Psychology 200 - Personality Theory
Spring 2006
Instructor:
Office: M-4-215
Phone: 287-6358
Office Hours: TTH 12:45-1:15
Email: Lizabeth.Roemer@umb.edu
Website for course notes: http://psych.umb.edu/Faculty/roemer/perssyl.htm
Textbook: Burger, J.M. Personality - 6th edition
The goal of this course is to introduce students to some of the major theories of personality and the research methods used to test these theories. Several perspectives on personality will be introduced and critical evaluation of these alternative perspectives will be encouraged. From each of these different perspectives we will address questions such as: What is personality? What are the similarities and differences among individuals’ personalities? What factors influence the development of personality? How can we investigate the nature and cause of personality? What are the implications and consequences of our theories of personality?
Classes will consist of lecture and discussion on topics that parallel and relate to the information covered in the textbook, but will not duplicate the textbook. Class time will be used to expand on and clarify concepts from the book, so completing reading assignments in a timely fashion will significantly enhance the usefulness of class time. In addition, weekly quizzes (discussed below) will cover material in the book, so it is important that you have done the reading by the time of the quiz. Exams will cover material from class and from the textbook; therefore attendance is crucial. Students are responsible for all information presented in class and should obtain notes from a classmate for any classes missed.
Exams: There will be three exams throughout the semester and a final exam during finals week. The lowest of these exams will be dropped; only three exams will figure into your final grade. Each exam will count for 25% of your final grade. Exams during the semester will be essentially non-cumulative, but will refer to general principles from previous sections (which will be highlighted in lecture and the book, so it will be clear what they are). The final exam will be cumulative and will cover material from the entire course. The format of the exams will be primarily multiple-choice, with some short essay questions. There will be no make-up examinations for any reason – so think carefully before you miss an exam. Only one exam will be dropped. If you miss two exams, you will receive a 0 for 25 % of your grade.
Final paper: The final paper will account for 15% of
your final grade. Students will be asked
to describe a person they know or a character from a movie or novel from the
perspective of two of the theories discussed in this course (not trait theory)
and then conclude with their own impression (see detailed assignment on page 4
of this syllabus). The final paper will
be due May 15th. A third of a letter grade will be deducted
for each day a paper is late (from A to A-, A- to B+, B+ to B, etc.). This
includes nonclass days, so a paper submitted on May 16th would lose
1/3 a letter grade, on May 17th 2/3 a letter grade, and so forth.
Rough draft : Students may turn in a rough draft of the first part of this paper (sections a and b, see paper description) anytime on or before March 21st . This draft will not be graded, but it will allow you to receive feedback on this draft that will help in preparing the final paper. Students are welcome to meet with the instructor after this date to discuss the paper or review drafts in a meeting, but no drafts will receive detailed feedback that are received after March 21st. The instructor will return these drafts within two weeks to allow sufficient time to continue work on the paper.
In-class quizzes: At 6 points during the semester (during each section), an in-class quiz will be given. (Dates noted in the course outline.) These quizzes will cover the two chapters of the given section and will be aimed at helping you understand and think about the material covered, as well as making sure you are doing the reading. You will be allowed to use your notes for these quizzes (so if you take good notes on the readings, this will help you a great deal). Your four best quizzes will constitute 10% of your final grade. This means that two quizzes can be missed or dropped. There will be no make-ups for quizzes.
Class participation: Class participation is strongly encouraged. By participating in class, students are able to engage in learning this material, critically assessing the ideas presented, and shaping the focus of the class so that it meets their needs. Class will become more dynamic, interesting and rewarding as more students actively share their ideas, objections, critiques, and questions. No formal grades will be assigned for participation and lack of participation will never hurt a student’s grade. However, participation may improve a student’s grade, particularly when an average falls just below a grade cut-off.
Office hours: Students are encouraged to attend office hours or call and make an appointment for alternate times if any additional help is needed in comprehending and mastering the course material. The instructor is available to assist in understanding the book, lecture material, mistakes made on a previous exam, or to problem-solve any difficulties arising in the course. Any other advising questions are also welcome (course choices, career planning, etc.).
If at any point a student is having difficulty completing assignments
or attending class, it is strongly recommended that he or she meet with the
instructor immediately to discuss the situation. Often difficulties can be solved in advance
but by the end of the semester less can be done to overcome the problem.
CLASS POLICIES:
1. In accordance with Section 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
the
2. You may note in the class syllabus certain topics that may in some cases
cause severe discomfort or other strong emotional reactions from some students.
If you believe that in- class discussion of such material might be more than
you can handle please see me right away so that we can determine whether you
should remain in this course.
3. It is assumed that in this class each student and I will act in a
professional and honest manner. Therefore, any student who engages in an act of
Academic Dishonesty, plagiarizing a paper (copying from any source without
quotes and referencing is plagiarizing), cheating on an exam, etc., will
receive a failing grade for that assignment/test and in most cases a failing
grade for the course. Please review the sections on Academic Standards,
Cheating, and Plagiarism of the Code of Student Conduct
(http://www.umb.edu/students/student_rights/code_conduct.html). If you still
have questions about Academic Honesty or expectations in this course see me
well prior to the due date of the assignment.
