Psychology 3130A-650

The Psychology of Thinking

If there is a discrepancy between the outline posted below and the outline posted on the OWL course website, the latter shall prevail.

 

Western University

London                             Canada

Department of Psychology

2021—2022

 

Psychology 3130A Section 650
The Psychology of Thinking

 

1.0       Calendar Description

Theoretical and empirical studies on problem solving, reasoning, concept formation, thinking and cross-cultural variations in thinking processes.

1.1      Antirequisites

Antirequisites are courses that overlap sufficiently in content that only one can be taken for credit. If you take a course that is an antirequisite to a course previously taken, you will lose credit for the earlier course, regardless of the grade achieved in the most recent course. There are no antirequisites for this course.

1.2      Prerequisites

  • Psychology 2820E or both Psychology 2800E and Psychology 2810
  • One of Psychology 2115A/B, Psychology 2134A/B, or Psychology 2135A/B.

Unless you have either the prerequisites for this course or written special permission from your Dean to enrol in it, you may be removed from this course and it will be deleted from your record. This decision may not be appealed. You will receive no adjustment to your fees in the event that you are dropped from a course for failing to have the necessary prerequisites.

2.0       Course Information

Instructor: Ana C. Ruiz Pardo

Office Hours: TBA

Email: aruizpar@uwo.ca

Teaching Assistant: TBA

TA Office & Hours: TBA

Time & Location of Classes: Online, Asynchronous

 

Delivery Method: Virtual

Students who are in emotional/mental distress should refer to Mental Health@Western for a complete list of options about how to obtain help. Please contact the course instructor if you require material in an alternate format or if you require any other arrangements to make this course more accessible to you. You may also wish to contact Student Accessibility Services (formerly known as Services for Students with Disabilities) at 519-661-2147.

2.1      Course Operation

This is an asynchronous online course. The lectures and course material will be viewable online and will not be scheduled for live sessions. I will maintain an active presence on OWL with weekly Zoom office hours to answer questions and engage with students.

The course runs on a weekly basis. Each week, there will be one lesson/topic assigned that corresponds to a chapter in the textbook. The topic will be unlocked and available at 12:00 am on Monday of the week that it is assigned according to the schedule in Section 7.0. The topic will remain unlocked until the end of the term. You can find the topics on the left menu bar on OWL. Click on a topic, open the topic page and you will find:

  • The assigned readings in the text
  • Additional reading as needed
  • Learning outcomes for the topic
  • Two or three video lectures that are 20-30 min each
  • PowerPoint slides without the audio
  • A discussion question based on the topic

You can view the lecture any time that week, but you must contribute to the discussion topic before the end of each week (11:55 pm on Sunday) in order to receive credit.

There are also four quizzes and two exams that will be completed online. These will be released according to the schedule (Section 6.0) and will be timed, open book, and open note. You should not work with others on the quizzes or the exams.

In the event that Western returns to a lockdown, our course will continue as planned online and according to the schedule. See Section 12 for more information.

2.2      Course Calendar

You can subscribe to the Course Outlook calendar using the ics link, or the html to view the calendar in your browser. The calendar can be added to your own Outlook / Google / Apple calendar and will updated weekly. All assignments and readings will be listed here.

2.3      Office Hours and MS Teams

The primary way to discuss the material and to contact me is on the Microsoft (MS) Teams site associated with this course. MS Teams is a collaborative messaging service like Facebook, Slack, or Discord. MS Teams includes group messaging, direct messages, and file sharing. Many students use Facebook group chats to discuss the course and you can use MS Teams in the same way, except that the TA and I will be there. I think this is better than email because if a student asks a question about the course (“what time is the exam?” or “I did not understand X”), I can answer, the TA can answer, other students can answer, and this collaborative community can benefit everyone. You can also send me or your TA a direct message(s) if you have a personal question.

Once the course begins, please direct all correspondence to MS teams rather than email, though we can still be reached by email if needed. In either case, we will attempt to respond within a 48-hour window.

I will also hold student meetings during my office hours (see Section 2). These will be on Zoom and you must be logged into your Western Zoom account to participate. The link will be available on OWL and on the course calendar. These meetings are open to all students and can be used as drop-in / -out by students.

3.0       Readings and Notes

3.1      Textbook

There is one required textbook for this course.

Minda, J. P. (2020). The Psychology of Thinking: Reasoning, Decision-Making and Problem-Solving, Second Edition. SAGE, London: UK.

The text is available as softcover or e-book at the university bookstore, Amazon, and elsewhere. If you do not wish to buy the text, it is available at the library as an e-book.

