concepts of correlation and causation. 2. Sub-fields or specialties in psychology, both applied and research-based, such as clinical, counseling. developmental, industrial/organizational, experimental, and school psychology. 3. Important perspectives, such as the structuralist, functionalist, psychoanalytic, behaviorist, humanistic, cognitive and neuroscience approaches. 4. The functional elements of the nervous system, including the structure of the neuron (cell body, dendrites, axon, terminal buttons, myelin sheath), the action potential, synapse, synaptic gap, neurotransmitters and their effects, excitation and inhibition, the divisions of the nervous system, brain structures and systems (medulla, cerebellum, thalamus, hypothalamus, amygdala, hippocampus, etc.) the cerebral cortex and its divisions, hemispheric specialization, brain plasticity, hormones and the endocrine system. 5. Basic mechanisms of learning, including classical and operant conditioning, observational learning, and modeling. 6. The relevance of ethical considerations in the use of human and animal subjects in psychological research and the procedural safeguards that have been adopted to protect the privacy and well-being of participants. 7. The functional structures of memory, including sensory, short-term (working), and long-term stores, as well as basic processes such as attention, encoding and retrieval. 8. The reconstructive nature of long-term memory and the phenomena of memory distortion, substitution, and false recall. 9. Key developmental theories, including those of Piaget, Erikson, and Kohlberg; the core issues of human biological maturation and psycho/social development, particularly the importance of both hereditary and environmental factors. 10. The major perspectives and theories on the topic of personality, including psychodynamic, humanistic, trait or temperament, and social learning theories. 11. Current perspectives on abnormal behavior and psychological disorder; the major categories of metal illness as delineated in the most recent edition of the Diagnostic and

4 4 Statistical Manual, including the schizophrenias, mood (especially major depressive and bipolar), anxiety, and personality disorders. 16. Methods of Teaching The course will be taught through lectures, class discussions, class demonstrations, student activities, the use of various media including powerpoint presentations, transparencies, and videos. 17. Assignments to Students The textbook will serve as the primary source of assigned readings; additional assignments, such as research, problem-based, essay or term paper assignments, will derive from other sources, such as journal or newspaper articles. 18. Method of Evaluating Learning Student learning will be evaluated on a regular basis throughout the semester. Evaluation measures will include: Class participation; attendance and lateness record, quizzes and exams, assigned activities (such as problem-based learning assignments, observations, etc.), essays, reaction papers, and term papers. The implementation and combination of these evaluative measures will vary across semester and section. 19. Topical Course Outline (regarding reading topics covered, learning activities, and assignments) Introduction: Exploring Psychology s Roots Descriptive Research Methods The Experimental Method: Searching for Causes Other Research Methods Participants in Psychological Research Careers in Psychology Neurons and Neurotransmitters The Central Nervous System The Cerebral Hemispheres Discovering the Brain s Mysteries Brain Damage: Causes and Consequence The Peripheral Nervous System The Endocrine System Sensation: The Sensory World

5 5 Vision Hearing Smell,Taste: The Other Senses Perception: Ways of Perceiving Additional Influences on Perception Subliminal Persuasion and Extrasensory Perception Classical Conditioning:The Original View Classical Conditioning:The Contemporary View Operant Conditioning Cognitive Learning Measuring Memory Forgetting The Nature of Remembering and Forgetting Factors Influencing Retrieval Biology and Memory Improving Memory: Some Helpful Study Habits Introduction to Motivation Theories of Motivation Hunger: A Primary Drive Sexual Motives Sexual Orientation Social Motives The What and Why of Emotions The Expression of Emotion Experiencing Emotion Sigmund Freud and Psychoanalysis The Neo-Freudians Trait Theories Learning Theories and Personality Humanistic Personality Theories Personality: Is It in the Genes? Personality Assessment Psychological Disorders: What Is Abnormal? Schizophrenia Mood Disorders Anxiety Disorders: When Anxiety Is Extreme Somatoform and Dissociative Disorders Other Psychological Disorders

6 6 20. Selected Bibliography and Source Materials Feldman, Robert S. (2011). Essentials of Understanding Psychology. McGraw-Hill Gray, P.O. (2010). Psychology, 4th Edition. Worth Publishers Huffman, K.S. (2010). Psychology in Action, 9th Edition. Wiley. Kassin, S. (2004). Psychology, 4the Edition. Prentice Hall. Morris, C. G., and Maisto, A. A. (2005). Understanding Psychology, 7the Edition. Prentice Hall. Myers, D. (2009). Exploring Psychology, 9th Edition. Worth Publishers