Dr. Alan Kee

Professor of Psychology

Amarillo College

 

                                                                             

General Psychology (On Campus/Hybrid)

Course Schedule / Assignments

Spring I, 2019

1/14/2019 - 3/8/2019

T/Th 12:30 PM - 1:45 PM

Washington Street Campus, Dutton Hall 205

 

 

Welcome to General Psychology!

If you see any errors on the dates below in this document, please call me asap!

Why Take a Course in the General Psychology?

Even if you are not majoring in psychology, you can definitely benefit from learning more about the human mind and behavior by taking a psychology course. Many universities require students to take at least one class in psychology.  Why is psychology often included as part of a core general education requirement? There are a few great reasons.

It Can Help You Better Understand Other People

If you are majoring in a subject that will lead you to a career that involves working directly with lots of different people, such as teaching or nursing, understanding more about how people think and behave will be extremely helpful in your career. Even if you don't plan to work with people, psychology is still beneficial in helping you understand how and why the people in your life think and behave the way they do. Understanding others can be extremely fulfilling and lead to better, stronger relationships with your family, friends, and co-workers.

It Can Help You Better Understand Yourself

Just like it helps you better understand others, taking a psychology class can help you understand yourself too, including areas like what motivates you, what sort of personality you have, and how your personality contributes to the way you think and behave. Understanding yourself better can help you improve your relationships with others, your communication skills, your motivation, and how you relate to the world around you.

It Can Improve Your Critical Thinking Skills

Psychology classes emphasize things like the scientific method, evaluating your sources of information, and thinking critically about the information you encounter on a daily basis. Such classes can help you hone these skills, which may prove useful in a variety of careers and different areas of life.

Summary / Overview of Assignments:

Date	Assignment
Unit One
T 1/15	Syllabus / Schedule / Service Learning Project / Study Skills
TH 1/17	Assignment One Ch 1 Thinking Critically with Psychological Science  Lecture 1: What Is Psychology? Lecture 2: Why Do Psychology? Lecture 3: The Scientific Method Reading Quiz 1 Due
T 1/22	Assignment Two Ch 2 The Biology of Behavior (read only pages 37-68) Ch 9 Thinking, Language, and Intelligence (read only pages 316-317 The Brain and Language) Lecture 1: Neural Communication Lecture 2: The Nervous System Lecture 3: The Endocrine System Lecture 4: The Brain Reading Quiz 2 Due
TH 1/24	Assignment Three Ch 3 Consciousness and the Two-Track Mind  Lecture 1: The Brain and Consciousness Lecture 2: Sleep and Dreams Lecture 3: Consciousness and Hypnotherapy Lecture 4: Drugs and Consciousness Discussion Assignment Due Reading Quiz 3 Due
T 1/29	Assignment Four Ch 9 – Thinking, Language and Intelligence (read only pages 297 – 308 and 323 - 346) Lecture 1: Intelligence Lecture 1: Thinking Lecture: Wisdom Discussion Assignment Due Reading Quiz 4 Due
TH 1/31	Assignment Five   Ch 7 Learning Lecture 1: Classical Conditioning Lecture 2: Operant Conditioning and Observational Learning Lecture: Self-Control  Discussion Assignment Due Reading Quiz 5 Due
T 2/5	Exam 1
Unit Two
TH 2/7	Assignment Six   Ch 14 Psychological Disorders Lecture 1: Perspectives on Psychological Disorders Lecture 2: Anxiety Disorders Lecture 3: Other Psychological Disorders Discussion Assignment Due Reading Quiz 6 Due
T 2/12	Assignment Seven Ch 15 Therapy Lecture 1: Psychological Therapies (Psychoanalytic and Humanistic) Lecture 2: Psychological Therapies (Behavioral, Cognitive, Group, and Family) Lecture 3: Evaluating Psychotherapies Lecture 4: The Biomedical Therapies and Prevention Lecture: Hope Discussion Assignment Due Reading Quiz 7 Due
TH 2/14	Assignment Eight REBT - Emotional Disturbance and Its Treatment in a Nutshell  REBT - Toward an Egoless State of Being REBT - Overcoming Self-Esteem Lecture 1: REBT and Mentalization In Stressful Life Situations (Part 1) Lecture 2: REBT and Mentalization In Stressful Life Situations (Part 2) Discussion Assignment Due Reading Quiz 8 Due
T 2/19	Assignment Nine Ch 10 Motivation and Emotion (read only pages 367 - 382) Ch 11 Stress, Health, and Human Flourishing  Lecture 1: Theories of Emotion Lecture 2: Embodied Emotion Lecture 3: Expressed Emotion Lecture 4: Experienced Emotion Lecture 5: Emotions (Stress and Health) Lecture 6: Emotions and Promoting Health Lecture: Happiness Discussion Assignment Due Reading Quiz 9 Due
TH 2/21	Exam 2
Unit Three
T 2/26	Assignment Ten Ch 4 Developing Through the Lifespan Lecture 1: Childhood Cognitive Development Lecture 2: Childhood Social Development Lecture 3: Adolescence Lecture 4: Adulthood Discussion Assignment Due Reading Quiz 10 Due
TH 2/28	Assignment Eleven Ch 10 – Motivation and Emotion  (read only pages 347 – 360) Ch 5 Gender and Sexuality (read only pages 171 – 187) Lecture 1: Motivation Lecture 2: Sexual Motivation Lecture: Love REBT - How to Stop Being a Love Slob  REBT - Self-Interest and Assertion Discussion Assignment Due Reading Quiz 11 Due
Fri 3/1	Service Learning Essay Due
T 3/5	Assignment Twelve Ch 13 Social Psychology Discussion Assignment Due Reading Quiz 12 Due
T 3/5 – TH 3/6	Exam 3
Th 3/7	Final Exam

 

Unit One

*Service Learning Project

I want to alert you early in the semester that this Service Learning Project is due Fri 3/1/18.  You should go ahead and get started on this project now so you will not be stressed later in the semester.  I suggest you find your volunteer agency as quickly as possible so you will have plenty of time to complete the essay part of the assignment.  Go to Unit Three to see details for this assignment.

Tuesday 1/15:

Orientation / Introductions / Study Skills 

 

Thursday 1/17:

Assignment One

Chapter 1 is an introduction to the science of psychology. The purpose of the chapter is to get you to think about how you think. It is common for people to accept things they read and hear in the media as the "truth" without asking how they reached such a conclusion. This chapter teaches you how to think critically, and apply this type of thinking to your life.  

Read: Chapter 1 - Thinking Critically with Psychological Science - Myers 

View: Lecture 1: What Is Psychology?

View: Lecture 2: Why Do Psychology?

View: Lecture 3: The Scientific Method

*You will find the lectures under Lessons Tab on the Home Page of the course.  I have recorded the lectures with a PowerPoint show to help explain and reinforce the assigned reading.  Some of the lectures are not a reinforcement of the material in the textbook; these lectures are indicated as additional information.

I recommend that you make the time to take notes on the lectures and then read / outline (take notes) the assigned readings.  The recorded lectures will help reinforce your learning in the assigned readings.  You do not turn in these notes to your professor.  Taking detailed notes is critical to your success in learning the material and preparing you for the exams.

Reading Quiz One.  This reading quiz is over the assigned reading and lectures in Assignment One.  After you listen to the lectures and read / outline the assigned reading, you are ready to take Reading Quiz One.  The Reading Quiz is an “open book, open notes” quiz. The reading quiz is due BEFORE you come to class on 1/17.  These reading quizzes are critical to your learning the material in this class.  The reading quizzes are not timed, meaning that they stay open until the day that they are due.  You may take the reading quiz as many times as you need during the allotted time. The reading quiz can be thought of as a study guide, helping you to better understand the information and providing you with simulated practice exam questions.  The test questions on the exams will be similar to the reading quiz questions. 

* Note: all Reading Quizzes are found under the Lessons Tab.

* Bring your notes and textbook to class.  You will need them for the in-class application.

Tuesday 1/22 

Assignment Two

We cannot understand our psychological selves without understanding our physical selves. This assignment describe how brain activity, neurons and hormones affect your psychological functioning.

 

Read: Chapter 2 - The Biology of Behavior (read only pages 37-68) – Myers

Read: Chapter 9 - Thinking, Language, and Intelligence (read only pages 316-317, The Brain and Language) – Myers

View: Lecture 1: Neural Communication

View: Lecture 2: The Nervous System

View: Lecture 3: The Endocrine System

View: Lecture 4: The Brain

Reading Quiz Two.  This reading quiz is over the assigned reading and lectures in Assignment Two.  After you listen to the lectures and read / outline the assigned reading, you are ready to take Reading Quiz Two.  The Reading Quiz is an “open book, open notes” quiz. The reading quiz is due BEFORE you come to class on 1/22.  These reading quizzes are critical to your learning the material in this class.  The reading quizzes are not timed, meaning that they stay open until the day that they are due.  You may take the reading quiz as many times as you need during the allotted time. The reading quiz can be thought of as a study guide, helping you to better understand the information and providing you with simulated practice exam questions.  The test questions on the exams will be similar to the reading quiz questions. 

* Note: all Reading Quizzes are found under the Lessons Tab.

* Bring your notes and textbook to class.  You will need them for the in-class application.

Thursday 1/24 

Assignment Three

In this assignment we will explore the fascinating world of consciousness, sleep, dreams, hypnosis, and the connection between drugs and consciousness.

Read: Chapter 3 - Consciousness and the Two-Track Mind - Myers 

Read: Chapter 6 – Sensation and Perception (read only page 224) - Myers

View: Lecture 1: The Brain and Consciousness

View: Lecture 2: Sleep and Dreams

View: Lecture 3: Consciousness and Hypnotherapy

View: Lecture 4: Drugs and Consciousness

Reading Quiz Three.  This reading quiz is over the assigned reading and lectures in Assignment Three.  After you listen to the lectures and read / outline the assigned reading, you are ready to take Reading Quiz Three.  The Reading Quiz is an “open book, open notes” quiz. The reading quiz is due BEFORE you come to class on 1/24.  These reading quizzes are critical to your learning the material in this class.  The reading quizzes are not timed, meaning that they stay open until the day that they are due.  You may take the reading quiz as many times as you need during the allotted time. The reading quiz can be thought of as a study guide, helping you to better understand the information and providing you with simulated practice exam questions.  The test questions on the exams will be similar to the reading quiz questions. 

* Bring your notes and textbook to class.  You will need them for the in-class application.

Discussion Assignment:

One of the questions below will be assigned to each person in the course.  This will be the question you write about in your discussion response and post online.  Your task is to answer the questions by summarizing the information in your own words based on the lecture and / or the reading assignment.  Then, if your discussion question lends itself to also reflecting on how your own feelings, thoughts, and experiences relate SPECIFICALLY to the major concept in your assigned question, then please add this information.  You can also make a connection by talking about how concepts from other readings from any source (other chapters in your textbook, articles, website etc.) relate to a concept in your assigned reading.

