Psychology 2550B-001

Introduction to Personality Theory and Research

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

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.

Prerequisite: A mark of at least 60% in 1.0 credits of Psychology at the 1000 level

Unless you have either the requisites for this course or written special permission from your Dean to enroll in it, you may be removed from this course and it will be deleted from your record. This decsion 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.

 

Antirequisite: Psychology 2050 if taken before 2016 

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.

4 lecture hours, 0.5 course

Key Deadlines

 

For your convenience, below is a summary of some important dates this semester.

Date

Event

Tuesday, January 14th

 Last day to add a second-term half course, or a second-term full course.

Monday, Feb. 3rd, 4:30 – 6:30 pm

Test 1 and Syllabus Scavenger Hunt Deadline

Monday, Mar. 2nd, 4:30 – 6.30 pm

Test 2

Saturday, Mar. 7th

Last day to drop a second-term half course, or a second-term full course without academic penalty.

Apr. 6 – 26th

Final Examination Period (please don’t make early holiday plans before knowing your full exam schedule).

Note: Course add/drop dates were obtained from the academic calendar: http://www.westerncalendar.uwo.ca/SessionalDates.cfm

 

2.0    COURSE INFORMATION

Instructor: Hiten Dave, MSc.    

Office: SSC 7316 (might move to SSC 9244 soon)

Office Hours: By appointment (or just come on in if you see my door open! If I’m busy, I’ll ask that you swing by another time).

Email: hdave7@uwo.ca 

 

Teaching Assistant: Kristi MacDonald   

Office: SSC 7325                    

Office Hours: TBA     

Email: kmacd252@uwo.ca 

 

Time and Location of Classes:  Mondays & Wednesdays; 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm; SSC 2032

 

Course Website

News and course updates will be posted on Western’s OWL system (http://owl.uwo.ca). This is the primary method by which information will be disseminated to all students in the class, so you are responsible for checking OWL on a frequent basis.

                                                                               

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

Cervone, D., & Pervin, L. A. (2013). Personality: Theory and research (14th ed.). Toronto: Wiley.

 

An online version of this textbook is available at www.WileyStudentChoice.com. This is the more cost-effective option.

If you would like a physical copy, the textbook is also available at Western’s Bookstore (https://bookstore.uwo.ca). When you do a textbook search from the bookstore’s main page, be sure to follow this pathway: 

Textbook search > University of Western Ontario > Undergraduate winter/2nd term > PSY2550B 001 UW (tick the box and search) > and there you go :) 

4.0    COURSE OBJECTIVES

In this course, we will be examining the theories, methods, and key research findings in the area of personality psychology.

4.1 Teaching Approach

 

Learning is a collaborative and two-way process, and I hope to use this as a guiding philosophy for my teaching approach in this course. Although Psychology 2550B is a lecture-heavy course, I will do my best to encourage active and participatory learning within the boundaries of our course’s format. One of the strategies to achieve this is the use of iClicker questions during lectures, but I would also love it if questions and comments are interspersed throughout the lectures. I will also show some relevant videos that are meant to help you better contextualize the concepts. I hope we can all do our part to foster an engaged and empathic classroom environment for everyone.

 

4.2 Learning Tips

 

Below are some suggestions for scholastic behaviour that will help you achieve the most from this course. It is compiled based on evidence from educational psychology research, as well as my own undergraduate experience.

 

  • Stay up to date with course material by doing the readings in advance. Most of the course readings are textbook chapters. Other topics will have optional readings posted on OWL.
  • Although this class is lecture heavy, there will be ample time for participatory learning via class discussions and iClicker questions. I encourage you to engage with the discussions and ask questions when necessary. Students who participate more in class usually tend to score higher grades.
  • Come to class on time. It might be a winter of turbulent weather, so ensure that you leave yourself plenty of time to arrive on campus.
  • Please limit your use of technology for note-taking and e-learning tools like iClicker. Opening social media in class can be distracting, not just to yourself, but to other students as well. If this behaviour is deemed disruptive, you may be asked to leave the classroom. Sit towards the back of the room if you need to open several non-course-related tabs.

Here at Western, we are fortunate to have access to the resources we do. Student advocates have worked hard over many years to negotiate the myriad student resources covered by your tuition fees. If you find yourself struggling, please don’t hesitate to reach out for help. The Student Development Centre website (www.sdc.uwo.ca) offers services for a range of different needs

   4.3    STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES 

Below is an overview of some learning outcomes for the course, accompanied by the assessments we will use to see if the learning outcomes were successfully met.

