Course Syllabus

Downloadable syllabus:

PSY100 Roquemore Bonner Spring 2023.pdf 

Course Description:

Psychology is the scientific study of behavior and mental processes. The content focuses on the exploration of major psychological theories and concepts, methods, and research findings in psychology. Topics include the biological bases of behavior, perception, cognition and consciousness, learning, memory, emotion, motivation, development, personality, social psychology, psychological disorders and therapeutic approaches, and applied psychology. 

Student Learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate familiarity with the major concepts, theoretical perspectives, research methods, core empirical findings, and historic trends in psychology.
• Explain (including advantages and disadvantages) and compare major theoretical perspectives of psychology (e.g., behavioral, biological, cognitive, evolutionary, humanistic, psychodynamic and socio-cultural);
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the following nine general domains: (1) biological bases of behavior and mental processes, (2) sensation and perception, (3) learning and memory (4) cognition, consciousness, (5) individual differences, psychometrics/measurement, personality, (6) social processes (including those related to socio-cultural and international dimensions), (7) developmental changes in behavior and mental processes that occur across the lifespan, (8) psychological disorders, and (9) emotion and motivation;
• Describe and demonstrate an understanding of applied areas of psychology (e.g., clinical, counseling, forensic, community, organizational, school, health);
• Draw the distinction between scientific and non-scientific methods of understanding and analysis.
• Recognize and understand the impact of diversity on psychological research, theory and application, including (but not limited to): age, race, ethnicity, culture, gender, socio-economic status, disability, and sexual orientation.
• Understand and apply psychological principles to personal experience and social and organizational settings.
• Demonstrate critical thinking skills and information competence as applied to psychological topics.

Course Content:

Textbook:

Great news: your textbook for this class is available for free online!
Psychology 2e from OpenStax, ISBN 978-1-975076-45-0

You have several options to obtain this book:

• View online (Links to an external site.)
• Download a PDF (Links to an external site.)

You can use whichever formats you want. Web view is recommended -- the responsive design works seamlessly on any device.

Classroom Environment:

• Clarifying questions: There are no “stupid” questions. Please ask lots of them! If I do not have the answer, I am happy to look into it for you or we can research it as a class.  Mistakes and misunderstandings are a normal, human part of life. Neither you nor I are immune to them. We will all learn more from each other by embracing a growth mindset and being kind to 
  one another. 

• Inclusivity: Endicott College is committed to providing an educational experience that will encourage students to view the concept of diversity from a variety of perspectives in order to foster understanding and ultimately greater respect and acceptance among individuals. Embracing diversity means understanding and respecting our individual differences, which 
  includes the dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, differing abilities (e.g., physical, emotional, and cognitive), religious and political beliefs. Central to the exploration of the differences and similarities among individuals is the need to offer a safe, positive, and supportive environment. The goal is to reach a greater 
  understanding of each other and to move beyond simple tolerance to embracing and celebrating the rich dimensions of diversity contained within each individual. Let’s all keep this in mind when interacting with each other both inside and outside of the classroom. If there is anything I can do to make the classroom experience more inclusive, please reach 
  out to me immediately. I will also reach out to you if I have concerns in this area so we can meet to resolve them. If class content is upsetting to you and you need to step out, please do not hesitate to do so. You can leave class for any reason, at any time.

• Participation: I will be grading you on participation, however, I realize that a number of factors can impact everyone’s willingness to verbally engage in each class from time to time. To facilitate participation that does not require me singling you out in front of class, I will ask for volunteers and/or create small “discussion groups”— you will sit near your discussion group members each class period and will discuss any questions or prompts given throughout the class period together before we discuss as a class.

• Reducing distractions: You are allowed to use your laptops in class, but please step out of class if you need to take a call or check a message. This policy may be revisited if technology becomes distracting to your learning and that of your classmates. 

Important Notes:

• Title IX: It is important to be aware that I am a mandated Title IX reporter. Title IX of the Education 
  Amendments of 1972 requires that all educational institutions that receive federal funds or financial assistance prohibit sex discrimination in their education programs and activities. I am required to report any Title IX violations including sexual assault, sexual harassment, intimate partner violence, stalking, and sexual exploitation. If you share any information with me about these experiences, I cannot keep it confidential. However, the following resources are 
  confidential:
  Chaplain: Gail Cantor, at the Interfaith Chapel or at 978-232-2163.
  Counseling Center: In an emergency, contact Public Safety at 978-232-2222 to put you in 
  contact with the counselor on call. During office hours, you may contact the Counseling Center 
  at 978-232-2106.
  Health Center: 978-232-2104
  North Shore Rape Crisis Center 24-hour Hotline: 800-922-8772
• Mental Health Resources
  If you are concerned that you are struggling with a particular mental health issue or are otherwise finding it difficult to manage stress, please consider visiting the Counseling Center (https://www.endicott.edu/student-life/health-wellness/counseling-center). If you are having thoughts of suicide, please know that help is available, 24/7. In addition to the Counseling Center, you can access the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988 (see https://988lifeline.org/). 
• Academic Integrity Statement
  Students are required to abide by the Academic Integrity Policy (https://goo.gl/CBD2qJ) of Endicott College.
• Turnitin Policy
  By taking this course, students agree that all required assignments may be subject to submission for “similarity review” to Turnitin.com, a tool intended to not just detect instances of plagiarism, but to prevent it as well. The tool is intended to help students identify passages that are unoriginal, incorrectly cited, or lacking appropriate source information. Submitted assignments may also be archived in the Turnitin.com database for the purpose of checking for possible future instances of plagiarism, additional similarity searches, and other educational purposes at the discretion of the instructor.
  
• ADA Policy
  If you, as a student, believe that you qualify as a person with a disability as defined in Chapter 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA), you are strongly encouraged to register with the Accessibility Services Office located on the 2nd Floor of the Diane M. Halle Library and online at the Center for Accessibility Services website. Faculty will then be notified directly from the Accessibility Services Office of any approved academic accommodations including extended time eligibility. If you have already been approved for accommodations, we will touch base to ensure your needs are met.
• Course Expectations
  For each credit hour students are expected to spend a minimum of two hours on work outside of class each week. For this three-credit course that means a minimum of six hours each week. Students must review the Academic Calendar published by the Registrar’s Office online at: 
  http://tinyurl.com/hbmfywj                                     
• Although overall class attendance does not count toward your final grade, attendance is expected of all students in order to perform optimally in this class. If you skip class, you may miss in-class assignments that count toward your final grade. I cannot make  promises in advance of absences as to whether or not students will miss in-class work. Students must plan accordingly. There will be no make-up opportunities for assignments missed due to unexcused absences. Absences will only be excused by the instructor under certain emergency circumstances. This will be determined on a case-by-case basis. Attendance is required during Presentations and exams, including the last day of scheduled Finals in the semester. Students must plan accordingly.