For example, let’s say you get a discussion question on depression.  You first need to summarize the information from the text and / or lecture that applies to your discussion question.  Then perhaps you have had personal experience with depression or know a friend with depression.  You would want to add this information to your discussion question answer.  Then, let’s say you found an interesting article on depression.  You can also add summarized information from the article you found.  Be sure to reference your source (text chapter, article, website, etc.)  in your paper.

Your response to the discussion question must be a minimum of 350 words in 12 point type size.  It is ok to go beyond the 350 word minimum requirement. I will not take a discussion response that does not meet the 350 word minimum requirement.  Please be sure to use your word processer to provide a word count. 

If, after summarizing the information in your discussion question, reflecting on how your own feelings, thoughts, and experiences relate SPECIFICALLY to your discussion question, and making a connection to another source (other chapters in your textbook, article, etc.) you do not meet the 350 word minimum, you may choose a second question to answer in addition to the one assigned.  Please answer both questions on the same page.

In order to post your response, go to Discussions on the home page of the course and click on the appropriate chapter / assignment.  Your discussion response is due before class.  You can turn in a late discussion response with a 30 point penalty.  Please make every effort to submit your discussion response BEFORE class!

* Please bring a hard copy of your discussion response or notes of your discussion response to class so you can share them with the class.  You will not turn in the hard copy to me.  The goal of the discussion summary is to use them in class. 

The Brain and Consciousness

Dual Processing: The Two Track Mind / The Brain and Consciousness Lecture 1

1. Explain the concept of dual processing.  How does this connect to the role of memory and the effect of trauma by clarifying the difference between explicit memory and implicit memory and the concept of the 90/10.  Describe an experience or observation of a 90/10. 

Selective Attention and Accidents / The Brain and Consciousness Lecture 1

2. Explain how selective attention works.  How does selective attention pertain to accidents?  Describe how selective attention relates to an accident you have observed or experienced.

Sleep and Dreams

Circadian Rhythm / What Affects Our Sleep Patterns? / Sleep and Dreams Lecture 2

3. Describe the cycle of our circadian rhythm. Then, explain how light disrupts our sleep, and explain the role of the suprachiasamtic nucleus and melatonin in sleep.  Have you observed or experienced the connection between bright lights (e.g., iphone screens) and trouble sleeping?

Sleep Stages and REM Sleep / Sleep and Dreams Lecture 2

4. Describe the stages of the sleep cycle (including REM sleep), and explain how they differ.

Effects of Sleep Loss / Sleep and Dreams Lecture 2

5. Describe differences in sleep duration and the effects of sleep loss, noting five reasons that we need sleep.

Sleep Theories / Sleep and Dreams Lecture 2

6. Briefly explain why we have a need to sleep.  In other words, what are sleep’s functions?

Major Sleep Disorders / Sleep and Dreams Lecture 2

7. Briefly describe the major sleep disorders.  Also describe any observations or experiences you have had of people with sleep problems. 

What We Dream and Why We Dream / Sleep and Dreams Lecture 2

8. Describe the most common content of dreams, and then compare the five major perspectives on why we dream. Do you ever find meaning in your dreams?  Explain.

Hypnosis

Frequently Asked Questions About Hypnosis / Consciousness and Hypnotherapy Lecture 3

9.  Briefly answer the following questions about hypnosis: Can hypnosis work for anyone?  Can hypnosis help people remember forgotten events?  Can hypnosis force people act against their will?  Does hypnosis provide any therapeutic benefit?

Explaining the Hypnotized State / Consciousness and Hypnotherapy Lecture 3

10. Is hypnosis an aspect of normal consciousness or is it an altered state?  Explain your answer by describing the two leading theories: Social Influence theory and Divided-consciousness theory. 

Drugs and Consciousness

Tolerance and Addiction / Consciousness and Drugs Lecture 4

11. Describe the difference between tolerance, withdrawal and dependence.  Also, clarify the difference between psychological alcohol withdrawal symptoms and physical alcohol withdrawal symptoms.  What is the treatment for alcohol withdrawal?  Have you any experience with anyone who has suffered withdrawal?  Explain.

Misconceptions About Addiction / Consciousness and Drugs Lecture 4

12. Define addiction?  Describe the three misconceptions about addiction: 1) addictive drugs quickly corrupt, 2) addictions cannot be overcome voluntarily, without therapy, 3) we can extend the concept of addiction to cover not just drug dependencies, but a whole spectrum of repetitive, pleasure-seeking behaviors.    Do you agree with these “misconceptions” of addiction?  What are you observations of addiction? Explain. 

Depressants / Alcohol / Consciousness and Drugs Lecture 4

13.  Define depressants as a category of drugs.  With regard to alcohol, briefly explain what is meant by alcohol + sex = the perfect storm, slowed neural processing, memory disruption, and reduces self-awareness / self-control.  Describe you observations and experiences that relate to alcohol. 

Stimulants / Consciousness and Drugs Lecture 4

14. Define stimulants as a category of drugs.  Briefly describe how nicotine is poisonous for the nervous system.  Then, explain nicotine withdrawal and how it keeps people smoking.  Describe the “favorable” effects of nicotine.  How can people stop smoking i.e., what kind of intervention is available?  How long does it take for the acute craving and withdrawal symptoms gradually dissipate?  Describe your observation of people who smoke; what do they say about this addiction?  Do they wish they could stop?  Explain.

Stimulants / Consciousness and Drugs Lecture 4

15. What is methamphetamine? What produces the intense euphoria, or “rush,” making this drug so powerfully addictive?  What is the effect of meth on the brain?  Then, describe what happens in the brain when a person uses cocaine.  Briefly describe your observation / experience of a person addicted to either meth or cocaine. 

Hallucinogens / Consciousness and Drugs Lecture 4

16. What is marijuana? What are the potential medicinal effects of marijuana?  What is the downside of marijuana? Do you think it should be legalized?  Explain.

Influences on Drug Use / Consciousness and Drugs Lecture 4

17. Briefly describe the biological, psychological, and social-­cultural factors that contribute to drug use. What does the research recommend in order to prevent drug problems?  Do you think we are doing enough in our country to prevent drug addiction and to treat people with drug addiction? Explain.

18. For this participation assignment, post one Connection Response that relates to any topic in the assigned reading and lectures i.e., Ch. 3 - Consciousness and the Two-Track Mind (Myers) and related lectures.  You will need to go to the syllabus for instructions on how to write a Connection Response.

Tuesday 1/29:   

Assignment Four

"I think, therefore I am," said the philosopher Rene Descartes. This assignment discusses the impressive ways in which human beings think - and why they so often fail to think and reason well.  This assignment also looks at the importance of developing emotional intelligence and wisdom. 

 

Read: Chapter 9 – Thinking, Language and Intelligence (read only pages 297 – 310 and 323 - 334) – Myers (note: we are covering Thinking and Intelligence only; we are not covering Language)

View Lecture 1: Intelligence

View Lecture 1: Thinking

View Lecture 1: Wisdom – note: this lecture is not a reinforcement of material in the text; this is additional information.

Reading Quiz Four.  This reading quiz is over the assigned reading and lectures in Assignment Four.  After you listen to the lectures and read / outline the assigned reading, you are ready to take Reading Quiz Four.  The Reading Quiz is an “open book, open notes” quiz. The reading quiz is due BEFORE you come to class on 1/29.  These reading quizzes are critical to your learning the material in this class.  The reading quizzes are not timed, meaning that they stay open until the day that they are due.  You may take the reading quiz as many times as you need during the allotted time. The reading quiz can be thought of as a study guide, helping you to better understand the information and providing you with simulated practice exam questions.  The test questions on the exams will be similar to the reading quiz questions. 

* Bring your notes and textbook to class.  You will need them for the in-class application.

Discussion Assignment:

One of the questions below will be assigned to each person in the course.  This will be the question you write about in your discussion response and post online.  Your task is to answer the questions by summarizing the information in your own words based on the lecture and / or the reading assignment.  Then, if your discussion question lends itself to also reflecting on how your own feelings, thoughts, and experiences relate SPECIFICALLY to the major concept in your assigned question, then please add this information.  You can also make a connection by talking about how concepts from other readings from any source (other chapters in your textbook, articles, website etc.) relate to a concept in your assigned reading.

For example, let’s say you get a discussion question on depression.  You first need to summarize the information from the text and / or lecture that applies to your discussion question.  Then perhaps you have had personal experience with depression or know a friend with depression.  You would want to add this information to your discussion question answer.  Then, let’s say you found an interesting article on depression.  You can also add summarized information from the article you found.  Be sure to reference your source (text chapter, article, website, etc.)  in your paper.

Your response to the discussion question must be a minimum of 350 words in 12 point type size.  It is ok to go beyond the 350 word minimum requirement. I will not take a discussion response that does not meet the 350 word minimum requirement.  Please be sure to use your word processer to provide a word count. 

If, after summarizing the information in your discussion question, reflecting on how your own feelings, thoughts, and experiences relate SPECIFICALLY to your discussion question, and making a connection to another source (other chapters in your textbook, article, etc.) you do not meet the 350 word minimum, you may choose a second question to answer in addition to the one assigned.  Please answer both questions on the same page.

In order to post your response, go to Discussions on the home page of the course and click on the appropriate chapter / assignment.  Your discussion response is due before class.  You can turn in a late discussion response with a 30 point penalty.  Please make every effort to submit your discussion response BEFORE class!

* Please bring a hard copy of your discussion response or notes of your discussion response to class so you can share them with the class.  You will not turn in the hard copy to me.  The goal of the discussion summary is to use them in class. 

Thinking

Problem Solving: Strategies and Obstacles / Thinking Lecture

1. Describe and provide examples of the cognitive strategies that assist our problem solving by focusing on algorithms, heuristics, and insight. Give an example of each strategy.  

Then, describe the obstacles to our problem solving by focusing on an ill-defined problem vs a well-defined problem, confirmation bias, fixation, and mental set.  Provide an example of each obstacle.

Forming Good (and Bad) Decisions and Judgments / Thinking Lecture

2. What does your author mean by intuition?  When we make decisions and form judgments about other people or situations, we are prone to making cognitive (thinking) errors (often based on our intuition).  Then, reflect on some of the primary ways in which we make these errors include the representativeness heuristic, availability heuristic, overconfidence, belief perseverance, and framing.  Describe in your own words each of these cognitive errors.  Then, describe an example of each from the text and / or lecture or from your own observations.

The Fear Factor / Do We Fear the Right Things? / Thinking Lecture

3. Most people reason dramatically, not quantitatively. Accidents kill as many people in one week in the US as did terrorism with 2,527 worldwide deaths in all of the 1990s. More Americans died of food poisoning in 2001 than died in 911, yet food poisoning scares few.  Explain the four influences on our intuition about risk by describing and giving an example for each of the following:

1) We fear what our ancestral history has prepared us to fear.

2) We fear what we cannot control.

3) We fear what is immediate. 

4) We fear what is most readily available in memory.

The Perils and Powers of Intuition / Thinking Creatively / Thinking Lecture

4. Explain the components of smart intuition.  Describe what aspects of the components of smart intuition relate to your experience of having intuition.

