PS285A Health Psychology Instructor Dr. Robb Travers Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology Office: N2019 Telephone Ext: 2577 Office Hours: Tuesdays 4:00 5:00 pm (or by appointment) Teaching Assistant Sandra Yan Email: psych285@gmail.com Office Hours: by appointment Class Time and Location Class Hours: Monday, 7:00 10:00 pm (September 13 December 6, 2010) Classroom: Science Building, N1001 Calendar Description This course is a survey of how psychological theories and research methods can contribute to our understanding of health and illness, and health-related behaviours. The course will cover a variety of healthrelevant topics including, social inequalities and vulnerability to disease, models of health and illness, stress and coping, chronic and communicable diseases, and health promotion. Course Overview Health Psychology is a rich and interdisciplinary field that that requires an understanding of the cultural and social, as well as political and economic, roots of human behaviour and experience. The role of behaviours and emotions along with other more social processes, has increasing relevance to the experience of health and illness, and a growing body of empirical evidence has contributed to the development of a rich theoretical field. This course will provide an in-depth introduction to the field of Health Psychology with a special focus on issues related to health determinants, health promotion, disease prevention, and health care. Against the view that health behaviours are an individual responsibility, governed by free choice, a large amount of the burden of disease is the product of environments that push people toward healthy-aversive behavioural choices. With additional emphasis on the social psychological aspects of health and illness, the course aims to critically examine taken-for-granted assumptions about psychology and health and presents a critical view of the field, its theories and their applications. 1
Text Marks, D.F., Murray, M., Evans, B., Willig, C., Woodall, C. & Sykes, C.M. (2005). Health Psychology, Theory, Research & Practice (second edition). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. ISBN 978-1-4129-0336-3 Course Objectives By the end of this course, students should be able to: fully understand the predominant psychological theories of health and illness identify the socio-cultural and political/economic determinants of health apply the scientific insights of psychology to understand health behaviours understand the role of psychological theory in disease prevention Class Format While PS285 is a lecture-based course, I utilize a number of teaching methods including: large group discussion, small group work, films, and group presentations. While traditional lectures and readings will be important components of the course, I place a large emphasis on student engagement in a variety of active learning exercises. The main purpose of the lectures are to highlight and clarify key course content. The active learning exercises are intended to deepen your understanding of course content while developing your critical thinking skills. Creating a Positive Learning Environment Attendance Although there is no formal attendance policy (other than for tests/exams), participation is strongly encouraged in this class. Moreover, attendance and participation are one of the few signals available for judging your efforts at understanding the material. If you miss materials handed out in class or modifications to the syllabus, it is your responsibility to get this information from other students. Your Professor and course TA will NOT provide you with materials that you miss please do not ask for materials to be e-mailed to you. Promptness Class will begin at 7:00 p.m. SHARP and will end at 10:00 p.m. There will be a 20 minute break during class time. Coming late to class is disruptive to your fellow students and disrespectful to the professor and/or guest speakers - so PLEASE be on time for class. If there is a pattern in your arriving late to class, it will be addressed with you individually. If you are late for a test, I reserve the right to assign you a zero on the test. Active Participation Since active learning is such an important part of the course, your participation is critical for your own learning and for the learning of your peers. E-mail Messages Given the size of the class, please limit e-mail correspondence ONLY to items of significant importance. Please avoid emailing questions that are more appropriately asked in class or that are addressed in the syllabus these emails will not be answered. If sending an email, please use the course email account only psych285@gmail.com. The course TA will respond to e-mail messages within 24 hours (with the exception of emails sent on Fridays these will be answered on Mondays). 2
