PELLISSIPPI STATE TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MASTER SYLLABUS
HONORS GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY
PSY 1170
Class Hours:  3.0   Credit Hours:  3.0  
Laboratory Hours:  0.0   Date Revised:  Fall 1998  
       
Catalog Course Description:    
   Enriched version of PSY 1010.  An introduction to and analysis of  psychological   terminology, major theorists, and theoretical perspectives in the context of current   publications and Internet resources.
Entry Level Standards:    
   Students in PSY 1170 will be expected to demonstrate and develop analytic skills and   research skills superior to those of most students in PSY 1010.
Prerequisite:    
   ACT composite of 23 or 3.0 college-level GPA
Textbook(s) and Other Reference Materials Basic to the Course:  
  Required textbooks:
 Duffy, Karen G.  Annual Editions: Psychology 98/99.  Twenty-eighth edition.  Guilford, CT: Dushkin/McGraw-Hill, 1998.
 Wade, Carole, and Carol Tavris.  Psychology.  Fifth edition.  New York: Addison Wesley   Longman, 1998.
Optional study guide:
 Stern, T. E.  Study Guide and Practice Tests to Accompany Wade-Tavris Psychology,    Fifth Edition.  New York: Addison Wesley Longman, 1998.
I. Week/Unit/Topic Basis:    
  Week  Topic
  1 Introduction to course and requirements.   What is Psychology?
  2 How Psychologists Know What They Know
  3 Neurons, Hormones, and the Brain.   Oral reports
  4 Body Rhythms and Mental States.  Perception.  Exam #1
  5 Learning
  6 Thinking and Intelligence
  7 Memory.   Oral reports
  8 Emotion.  Exam #2
  9 Motivation
  10 Theories of Personality.   Oral reports
  11 Development Over the Lifespan
  12 Exam #3. The Psychology of Health and Well-Being
  13 Psychological Disorders.     Oral reports
  14 Approaches to Treatment and Therapy
  15 Principles of Social Life
  16 The Cultural Context.  Exam #4
II. Course Objectives*:    
  A. Recognize, describe, analyze, compare, and contrast the major psychological theories and psychotherapeutic approaches.  I.5, III.2
  B. Apply course content to personal life.  I.5, II.1, II.2
  C. Evidence a broadened view of psychological normality, demonstrating empathy and understanding of differences. VI.2
  D. Exhibit critical thinking skills (reflective judgment) in class discussions, oral presentations, and assigned essays.  III.2
  E. Appreciate how culture, gender, and other group identities can influence self- concept and interactions between people.  IV.1, IV.2
  F. Demonstrate understanding of the scientific method and qualitative research methods and identify contexts in which each may be used   III.1, III.2, VII
*Roman numerals after course objectives reference goals of the university parallel program.
III. Instructional Processes*:     
Students will:      
  1. Research and write reports on topics relevant to the course.  Communication Outcome,
 Problem-Solving and Decision-Making Outcome, Cultural Diversity and Social Adaptation Outcome, Technological Literacy Outcome, Information Literacy Outcome
  2. Work in small groups to research links from the Wade-Tavris website. Technological Literacy Outcome, Communication Outcome, Problem-Solving and Decision-Making Outcome, Information Literacy Outcome, Active Learning Strategy
  3. Present research findings to the class in oral reports.  Communication Outcome, Active Learning Strategy, Problem-Solving and Decision-Making Outcome, Information Literacy Outcome
  4. Volunteer with a social services agency to learn about career options and to provide community service.  Personal Development Outcome, Active Learning Strategy, Transitional Strategies, Cultural Diversity and Social Adaptation Outcome
*Strategies and outcomes listed after instructional processes reference Pellissippi State's goals for strengthening general education knowledge and skills, connecting coursework to experiences beyond the classroom, and encouraging students to take active and responsible roles in the educational process.
IV. Expectations for Student Performance*:
Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:
1. Define and give examples of hypotheses, independent variables, dependent variables, extraneous variables, and control groups.     A, D, F
2. Explain and discuss the significance of double-blind experiments.    A, D, F
3. Identify the founders, research methods, and/or therapeutic goals of the following schools of psychology: structuralism, functionalism, psycho biology, and the psychoanalytic, gestalt, humanistic, and cognitive schools of psychology.   A
