Psychology 2020B 001 FW24
Drugs and Behavior
If there is a discrepancy between the outline posted below and the outline posted on the OWL course website, the latter shall prevail.
Western University
London Canada
Department of Psychology
Fall/Winter 2024
Psychology 2020B Section 001
Drugs and Behavior
1 Calendar Description
Survey of the major drugs of abuse, including alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, opiates, stimulants, inhalants, and sedative-hypnotics. Discussion will focus on historical and current patterns of use and abuse, behavioural and psychological effects of acute and chronic use, psychological processes involved in drug effects, neurochemical bases for action, and treatment issues.
Antirequisites: Not Applicable
Prerequisites: Not Applicable
3 lecture hours; Course Weight: 0.5
Unless you have either the prerequisites 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 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: Dr. Riley Hinson
Office and Phone Number: see Brigthspace for office location 519-661-2111 x84649
Office Hours: By appointment
Email: hinson@uwo.ca
Time and Location of Classes: see Student Timetable for details
Website: There is a Brightspace site for this course. Access to this site is via your id name and password (this is typically your last name and the code involving a combination of numbers and upper and lower case letters). Important course information will be posted at the website, and this is the main method of communicating information to students. It is the student’s responsibility to check the web site regularly for important course information. If you miss a course component (test, make up test, etc.) when the information for that course component has been posted on the web site, then you will receive a grade of zero (0) on that component.
3 Course Materials
All material that will be tested will be presented in the class lectures. If you would like to have a complete copy of most of the material that might be presented in class, you may purchase the entire set of my lectures from the Bookstore. You are not required to purchase this, as only the material presented in the lectures will be tested. If you are considering purchasing the lectures from the Bookstore, make sure you get the correct book (you may contact me about this is you wish).
4 Course Objectives and Learning Outcomes
The purpose of this course is to acquaint students with the major drugs of use and abuse. These include alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, opiates, marijuana, sedatives, hallucinogens, stimulants, inhalants, steroids and other miscellaneous drugs. The history of use of the different drugs will be presented. The current use of drugs will be described. The behavioral effects will be presented. Behavioral and biopsychological research aimed at identifying factors involved in drug use will also be discussed.
By the end of this course, the successful student should be able to
- recognize and identify major drugs of abuse when they are discussed texts, news, public forums
- recognize and identify major concepts related to drug addiction
- recognize and identify major experimental procedures related to the study of drug addiction
- compare, classify, and interpret information about drugs and drug addiction as presented in texts, news, media or public forums
Student Learning Outcomes, Activities and Assessment
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Course Learning Outcome
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5 Evaluation
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
There will be two term tests (see 7 for dates) and a Final Exam (set by the Registrar). Each of the term tests will be worth 33.333 marks, and the Final will be worth 33.334. All the tests will be in-person, in a paper-and-pencil format (location to be posted to Brightspace close to date of each test). The term tests will take place on Saturdays—they will not be during class time. All tests will be multiple choice. The tests will not be explicitly cumulative. There are general concepts, introduced and discussed at various points in the course, which are relevant to material discussed at any point in the course. These general concepts, applied to the material covered for a test, may be included on any of the tests. All tests will be open book. Students may have either the Text Notes and/or their own written/printed notes during all tests. Electronic versions of notes are not allowed.
Policy on Missing Coursework
There will be MAKE UPS OF MISSED TESTS THAT HAVE BEEN EXCUSED BY ACADEMIC COUNSELLING. There will not be a make-up for those who are not excused, and a grade of zero will be recorded for the missed test/final exam.
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
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Test 1 |
33.333% |
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Test 2 |
33.333% |
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Final Exam |
33.334% |
7 Class Schedule
M January 6: Introduction I
W January 8: Introduction II
M January 13: Introduction III
W January 15: Alcohol I
M January 20: Alcohol II
W January 22 Alcohol III
M January 27: Alcohol IV
W January 29: Alcohol V
M February 3 Cannabis I
W February 5: Cannabis II
Test 1 will occur on Saturday, February 8 and will cover material presented in lectures from January 6 up through and including the lecture of January 29.
M February 10: Tobacco I
W February 12: Tobacco II
Week of February 17-21—No Class due to Reading Week
M February 24: Caffeine I and Stimulants I
W February 26: Stimulants II
M March 3: Stimulants III
W March 5: Hallucinogens I
M March 10: Hallucinogens II
W March 12: Hallucinogens III
Test 2 will occur on Saturday, March 15 and will cover material presented in lectures from February 3 up through and including the lecture of March 5.
M March 17: Sedative-Hypnotics I
W March 19: Sedative-Hypnotics II
M March 24: Opiates I
W March 26: Opiates II
M March 31: Gambling I
W April 2: Treatment I
The Final Exam will be scheduled by the Registrar. It will cover material presented in lectures from March 10 up through and including the lecture of April 2.
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 will not be allowed during tests and exams.
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.
Exam Proctoring Software
Tests and examinations for online courses may be conducted using a remote proctoring service. More information about this remote proctoring service, including technical requirements, is available on Western’s Remote
Proctoring website at: https://remoteproctoring.uwo.ca.
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
View Western’s policy on academic consideration for medical illnesses this link
Find your academic counsellor here: https://www.registrar.uwo.ca/faculty_academic_counselling.html
Students must see the Academic Counsellor and submit all required documentation in order to be approved for certain academic considerations. Students must communicate with their instructors no later than 24 hours after the end of the period covered SMC, or immediately upon their return following a documented absence.
Medical Absences
Submit a Student Medical Certificate (SMC) signed by a licensed medical or mental health practitioner to Academic Counselling in your Faculty of registration to be eligible for Academic Consideration.
Nonmedical Absences
Submit appropriate documentation (e.g., obituary, police report, accident report, court order, etc.) to Academic Counselling in your Faculty of registration to be eligible for academic consideration. Students are encouraged to contact their Academic Counselling unit to clarify what documentation is appropriate.
Religious Consideration
Students seeking accommodation for religious purposes are advised to contact Academic Counselling at least three weeks prior to the religious event and as soon as possible after the start of the term.
11 Other Information
- Office of the Registrar: https://registrar.uwo.ca
- Student Development Services: 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 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.
12 Land Acknowledgement
We acknowledge that Western University is located on the traditional territories of the Anishinaabek, Haudenosaunee, Lūnaapéewak, and Chonnonton. Nations, on lands connected with the London Township and Sombra Treaties of 1796 and the Dish with One Spoon Covenant Wampum. This land continues to be home to diverse Indigenous Peoples (First Nations, Métis and Inuit) whom we recognize as contemporary stewards of the land and vital contributors of our society.
