PSY 1300: General Psychology 1
PSY 1300-004
General Psychology
Spring 2022
Mondays and Wednesdays/2:00 – 3:20
Holden Hall 077
CRN: 33378
Instructor: Dr. Will Crescioni
Office Hours: Virtual office hours T: 1:00 – 3:00 and Th: 2:00 – 4:00 or by appointment
Email Address: [email protected]
Course Website: https://ttu.blackboard.com/
If Texas Tech University campus operations are required to change because of health concerns related to
the COVID-19 pandemic, it is possible that this course will move to a fully online delivery format. Should
that be necessary, students will be advised of technical and/or equipment requirements, including remote
proctoring software.
REQUIRED TEXT
King, L. (2020). The Science of Psychology: An Appreciative View (Ed. 5). McGraw Hill.
ISBN: 9781264251261
This package will include a bound paper version of the required textbook and a 6-month access code
to the Learning Management System (LMS) CONNECT®, a software which features an eBook and
many study resources. It is available at the Texas Tech Bookstore or online at
connect.mheducation.com.
NOTE: If you encounter any issues using CONNECT®, you should contact McGraw Hill’s Technical
Support. There is a link on Blackboard under Course Materials where you can submit a case for
technical assistance.
COMPUTER ACCESS
This course will be instructed in person; however, several assignments will need to be completed
online. Therefore, reliable computer and Internet access is required. If you have any concerns about
the technical requirements of this course, please contact me because I can help discuss ways, we can
work around technical issues.
PSY 1300: General Psychology 2
TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS
Computer Operating System
Texas Tech uses Blackboard which requires Windows 7
or higher for a PC and Mac OSX 10.8 or higher on a Mac.
Please see the Blackboard support page for more
information.
Internet Access
Blackboard works on a variety of browsers and even has
a mobile app. For more information, check out the
Blackboard Help page. There are some plug ins required,
all linked for download on the help page.
Learning Management System:
CONNECT®.
You are required to access to this online component
accompanying your textbook.
Technical Difficulties: If you encounter any issues
using CONNECT®, you should contact McGraw Hill’s
Technical Support. There is a link on Blackboard under
Course Materials where you can submit a case for
technical assistance. You must have a case ID provided
by this process to include in your e-mail before
contacting me about technical issues.
Software
Basic word processing software is required and you will
need to be able to save documents in a PDF format. You
will also need presentation software (e.g., Powerpoint,
Prezi). If you do not have the MS Office Suite, Prezi is
free for students and a lot of fun!
COURSE DESCRIPTION, PURPOSE, AND OBJECTIVES
This course satisfies the Texas Tech University core curriculum requirement in social and
behavioral sciences. This course is designed to introduce many of the major topics and theories of
psychology. Both historical perspectives and current research are included. Application of psychology
to various aspects of everyday life, investigation of the impact of culture on psychological processes,
and critical analysis of research will be emphasized. This course serves as a pre-requisite to most other
Psychology courses offered through the department, which tend to offer a more in-depth analysis of
specific topics introduced in this course. There are no pre-requisites for this course.
Course Learning Outcomes--You will be able to…
Assessment Methods
Demonstrate a basic knowledge of the major
facts and theories from experimental, cognitive,
biological, developmental, social, and applied
psychology.
• Exam questions
Apply this knowledge to events and situations
in their everyday life.
• Exam questions
Be able to critically analyze and critique
alternative explanations for claims about social
issues and human behavior.
• Exam questions
PSY 1300: General Psychology 3
Course Learning Outcomes--You will be able to…
Assessment Methods
Understand that psychology is a science and
that psychologists utilize the scientific method
to obtain information and knowledge about
behavior and thought.
• Exam questions
COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND FINAL-GRADE CALCULATION
4 Highest Exams
500 points (125 points per test)
11 Quizzes
220 points
Book Report
120 points
7.5 Credits Research Experience
150 points (20 points per credit)
Course Assessment
10 points
Grading System for Final Grades
After I calculate your final numerical grade based on the weighting system above, I will convert it to
a letter grade based on the chart below:
900-1000 points
A
800-899 points
B
700-799 points
C
600-699 points
D
0-590 points
F
Exams (500 points/50% of final grade)
Each unit will conclude with a unit test. Thus, there will be four unit tests in the course. Each
unit test will be 50 multiple choice questions. You will have 80 minutes to complete the test.
