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 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.
Antirequisite: Psychology 3330F/G
Antirequisites are courses that overlap sufficiently in content that only one can be taken for credit. So 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 is approximately 22 hours of lecture time, which is based on the uploaded audio-recordings. Lecture hours; online format, so you may access the course content at your convenience.
0.5 course
2.0 COURSE INFORMATION
Instructor: Eric Collins, BHSc, MSc, PhD (c)
Office: Social Science Centre 7440 (shared space)
Office Hours: TBA
Email: ecollin9@uwo.ca (48-hour response time or 72-hours during exam season and holidays)
Teaching Assistant: TBA
Office: TBA
Office Hours: TBA
Email: TBA
Time and Location of Classes: Online format (all course materials can be found on OWL)
Students who are in emotional/mental distress should refer to Mental Health@Western
http://www.uwo.ca/uwocom/mentalhealth/ 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.
3.0 TEXTBOOK
Poole, G., Matheson, D., & Cox, D. (2016). The psychology of health and health care. A Canadian perspective. Fifth edition. Pearson: Toronto
4.0 COURSE OBJECTIVES
In this course, we will explore health psychology and its influence on human health and the health care system. We will investigate health psychology from its inception to its current application to human health and health care. This course will also examine stress and coping by highlighting some of its most important theories and models. Our focus will then shift to the field of psychoneuroimmunology, which is an area that inspects the relationship between human biology and psychology. The next topic is health communication, which assesses the dynamics of physician-patient relationships. Thereafter, our attention turns to human health and physical activity, specifically the interconnection between physical activity, psychology, and health. Health-compromising behaviours such as drug use and eating disorders will also be surveyed. Subsequently, we will navigate the issues of chronic and life-threatening illnesses such as cancer and explore its impact on health psychology. Next, we will study the topic of pain through theoretical constructs and clinical application. The health care system will also be probed to help illuminate issues such as medical care and patient autonomy. Near the end of the term, our focus turns to the social-ecological model, which will assess the impact of the social determinants of health and their impact on a macro level. Lastly, we will be introduced to the concept of health promotion and delve into its application and theoretical underpinnings.4.1 STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
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Learning Outcome |
Learning Activity |
Learning Assessment |
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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 |
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Application of Knowledge: Interpret social psychological situations in order to make predictions about behaviour |
•Lectures •Readings |
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Application of Methodologies: Explain the scientific study of social psychology to a non-academic/non- psychologist |
•Lectures •Readings |
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5.0 EVALUATION
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 ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION SCHEDULE
Mid-term quizzes (5%) and (5%): There are two online mid-term quizzes. The first online mid-term quiz takes place at the end of week 4, covers content from chapters 1-3, and is worth 5%. The second online mid-term quiz takes place at the end of week 9, covers content from chapters 7-9, and is worth 5%. Each quiz consists of 15 questions and includes multiple-choice, true or false, matching, and fill-in-the-blanks. 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. Only students with approved academic accommodations for this course are permitted to complete version B of each quiz; failure to follow these instructions will result in a score of zero. Please note: any student suspected of cheating will face serious academic penalties (see section 8.0 of the course outline). Western University has developed new anti-cheating technology that allows course instructors to better identify cheating when it occurs.
Exams (40%) and (50%): There are two exams in this course. The exams cover material from the textbook and PowerPoints on OWL. The mid-term exam contains 60 questions, covers chapters 1-5, and is worth 40%. The mid-term exam includes multiple-choice, true or false, matching, and fill-in-the-blanks. Students will have a 2-hour limit to complete the mid-term exam. The final exam contains 75 questions, covers chapters 1-11, and is worth 50%. The final exam contains multiple-choice, true or false, matching, and fill-in-the-blanks. Students will have a 3-hour limit to complete the final exam. No electronic devices, including smartphones and smartwatches are permitted during exams. Bring your Western student card and a No. 2/HB pencil to the exams.
Midterm-Exam (40%): Friday, October 11th. Time and location to be announcement on OWL. This exam covers content from chapters 1-5.
Final Exam (50%): Date, time, and location to be announced on OWL. This a cumulative exam, which covers content from all chapters. As a reminder, do not make plans for travel during the final exam period (December 8-19) until you know when your final exams will be.
Grade Distribution
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Component |
Value % |
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Mid-Term Quiz #1 |
5 |
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Mid-Term Quiz #2 |
5 |
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Mid-Term Exam |
40 |
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Final Exam |
50 |
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Total |
100 |
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.
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Week |
Day |
Topic |
Readings |
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1 |
Sep 6 |
Welcome to health psychology |
Chapter 1, p. 1-23 |
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2 |
Sep 13 |
Stress and coping |
Chapter 2, p. 22-50 |
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3 |
Sep 20 |
Psychoneuroimmunology |
Chapter 3, p. 51-75 |
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4 |
Sep 27 |
Health communication |
Chapter 4, p. 76-105 |
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Sep 27-Sep 29 |
Online Mid-Term Quiz #1 |
Chapter 1-3 |
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5 |
Oct 4 |
Health and physical activity |
Chapter 5, p. 106-134 |
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Oct 11 |
Mid-Term Exam |
Chapters 1-5 |
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6 |
Oct 18 |
Health-compromising behaviours |
Chapter 6, p. 135-174 |
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7 |
Oct 18 |
Chronic and life-threatening illness |
Chapter 7, p. 176-204 |
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8 |
Oct 25 |
Pain |
Chapter 8, p. 206-240 |
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9 |
Nov 1 |
The world of health care: Places, procedures, and people |
Chapter 9, p. 241-277 |
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Nov 1-3 |
Online Mid-Term Quiz #2 |
Chapters 7-9 |
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10 |
Nov 8 |
From one to many: Health on a large scale |
Chapter 10, p. 279-300 |
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11 |
Nov 15 |
Health promotion |
Chapter 11, p. 302-321 |
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TBA |
Final Exam (December 8-19) |
Cumulative |
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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
Computer-marked multiple-choice tests and/or exams may be subject to submission for similarity review by software that will check for unusual coincidences in answer patterns that may indicate cheating.
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://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
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
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:
- Submitting a Self-Reported Absence form (for circumstances that are expected to resolve within 48 hours);
- 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 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 hours after the end of the period covered by either the self-reported absence or SMC, or immediately upon their return following a documented absence
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
- 2019-2020 Calendar References
No electronic devices, including cell phones and smart watches, will be allowed during exams.
Copyright Statement: Lectures and course materials, including power point presentations, outlines, 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 lecture notes, wiki material, and other course materials publicly and/or for commercial purposes without the instructor’s written consent.