 

 

Learning Outcomes

Assessment

Define key terminology and concepts in prominent personality theories.

Multiple-choice questions via iClicker and the tests and exam. 

Explain various research methods used by personality researchers, including the questions they ask and how multiple lines of research feed into our understanding of human personality. 

Critical thinking questions assessed via iClicker responses, as well as short-answer questions in tests.

Analyze the merits and pitfalls of personality theories in isolation and as a whole. 

Critical thinking and discussion questions assessed via iClicker responses, as well as short-answer questions in tests.

Apply knowledge of prominent personality theories to real-world issues such as education, the workplace, and political ideology. 

Lecture reflection exercises and short-answer questions in tests.

Articulate knowledge about personality theories in the broader context of historical and empirical implications.

Critical thinking questions assessed via iClicker responses, as well as short-answer questions in tests.

Troubleshoot answers to common technical questions in undergraduate courses.

Syllabus Scavenger Hunt quiz.

 

5.0     EVALUATION

You will be evaluated based on two in-class tests, a final exam, iClicker questions, lecture reflections, and a syllabus scavenger hunt.

 

Syllabus Scavenger Hunt – 1%

 

The syllabus serves as a “contract” for the course. As with any contract, it is important to read through and refer to when troubleshooting for certain information. In order to ensure that we are on the same page, a brief quiz on the syllabus’s contents will be posted on OWL. Questions will be multiple choice, and you must complete it online (you will need to have the syllabus handy for this). The main objective is to get you to troubleshoot the syllabus for key information, and earn an easy 1% for being a responsible student! The quiz must be completed by 11.59 pm on January 27th, 2019. 

 

iClicker Questions – 2.5%

 

We will be using iClickers to evaluate your ongoing understanding of the material. iClicker questions will be randomly distributed throughout lecture. If you need to miss a lecture for some reason, I will take your best 10 responses and calculate it for your final grade. Western students can access the iClicker/REEF software free of charge. Setup instructions will be communicated to you in class and on OWL. Full set up instructions can be found here: https://presswestern.uwo.ca/students_and_audience/getting_started.html

 

In order to ensure that we use iClickers efficiently, please consult the following “best practices” page:

https://presswestern.uwo.ca/attachments/iclicker%20poster%20-%20students%20-%20v4.pdf

 

Lecture Reflections – 2.5%

 

This component requires you to submit “thought notes” on the lecture material. These notes must be single-spaced, 12-pt. font, Times New Roman, and at least 1 page long (maximum 2 pages). Below are some guiding questions to help you shape your reflections:

 

  • Describe one or two things that interested you the most about this lecture. Why?
  • What are some real-world and/or personal applications for certain concepts you learned in class?
  • Do you have any constructive criticisms of the personality theory we talked about today?
  • Are there some concepts you are still unsure about? Explain briefly.

 

While these are your own thoughts, you must try to articulate them in at least a semi-formal tone with good use of paragraphs. Writing style will be considered for your grade.

You must submit at least two lecture reflections over the course of the semester (each worth 1.25% of your final grade). Lecture reflections are due by midnight on a night when we have lecture. Submit them on OWL.

 

Test 1 – 30%

 

Test 2 – 30%

 

Final Exam – 34%

 

The tests and the final exam are based on material from the textbook as well as lecture. Each test will contain a mix of multiple choice and short-answer questions to assess different learning outcomes (see section 4.3 above). Tests 1 and 2 are non-cumulative; the final exam is cumulative. See section 7.0 of the syllabus details the content covered in each.

 

Tests and exams must be written on the dates and times they are scheduled (see section 6.0 below). Make up exams will only be held for students who have legitimate medical, personal, or other circumstances that are approved of by their academic counselor (see https://counselling.ssc.uwo.ca/about_us/appointments.html) or a Self-Reported Absence. Otherwise, those who miss an exam will be assigned a grade of 0. The make-up exam for Midterm 1 will occur on Saturday 8th February (location TBA); The Midterm 2 make-up will be held on Saturday 7th March (location TBA). The Final Exam make-up will be announced once the finals schedule is released. Please do not book travel until after that exam. 

