Psychology 1002A 001 002 003 FW25

 Psychology as a Natural Science

 

Psychology 1002A 001-003 FW25 

Psychology as a Natural Science 

Western University 

London                   Canada 

  

Department of Psychology 

  

Fall/Winter 2025 

 

 

1 Calendar Description 

 

An introductory survey of the methods and findings within modern scientific psychology. This course focuses on the biological aspects of human behaviour. The following topics will be covered: history and methodology, biological psychology, behavioural genetics, sensation and perception, learning, cognitive processes, and memory. 

Antirequisites : Psychology 1000, Psychology 1000W/X, Psychology 1010A/B, Psychology 1100E. 

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. 

2 lecture hours; 1 lab hour, 0.5 course 

Prerequisites: n/a 

  

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 Course Information 

 

Instructors

 Dr. Mike Atkinson:  psyc1002@uwo.ca  Office hours: TBA 

 Dr. Jennifer Sutton: psyc1002@uwo.ca Office hours:  TBA 

  

Mode of delivery

Lectures: In Person 

Learning Labs: In Person     

Teaching Assistants:  TBA.   see OWL site 

There are a number of Graduate Teaching Assistants assigned to Psych 1002A. The graduate students have been part of the Department of Psychology from 1 to 6 years. Teaching assistants will run the Learning Labs. 

Please feel free to address any questions about the lectures, the program, or psychology in general to them as well as to Dr. Atkinson & Dr. Sutton. 

Any questions about the Learning Labs should be directed to the Teaching Assistant for your lab section. 

  

Psych 1002A Course Site 

The course website is located on OWL Brightspace   https://westernu.brightspace.com/ 

Where you will find class information, study suggestions, links to other resources, etc. Please check it often. 

  

Questions 

Asking questions during lab or in lecture is an extremely important part of learning. I strongly encourage you to ask a question whenever you require clarification on an issue or have an observation to make yourself. If you wish to ask a question directly to either Dr. Mike or Dr. Sutton, please post your question to the “Questions and Office Hours” discussion in the Forums on the Psych 1002A Brightspace site. You can also talk with us during Office Hours in our physical offices.  Note: Routine questions such as ―When is the exam? What chapters are covered for the exam? etc., may already be addressed on the FAQ portion of the course website.  

  

Students who are in emotional/mental distress should refer to Health and Wellness @Western https://www.uwo.ca/health/ 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 contact Accessible Education at aew@uwo.ca 

 

3 Course Materials 

 

Required Text:        Passer, M.W., Smith, R.E., Atkinson, M.L., & Mitchell, J.B. (2023).  Psychology: Frontiers and Applications. 8th Canadian Edition. Toronto: McGraw Hill Ryerson. 

Note: this text comes shrink-wrapped with a passkey for the CONNECT website. 

                      This text is also available as an e-book 

 

Cost:  $99.00 for the ebook and $163.15 for the printed text.  NOTE:  The print version comes with the CONNECT code

 

Also, it is important to purchase the 8th edition—it has content that is not available in earlier editions, and you will need the CONNECT code. 

  

Recommended Text: Ellis, Toft & Dawson (2012). Becoming a Master Student . Nelson.  This material will not be covered on exams, but may be useful to you for time management, note taking, etc. 

 

4 Course Objectives and Learning Outcomes 

 

This course is an introductory level survey of the methods and findings related to the biological and methodological elements of modern scientific psychology. The goal is to provide students with an overview of various topic domains within this realm of psychology. As such, students will be exposed to diverse theoretical viewpoints and various methods and procedures for the scientific investigation of psychological issues. 

  

Note: Modern psychology is scientific in nature. Consequently, we will spend a lot of time discussing science-related topics such as research design, neural functioning, sensory mechanisms, brain structure, etc. 

  

Each chapter in the text covers a major interest area in psychology. By the end of this course, the successful student will be able to: 

  

Learning Outcome 

Learning Activity 

Assessment 

Knowledge Acquisition 

Identify major concepts, theories, and topics in Psychology 

Reading &watching lectures, + CONNECT & Learning Labs 

Multiple choice exam & participation 

Critical Thinking 

Distinguish between and identify the relative strengths and weaknesses of various theories in Psychology 

Reading & watching lectures, + CONNECT & Learning Labs 

Multiple choice exam & participation

Problem Solving; Inquiry and Analysis 

Apply concepts and theories from Psychology to everyday problems 

Reading & watching lectures, + CONNECT & Learning Labs 

Multiple choice exam, participation,  

Communication 

Ask questions about topics in Psychology 

 Learning Labs 

Lab participation

Critical Thinking; Problem Solving 

Interpret statistical information presented in tables or graphs 

Reading & watching lectures, + CONNECT & Learning Labs 

Multiple choice exam, participation 

Knowledge Acquisition; Inquiry and Analysis 

Identify common research designs used in Psychology 

Reading & watching lectures, + CONNECT & Learning Labs 

Multiple choice exam, participation 

 

5 Evaluation 

 

There will TWO exams during the course, CONNECT work (the quizzes), learning lab participation and research credit participation. 

