Introduction to Psychology

 

Course Information

 

Course Prefix/Number:  PSY 101.3

Semester:  Spring 2024

Class Days/Times:  Online

Credit Hours:  3

Course Title: Introduction to Psychology

 

Instructor Information

 

Name: Jose Amparo, MS, LPC

E-mail:  jamparo@tocc.edu  

Office location:  Online

Office hours: Please send email to schedule an appointment to meet via video or phone. 

 

 

Course Description

 

 

Survey of general psychology. Includes a definition of psychology, history of psychology,

research methods and critical thinking, biological basis of behavior, sensory process, receiving

the world, states of consciousness, conditioning and learning, memory process, motivation and

emotions, role of health psychologists, role of stress in our lives, major stages in child and life

span development, gender identity and sexuality, intelligence, personality theories,

psychological disorders, therapeutic approaches, social psychology research.

 

Student Learning Outcomes

 

Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to do the following:

1. Describe the history of psychology, including psychological perspectives and research

methods.

2. Explain how the nervous system and other biological systems influence behavior.
3. Summarize the stages and major theories of life span development.
4. Describe the processes of perceptual organization and interpretation.
5. Compare and contrast the major learning theories.
6. Discuss memory formation, retention and loss. Explain how memory can be improved.
7. Elucidate the connections between thinking, language, and intelligent behavior.
8. Summarize the major concepts of motivation and emotion and how they relate to behavior.
9. Compare and contrast the major personality theories.
10. Describe the characteristics and causal factors associated with major psychological disorders.
11. Identify and discuss the theoretical underpinnings of approaches to psychotherapy.
12. Describe the stress process and explain the interaction between stress and health.
13. Appraise social psychology research findings related to social thought, behavior, and

relations.

 

Course Structure

This course is structured based on topical modules and discussion posts. Students are expected to log onto Canvas weekly and respond to discussion post and engage with peers online through discussion post. Students will be required to complete the weekly modules which will be available on Monday and closed by Sunday 11:59pm. Assessment of learning and graded activities in each module includes discussion posts and end of the section quizzes. There will also be a final project.

 

 

 

Course Learning Materials and Textbook Information

 

This course uses an online free textbook as a learning resource. The required information is information, assignments, quizzes, and discussion posts that you must complete to finish the module and gain the knowledge from module.

The course will use other learning material that includes, blog readings, articles, videos, and

podcasts. Make sure you look through each module and have access to all the learning material

for that module.

 

 

 

Courses Outline and Schedule of Activities

 

1. Describe the history of psychology, including psychological perspectives and research methods.
2. Explain how the nervous system and other biological systems influence behavior.
3. Summarize the stages and major theories of life span development.
4. Describe the processes of perceptual organization and interpretation.
5. Compare and contrast the major learning theories
6. Discuss memory formation, retention and loss. Explain how memory can be improved.
7. Elucidate the connections between thinking, language, and intelligent behavior.
8. Summarize the major concepts of motivation and emotion and how they relate to behavior. 9. Compare and contrast the major personality theories.
9. Describe the characteristics and causal factors associated with major psychological disorders.
10. Identify and discuss the theoretical underpinnings of approaches to psychotherapy.
11. Describe the stress process and explain the interaction between stress and health. Course 13. Appraise social psychology research findings related to social thought, behavior, and relations.

 

• Weekly Module available Monday at 12:00 a.m and due by Sunday (11:59pm)
• Weekly Discussion posts due Sunday (11:59 p.m.)

Evaluations and Grading & Assignments:

 

90 and above is an A                    

80 - 89 is a B

70 - 79 is a C

60 - 69 is a D

Under 60 is Failing

 

Your grade will be determined by the following:

 

Discussion Posts: 10 pts each 

Quizzes: 20 pts each

Assignments: 20 pts each

Project: 50 points & 100 points.

Final: 100 points

Grade will be determined by the total number of points accumulated.

 

Himdag Cultural Component 

 

Human behavior and mental processes – and indeed our interpretation of such things – always

occurs within the context of culture. During the exploration of each of the topic areas within this course, emphasis will be placed on how each psychological concept is viewed through the lens of the Himdag and Tohono O’odham’s way of life and experience.

 

 

Policies and Expectations

 

Attendance Policy (Re: asynchronous online classes)

You are expected to login the class weekly, participate in at least one discussion post, learning activity, quiz, or exam each week to meet weekly attendance for this course. Four unexcused absences may result in withdrawal and a “W” or “Y” will be recorded. You may request to be excused from class for religious observances and practices, for illness, for school or work-related travel or for personal or family emergency. If you will be absent, please notify the instructor as soon as possible.

 

 

Academic Integrity:

Academic integrity refers to honest and ethical conduct in all aspects of academic life. The primary attributes of academic integrity are honesty, trustworthiness, fairness, and responsibility. Integrity entails a firm adherence to a set of values; the values most essential to an academic community are grounded in honesty with respect to all intellectual efforts of oneself and others.

 

All forms of academic deceit, such as plagiarism, cheating, the use of Artificial Intelligence without disclosure, collusion, falsification or fabrication of results or records; permitting work to be submitted by another; or inappropriately recycling work from one class to another constitutes academic misconduct that may result in serious disciplinary consequences. All students and faculty members are responsible for reporting suspected instances of academic misconduct. 

Find the complete Academic Integrity Policy on p. 39 of the Academic Catalog.