3.2      Readings

There are some additional readings that accompany of the lectures. These include scientific journal articles, blog posts, and popular articles. These additional readings are available on the course website for the topic in which they are relevant. Content from these readings will be on the quizzes and exams.

3.3      Course Notes

Notes and slides from each class will be available on the course website (OWL). These notes will be identical to the ones in the short videos but will be PowerPoint slides without the audio. These are included if you need your own slides for review or for taking. Students may share their own notes: your notes are your intellectual property and you can share as much or as little as you feel comfortable.

4.0       Course Objectives

This course covers thought and knowledge. We will study how people think and how psychologists study thinking and reasoning. The course will be taught as a combination of online lecture and online discussion.

4.1      Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:

  • Describe key concepts, principles, and overarching themes relevant to the psychology of thinking. This outcome will be assessed though class discussion, four quizzes, and the two exams.
  • Articulate the concepts and current states of knowledge in both the natural science and social science aspects of the psychology of thinking. This outcome will be assessed though class discussion, four quizzes, and the two exams.
  • Engage in a critical scholarly discussion on a psychological topic using evidence to support claims. This outcome will be assessed though class discussion, four quizzes, and the two exams.
  • Critically evaluate the presentation of scientific ideas and research in the popular media. This outcome will be assessed though class discussion, four quizzes, and the two exams.
  • Apply psychological principles to the understanding of everyday problems. This outcome will be assessed though class discussion, four quizzes, and the two exams.

5.0       Evaluation

5.1      Online Discussions

There are 10 online discussion topics from Units 2-11 (there is no discussion during fall break). The discussion topic will be available at 12:00 am Monday of each week and will close the following Sunday at 11:55 pm according to the schedule in Section 6 (Note: Discussion 6 will be due later due to reading week). You can find the discussion topic in the lesson for the week and in the discussion forums on OWL as well. Each discussion topic is worth 1 point. In order to earn the full point for each topic, you must post at least one comment on the topic or post at least one reply to other comments. If you post at least one comment or one reply, you will receive 1 point. Your post should be a few sentences; more than a tweet but less than a whole paragraph. Performance on the 10 discussion topics will make up 10% of the final grade. Missing or late discussions cannot be made up. Missing / late discussion posts will be scored as “0”.

5.2      Quizzes

There are 4 short quizzes that will be given on Monday of the week according to the schedule in Section 6 (Note: Quiz 2 is on a Tuesday due to a holiday). Each quiz will cover content from the previous 2–3 weeks but not the current week. The quiz will be available for 24 hours beginning Monday at 12:00 am and closing Monday 11:55 pm. You can take the quiz any time during that period but once you begin, you will have 12 minutes to complete the quiz. Each quiz is worth 6% of the final grade and the four quizzes make up 24% of the final grade.

If you require or receive accommodation for extra time on course work, please connect with Services for Students with Disabilities as soon as possible and let me know so that I can make accommodations.

5.3      Quiz Make Up Policy

If you miss a quiz for any reason, including a self-reported absence or another excused absence you will have an opportunity to make up the quiz at the end of the term. Make up quizzes will be online written format. You will be assigned a short answer question and will have 15 minutes to complete the question. Make up assignments will be scheduled for one week after the 4th quiz. See Section 11 for the policy on accommodations. Any quiz not taken or made up will be scored as “0”.

5.4      Exams

There are 2 exams in the course: a midterm and final exam. The midterm exam is scheduled for Monday, October 25 and covers Units 1-6. The final exam will be scheduled by the registrar for the final exam period (Dec 10–21) and will cover Units 7-11. Each exam includes short answer questions, short essay questions, problems, and multiple-choice questions. Each exam is available for 24 hours beginning on 12:00 am on the day it is scheduled and closing at 11:00 pm the same day. You can take the exam any time during that period but once you begin, you will have 180 minutes (three hours) to complete the exam. Each exam is worth 33% of the final grade, the exams together are worth 66% of the final grade.

If you require or receive accommodation for extra time on course work please connect with Services for Students with Disabilities as soon as possible and let me know so that I can make accommodations.

5.5      Exam Make Up Policy

If you are unable to take an exam as scheduled, you must obtain permission from your academic dean via your counsellor order to make up the exam. See Section 11 for information on seeking accommodations. Please note the Western policy that instructors are not permitted to receive documentation directly from a student, whether in support of an application for medical grounds, or for other reasons. All documentation required for absences that are not covered by the absence reporting policy must be submitted to the Academic Counselling Office of a student’s home faculty. The current policy on student absences is available here: https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/Academic_Consideration_for_absences.pdf. Information on accommodation appeals and medical certificates is available here: https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/accommodation_medical.pdf.

