Jan. 12, 1999

THE SCIENCE OF PSYCHOLOGY - Short Syllabus & Dates

Psych W1001y 3 pts. Spring 1999

Professor: Norma Graham, nvg@psych.columbia.edu, phonemail x45591

T.A.s: Lisa Son, Danielle May, Amy Jewel

This is a lecture & demonstration course that is a broad survey of the science of psychology. It usually contains something over 100 students. It serves (i) as the first course for psychology majors and (ii) a s a course that partially fulfills Columbia College's and The School of General Studies' science requirements (alone or as the first term of a two-term sequence).

This course emphasizes the scientific aspects of psychology (rather than the more humanities-like schools or applied aspects of psychology). Since the science requirements are natural-science requirements (as opposed to social-science requirements) t here is also some emphasis on "natural" relative to "social" science (although that distinction is not a very clear one in my opinion).

Attendance at the first two classes is mandatory (except in emergencies or by pre-arrangement with the instructor)!

In some years, enrollment has had to be limited. Pre-registration with the registrar AND ATTENDANCE AT THE FIRST TWO CLASSES is sufficient to assure a place in this class. If you have not been able to pre-registrar you may be able to register with the instructor's permission if you attend the first two classes.

STRUCTURE OF COURSE

Lectures and Demonstrations: Tues.Th. 1:10-2:25 a.m, Room 501 Scherhmerhorn. Attendance is expected. Lectures as well as in-class demos will form the basis for 50% of the test questions.

Optional Question-and-Answer Sessions

Reading: from textbook (Peter Gray's Psychology, 3rd. edition ) and recommended supplements. Required reading will form the basis for 50% of the test questions.

Research Participation Requirement (a few hours of participation in experiments)

Grading: Two in-class objective exams + Two out-of-class written assignments. (Other criteria, e.g. attendance, may be taken into account in borderline cases.)

 

SHORT SYLLABUS

The organization of this course is generally from the little to the big: from single molecules & cells -- to systems within a single individual -- to the whole person -- to groups of persons. It ends on the topic of Health and Illness, whic h depends on all the previous levels from the littlest to the biggest. Dates below are approximate.

 

•Introduction to the science of psychology (Classes 1-2 -- Jan. 19-21)

•Neuron and brain (Classes 2-6 -- Jan. 21-Feb. 4)

•Seeing, hearing, perceiving (Classes 6-8 -- Feb. 4-11)

•Genetics, evolution (Classes 8-9 -- Feb. 11-16)

•Motivation at the level of a single individual, e.g. dreams, hunger (Classes 9-11 -- Feb. 16-23)

•Learning, especially classical and operant conditioning (Classes 11-12 -- Feb. 23-25)

•Learning & memory in humans (Classes 12-14 -- Feb. 25-Mar 4)

•First exam (Class 15 -- Mar. 9). First written assignment due Mon. Mar. 15

•Some statistics (Parts of Classes 16-23)

•Memory, language and thought (Classes 16-18 -- Mar.11 and 23-25 )

•Infancy and childhood: Developmental psychology (Classes 18-20 -- Mar 25-Ap. 1)

•Personality, emotion and motivation at an interpersonal level (Classes 20-23 -- Apr. 1-13)

•Social cognition & interpersonal influence (Classes 23-25 -- Apr. 13-20)

•Health and illness; Abnormal psychology (Classes 25-27 -- Apr. 20-27)

•Second exam (Class 28 -- Thurs. Apr. 29th). Second written assignment due Wed. May 5.