Instructor: Dr. Joy Drinnon                                                                                                                                 Office Hours

Office: 201 Hardin                                                                                                                                                         WF 9:00-10:00

Telephone: 461-8661                                                                                                                                                  M 11:15-12:15

Email: jrdrinnon@milligan.edu                                                                                                                                  TR 2:00-3:00

                                                                                                                                                                                         and by appointment

Hock, R. R. (2002). Forty studies that changed Psychology, 4^th edition. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

• In addition to the required textbook you must become a student affiliate of APA in order to receive subscriptions to the Monitor and the journal American Psychologist. Articles from these monthly subscriptions will be part of the assigned readings. The July/August edition of the Monitor is available for purchase at the bookstore. You are responsible for obtaining copies of the September editions of the Monitor and American Psychologist.

Course Description:

In this capstone course you will learn more about the contemporary psychological theories and the historical context in which they evolved.

• Read about and discuss some of the most important and influential studies in the field.

• Learn about the major fields of study, including some of their history, methods, theories, and contributions.
• Demonstrate familiarity with the major theorists, researchers, and practitioners of psychology, as well as the social forces that contributed to the current state of psychology today.
• Become familiar with two major publications in the field of psychology, namely the Monitor and American Psychologist.
• Start one's professional journey in the field of psychology through a student affiliate membership in APA and by actively reading and discussing current trends in psychology.

Your grade in the course will be based upon meaningful, active participation in classroom experiences, the successful completion of a research paper and presentation and periodic assessments of reading comprehension (i.e., pop-quizz). The letter grade you earn is based on the percentage of points you earn toward the total points (600).

You will be evaluated each class period on your level of participation in class discussions. Attending class is a necessary condition, but does not constitute active participation. You will be expected to read the class assignments thoughtfully and come to class prepared to ask questions, make comments, and discuss your opinions about the topic at hand. Participation is worth over 30% of your grade. Evaluation will be as follows:

Ö ⁺ = very involved, thoughtful comments/questions, etc. (worth 5 points)

Ö = active listening, at least one comment or question per class (worth 4 points)

Ö ^- = attended class. (worth 3 points)

Unannouced quizzes will be based upon daily reading assignments. They will consist of both objective questions and short opinion items. These quizzes, which will be given at the beginning of class, may not be made up if missed. There will be 30 quizzes worth 10 points each, which is 50% of your overall grade.

As part of your grade you will be expected to research and report on an important contemporary theory, study, or division in psychology. Suggested topics include the status or activities of an APA division (e.g., consumer psychology), the emergence of a new theory or method, or a discussion of a seminal study and its impact on the field of psychology today. Simple biographies of psychologists will not be allowed. However, you are encouraged to include information about persons who are relevant to your overall topic (e.g., Erikson's personal background as it relates to his psychosocial stage theory). The topic must be approved beforehand and progress reports will be requested throughout the semester. The final paper is due on the last day of class, and you will give a brief presentation to the class during the semester. The paper and presentation are worth 100 points toward your final grade.