Once I receive the verification of your eligibility for a makeup exam, a make-up exam will be scheduled approximately one week after the exam. The make-up exam will be a written, essay exam. Students taking this exam will receive the written exam questions at 12:05am on the day of the scheduled exam and will have 24 hours to return the written answers. You should not work with other students on your exam and answers will be assessed for plagiarism before being scored. A plagiarized exam will receive a score of “0”. Any exam not taken or made up will be scored as “0”.

 

 

5.6      Final Grade

The final grade will be calculated according to the components shown in the breakdown. No grades will be rounded.

Component

Breakdown

Discussions (10)

10% of final grade

Quizzes (4)

24% of final grade

Exams (2)

66% of final grade

 

5.7      Senate Policy

This course is exempt from the Senate requirement that students receive assessment of their work accounting for at least 15% of their final grade at least three full days before the date of the deadline for withdrawal from a course without academic penalty.

The expectation is that course marks will be distributed around the following averages:

Grade

Description

70%

1000–level and 2099–level courses

72%

2100–2990 level courses

75%

3000–level courses

80%

4000–level courses

 

The Psychology Department follows Western’s grading guidelines (see the policy here: https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/general/grades_undergrad.pdf ).

 

Grade

Range

Description

A+

90-100

One could scarcely expect better from a student at this level

A

80-89

Superior work that is clearly above average

B

70-79

Good work, meeting all requirements, and eminently satisfactory

C

60-69

Competent work, meeting requirements

D

50-59

Fair work, minimally acceptable

F

below 50

Fail

Note that if course grades are significantly higher or lower than these averages, instructors may be required to make adjustments to course grades. Such adjustment might include the normalization of one or more course components and/or the re-weighting of various course components.

Policy on Grade Rounding: Please note that although course grades within the Psychology Department are rounded to the nearest whole number, no further grade rounding will be done. No additional assignments will be offered to enhance a final grade; nor will requests to change a grade because it is needed for a future program be considered. To maximize your grade, do your best on each assessment within the course.

5.8      Exam Review

Grades will be released on OWL. Exams and quizzes may be reviewed by making an appointment with the TA during their quiz / exam review office hours. Neither the TA nor the instructor will re-grade questions or award points after the grades have been released.

 

 

 

 

6.0       Assessment / Evaluation Schedule

Exam/Quiz

Date

Location

Content

Value

Discussion 1

Sept 26

OWL

Unit 2

1%

Quiz 1

Sept 27

Gradescope

Units 1–2

6%

Discussion 2

Oct 3

OWL

Unit 3

1%

Discussion 3

Oct 10

OWL

Unit 4

1%

Quiz 2

Oct 12

Gradescope

Units 3–4

6%

Discussion 4

Oct 17

OWL

Unit 5

1%

Discussion 5

Oct 24

OWL

Unit 6

1%

Midterm

Oct 25

Gradescope

Units 1–6

33%

Discussion 6

Nov 8

OWL

Unit 7

1%

Discussion 7

Nov 14

OWL

Unit 8

1%

Quiz 3

Nov 15

Gradescope

Units 7–8

6%

Discussion 8

Nov 21

OWL

Unit 9

1%

Discussion 9

Nov 28

OWL

Unit 10

1%

Discussion 10

Dec 5

OWL

Unit 11

1%

Quiz 4

Dec 6

Gradescope

Units 9–11

6%

Final

TBA

Gradescope

Units 7–11

33%

7.0       Class Schedule

Unit

Week

Topic

Readings

1

Sept 13

Introduction

Minda Ch. 1

2

Sept 20

Similarity

Minda Ch. 2

3

Sept 27

Knowledge and Memory

Minda Ch. 3

4

Oct 4

Concepts and Categories

Minda Ch. 4

5

Oct 11

Language and Thought

Minda Ch. 5

6

Oct 18

Inference and Induction

Minda Ch. 6

7

Oct 25

Deductive Reasoning

Minda Ch. 7

1-6

Oct 25

Midterm Exam

 

- -

Nov 1

- - Fall Reading week - -

- -

8

Nov 8

Context, Motivation, and Mood

Minda Ch. 8

9

Nov 15

Decision Making

Minda Ch. 9

10

Nov 22

Problem Solving and Creativity

Minda Ch. 10

11

Nov 29

Expertise and Expert Thinking

Minda Ch. 11

7-11

TBA

Final Exam

 

8.0       Land Acknowledgment

We acknowledge that Western University is located on the traditional lands of the Anishinaabek, Haudenosaunee, Lūnaapéewak and Attawandaron peoples, on lands connected with the London Township and Sombra Treaties of 1796 and the Dish with One Spoon Covenant Wampum.