Next, describe the difference between convergent thinking and divergent thinking.  Then, briefly describe the five components of creativity.  Describe the most creative person you know.  How many of the five components of creativity relate to this person?  Explain.  Do you see yourself as a creative person, why or why not?  What can you do to increase your creativity?

Intelligence

What is Intelligence? / Intelligence Lecture

5. Define intelligence.  Then, describe the differences between general intelligence, multiple intelligences, savant syndrome, and emotional intelligence. With regard to multiple intelligences, which of the different intelligences do you see as your strengths?  Explain.   

Wisdom

Wisdom Lecture

6. Depending on the situation, practical intelligence requires that we do one of the following: Adapt (adjust to the environment), Shape (make the environment more compatible with ourselves), or Select (leave the environment and find a new one).  Wisdom demands that we balance adaptation, selection, and shaping.  In pursuing human strengths, Dr. Bolt talks about the importance of learning to strike an appropriate balance between knowing when to adapt and when to select a new environment.  For example, it is important to know when to stay in a marriage or romantic relationship.  You don’t leave after your first big fight in the relationship. For this homework assignment, I would like for you to reflect on a situation in which you had a difficult choice to make; you had to choose to adapt, shape, or select. Describes the situation and describe your thoughts and feelings that related to the situation.  Describe your choice -- did you adapt, shape, or select? Looking back on the situation now, would you have made a different choice? Remember, wisdom demands that we balance adaptation, selection, and shaping. In retrospect, did you reflect on all three options in a serious way before making your decision? Explain.

Wisdom Lecture

7. Review the definition of wisdom, the characteristic behaviors of wise people, and the five components of wise judgment.  Describe a wise person that you have observed.  In what ways does the person you have in mind connect with the characteristic behaviors of wise people, and the five components of wise judgment?  Explain.

Wisdom Lecture

8.  The lecture on wisdom describes eight pathways to developing wisdom.  After reviewing the eight pathways, explain which of the eight pathways you would like to apply to your life?  Second, wisdom is distinct from intelligence as measured by IQ tests.  Even well-educated people can be susceptible to four fallacies that inhibit wise choices and actions.  These errors in intuition involve the human capacity for self-deception or illusions.  The four errors in intuition described in the lecture on wisdom include The Egocentrism Fallacy, The Omniscience Fallacy, The Omnipotence Fallacy, and The Invulnerability Fallacy.  Describe each of the four errors in intuition.  Then, briefly describe an example of each that you have observed.  Your examples could be of yourself, people you know, and / or famous people in the news / media.

Tuesday 1/31:   

Assignment Five

How do we learn and develop Self-Control? This assignment discusses the fascinating process of learning.  The chapter on Learning and the lecture on Self-Control can be applied to improving your own process of learning to make college (and your life) a more successful experience.  For example, you can apply this information to improving your study skills, reducing procrastination or some other area of your life where you would like to gain greater self-control.

Read: Chapter 7 - Learning – Myers

View: Lecture 1: Classical Conditioning

View: Lecture 2: Operant Conditioning and Observational Learning

View: Lecture 1: Self-Control - note: this lecture is not a reinforcement of material in the text; this is additional information.

Reading Quiz Five.  This reading quiz is over the assigned reading and lectures in Assignment Five.  After you listen to the lectures and read / outline the assigned reading, you are ready to take Reading Quiz Five.  The Reading Quiz is an “open book, open notes” quiz. The reading quiz is due BEFORE you come to class on 1/31.  These reading quizzes are critical to your learning the material in this class.  The reading quizzes are not timed, meaning that they stay open until the day that they are due.  You may take the reading quiz as many times as you need during the allotted time. The reading quiz can be thought of as a study guide, helping you to better understand the information and providing you with simulated practice exam questions.  The test questions on the exams will be similar to the reading quiz questions. 

* Bring your notes and textbook to class.  You will need them for the in-class application.

Discussion Assignment:

One of the questions below will be assigned to each person in the course.  This will be the question you write about in your discussion response and post online.  Your task is to answer the questions by summarizing the information in your own words based on the lecture and / or the reading assignment.  Then, if your discussion question lends itself to also reflecting on how your own feelings, thoughts, and experiences relate SPECIFICALLY to the major concept in your assigned question, then please add this information.  You can also make a connection by talking about how concepts from other readings from any source (other chapters in your textbook, articles, website etc.) relate to a concept in your assigned reading.

For example, let’s say you get a discussion question on depression.  You first need to summarize the information from the text and / or lecture that applies to your discussion question.  Then perhaps you have had personal experience with depression or know a friend with depression.  You would want to add this information to your discussion question answer.  Then, let’s say you found an interesting article on depression.  You can also add summarized information from the article you found.  Be sure to reference your source (text chapter, article, website, etc.)  in your paper.

Your response to the discussion question must be a minimum of 350 words in 12 point type size.  It is ok to go beyond the 350 word minimum requirement. I will not take a discussion response that does not meet the 350 word minimum requirement.  Please be sure to use your word processer to provide a word count. 

If, after summarizing the information in your discussion question, reflecting on how your own feelings, thoughts, and experiences relate SPECIFICALLY to your discussion question, and making a connection to another source (other chapters in your textbook, article, etc.) you do not meet the 350 word minimum, you may choose a second question to answer in addition to the one assigned.  Please answer both questions on the same page.

In order to post your response, go to Discussions on the home page of the course and click on the appropriate chapter / assignment.  Your discussion response is due before class.  You can turn in a late discussion response with a 30 point penalty.  Please make every effort to submit your discussion response BEFORE class!

* Please bring a hard copy of your discussion response or notes of your discussion response to class so you can share them with the class.  You will not turn in the hard copy to me.  The goal of the discussion summary is to use them in class. 

Learning

Classical Conditioning / Pavlov’s Experiments / Classical Conditioning Lecture 1

1. Define learning.  Describe how classical conditioning works by describing the basic idea from Pavlov’s famous experiment.  Then, in order to see how this concept of classical conditioning is practically applied in clinical psychology, describe the basic concepts of Trauma Conditioning.

Operant Conditioning / Shaping Behavior / Types of Reinforcers / Operant Conditioning and Observational Learning Lecture 2

2. Explain the basic concept of operant conditioning.  Then, describe how shaping works.  How could you use shaping to help you change a behavior?  Another aspect of operant conditioning involves different types of reinforcers.  What is a reinforcer?  What is the difference between a positive reinforcer and a negative reinforcer?  Give an example of each. 

Operant Conditioning and Observational Learning Lecture 2

3. Based on the lecture on Operant Conditioning and Observational Learning, explain how you can use operant conditioning to combat procrastination.  Give an example of how you can improve your time on task on a preferred behavior by using operant conditioning.

Punishment / Operant Conditioning and Observational Learning Lecture 2

4.  Define punishment.  Briefly describe the drawbacks of using punishment in parenting.  What do psychologists recommend instead?  What are your observations of punishment?  Do you see any drawbacks based on your observations? Explain.

Punishment / Time Out

5. Do a google search on Time Out with Children.  Describe the purpose of Time Out.  What is the correct way to use it?  What are the incorrect ways parents use it?  What are the advantages of Time Out over physical punishment? Do you use Time Out?  Have you observed parents use it effectively and ineffectively?  Explain.

Applications of Observational Learning / Operant Conditioning and Observational Learning Lecture 2

6. What is observational learning?  Describe the impact of prosocial modeling and of antisocial modeling. 

Self-Control

Self-Control Lecture / Power of Immediate Rewards

7. Sometimes we are our own worst enemies in that self-control failures have one thing in common.  What is the one thing self-control failures have in common? Do you find this to be true in your life and the life of others?  Explain.

Then, explain what is meant by the Marshmallow Test. Describe the findings of this study as it relates to tracking these kids across time i.e., as adolescents, high school graduates, and adulthood.

Finally explain what is meant by the notion that self-control is the master virtue?  In other words, what are the advantages of self-control, according to the lecture?  What are the risks of not having self-control according to the lecture?  Describe examples of the consequence of not having adequate self-control based on your observations.

Self-Control Lecture / Procrastination: A Special Case of Misregulation

8. Based on the lecture, how is procrastination defined?  How does self-control relate to procrastination? Does research indicate any benefits to procrastination?  Describe several of the insights into the challenge of self-control, and how understanding these insights can help us to combat procrastination.  Explain how you can apply this understanding in your own struggle to overcome procrastination.

Fostering Self-Control

9. According to the lecture on Self-Control, in order to promote self-control and make progress on our goals we need to focus on the three components of self-regulation: standards, monitoring, and strength.  Explain each of these components.  Then, explain how these apply to your attempt to increase your self-control and make progress on your goals.  Then, explain what it means that self-control is a limited resource.  How can understanding that self-control is a limited resource help us to increase self-compassion as we work toward our goals in life?  Finally, explain how we can replenish our strength, and why we need accurate self-knowledge in order to be effective in self-management.  In what ways do you replenish your strength?  Do you believe you have an accurate self-knowledge?  Explain.

Self-Control / Behavioral Change Plan

10. A well-defined plan is critical in order to change a problem behavior. You need a well-structured plan and strong motivation. Your objective here is to identify one behavior you want to change. Examples of behavioral deficits include: poor study habits, lack of assertiveness, poor time management, poor eating habits, lack of exercise, lack of public speaking skills, lack of appropriate social skills, inability to relax, lack of positive thoughts. Examples of behavioral excesses include: being overweight, smoking cigarettes, substance abuse (for example alcohol abuse), negative thoughts, use of bad language, jealousy, overuse of caffeine, procrastination, too much stress, test anxiety, poor budget management. 

After you identify one behavior you want change, your goal is to write out your behavior change plan.  Remember to get specific and write out your plan for each step.  Your assignment is to copy and paste each of the 7 steps below into your paper.  Be sure you answer each of the 7 steps below in your paper.  Break your paper into at least 7 paragraphs; do not make it one long paragraph!

1. Set a target behavior that is realistic and measurable.

2. Identify the potential benefits of reaching your target. Also identify the costs of not reaching the target!

3. Set up a daily schedule that utilizes your favorite activities as rewards.

4. Enlist social support from family and friends who - describe how, when, where?

5. Identify the specific obstacles you're likely to encounter in reaching your target and construct strategies for overcoming them. Remember that the hardest part is minimizing the influence of immediate rewards and maximizing the impact of your rewards.

6. Use tracking (self-monitoring system) to keep you focused; describe what will your tracking system look like? What can you do to make sure you stay on track with your goal?

7. If you slip, keep trying; remember that behavioral change takes time.  4 out of 5 people experience backsliding.  It is worth the effort!

Tuesday 2/5

Exam 1: This exam is taken online; it is not taken in the classroom. You may take the exam anytime on Tuesday 2/5. Exam 1 covers the material assigned in Unit One. 

Unit Two

Thursday 2/7

Assignment Six 

This assignment concerns your mental health.  At some point, many of us struggle with psychological problems, which range from everyday difficulties to incapacitating conditions. This part describes the major mental and emotional disorders and then later we will look at the therapies that have been designed to treat them.

