Psychology 2036A-650 (online)
The Psychology of Physical Health and Illness
If there is a discrepancy between the outline posted below and the outline posted on the OWL course website, the latter shall prevail.
1.0 CALENDAR DESCRIPTION
This course will cover the role of psychological factors in the prevention of illness and the maintenance of good health, and treatment of already-existing illness. Topics will include the stress/illness relationship, psychological influences on physical symptom perception and reporting, personality and health, behavioural factors in disease, coping, as well as adherence and compliance.
Antirequisites: Psychology 3330F/G
Antirequisites are courses that overlap sufficiently in content that only one can be taken for credit. So if this course has an antirequisite that you have previously taken, you will lose credit for the earlier course, regardless of the grade achieved in this one.
3 lecture hours, 0.5 course
2.0 COURSE INFORMATION
Instructor: Eric Collins, BHSC, MSc, PhD (c)
Office and Phone Number: 905-926-0867
Office Hours: TBA (To Be Announced)
Email: ecollin9@uwo.ca (48-hour response-time)
If you or someone you know is experiencing distress, there are several resources here at Western to assist you. Please visit: http://www.uwo.ca/uwocom/mentalhealth/ for more information on these resources and on mental health.
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 Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) at 519-661-2111 ext 82147 for any specific question regarding an accommodation.
3.0 TEXTBOOK
Ragin, D. (2015). Health Psychology. An Interdisciplinary Approach to Health, Second Edition. Routledge:
New York, NY
4.0 COURSE OBJECTIVES
In this course, we will explore the biological, psychological, sociological, and spiritual factors that contribute to health behaviours, health-risk behaviours, susceptibility to illness and disease, as well as the development of illness and disease. As such, health, illness, and disease will be viewed from a socioecological lens which includes the study of health care systems and health policies in addition to biopsychosocial-spiritual factors. Please note, the course text primarily focuses on health issues from an American context. However, the course text also explores global health issues including those in Canada. The aim of this course is to help students understand health, illness, and disease from a more holistic and critical perspective. In particular, students will gain a deeper understanding of how health psychologists contribute to our health and wellbeing and leverage their skills and resources to manage illness and disease.
4.1 STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
Learning Outcome Learning Activity Learning Assessment Depth and Breadth of Knowledge Understand ways in which social psychological processes occur in daily life, such as how people perceive themselves and others and how they interact with the surrounding environment
Lectures, readings, class discussion
Multiple choice quizzes and exams, online discussion forums Application of Knowledge Interpret social psychological situations in order to make predictions about behaviour
Lectures, readings, class discussion
Multiple choice quizzes and exams, online discussion forums Application of Methodologies Explain the scientific study of social psychology to a non-academic/nonpsychologist
Lectures, readings, class discussion
Online discussion forums
Awareness of Limits of Knowledge Identify and think critically about weakness in social psychology research methods
Lectures, readings, class discussions
Multiple choice quizzes and exams, online discussion forums
5.0 EVALUATION
The course grade is based on participation in online discussions and on three multiple choice exams. Participation in online discussion forums (25%) Throughout the term, there will be a total of four online discussion forums on OWL. Each discussion forum post is therefore worth 6.25% of the course grade. Each forum will open on the day that its associated textbook chapter is introduced and will close exactly one week later at 11:55 p.m. The opening date for each forum is listed in the Lecture Schedule (see section 7.0 of this course outline). You would need to contact your Academic Counsellor if you miss one or more posting and you are requesting academic accommodation for the missed posting(s) (see Section 9.0 of this course outline). With Academic Counselling approval, the final exam will be reweighed to accommodate the weight of the missing post(s).
Each forum post must be between 250-500 words, containing a minimum of 2 scholarly references. Any forum post that falls outside of the word limit will be graded as zero. Forum posts must be properly formatted in APA Style 6th ed. Here is a link to the APA Style 6th ed. via Western Libraries https://www.lib.uwo.ca/services/styleguides.html. As per the 3-point scale below, personal experience may be included, but does not replace the inclusion of scholarly literature.
Your forum post will be marked according to the following 3-point scale:
0 = no, late, or an inadequate post. Aspects of an inadequate post include: restating the question in your own words, but not providing a clear answer to the question; posting information that is off-topic, incorrect, rude, or irrelevant to the discussion; or providing no references.
1 = adequate post with superficial thought and preparation. Shallow contribution to the discussion (e.g., agrees or disagrees). The post does not enrich discussion; that is, it repeats but does not add substantive information to the discussion. There is use of personal experience, but no references to scholarly literature, with major APA and/or factual errors.
2 = the post is factually correct but lacks full development of concept or thought. It elaborates on the question or on an existing post with further comment or observation. There is incorporation of some scholarly literature, but the forum post primarily focuses on personal experience and opinion. The post contributes valuable information to the discussion, with minor APA and/or factual errors.
3 = the post demonstrates analysis of the question or of others’ posts. Information is factually correct. There is reflective and substantive contribution which advances meaningful discussion with clear and concise comments. References to scholarly literature are included and are formatted properly in APA style.