With this, we respect the longstanding relationships that Indigenous Nations have to this land, as they are the original caretakers. We acknowledge historical and ongoing injustices that Indigenous Peoples (e.g., First Nations, Métis and Inuit) endure in Canada, and we accept responsibility as a public institution to contribute toward revealing and correcting miseducation, as well as renewing respectful relationships with Indigenous communities through our teaching, research and community service.

9.0       Statement on Academic Offences

Students are responsible for understanding the nature and avoiding the occurrence of plagiarism and other scholastic offences. Plagiarism and cheating are considered very serious offences because they undermine the integrity of research and education. Actions constituting a scholastic offence are described at the following link: http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/scholastic_discipline_undergrad.pdf.

As of Sept. 1, 2009, the Department of Psychology will take the following steps to detect scholastic offences. All multiple-choice tests and exams will be checked for similarities in the pattern of responses using reliable software, and records will be made of student seating locations in all tests and exams. All written assignments will be submitted to TurnItIn, a service designed to detect and deter plagiarism by comparing written material to over 5 billion pages of content located on the Internet or in TurnItIn’s databases. All papers submitted for such checking will be included as source documents in the reference database for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of papers subsequently submitted to the system. Use of the service is subject to the licensing agreement, currently between Western and Turnitin.com (http://www.turnitin.com).

Computer-marked multiple-choice tests and/or exams will be subject to submission for similarity review by software that will check for unusual coincidences in answer patterns that may indicate cheating.

In classes that involve the use of a personal response system (PRS), data collected using the PRS will only be used in a manner consistent to that described in this outline. It is the instructor’s responsibility to make every effort to ensure that data remain confidential. However, students should be aware that as with all forms of electronic communication, privacy is not guaranteed. Your PRS login credentials are for your sole use only. Students attempting to use another student’s credentials to submit data through the PRS may be subject to academic misconduct proceedings.

Possible penalties for a scholastic offence include failure of the assignment/exam, failure of the course, suspension from the University, and expulsion from the University.

10.0   Policy on the Use of Exam Proctoring Software

When examinations and tests cannot be given in person (e.g., in courses coded as Distance Studies; in the event of a lockdown order), they may be conducted using either a monitoring platform such as Zoom or a remote proctoring service, such as Proctorio. If Zoom is used for exam invigilation, you will be required to keep your camera on for the entire session, hold up your student card for identification purposes, and share your screen with the invigilator if asked to do so at any time during the exam. The exam session using Zoom will not be recorded.*

If a remote proctoring service is used, the service will require you to provide personal information (including some biometric data). The session will be recorded. The instructor will alert you to the use of this software as close as possible to the start of the term, however, in the event that in-person exams are unexpectedly canceled, you may only be given notice of the use of a proctoring service a short time in advance. More information about remote proctoring is available in the Online Proctoring Guidelines. Please ensure you are familiar with any proctoring service’s technical requirements before the exam. Additional guidance is available at the following link: https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/onlineproctorguidelines.pdf

* Please note that Zoom servers are located outside Canada. If you would prefer to use only your first name or a nickname to login to Zoom, please provide this information to the instructor in advance of the test or examination. See this link for technical requirements: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us  

11.0   Policy on Accommodation for Illness or Other Absences

Western’s policy on Accommodation for Medical Illness can be found at:
http://www.westerncalendar.uwo.ca/PolicyPages.cfm?PolicyCategoryID=1&Command=showCategory&SelectedCalendar=Live&ArchiveID=#Page_12

The full policy for consideration for absences can be accessed at: https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/Academic_Consideration_for_absences.pdf

If you experience an extenuating circumstance (e.g., illness, injury) sufficiently significant to temporarily make you unable to meet academic requirements, you may request accommodation through the following routes:

  1. Submitting a Self-Reported Absence form (for circumstances that are expected to resolve within 48 hours);
  2. For medical absences, submitting a Student Medical Certificate (SMC) signed by a licensed medical or mental health practitioner in order to be eligible for Academic Consideration;
  • For non-medical absences, submitting appropriate documentation (e.g., obituary, police report, accident report, court order, etc.) to Academic Counselling in their Faculty of registration in order to be eligible for academic consideration. Students are encouraged to contact their Academic Counselling unit to clarify what documentation is appropriate.

