Time & place: Tues & Thurs 12:30-13:50, COL 150

Teaching Assistants:

Kathy Becker, Rm 220 Straub, 346-4942, kabecker@dynamic.uoregon.edu

Office hours: Wed 1-3

Bev Doyle, Rm 233a Huestis, 346-4904, doyleb@darkwing.uoregon.edu

Office hours: Thurs 9-10:50

Bayta Maring, Rm 220 Straub, 346-4942, bmaring@darkwing.uoregon.edu

Office hours: Wed 10-12

Textbook:

Sternberg, R. J. (1998). In search of the human mind. 2nd Ed. Orlando, FL: Harcourt Brace & Company.

Copies of the textbook will be placed on reserve at the Knight Library. There is an optional Study Guide for this book which is available in the University Bookstore.

Course Web site:

http://www.uoregon.edu/~sdhodges/202-99.htm

Students are encouraged to check the web site regularly for information related to this course.

This course is part of a two-term sequence in introductory psychology. Psychology 201, Mind and Brain, emphasizes learning, perception, memory, and the role of neural structures in these psychological processes. Mind and Society emphasizes development, personality, abnormal and social psychology. Any students in the class who have special needs should contact the instructors and arrangements will be made.

There will be two midterm exams, a final exam, and a discussion section grade. Each of the three exams will count 25% toward your course grade. The discussion section will also count 25% (but see research requirement below). The midterms and final will be multiple choice. The final exam will test material from the last third of the course -- it will not be cumulative. At the time of the final, students will have the opportunity to take makeups for missed midterms. If a student takes a midterm on the scheduled date and also completes the makeup exam covering the same material, the higher of the two scores will be used for the course grade. The final exam cannot be taken earlier than the time listed in the university's final exam schedule (Monday, March 15, 8-10 a.m.). The only makeups for the midterms will be given at the time of the final exam.

Course grades will be based on the total number of points from the three exams and discussion section. Letter grades will be assigned in the following way: The average of the three highest scores will serve as a reference point. If your total number of points is:

90% to 100% of the reference point, you will get an A

80% to 89% of the reference point , you will get a B

70% to 79% of the reference point, you will get a C

60% to 69% of the reference point, you will get a D

Less than 60% of the reference point, you will get a F

You must register for a discussion section - it is a required part of this course. The sections will consist of a mixture of projects and discussions. Your discussion grade contributes 25% to your course grade. The grade will be based on two short papers (papers submitted after the due dates will be marked down by one half) and attendance. If you miss one of the meetings for your section for any reason, contact your TA as soon as possible. You must attend the discussion section for which you are registered.

Kathy Becker’s sections: Mon 8 & 9; Wed 8 & 12

Bev Doyle’s sections: Tues 8; Wed 3; Thurs 11 & 4

Bayta Maring’s sections: Mon 10; Wed 9, 1 & 2

Although the instructors have attempted to coordinate the lectures with the readings, they frequently will be independent of each other. Some material will be covered in both reading and lecture, but much of the material in the reading will not be discussed in class and new information not covered in the reading will be presented during class time. The exams will cover material from both lectures and readings. It is anticipated that you will need to spend a substantial amount of time outside of class (reading, studying, writing papers) to do well in this course.

Students and faculty run many experiments on such topics as memory, attention, and social interactions. An important part of the introduction to psychology is some understanding of how research is conducted and a partial perspective on this can be gained by participating in research as a subject. Each student must participate in four experiments (for 50 minutes each) or write a short paper on a research topic. To participate in experiments, you use a sign up board on the first floor of Straub Hall and then show up at the time and place indicated. After participating in an experiment, you will be given a signed slip. When you have collected four credit slips, turn them into your discussion group instructor. It is the student's responsibility to collect these slips and turn them in to your discussion group instructor for recording (we cannot verify participation any other way). This procedure will be explained in more detail in class.

If you do not wish to participate in experiments, you can write one 5 page paper that summarizes research articles on a problem of interest. To exercise this option, you must first get approval of the topic from your discussion leader by March 5. (If you wait until after March 5, you may not get approval of the paper topic in time for you to write the paper by the end of the term -- which will result in you getting an incomplete).

Although the research requirement will not be graded (except on a pass-no pass basis), failure to participate in research or complete the research paper will result in an incomplete in the course. Students who wait until the final weeks of the quarter to participate in experiments may find that not enough experiments are being run to allow completion of this requirement. Try to schedule participation in experiments early in the quarter if possible. Research slips or the research paper must be passed in to your TA by 5:00 on Friday, March 12.