The course is an overview of the key concepts in psychology and research methods used to investigate these and the psychological processes underlying human behavior. Students in Introduction to Psychology will become familiar with psychology’s five core domains: biological, cognitive, developmental, social/personality, and mental/physical health and learn skills that are core to scientific reasoning and problem solving, being a critical consumer of information and empirical research, and understanding psychological processes, and interpreting behavior. The course takes a highly integrated approach and domains and research will be explored through multiple lenses, with special attention being given to ethical considerations, cultural and social diversity, individual variance, and real world applications.
Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020). Psychology (2nd ed.). OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/
The materials embedded within the LMS are required. All other materials linked in the OpenStax textbook are recommended but are not mandatory.
UNE-Compliant Webcam and Whiteboard – Portal for UNE Online Students
After completing this course, students will be able to:
(*From APA’s recommendations for Introduction to Psychology courses, Gurung & Neufeld, 2019)
The five domains of psychology. Image adapted from Gurung, R. A., Hackathorn, J., Enns, C., Frantz, S., Cacioppo, J. T., Loop, T., & Freeman, J. E. (2016) article “Strengthening introductory psychology: A new model for teaching the introductory course” from American Psychologist
On the course start date, students will have access to orientation. This must be completed to be able to gain access to the first module in the course. Students must complete the first module to gain access to the next one. We recommend that students spend about 15 hours per week to complete a course in 16 weeks. When trying to complete the course in less than 16 weeks, we typically see students do this successfully within 12-14 weeks. Instructors will be timely in grading and feedback, but it will not be instant.
There is a wide variety in human functioning, which we will be learning more about in this course. Each of us has our own unique styles and preferences and these can affect what we like to do and how we best learn. In order to support these preferences, there are a variety of types of assignments in this course.
Knowledge Checks
At the end of every module there is a brief Knowledge Check. These are worth 1 point each for a total of 16 points (16% of your final grade). The purpose of these quizzes is to test your understanding of the material and to help you practice retrieving the information that you have stored in your memory. This will help improve your memory so you retain what you have learned for a longer period of time.
Journal Entries
Journal entries are your opportunity to independently and critically reflect on the course material. There are 13 journal entries for the course worth 2 points each for a total of 26 points (26% of your final grade). Some entries will ask you to reflect on your own life and make observations about how humans behave in the world. Other entries are more directly tied to your ability to think critically about the course material and how you might apply it in a specific situation.
Case Study / Analysis
Case studies are frequently used in the social sciences and the health professions as a means to allow you to further explore what they have learned and how it applies to a real life situation. There are 6 case studies for the course worth 3 points each for a total of 18 points (18% of your final grade). Case studies shed light on the complexity and multi-faceted nature of psychology and require thorough analysis of the facts presented to inform empirically-based decision-making.
Article Critiques and Discussions
Social interaction has been shown to help improve outcomes in online courses (Gunawardena & Zittle, 1997; Mayer, 2005). To that end, there are assignments, such as a discussion question or discussing a peer-reviewed article, where engaging with your peers and offering your insights and constructive feedback is key. Concepts and key issues in psychology through multiple lenses should also be considered.
Self-Reflection Essays
You will be asked to write a self-reflection applying what you have learned in this course to your own life, how you got to where you are now, and future goals. This is an opportunity for you to explain how the principles you have learned about have influenced your own thoughts, behaviors, decisions, and goals.
Final Knowledge Check (Proctored)
At the end of the course there will be a proctored Final Knowledge Check, the questions will be similar, in format, to the Knowledge Checks at the end of each module. See UNE’s ProctorU page for information about signing up and scheduling your exam.
Proctored exams are closed for review. You will not be able to review them at any time. Please contact your instructor for specific feedback.