4. Exemplify from one's own experience the basic principles of social psychology (e.g., fundamental attribution error, blaming the victim, stereotyping, cognitive dissonance, the foot-in-the-door effect, etc.).     A, B, C, D, E
5. Demonstrate understanding of neuronal structures and the processes involved in neuronal firing.     A, B, C
6. Identify the main functions of each of the following parts of the human brain: cerebral cortex, frontal lobes, parietal lobes, occipital lobes, temporal lobes, corpus callosum, limbic system, and reticular activating system.     A, B, C
7. Discuss the various techniques used for studying brain structure and function, noting the value and limitations of each.      A, D, F
8. Recognize examples of Gestalt principles of perceptual organization, including figure-ground, proximity, continuity, closure, and similarity.    A, B, D, E
9. Explain the relationship between chronobiology and the phenomena of jet lag, rotating shift work, and one's tendency to be a "morning" or "night" person.  A, B, C, D
10. Compare and contrast the psychoanalytic, activation-synthesis, and mental housecleaning theories of dreaming.      A, B, C, D, E
11. Delineate the effects of depressants, stimulants, and hallucinogenic drugs.  A, B, C, D
12. Distinguish between classical and operant conditioning, using all relevant terminology and providing examples appropriate to both types of conditioning.     A, B, D, E
13. Analyze one's own attempts to store and retrieve memories, demonstrating knowledge of the basic principles associated with memory storage, retrieval, and forgetting.     A, B, C, D
14. Contrast the "three-box" model of memory with the parallel distributed processing model.     A, B, D
15. Distinguish between validity and reliability of standardized tests.   A, B, D
16. Show how the field of psychoneuroimmunology has evolved from earlier psychosomatic theories of health and illness.    A, B, C, D, E, F
17. Discuss the relationship of explanatory style to one's response to stressors.   A,  B, C, D
18. Compare, contrast, and give examples of anxiety disorders and mood disorders.    A, B, C, D, E
19. Differentiate schizophrenic disorders from disassociative disorders.    A, B, C, D, E
20. Contrast positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia.    A, C
21. Evidence understanding of the major approaches to psychotherapy.     A, B, C, D
22. Given a description of a client's presenting problems, devise an eclectic  psychotherapeutic approach which might help that client regain psychological balance.     A, B, C, D
*Letters after performance expectations reference the course objectives listed above.
V. Evaluation:
A. Testing Procedures:
 Four noncumulative multiple-choice 100-point examinations will be given at approximately four-week intervals. Exam items will require not only recognition of correct terminology but also analysis, synthesis, and application of course content.  Exams will count 60 to 80 percent of the course, at the discretion of the instructor.
B. Laboratory Expectations:  None
C. Field Work:
 Various research options will be available to the student, including:

1. Every student will be required to participate in small-group Internet research beginning with the resources at the Wade-Tavris website, in Annual Editions, and including at least one other source, either electronic or printed.  Groups will give oral presentations based on their findings.
2.   For the remaining class projects, students may volunteer with a social services agency and submit written and oral reports about their volunteer experience, engage in additional web-based research projects, and/or write reports on articles in psychological journals.  The instructor will also consider other student-derived project options.

This field work will count as either 20 or 40 percent of the course grade, at the discretion of the instructor.
D. Other Evaluation Methods:  None
VI. Policies:
Attendance Policy:
 Pellissippi State Technical Community College expects students to    attend all scheduled instructional activities. As a minimum, students in all courses must be present for at least 75 percent of their scheduled class and laboratory meetings in order to receive credit for the course.  Students will be expected to attend all classes in this course if possible, so that they may participate in group discussions, group research projects, and other class activities.