FALL 2009

There's a rudimentary website for this class to provide announcements, course syllabus and updates to the syllabus, lecture outlines and copies of the syllabus (http://HomePage.psy.utexas.edu/homepage/Class/Psy301/ Salinas/index.html) A note to the wise, if you print out the overheads for yourself, you don't HAVE to print them out in color just because they're in color in class or on the web. Printing in color usually costs extra and the information reads the same in black and white. You can email me to ask questions directly to me if you forgot while in class or were too shy or I just didn't see you or I had to move on. I'll answer each person's question and if it's a good one or several people ask the same one, I'll post it on the "Q&A" section of the class webpage.

COURSE DESCRIPTION & OBJECTIVES:
This course is intended to introduce a wide range of topics in modern psychology in particular and science in general. The course is also intended to provide you with a sufficient general background for critically evaluating statements about human behavior as well as for upper division courses in psychology. This section of Psychology 301 will emphasize biological aspects of psychology, but not to the exclusion of other perspectives. The lectures will focus on issues of human development, behavioral genetics, personality theory, behavior disorders, social psychology, language, memory and cognitive and sensory processes. The lectures will supplement the textbook readings, not duplicate them. To the extent that that lectures cover text material, they will do so to underline central issues and clarify difficult points. Introductory courses, by necessity, often treat complex issues in a simplified format. Therefore, conflicts may arise between the contents of the lectures and the text. In such conflicts, the lecture content has priority. Several of the individual lectures cover a great deal of information. In order to assist students in preparation for lectures, notetaking and studying for exams, a general outline of each lecture and images of the overheads presented in class, as well as a copy of this syllabus, are available on the Psychology Department’s WWW HomePage server. Contemporary psychology is a very broad and diverse area. By necessity, then, the course will not be able to pursue many topics in great depth. If you develop an interest in a particular area or topic in psychology, I encourage you to sign up for one of the more specialized courses.

TESTS & GRADING:
Course grades will be assigned according to averages of four exams as follows: ~~100-90 = A, 89-80 = B, 79-70 = C, 69-60 = D, 59-below = F.~~ There will be no grading on a curve. We will be on the Plus/Minus grading system. A grade of at least C in Psychology 301 is required before enrollment in any other Psychology course. There will be a total of five tests during this course: four in-class during the semester and the final exam. The mid-semester exams are tentatively set for Wednesday September 16th, Monday October 12th, Wednesday, October 28th, and Wednesday November 11th. The final exam time and location will be announced later. The last scheduled class period prior to an exam will be used for review of test material. The best 4 out of 5 exam grades will be used to determine the course grade. Exams will begin AFTER all papers have been distributed and ALL exams must be turned in at the instructor’s direction or the exam will not be accepted and will be treated as a missed exam. After the fourth mid-semester exam, if you are satisfied with your grade average, you can elect to eliminate the final exam. However, for purposes of course management, you MUST email me that you will not be taking the final exam. If an exam during the semester is missed, then the final exam is obligatory. If two exams are missed and only three exams are on record, then the average will still be calculated as if there were four scores. The exams will consist of 50 multiple-choice questions covering the lectures. The material covered on the exams will be non-overlapping. You will need a number 2 pencil for each exam. BECAUSE ONLY 4 OUT OF 5 EXAMS DETERMINE THE COURSE GRADE, MAKE-UP EXAMS WILL NOT BE ADMINISTERED. For students with disabilities, I am available to discuss any appropriate academic accommodations that might be necessary for this course. Before course accommodations are made, a student may be required to provide documentation to the Office of the Dean of Students--Services for Students with Disabilities.