 

Read: Chapter 14 - Psychological Disorders – Myers

View: Lecture 1: Perspectives on Psychological Disorders

View: Lecture 2: Anxiety Disorders

View: Lecture 3: Other Psychological Disorders

Reading Quiz Six.  This reading quiz is over the assigned reading and lectures in Assignment Six.  After you listen to the lectures and read / outline the assigned reading, you are ready to take Reading Quiz Six.  The Reading Quiz is an “open book, open notes” quiz. The reading quiz is due BEFORE you come to class on 2/7.  These reading quizzes are critical to your learning the material in this class.  The reading quizzes are not timed, meaning that they stay open until the day that they are due.  You may take the reading quiz as many times as you need during the allotted time. The reading quiz can be thought of as a study guide, helping you to better understand the information and providing you with simulated practice exam questions.  The test questions on the exams will be similar to the reading quiz questions. 

* Bring your notes and textbook to class.  You will need them for the in-class application.

Discussion Assignment:

One of the questions below will be assigned to each person in the course.  This will be the question you write about in your discussion response and post online.  Your task is to answer the questions by summarizing the information in your own words based on the lecture and / or the reading assignment.  Then, if your discussion question lends itself to also reflecting on how your own feelings, thoughts, and experiences relate SPECIFICALLY to the major concept in your assigned question, then please add this information.  You can also make a connection by talking about how concepts from other readings from any source (other chapters in your textbook, articles, website etc.) relate to a concept in your assigned reading.

For example, let’s say you get a discussion question on depression.  You first need to summarize the information from the text and / or lecture that applies to your discussion question.  Then perhaps you have had personal experience with depression or know a friend with depression.  You would want to add this information to your discussion question answer.  Then, let’s say you found an interesting article on depression.  You can also add summarized information from the article you found.  Be sure to reference your source (text chapter, article, website, etc.)  in your paper.

Your response to the discussion question must be a minimum of 350 words in 12 point type size.  It is ok to go beyond the 350 word minimum requirement. I will not take a discussion response that does not meet the 350 word minimum requirement.  Please be sure to use your word processer to provide a word count. 

If, after summarizing the information in your discussion question, reflecting on how your own feelings, thoughts, and experiences relate SPECIFICALLY to your discussion question, and making a connection to another source (other chapters in your textbook, article, etc.) you do not meet the 350 word minimum, you may choose a second question to answer in addition to the one assigned.  Please answer both questions on the same page.

In order to post your response, go to Discussions on the home page of the course and click on the appropriate chapter / assignment.  Your discussion response is due before class.  You can turn in a late discussion response with a 30 point penalty.  Please make every effort to submit your discussion response BEFORE class!

* Please bring a hard copy of your discussion response or notes of your discussion response to class so you can share them with the class.  You will not turn in the hard copy to me.  The goal of the discussion summary is to use them in class. 

Psychological Disorders

Classifying Disorders – and Labeling People / Perspectives on Psychological Disorders Lecture 1

1. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of classification (or labeling). After studying this issue, what is your opinion of classification?  Do you know of a person who has been “labeled?”  What were the effects (positive and/or negative) in this person’s case?  Explain. 

 Risk of Harm to Self and Others

2. Each year over 800,000 people worldwide die by suicide.  Summarize all of the variable correlated with increased risk of suicide.  What has been your experience or observation of this issue?  Explain.  How can we respond in a helpful way to a person who is suicidal?  Then, explain what is meant by nonsuicidal self-injury.  What factors are correlated with NSSI?  What process appears to drive NSSI?  Does NSSI lead to suicide? Explain.  What has been your observation / experience of NSSI?

Anxiety Disorders, OCD, and PTSD / Anxiety Disorders Lecture 2

3. Anxiety is a part of life.  None of us can avoid it completely.  Fortunately, for most of us, our occasional uneasiness is not intense and persistent.  However, if our level of anxiety becomes more intense, i.e., to the point that it is quite distressing and persistent, we may have developed an anxiety disorder.  In order to help us recognize the differences between the different anxiety disorders, briefly explain what is meant by Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, Phobia, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.  Describe one or more people you known who has suffered from one of these anxiety disorders. Did they receive any form of help? Why or why not?  Explain.  

Anxiety Disorders, OCD, and PTSD / Anxiety Disorders Lecture 2

4.  Explain how conditioning, cognition (observational learning), reinforcement, biology, and fraying social support play a role in Anxiety Disorders.

Major Depressive Disorder / Bipolar Disorder / Other Psychological Disorders Lecture 3

5. Most of us, at one time or another will experience some symptoms of depression. It can be difficult to know where to draw the line between life’s normal “downs” and major depression.  How do you distinguish between major depression and life’s normal “downs.”  How do you distinguish between major depressive disorder, dysthymia (persistent depressive disorder) and bipolar disorder?  Have you known anyone (including yourself) with one of these disorders?  What was their experience?  Did they receive any form of help?  How long should a person wait to get help?  What do you think keeps people from getting help? 

 

Understanding Mood Disorders / Other Psychological Disorders Lecture 3

6.  Briefly describe the common threads of threads found in the research on mood disorders.   Then, describe the biological understanding of depression, by focusing on genes, neurochemistry, and the brain. 

Understanding Mood Disorders / Other Psychological Disorders Lecture 3

7. In addition to the biological understanding of depression, there is also a powerful social-cognitive perspective.  Explain the role of negative thoughts and negative moods.  What does this perspective mean by having an explanatory style?  Then, describe what psychologists mean by depression’s vicious cycle.  Explain how the explanatory style and the vicious cycle relates to your own experience of depressed mood or to another person you have observed with depression. 

Symptoms of Schizophrenia / Other Psychological Disorders Lecture 3

8. Define Schizophrenia. Explain the symptoms of schizophrenia by focusing on disorganized / delusional thinking, disturbed perceptions, and inappropriate emotions and actions.  Also, clarify what psychologists mean by positive symptoms, negative symptoms, chronic / process development, and acute / reactive development. 

Symptoms of Schizophrenia / Other Psychological Disorders Lecture 3

9. Nearly 1 in a 100 suffer from schizophrenia, and throughout the world over 24 million people suffer from this disease.  In order to understand schizophrenia, briefly explain the brain abnormalities involved by focusing on dopamine, brain activity, brain anatomy, prenatal environmental risk, and genetic factors.

Tuesday 2/12:

Assignment Seven

Psychotherapy, also called counseling or talk therapy, is a way to help people with a broad variety of emotional difficulties. Psychotherapy can help eliminate or control troubling symptoms so a person can function better and can increase well-being and healing.  Problems helped by psychotherapy include difficulties in coping with daily life; the impact of trauma, medical illness or loss, like the death of a loved one; and specific mental disorders, like depression or anxiety. There are several different types of psychotherapy and some types may work better with certain problems or issues. Psychotherapy may be used in combination with medication or other therapies.

Read: Chapter 15 - Therapy – Myers

View: Lecture 1: Psychological Therapies (Psychoanalytic and Humanistic)

View: Lecture 2: Psychological Therapies (Behavioral, Cognitive, Group, and Family)

View: Lecture 3: Evaluating Psychotherapies

View: Lecture 4: The Biomedical Therapies and Prevention

View: Lecture: Hope - note: this lecture is not a reinforcement of material in the text; this is additional information.

Reading Quiz Seven.  This reading quiz is over the assigned reading and lectures in Assignment Seven.  After you listen to the lectures and read / outline the assigned reading, you are ready to take Reading Quiz Seven.  The Reading Quiz is an “open book, open notes” quiz. The reading quiz is due BEFORE you come to class on 2/12.  These reading quizzes are critical to your learning the material in this class.  The reading quizzes are not timed, meaning that they stay open until the day that they are due.  You may take the reading quiz as many times as you need during the allotted time. The reading quiz can be thought of as a study guide, helping you to better understand the information and providing you with simulated practice exam questions.  The test questions on the exams will be similar to the reading quiz questions. 

* Bring your notes and textbook to class.  You will need them for the in-class application.

Discussion Assignment:

One of the questions below will be assigned to each person in the course.  This will be the question you write about in your discussion response and post online.  Your task is to answer the questions by summarizing the information in your own words based on the lecture and / or the reading assignment.  Then, if your discussion question lends itself to also reflecting on how your own feelings, thoughts, and experiences relate SPECIFICALLY to the major concept in your assigned question, then please add this information.  You can also make a connection by talking about how concepts from other readings from any source (other chapters in your textbook, articles, website etc.) relate to a concept in your assigned reading.

For example, let’s say you get a discussion question on depression.  You first need to summarize the information from the text and / or lecture that applies to your discussion question.  Then perhaps you have had personal experience with depression or know a friend with depression.  You would want to add this information to your discussion question answer.  Then, let’s say you found an interesting article on depression.  You can also add summarized information from the article you found.  Be sure to reference your source (text chapter, article, website, etc.)  in your paper.

Your response to the discussion question must be a minimum of 350 words in 12 point type size.  It is ok to go beyond the 350 word minimum requirement. I will not take a discussion response that does not meet the 350 word minimum requirement.  Please be sure to use your word processer to provide a word count. 

If, after summarizing the information in your discussion question, reflecting on how your own feelings, thoughts, and experiences relate SPECIFICALLY to your discussion question, and making a connection to another source (other chapters in your textbook, article, etc.) you do not meet the 350 word minimum, you may choose a second question to answer in addition to the one assigned.  Please answer both questions on the same page.

In order to post your response, go to Discussions on the home page of the course and click on the appropriate chapter / assignment.  Your discussion response is due before class.  You can turn in a late discussion response with a 30 point penalty.  Please make every effort to submit your discussion response BEFORE class!

* Please bring a hard copy of your discussion response or notes of your discussion response to class so you can share them with the class.  You will not turn in the hard copy to me.  The goal of the discussion summary is to use them in class. 

Therapy

Psychoanalysis and Psychodynamic Therapy / Humanistic Therapies / Psychological Therapies (Psychoanalytic and Humanistic) Lecture 1

1. Define psychotherapy.  Explain the basics of Psychoanalysis by describing the goal and the techniques.  Be sure to focus on free-association, resistance, interpretation, and transference.  Then, explain how Psychodynamic Therapy is similar and different from Psychoanalysis.  Another form of psychotherapy includes the Humanistic Therapies.  Explain how the Humanistic Therapies are different than Psychodynamic Therapy.  Further, an example of a Humanistic Therapy is Client-Centered Therapy.  Describe two fundamental techniques used in Client-Centered Therapy by focusing on active listening and unconditional positive regard.  Finally, briefly explain why an atmosphere of genuineness, acceptance, and empathy is important not only for a therapy relationship but also for other relationships such as parent-child, couples, and supervisor-supervisee?

Behavior Therapies / Psychological Therapies (Behavioral, Cognitive, Group, and Family) Lecture 2

2.  Another form of psychotherapy is Behavior Therapy.  Explain the basic approach of behavior therapists.  What do they focus on in their version of treatment?  Also, explain how they utilize classical conditioning techniques by describing the basic differences between counterconditioning, exposure therapy, systematic desensitization, and aversive conditioning.