  

The midterm exam (worth 40%) is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 18, 9:00 a.m and a final exam (worth 40%) will be scheduled during the final exam period (Dec. 11 - 22, 2025). 

  

The midterm exam will consist of 50 -75 multiple choice questions from the text and lecture materials.  The midterm covers Chapters 1 – 4, plus the appendix (Statistics).  The final exam covers chapters 5 – 8 and consists of 50 – 75 multiple choice questions from the text and lecture materials. 

  

Exams will be written in person.   

 

In addition to the exams, you must complete a series of quizzes on the CONNECT site (one quiz per chapter). The total value for the quizzes is 2%. 

  

There is a research participation requirement (see details on the Owl site).  You will be asked to participate in 3 research hours during the term. Each half-hour is worth 1% toward your grade.  NOTE:  two of these credits must be in person (the other one can be on-line). 

  

Learning Labs count for 12% of your grade.  Note:  there is not a lab every week.   Labs start in the week of September 15th.  At the end of each learning lab, there will be a short, graded quiz. 

  

The evaluation and testing formats for this course were created to assess the learning objectives listed in section 4 and are necessary for meeting these learning objectives 

 

 5.1 POLICY ON MISSING COURSEWORK 

If you miss the final exam for a legitimate reason (legitimate reasons are those approved by academic counselling in your home faculty), you will be allowed to write a makeup. By Senate regulation, the make up for the final exam will be on the first Thursday following the start of second term classes (this year that will be Jan. 8, 2026).  NOTE:  in order to receive credit for this course, you must write the final exam. 

  

Make-Up Exams:  Tests must be written on the scheduled dates unless you have a legitimate excuse recognized by the university administration in your home faculty. Valid reasons include medical or compassionate reasons, and religious observances. 

  

Academic Consideration for the midterm and final exams must be substantiated by submitting the proper documentation and self-attestation to your home faculty's academic counselling office, via the Student Absence Portal. 

The makeup exam for the Midterm will be Thursday, Oct 23 @ 5 pm. 

Students who miss the midterm without documentation and an approved academic consideration will receive a grade of zero. 

  

Learning Labs:   Labs are worth 2% each, and there are 8 labs in the term.  We will count your best 6 labs, so you have the opportunity to miss two labs or to delete your two lowest scores.

 

Lectures: If you miss a class and would like to attend another lecture, that will not be a problem.  We teach the same class Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday in NCB 101.  Monday and Wednesday class is at 4:30 to 6:30.  Tuesday class is at 7:00 to 9:00 pm.

 

For CONNECT there is ample time to complete the quizzes. There will be a flexible deadline of an additional 72 hours. 

 

Research credits MUST be completed by noon on Dec. 5, 2025. The participation pool will be closed on that date, and NO late submissions will be accepted.  As with CONNECT, there is ample time to complete the credit requirement. 

 

The expectation for course grades within the Psychology Department is that they will be distributed around the following averages: 

70%     1000-level to 2099-level courses 

72%     2100-2999-level courses 

75%     3000-level courses 

80%     4000-level courses 

  

The Psychology Department follows Western’s grading guidelines, which are as follows (see: https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/general/grades_undergrad.pdf 

  

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 in the event that 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 and every assessment within the course. 

 

6    Assessment/Evaluation Schedule 

  

Midterm exam:   40%.      Saturday Oct. 18, 2025, Covers Chapters 1 – 4 plus Appendix 

 

Final exam:   40%.    Midyear exam period (Dec. 11 – 22, 2024). Covers Chapters 5 - 8 

  

CONNECT quizzes:    1%.     Chapters 1 – 4 due Oct. 17, 2025 

                                                                            1%.     Chapters 5 – 8 dues Dec. 5, 2025 

  

Learning Labs:   12%.     

  

Research studies:      6%.   MUST BE COMPLETED BY DEC. 5, 2025 

  

Total:   100% 

  

7 Class Schedule 

 

Week

Topic

Chapter

Instructor

Sept 8

Intro & Science of Behaviour

1

MA

Sept 15

Methods

2

MA

Sept 22

Neurons

3

MA

Sept 29

The Brain

3

MA

Oct 6

Genetics

4

MA

Oct 13

Sensation

5

MA

Oct 20

Perception

5

MA

Oct 27

Consciousness

6

JS

Nov 3

Reading week, no lectures

Nov 10

Learning 1

7

JS

Nov 17

Learning 2

7

JS

Nov 24

Memory 1

8

JS

Dec 1

Memory 2

8

JS

Dec 8

no lectures

 

 

 

8 Academic Integrity  

 

Scholastic offences are taken seriously, and students are directed to read the appropriate policy, specifically, the definition of what constitutes a Scholastic Offence, at the following Web site: https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/scholastic_discipline_undergrad.pdf. 

