Overview
Welcome to the fascinating world of psychology: the science of behaviour and the mind! The purpose of this course is to introduce you to the broad range of topics that we study in the field of psychology, including perception, cognition, learning and motivation and their biological bases. Also reviewed are child development, individual differences, social psychology and abnormal (clinical) psychology. In the process you will hopefully gain some insight into what makes people think, feel, and behave the way that they do. This course is not intended to help you solve behavioural or emotional problems requiring professional attention.
This course is a mix of independent and small group learning. It is therefore important that you progress through the material at the prescribed rate.
Learning Outcomes
- Summarize the major areas and themes of psychology.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the role of genes and environment in determining behaviour and mental processes.
- Describe the major psychological theories and the empirical evidence upon which they are based.
- Apply the scientific method to the formulation and answering of questions related to psychology.
- Assess the validity of, and provide accurate interpretations of, psychological findings.
Course Topics
- Introduction to Psychology
- Research Methods
- Genetics and Evolution
- Learning
- Neurons
- Neurobiology
- Introduction to Sensation and Perception
- The Visual World
- Consciousness and Sleep
- Attention and Memory
- Memory
- Language, Language Use, and Development
- Cognitive Development
- Social and Emotional Development
- Adolescence, Emerging Adulthood, and Aging
- Intelligence and Decision Making
- Motivation and Emotion
- Interacting with Tough Content, Self-Care, and Wellness
- Psychopathology I
- Psychopathology II
- Psychopathology, Psychopathy, and Therapeutic Orientations
- Personality
- Social Thinking and People in Groups
- Relationships and Self-Identify
Terms
Evaluation
30% - Proctored Midcourse Exam
40% - Proctored Final Exam
10% - Weekly online labs
10% - Proctored Quiz 1
10% - Proctored Quiz 2
5% - Bonus Research Opportunities
**Evaluation Subject to change**
Proctored Exams
If a student is enrolled in ONLY online courses (section 700), they may choose either of the following options to write the exam:
- Write the final exam online: you will write in onQ with Examity proctoring. A $100 online exam fee will be charged to your SOLUS account.
- Write the final exam in-person: you will write on Queen’s campus in Kingston. You will not be charged an extra fee to write on campus.
If a student is enrolled in ANY in-person courses (section 001, 002, etc), you MUST write all your final exams in-person on Queen’s campus, including for an online course. You may not choose to write your exams online.
Location and Timing of Final Exams
Once the exam schedule has been finalized the exam date will be posted on your SOLUS account. The exam dates for each Term are listed in the Academic Calendar. Student exam schedules for the Fall Term are posted via SOLUS immediately prior to the Thanksgiving holiday; for the Winter Term they are posted on the Friday before Reading Week, and for the Summer Term they are individually noted on the Arts and Science Online syllabi. Students should delay finalizing any travel plans until after the examination schedule has been posted. Exams will not be moved or deferred to accommodate employment, travel/holiday plans or flight reservations.
Textbook and Materials
ASO reserves the right to make changes to the required material list as received by the instructor before the course starts. Please refer to the Campus Bookstore website at http://www.campusbookstore.com/Textbooks/Search-Engine to obtain the most up-to-date list of required materials for this course before purchasing them.
Required Material
- The textbook for this class is a customized online Open Access textbook. This textbook is free, and available to you in multiple formats.
Time Commitment
| Completing/reviewing online lessons | 10-12 hours every week |
| Discussion participation | 2 hours (approx.) every other week |
| Written assignment | 6 hours (approx.) every other week |
| Quizzes | 2 hours every week |
| Refer/review text | As needed |
| Total: | Approximately 16 hours/week |
Students can expect to spend 221 hours total on the course.
Evaluation
30% - Proctored Midcourse Exam
40% - Proctored Final Exam
10% - Weekly online labs
10% - Proctored Quiz 1
10% - Proctored Quiz 2
5% - Bonus Research Opportunities
**Evaluation Subject to change**
Proctored Exams
If a student is enrolled in ONLY online courses (section 700), they may choose either of the following options to write the exam:
- Write the final exam online: you will write in onQ with Examity proctoring. A $100 online exam fee will be charged to your SOLUS account.
- Write the final exam in-person: you will write on Queen’s campus in Kingston. You will not be charged an extra fee to write on campus.
If a student is enrolled in ANY in-person courses (section 001, 002, etc), you MUST write all your final exams in-person on Queen’s campus, including for an online course. You may not choose to write your exams online.
Location and Timing of Final Examinations
Once the exam schedule has been finalized the exam date will be posted on your SOLUS account. The exam dates for each Term are listed on the Faculty of Arts and Science webpage under "Important Dates." Student exam schedules for the Fall Term are posted via SOLUS immediately prior to the Thanksgiving holiday; for the Winter Term they are posted on the Friday before Reading Week, and for the Summer Term they are individually noted on the Arts and Science Online syllabi. Students should delay finalizing any travel plans until after the examination schedule has been posted. Exams will not be moved or deferred to accommodate employment, travel/holiday plans or flight reservations.
Textbook and Materials
ASO reserves the right to make changes to the required material list as received by the instructor before the course starts. Please refer to the Campus Bookstore website at http://www.campusbookstore.com/Textbooks/Search-Engine to obtain the most up-to-date list of required materials for this course before purchasing them.
Required Material
- The textbook for this class is a customized online Open Access textbook. This textbook is free, and available to you in multiple formats.
Time Commitment
To complete the readings, assignments, and course activities, students can expect to spend, on average, about 9-10 hours per week (221 hours per term) on the course.