SCHOLASTIC DISHONESTY:
The University defines academic dishonesty as cheating, plagiarism, unauthorized collaboration, falsifying academic records, and any act designed to avoid participating honestly in the learning process. Scholastic dishonesty also includes, but is not limited to, providing false or misleading information to receive a postponement or an extension on a test, quiz or other assignment. By accepting this syllabus, you have agreed to these guidelines and must adhere to them. ANY INCIDENTS OF SCOLASTIC DISHONESTY WILL BE REFERRED TO THE DEAN OF STUDENTS’ OFFICE. For more information on scholastic dishonesty, please visit the Student Judicial Services website at http://www.utexas.edu/depts/dos/sjs.

TEXTBOOK:
Schacter, Gilbert and Wegner. Psychology (2008). 1st ed., Worth Publishers.

Is NO LONGER REQUIRED. It is only suggested. It has been replaced by readings on the class webpage.

EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH REQUIREMENT:
There is a mandatory research requirement in the Department of Psychology intended to impart Psychology 301 students with a familiarity and appreciation of the aims, methods, problems and results of psychological research. There are two options: the Research Paper or Experiment Participation. A student can choose either option to fulfill the mandatory research requirement. The details of the procedures for both options can be found in the handout entitled "The Psychology 301 Research Requirement" that will be handed out on one of the first days of class or can be obtained in the Psychology Undergraduate Office in Room 2.218 of the Seay Psychology Building. Failure to complete the research requirement at the end of the semester by either not turning in a research paper or not completing the required number of 5 experimental credit hours will result in an incomplete grade for the course. The grade will be released when the requirement is fulfilled. If the requirement is left unfulfilled by the end of the next long semester (in this case, Spring 2007) the incomplete will automatically revert to an F. It is important to note that the research requirement DOES NOT influence the calculation of the course grade. The research requirement is only a condition of the release of the course grade. Extra credit CANNOT be obtained by writing research papers or participating in experiments. The course grade is based on exam performance ONLY.

COURSE SCHEDULE

Su	M	Tu	W	Th	F	Sa
AUGUST...			26 Syllabus & General Information		28 Introduction to Psychological Science Ch 1
	31 Introduction to Psychological Science (cont’d.)	*SEPTEMBER 1** Last day of official add/drops	2 Introduction to Psychological Science (cont’d.)		4 Research methodology Ch 2
	7 Labor Day Holiday No Class		9 Research methodology (cont’d.)		*11 Evolution & Genetics Ch. 3, pp 104-107
	14 Evolution & Genetics (cont’d.).		16 Exam 1		18 Brain and behavior Ch 3
	21 Brain and behavior (cont’d.)		23 Brain and behavior (cont’d.) Last drop day*		25 Brain and behavior (cont’d.)
	28 Brain and behavior (cont’d.)		30 Learning & Behavior/Memory Ch 6	OCTOBER	2 Learning & Behavior/Memory (cont’d)
	5 Learning & Behavior/Memory Ch 5 (cont’d)		7 Learning & Behavior/Memory (cont’d)		9 Review for Exam 2
	12 Exam 2		14 Mental Disorders Ch 13		16 Mental Disorders (cont’d.)
	19 Mental Disorders (cont’d.)		*21 Treatment Ch 14 (Q drop deadline)		23 Treatment (cont’d.)
	26 Treatment (cont’d.)		28 Exam 3		30 Language and thought Ch 7
NOVEMBER	2 Intelligence; Ch 9		4 Consciousness Ch 8		6 Motivation & Emotion Ch 10
	9 Motivation & Emotion (cont’d)		11 Exam 4		13 Personality Ch 12
	16 Sensation & Perception Ch 4		18 Sensation & Perception (cont’d)		20 Sensation & Perception (cont’d)
	23 Biological Basis of Behavior Disorders		25 Biological Basis of Behavior Disorders		27 Thanksgiving Holidays: No Class
	30 Human Development; Ch 11	DECEMBER	2 Human Development (cont’d.)		4 Human Development (cont’d.)
			*Final exam TBA*

*You can add/drop through the 12^th class day (9/11). After that you can only drop until 9/23. After that you can drop but you must bring me a drop form through 10/21. After that, it's a major hassle (for you) and you can only drop for non-academic reasons.