Gavilan College
Social Science Department (Psychology)
PSYC 1A: Introduction to Psychology (CRN 40271)
3 Units, Spring 2010
Please review the syllabus regularly to maintain awareness of course expectations
INSTRUCTOR: Carlton H. Oler, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist
OFFICE: Social Science Building, Room 202A. Office hours: Monday & Wednesday (11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. & 2:30 p.m. to
3:30 p.m.), & Thursday (4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.)
PHONE/EMAIL: (408) 852-2808/coler@gavilan.edu. My webpage can be found on the Gavilan College website under “Class
Homepages” or “Personnel Directory.”
CLASS TIME: Tuesday and Thursday, 11:20 a.m. to 12:40 p.m.
CLASSROOM: HOL 4
TEXTBOOK: Morris, C.G., & Maisto, A.A. (2010). Understanding Psychology (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
COURSE DESCRIPTION: The nature, scope, methods, presuppositions, history, and fields of psychology together with the scientific
study of factors influencing human behavior, human development, perception, learning, memory, emotion, personality, frustration, and
psychotherapy. Advisory: Eligible for English 250 and English 260. This course involves much reading and writing, so if you’re not
willing or able to do both you might want to reconsider taking this class.
ADA ACCOMMODATION STATEMENT: Students requiring special services or arrangements because of hearing, visual, or other
disability should contact the Disabled Student Services Office, their counselor, or their instructor.
OCCUPATIONAL/VOCATIONAL STATEMENT: Occupational/Vocational students – Limited English language skills will not be
a barrier to admittance to and participation in Vocational Education Programs.
STUDENT HONESTY POLICY REFERENCE STATEMENT: Students are expected to exercise academic honesty and integrity.
Violations such as cheating and plagiarism will result in disciplinary action which may include recommendation for dismissal.
TEACHING STRATEGIES: Lectures, audio-visual aids, small group work/discussions, critical thinking questions, quick check questions,
end of chapter quizzes, examinations, research paper and demonstrations. Additional strategies may be utilized to help students’ better grasp
the subject matter.
COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES
1. To recognize psychology as the science that systematically studies observable behavior and its relationship to unseen mental processes
and events in the environment.
2. To define basic psychological terms, concepts and theories.
3. To identify the nature and operations of behavioral patterns.
4. To apply psychological terms, concepts and theories to personal, interpersonal and professional functioning.
5. To describe the role of the APA Ethics Code in the field of psychology.
6. To explain the importance of addressing diversity issues in the field of psychology.
MAJOR CONTENT TOPICS
1. The Science of Psychology
11. Stress and Health Psychology
4. States of Consciousness
3. Sensation and Perception
5. Learning
6. Memory
7. Cognition and Mental Abilities
2. The Biological Basis of Behavior
8. Motivation and Emotion
9. Life-Span Development
10. Personality
12. Psychological Disorders
13. Therapies
14. Social Psychology
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Attendance: Be sure to be on time for class and to stay the full time (please don’t schedule appointments or work that overlaps with
class time). According to Gavilan College policy, students are allowed two absences (unfortunately, if you miss class a third time, I will
have to drop you from the course—save your two absences for when you really need them). Avoid being absent or tardy on an exam
day or when a major assignment is due. If you come to class after roll call, be sure to see me at the end of class to avoid being marked
absent. Students’ with perfect attendance (never tardy, never absent or never leave early)—no exceptions—will receive a half grade
boost to their final grade. Please keep track of your attendance.
Classroom Etiquette/Participation: All electronic devices (e.g., cell phones, iPods) must be turned off and put away (no texting, checking
or sending e-mail, surfing the internet, listening to music)—any breach of this requirement will result in the device(s) not being allowed in the
classroom. When your name comes up during roll call, raise your hand high and shout “here” so that I can be sure to mark you present.
Please respect others’ thoughts, beliefs, feelings, etc. in class—just as you would like others to do for you. Avoid self-disclosing personal
problems or asking how to handle them in class or in my office (counseling is available at the Gavilan College Counseling Department or your
local mental health center). No eating or drinking (except water) is allowed in class. Please don’t use class time to copy notes from a missed
class. Children can’t be permitted in the classroom. Please sit as close to the front of the class as possible, and come prepared to participate
in order to maximize learning (be sure to speak clearly and loud enough to be understood). Students with regular quality class participation
(please don’t overdo it) will have five bonus points added to their lowest exam score.