 

Course Feedback:

All assignments will be graded and returned to the students promptly, typically within a week after the assignment is closed for handing in.  E-mail and phone messages will be returned within two days.  A student or the instructor may request a student conference at any time during the semester. You can agree to meet with your instructor during established Office Hours.

 

Incomplete Policy

Incomplete (I) grades are not awarded automatically. The student must request an "I" from the instructor, who can choose to award an Incomplete only if all three of the following conditions are met:

1. The student must be in compliance with the attendance policy.
2. The student must have unavoidable circumstance that would prohibit the student from completing the course.
3. The student must have completed over 75% of the course requirements with at least a “C” grade.

Incompletes are not a substitute for incomplete work due to frequent absences or poor academic performance. If the agreed upon work, as stipulated on the written contract signed by the instructor and the student when the I grade is awarded, is not completed by the end of the ninth week of the following semester, the grade will be automatically changed to an F.

 

Withdrawals within First Two Weeks of Semester

At the Drop/Full Refund deadline of the semester (refer to the Academic Calendar), faculty may withdraw students from class for the following reasons: student has not logged into Canvas; has not submitted any work; and/or has not attended class (for virtual and/or in-person classes). Refer to the Academic Catalog, p. 38, for the entire policy.

 

 

Withdrawal during the Semester up to the Withdrawal Deadline (Asynchronous online classes)

In an asynchronous online class, the TOCC Attendance Policy “Four unexcused absences may result in a withdrawal…” translates into “Missing four (4) consecutive course due dates for learning activities, participation, assignments, quizzes, exams, etc. indicates a student is NOT participating in the class and they may be withdrawn at the faculty’s discretion.” If a student needs to stop attending a course, they must withdraw from the course. Failure to withdraw from the course will result in a failing grade (F).

 

Student Withdrawal Policy “W”

Students may withdraw from class at any time during the first two-thirds of the semester without instructor permission and without incurring any grade penalty, although a withdrawal may have Financial Aid consequences. Consult the Academic Catalog for more information.  Please be sure to withdraw yourself by [withdrawal deadline date found in Academic Calendar on TOCC website] if you do not expect to complete the class, otherwise you may receive an "F" letter grade for the course. For more information on the student withdraw process, email admissions@tocc.edu.

 

Equal Access Statement/Disability Accommodations

Tohono O’odham Community College seeks to provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities. The College will comply with all applicable regulations, and guidelines with respect to providing reasonable accommodations as required to ensure an equal educational opportunity. This process includes self-identifying as a student with a disability, providing supporting documentation of their disability, and being approved for services through the Disability Resources Office (DRO). It is the student's responsibility to make known to the Counselor or Disability Resource Coordinator the student’s specific needs within the context of each class in order to receive appropriate accommodations. Counselor and student will work together in order to develop an accommodation plan specifically designed to meet the individual student's requirements.

 

For more information or to request academic accommodations, please contact: Anthony Osborn, TOCC Disabilities Resource Coordinator, aosborn@tocc.edu for additional information and assistance.

 

Title IX   

Tohono O'odham Community College encourages each student to have the knowledge and skills to be an active bystander who intervenes when anyone is observed or being harassed or endangered by sexual violence.  Sexual discrimination and sexual violence can undermine students’ academic success and quality of life on campus and beyond. We encourage students who have experienced or witnessed any form of sexual misconduct to talk about their experience and seek the support they need.

 

Confidential support and academic advocacy can be found with: Student Services Title IX Coordinator/Counselor, Alberta Espinoza, M.Ed. located in I-We:mta Ki: Room 18. Phone 520-479-2300 Ext. 1210 email: aespinoza@tocc.edu  

 

Conduct: Bias, Bullying, Discrimination and Harassment

Tohono O’odham Community College faculty and staff are dedicated to creating a safe and supportive campus environment as a core value.  Harassment based on age, class, color, culture, disability and ability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity and expression, immigration status, marital status, political ideology, race, religion/spirituality, sex, sexual orientation, and tribal sovereign status will not be tolerated.

 

AI Policy

 

• Generative AI can play a supportive role in the learning process. While it is not a requirement, I recognize that AI can serve as a useful tool to support your learning experience. The goal is to encourage you to explore various learning aids, including generative AI powered tools, while still maintaining academic integrity. Remember to give credit where Additionally, exercise critical thinking to identify and address any inaccuracies that might arise.
• It is essential for students to be open and honest about their use of AI in assignments. My goal is to help students understand the importance of academic integrity and the responsible use of AI. Adhering to the course policies regarding AI is crucial to maintain fairness and equality for everyone in the learning environment.

 

How to Reference AI using APA format:

 

Reference

 

OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT (July 30 version) [Large language model].

https://chat.openai.com/chat

Parenthetical Citation: (OpenAI, 2023)

*This citation includes the name of the organization (OpenAI), the year of publication (2023), the specific name of the model (ChatGPT), the version date (July 30), and the type of model in square brackets (Large language model). Additionally, the citation provides the URL where the model can be accessed.

 

Example of an AI Disclosure:

Claude.AI & ChatGPT

AI disclosure: This guide was written with the help of Claude.AI and ChatGPT AI, generative AI platforms. Claude was used to generate an idea to this generative AI policy outline, and the human author edited and modified the provided outline. ChatGPT was used to edit the policy outline. Claude provided the first draft of the example policy language, which was reviewed and edited by the human author