Your grade in this course will be determined by the following criteria:
Assignment Category | Grade |
---|---|
Knowledge Checks | 16% (16 x 1 point) |
Journal Entries | 26% (13 x 2 points) |
Case Study / Analysis | 24% (6 x 4 points) |
Article Critiques and Discussions | 12% (4 x 3 points) |
Self-Reflection Essay | 12% (12 points) |
Final Knowledge Check | 10% (1 x 10 points) |
Total | 100% |
Grade | Points Grade | Point Average (GPA) |
A | 94 – 100% | 4.00 |
A- | 90 – 93% | 3.75 |
B+ | 87 – 89% | 3.50 |
B | 84 – 86% | 3.00 |
B- | 80 – 83% | 2.75 |
C+ | 77 – 79% | 2.50 |
C | 74 – 76% | 2.00 |
C- | 70 – 73% | 1.75 |
D | 64 – 69% | 1.00 |
F | 00 – 63% | 0.00 |
Week |
Topic |
Readings/Resources |
Assignments |
1 |
Welcome / How do we learn? |
OpenStax 1.1 OpenStax, Ch. 8 How Does Your Memory Work? |
Knowledge Check 1 Journal Entry 1 |
2 |
How did the field of psychology develop? (History and overview of psychology) |
OpenStax 1.2-1.4 Carl Rogers, Person-centered therapy; Psychology research and Brown v. Board of Ed History of Psychology [Interactive timeline] |
Knowledge Check 2 Article Critique/ Discussion 1 (seminal article) |
3 |
How is psychology a science? (introduction to the scientific method) |
Saylor, Ch. 1 Karl Popper: Science and Pseudoscience |
Knowledge Check 3 Journal Entry 2 Journal Entry 3 |
4 |
How do psychologists discover and create knowledge? (Research methods / positivism vs constructivism/ becoming a critical consumer) |
OpenStax, Ch. 2; Illing, 2013 Inductive Reasoning [activity] Interpreting Correlations [interactive] |
Knowledge Check 4 Journal Entry 4 |
5 |
What are psychologists duties and responsibilities to others? (Clinical and research ethics) |
APA, 2016; Fisher, (2016) |
Knowledge Check 5 Case Study 1 |
6 |
How do we understand and treat those who are different from us? (Multicultural psychology) |
APA, 2017 (pp. 1-15); Williams, 2019; Lilienfield, 2017 (optional) Hays, 2013; 2012 |
Knowledge Check 6 Journal 5 Your cultural sketch Case study 2 |
7 |
How do our brains affect our thoughts and behavior I? (Biological bases of behavior; evolutionary psychology) |
OpenStax, Ch. 3 Interview with Dr. David Buss [Evolutionary Psych; video]; 3D Brain [interactive] MRI and fMRI overview; Interactive brain map |
Knowledge Check 7 Case study 3 |
8 |
How do our brains affect our thoughts and behavior II? (consciousness; sleep disorders, substance use disorders; sensing, perceiving) |
OpenStax, Ch. 4 Reinarman, C., & Levine, H. G. (2004), Circadian Rhythms [video] Sleep and memory [video] Visual Illusions [interactive] Online Psychology Laboratory. OpenStax, Ch. 5 Selective attention test [video]; Gestalt principles and perception [video] |
Knowledge Check 8 Journal Entry 6 |
9 |
How do we make sense of the world? (Learning, Thinking & Intelligence) |
OpenStax, Ch. 6 7, 8 (review) Selective Attention Test [video] 3D Memory Mapping [interactive]
|
Knowledge check 9 Article Critique/ Discussion 2 Journal 7 |
10 |
How do we grow and change? (Social, emotional, and cognitive development) |
OpenStax, Ch. 9 Cichetti (2016) Ainsworth [video] |
Knowledge Check 10 Case Study 4
|
11 |
How do we differ and how do we measure this? (motivation, eating disorders, gender and sexuality; Personality) |
OpenStax, Ch. 10 & 11; Becker, et al. (2014) Susan Cain – The Power of Introverts ; Dweck, 2017 (optional) The Big 5 [activity] |
Knowledge Check 11 Journal 8 Case Study 5 |
12 |
How do we perceive others and how do others influence us? (intrapersonal phenomena) |
OpenStax, Ch. 12 Take the IAT [Activity] |
Knowledge Check 12 Journal 9 Article Critique/ Discussion 3 |
13 |
How do we interact with each other? (intergroup conflict & organizational psychology) |
OpenStax, Ch. 13 Sherif, et al., 1954/1961 |
Knowledge Check 13 Journal 10 Journal 11 |
14 |
How does our psychology influence our health? (positive psychology; health psychology) |
OpenStax, Ch. 14 Fredland, 2018 Frederickson, 2001 Holmes & Rahe Stress scale [activity] |
Knowledge Check 14 Journal 12 |
15 |
What happens when we have impaired psychological functioning? (introduction to the DMS-V) |
OpenStax, Ch. 15 Bliton, et al., 2017 Walsh, et al., 2002 Schizophrenia: Gerald, Part 1 |
Knowledge Check 15 Case Study 6 Biopsychosocial Exploration of Self Essay |
16 |
How do we treat psychological disorders? (DSM-V continued and introduction to therapeutic orientations) |
OpenStax, Ch. 16 Rosenhan, 1973 |
Knowledge Check 16 Journal 13 Article Critique/ Discussion 4 Final Knowledge Check – See UNE’s ProctorU page for information about signing up and scheduling your exam. |
You are required to cite, in APA format, all material that you directly quote or paraphrase in this course. You are also expected to include a References list for any outside source materials that you employ. See the summary below and the resources at the end for correct citation and format.
The in-text citation is a brief reference within your text that indicates the source you consulted. It should properly attribute any ideas, paraphrases, or direct quotations to your source and should direct readers to the associated entry in the reference list.
An in-text citation consists of the author’s name and publication year in parentheses:
Example: (Winkleman, 2009).
Author’s Name in the sentence
If the author is named in the sentence, use just the publication year in parentheses.
Example: “As a leading expert in the subject, Winkleman (2009) asserts that…”
Add the page number when using a direct quote.