Course Schedule Lectures will address content from the book as well as other materials to further your understanding of the reading. Please come to class having read the relevant material so that you are prepared to contribute to the discussion. This will assure you of maximizing your learning experience and gaining the most from this course. The course schedule is as follows (and is subject to change): Part I: Health Psychology in Context Week 1: Sep. 13 No Reading Course overview and Introduction Week 2: Sep.20 Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Health Psychology as a new field of inquiry The macro social environment and health Social inequalities, social justice and health Week 3: Sep. 27 Chapter 5 Research methods in health psychology Film Sicko (Michael Moore) Part II Health Behaviour and Experience Week 4: Oct 4 Chapter 6 Chapter 10 Week 5: Oct. 11 Thanksgiving Monday Week 6: Oct. 18 Quiz 1 (30%) Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Part III: Illness Experience and Health Care Food and eating Exercise and activity Film Dying to be thin No Class Alcohol and drinking Tobacco and smoking Week 7: Oct. 25 Chapter 9 Sexual behaviour and experience Week 8: Nov. 1 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Week 9: Nov. 8 Chapter 17 Reading TBD Communication: messages and meanings Treatment adherence and patient empowerment Pain Cancer & other chronic diseases HIV/AIDS Week 10: Nov. 15 No reading Film PBS: The Age of AIDS Quiz 2 (30%) Week 11: Nov. 22 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Stress and coping Illness beliefs and explanation Illness and personality Week 12: Nov. 29 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Work and health Health promotion Week 13: Dec. 6 Last class Course review/exam prep/wrap-up Final Exam (35%) Date to be determined 3
Student Assessment and Evaluation Your mark in this course will be based on a series of quizzes and a final exam designed to help you learn course content. Missing a Test If you miss a quiz, you must notify us by email the day of the quiz. Accommodations may be made pending a medical note or other extenuating circumstances as per Wilfrid Laurier University policy. Summary of Evaluation Components Requirement Weight (%) Due Date 1. Quiz 1 (chapters 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 10 & film Sicko ) 30 October 18, 2010 2. Quiz 2 (chapters 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17 & film Dying to be 30 November 15, 2010 Thin ) 3. Multiple Choice Questions 5 Weekly 4. Final Exam (cumulative with emphasis on Chapters 11, 12, 35 TBA 13, 19, 20 & film The Age of AIDS ) Total 100 1. Quizzes (2) a) Weight: 60% b) Dates: October 18, November 15 c) Description: The quizzes will assess your knowledge of course concepts, theories, and methods covered to date. They include readings up to and including the class before the quiz. The quiz questions will be a mix of multiple choice and true/false questions. d) Evaluation: A general break down of the mid-term will be discussed in class. 2. Multiple Choice Questions a) Weight: 5% b) Due Date: Weekly hard copy only bring to class each week c) Description: Students are asked to prepare multiple choice questions from each chapter prepare one good question per chapter, print it off and bring it to class each week (with your name on the top of the page). d) Evaluation: Questions will be evaluated for integrity, coherence, and accuracy. Questions will be selected for inclusion in your quizzes. 3. Final Exam a) Weight: 35% b) Date: TBA c) Description: Students will write a cumulative final exam worth 35% of your final grade. d) Evaluation: A general break down of the exam and review of key materials will be discussed in class. 4
Important Information for Students New Course Drop Dates 2010/2011: Please refer to the Undergraduate Academic Calendar - Academic Dates 2010-2011 For details of course add/drop dates, etc. Examination Deferrals: The Academic Date section of the Calendar (Web Site Version) clearly states the examination date period for each semester. Students must note that they are required to reserve this time in their personal calendars for the examinations. The examination period for this school year is December 9-22, 2010 for Fall Term, and April 7-28, 2011 for Winter Term. Students who are considering registering to write MCAT, LSAT or GMAT or a similar examination, should select a time for those examinations that occurs outside the University examination period. For additional information that describes the special circumstances for examination deferment, consult the University calendar. Student Awareness of the Accessible Learning Office: Students with disabilities or special needs, are advised to contact Laurier s Accessible Learning Office for information regarding its services and resources. Students are encouraged to review the Calendar for information regarding all services available on campus. Academic and Research Misconduct: Academic misconduct is an act by a student, or by students working on a team project, which may result in a false evaluation of the student(s), or which represents a deliberate attempt to unfairly gain an academic advantage, where the student either knew or ought reasonably to have known that it was misconduct. Please refer to the University Calendar Web Site for further clarification of academic and research misconduct. Plagiarism Detection Software: Wilfrid Laurier University uses software that can check for plagiarism. Students may be required to submit their written work in electronic form and have it checked for plagiarism. Learning Services: Please go to the Learning Services webpage for detailed information at www.wlu.ca/learningservices. The Learning Services office is located on the first floor of the WLU Library. Laurier Email Account: Students are expected to regularly check their Laurier email account for important notices from the university community. Students are also expected to send emails to official members of the university community from their Laurier email account in order to ensure delivery. Foot Patrol: 5