Critical Thinking Questions (CTQs): Students must type an answer to one or more CTQs for each of the 14 chapters. The answers should
be single-spaced and typed in Times New Roman 12-font. The CTQs will be posted online at least a week before they’re due. If you turn in
more than one CTQ answer at a time, staple them all together. Six steps to typing strong CTQ answers: (1) read the CTQs carefully, (2) read
the chapter carefully that the CTQs come from, (3) think through your answers carefully, (4) type your answers up according to the instructions
on the top of the CTQs on my website, (5) type only what directly answers the CTQ, and (6) don’t wait until the last minute to do the CTQs—have
them printed out, stapled if necessary, and ready to turn in no later than the night before they’re due. Lack of a textbook isn’t a legitimate excuse
for not turning in assignments on time. An excellent CTQ example answer is on my website. CTQ answers must be turned in before roll call is
completed to be on time. Students are strongly encouraged to take the quizzes throughout the textbook to facilitate chapter understanding.
Research Paper: Students are required to type a 10 (full) to 12 page research paper on a topic in psychology (see Instructions for the 10 to 12
Page Research Paper below).
METHODS OF EVALUATION—please keep track of your points/grades
Examinations: Exam 1 will cover chapters 1, 11, 4 and 3, exam 2, chapters 5, 6, 7, 2, and 8, and the final exam (Tuesday, May 25 at
10:30 a.m.), chapters 9, 10, 12, 13 and 14, and pulling it all together. Exams 1 and 2 will start promptly at 11:20 a.m., and all 3 exams will include
a combination of short answer, essay, multiple choice and true and false items from the lecture notes, critical thinking questions, textbook, and
small group work/discussions. Bring a new, large (11” x 8.5”) green/blue book on each exam day and write your answers in ink. No make-up
exams are available.
Grading System:
Exam 1 (100 pts.) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------16%
Exam 2 (100 pts.) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------16%
Final Exam (100 pts.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------20%
Critical Thinking Questions (100 pts./7 pts. each CTQ)------------------------------------------------------------------------------------18%
Research Paper (100 pts.*)-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------30%
500 pts. total 100%
*Includes up to 10 points for the research topic card—it must be turned in on time to receive points.
Exams/CTQs/Research Paper
A = 90%-100% (90 pts. up)
A- = 89% (89-89.9 pts.)
B+ = 87%-88% (87-88.9 pts.)
B = 80%-86% (80-86.9 pts.)
B- = 79% (79-79.9 pts.)
C+ = 77%-78% (77-78.9 pts.)
C = 70%-76% (70-76.9 pts.)
D = 60%-69% (60-69.9 pts.)
F = 59% and down (59.9 pts. and below)
Total
A = 90%-100% (450 pts. up)
A- = 89% (445-449.9 pts.)
B+ = 87%-88% (435-444.9 pts.)
B = 80%-86% (400-434.9 pts.)
B- = 79% (395-399.9 pts.)
C+ = 77%-78% (385-394.9 pts.)
C = 70%-76% (350-384.9 pts.)
D = 60%-69% (300-349.9 pts.)