4 Two online mid-term quizzes (15%) There are two multiple-choice, online mid-term quizzes, non-cumulative in content. The first online midterm quiz takes place at the end of week 4 and covers content from chapters 1-3. The second online midterm quiz takes place at the end of week 10 and covers content from chapters 7-9. Each quiz consists of 15 questions. The lowest of your two quiz scores will be dropped, which means only the best score will be entered into Gradebook. Both quizzes will be an open-book format, but will include a time-limit. Please make sure you have a strong internet connection before beginning each quiz. Please note: any student caught cheating will face serious academic penalties (see section 8.0 of the course outline). Western University has developed new anti-cheating technology which allows course instructors to identify answer similarities (i.e., timestamps, digital foot-prints).
Two multiple-choice exams (25%), and (35%) of the course grade There are two multiple-choice exams. The exams cover material from the textbook and PowerPoints on OWL. The Mid-Term contains 60 questions and covers chapters 1-6. The Final Exam is cumulative, contains 75 questions and covers chapters 1-12. Students will have a 2-hour limit to complete the MidTerm exam, and a 3-hour limit to complete the Final Exam. No aids are allowed during the exams. Bring your Western student card and a No. 2/HB pencil to the exams. Students who wish to change the location of their exam centre will need to give Distance Studies at least 4 weeks of advanced notice before the date of the exam.
According to university policy, the Academic Counsellor--not the course instructor--processes all cases of missing an exam. If you miss an exam, you are required to contact your Academic Counsellor in a timely fashion and be prepared to submit to them the necessary supporting documentation (see Section 9.0 of this course outline). Have your Academic Counsellor inform me in writing (e.g., e-mail) about the outcome of his or her discussion with you.
Grade Distribution Component Value Mid-Term Quiz 15%
Mid-Term Exam 25%
Final Exam 35%
Discussion Forum 25%
Total 100%
Although the Psychology Department does not require instructors to adjust their course grades to conform to specific targets, the expectation is that course marks will be distributed around the following averages:
70% 1000-level and 2000-level courses
72% 2190-2990 level courses
75% 3000-level courses
80% 4000-level courses
The Psychology Department follows Western's grading guidelines, which are as follows (see http://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
6.0 TEST AND EXAMINATION SCHEDULE
Midterm-Exam (30%): This exam covers content from chapters 1-6. TBA at the exam centre you selected.
Final Exam (30%): This a cumulative exam, which covers content from chapters 1-12. At the exam centre you selected (distance studies). Date, time, and location TBA December 10-21 (for those writing at Western). As a reminder, do not make plans for travel during the final exam period until you know when your final exams will be.
7.0 CLASS SCHEDULE
An assigned textbook chapter means that all the pages in that chapter are assigned as reading. The weekly PowerPoints on OWL expands on material found in the textbook. For the exams, you are responsible for the material in the textbook, as well as the PowerPoints on OWL.
Week Day (2018) Topics & Exams (Chapter), pp. #
1 Thurs/Sep/6 An Interdisciplinary View of Health (1) 1-24
2 Thurs/Sep/13 Research Methods (2) 25-56
3 Thurs/Sep/20 Global Communicable and Chronic Disease Forum Post #1 Open (3) 57-91
4 Thurs/Sep/27 Theories and Models of Health Behaviour Change (4) 92-127
5 Thurs/Oct/4 Risky Health Behaviours (5) 128-165
6 Oct 8-12 Thanksgiving/Reading Week No Readings
7 Thurs/Oct/18 Emotional Health and Well-Being Forum Post #2 Open (6) 166-198
8 TBA Mid-Term Exam (1 – 6)
9 Thurs/Oct/25 Stress and Coping (7) 199-237
10 Thurs/Nov/1 HIV and AIDS (8) 238-274
11 Thurs/Nov/8 Cardiovascular Disease Forum Post #3 Open (9) 275-303
12 Thurs/Nov/15 Chronic Pain Management and Arthritis (10) 304-334
13 Thurs/Nov/22 Cancer (11) 335-370
14 Thurs/Nov/29 Health Care Systems and Health Policy: Effects on Health Outcomes Forum Post #4 Open (12) 371-405
TBA Final Exam December 10-21 (1 – 12)
8.0 STATEMENT ON ACADEMIC OFFENCES
Students are responsible for understanding the nature and avoiding the occurrence of plagiarism and other scholastic offenses. Plagiarism and cheating are considered very serious offenses because they undermine the integrity of research and education. Actions constituting a scholastic offense 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 offenses. 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
Possible penalties for a scholastic offense include failure of the assignment, failure of the course, suspension from the University, and expulsion from the University.
9.0 POLICY ON ACCOMMODATION FOR MEDICAL ILLNESS
Western’s policy on Accommodation for Medical Illness can be found at:
http://westerncalendar.uwo.ca/PolicyPages.cfm?Command=showCategory&PolicyCategoryID=1&SelectedCalendar=Live&ArchiveID=#Page_12
Students must see the Academic Counsellor and submit all required documentation in order to be approved for certain accommodation:
http://counselling.ssc.uwo.ca/procedures/medical_accommodation.html
10.0 OTHER INFORMATION
Office of the Registrar web site: http://registrar.uwo.ca
Student Development Services web site: http://www.sdc.uwo.ca
Please see the Psychology Undergraduate web site for information on the following:
http://psychology.uwo.ca/undergraduate/student_responsibilities/index.html
- 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 Absences
- Documentation
- Academic Concerns
- 2018 Calendar References
No electronic devices, including cell phones and smart watches, will be allowed during exams.