Behavior Therapies / Psychological Therapies (Behavioral, Cognitive, Group, and Family) Lecture 2

3. Another type of behavior therapy is based on operant conditioning.  Explain what is meant by the fundamental concept of behavior modification.  As an example of its application, explain how this approach works with withdrawn, uncommunicative 3-yr-olds with autism?  Then, explain how a token economy can help patients improve their lives.

Cognitive Therapies / Group and Family Therapies / Psychological Therapies (Behavioral, Cognitive, Group, and Family) Lecture 2

4. What is the fundamental goal of Cognitive Therapy?  How is cognitive therapy different than cognitive-behavioral therapy?  In addition, describe three things that group therapy has to offer that individual therapy cannot.  Then, briefly explain the unique perspective that family therapy has to offer.

Is Psychotherapy Effective / How Do Psychotherapies Help People?

5. A friend comes to you to talk to you about his mother who is experiencing a high level of anxiety with panic attacks and serious problems in her relationship with her husband.  Your friend wants to help his mother, but he believes that therapy is a waste of time.  He believes that all they do in there is “just talk.” What kind of evidence could you give to your friend that supports the notion that therapy is actually scientifically indicated to help his mother?  Include in your explanation what the Outcome Research says about the effectiveness of psychotherapy.  Then, describe the three elements shared by all forms of psychotherapy to help people.

Drug Therapies / The Biomedical Therapies and Prevention Lecture 4

6.  Describe what antipsychotic drugs treat.  How do they basically work?  Then describe the difference between the antianxiety drugs and the antidepressant drugs.  Which neurotransmitters are involved with the antianxiety drugs and the antidepressant drugs?   Then, explain what the mood-stabilizing medications are used to treat as well as the neurotransmitters involved.  Describe your observations / experienced of people who have used any of these medications. 

Therapeutic Lifestyle Change / The Biomedical Therapies and Prevention Lecture 4

7. Describe the fundamental concept in therapeutic lifestyle change.  Then, describe the 12-week training program.  Which of the 6 factors are you currently doing?  Which of the 6 factors do you want to include and / or improve in your life?  Explain.

Creating Healthy Environments / The Biomedical Therapies and Prevention Lecture 4

8. Explain the difference between the psychotherapies / biomedical therapies view of the cause of psychological disorders and the preventive view. Describe the social factors that lead to psychological disorders.  What can we do on a large scale to reduce these social factors that lead to psychological disorders?  In your opinion, what can a person do as an individual to help with this cause? Explain.

Hope

Hope Lecture

9. Explain, based on the lecture on Hope, optimism and pessimism in terms of explanatory style.  Also, explain the advantages of having optimism.  Do you believe that you tend to lean more toward optimism or pessimism?  Explain what these tendencies look like in your life.  Where do your tendencies come from? Explain your understanding of periods of pessimism in your life.  Describe in detail someone you know who is pessimistic.  What do you think caused these episodes of pessimism? How could you increase optimism in your life?

Hope Lecture

10. Describe the components of hope, according to the lecture on Hope.  Also, explain the advantages of having hope.  Do you believe that you tend to operate out of hope, or do you tend to feel more hopelessness?  If you are a high hope person, then describe a person you know who is low in hope.  Where does a person’s hopefulness and helplessness come from?  In what ways can a person possibly increase their current level of hope? Which strategies from the lecture do you wish to consider applying to your life to increase your level of hope?

11. For this participation assignment, post one Connection Response that relates to any topic in the assigned reading and lectures i.e., Ch. 15 – Therapy (Myers) and lecture on Hope. You will need to go to the syllabus for instructions on how to write a Connection Response.

 

Thursday 2/14

Assignment Eight

In this assignment, I want to go deeper into one specific form of psychotherapy called Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT). The material in this assignment will help you learn how to cope more effectively with the stress in your life by teaching you to evaluate and change your thinking about events that leads to emotional and behavioral upset.

Read: REBT - Emotional Disturbance and Its Treatment in a Nutshell 

Read: REBT - Toward an Egoless State of Being

Read: REBT - Overcoming Self-Esteem

* When the assignment requires you to read an article on REBT (Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy), you can access this document by going to the Supplemental Reading folder located under the Lessons tab.

View: Lecture 1: REBT and Mentalization In Stressful Life Situations (Part 1)

View: Lecture 2: REBT and Mentalization In Stressful Life Situations (Part 2)

*To view these lectures go to Lessons and then to REBT and Mentalization In Stressful Life Situations Lectures.

Reading Quiz Eight.  This reading quiz is over the assigned reading and lectures in Assignment Eight.  After you listen to the lectures and read / outline the assigned reading, you are ready to take Reading Quiz Eight.  The Reading Quiz is an “open book, open notes” quiz. The reading quiz is due BEFORE you come to class on 2/14.  These reading quizzes are critical to your learning the material in this class.  The reading quizzes are not timed, meaning that they stay open until the day that they are due.  You may take the reading quiz as many times as you need during the allotted time. The reading quiz can be thought of as a study guide, helping you to better understand the information and providing you with simulated practice exam questions.  The test questions on the exams will be similar to the reading quiz questions. 

* Bring your notes and textbook to class.  You will need them for the in-class application.

Discussion Assignment:

For this discussion assignment, you are to write a response that relates to the REBT lectures and / or to the REBT Articles assigned. (Note: the assignment is one connection response that relates to any aspects of the REBT lectures, and/or any aspects of the REBT articles.  The assignment is not for you to write a separate response to each lecture and each article.)   For example, you could write about how you could apply some of the ideas in the REBT lectures and articles to help you potentially increase and/or maintain your optimism and lower your stress.  Another example, you could write about how you could apply some of the ideas in the REBT lectures and articles to your own life and/or how they apply to friends, family, or work situations.

Your response to the discussion question must be a minimum of 350 words in 12 point type size.  It is ok to go beyond the 350 word minimum requirement. I will not take a discussion response that does not meet the 350 word minimum requirement.  Please be sure to use your word processer to provide a word count. 

In order to post your response, go to Discussions on the home page of the course and click on the appropriate assignment.  Your discussion response is due before class.  You can turn in a late discussion response with a 30 point penalty.  Please make every effort to submit your discussion response BEFORE class!

* Please bring a hard copy of your discussion response or notes of your discussion response to class so you can share them with the class.  You will not turn in the hard copy to me.  The goal of the discussion summary is to use them in class. 

Tuesday 2/19

Assignment Nine

A satisfying life depends on having healthy emotions, coping well with stress and knowing how to reach your goals. In these chapters, we see how personality, body, mind and environment affect your emotional health.

 

Read: Chapter 10 – Motivation and Emotion (read only pages 367-382, Theories and Physiology of Emotion and Expressing and Experiencing Emotion) – Myers

Read: Chapter 11 – Stress, Health, and Human Flourishing – Myers

Complete the practice test at the end of the chapter to gain familiarity with the types of questions you will see on the exam.

View: Lecture 1: Theories of Emotion

View: Lecture 2: Embodied Emotion

View: Lecture 3: Expressed Emotion

View: Lecture 4: Experienced Emotion

View: Lecture 5: Emotions (Stress and Health)

View: Lecture 6: Emotions and Promoting Health

View: Lecture: Happiness - note: this lecture is not a reinforcement of material in the text; this is additional information.

Reading Quiz Nine.  This reading quiz is over the assigned reading and lectures in Assignment Nine.  After you listen to the lectures and read / outline the assigned reading, you are ready to take Reading Quiz Nine.  The Reading Quiz is an “open book, open notes” quiz. The reading quiz is due BEFORE you come to class on 2/19.  These reading quizzes are critical to your learning the material in this class.  The reading quizzes are not timed, meaning that they stay open until the day that they are due.  You may take the reading quiz as many times as you need during the allotted time. The reading quiz can be thought of as a study guide, helping you to better understand the information and providing you with simulated practice exam questions.  The test questions on the exams will be similar to the reading quiz questions. 

* Bring your notes and textbook to class.  You will need them for the in-class application.

Discussion Assignment:

One of the questions below will be assigned to each person in the course.  This will be the question you write about in your discussion response and post online.  Your task is to answer the questions by summarizing the information in your own words based on the lecture and / or the reading assignment.  Then, if your discussion question lends itself to also reflecting on how your own feelings, thoughts, and experiences relate SPECIFICALLY to the major concept in your assigned question, then please add this information.  You can also make a connection by talking about how concepts from other readings from any source (other chapters in your textbook, articles, website etc.) relate to a concept in your assigned reading.

For example, let’s say you get a discussion question on depression.  You first need to summarize the information from the text and / or lecture that applies to your discussion question.  Then perhaps you have had personal experience with depression or know a friend with depression.  You would want to add this information to your discussion question answer.  Then, let’s say you found an interesting article on depression.  You can also add summarized information from the article you found.  Be sure to reference your source (text chapter, article, website, etc.)  in your paper.

Your response to the discussion question must be a minimum of 350 words in 12 point type size.  It is ok to go beyond the 350 word minimum requirement. I will not take a discussion response that does not meet the 350 word minimum requirement.  Please be sure to use your word processer to provide a word count. 

If, after summarizing the information in your discussion question, reflecting on how your own feelings, thoughts, and experiences relate SPECIFICALLY to your discussion question, and making a connection to another source (other chapters in your textbook, article, etc.) you do not meet the 350 word minimum, you may choose a second question to answer in addition to the one assigned.  Please answer both questions on the same page.

In order to post your response, go to Discussions on the home page of the course and click on the appropriate chapter / assignment.  Your discussion response is due before class.  You can turn in a late discussion response with a 30 point penalty.  Please make every effort to submit your discussion response BEFORE class!

* Please bring a hard copy of your discussion response or notes of your discussion response to class so you can share them with the class.  You will not turn in the hard copy to me.  The goal of the discussion summary is to use them in class. 

Stress, Health, and Human Flourishing

Stress: Some Basic Concepts / Emotions (Stress and Health) Lecture 5

1.  Define stress.  Explain what is meant by stress appraisal.  Also, describe the basic differences between the three major types of stress ie, catastrophes, significant life changes, and daily hassles.  Then, briefly explain the general adaptation syndrome (GAS).  Describe your observation / experience with people in each of the three stages of GAS. 

Stress and Illness / Emotions (Stress and Health) Lecture 5

2. Define health psychology and psychoneuroimmunology.   Explain the connection between stress and the immune system.  What evidence is there to support the notion that stress can suppress the immune system?  Further, in order to better understand the connection between stress and the immune system, explain the role stress play in AIDS, cancer, and heart disease. With regard to heart disease, be sure to include information on anger, type A, type B, pessimism and depression. Describe any observations / experiences you have had with regard to stress and illness. 

