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DAY	DATE	TOPIC	REQUIRED READINGS

Wed	9/28	Introduction	Syllabus, Study Advice (course home page)
Thur	9/29	Perspectives on Behavior	Chapter 1 (All)
Fri	9/30	Perspectives/Studying Behavior

Mon	10/3	Studying Behavior	Chapter 2 (All)
Tues	10/4	Questionnaire Day
Wed	10/5	Studying Behavior
Thur	10/6	Studying Behavior
Fri	10/7	Brain and Behavior	Chapter 3 (pp. 61--101 middle; 106--107)

Mon	10/10	Brain and Behavior
Tues	10/11	No Lecture: ACTIVITY #1 DUE
Wed	10/12	Brain and Behavior
Thur	10/13	Brain and Behavior
Fri	10/14	Sensation & Perception	Chapter 4 (pp. 108--114; 134 middle -- 153)

Mon	10/17	Sensation & Perception
Tues	10/18	To Be Announced
Wed	10/19	Exam #1 (Covers 9/28 to 10/17)
Thur	10/20	States of Consciousness	Chapter 5 (All)
Fri	10/21	States of Consciousness

Mon	10/24	States of Consciousness
Tues	10/25	States of Consciousness
Wed	10/26	Learning	Chapter 6 (All)
Thur	10/27	Learning
Fri	10/28	Learning

Mon	10/31	Learning
Tues	11/1	No Lecture: ACTIVITY #2 DUE
Wed	11/2	Memory	Chapter 7 (All)
Thur	11/3	Memory
Fri	11/4	Memory

Mon	11/7	No Lecture: ACTIVITY #3 DUE
Tues	11/8	Human Development	Chapter 10 (All)
Wed	11/9	Human Development
Thur	11/10	Human Development
Fri	11/11	HOLIDAY: Veterans Day

Mon	11/14	To Be Announced
Tues	11/15	EXAM #2 (Covers 10/20 to 11/10)
Wed	11/16	Behavior in a Social Context	Chapter 15 (All)
Thur	11/17	Behavior in a Social Context
Fri	11/18	Behavior in a Social Context

Mon	11/21	Behavior in a Social Context
Tues	11/22	Personality	Chapter 11(All)
Wed	11/23	Personality
Thur	11/24	HOLIDAY: Thanksgiving
Fri	11/25	HOLIDAY: Thanksgiving

Mon	11/28	Psychological Disorders	Chapter 13 (All)
Tues	11/29	Psychological Disorders
Wed	11/30	Psychological Disorders
Thur	12/1	Psychological Disorders
Fri	12/2	Disorders/Therapy	Chapter 14 (All)

Mon	12/5	No Lecture: ACTIVITY #4 DUE
Tues	12/6	Therapy
Wed	12/7	Therapy
Thur	12/8	Therapy
Fri	12/9	Therapy

Wed	12/14	Exam #3 (Covers 11/16 to 12/9)	TIME: 9:30-10:20 LOCATION: Kane 120



                ADDITIONAL COURSE INFORMATION

A. Instructional Staff:  How to Reach Us

	Name	Phone	Office

Instructor	Michael Passer	685-1814	Guthrie 238
T.A. Fellow	Reo Newring	685-2906	Guthrie Basement 10B
T.A.	Gareth Holman	685-2906	Guthrie Basement 10B
T.A.	Kelly Koo	685-2906	Guthrie Basement 10B



OFFICE HOURS:   Click Here

WEBSITE:   http://courses.washington.edu/passr101  (Note: That's passr101, NOT passer101)

E-MAIL:   passr101@u.washington.edu  (Once again, that's passr101, NOT passer101)


MESSAGES, QUESTIONS, & PROBLEMS:  	
See us after class or during office hours, call us during office hours, or send us an email at the
course e-mail address.   The passr101@u.washington.edu address is specifically set up for this
course.  During this Academic Quarter,  on Mondays through  Fridays, we will check  e-mail 
messages once or twice daily and try to get back to you the same day or by the end of the next 
school day.
(Return to Top)


B. Purpose of Course

This course will provide you with a general understanding of what psychology is about, why it is important, 
and why many of us find it a fascinating topic to study. You will learn about the basic subject matter of 
psychology, various subfields and theoretical perspectives, how psychologists study behavior, and how 
psychological knowledge has been applied to improve the quality of life.  This course is a prerequisite to 
more advanced courses.  The topics covered in this class are explored more fully in these advanced 
classes.  Thus, if you are thinking of majoring in psychology or simply wish to learn more about it, this 
course can help you decide what aspects (i.e., subfields) of psychology are most interesting to you and, 
therefore, what advanced courses you might want to take.