F = 59% and down (299.9 pts. and below)
COURSE SCHEDULE
Week 1, Overview of the Class
2/4 (Th) Review of the syllabus
Week 2, Overview of the Class (continued)
2/9 (Tu) Review of the syllabus
2/11 (Th) Strategies for academic success
Week 3, Library Orientation/Conducting Research; Science of Psychology
2/16 (Tu) Library Orientation/Conducting Research (library staff)
2/18 (Th) Chapter 1 critical thinking answer due; what psychology is, careers in psychology, the seven perspectives in psychology, human
diversity in psychology
Week 4, Science of Psychology; Stress and Health Psychology
2/23 (Tu) Research methods in psychology, ethics in psychology
2/25 (Th) Chapter 11 critical thinking answer due; what stress is, sources/causes of stress, how stress affects health
Week 5, Stress and Health Psychology (continued); States of Consciousness
3/2 (Tu) Topic card due; coping with stress
3/4 (Th) Chapter 4 critical thinking answer due; what consciousness is, states of consciousness, daydreaming and fantasizing, sleep
Week 6, States of Consciousness (continued)
3/9 (Tu) Sleep disorders, dreaming
3/11 (Th) Drug-altered consciousness, meditation and hypnosis
Week 7, Sensation and Perception
3/16 (Tu) Chapter 3 critical thinking answer due; the nature of sensation, the five senses
3/18 (Th) Perception
Week 8, Learning
3/23 (Tu) Exam 1 (Chapters 1, 11, 4, 3); Chapter 5 critical thinking answer due; what classical conditioning is, phobias
3/25 (Th) What operant conditioning is, observational/vicarious learning theory
Week 9, Memory; Cognition and Mental Abilities
3/30 (Tu) Chapter 6 and 7 critical thinking answers due; types of memory, causes of memory loss/forgetting
4/1 (Th) Cognition, language, problem solving, intelligence, creativity
Week 10, No Class
4/5-10 Spring Break
Week 11, The Biological Basis of Behavior; Motivation and Emotion
4/13 (Tu) Chapter 2 and 8 critical thinking answers due; neurons, the central and peripheral nervous systems, endocrine system,
genes, what motivation is
4/15 (Th) Perspectives on motivation
Week 12, Motivation and Emotion (continued)
4/20 (Tu) Research paper due; hunger
4/22 (Th) Sex, emotion—what it is, theories of emotion
Week 13, Life-Span Development
4/27 (Tu) Exam 2 (Chapters 5, 6, 7, 2, 8); Chapter 9 critical thinking answer due; what life-span development is, prenatal development
4/29 (Th) The newborn, infancy, childhood
Week 14, Life-Span Development (continued); Personality
5/4 (Tu) Chapter 10 critical thinking answer due; adolescence, adulthood, late adulthood, what personality is, psychodynamic theories
5/6 (Th) Humanistic, trait and cognitive-social learning theories, personality assessment
Week 15, Psychological Disorders
5/11 (Tu) Chapter 12 critical thinking answer due; perspectives on psychological disorders, mood and anxiety disorders
5/13 (Th) Psychosomatic/somatoform, dissociative, sexual, gender-identity, personality and schizophrenic disorders, gender and cultural
differences in psychological disorders
Week 16, Therapies; Social Psychology
5/18 (Tu) Chapter 13 critical thinking answer due; what therapy is, insight, behavior, cognitive and group therapies, biological therapies,
client diversity and treatment
5/20 (Th) Chapter 14 critical thinking answer due; what social psychology is, social cognition, attitudes, social influence, social action
Week 17, Final Exams Week
5/25 (Tu) Final Exam—10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (Chapters 9, 10, 12, 13, 14 and pulling it all together)
Note: students are held responsible for any announcements or changes made
during class time whether present, late, or absent
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE 10 TO 12 PAGE RESEARCH PAPER
PSYC 1A Introduction to Psychology
Spring 2010
Your research paper should cover a topic in psychology of interest to you such as a mood disorder, anxiety disorder, personality disorder,
schizophrenia or other psychotic disorder, substance disorder, sleep disorder, eating disorder, impulse-control disorder, sexual dysfunction
or paraphilia, or some topic in psychology that is not necessarily a disorder. You can gather ideas for your topic from the textbook, lectures,
reviewing the psychology topics at the library or over the internet, or something you’ve observed in yourself or others. What about human
behavior are you curious about?—now is the opportunity to research it. Your topic title must be cleared with me face-to-face before you
start working on your paper. Bring at least 3 research topic titles to me (just in case your first choice isn’t available) written down according
to the phrasing of the Example PSYC 1A Research Paper Titles on my website. Once I approve your research topic title, then you can turn
in your research topic card. Your research topic card (3” x 5”) should be handwritten, and contain your name, the approved research topic
title, and a brief description of what you plan to write about (see Research Topic Card Example below)—the research topic card (worth up
to 10 pts.) must be turned in by Tuesday, March 2 before roll call is completed. Once your topic card is approved, you can begin
preliminary research on your topic to make sure there is enough empirical (research study-based) information available on your research topic
title to write a research paper—if there isn’t enough empirical information on your research topic, you will have to come up with another one
and approve it with me (be sure to make a copy of your approved topic card for yourself). Your research paper title drives your paper—only
write about what your research paper title says.