Students must see the Academic Counsellor and submit all required documentation in order to be approved for certain accommodation. The self-reported absence form must be submitted before the exam/coursework deadline in order to be valid. It may NOT be used for absences longer than 48 hours; coursework/tests/exams/etc., worth more than 30% of the final grade; or exams scheduled in the December or April final-exam periods: http://counselling.ssc.uwo.ca/procedures/medical_accommodation.html

Students seeking academic consideration:

  • are advised to consider carefully the implications of postponing tests or midterm exams or delaying handing in work;  
  • are encouraged to make appropriate decisions based on their specific circumstances, recognizing that minor ailments (upset stomach) or upsets (argument with a friend) are not normally an appropriate basis for a self-reported absence;
  • must communicate with their instructors no later than 24 hoursafter the end of the period covered by either the self-reported absence or SMC, or immediately upon their return following a documented absence

12.0   Contingency Plan for Return to Lockdown

In the event of a COVID-19 resurgence during the course that necessitates the course delivery moving away from face-to-face interaction, all remaining course content will be delivered entirely online, either synchronously (i.e., at the times indicated in the timetable) or asynchronously (e.g., posted on OWL for students to view at their convenience). The grading scheme will not change. Any remaining assessments will also be conducted online as determined by the course instructor.

13.0   Statements Concerning Online Etiquette

In courses involving online interactions, the Psychology Department expects students to honour the following rules of etiquette:

  • please “arrive” to class on time
  • please use your computer and/or laptop if possible (as opposed to a cell phone or tablet)
  • please ensure that you are in a private location to protect the confidentiality of discussions in the event that a class discussion deals with sensitive or personal material
  • to minimize background noise, kindly mute your microphone for the entire class until you are invited to speak, unless directed otherwise
  • In classes larger than 30 participants please turn off your video camera for the entire class unless you are invited to speak
  • In classes of 30 students or fewer, where video chat procedures are being used, please be prepared to turn your video camera off at the instructor’s request if the internet connection becomes unstable
  • Unless invited by your instructor, do not share your screen in the meeting

The course instructor will act as moderator for the class and will deal with any questions from participants. To participate please consider the following:

  • If you wish to speak, use the “raise hand” function and wait for the instructor to acknowledge you before beginning your comment or question.
  • Please remember to unmute your microphone and turn on your video camera before speaking.
  • Self-identify when speaking.
  • Please remember to mute your mic and turn off your video camera after speaking (unless directed otherwise).

General considerations of “netiquette”:

  • Keep in mind the different cultural and linguistic backgrounds of the students in the course.
  • Be courteous toward the instructor, your colleagues, and authors whose work you are discussing.
  • Be respectful of the diversity of viewpoints that you will encounter in the class and in your readings. The exchange of diverse ideas and opinions is part of the scholarly environment. “Flaming” is never appropriate.
  • Be professional and scholarly in all online postings. Use proper grammar and spelling. Cite the ideas of others appropriately.

Note that disruptive behaviour of any type during online classes, including inappropriate use of the chat function, is unacceptable. Students found guilty of Zoom-bombing a class or of other serious online offenses may be subject to disciplinary measures under the Code of Student Conduct.

14.0   Other Information

Office of the Registrar: http://registrar.uwo.ca 

Student Development Services: www.sdc.uwo.ca

Please see the Psychology Undergraduate web site for information on the following:

  • Policy on Cheating and Academic Misconduct
  • Procedures for Appealing Academic Evaluations
  • Policy on Attendance
  • Policy Regarding Makeup Exams and Extensions of Deadlines
  • Policy for Assignments
  • Short Absences
  • Extended Absence
  • Documentation
  • Academic Concerns
  • 2021-2020 Calendar References

If you wish to appeal a grade, please read the policy documentation at: https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/appealsundergrad.pdf

Please first contact the course instructor. If your issue is not resolved, you may make your appeal to the Undergraduate Chair in Psychology (psyugrd@uwo.ca).

Copyright Statement: Lectures and course materials, including power point presentations, outlines, videos and similar materials, are protected by copyright. You may take notes and make copies of course materials for your own educational use. You may not record lectures, reproduce (or allow others to reproduce), post or distribute any course materials publicly and/or for commercial purposes without the instructor’s written consent.

Policy on the Recording of Synchronous Sessions: Some or all of the remote learning sessions for this course (if scheduled) may be recorded. The data captured during these recordings may include your image, voice recordings, chat logs and personal identifiers (name displayed on the screen). The recordings will be used for educational purposes related to this course, including evaluations. The recordings may be disclosed to other individuals participating in the course for their private or group study purposes. Please contact the instructor if you have any concerns related to session recordings. Participants in this course are not permitted to privately record the sessions, except where recording is an approved accommodation, or the student has the prior written permission of the instructor.