Course outline
When two chapters are
listed for a series of dates, the second chapter should be read by the second date listed
Dates General Topic
Jan 24 Introduction to Course
Jan 26, 31 Introduction to Personality Chapter 1
Research Methods Chapter 2
Feb 2, 7, 9 Freudian Theory & relevant research Ch 3 & 4
in-class
quiz - Feb 7th
Feb 14, 16, 21 Extensions and Alterations of Freud’s theory Ch 5 & 6
in-class quiz - Feb 16th **change in quiz date**
Feb 23 Review for exam
Feb 28 EXAM #1
March 2, 7, 9 Trait Theory & relevant research Ch 7 & 8
in-class
quiz – March 7
SPRING BREAK
March 21, 23, 28 The Biological Perspective & relevant research Ch 9 & 10
in-class
quiz - March 23
Mar 30, Apr 4 & 6 The Behavioral/Social Learning Perspective Ch 13 & 14
in-class quiz – Mar 30
Apr 11 Review for exam
Apr 13 EXAM # 2
Apr 18, 20 Humanistic/Existential Perspective & relevant research Ch 11 & 12
Apr 25, 27, May 2 Cognitive perspective & relevant research Ch 15 & 16
in-class
quiz – April 27th
May 4 Review for exam
May 9 EXAM #3
These dates are a
guideline. More time may be spent on some topics and less on others according
to the interests of the class. Every attempt
will be made to adhere to the exam schedule.
Paper assignment for Psychology 200
Overall assignment:
One 5-7 page paper in which you a) describe either a person you know or a person from a book or a movie, b) describe this person from a psychoanalytic perspective (either Freud or his followers), c) describe this person from another theoretical perspective we’ve covered in this course (not psychoanalytic and not trait theory), d) summarize and present your opinion about how well these theories describe the person in question.
For part a: It may help to narrow your description to how this person acts in a certain situation or a specific aspect of their personality. This part should be a strictly descriptive, without any interpretation. That is, describe what this person does, says or feels, not why that is.
For parts b and c: Go
back over the description in the first part and provide an explanation for
these characteristics from each of the theories you are reviewing. For each section I want you to read one
additional source and use that source in your description. You can use the
references at the end of each chapter and choose a source from among them. Be
sure to provide references for your sources. It may help to briefly
review the main thrust of the theory first (e.g. “Freud emphasized unconscious
conflict as the determinant of behavior”) and then proceed with your
application of the theory. You may combine theorists in each section if you
choose (e.g. Freud and Adler for part b, Maslow and Rogers for part c) but be
sure you integrate the theories in you application. You should be explaining the person’s behavior in these sections,
answering the question “why is this person like this, according to this
theory?” Be sure to explain any inconsistencies in behavior or in explanations
of behavior.
For part d: State your opinions and the reasons behind them. This is your opportunity to have a voice -there are no wrong opinions. Just be sure to provide the reasons for what you think so that the reader can understand your thinking.
See suggestions for final papers (next page) for some advice that will be helpful in producing your final paper. You are welcome to meet with the instructor as much as possible for assistance in the paper.
Suggestions for final papers
Content
Remember to focus on personality, describe how a person is and then why that may be the case.
If you are using a story or a film, be sure to be analyzing a character, not the film as a whole.
Identify specific characteristics of your subject and then explain those same characteristics in the theory sections.
Be specific about which theory you are using.
Apply the theory comprehensively. That means using several elements and integrating them into a cohesive, unified whole. If there are inconsistencies, be sure to address them and attempt to reconcile them to your theory.
Don’t simply take each section of a theory and apply it (for example - these characteristics would indicate fixation in the oral stage; these characteristics would indicate fixation in the phallic stage; these defense mechanisms are used. Instead, integrate these parts: There is evidence that some traumatic event may have occurred during the oral stage…(provide evidence). These unresolved conflicts lead to an excess of unacceptable id impulses, requiring the use of many defense mechanisms…. Also, this fixation may have led to subsequent developmental difficulties. For instance in the phallic stage….)
Don’t use that example
verbatim-it is just to give you an idea of how to integrate different parts of
the theory.
Structure
Your papers should be organized - you should be developing a central idea in each section and the reader should be able to follow the logic of your argument.
Each paragraph should have a coherent theme and paragraphs should follow each other in an organized, manner. Read over your papers to be sure that there is a logical order to them.
Group together similar ideas - for instance personality characteristics related to sociability may make up one paragraph; various defense mechanisms may make up another.
Watch for grammatical errors, particularly sentence fragments and run-on sentences. More than five spelling or grammatical errors will result in points deducted from final grades.
BE SURE TO USE YOUR OWN WORDS. Plagiarism is using words from another source in your paper without putting them in quotation marks. This is academic dishonesty and there are serious consequences (A failing grade on the paper, and in most cases for the course, as well as reporting of the incident –review the sections on Academic Standards, Cheating, and Plagiarism of the Code of Student Conduct http://www.umb.edu/students/student_rights/code_conduct html.
The point of the paper is to express your understanding of these concepts, so it is important that you use your own words to do this.
Extra Credit Opportunities
The following activities provide an opportunity to earn 1-3 extra credit points. Extra credit points will be lead to ½ a percentage point added to your final grade. In other words, one extra credit will result in increasing a 90 to a 90.5. You can only complete a maximum of 3 extra credit points.
Assessing and interpreting personality in books and movies - 1 extra credit per assignment, maximum 3 allowed
Observe a character in a book or movie and highlight aspects that
relate to course material
Submit a one page description of the personality of a character from a television show, book, or movie. Be sure to refer to at least one of the theories discussed in class in your assessment of this individual. You will receive credit if your description indicates understanding of course material.
Personality theory
in the news - 1 extra credit per assignment, maximum 3 allowed
Comment on how a news story relates to issues discussed in class
If you come across a story in the news, in a newspaper, or in a magazine that relates to issues discussed in class, submit a one page summary of the story and how it relates to course material. You will receive credit if your description indicates an understanding of course material.
Participate in
research being conducted by faculty and students in the psychology department -
credits vary based on length of participation
Serve as a participant in a research study, learn more about research
design
Investigators from the psychology department may come to
class and announce studies that are seeking participants. Participation in
these studies is completely voluntary and you are free to withdraw your
participation without any penalty at any point.