The research paper should be 10 (full) to 12 double-spaced pages long; not including the cover sheet or references page(s). Please make sure to
number your pages in the upper right–hand corner (the first page number begins on the page where you start writing about Why I Chose to Write
on My Topic, and the last page number ends on the last page of your references list). You must have a minimum of 7 differently named references,
all of the articles in them must be empirical (research-study based), and at least two thirds of the references used must be dated 2000 or later.
Only material where an author and its origin can be cited can be used in the research paper. Please read the Sample PSYC 1A Research Papers
and References List Examples on my website and/or in my office to be clear on what your research paper should look. Make sure to consult the
American Psychological Association (APA) Formatting and Style Guide link on my website for additional details regarding the style of how your
research paper should be written. The research paper must be original research; not a rewritten paper from this class or another class, or from
someone who wrote the paper for you, and must be printed out in Times New Roman 12-font. Two copies of the research paper and a copy of
only those pages from the articles used to write your paper (stapled in alphabetical order with the information from the articles used in the paper
highlighted in yellow) must be turned in by Tuesday, April 20 before roll call is completed—no excuses. Make sure that the citations for the
articles you use are clearly written on the first page at the top of the articles you turn in. All material must be placed in a 10” x 13” manila envelope
with your name on it. Five (5) points will be added to papers turned in at least a week early (by 11:20 a.m.). You can gather articles for your
research paper from Ebscohost through the Gavilan College library—please contact the staff at the library NOW for access to Ebscohost and
help in researching your topic. There is an excellent online tutorial on Researching Empirical Studies (articles) for PSYC 1A on the Gavilan
College Library website. Also, I strongly encourage you to take LIB 736 Develop a Research Topic—stduents who pass all the modules will
have 5 bonus points added to their research paper.
There are five sections in the research paper: (1) the Why I chose to Write on My Topic section (worth up to 10 pts.) should describe why you
chose to write on your topic, (2) the What the Research Says About My Topic section (worth up to 50 pts.) should describe the topic you’re
writing on, and present the information, various theories, views, controversies, findings, citations, etc. related to your topic (don’t include any
personal material in this section)—only what the research says, (3) the What I Learned Personally, Interpersonally and Professionally section
(worth up to 10 pts.) should state what you learned personally, interpersonally and professionally, (4) the How I plan to Apply What I Learned
Personally, Interpersonally and Professionally section (worth up to 10 pts.) should specify how you plan to apply what you learned personally,
interpersonally and professionally, and (5) the References section (worth up to 10 pts.) should be the references page(s). The first, third and
fourth sections of your research paper should take up no more than 3 pages combined. The cover sheet of your research paper should have
your research paper title, your name, my title and last name, the class title and meeting days and times, Gavilan College, and the date the paper
was handed in all centered (see cover sheet example below). Make sure to follow all the instructions on this handout to maximize your learning
experience and not lose valuable points.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
OUTLINE FOR THE 10 TO 12 PAGE RESEARCH PAPER
(Remember to indent each paragraph)
Why I Chose to Write on My Topic
I chose to write on my topic... (complete one or more paragraphs)
What the Research Says About My Topic
Describe your topic (complete one or more paragraphs)
The information, various theories, views, controversies, findings, citations, etc. related to your topic (complete several paragraphs)—no personal
material should go in this section
What I Learned Personally, Interpersonally and Professionally
I learned personally (1a)… (complete the paragraph)
I learned interpersonally (2a)… (complete the paragraph)
I learned professionally (3a)… (complete the paragraph)
How I Plan to Apply What I Learned Personally, Interpersonally and Professionally
I plan to apply what I learned personally (1b)… (complete the paragraph)
I plan to apply what I learned interpersonally (2b)… (complete the paragraph)
I plan to apply what I learned professionally (3b)… (complete the paragraph)
References
(Starts on a new page)
List 7 or more references
Personally means (1a) write about what you learned about yourself from what the research said about your topic, and (1b) how you plan
to apply what you learned about yourself to yourself—use words like I, me, my or myself to indicate that you’re writing about personally;
interpersonally means (2a) write about what you learned about others (e.g., mother, father, sister, brother, spouse, significant other, friends,
boyfriend, girlfriend, roommate) from what the research said about your topic, and (2b) how you plan to apply what you learned to these
people—use words like mother, father, sister, brother, spouse, significant other, friends, boyfriend, girlfriend or roommate to indicate that
you’re writing about interpersonally; and professionally means (3a) write about what you learned about your past, present or future job
(e.g., supervisor/boss, coworkers, place of employment, customers, supplier) from what the research said about your topic, and (3b) how
you plan to apply what you learned to your past, present or future job—use words like my supervisor/boss, coworkers, customers, supplier,
my job, my work, my employer or my career, self-employment to indicate that you’re writing about professionally.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Impact of Borderline Personality Disorder
Running head: IMPACT OF BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER
The Impact of Borderline Personality Disorder on Relationship Functioning
Laura Kelly
Professor Oler
PSYC 1A Introduction to Psychology, Tu,Th 11:20-12:40 p.m.