C. Learning Goals

1.  Knowledge of Psychology:  My basic goal is to increase your knowledge of psychology.  This is 
the only goal that will be evaluated directly by exams and it includes enhancing your knowledge 
and understanding of:   a) major psychological approaches to the study of behavior;  b) major 
issues in psychology;  c) concepts, basic terminology, research findings, and applications of 
psychological work;  d) the research process and its limitations; and  e)  psychology's important 
contributors.

2.  Scientific Values and Skills:  I hope this course will stimulate your intellectual curiosity about 
human behavior, increase your appreciation of the scientific method, help you recognize faulty or 
biased research, and increase your ability to critically evaluate scientific information.

3.  Everyday Life:  You will have to judge whether any of the following goals are met, and a full 
opportunity to make this judgment may not occur until long after this course is over.  I hope the 
information in this course will increase your understanding of other people's and your own 
behavior, help you appreciate the complexity of human behavior, and promote an intelligent 
skepticism about accepting psychological "facts" and "truths" that you come across in everyday 
life (e.g., in newspapers, "pop" magazines, on TV and radio talk shows, etc.).     (Return to Top)



D.  Relation Between Lectures and Textbook

Classes will consist of lectures, films, demonstrations, and possibly some guest speakers. Some material covered in the textbook will be covered in lecture, since both the text and I will cover concepts, terms, theories, and research findings that are of central importance in psychology. The amount of overlap will vary depending on the topic; for some topics the lectures and text will overlap quite a bit, for others they will overlap only a little. In general, the lectures are not designed simply to repeat or explain the chapters. Rather, lectures will introduce a lot of material that is not in the text, and time will be devoted to films and demonstrations so that you can learn about psychology in ways not possible through the textbook alone. Therefore, as you may find in many of your other college classes, there is a lot of material in the assigned chapters that will not be covered in class, and which you will need to learn on your own. If you are seeking a class that does not require a lot of independent reading (i.e., a class where most of the material covered in the textbook also is covered and explained in class).....then do not take this course. There is a lot of independent reading and that text material will be included in the exams. We will have office hours and chapter study sessions if you want assistance in learning this material.


E.  Textbook 

1. REQUIRED:  M. W. Passer & R. E. Smith, Psychology: The Science of Mind and Behavior, 2nd Edition. 
(2004), McGraw-Hill. 

2.  OPTIONAL STUDY GUIDE:  E. Peterson, (2004). Study Guide to  Accompany  M. W. Passer & R. E. 
Smith (2004).  Psychology: The Science of Mind and Behavior, 2nd Edition.  McGraw-Hill. 
Much of this study guide also is available for free, online. You can access it from the course home
page: http://courses.washington.edu/passr101 then click the photo of the textbook.

A few  copies of the textbook (and, if possible, the study guide) will be placed on 4-hour reserve at Odegaard 
Undergraduate Library (Reserve Desk).  If you purchase a used textbook that contains underlining or 
highlighting from a previous student, please realize that the book was probably used in another 
instructor's course and possibly at another university. Also, who knows what grade 
that student received. So, do your own underlining or highlighting and don't rely 
on what's already done. 

(Return to Top


F.  Grading Policies


1.  Exams:  (100 points): There will be 3 Exams.  Each exam will consist of 40 multiple choice questions, worth 1 point 
     each, and will be non-cumulative.  Exam questions are based on ALL material 
     presented in lecture and ALL material covered in the assigned chapters (even if the textbook 
     material is not discussed in lecture). 		

ALL MIDTERM EXAMS ARE REQUIRED AND COUNT TOWARD YOUR FINAL GRADE, AS 
FOLLOWS:
a)  Your two highest scores will each count as a full exam (maximum = 40 points EACH)
b)  Your  lowest score will count  only half as much as each of your better exams (maximum  = 20 points).  
    

      To repeat, the formula for computing your total points from exams is:

Highest Exam Score + Second Highest Exam Score + (Lowest Score/2) = 100 possible points

             						 
															
2.  Online Activities: (10 points):  The course includes 4 required online activities,that are performed 
outside of class. Activity #1 and Activity #3 are worth 2 points each.  Activity #2 and Activity #4 are 
worth 3 points each.  Each activity promotes one or more of the course Learning Goals described earlier. 
Some activities may take only 10 or 15 minutes, whereas others may take up to an hour.  Obviously, 
these are general estimates because eveyone has her or his own pace. You'll  be able to access the 
activities from the course website.  To receive the points for a particular activity, it must be completed
by a specific Due Date. No points will be awarded for an activity completed after its Due Date. I will provide 
additional information about these activities in class. The activities don't require you to write papers, but as
part of each activity you'll be asked to evaluate it and provide feedback to us by responding to an online survey.

