Psychology 2020A-001
Drugs and Behaviour
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
Survey of the major drugs of abuse used to treat psychopathological disorders including a brief section on methods of administration, drug distribution and elimination, neurotransmitters. The history and patterns of use and abuse, clinic indications, neurochemical bases for action for a variety of licit and illicit drugs.
3 lecture hours, 0.5 course
2.0 COURSE INFORMATION
Instructor: Dr. John Campbell
Office and Phone Number: SSC 7440
Office Hours: TBA
Email: jcampb7@uwo.ca
Time and Location of Lectures: Tuesdays & Thursdays 10:30am – 1:30pm SSC-2024
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
Drugs, Behaviour & Modern Society, First Canadian Edition Charles F. Levinthal, Hofstra University
4.0 COURSE OBJECTIVES
The purpose of this course is to provide an overview of the major drugs of use and abuse. Concepts pertinent to Drugs and Behaviour in general will be presented first (factors for drug-taking behaviour, methods of administration, nervous system basics, basic pharmacological concepts, pharmacological research, and physiological & psychological basis of drug dependence). This will be followed by an overview of both the historical & current trends and patterns of use, regulation, and the neurochemical basis of effects on the brain and behaviour for specific drug categories.
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 the University of Western Ontario 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
There will be three tests (best two of three) and a final exam. All tests and exams are non- cumulative and will be comprised of primarily multiple choice and true/false questions. Each test will cover the topics that have been lectured on since the preceding test, including all assigned textbook and lecture material. Tests are closed book and therefore no aids are allowed. It is in your interest to avoid sitting near anyone you studied the course material with.
The weighting of the tests will be as follows:
Test1 - 20%
Test2 - 20%
Test3 - 20%
Final exam - 40%
Exam schedule:
Test 1 (Chapters 1,2, 3, 4)
Test 2 (Chapters 5,6 & 7)
Test 3 (Chapters 8, 9 & 10)
Final Exam (Chapters 12, 13,15,16)7.0 CLASS SCHEDULE
|
Topic |
Readings |
Date |
|
Introductory Concepts |
Chapter 1 & 2 |
Tues. May 17 |
|
How drugs work |
Chapter 3 |
Thurs May 19 |
|
Biological basis of drug addiction Stimulants |
Chapter 4 |
Tues. May 24 |
|
Test 1 – 1 hour – Beginning of class Narcotics |
Chapter 5 |
Thurs May 26 |
|
Hallucinogens Marijuana |
Chapter 6 & 7 |
Tues May 31 |
|
Test 2 – 1 hour – Beginning of class Nicotine |
Chapter 10 |
Thurs. June 2 |
|
Alcohol |
Chapter 8 & 9 |
Tues June 7 |
|
Test 3 – 1 hour – Beginning of class |
|
Thurs June 9 |
|
Caffeine Inhalants |
Chapter 12 & 13 |
Tues June 14 |
|
Inhalants (cont’d) |
|
Thurs June 16 |
|
Medicinal drugs |
Chapter 15 & 16 |
Tues June 21 |
|
Final Exam |
|
Thurs June 23 |
Note: Topics will be covered in the order given above. Please be aware that these dates are meant to serve as an approximate guide to allow students to keep up with readings. Please note that I will cover the most important and interesting topics, and sometimes will expand on the material. To get the most out of this course, it is advised that you familiarize yourself with the chapters prior to lecture and come prepared to discuss the material. After lecture, students should return to the readings for thorough study. For those chapters that appear as readings on the course schedule, you are responsible for the entire chapter regardless of lecture coverage. You will not be responsible for chapters that do not appear on the class schedule.
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
The University of Western Ontario’s policy on Accommodation for Medical Illness can be found at:
http://www.westerncalendar.uwo.ca/2015/pg117.html
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
- 2015 Calendar References
No electronic devices, including cell phones, will be allowed during exams.