Coping With Stress / Personal Control / Emotions and Promoting Health Lecture 6

3.  Define coping.  Explain the difference between problem-focused coping and emotion-focused coping.  Then, describe the evidence behind the fact that a perceived lack of personal control leads to negative health outcomes. Also, what are the advantages of having an internal locus of control?  What are the disadvantages of having an external locus of control?  Do operate more out of an internal locus of control or an external locus of control?  Explain.

Optimism Versus Pessimism / Social Support / Emotions and Promoting Health Lecture 6

4. Explain the connection of optimism, pessimism, and social support to health outcomes. Then, reflect on a time when you have felt a high degree of (chronic) stress in your life.  Explain your situation in the following terms: 1) what resources were threatened?, 2) what stage did you reach with regard to the general adaptation syndrome?  Did you experience optimism or pessimism with regard to your stressful period of time in your life?  Did you have adequate sources of social support during this stressful period?  Explain.

Reducing Stress / Aerobic Exercise / Relaxation and Meditation / Faith Communities and Health / Emotions and Promoting Health Lecture 6

5. Explain how aerobic exercise, relaxation / meditation, and faith communities can help reduce stress.  What are your observations / experiences of these methods with regard to stress reduction? Do you use any of these methods?  Would you like to start using any of these methods? Explain. 

Happiness / What Affects Our Well-Being? / The Short Life of Emotional Ups and Downs / Experienced Emotions Lecture 4

6.  Describe the evidence to support the notion that our emotional ups and downs are short lived.  Do you feel that these findings are true in your life?  Explain.

Happiness / What Affects Our Well-Being? / Wealth and Well-Being / Experienced Emotions Lecture 4

7.  “Yuppie Values” in fact tend not to lead to greater levels of happiness.  (Yuppie values refer to Yuppie (short for "young urban professional" or "young upwardly-mobile professional").  Yuppies are mocked for their conspicuous personal consumption and hunger for social status among their peers.  As Myers points out, "They are into seeking money to prove themselves, gain power, or show off rather than support their families.")  Explain why psychological science refutes this idea (that more money will make you a happier person).  Incorporate the adaptation-level phenomenon and relative deprivation into your explanation.   Did you used to believe that more money would make you happier?  Explain how this applies to your life. 

Happiness / What Predicts Our Happiness Levels? / Experienced Emotions Lecture 4 / Happiness Lecture

8. Explain what predicts our happiness levels.  Which factors are not predictive of happiness?  Now, reflect on your own level of happiness.  Which factors from Myers and the lecture on happiness would you like to incorporate into your life to increase your happiness level? Explain.

Happiness Lecture

9. Based on the Happiness lecture, explain in your own words what is meant by flow.   Have you experienced flow?  How would you know if you have experienced it?  Describe what that feeling is like for you.  Describe how you can increase the experience of flow in your life?

Happiness Lecture

10. Some people find happiness in everyday occurrences and others seem chronically unhappy.  Based on the Happiness lecture, explain the difference in these people by describing people who tend to emphasize maximization.  Who do you know falls in this category of maximization?  Describe this person – in what ways to they engage in maximization.  Explain what a person needs to understand in order to decrease his/her tendency toward maximization.  How does this concept of maximization relate to your life?

Happiness Lecture

11. According to the lecture and reading on happiness, what types of life experiences tend to lead to greater levels of happiness?  Do you find this explanation to be accurate for your life?  Explain.  Then, review the recommendations in the lecture on happiness for increasing your happiness.  Which of the recommendations are you pursuing now?  Which of the recommendations are you not doing?  Are there any you would like to incorporate into your life?  Explain what this would look like in terms of specific behavior.

12. For this participation assignment, post one Connection Response that relates to any topic in the assigned reading and lectures i.e., Ch. 11 - Emotions, Stress, & Health (Myers), and lecture on Happiness. You will need to go to the syllabus for instructions on how to write a Connection Response.

Thursday 2/21

Exam 2: This exam is taken online; it is not taken in the classroom. You may take the exam anytime on Thursday 2/21. Exam 2 covers the material in Unit Two. 

Unit Three 

Assignment Ten

Tuesday 2/26

At the heart of psychology lies a question: What is a person as they develop across the lifespan? What role does work and love play in our development? What milestones occur on the way to becoming a person? 

 

Read: Chapter 4 - Developing Through the Lifespan – Myers

Complete the practice test at the end of the chapter to gain familiarity with the types of questions you will see on the exam.

View: Lecture 1: Childhood Cognitive Development

View: Lecture 2: Childhood Social Development

View: Lecture 3: Adolescence

View: Lecture 4: Adulthood

Reading Quiz Ten.  This reading quiz is over the assigned reading and lectures in Assignment Ten.  After you listen to the lectures and read / outline the assigned reading, you are ready to take Reading Quiz Ten.  The Reading Quiz is an “open book, open notes” quiz. The reading quiz is due BEFORE you come to class on 2/26.  These reading quizzes are critical to your learning the material in this class.  The reading quizzes are not timed, meaning that they stay open until the day that they are due.  You may take the reading quiz as many times as you need during the allotted time. The reading quiz can be thought of as a study guide, helping you to better understand the information and providing you with simulated practice exam questions.  The test questions on the exams will be similar to the reading quiz questions. 

* Bring your notes and textbook to class.  You will need them for the in-class application.

Discussion Assignment:

One of the questions below will be assigned to each person in the course.  This will be the question you write about in your discussion response and post online.  Your task is to answer the questions by summarizing the information in your own words based on the lecture and / or the reading assignment.  Then, if your discussion question lends itself to also reflecting on how your own feelings, thoughts, and experiences relate SPECIFICALLY to the major concept in your assigned question, then please add this information.  You can also make a connection by talking about how concepts from other readings from any source (other chapters in your textbook, articles, website etc.) relate to a concept in your assigned reading.

For example, let’s say you get a discussion question on depression.  You first need to summarize the information from the text and / or lecture that applies to your discussion question.  Then perhaps you have had personal experience with depression or know a friend with depression.  You would want to add this information to your discussion question answer.  Then, let’s say you found an interesting article on depression.  You can also add summarized information from the article you found.  Be sure to reference your source (text chapter, article, website, etc.)  in your paper.

Your response to the discussion question must be a minimum of 350 words in 12 point type size.  It is ok to go beyond the 350 word minimum requirement. I will not take a discussion response that does not meet the 350 word minimum requirement.  Please be sure to use your word processer to provide a word count. 

If, after summarizing the information in your discussion question, reflecting on how your own feelings, thoughts, and experiences relate SPECIFICALLY to your discussion question, and making a connection to another source (other chapters in your textbook, article, etc.) you do not meet the 350 word minimum, you may choose a second question to answer in addition to the one assigned.  Please answer both questions on the same page.

In order to post your response, go to Discussions on the home page of the course and click on the appropriate chapter / assignment.  Your discussion response is due before class.  You can turn in a late discussion response with a 30 point penalty.  Please make every effort to submit your discussion response BEFORE class!

* Please bring a hard copy of your discussion response or notes of your discussion response to class so you can share them with the class.  You will not turn in the hard copy to me.  The goal of the discussion summary is to use them in class. 

Lifespan Development

Cognitive Development / Piaget’s Theory and Current Thinking / Childhood Cognitive Development Lecture 1

1. Piaget’s Stages of Cognitive Development

• Briefly describe the sensorimotor stage, including a description of object permanence. 
• Briefly describe the preoperational stage.  Children at this stage are still limited in their thinking.  What does it mean that children at this stage have not achieved conservation?  Children at this stage are also egocentric; what does this mean? Also, explain why children at this stage are at risk for child abuse.  How could an understanding of Piaget help decrease and prevent child abuse?  Explain.
• Briefly describe the concrete operational stage. 
• Briefly describe the formal operational stage.

Origins of Attachment / Attachment Differences / Childhood Social Development Lecture 2

2. What is stranger anxiety and how does it relate to attachment?  The elements that create attachment include body contact, familiarity, temperament, and responsive parenting.  Describe how each of these factors help foster healthy attachment.  Describe observations you have of parents and children that connect to these factors of attachment. 

Attachment Differences / Childhood Social Development Lecture 2

3. Early attachments form the foundation for our adult relationships.  Describe the characteristics in children of secure attachment, ambivalent attachment, and avoidant attachment.  Then, describe how each of these attachment styles affect adults.  Based on your observations / experience, briefly describe an adult person you know who fits each attachment style. 

Deprivation of Attachment / Childhood Social Development Lecture 2

4. What are the consequences of a deprivation of attachment for both monkeys and humans? How does a deprivation in attachment relate to abusive parenting.  Describe what is happening in terms of neurotransmitters (serotonin) in animals and humans that are traumatized.  Briefly describe any observations / experiences you have had of the impact of a deprivation of attachment on the development of a person.

Childhood Social Development Lecture 2 (Trauma and Attachment)

5. Based on the lecture, describe the relationship between trauma and attachment. What are the negative effects of trauma?  Explain the three levels of interpersonal involvement in trauma.  How does stress pileup relate to trauma and attachment?  How can a person who has experienced traumatic attachment learn how to heal?  What is the connection between attachment and the regulation of physiological arousal. Briefly comment on any observations / experiences you have had of a person who has experienced attachment trauma.

Parenting Styles / Childhood Social Development Lecture 2 (Child-Rearing Practices)

6.  Describe the three parenting styles: authoritarian, permissive, and authoritative. Describe the parenting style your parents used in raising you? Were they highly restrictive, permissive, or more democratic?  Describe your observations of a person who was raised with an authoritarian parenting style.  What impact has that style had on the person’s self-concept? 

If you are a parent, do you tend to use the same parenting style as your parents?  Explain.  If you are not a parent, do you believe you will use your parent’s style or a different style?  Explain. 

How would you recommend helping parents develop a more authoritative parenting style? 

Adolescence / Physical Development / Adolescence Lecture 3

7. Define puberty. Then, describe the advantages and the risks for boys who mature early.  Describe the risks for girls who mature early.  Then, explain frontal lobe development in adolescence, and its relationship to impulsivity and risk for smoking.  Describe your observations that connect to these factors in adolescence.

Social Development / Forming an Identity / Parent and Peer Relationships / Adolescence Lecture 3

8. The chief task of adolescence is to solidify one’s sense of self (one’s identity).  Explain the difference between identity and role confusion.  We commonly hear about the “stress and storm” period in adolescence indicating that there is a great deal of conflict between adolescents and their parents.  Does the research support this commonly held belief?  Describe how parents and peers influence adolescents.  

When you were an adolescent, who had the most influence on how you saw the world and yourself? Was it your parents, your peers, or a best friend? Who has had the most lasting influence?  

Adulthood / Physical Changes in Middle Adulthood / Physical Changes in Later Life / Cognitive Development / Adulthood Lecture 4

9. Describe the physical changes we can expect as we go through adulthood, including fertility, sexuality, sensory abilities, immune system, and the brain.  The, describe what we can expect to change as we age with regard to our cognitive abilities.  Describe any observations you have that connect some of these factors of aging to real-life people you know. 