Example: (Winkleman, 2009, p. 134).
When using material that is not part of the course, include a “References” list with an entry for each material at the end of your journal entry. Here’s an example entry:
Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. (Year). Title of article. Title of Periodical, volume number(issue number), pages. https://doi.org/xx.xxx/yyyy
If the doi is not available you can include a link to the website where you got it.
For information on how to cite other types of media, such as books, videos, websites, etc., here is a link to UNE’s APA Style Guide: https://library.une.edu/research-help/help-with-citations/apa-style/
Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab is also an excellent resource and can be found here: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/reference_list_articles_in_periodicals.html
Your Student Support Specialist is a resource for you - they will monitor course progression and provide assistance or guidance when needed. Please don’t hesitate to contact them for assistance, including, but not limited to course planning, course materials, billing, current problems or issues in a course, technology concerns, or personal emergencies.
Questions? Visit the Student Support Science Prerequisites page
Check Brightspace for specific instructor and support specialist contact information.
The Student Lounge Discussion Board is a designated support forum in which students may engage with each other and grapple with course content. Feel free to post questions, seek clarification, and support each other, but be mindful of UNE's Academic Integrity Policy.
Your instructor will monitor this forum. However, if you are seeking specific and timely answers to questions about course content or your personal grades, please contact your instructor via course messages. For questions about course materials, program policy, and how to navigate and proceed through the course, please contact your Student Service Advisor through the Student Portal.
The University of New England has contracted with ProctorU to provide students with the most convenient online exam proctoring system. This system provides a simple, no cost to the student, secure, online proctor for exams and allows the student to take all the exams at home and on their own schedule.
Upon enrollment into the course, each student will register with ProctorU and establish a login name and password. This will give the student access to all of ProctorU's services. When ready, students will schedule each of their proctored exams with ProctorU. Exams must be scheduled at least 72 hours in advance to avoid fees. Prior to taking their exams, students must be sure that they have downloaded any required additional software. They must also be sure their testing site's connection meets the minimum requirements by using ProctorU's "Test It Out" utility.
Upon the exam day and hour, students will log in to ProctorU and click on "exams". After following the procedures outlined at ProctorU's website, the student will log in to Brightspace and locate their correct exam. The proctor will then allow student access to that exam.
Students must use ProctorU and must follow all proctoring requirements for their exams to be credited. Please contact your instructor for specific feedback.
Students will receive two attempts at all proctored examinations. The higher score of the two attempts will be calculated into the final grade. Students can schedule their second attempt by following the same ProctorU instructions as with the original exam.
All students are encouraged to utilize a second attempt on their exams in order to improve their overall performance in the course.
Discussion topics cover events or materials related to this course that contribute to a deeper understanding of key concepts and allow you to interact with your classmates and the instructor. Each discussion topic may require you to conduct internet research, read additional materials, visit a specific webpage, AND/OR view a short video before writing a response following the specific guidelines in the discussion topic prompt.
To earn full credit you will need to post a response to the discussion topic, respond to the original posts of other students, and then contribute meaningfully to an ongoing discussion. You may need to post your initial response before you will see any posts from your classmates. For special cases where one or two students are accelerating faster through the course, the instructor will participate in the discussion so that everyone has the opportunity to interact.
Please see Brightspace for a full description, along with specific guidelines, for each discussion topic. Discussion board assignments should be completed, along with all other assignments in the course, in the order that they appear. Due to the course design, you may be unable to take a proctored exam if you do not complete all assignments that appear prior to that exam.
Please also refer to the Grading Policy/Grade Breakdown section of the syllabus to learn the percentage of your grade that each discussion is worth.
Please review the technical requirements for UNE Online Programs: Technical Requirements
A schedule of lectures and assignments is included in this syllabus. This is, however a self-paced course and you can complete the course in less time.
Please visit the enrollment page to review the withdrawal and refund policies.
Students are expected to attempt and complete all graded assignments and proctored exams by the end date of the course. View the incomplete grade policy..
Due to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, only the student may request official transcripts. This may be done online by going to the University of New England Registrar website and following the directions on the page.
To view your unofficial UNE student transcript:
To request your official UNE student transcript:
Please review your Unofficial Transcript prior to requesting an Official Transcript.
After you click Submit Request, your official transcript will be put into the queue to be printed in the Registrar's Office.
The University of New England values academic integrity in all aspects of the educational experience. Academic dishonesty in any form undermines this standard and devalues the original contributions of others. It is the responsibility of all members of the University community to actively uphold the integrity of the academy; failure to act, for any reason, is not acceptable.
Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to the following:
Charges of academic dishonesty will be reviewed by the Program Director. Penalties for students found responsible for violations may depend upon the seriousness and circumstances of the violation, the degree of premeditation involved, and/or the student’s previous record of violations. Appeal of a decision may be made to the Dean whose decision will be final. Student appeals will take place through the grievance process outlined in the student handbook.
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