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PSYC 1101 (UGA)
Elementary Psychology (3 semester hours)

Web Course Format: ALISSA

This course can be taken
    -> as a web course
    -> as a print course

Lessons for this course can be submitted and/or be returned
    -> via U.S. mail
    -> via fax return from IDL

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Not open to students with credit in UGA PSYC 1030H.

The phenomena, laws, theories, and history of psychology. Topics include animal and human learning, motivation, perception, individual differences, social behavior, and biopsychology. Emphasis is on fundamental principles rather than on application.

Requirements: Sixteen lessons and two examinations.

Instructor: Georgia Calhoun, Ph.D., Professor, The University of Georgia.

Texts: Weiten, Psychology: Themes and Variations, (6th ed.). Wadsworth Thomson, 2005.
Stalling and Wasden Study Guide for Psychology: Themes and Variations. Wadsworth Thomson, 2005.
Weiten, Concept Charts for Study and Review. Thomson Wadsworth, 2005.

Introduction

This is the introductory course in psychology. As such, it is the ‘gateway’ to the discipline of academic psychology. In this course you will be introduced to the spectrum of academic psychology and given the opportunity to sample both the wide variety of topics studied by psychologists and the ways in which psychologists conduct research in their field. From this course you will gain an understanding of what modern-day psychology is all about as well as some insight into your own and others’ behavior.

As a result of taking this course, you will be prepared to venture further into the field of psychology. Because this course covers the breadth of psychology, you should be able to take any further course in psychology and be well grounded in the basic concepts and issues of the topics covered by those courses. However, even if this is the only course in psychology that you take, you will still find that as a result of this course, you will have a basic understanding of a field of knowledge that you will encounter in everything you do throughout the rest of your life.

The course is divided into sixteen lessons, corresponding to the sixteen chapters in your textbook. The course will require that you (1) read the text, (2) answer the assigned questions, (3) test your learning by taking the self-test on the chapter in the study guide, (4) take the midterm examination (which covers the first eight chapters) after Lesson 8, and (5) take the final examination (which covers the last eight chapters) after Lesson 16.

Preparing Written Assignments

Your answers for the Written Assignments should be concise but thorough. Read the question carefully to be certain that you understand what is required. Try to extract the important points relevant to the question. In some cases, the questions will simply require that you organize and present these points, whereas in other instances you will be asked to go beyond the statement of facts by illustrating their implications or drawing conclusions from them. Don’t hesitate to include your personal point of view, but back it up with sound reasoning, illustrating how it follows from the facts. As the lesson questions are representative of the important topics in your textbook, the best preparation for the midterm and final examinations will be careful attention to each lesson.

Write carefully, with correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Use a word processor if possible; if not, write the lesson legibly in ink and on only one side of the paper.

It is important that the answers be written in your own words. This practice helps to assure that you have a grasp of the material. This is essential, since you will have access to neither books nor notes when taking the midterm and final examinations. A good study strategy to avoid too heavy a dependence on the text is to read the assigned portions and then close the book while writing your answers. If you cannot answer a question, review the reading and try again with your textbook closed. Copying from your textbook is, at worst, plagiarism and, at best, a very poor method for learning and retaining material.

Evaluation and Grading Criteria

Evaluation of your performance on each lesson is designed to provide feedback on your comprehension of the basic principles presented and on your ability to express your understanding of those principles. All of your lesson grades will combine to form half of your course grade; the midterm and final examinations will combine to account for the other half. Preparation for these exams should involve careful review of the text, lessons, and study guide.

Concluding Comments

As the course covers a broad and complex field, certain topics may arise that are of special interest or concern to you. If a personal question arises or if you would like to explore a particular topic in more detail, e-mail me your question or put it on a separate sheet and enclose it with a lesson. I will be glad to provide replies to problems or suggest supplemental sources of information.