Tests are worth 125 points each. Tests will be based on the keywords for each chapter as well
as learning objective for each lecture from the preceding unit.
At the end of the semester there will be a cumulative final exam. This exam will cover material
from all four units. The final exam is worth 125 points. You will have 80 minutes to complete
the final exam.
Your final grade will be based only on your four highest exams. Thus your lowest exam grade
(which may be your final exam) will be dropped when final grades are computed.
All exams will be completed on Blackboard. Exams will be made available at the end of our
scheduled class time and will remain available for 72 hours. Exams that open at 3:20 on
Monday will be due by 3:20 on Thursday; exams that open at 3:20 on Wednesday will be due
by 3:20 on Saturday. You must log in to take the exam during this window.
If you encounter any error while attempting to take a test, please do the following:
• Immediately take a screenshot of any error you receive. You may also choose to take a
picture of your computer screen using your phone.
PSY 1300: General Psychology 4
• Email me with a description of your problem. Attach the picture you took of the error
message.
• I will review your message when I receive it, and I will decide whether to offer a makeup
based on the specifics of your error.
Missing exam policy:
At the end of the semester, I will drop your lowest test grade. If you miss any ONE test for any
reason (undocumented illness or injury, car trouble, getting called into work, family
emergency, Doctor Who marathon, etc.), the resulting zero will be dropped from your grade
calculation.
If you take all four of the unit tests, then you may use the drop policy to exempt yourself from
the final exam. In other words, if you have taken all four regular semester tests, then you may
skip the final.
You may also choose to take all five tests (the four unit tests and the final exam). If you do so,
then I will drop the lowest grade from among these five from your final grade calculation. For
example, if your five test grades were 78, 67, 84, 89, and a 91 on the final exam, the “67”
would not be counted in your final grade calculation.
Makeups will be offered under the following circumstances:
• With a doctor’s note for any non-covid illness or injury.
• With documentation from Texas Tech of a positive covid test, covid exposure, or any other
covid-related incident requiring student isolation.
• With documentation from the Texas Tech dean of students.
Makeups will not be offered for any other reason. If you require a makeup exam you must contact
me to ask for one within one week of your return date (e.g. if you test positive for covid and are
cleared to return to class on February 10
th
, you must contact me no later than February 17
th
to
request a makeup). If you fail to request a makeup exam within this timeframe than a makeup will
be granted, even if you have documentation (e.g. if you miss a test on October 1
st
for a documented
illness but you don’t contact me until the end of the semester, you will not be allowed to makeup
the test).
Makeup exams may differ from the original exam at the instructor’s discretion.
Quizzes (120 points/12% of final grade)
There will be 14 quizzes due in the class, one for each chapter covered. Quizzes consist of 20
multiple-choice questions drawn from a larger pool of questions. Your lowest three quizzes
will be dropped when final grades are computed. Thus only your 11 highest quiz grades will
count toward your final grade in the class.
Each quiz covers material from one chapter. Quizzes are due on the last scheduled day of their
respective units by 11:59 PM; exact due dates are listed in course schedule and on Blackboard.
PSY 1300: General Psychology 5
Quizzes are designed to help you learn the material from the chapter, so you may take them as
many times you like. Each attempt will feature 20 randomly selected questions, so no two
attempts will be the same. Your grade for each quiz will be based on your best attempt.
Missing quiz policy: Because quizzes are available from the beginning of each unit and are
not due until the end of the unit, you have several weeks in which to complete each quiz. As
such makeups for missed quizzes will not be offered. You are encouraged to spread your quiz
attempts out throughout each unit; waiting until the last minute to complete your quizzes may
result in missed assignments.
Book Report (220 points; 22% of final grade)
During the semester you will select and read one popular-press psychology book from the
provided list. You will then compose a 3 – 5 page book report based on this book and following
the instructions provided. More details can be found on Blackboard.
