Tentative Syllabus
Textbook: Exploring Psychology (7th
Edition) by David G. Myers (Worth Publishers, 2008) -- available at the
UT Bookstore or, for the digital version ($39), go to: http://www.coursesmart.com/9780716771401 or go to www.coursesmart.com and search
for “Myers” in the search field
|
DATE |
Lecture Topic |
Chapter |
|
Aug
28 |
Psychology:
What makes us tick? |
|
|
Sept
2 |
The
nature of scientific understanding, or how we go about understanding the mind |
Chapter
1 |
|
Sept
4 |
Neurons,
neurotransmitters, and scurrilous liars |
Chapter
2 |
|
Sept
9 |
The
brain: Don’t leave home without it |
|
|
Sept
11 |
Genetics
and early experience |
Chapter
3 |
|
Sept
16 |
Babies,
little children, development, and the cruel world ***1st writing assignment
due*** |
Chapter
4 |
|
Sept 18 |
TEST 1 |
|
|
Sept
23 |
Sensation
and perception |
Chapter
5 |
|
Sept
25 |
Sleeping,
dreaming, and consciousness |
Chapter
6 |
|
Sept
30 |
Learning,
forgetting, and the nature of history |
Chapter
7 |
|
Oct
2 |
Memories:
Shopping lists, the magic number, and other nonsense |
Chapter
8 |
|
Oct
7 |
Let’s
talk: How the words we use reflect who
we are |
Chapter
9 |
|
Oct
9 |
Snooping
around ***2nd writing assignment
due*** |
|
|
Oct 14 |
TEST 2 |
|
|
Oct
16 |
Sex. Need we say more? |
Chapter
10 |
|
Oct
21 |
Stress,
illness, and emotional disclosure |
Chapter
11 |
|
Oct
23 |
Freud
and personality: Sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll? |
Chapter
12 |
|
Oct
28 |
Who
do you think you are? |
|
|
Oct
30 |
Personality
in animals |
|
|
Nov
4 |
African
American Psychology: Exploring culture, race, and ethnicity. Dr. Kevin
Cokley, guest lecture ***3rd writing assignment
due*** |
|
|
Nov 6 |
TEST 3 |
|
|
Nov
11 |
Mental
disorders |
Chapter
13 |
|
Nov
13 |
Psychotherapy:
When and how does it work? |
Chapter
14 |
|
Nov
18 |
Social
Physics: Birds and cocktail parties |
Chapter
15 |
|
Nov
20 |
Social
behavior in |
|
|
Nov
25 |
Social
psychology and the meaning of life ***4th writing assignment
due*** |
|
|
Nov
27 |
THANKSGIVING |
|
|
Dec
2 |
TEST 4 |
|
|
Dec 4 |
Make-up exams |
|
|
|
|
|
*All writing assignments
must be completed and submitted by 11:59 PM on the assigned day.
Web Site Information. The syllabus, old tests, grades, personality
feedback, and even a direct route to the experiments and prescreening page can
be accessed by opening the following address:
www.psy.utexas.edu/jp301
Writing requirement information. Writing assignments must be submitted on the web
through the internet address noted above. The writing assignments should be
finished by September 16 (for assignment #1), October 9 (#2), November 4 (#3),
and November 25 (#4) at 11:59 PM. Late submission = no credit. No excuses. Assignment 1 deals with a stream of
consciousness experience; later assignments will deal with the course material
at the time. Questions about the writing
assignments should be directed to Meg Cason.