Psychology 101B       Introduction to Psychology

Spring 2009   

Instructor: Dr. Lee Osterhout

Kane Hall, Room 130, 12:30-1:20 Monday - Friday

 

CLASS SCHEDULE AND READING ASSIGNMENTS

 

Date     Topic                                                   Required Readings                                         

3/30     Introductory Remarks                          Syllabus

3/31     Psychology as a Science                     Chapter 1 (pages 15-38)

4/1       Psychology as a Science        

4/2       Brain and Behavior                               Chapter 2 (pages 47-81)

4/3       Brain and Behavior

 

4/6       Brain and Behavior

4/7       Human Development                           Chapter 5 (pages 173-205)

4/8       Questionnaire Day

4/9       Human Development                          

4/10     Human Development

 

4/13     Human Development

            Review for Exam 1

4/14     EXAM 1: Chapters 1, 2, 5                 

4/15     Sensation & Perception                       Chapter 6 (pages 229-245)

4/16     Sensation & Perception                       Chapter 6 (pages 263-278)

4/17     Consciousness                                    Chapter 3 (pages 85-112)

 

4/20     Consciousness                                               

4/21     Consciousness                                    Chapter 3 (pages 112-123)

4/22     Learning                                              Chapter 7 (pages 291-316)

4/23     Learning                                             

4/24     Learning

 

4/27     Language                                             Chapter 9 (pages 382-401)

4/28     Language                                            

4/29     Language

            Review for Exam 2

4/30     EXAM 2:  Chapters 6, 3, 7 ,9

5/1       Memory                                               Chapter 8 (pages 327-357)

 

5/4       Memory

5/5       Memory

5/6       Memory

5/7       Motivation

5/8       Motivation                                            Chapter 11 (pages 443-477)

 

5/11     Motivation

5/12     Stress & Health                                    Chapter 12 (pages 527-547)

5/13     Stress & Health                                   

5/14     Personality                                           Chapter 13 (pages 554-584)

5/15     Personality

            Review for Exam 3

 

5/18     EXAM 3: Chapters 8, 11, 12, 13

5/19     No Class

5/20     No Class

5/21     Psychological Disorders                       Chapter 14 (pages 593-628)

5/22     Psychological Disorders

 

5/25     No Class : Holiday

5/26     Psychological Disorders

5/27     Psychological Disorders

5/28     Therapy                                               Chapter 15 (pages 638-656, 660-664)

5/29     Therapy

 

6/1       Social Psychology                                Chapter 16 (pages 679-714)

6/2       Social Psychology

6/3       Social Psychology

6/4       Social Psychology

Review for Exam 4

6/5       No Class

 

6/11     8:30 a.m.: EXAM 4: Chapters 14, 15, 16

 

 

 

ADDITIONAL COURSE INFORMATION

 

1. Instructional Staff

 

Name                                                   Phone              Office                                     

Instructor, Lee Osterhout                    543-4177         Guthrie 316                            

T.A. Fellow, Andrew Bock                    685-2906         Guthrie 316    

T.A., Conner McClure                          685-2906        Guthrie 316                

T.A., Jung-eun Yun                             685-2906         Guthrie 316                

 

2. Class e-mail and phone contact information.  The class email is email101@u.washington.edu.  Please use this email to contact us concerning all aspects of the class, your grades, etc.  You may also contact us by phone, by calling the INTRO PSYCH MESSAGE LINE (operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week): 685-2906. You can leave a voice message if no one answers the phone when you call, and your call will be returned. You may also e-mail me (Dr. Osterhout) at losterho@u.washington.edu.  However, given the number of students in class, I would respectfully request that you not abuse this privilege. Also, given the large numbers of emails that I receive each day, I will probably not be able to respond to your email for at least several days, and perhaps longer.

 

3. Websites.  Important course-related information (including practice exams and answer keys to exams) can be found at: http://faculty.washington.edu/losterho/psych101b.htm.   If you would like to know more about Dr. Osterhout’s research interests, you can check out his lab website at http://faculty.washington.edu/losterho/erplab.htm

 

4. Purpose of Course.  We will review the various areas of inquiry within the field of psychology, such as behavioral neuroscience, developmental psychology, cognition, clinical psychology, and social psychology. In this introduction to psychology, breadth will necessarily be stressed over depth.

 

5. Textbook.  Required: D. Myers (2009). Psychology (Ninth Edition), Worth Publishers. 

 

6. Grading Policies

 

     a. Midterm Exams. There will be four midterm exams. Each exam will consist of 35 multiple choice questions, worth 1 point each.  These exams will be non-cumulative. Exam questions will be based both on lecture material, and on the assigned readings, even if these readings were not covered in class lectures.   There will be no comprehensive final exam.  Your LOWEST TWO SCORES will be averaged together. This will yield a total of 105 possible points.  Answer keys and exam grades will be posted on the course website as soon as possible after each exam. 

