Karen Prager, Instructor

**Scroll down to find Lecture Outlines & study aids**

Hours: Tuesdays, 5-6; Thursdays, 12:30-1:30 p.m.,

Telephone: 972-883-2353

**NEW SECTION:  WEB-LINKS TO MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THEORISTS TO USE FOR PAPERS**

Teaching Assistant: Cherie Perroncel

Office:

Hours:

Telephone:

Email: aggie21_2000@yahoo.com

Burger, Jerry M. (2000). Personality, 5^th Edition. Wadsworth (Thomson Learning).

Tests: There will be three (noncomprehensive) multiple-choice exams. Test grades will reflect the percentage of correct items.

For each test, students must bring SCANTRON FORM #F-1712-ERI (pink form) and a #2 pencil. Students should minimize erasing on tests. Students will be required to use cover sheets (we will provide them) during tests.

IMPORTANT: In order to be eligible to earn an A in this course, students must also complete the following assignment.

Essays will be graded based on:

**How accurately and artfully the psychological principals from the theories are applied;

**How well-written the essays are: word usage, paragraph and sentence structure, organization, grammar, spelling, and syntax all contribute to (or detract from) the paper grade.

**Suggestion: Don’t "pad" your paper to make it longer! Content, organization, and writing are important; length is not. (You can decrease the quality of your paper by padding it). Well-written, brief content takes longer to do than padding, so give yourself time to write and rewrite.

****IMPORTANT!!! Essays longer than 2 1/2 pages will be returned ungraded -- because there are lots of you and only one of me. This is a practical necessity.

*****MORE DETAILS, LAST PAGE

The three tests will count 20%, 22%, and 23% with the paper counting 25%. The four test/paper scores will be averaged together for the final course grade. Course grades will range from A to F.

For students who choose not to write the essay: The three test grades will each count 30% and will be averaged together for the final course grade. Course grades will range from B+ to F.

For all students: Class attendance: 10%.

Attendance will be taken during each class period. Grade will be entered as percentage of classes attended.

For all students – Psychology Department requirement. Research requirement:

As part of your experience in a psychology core course, you are required to participate in three experiments during the semester.

You can sign up to serve in experiments on the bulletin board outside the Psychology Program Office (GR 4.202). When you sign up, be sure to write down on your calendar the time and place. The experimenter will take attendance at the session, and will also initial your personal record. Turn in the personal record form to the Psychology Program Office (not to your instructor) by the last class day in the semester. Don't wait until near the end of the term to sign up for experiments; there may not be any experiments available.

Alternative to participating in experiments: You may fulfill the research requirement by reading experimental reports in the psychology journals in the library and writing a one-page summary of one experiment for each hour of credit. Appopriate journals for this course include (but are not limited to): Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Journal of Personality, American Psychologist, Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, Child Development, Developmental Psychology, and Journal of Abnormal Psychology. Turn these in to the Psychology Office (not to your instructor).

Note: If you do not complete the research requirement before finals week, you will receive a grade of "Incomplete" for the course. This grade is assigned through the Psychology Office (not your instructor) and will remain until you complete the experiments. All concerns about experimental credits should be addressed to the psychology office and not your instructor.

POLICY ON TAKING THE TEST ON AN ALTERNATIVE DATE

Your teaching assistant will proctor tests taken on alternative dates. Students are expected to accommodate to her/his schedule. The T.A. is not required to make herself available to proctor your test at any particular time. If you call at the last minute, it is quite possible she will not be able to accommodate you.

1. In the event of a conflict, students may elect to take their tests early (before date on syllabus). There is no penalty, nor any documentation required to take tests early. Times will be arranged by your teaching assistant to fit her schedule.

2. Students who wish to take the test after the date on the syllabus must do so within the week the test was given. You are responsible for insuring that you are available to take the test when your T.A. is available to proctor it.

3. Students taking late tests will automatically have 10 points deducted from their test scores, unless:

** They have a doctor's verification of an illness (or their child's or other close relative's illness or infirmity) on doctor's or hospital's letterhead stationary.

** They have written confirmation of their attendance at a funeral on the funeral home's letterhead stationary.

**They have written confirmation of jury duty or court appearance.

For obvious reasons, I highly recommend that students who believe they will be unable to take the test on the date in the syllabus arrange to take it early.

Personality Psychology Psy 4331

To explain a pattern of behavior, feelings, or thinking using the principals of one of the personality theories covered in class. To answer the question: Why do I behave this way? or Why do I feel this way? or Why do I believe/think this way? To demonstrate your skill applying the theoretical principals discussed in class.

I. Describe the pattern of behavior, feeling, or thinking that you wish to explain in your behavior. Do not describe why something happened to you; this paper is about you: why you do what you do, think what you think, and/or feel how you feel.

II. Name the theory or theorist whose ideas you believe offer a reasonable explanation for the pattern of behavior, feeling, or thinking.

III. Using logic, explain how the principals from the theory account for the pattern of behavior, feeling, or thinking you described at the beginning of the essay. As you go, you will need to define and describe the principal(s) that you are using to explain the pattern.

How accurately and artfully the psychological principals from the theories are described and applied.

How well organized and written the essays are: organization, paragraph and sentence structure, word usage, grammar, spelling, and syntax all contribute to (or detract from) the paper grade.

**That you tell your deepest, darkest secrets (although you certainly may write about sensitive material if you want to. Your grade will not depend upon your doing so in any way. I will treat your papers will be treated as confidential material -- no one will see them but me.)

**Any detailed description of your family, your history, childhood traumas, etc. Only mention those things that are immediately & directly pertinent to the argument you are making. Remember you are explaining your personality, not the past.

**Detailed descriptions of theorists or theories. Only describe those principals that are directly pertinent to your argument.

**Flowery, literary, poetic language of any kind. In this class, there are no points on or off for your creative writing ability. Straightforward, expository prose will work best.