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History, Philosophy and Systems of PsychologySpring 2014
Professor:Dr. Linda M. Woolf |  |
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History, Philosophy and Systems of PsychologySpring 2014
Professor:Dr. Linda M. Woolf | |
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A perusal of the various journals in psychology or an examination of any psychology conference schedule seems to suggest that psychology is a highly disjointed discipline. However, psychology is unified through its historical traditions and systems of thought. In this course, we will explore the roots of modern psychological thought and methodology. We will trace these roots from their origins in philosophy and the natural sciences through the early schools of psychology and on into its current form. In addition to learning about the major schools and systems of psychology (e. g., Functionalism, Structuralism, Gestalt, etc.), we will explore how cultural and political forces shaped the development of various psychological theories. We will also examine the lives and works of the men and women whose work created psychology's foundation. Through these explorations we will discover the common threads and patterns interwoven into the broad tapestry of psychology.
Attendance Policy: As History, Philosophy, and Systems of Psychology is a required course and due to the concentrated nature of eight week format, students are expected to attend all classes and for the full class time. Students who miss more than two weeks of class (the whole class or part of class) will receive a failing grade for the course. Note that arriving 15 minutes late for class or leaving 15 minutes early will be counted as an absence for the week.
Three exams, a term paper, and a small group project.All grades will be assigned on a scale of 0 - 100 with:
90 - 100 A-,A Superior Work 80 - 89 B-,B,B+ Good Work 70 - 79 C-,C,C+ Satisfactory Work 60 - 69 D,D+ Passing, but less than Satisfactory (not passing for the major) Less than 60 F Failing
Percent of Grade:
Examinations 75% Term Paper 15% Group Project 5% Class Participation/Discussion 5% Examinations: Examination format will include multiple choice, short answer, matching, and essay. They will cover material presented in lecture, readings, and discussion. Three examinations will be given. Each exam will constitute 25% of your final grade.
POLICY STATEMENTS: All exams must be taken on the date scheduled except in case of an emergency. In case of the above, the instructor must be notified in advance that a test is going to be missed. No make-up exams will be provided if you fail to notify and discuss your situation with the instructor. No extra credit work will be made available to make-up for a poor test grade.Term Paper: Students will be required to write a term paper of 7-10 pages (approximately 2300 to 3000 words). The purpose of the paper is to provide you, the student, with an opportunity to explore an another area within the history and systems of psychology, in depth. You may, for example, you might want to explore a particular concept in the history of psychology or review the works of a key figure. You must include at least 5 references. Your references must be from PRIMARY SOURCES and NOT others' works on the topic or individual. A half page abstract (description of your paper with references) is due by April 5 via email - woolflm@webster.edu. The final paper is due April 26, 2014.
- Purchase or go to the library to view a copy of the APA 6th Edition Publication Manual
- Go to OWL Purdue Online Writing Lab
Group Presentation: Individuals will be assigned to groups during the third week of class. Each group will be responsible for presenting the history of one of the subfields of psychology to the class during the final week of class. Some of the subfields that individuals might want to consider include but are not limited to:
Students are not limited by these suggestions but all group topics must be approved by the instructor. Major fields of study are not acceptable for a group presentation (e.g., developmental psychology or experimental psychology). Each member of the group must provide an outline and references (in APA format) to the class. Note that each member of the group will be graded individually. There can be no more than three people in a group! Also, be aware that discussing the current research or individuals in a sub-field will not fulfill the requirements of this assignment. You must focus on the history of the subdiscipline.
Extra Credit Opportunity! For 10 points each (10 is the maximum points possible for a single report but may be lower depending on the quality of the report), you may listen to a History of Psychology podcast and write a report about the podcast (3 podcast maximum - although if you do not like the points received on a podcast report, you may complete an additional podcast to replace the report with the lower grade). You need to include:
- Discuss the major ideas presented in the podcast
- Discuss any differences of similarities between the material in the podcast and the book
- Discuss what you found to be the most interesting or new points you learned from the podcast
Podcasts can be found at http://www.yorku.ca/christo/podcasts/. These can also be downloaded through iTunes - just search podcasts for the This Week in the History of Psychology (Christopher Green).
Podcast reports may be submitted at any point in the semester until April 24. Absolutely NO reports will be accepted following that deadline. Keep this deadline in mind and don't wait until the last minute. Absolutely no extensions will be granted regardless of the legitimacy of the problem that may arise (e.g., computer crashes, power outages, illness, etc.). All papers must be submitted electronically in Word format to woolflm@webster.edu
Use of Electronic Devices in the Classroom: Please respect others in the class by turning off all cell phones before entering the room. Text messaging during class is not acceptable. Laptops may be used in class but are only to be utilized for class related activities (e.g., taking notes). If it becomes apparent you are using the computer for non-class activities (e.g., checking your email, Facebook, playing games) then you may be asked to turn off your computer and refrain from bringing it into class in the future. Laptop use is restricted to the back or sides of the classroom so that other students are not distracted during lecture.Plagiarism (attempting to pass off the work of another as one's own) is not acceptable. Plagiarism includes copying all or part of another's writings (even a single sentence), inappropriate paraphrasing, using another student's paper as your own, submitting a paper for more than one class. All papers will be submitted to the university's plagiarism database for review. Plagiarism, either intentional or unintentional, will result in a grade of 0 for that assignment but also may be turned over to the appropriate university source for disciplinary action and a grade of F for the course. In addition, cheating on exams will also result in the same fate.
Here are some Web sites that will help you avoid the problem of plagiarism particularly plagiarism resulting from paraphrasing too closely to the original source. -
- Establishing Authorship by Paul C. Smith, Alverno College
- How to Avoid Plagiarism Tutorial
- The University of Indiana's Online Plagiarism Tutorial - You can print out a certificate of completion!
It should be noted that, as is common in many university courses, little time will be spent lecturing on topics adequately addressed by the text. Students are expected to arrive at class meetings having already read the material assigned, and to ask questions to clarify any areas that remain unclear. While every attempt will be made to explain or expand upon particularly difficult areas, the primary purpose of classroom lecture is to enhance, rather than to duplicate, the textbook material.
Late withdraws from this class will not be approved by the instructor except in cases of emergency discussed with the instructor. No late withdraws will be approved on the basis of poor class performance.
This syllabus is subject to change at the instructor's discretion. All changes concerning course requirements will be provided in writing. Changes concerning exam dates may be made at the instructor's discretion and communicated verbally to the class.
It is understood that remaining in this course (not dropping or withdrawing from this course) constitutes an agreement to abide by the terms outlined in this syllabus and an acceptance of the requirements outlined in this document. No grade of Incomplete will be issued for this course.