 

     b. Appeal Procedure: If your answer to an exam question is marked as being incorrect but you feel it is correct, you may contest the question by writing an appeal. INDICATE WHICH QUESTION YOU ARE APPEALING, THE ANSWER THAT WE THINK IS CORRECT AND THE ANSWER THAT YOU THINK IS BETTER, PLUS A RATIONALE FOR WHY YOU THINK YOUR ANSWER IS BETTER. The written appeal must be based on material presented in the book or in a lecture (please indicate page number of text or date of lecture). The appeal must be e-mailed to email101@u.washington.edu BEFORE THE DATE OF THE NEXT EXAM.  The TAs will review each appeal and give credit if appropriate.

 

     d. Extra Credit. Extra credit points can be earned by serving as a research subject in projects approved by the Department of Psychology for that purpose. Click on the “Extra Credit” menu item on Psych101B website to learn more, or go directly to the Subject Pool website at http://web.psych.washington.edu/subjectpool/index.html.

 

7. Course Grades

The exams yield a total of 105 points. At the end of the term, grade points will be assigned according to the grading scale shown below (changes to the scale are possible):

              

Percentage (points)

grade

Percentage (points)

grade

94-100% (98-105)

4.0

77% (80 points)

2.3

93% (97 points)

3.9

76% (79 points)

2.2

92% (96 points)

3.8

75% (78 points)

2.1

91% (95 points)

3.7

74% (77 points)

2.0

90% (94 points)

3.6

73% (76 points)

1.9

89% (93 points)

3.5

72% (75 points)

1.8

88% (92 points)

3.4

71% (74 points)

1.7

87% (91 points)

3.3

70% (73 points)

1.6

86% (90 points)

3.2

69% (72 points)

1.5

85% (89 points)

3.1

68% (71 points)

1.4

84% (88 points)

3.0

67% (70 points)

1.3

83% (87 points)

2.9

66% (69 points)

1.2

82% (86 points)

2.8

65% (68 points)

1.1

81% (85 points)

2.7

64% (67 points)

1.0

80% (84 points)

2.6

63% (66 points)

.9

79% (83 points)

2.5

62% (65 points)

.8

78% (81-82 points)

2.4

61% (64 points)

.7

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8. What to do on Exam Days

     a. Bring picture ID with signature to exam. You must bring identification to all exams bearing your picture and your signature (e.g., driver's license). If you do not have such identification, you can obtain a card through the State of Washington Driver's License Bureau. Failure to show valid ID might result in a score of 0 for that exam, for that student.

     b. Mark sense forms. In order to take the exam, you must have a "mark sense" form so that your test can be computer-graded. Mark sense forms can be purchased at the UW bookstore. We will not be supplying mark sense forms!

     c. Materials needed for exam. Be sure to bring to each exam the following four items:  mark sense form; soft lead #2 pencil with eraser; student identification number; picture ID with signature

     d. Assistance with study skills. If you would like help with your study skills, please see one of the instructional staff, or you may contact the University Counseling Center at 401 Schmitz Hall (phone 543-1240)

     e. Make-up exams. Make-up exams will only be given in a very few restricted cases. You must see the instructor for permission to take a make-up exam. 

     f. Exam ethics. Please remember that looking at other students’ exams, using notes, or any other behavior indicating outside assistance constitutes cheating. If we see you cheat, you WILL receive a grade of zero for that particular exam and the Dean’s office will be informed.

 

9. Podcasts of Lectures.  Audio recordings of lectures for this class are available here: http://www.css.washington.edu/course/PSYCH101B. You will be prompted to logon with your UWNetID when visiting this web page. Adobe Flash Player is required to listen to the lectures. Visit the Adobe Flash Player Download Center if Flash™ is not installed on your computer: http://www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer/. Listening to the lectures is easy: Choose the lecture that you want to hear, and click the Play button on the Flash player.

 

10. Some Requests Regarding Class Meetings.  I very much enjoy an atmosphere in which students ask questions and participate as much as possible. SO, please don’t hesitate to ask questions during class -- that lets me know you are interested and involved in the material!  However, PLEASE COME TO CLASS ONLY IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN LEARNING. If you want to talk to your friends, read the newspaper, listen to your iPod, etc., please go elsewhere. No one is taking attendance.  Please also remember that the class ends at 1:20; so please respect your fellow students and avoid rummaging through your stuff before that time. Also, please try to arrive on time, and leave early only in emergency situations. Also, please remember to turn off your cell phones and beepers before the class starts.

 

Welcome to Psychology 101!