Gavilan College
April 20, 2010
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CHECKLIST FOR THE 10 TO 12 PAGE RESEARCH PAPER
(MUST be stapled to the front of the first copy of your research paper—if not attached and filled out, 5 points will be deudcted from the research paper )
Place a check next to the statements that are true for your paper
1. ____ My research paper is original research; not a rewritten paper from this class, another class, another student, any other person,
through the internet, or anything else.
2. ____ My research paper is 10 (full) to 12 typed double-spaced pages long; not including the cover sheet or references page(s), and
is printed out in Times New Roman 12-font. It includes a cover sheet with my research paper title, my title and last name, the
class title and meeting days and times, Gavilan College and the date the research paper was turned in all centered. The first page
number begins on the page where I write about why I chose to write on my topic, and the last page number on the last page of
the references list. No more than 3 pages have been used to cover the first, third and fourth sections of my research paper.
My research paper is stapled together in the upper left hand corner.
3. ____ I have at least 7 differently named references (journals), all of the articles in them are empirical (research-study based), and at
least two thirds are dated 2000 or later.
4. ____ The margins, citations, references page(s), and overall style of my research paper are in harmony with the American Psychological
Association Formatting and Style Guide.
5. ____ The first section of my research paper describes why I chose to write on my topic.
6. ____ The second section of my research paper describes my topic, and presents the information, various theories, views, controversies,
findings, citations, etc. related to my topic based on what the research says (I didn't include any personal material in this section).
7. ____ The third section of my research paper addresses what I learned personally, interpersonally and professionally.
8. ____ The fourth section of my research paper addresses how I plan to apply what I learned personally, interpersonally and professionally.
9. ____ The fifth section of my research paper (starts on a new page) is the references page(s).
10. ____ I have highlighted in yellow all the information in the articles that I used in my paper. I have also made sure that the first page of all
the articles I used in my paper is attached, which usually has the author(s) name, title of article, the year the article was published,
name of the reference the article is published in, and the pages in the reference where the article can be found (if this information
isn't on this first page, you must write it in at the top).
11. ____ I have enclosed everything in a 10” x 13” manila envelope with my name written on it—the order of material in my envelope is 2 copies
of my research paper first, and the pages of the articles I used in my paper second (stapled in separate sets in alphabetical order).
12. ____ I have turned in my research paper to Dr. Oler in class by 11:20 a.m. on Tuesday, April 20 before roll call was completed:
_________________________________________ Signature and phone number
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Additional Resources in Psychology from Various Perspectives
National Latina/o Psychological Association (NLPA) (www.nlpa.ws)
Society for the Psychology of Women (www.apa.org/divisions/div35/)
American Psychological Association (APA) (www.apa.org or 1-800-374-2721)
Asian American Psychological Association (AAPA) (www.aapaonline.org)
Association of Black Psychologists (ABPsi) (www.abpsi.org or 202-722-0808)
Society of Indian Psychologists (SIP) (www.geocities.com/indianpsych)