 

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. 

 

Statement on Use of Electronic Devices 

 

Electronic devices of any kind (smart phones, smart watches, laptops, tablets, etc.) are not permitted to be used during exams.  If you have an activated electronic device during an exam, this will be considered an academic offense. 

 

Plagiarism Detection Software 

 

All required papers may be subject to submission for textual similarity review to the commercial plagiarism detection software under license to the University for the detection of plagiarism.  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. 

 

Use of AI 

 

The use of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT to produce written work is not permitted unless permission is granted by the instructor for specific circumstances. Any work submitted must be the work of the student in its entirety unless otherwise disclosed. When used, AI tools should be used ethically and responsibly, and students must cite or credit the tools used in line with the expectation to use AI as a tool to learn, not to produce content. 

AI Policy for Psychology:  

Responsible use of AI is allowed in Psychology.  This includes using AI for brainstorming, improving grammar, or doing preliminary/background research on a topic.  

  

AI is not to be used in place of critical thinking.  

  

The misuse of AI undermines the academic values of this course.  Relying on AI to create full drafts or fabricate sources is prohibited.  You are ultimately responsible for any work submitted, so it is highly advised that you critically review your Generative AI output before incorporating this information into your assignments.  

  

If you use AI, you must clearly explain its role in your work.  All written assignments will require an AI Usage Statement, in which you will indicate what tools you have used, what you have used them for, and (broadly) how you have modified this information.  Assignments without an AI Usage Statement will not be accepted.  

  

Violations of this policy will be handled according to Western’s scholastic offense policies. 

 

Multiple Choice Exams  

 

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. 

 

9 Academic Accommodations and Accessible Education 

 

View Western’s policy on academic accommodations for student with disabilities at this link. 

 

Accessible Education provides supports and services to students with disabilities at Western. 

If you think you may qualify for ongoing accommodation that will be recognized in all your courses, visit Accessible Education for more information.  Email: aew@uwo.ca  Phone: 519 661-2147 

 

10 Absence & Academic Consideration 

 

Academic Considerations: https://registrar.uwo.ca/academics/academic_considerations/index.html 

 

11 Other Information  

 

 

Students who are in emotional/mental distress should refer to Health and Wellness@Western https://www.uwo.ca/health/ 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.  

 

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 in writing 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. 

 

LEARNING INFORMATION EFFICIENTLY 

You will be expected to know the assigned chapters VERY WELL! 

Many of the multiple-choice questions in this course are based on material from the chapters that is not explicitly covered in lecture. To be able to answer these questions correctly you will need to know and understand each of the concepts and processes described in the assigned chapters.  This a major learning task and many students run into difficulties because they do not know how to handle this learning task efficiently. 

Just reading the assigned chapters is NOT enough!  For most people the process of reading something, or even re-reading it, does not mean that they remember it. This is especially true for "heavy" course content such as that found in the  psychology text. If you wish to learn the material from the text efficiently, you will need to approach it in a different manner. 

Learn the text chapters using  ACTIVE reading/learning strategies. Strategies recommended for efficient learning of text material can be divided into three types: pre- reading, reading for comprehension, and post-reading:

  1. Pre-reading. Learn the headings and subheadings.

Instead of diving immediately into reading the chapter, spend a few minutes learning the headings and subheadings. The headings and subheadings tell you the important ideas that will be covered in the chapter. In the text they are laid out for you on the first few pages of the book in the table of contents. Look at these headings and subheadings, think how they have been ordered, try reciting them from memory, and then write them out on a separate sheet of paper. 

 

  1. Reading for comprehension. Read a few pages and THEN summarize.

Don't try to read most of the chapter in one sitting. It is much easier to learn the material in small chunks. Read a few pages carefully and THEN make a summary of the important points. Continue doing this until you have summarized about 10 pages - then take a break. You can summarize by highlighting sparingly AND making marginal notes, or by making separate written notes. 

Note that much of the information in psychology comes in the form of arguments. Here are some the important kinds of information that are crucial to knowing and understanding an argument: i) definitions of new terms, ii) essential explanations of the specific argument, iii) examples, iv) results of studies. If you make separate summary notes, try using point form and keywords. This has 2 advantages: the notes are made more quickly, and they are easier to read. As you record key terms and definitions ALWAYS relate them to the arguments of which they are a part. 

  1. Post- reading. Test yourself.

After actively reading 10 or more pages in the manner described above, try reciting (i.e., recalling from memory) all the important points under each heading and subheading that you have studied. This will reinforce the ideas you know and identify those that you need to review. Doing the study guide questions and relevant old exam questions after you have finished the entire chapter can also be very helpful.