Book reports are due at the time listed on the class schedule. Late book reports will lose 22
points (10%) each day.
All book reports will be checked for plagiarism using plagiarism checking software. If you are
judged to have plagiarized your report you will receive a zero and will be referred to the dean
of students for possible disciplinary action. Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, copying
another students work, copying text from online sources (e.g. Wikipedia), or purchasing a
paper from an online paper mill. Papers that contain any copied material (even if alterations
have been made to the material copied) will be judged as plagiarized.
Research Experience (150 points of final grade)
As you will learn in this class, psychology is a science, which means it relies on research using the
scientific method to gain new knowledge. Given how important research is to psychology, you are
required to gain experience with and exposure to psychological research. You have two options for
fulfilling this requirement: the research participation option or the research paper option. Both options
are designed to help you:
• learn how and why research with humans is conducted
• learn how the results are used to help understand human behavior
• see the variety of problems that can be studied with scientific methods
Details about how to participate and other requirements are included in a separate handout.
Course Supervisor & Course Assessment (10 points of Final Grade)
The faculty supervisor for Psychology 1300 can questions or concerns about this course. Please indicate
your name, your instructor’s name, and the section number when contacting the instructor.
You will be contacted near the end of the semester by the course supervisor to complete a brief
(less than 10 minutes) online survey about your experience in PSY 1300 this semester. This survey is
part of the Department of Psychology’s regular assessments of its courses and—because PSY 1300 is
a University core course—will also contain questions pertaining to the University’s accreditation by
the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). Completing this assessment is worth 1% of
your final grade in the course.
PSY 1300: General Psychology 6
PSY 1300: General Psychology 7
Date
Day
Topic
Readings
Assignments
Unit 1: Foundations of Psychological Science
12-Jan
Wed
Welcome and Class Orientation
17-Jan
Mon
No Class -MLK Day
19-Jan
Wed
What is Psychology?
Chapter 1
Quiz 1
24-Jan
Mon
Thinking Like a Psychological Scientist
Chapter 2
26-Jan
Wed
Research Designs
Chapter 2
Quiz 2
31-Jan
Mon
The Brain and the Nervous System
Quiz 3
2-Feb
Wed
Developmental Psychology
Chapter 9
Quiz 4
7-Feb
Mon
Unit 1 Spillover
Unit 1 Quizzes due @ 11:59 PM
Test 1 Goes Live @ 3:20 PM
Unit 2: Cognitive Psychology
9-Feb
Wed
Sensation and Perception
Chapter 4
Quiz 5
14-Feb
Mon
States of Consciousness
Chapter 5
Quiz 6
16-Feb
Wed
Conditioning and Learning (Recording Only)
Chapter 6
Quiz 7
21-Feb
Mon
Memory (Encoding, Storage, Retrieval)
Chapter 7
23-Feb
Wed
Memory Biases
Chapter 7
Quiz 8
28-Feb
Mon
Judgment and Decision Making
Chapter 8
Quiz 9
2-Mar
Wed
Unit 2 Spillover
Unit 2 Quizzes due @ 11:59 PM
Test 2 Goes live @ 3:20 PM
Unit 3: Social Psychology
7-Mar
Mon
Personality Traits
Chapter 12
Quiz 10
9-Mar
Wed
Functions of Emotions
Chapter 10
Quiz 11
14-Mar
Mon
No Class - Spring Break
16-Mar
Wed
No Class - Spring Break
21-Mar
Mon
Helping and Prosocial Behavior
Chapter 13
23-Mar
Wed
Conformity and Obedience, Day 1
Chapter 13
28-Mar
Mon
Conformity and Obedience, Day 2
Chapter 13
30-Mar
Wed
Prejudice, Stereotyping, and Discrimination, Day 1
Chapter 13
4-Apr
Mon
Prejudice, Stereotyping, and Discrimination, Day 2
Chapter 13
Quiz 12
6-Apr
Wed
Unit 3 Spillover
Unit 3 Quizzes due @ 11:59 M
Test 3 Goes Live @ 3:20 PM
Unit 4: Abnormal Psychology
11-Apr
Mon
Mood Disorders
Chapter 15
Book Report due @ 11:59 PM
13-Apr
Wed
Anxiety and Related Disorders Day 1
Chapter 15
18-Apr
Mon
Anxiety and Related Disorders Day 2
Chapter 15
20-Apr
Wed
Schizophrenia Specturm Disorders
Chapter 15
Quiz 13
25-Apr
Mon
Therapeutic Orientations
Chapter 16
27-Apr
Wed
Psychopharmacology
Chapter 16
Quiz 14
2-May
Mon
Unit 4 Spillover
Unit 4 Quizzes due @ 11:59 PM
Test 4 Goes Live @ 3:20 PM
PSY 1300: General Psychology 8
COURSE POLICIES
Course Communication
You may email me at wil[email protected] with any questions regarding the course. I respond to
class emails within one business day of receiving them. As such, emails sent Monday – Thursday will
receive a reply by the next week day (e.g. an email send Tuesday will receive a reply by Wednesday),
and emails sent Friday – Sunday will receive a reply by the following Monday. I do not check my
email on school holidays.
