Introduction to Psychology

1. Introduction to Psychology

2. Introduction to Psychology as a Social Science • Course: 02-46-116 Section 30 • Instructor: Michelle Petherick • Coordinator: Dr. Jackson • Day: Monday • Time: 7:00-9:50PM • Office Hours:Mondays 5:00-6:30 • Where: CHS 273? • Email: mpeth@uwindsor.ca

3. Course Objectives It is hoped that by the end of the course you will: • Be able to explain why psychology is a science • Be able to articulate the most salient theories and findings in the field • Have a better understanding of yourself and those around you • Have developed critical thinking skills

4. The Required textbook for this course is: Lefton et al. (2005) – Psychology 2nd Can. Ed. • You will be tested on the content of this text! The chapters have many built-in aids to help you understand the concepts presented. • The package includes these resources to help you study: • an access code to MyPsychLab that has individualized study plans and a searchable E-BOOK! • a hands on Psychology CD-ROM that explains the concepts with the use of simulations and activities! • Companion website: Online study guide with practice tests and activities. Be sure to check it out! • www.pearsoned.ca/lefton

5. Your Responsibilities • Print out syllabus:Go to www.uwindsor.ca/psychology, choose undergraduate (left-hand menu), click courses/outlines (fly-out), choose our course number • Do NOT register for a lab • Purchase text book • Read assigned chapters • Complete lab assignments • Study for and write exams • Consider optional bonus marks • Check the Psychology 116 website frequently • Follow basic rules of good conduct

6. Rules of Conduct Respect your fellow students • Late Arrivals/Leaving Early • Noise Level • Raising your hand to ask questions • Missed Assignments/Exams • Cell phones • Food/Beverages • Consideration of peers

7. My Responsibilities • Attempt to make this course informative and interesting • Review and expand upon information presented in the text • Make all PowerPoint material available on the website at least 1 week before exams • Make myself available to answer your questions and address your concerns • Assist you in preparing for exams

8. How to do well in this course • Show up for class (exams & labs) • Be prepared for class: bring paper, writing utensils, textbook, and be ready to listen! • Don’t be shy…ask for help and participate • Visit the website & download notes. • Read your text every week • Use the resources available through your text • Take notes on your readings, don’t just highlight • Participate in class discussions • Help each other • Use learning strategies

9. Evaluation • In-class lab assignments (10%) • 10 out of 12 • ½ page writing assignment • 10 minutes • No make up assignments • Available for review during the first 15 minutes of class • Exams (90%) • Midterm #1 February 11 (25%) • Midterm #2 March 18 (25 %) • Final Exam April 22 (cumulative) (40%) • Multiple choice, essay,T/F, short answer (be prepared for anything!)

10. Performance Evaluation • Optional bonus marks (3 marks) • Participant Pool • www.uwindsor.ca/Psychology/Signup or on board in CHS – 2nd floor • Deadline to register is midnight on Sunday, January 23, 2005. • Alternate assignment • Two page critique of a short article, news report, TV show or movie. • Due by 1:00 pm on March 24, 2005

11. Make-up Exam Only in the case of extreme circumstances will make-up exams be allowed: • Severe illness • Family Death • Hospitalization • Documentation is needed before you can write the exam • Different format

12. Contesting a mark • Must provide a written statement within 10 days indicating your reasons • Hand in request with original marked paper • I will pass it on to the marker • Keep in mind that when your paper is re-evaluated, it is possible that your mark could be decreased

13. Questions ???

14. Activity!! • Get in groups of 4-5 • Introduce yourselves to each other • Name • Year • Faculty • Volunteers • Recorder & Reporter • Name your group • Discussion • Why did you take this class? (3 top answers) • What do you hope to learn? (3 top answers) • How do you think you will use the information in your career? (3 top answers)

15. BREAK!!

16. Child Development Chapter 10

17. Overview of Topics – Developmental Psychology • Definition • Key Issues • Research Designs • Physical Development • Prenatal • Postnatal

18. Developmental Psychology • Developmental psychology is the study of lifelong—often age-related—processes of change • Not synonymous with child psychology • Involves change over the entire lifespan • Often age-related but not ONLY age-related

19. Question: Don’t Panic…Just try to Participate • What are some examples of things that cause an individual to change physically, emotionally, cognitively, or morally that are not related to age?

20. Issues in Developmental Psychology • Nature or Nurture • Biology versus Environment • Is intelligence determined more by heredity or by environment? • Interaction; specific place within a predetermined range • Stability versus Change • People stay the same versus people change • Closely related to Nature v. Nurture debate • Interaction; specific place within a predetermined range • Continuity versus Discontinuity • Continuous or discrete development

21. In a cross-sectional design, individuals of different ages are compared at the same time to see how they differ Example: Changes in attitudes toward teachers from k – grade 5 Different groups of participants asked same questions Differences between groups assessed Limitations Development or pre-existing differences? Development or different life experiences? Individual differences? Benefits Collect data rather quickly/easily Assess participants at one particular point in time Research Designs

22. Research Designs • In a longitudinal design, the same group is studied at specific ages • Example: • Changes in IQ from K through grade 5 • Same participants tested in K, 1, 2…5. • Differences at each age assessed • Limitations: • Difficulties with data collection • Withdrawal from study • Expensive • Time intensive • Practice effects • Tests become obsolete • Changes in environment • Benefits: • Assess Individual differences and group differences • Minimizes pre-existing group differences

23. Physical Development • Developmental events that occur before birth are referred to as prenatal • Those that occur in the month after birth are neonatal • Those that occur after the first month are called postnatal

24. Prenatal development 30 Hours Conception 4 months 6 weeks

25. First Trimester: 1- 12 weeks • Week 1 • Conception • Reaches uterus • Week 2 • Implantation; placenta • Week 6 • Arms/Legs • Jaws • Week 12 • Gender • Kidneys/liver functioning • Fetal movement

26. 2nd Trimester: 13 – 24 weeks • Week 16 • Heartbeat • Week 20 • Mother feels movement • Week 24 • Eyes open • Eyebrows/eyelashes • Respiratory system

27. 3rd Trimester: 25-38 weeks • Week 28 • Fully developed • Size, strength, maturity of systems • Week 32 • Fat layer • Week 36 • Birth position • Week 38 • Welcome Baby!!! • Poor Mommy!!

28. Cephalocaudal Trend Head to tail Proximadistal Trend near to far Growth after Birth

29. Cephalocaudal Growth Trend

30. Physical Abilities • Newborn Reflexes • Rooting • Sucking • Moro (“startle”) • Babinski • Grasp • Eye Blink • Plantar

31. Perception in Infancy • Fantz (1961) designed a technique to study infant perception • Present two stimuli simultaneously and see if infant looks at one longer • A longer gaze indicates infant can tell the difference between the two stimuli

32. Perception in Infancy • The technique indicates that infants prefer: • curved patterns over straight patterns • complex patterns over simple patterns • Normal faces over random face patterns • By 7 months, infants can recognize happy faces and sounds and discriminate between them

33. The Visual Cliff examines infants’ depth perception Infant crawls on a glass surface, half of which is covered with checkerboard 9-month-olds avoid the transparent surface, demonstrating depth-perception Perception in Infancy

34. Coming Next Week!! • Piaget & Cognitive Development • Eriksen & Psychosocial Development • Our first Lab Activity & Assignment • READ CHAPTER 10!!

35. The End!! Have a Good Week