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

Test 1: Monday, February 3rd, 2020 - SSC 2032

Test 2: Monday, March 2nd, 2020 - SSC 2032

Final Exam: TBA (April 6th – 26th) 

 

7.0   CLASS SCHEDULE

Note: The lecture schedule is subject to change. However, the exam dates are final.

 

Date

Class Topic

Textbook Chapter

Mon Jan 6

Introduction to the course + What is personality

           1

Test 1

 

 

 

Exam

 Wed Jan 8

Foundations of Personality Theory

1

Mon Jan 13 

Research Methods in Personality I

2

Wed Jan 15

Research Methods in Personality II

2

Mon Jan 20

Psychoanalytic and Psychodynamic Theory I

3

Wed Jan 22

Psychoanalytic and Psychodynamic Theory II

4

Mon Jan 27

Phenomenological Theory I

          5

Wed Jan 29

Phenomenological Theory II

          6

Mon Feb 3

Test 1

 

Wed Feb 5

Trait Theory I

           7

 

Test 2

Mon Feb 10

Trait Theory II

           8

 

Wed Feb 12

Behaviourism

          10

 

Mon Feb 17

Reading Week - No Class

 

Wed Feb 19

Reading Week - No Class

 

Mon Feb 24

Social-Cognitive Theory I

             11 

 

Wed Feb 26

Social-Cognitive Theory II

         12 & 13

 

Mon Mar 2

Test 2

 

Wed Mar 4

Theories of Intelligence

TBA

 

Mon Mar 9

Emotional Intelligence I

TBA

 

Wed Mar 11

Emotional Intelligence II

TBA

Mon Mar 16

Biological Theories of Personality

9

Wed Mar 18

Cultural and Lifespan Issues in Personality 

14

Mon Mar 23

Personality and Political Ideology

          TBA

Wed Mar 25

Personality and Feminism 

          TBA

Mon Mar 30

The Dark Triad/Tetrad of Personality

          TBA

Wed Apr 1

Introduction to Abnormal Personality and Personality Disorders

          TBA

Apr 6 - 26

Final Exam (during formal examination period)

 

 

 

 

 

8.0 COURSE-SPECIFIC POLICIES

 

8.1 Lecture Slides

 

I will try to post the Powerpoint slides a day after the lecture is done, unless unforeseen extenuating circumstances prevent me from doing so. The slides are a framework to help guide your understanding, and should not be the only tool you rely on for studying. In many cases, the content on the slides alone may not be sufficient to understand a concept, so listening and asking for clarification will be helpful.

 

8.2 Classroom Conduct and Management  

 

My goal in this class is to foster an engaging and empowering learning environment. In this class, we will discuss sensitive topics like political ideology, as well as controversial theories like psychodynamic theory. It is important to have these conversations in a course like this, and to ask challenging questions in an intellectually honest way. In any case, I want this to be a safe learning environment for all. 

 

Please do your best to arrive to class on time. I schedule an iClicker question at the beginning of class that you don’t want to miss. Keep an eye on the weather and leave yourself plenty of time to get to campus. In the event of inclement weather, the university itself decides whether classes continue or not (I don’t have control over that). 

 

8.3 Communication

 

You will receive email at your @uwo.ca email address only. Changes to course scheduling (e.g., due to weather) and important information will be posted on the OWL course page. Please check the page regularly. Although OWL tends to send announcement notifications via email, those emails can frequently get filtered into the “other” category if you use a smart phone to receive the email. Please be aware of that and take steps to ensure that OWL notifications are given priority.

 

If you need to email Kristi or myself, please ensure that the subject of the email contains “Psychology 2550B” in the subject line, as well as your student number towards the end. It is also important that you keep the tone of the email respectful. For example, “Hey bruh, this idea is confuzzling” or “Hey! Can u plz help” is unlikely to receive a response. A more professional email would read like “Hi Hiten, I am still struggling with correlations. Specifically, I didn’t grasp how you evaluated the strength of a correlation, and what’s implication is. Could we meet to chat about this at 10 am on Wednesday?” 

 

Please be mindful that I receive many emails every day, and despite my best efforts it can take up to two business days respond. If I have not replied within two business days, please send a friendly reminder, or consider the tone of your previous email. It is best to contact me sooner rather than later for any matter.

9.0     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.



10.0    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:

  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 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



11.0        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.