Academic Misconduct
As stated in the Texas Tech University Statement of Academic Integrity, “Texas Tech promotes an
ethical standard that does not condone academic misconduct and strives to instill values that uphold
academic integrity. . . . Academic misconduct includes cheating, plagiarism, and any other activity that
a student may participate in that prevents an honest representation of his or her academic performance.
. . . Cheating and plagiarism are the most common forms of academic misconduct and are defined, in
accordance with the Code of Student Conduct from the Student Affairs Handbook (Part IX, Section
B.19).” It is your responsibility as a student to be familiar with Texas Tech's Code of Student Conduct,
and policies on academic integrity and academic misconduct. These materials can be found in the
Student Affairs Handbook, Part IX, and at the following web site:
• http://www.depts.ttu.edu/dos/handbook/
If it is determined that you cheated or plagiarized in this class, you will receive a 0 on that exam/paper
and you will be referred to the Office of Student Conduct.
Holy Days
A student who is absent from classes for the observance of a religious holy day shall be allowed to take
an examination or complete an assignment scheduled for that day—without penalty—within a
reasonable time before or after the absence.
Students with Special Needs
Any student who, because of a disability, may require special arrangements in order to meet the course
requirements should contact the instructor as soon as possible to make any necessary arrangements.
Students should present appropriate verification from Student Disability Services during the
instructor’s office hours. Please note: instructors are not allowed to provide classroom
accommodations to a student until appropriate verification from Student Disability Services has been
provided. For additional information, please contact Student Disability Services in West Hall or call
(806) 742-2405.
TTU Statement on Civility in the Classroom
Texas Tech University is a community of faculty, students, and staff that enjoys an expectation of
cooperation, professionalism, and civility during the conduct of all forms of university business,
including the conduct of student–student and student–faculty interactions in and out of the classroom.
Further, the (online) classroom is a setting in which an exchange of ideas and creative thinking should
be encouraged and where intellectual growth and development are fostered. Students who disrupt this
classroom mission by rude, sarcastic, threatening, abusive or obscene language and/or behavior will
PSY 1300: General Psychology 9
be subject to appropriate sanctions according to university policy. Likewise, faculty members are
expected to maintain the highest standards of professionalism in all interactions with all constituents
of the university:
• http://www.depts.ttu.edu/ethics/matadorchallenge/ethicalprinciples.php
TTU Resources for Discrimination, Harassment, and Sexual Violence
Texas Tech University is committed to providing and strengthening an educational, working, and
living environment where students, faculty, staff, and visitors are free from gender and/or sex
discrimination of any kind. Sexual assault, discrimination, harassment, and other Title IX violations
are not tolerated by the University. Report any incidents to the Office for Student Rights & Resolution,
(806) 742-SAFE (7233) or file a report online at:
• http://www.depts.ttu.edu/titleix/students/.