Course Grade = Three Exams (100 points) + Online Activities (10 points) = 110 possible points




3.  Course Grades.  At the end of the term, grade points will be assigned according to the grading 
     scale shown below.  You should view the scale as a "guaranteed minimum grade scale".  
     If you achieve a given point total your final course grade cannot be any lower than the grade on 
     the scale.  Your final grade may be higher, as will be explained shortly.

Note: Please be aware that 0.7 is the lowest passing grade used at the U.W. Any grade below that is a 0.0 (the grades .1 to .6 are not used at the U.W.). Course Grade Example: Terry has the following scores on her 3 exams: 29, 34, 31. Her lowest score is divided by 2, so 29/2 = 14.5, which is rounded up to 15. So, her total exam points (out of 100 possible exam points) are 15 + 34 + 31 = 80 points. Terry also performed all
of theonline activities by their due dates, for which she received 10 points. Using the grading scale above, 90 points equals a grade of 2.7 for the course. 4. "Back-up Curve": There is a back-up curve that will be used only if the class does poorly in terms of final course grades, i.e., it will be used only if less than half the class (i.e., less than half of all students who have completed all 4 exams) receives a course grade of 2.5 or above. In this event, everyone's course grade will be curved up until 50% of the class receives a 2.5 or higher. After all the exams are completed, I will determine whether there will be a curve based on the "total points" distribution for the entire class. If 50% or more of the class is getting a 2.5 or above, then no curve will be used. Remember, the decision as to whether there will be a curve is made after all 4 exams are completed. A curve IS NOT applied to each exam individually. 5. Appeal Procedure. If your answer to an exam question is marked as being incorrect but you feel it is correct, you may contest the question by writing an appeal. The written appeal must be based on material presented in the book or in lecture (indicating chapter, page, line and specific quote); it cannot be based on your personal opinion or experience. Appeals for Exams 1 and 2 must be handed in to one of the T.A.s or the T.A. Fellow (or placed in their mail box) within one week after the answer keys are posted. Appeals for Exam 3 (final exam) must be turned in by noon, the day after the exam (i.e., by noon, Thursday, Dec. 15). We will review the appeal and give credit if appropriate. 6. Scantron Exam Sheets. In order to take an exam, you must have a scantron (i.e., mark-sense) form so that your test can be computer scored. Mark-sense forms can be purchased at the U.W. bookstore and at the Student Union Building (HUB). We will not be supplying mark-sense forms in class.

7. Exam Score Delays. If you make an error filling in the "bubbles" on your mark sense exam form for your student number, name, or test version, this will cause a delay in getting your exam score to you. You either will not be able to find your student number on the list of exam scores, or your student number will appear with no score next to it. In either case, you will need to go to one of the T.A. office hours in Guthrie and help the T.A. find your mark-sense form. Please be careful in filling in this information.

8. Incompletes. Only students with special circumstances beyond their control who have obtained permission from Dr. Passer are eligible for a grade of Incomplete. Please note: Incompletes will NOT be given out at the end of the quarter simply as a way to "take the course over again" in the case of a bad grade in the course. If your grade isn't what you need or want, come to office hours during the quarter and the T.A.s and I will try to assist you and help you learn the material better. Don't wait until it's too late.

9. Make-Up Exams. Make-up exams will be granted only under unique, unavoidable circumstances (e.g., serious illness or family emergency.) The standard make-up procedure will be to take a short-answer written make-up exam this quarter. If you are facing a unique circumstance--an illness, emergency, or whatever -- that you think may impair your ability to perform well on an exam, see me as soon as it arises so that we can discuss whether a make-up or Incomplete will be granted. DO NOT WAIT until after you have taken an exam to tell me that your score was low because of some unique circumstance. Once you take an exam, that score counts no matter what. See me ahead of time.

