Psychology 2550A 001 FW25
INTRODUCTION TO PERSONALITY THEORY & RESEARCH
Western University
London Canada
Department of Psychology
Fall 2025
Psychology 2550A Section 001
INTRODUCTION TO PERSONALITY THEORY & RESEARCH
1 Calendar Description
A survey of the history, methodology and content of the study of individual differences. Topics to be covered include: evaluation of typical personality assessment methods and a consideration of modern empirical research in personality theory and assessment.
Antirequisite(s): Psychology 2050 if taken before 2016. 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.
Prerequisite: A mark of at least 60% in 1.0 credits of Psychology at the 1000 level.
Lecture hours: 3
Course Weight: 0.5
https://www.registrar.uwo.ca/academics/timetables.html
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
Instructor: Julie Aitken Schermer
Office & Phone: see Brightspace ext. 84699
Office Hours: By appointment
Email: jharris@uwo.ca
Teaching Assistant: [TA information]
Office: [TA information]
Office Hours: [TA information]
Email: [TA information]
Time and Location of Classes: in person. See Timetable on Student Centre
For the Connect quizzes, students must have a reliable internet connection and computer that are compatible with online learning system requirements.
3 Course Materials
Required textbook:
Larsen, R.J., Buss, D.M., & King, D.B. (2023). Personality Psychology. Domains of knowledge about human nature. McGraw-Hill.
Connect [Digital] ISBN: 9781264921744
Price: $89
E-book plus a passkey for the Connect website.
Print Bundle [Print + Connect] ISBN: 9781265051549
Price: $142.75
Note: this text comes shrink-wrapped with a passkey for the Connect website
Available at the Bookstore:
https://bookstore.uwo.ca/textbook-search?campus=UWO&term=W2025A&courses%5B0%5D=001_UW/PSY2550A
4 Course Objectives and Learning Outcomes
|
Learning Outcome |
Learning Activity |
Assessment |
|
Depth and Breadth of Knowledge.
|
Lectures and course readings. |
Multiple choice exams and quizzes. |
|
Knowledge of Methodologies.
|
Lectures and course readings. |
Multiple choice exams and quizzes. |
|
Application of Knowledge.
|
Lectures and course readings. |
Multiple choice exams and quizzes. |
|
Communication Skills.
|
Lectures |
In-class discussions and forum posts on-line will be helpful for understanding the concepts in the exams. |
|
Awareness of Limits of Knowledge.
|
Lectures and course readings. |
Multiple choice exams and quizzes. |
|
Autonomy and Professional Capacity.
|
Lectures and course readings. |
Multiple choice exams and quizzes. |
5 Evaluation
Exam 1 = October 9, in class, 50 multiple choice questions, 10 questions per chapter, chapters 1-5 = 30%
Exam 2 = December exam period (Dec. 11-22), cumulative final exam, 10 multiple choice questions per chapter, chapters 1-5, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14, 16, and 18 = 50%
Connect Quizzes = best 7 of 9 = 20%
In addition to the exams, you must complete a series of quizzes on the CONNECT site (one quiz per chapter, starting on September 25, Chapter 4). The total value for the quizzes is 20%. The best 7 of the 9 quizzes will be counted.
The evaluation and testing formats for this course were created to assess the learning objectives as listed in section 4 and are necessary for meeting these learning objectives
Policy on Missing Coursework
As per policy, instructors may designate one assessment per half-course weight as requiring formal supporting documentation in their course outline. In other words, students cannot use an undocumented absence for this “designated assessment”.
For this course, Exam 1 (midterm) and Exam 2 (final) are designated assessments, and students will not be able to use an undocumented absence.
Flexibility in assessment:
- flexible completion of Connect Quizzes (count the 7 highest marks out of 9 quizzes toward the course grade)
When flexibility in assessment is incorporated, a request for consideration may be denied, or may not be necessary at all. Please describe your course’s flexible assessment policy if it applies.
The Psychology Department follows Western’s grading guidelines: https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/general/grades_undergrad.pdf
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
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.
6 Assessment/Evaluation Schedule
Exam 1 = October 9, in class, 50 multiple choice questions, 10 questions per chapter, chapters 1-5 = 30%
Exam 2 = December exam period (Dec. 11-22), cumulative final exam, 10 multiple choice questions per chapter, chapters 1-5, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14, 16, and 18 = 50%
Connect Quizzes = best 7 of 9 = 20%
In addition to the exams, you must complete a series of quizzes on the CONNECT site (one quiz per chapter, starting on September 25, Chapter 4). The total value for the quizzes is 20%. The best 7 of the 9 quizzes will be counted.
7 Class Schedule
September 4 – Introduction to the course. Chapter 1.
September 11 – Chapter 2, Personality Assessment, Measurement, and Research Design
September 18 – Chapter 3, Traits and Trait Taxonomies
September 25 – Chapter 4, Theoretical and Measurement Issues in Trait Psychology
Connect Quizzes start
October 2 – Chapter 5, Personality Dispositions Over Time
October 9 – Exam 1 in class, 10 multiple choice questions per chapter, chapters 1-5 = 50 questions, worth 30%
October 16 – Chapter 8, Evolutionary Perspectives
October 23 – Chapter 9, Psychoanalytic Approaches
October 30 – Chapter 11, Motives and Personality
Reading Week November 3-7
November 13 – Chapter 13, Emotion and Personality
November 20 – Chapter 14, Approaches to the Self
November 27 – Chapter 16, Sex, Gender, and Personality
December 4 – Chapter 18, Stress, Coping, Adjustment, and Health
December Final Exam period, Dec. 11-22, Cumulative Final exam, 10 multiple choice questions per chapter, chapters 1-5, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14, 16, and 18 (120 questions in total)
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
Recording devices are not allowed in class.
No electronic devices are allowed during examinations.
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
- Office of the Registrar: https://registrar.uwo.ca
- Student Development Services: www.sdc.uwo.ca
- Psychology Undergraduate Program: https://www.psychology.uwo.ca/undergraduate/index.html
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 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.