Faculty and staff members at TTU are committed to connecting you to resources on campus. Some of
these available resources are:
• TTU Student Counseling Center, (806) 742-3674, http://www.depts.ttu.edu/scc/ (Provides
confidential support on campus.)
• TTU Student Counseling Center 24-hour Helpline, (806) 742-5555, (Assists students who
are experiencing a mental health or interpersonal violence crisis. If you call the helpline, you
will speak with a mental health counselor.)
• Voice of Hope Lubbock Rape Crisis Center, (806) 763-7273,
http://voiceofhopelubbock.org/ (24-hour hotline that provides support for survivors of sexual
violence.)
• The Risk, Intervention, Safety and Education (RISE) Office, (806) 742-2110,
http://www.depts.ttu.edu/rise/ (Provides a range of resources and support options focused on
prevention education and student wellness.)
• Texas Tech Police Department, (806) 742-3931, http://www.depts.ttu.edu/ttpd/ (To report
criminal activity that occurs on or near Texas Tech campus.)
LGBTQIA Support Statement
I identify as an ally to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA)
community, and I am available to listen and support you in an affirming manner. I can assist in
connecting you with resources on campus to address problems you may face pertaining to sexual
orientation and/or gender identity that could interfere with your success at Texas Tech. Please note that
additional resources are available through the Office of LGBTQIA within the Center for Campus Life,
Student Union Building Room 201, www.lgbtqia.ttu.edu, (806) 742-5433.
NOTE: The content of this course and syllabus is subject to change at the need and discretion of the
instructor. Students will be notified in class and by email of any changes to the syllabus and receive
new copies of the revised syllabus.
Texas State Objectives and Assessments
PSY 1300: General Psychology 10
Core-Curriculum Objectives and Assessments:
The objective of the social and behavioral sciences in a core curriculum is to increase the
student's knowledge of how social and behavioral scientists discover, describe, and explain the
behaviors and interactions among individuals, groups, institutions, events, and ideas. Such
knowledge will better equip students to understand themselves and the roles they play in addressing
the issues facing humanity. Students graduating from Texas Tech University should be able to
demonstrate the ability to assess critically claims about social issues, human behavior, and
diversity in human experiences. Specifically, should be able to demonstrate:
1. Critical Thinking Skills: to include creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis,
evaluation and synthesis of information.
Students will often be exposed to competing theories that attempt to explain the same
behavior(s). Students will weigh evidence and consider alternatives when exposed to such
conflicting viewpoints. Strategies to teach students to evaluate claims and weigh evidence will
include didactic lecture introducing the basic research methods in psychology; modeling of
critical questioning of claims and generation of alternative explanations; and activities and
discussions, both inside and outside of class, that provide opportunities for students to practice
these skills. Assessment of student learning for this objective will include using a set of short-
answer questions developed by the course supervisor and the Psychology Department’s
Undergraduate Program Committee to assess these critical thinking skills; these items will be
administered to students at the beginning and end of the semester. In addition, student learning
will be assessed via participation in class discussions and activities, outside homework
assignments, and graded exams.
2. Communication Skills: to include effective development, interpretation and expression of
ideas through written, oral, and visual communication.
Students will express their opinions and critical analysis of the course topics in the form of class
discussions, class activities, class presentations, written homework assignments, and by
answering written exam questions. Students will also have the option to write about empirical
research articles as an alternative course assignment. Course materials include a variety of
multimedia content including photographs, data charts/graphs, videos, and interactive
simulations to enhance students’ interpretation, comprehension, and integration of information
across a variety of presentation modalities. Ongoing assessment of student learning of this
objective will occur through the formative and evaluative assessments described above (class
discussions and activities, outside homework assignments, and graded exams).
3. Empirical and Quantitative Skills: to include the manipulation and analysis of numerical data
or observable facts resulting in informed conclusions.
Students will learn how to calculate and interpret basic descriptive (mean, mode, median,
standard deviation) and inferential (correlation, t-test) statistics. They will interpret the results
of empirical studies in class, on homework assignments, on exams, and in empirical research
articles. They will also learn about various research methodologies employed in psychology
(experiments, case studies, surveys, etc.) and the situations in which each is most appropriate.