Social Development / Adulthood’s Ages and Stages / Adulthood’s Commitments / Adulthood Lecture 4

10. Does the research support the notion that as people enter their forties, they undergo a midlife "crisis ” or transition, meaning that once they hit that age they are at greater risk for job dissatisfaction, marital dissatisfaction, divorce, anxiety, and suicide?  Explain. 

Sigmund Freud is famous for saying that the healthy adult is one who can love and work.  Describe the two basic aspects of our lives that dominate adulthood according to Erik Erikson.  Then, describe several important themes related to love in adulthood including the advantages of being married, cohabitation, and children.  Do you think it is wiser to cohabitate before getting married?  Explain.  With regard to work, describe why work is so significant for adulthood; what is the connection between work and happiness?

Social Development / Well-Being Across the Life Span / Death and Dying / Adulthood Lecture 4

 

11. Explain how our well-being tends to change from early adulthood to midlife.  Does the research support the notion that levels of life satisfaction decrease in later life given all the changes we have to face e.g., reduced income, work is often taken away, body deterioration, recall fades, and energy wanes. Explain.  

 Also, explain how people in later life react to the loss of a spouse?  What is meant by Erikson’s final stage i.e., integrity vs despair.  How can we improve our chances for developing integrity into old age? 

 

If death is a natural part of life -- it's a natural progression of life, birth, growth, maturity, aging, and death -- then why do so many people regard death as bad? 

 

12. For this participation assignment, post one Connection Response that relates to any topic in the assigned reading and lectures i.e., Ch. 5 - Developing Through the Life Span (Myers).  You will need to go to the syllabus for instructions on how to write a Connection Response.

Assignment Eleven

Thursday 2/28

In this assignment we will explore the fascinating area of what motivates humans, the importance of belonging, love and human sexuality. We will also continue to learn about REBT as it applies to love.

Read: Chapter 10 – Motivation and Emotion (read only pages 348 - 359, Basic Motivational Concepts, Affiliation, and Achievement) – Myers

Read: Chapter 5 – Gender and Sexuality (read only pages 172 – 188 Human Sexuality) - Myers

View: Lecture 1: Motivation

View: Lecture 2: Sexual Motivation

View: Lecture: Love – note: this lecture is not a reinforcement of material in the text; this is additional information.

Read: REBT - How to Stop Being a Love Slob 

Read: REBT - Self-Interest and Assertion

* When the assignment requires you to read an article on REBT (Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy), you can access this document by going to the Supplemental Reading folder located under the Lessons tab.

 

Reading Quiz Eleven.  This reading quiz is over the assigned reading and lectures in Assignment Eleven.  After you listen to the lectures and read / outline the assigned reading, you are ready to take Reading Quiz Eleven.  The Reading Quiz is an “open book, open notes” quiz. The reading quiz is due BEFORE you come to class on 2/28.  These reading quizzes are critical to your learning the material in this class.  The reading quizzes are not timed, meaning that they stay open until the day that they are due.  You may take the reading quiz as many times as you need during the allotted time. The reading quiz can be thought of as a study guide, helping you to better understand the information and providing you with simulated practice exam questions.  The test questions on the exams will be similar to the reading quiz questions. 

* Bring your notes and textbook to class.  You will need them for the in-class application.

Discussion Assignment:

One of the questions below will be assigned to each person in the course.  This will be the question you write about in your discussion response and post online.  Your task is to answer the questions by summarizing the information in your own words based on the lecture and / or the reading assignment.  Then, if your discussion question lends itself to also reflecting on how your own feelings, thoughts, and experiences relate SPECIFICALLY to the major concept in your assigned question, then please add this information.  You can also make a connection by talking about how concepts from other readings from any source (other chapters in your textbook, articles, website etc.) relate to a concept in your assigned reading.

For example, let’s say you get a discussion question on depression.  You first need to summarize the information from the text and / or lecture that applies to your discussion question.  Then perhaps you have had personal experience with depression or know a friend with depression.  You would want to add this information to your discussion question answer.  Then, let’s say you found an interesting article on depression.  You can also add summarized information from the article you found.  Be sure to reference your source (text chapter, article, website, etc.)  in your paper.

Your response to the discussion question must be a minimum of 350 words in 12 point type size.  It is ok to go beyond the 350 word minimum requirement. I will not take a discussion response that does not meet the 350 word minimum requirement.  Please be sure to use your word processer to provide a word count. 

If, after summarizing the information in your discussion question, reflecting on how your own feelings, thoughts, and experiences relate SPECIFICALLY to your discussion question, and making a connection to another source (other chapters in your textbook, article, etc.) you do not meet the 350 word minimum, you may choose a second question to answer in addition to the one assigned.  Please answer both questions on the same page.

In order to post your response, go to Discussions on the home page of the course and click on the appropriate chapter / assignment.  Your discussion response is due before class.  You can turn in a late discussion response with a 30 point penalty.  Please make every effort to submit your discussion response BEFORE class!

* Please bring a hard copy of your discussion response or notes of your discussion response to class so you can share them with the class.  You will not turn in the hard copy to me.  The goal of the discussion summary is to use them in class. 

Motivation

Motivational Concepts / Instincts and Evolutionary Psychology / Drives and Incentives / Optimum Arousal / Motivation Lecture 1

1. Define motivation.  Define instinct.  Explain why early instinct theory failed.  After the original instinct theory collapsed, drive-reduction theory was its replacement.   What is the fundamental concept behind drive-reduction theory?

As we have seen, some motivated behaviors aim to reduce a physiological need or minimize tension (i.e., drive-reduction theory).  On the other hand, other motivated behaviors aim to increase arousal.  What do we mean by optimal arousal?  Explain optimal arousal in terms of the optimum stress zone and the Yerks-Dodson law. Describe how the optimum stress zone relates to your experience.

Motivational Concepts / A Hierarchy of Motives / Motivation Lecture 1

2. Explain what is meant by Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. 

Maslow believes that the only reason that people would not move in the direction of self-actualization is because of hindrances placed in their way by society i.e., discrimination, and poverty.  He thinks that education can be one of these hindrances.  In what ways do you see our education system actually hurting the self-actualization process?  How might we make changes from the usual person-stunting tactics to person-growing approaches?  Primarily discuss your own ideas here in addition to briefly summarizing the lecture on Maslow.

Human Sexuality / The Physiology of Sex / Hormones and Sexual Behavior / The Sexual Response Cycle / Sexual Dysfuctions / Sexually Transmitted Infections / Sexual Motivation Lecture 2

3.  Briefly describe the four stages of the sexual response cycle.  Then, define sexual disorder (sexual dysfunction). What percentage of marriages have some kind of sexual problem?  Briefly describe the four common sexual disorders.  Explain what is happening to the rates of sexually transmitted infections. 

Based on your observations and experience, where do young people receive their knowledge and education on sexuality?  Do you believe most parents do a good job of teaching their children? Explain.  What can we do better as a society to increase sexual education?

What is the difference between estrogen and testosterone?  Describe the difference between hormonal effects in animals compared to humans.  Explain the difference between normal fluctuations of sexual hormones and the large hormonal shifts with regard to effect on sexual behavior.  What happens to our hormone levels as we age? 

Human Sexuality / The Psychology of Sex / External Stimuli / Sexual Motivation Lecture 2

4. With regard to the psychology of sex, an external stimulus (e.g., observing something erotic or touch) plays a very important role in triggering sexual arousal in men and women. Also, women show nearly as much arousal to erotic material as men. Men show a more active amygdala when viewing erotica. However, with repeated exposure, the emotional response to any erotic stimulus often habituates or decreases.  As a result, more stimulus is needed to experience the previous level of emotional response.  Describe some possible harmful consequences of sexually explicit material.  Do you think pornography is harmful to relationships?  Explain.

Human Sexuality / The Psychology of Sex / Sexual Motivation Lecture 2

5. American teens compared to European teens have 1) Lower rates of intercourse, 2) Lower rates of contraceptive use, and 3) Higher rates of teen pregnancy and abortion.  Only one third of sexually active American male teens use condoms consistently.  Why are American teens not more motivated to use contraception?  Research indicates that the following factors contribute to teen pregnancy: 1) Ignorance, 2) Guilt related to sexual activity, 3) Minimal communication about birth control, 4) Alcohol use, and 5) Mass media norms of unprotected promiscuity. 

After reviewing these five factors, explain what you would recommend that can be done realistically to reduce teen pregnancy rates and teen STI rates.  Come up with at least five intervention factors that relate to multiple levels (i.e., individual level, peer level, family level, and social level).

Sexual Orientation / Environmental and Sexual Orientation / Biology and Sexual Orientation / Sexual Motivation Lecture 2

6. Define sexual orientation.  What percentage of men are exclusively homosexual?  What percentage of women are exclusively homosexual?  Describe a few examples of why we cannot explain sexual orientation based on environmental influences.  Then, briefly trace the biological evidence for sexual orientation by focusing on evidence of homosexuality in other species, gay-straight brain differences, genetics, and prenatal hormones. 

Given all of this biological evidence, why do you think some continue to discriminate against gays and lesbians?  Do you think our country is moving in a direction of greater acceptance?  Explain.

REBT Articles

7. This structured discussion question is based on REBT: How to Stop Being A Love Slob.  Do you see any "love-slob" in your personality? Or, are you the other extreme in that you are fiercely independent, keeping yourself at a distance in your close/romantic relationships?  What are your observations of others who show “love-slob” behavior or the other extreme of keeping extreme distance?  What is the healthy way to proceed in our romantic relationships? 

8. This structured discussion question is based on REBT: Self-Interest and Assertion. Do you see yourself as assertive in your relationships with people in your work and in your personal life? Or, do you tend to allow people to take advantage of you too much? Are there aspects in these areas you would like to change?  Explain. 

Love Lecture

9. Based on the Love Lecture, describe the types of romantic relationships: secure type, avoidant type, and ambivalent/resistant type.  Which form of attachment (secure, avoidant, and anxious) best reflects your observations of yourself or a person you know?  Does the description of this form of attachment accurately reflect your experience?  In what way does this help you think about your close relationships with others? 

10. Based on the Love Lecture, describe what is meant by consummate love.  In your opinion, how realistic is it for couples to experience and maintain consummate love?  Explain. How would this work?  What are the barriers? 

11. Before you listened to this lecture on Love, in your opinion, what do men and women look for in a mate?  Then, based on the Love Lecture, explain what men and women look for in a mate?  Do you observe differences in what men and women look for in a mate?  Explain.  Then, describe (based on the lecture) the difference between passion, and intimacy.  Do you believe it is a struggle for many men in our culture to fully experience intimacy?  Explain.

12. Based on the Love Lecture, describe the three types of commitment, and then describe the functions of commitment.  How do you feel about commitment?  Why do you think it is so important?  Why does it seem to be difficult for many people to develop?  How is commitment different from passion and intimacy?  How does commitment connect to equity?

13. As you review the suggestions provided on the lecture on Love regarding building close relationships (minding theory, carve out time to talk, handle conflict constructively, express admiration, show affection, and create shared meaning), describe which suggestions struck you interesting or as strategies that you had not thought about.  Do you see couples practicing any of these suggestions?  Which suggestions do you want to apply in your life?