10. Extra Credit Participation in Research. Extra credit points can be earned by participating in research projects approved by the Department of Psychology for that purpose. You will receive more
information about this later this week or next week. Basically, here's what happens. Go to Guthrie Hall (which is where the Psychology Department is located) and check the bulletin boards in the basement waiting area for the time and location of research projects. The boards are located immediately below the lobby of Guthrie: down the stairs and then make a right turn around the corner. For each 2 hours of research participation, your grade point will be raised by .1, up to a maximum amount of .3 grade points (6 hours of participation). Your point total for the course will be calculated as described earlier, if necessary the curve will be used, and lastly, the extra credit grade points will be added to produce your final course grade. So, continuing the example from section F.3 of the syllabus, if Terry has 90 total points from the exams and syllabus question, and
also participated in 6 hours of research, then Terry's grade would increase from a 2.7 to a 3.0. If Terry did 2 hours of research, her grade would go from 2.7 to 2.8. 11. A Final Note on Grading. The grading system used in this course applies to all students equally. Some flexibility is built into the multiple-choice system, namely, your lowest grade is discounted by 50% and counts only half as much as each of your two highest grades. You also can earn extra credit as a research participant. Sometimes, a student will ask me if she/he can re-take a test or do some type of "extra" report, paper, etc.to raise their course grade. My answer will always be "No" because I don't make special grading opportunities available to some students but not others. So please, do not even ask. If you are having trouble mastering the course material be sure to take advantage of the office hours being held each week and extra assistance or review sessions that will be held before each exam. We are here to help you learn. Please don't wait until the end of the quarter to see us. By then it will be way too late.

G. Exam/Classroom Procedures 1. Assigned Seating for Exams. You will be given an assigned seat for exams and must sit in this seat during all exams. If your seat is vacant during the exam you will automatically receive a zero for that exam. Your seat assignment will be posted in the basement of the Psychology Building, and on the course website. Once we get the final class list from the Registrar (usually at the end of Week 2) you will be given an assigned seat. Prior to making seat assignments we will ask you if you have any special needs (e.g., left-handed desk). The use of assigned seats on exam days allows me and the T.A.s to verify which students are absent. We will post the assigned seats by the Monday or Tuesday before the first exam. 2. Materials Needed for the Exams: Be sure to bring to each exam the following items: a. MARK SENSE FORM (can be obtained from U.Bookstore or the HUB) b. 2 SOFT LEAD #2 PENCILS WITH ERASER c. YOUR STUDENT IDENTIFICATION NUMBER d. SEAT ASSIGNMENT e. PICTURE ID WITH SIGNATURE 3. Exam Ethics. The following remarks aren't meant to offend anyone's sense of honesty, but it's probably best to briefly discuss exam ethics up front. It is expected that during exams that each student will do his or her own work. Looking at other students' exams, using notes, or any other behavior indicating outside assistance constitutes cheating. If cheating occurs a grade of zero ("0") will be given for that particular exam and the Vice Provost will be informed. The Vice Provost's office determines the formal disciplinary action that will be taken. (Return to Top H. Assistance with Study Skills. If you need help improving your study skills: a. See one of us during our office hours. We can discuss your approach to studying and make
some suggestions. b. A structured program for improving study skills may be offered by the University Counseling
Center at 401 Schmitz Hall (phone number 543-1240). There usually is a fee for this program.
If you're interested, contact the center as soon as possible. c. You can find advice on how to develop good study skills in your textbook. See: How to Enhance Your Academic Performance: pages, 25--27; Using Operant Principles to Modify Your Behavior , pages 223--224; Improving Memory and Academic Learning: pages 276--277
Increasing Self-Efficacy Through systematic Goal Settig: pages 447--448 d. You can find some specific suggestions on how to study for this course andprepare for exams
by looking at No Bull Study Advice on the course website.

I. Audio Tapes of Lectures We will attempt to make an audio tape of each lecture and place it on reserve in the Media Services Center on the mezzanine level in Odegaard Library (OUGL). If we can do it, tapes usually will processed and become available about 2 days after the lecture. To listen to a tape, go the OUGL Media Services Center desk located at the back of the mezzanine level. These tapes must be used in the booths provided for that purpose in the library. In addition, any student who wishes to may use his/her own recorder during lecture to make recordings for personal use. NOTE: Stuff happens, and some days the audio tape gremlins cause equipment to malfunction (or the operator may be absent). So let us know if an audiotape is missing, has no sound, or has poor sound quality. But, in that event, you will you will need to get the lecture notes from a classmate.

J. Class Meetings: Cell Phones Off and Some Other Requests Even in a class this large I would like an atmosphere where you can ask questions, I can have discussions with the class, and where I can perform demonstrations or class exercises to illustrate various points. In order to do this I ask that if you come to class, please come to learn. If you want to chat with your classmates, read the newspaper, eat or drink, etc., then please go elsewhere. These behaviors are distracting, especially to classmates seated near you. When you talk or whisper to the person next to you, it may seem quiet to you, but the noise adds up very fast in a large class. If a classmate asks me a question during lecture, please show her or him respect by not starting to talk. Remember, no one is taking attendance or makning you come to class. If you own a cell phone, turn it off before entering class. Ringing cell phones disrupt class. If you anticipate receiving a vital call that may come during lecture, then do not come to class that day. In sum, come to class because you want to, and because you wish to learn about psychology. For my part, I will do my very best to make this course interesting and informative. Thanks.