Ongoing assessment of student learning of this objective will occur through the formative and
evaluative assessments described above (class discussions and activities, outside homework
assignments, and graded exams). Student learning of this objective will also be assessed using
PSY 1300: General Psychology 11
a set of short-answer questions developed by the course supervisor and the Psychology
Department’s Undergraduate Program Committee to assess methodological understanding;
these items will be administered to students at the beginning and end of the semester.
4. Social Responsibility: to include intercultural competence, knowledge of civic responsibility,
and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities.
Many topics include information on how and why some relevant human behaviors differ by
group while others are consistent across groups, which will provide students with important
knowledge necessary to engage in diverse communities. More specifically, through didactic
lecture and assigned readings, students will be exposed to research in multicultural and
international contexts to increase their awareness and knowledge of the extent to which human
behavior and experience is influenced by individual, group, and universal factors. Moreover,
research on the enlightenment effect demonstrates that learning about basic research on issues
such as pro-social behavior leads students to engage in more socially responsible behavior.
Ongoing assessment of student learning of this objective will occur through formative and
evaluative assessments of students’ contributions to class discussions and exam responses.
TTU Student Learning Objectives:
1. Identify and critique alternative explanations for claims about social issues and human
behavior.
By the end of this course, students will have been exposed to different theories, ideas, and
empirical findings about the causes and effects of human behavior and experiences as they relate
both to individuals and to groups. Importantly, they will have been exposed to various theories
about human behavior that have been proposed and falsified through decades of psychology
theory and research, providing them with a better understanding of the critical-thinking process
that researchers and theorists engage in while investigating human behavior. They will also
engage in their own critical thinking about current theories and empirical findings as part of
their in-class lessons and activities, as part of homework assignments, and on exams. Student
learning of this objective will be assessed in part using a set of short-answer questions
developed by the course supervisor and the Psychology Department’s Undergraduate Program
Committee to assess these critical thinking skills; these items will be administered to students
at the beginning and end of the semester. In addition, student learning will be assessed via
participation in class discussions and activities, homework assignments, and graded exams.
2. Demonstrate knowledge of the appropriate and ethical methods, technologies, and data
that social and behavioral scientists use to investigate the human condition.
Students will learn about various research methodologies employed in psychology
(experiments, case studies, surveys, etc.) and the situations in which each is most appropriate.
They will also learn the basics of data analysis and the logic behind scientific research. Ethics
in research are also covered, including institutional review boards (IRBs) and historical
examples of past research situations that are no longer considered ethical and why (e.g., the
Stanford prison study or Milgram’s obedience research). Students will also have the option to
participate in research as a research participant, which provides a hands-on experience to help
them understand how psychology research is conducted. Student learning of this objective will
be assessed using a set of short-answer questions developed by the course supervisor and the
Psychology Department’s Undergraduate Program Committee to assess methodological
understanding; these items will be administered to students at the beginning and end of the
PSY 1300: General Psychology 12
semester. In addition, student learning will be assessed via participation in class discussions
and activities, outside homework assignments, and graded exams.
College-Level Competency Objectives:
1. Students graduating from Texas Tech University should be able to: demonstrate the
ability to assess critically claims about social issues and human behavior in human
experiences.
Students who complete PSY 1300 will have been exposed to different theories, ideas, and
empirical findings about the causes and effects of human behavior and experiences. They will
have been exposed to various theories about human behavior that have been proposed and
falsified through decades of psychology theory and research and engage in their own critical
thinking about current theories and empirical findings as part of their in-class lessons and
activities, as part of homework assignments, and on exams. In addition, students will learn how
and why some human behaviors are consistent despite culture, gender, or economic differences
while others differ by group. Student learning of this objective will be assessed using a set of
short-answer questions developed by the course supervisor and the Psychology Department’s
Undergraduate Program Committee to assess these critical thinking skills; these items will be
administered to first-year and graduating students to assess the extent to which students acquire
these skills across their undergraduate curriculum.