14. For this participation assignment, post one Connection Response that relates to any topic in the assigned readings and lectures in Assignment Eleven. You will need to go to the syllabus for instructions on how to write a Connection Response.

Service Learning Project

Friday 3/1

Service Learning Project

This assignment is due 3/1. You will be required to complete 3 hours of volunteer work in the community.  I suggest you find your volunteer agency as quickly as possible so you will have plenty of time to complete the essay part of the assignment.  All of the instructions look complicated, but in fact this assignment should not be difficult!  The goal of this assignment is to get you connected to a real-life situation and apply your learning to that situation.  You basically do 4 hours of volunteer work in the community and then answer a series of questions about your experience. 

There are several steps to complete for this Service Learning Project:

Step 1: Click on the Service Learning Project at the upper left hand corner of the Home Page for the course in order to access the required documents needed to complete the Service Learning Project.

Step 2: Open and read the document entitled “Service Learning Project Instructions.”  This document will explain how to do the project and it provide instructions on the essay questions that you will have answer as part of the project.

Step 3: Open and read the document entitled “Reading Graphs and Charts.”  This mini lecture will help you better understand how to interpret information on graphs and charts.

Step 4: Open and read the document entitled “Volunteer Opportunities for Service Project.”  This document will give you information on possible places for you to consider for your volunteer work.

Step 5: Open and read the document entitled “Service Learning Project Essay Template.”  This is the template you use to answer the questions after you complete your 4 hours of volunteer service in the community.  You MUST include the questions in your paper!  I will have a very difficult time grading your answers if I cannot see each of the questions that you are answering.

Remember to SAVE YOUR DOCUMENT as a WORD file or a RICH TEXT FORMAT file on your computer.  Do NOT submit your paper as a pdf. file.

Step 6: Once you click on the Service Learning Project Template, it will open in Word.  You will then have to click on the “Enable Editing” button at the top of your screen.  This will allow you to add your answers to the document.  Be sure to save this document with all of your answers to your computer as a Word or Rich Text Format file.

Step 7: Instructions for uploading your Service Learning Project into the course.

Go to the Service Learning Project in the upper left hand corner of the Home Page.  Click on the Service Learning Project Drop Box.  Then, click on “Write Submission” and you will see the Text Submission box.  Copy and paste your completed Service Learning Project Essay (Service Learning Project Essay Template) that you have already saved to your computer into this Text Submission box and not the Comments box.  In order to paste your Service Learning Project Essay into the Text Submission box, you will first need to highlight your Service Learning Project Essay.  Then hold the Ctrl button and press C to copy.  Next, you will need to click your cursor inside of the Text Submission box.  Then, hold the Ctrl button and press V to paste your Essay into the Text Submission box.  Then click Submit and it will upload into the course. I will then go in at a later time and grade your Essay.

Assignment Twelve

Tuesday 3/5

Your Environment: Even unsociable hermits are influenced by their surroundings and by other people. In this assignment you will learn how physical and social environments - from the immediate situation to large cultural context - affect your actions and attitudes.

 

Read: Chapter 13 - Social Psychology - Myers 

View Lecture 1: Social Thinking

View Lecture 2: Social Influence (Conformity and Obedience)

View Lecture 3: Social Influence (Group Influence)

View Lecture 4: Social Relations (Prejudice)

View Lecture 5: Social Relations (Aggression)

View Lecture 6: Social Relations (Attraction, Altruism, and Conflict)

Reading Quiz Twelve.  This reading quiz is over the assigned reading and lectures in Assignment Twelve.  After you listen to the lectures and read / outline the assigned reading, you are ready to take Reading Quiz Twelve.  The Reading Quiz is an “open book, open notes” quiz. The reading quiz is due BEFORE you come to class on 3/5.  These reading quizzes are critical to your learning the material in this class.  The reading quizzes are not timed, meaning that they stay open until the day that they are due.  You may take the reading quiz as many times as you need during the allotted time. The reading quiz can be thought of as a study guide, helping you to better understand the information and providing you with simulated practice exam questions.  The test questions on the exams will be similar to the reading quiz questions. 

* Bring your notes and textbook to class.  You will need them for the in-class application.

Discussion Assignment:

One of the questions below will be assigned to each person in the course.  This will be the question you write about in your discussion response and post online.  Your task is to answer the questions by summarizing the information in your own words based on the lecture and / or the reading assignment.  Then, if your discussion question lends itself to also reflecting on how your own feelings, thoughts, and experiences relate SPECIFICALLY to the major concept in your assigned question, then please add this information.  You can also make a connection by talking about how concepts from other readings from any source (other chapters in your textbook, articles, website etc.) relate to a concept in your assigned reading.

For example, let’s say you get a discussion question on depression.  You first need to summarize the information from the text and / or lecture that applies to your discussion question.  Then perhaps you have had personal experience with depression or know a friend with depression.  You would want to add this information to your discussion question answer.  Then, let’s say you found an interesting article on depression.  You can also add summarized information from the article you found.  Be sure to reference your source (text chapter, article, website, etc.)  in your paper.

Your response to the discussion question must be a minimum of 350 words in 12 point type size.  It is ok to go beyond the 350 word minimum requirement. I will not take a discussion response that does not meet the 350 word minimum requirement.  Please be sure to use your word processer to provide a word count. 

If, after summarizing the information in your discussion question, reflecting on how your own feelings, thoughts, and experiences relate SPECIFICALLY to your discussion question, and making a connection to another source (other chapters in your textbook, article, etc.) you do not meet the 350 word minimum, you may choose a second question to answer in addition to the one assigned.  Please answer both questions on the same page.

In order to post your response, go to Discussions on the home page of the course and click on the appropriate chapter / assignment.  Your discussion response is due before class.  You can turn in a late discussion response with a 30 point penalty.  Please make every effort to submit your discussion response BEFORE class!

* Please bring a hard copy of your discussion response or notes of your discussion response to class so you can share them with the class.  You will not turn in the hard copy to me.  The goal of the discussion summary is to use them in class. 

Social Psychology 

Social Thinking / The Fundamental Attribution Error / Social Thinking Lecture 1

1. Explain how the fundamental attribution error can affect our analysis of behavior as well as our actions we take. Provide examples to explain your description. 

Social Thinking / Attitudes and Actions / Actions Affect Attitudes / Social Thinking Lecture 1

2. Define attitudes.  Explain how attitudes and actions affect each other by describing the foot-in-the-door phenomenon, the power of roles by explaining what happened in the Stanford Prison Experiment and how this study sheds light on what happened at Abu Ghraib.

Social Thinking / Actions Affect Attitudes / Social Thinking Lecture 1

3. How do people cope with the discomfort (dissonance) when their actions and attitudes clash?  Explain how people will use cognitive dissonance as a way to cope with this discomfort.  Provide a couple of examples.  

Social Influence / Conformity: Complying with Social Pressures / Conformity and Social Norms / Social Influence (Conformity and Obedience) Lecture 2

4. Describe Asch’s famous experiment on conformity.  Then, explain why we conform by describing normative social influence and informational social influence.  What examples do you see that relate to conformity and/or the price people pay for being different.  Describe an example where conformity can be dangerous.

Social Influence / Obedience: Following Orders / Social Influence (Conformity and Obedience) Lecture 2

5. Describe Milgram’s experiments on obedience.  Under what conditions was obedience highest? What do the Asch and Milgram experiments teach us about susceptibility to social influence.  How do these studies shed light on the development of evil acts?  Explain.

Social Influence / Group Behavior / Social Influence (Group Influence) Lecture 3

6. Other powerful examples of social influence include how our behavior is affected by the presence of others.  Describe conditions in which the presence of others (group influence) is likely to result in deindividuation, group polarization and groupthink. Provide examples to illustrate your explanation.  Then, describe how the power of the individual can influence the majority. 

Prejudice, Social Roots of Prejudice / Emotional Roots of Prejudice / Cognitive Roots of Prejudice / Social Relations (Prejudice) Lecture 4

7. Describe the difference between prejudice, discrimination, and stereotypes.  List some examples of stereotypes based on culture or race, gender, and sexual orientation.

In order to understand the social roots of prejudice, explain the connection between prejudice and social inequalities, including a focus on the just-world phenomenon.  Also, describe what is meant by ingroup, outgroup, and ingroup bias.  Then, in order to understand the emotional roots of prejudice, explain what is meant by scapegoat theory and its connection to anger.  In addition, describe the cognitive roots of prejudice by focusing on categorization (forming categories), other-race effect, and vivid cases.  

Aggression / The Biology of Aggression / Social Relations (Aggression) Lecture 5

8.  Define aggression.  Briefly describe the evidence of the role of biological factors (genetic, neural, and biochemical) in aggressive behavior.  One of the chemicals that unleashes aggressive responses to frustration is alcohol.  Describe your observation of a person who became aggressive under the influence of alcohol. 

Aggression / Psychological and Social­-Cultural Factors in Aggression / Social Relations (Aggression) Lecture 5

9. Briefly describe the evidence of the role of psychological and social­-cultural factors (frustration, aversive events, rejection, learning (reinforcement), modeling, self-control, minimal father care, and disparity between rich and poor) in aggressive behavior.  Then, describe the connection between media and violence and the connection between violent video games and violence. In your own observation / experience, do you see any connection between an aggressive person and the psychological and social­-cultural factors?  Explain.

Companionate Love / Social Relations (Attraction, Altruism, Conflict) Lecture 6

10. Do you see equity in the long-term relationships or marriages that you have observed?  Do you think relationships become less equitable after the couple becomes married or after they have a child? Do you think most people struggle with self-disclosure in love relationships? Give examples from your observations. 

Altruism / Bystander Intervention / Social Relations (Attraction, Altruism, Conflict) Lecture 6

11. Briefly describe the Kitty Genovese story?  Explain how the research on the bystander effect explains the inaction of the people to respond to Kitty Genovese. How do we decrease the bystander effect? 

Conflict and Peacemaking / Elements of Conflict / Promoting Peace / Social Relations (Attraction, Altruism, Conflict) Lecture 6

12. The world spends 2 billion every day for arms and armies.  This money could have been used for housing, nutrition, education, and healthcare.  Social psychologists are interested in understanding what it is about the human mind that causes destructive conflict.  In order to understand conflict describe the fundamental ideas behind social traps and mirror-image perceptions.  Then briefly describe how cooperation can be fostered through contact, communication, and conciliation.  Give examples from your observations. 

13. For this participation assignment, post one Connection Response that relates to any topic in the assigned reading and lectures i.e., Ch. 15 - Social Psychology (Myers) and related lectures.  You will need to go to the syllabus for instructions on how to write a Connection Response.

Tuesday 3/5

Exam 3: This exam is taken online; it is not taken in the classroom. You may take the exam anytime on Tuesday 3/5. Exam 3 covers the material in Unit Three. 

 

Thursday 3/7

Final Exam: This exam is taken online; it is not taken in the classroom. You may take the exam anytime on this day. The Comprehensive Final Exam covers all material assigned in the course.