Psychology 2020A 650

Psychology 2020A 650 S21

If there is a discrepancy between the outline posted below and the outline posted on the OWL course website, the latter shall prevail.

 

  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. 

 

 

3 lecture hours; Course Weight: 0.5 

 

 

 

2.0 COURSE INFORMATION 

 

Instructor: Dr. John Campbell 

Office and Phone Number: Zoom  

Office Hours: By appointment  

Email: jcampb7@uwo.ca  

 

      Time and Location of Classes: Lectures will be online, asynchronous and uploaded to the OWL course website on Tuesdays &                                                                                                                                                     Thursdays 

 

 

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. You may also wish to contact Student Accessibility Services (formerly known as Services for Students with Disabilities) at 519-661-2147. 

 

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. 

 

4.1  STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES 

 

Learning Outcome  

Learning Activity  

Assessment 

Depth and Breadth of Knowledge.  

Recognize and identify major drugs of abuse when they are discussed texts, news, public forums. 

Online lectures, Ted talks and other videos, online demonstrations 

Midterm exams and final exams 

Knowledge of Methodologies.  

Recognize and identify major concepts related to drug addiction and the treatment of drug addiction.  

Online lectures, Ted talks and other videos, online demonstrations and activities 

Midterm exams and final exams 

Application of Knowledge.  

Identifying how this knowledge can be utilized to change our behaviours as they pertain to the use of drugs and how are bodies interact with different drugs.  

Online demonstrations and activities 

Midterm exams and final exams 

Communication Skills.  

Recognize and identify major experimental procedures related to the study of drug addiction               

 

Online lectures, videos, activities 

Midterm exams and final exams 

Awareness of Limits of Knowledge. 

Recognizing the limitations of research in the field of drug use and addiction over the years and questions that remain on the topics covered.  

Online lectures, videos, activities 

Midterm exams and final exams 

Autonomy and Professional Capacity. 

Compare, classify, and interpret information about drugs and drug addiction as presented in texts, news, media or public forums. 

Online lectures, videos, activities 

Midterm exams and final exams 

 

 

5.0 EVALUATION 

 

Grades in this course will be based on three online asynchronous exams. The exams will consist of a combination of multiple-choice and fill in the blank questions. Students are responsible for material assigned in the textbook, as well as material covered in lectures.  The First Exam (May 27), worth 30% of the final grade, will cover material from May 4 through May 27.  The Second Exam (June 24), worth 35% of the final grade, will cover material from June 1 - 22.  The Final Exam (TBA), worth 35% of the final grade, will cover material from June 29 through July 20. 

 

All exams will be online via OWL and the questions will be randomized as well as the answer choices. All the exams will be “linear” in nature, meaning you can NOT return to questions you have already answered. This is done to try and limit collaboration between students during the exams. Online exam tools will be used to analyse response patterns to monitor potential inappropriate student collaboration during the exams.  

 

If you miss an exam and have an excuse documented by either a Self-Reported Absence (Exam 1 only), or another accommodation approved by the academic counselling office in your home faculty, you will be offered a make-up exam time. Please note that make-up exams may consist, in part or exclusively, of essay, short-answer, fill-in-the-blank, and/or multiple-choice items.    

 

Grades will be posted to the course web site as soon as possible after each exam.  

 

No additional assignments will be offered to enhance a final grade, nor will any requests be considered for additional marks because they are needed for a grad/law/med school application, etc. To maximize your grade, do your best on each and every component during the course. 

 

 

 

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 to 2099-level courses 

72%  2100-2999-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 

 

 
Date 

% of final grade 

Material covered 

  

Exam 1 

May 27 

30% 

May 4 through May 27 

Exam 2 

June 24 

35% 

June 1 through June 17 

Exam 3 

TBA 

35% 

June 29 through July 20 

 

You will receive the grade calculated based on the assignment weightings described in 5.0. No additional assignments will be offered to enhance a final grade, nor will any requests be considered for additional marks because they are needed for a grad/law/med school application, etc. To maximize your grade, do your best on each and every assignment during the course. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7.0 CLASS SCHEDULE 

 

Week 

Date 

Topic(s) to be covered 

Reading (s) 

1 

May 4, 6 

Introduction 

Ch 1  

2 

May 11, 13 

How drugs work 

Ch 2 

3 

May 18, 20 

Biological basis of drug addiction 

Stimulants 

Ch 3 

Ch 4 

 4 

May 27 

EXAM 1 (30%) 

Ch 1 - 4 

 5 

June 1 

Narcotics 

 

Hallucinogens         

Ch 5 & 6 

6 

June 8, 10 

Marijuana 

Ch 7 

7 

June 15, 17 

Alcohol 

Ch 8 

Ch 9 

8 

June 24 

EXAM 2 (35%) 

Ch 5 - 9 

9 

June 29 

Inhalants 

 

Ch 13 

10 

July 6, 8 

Steroids 

Ch 12 

11 

July 13, 15 

Nicotine 

 

Medicinal drugs 

 

Ch 10 

Ch 15 

12 

July 20, 22 

Substance Abuse Treatment 

 

Ch 16 

 

 

TBA 

Final Exam (35%) 

Ch 10, 12, 13, 15, 16 

 

 

 

 

 

8.0 STATEMENT ON ACADEMIC OFFENCES 

 

Students are responsible for understanding the nature and avoiding the occurrence of plagiarism and other scholastic offences. Plagiarism and cheating are considered very serious offences because they undermine the integrity of research and education. Actions constituting a scholastic offence 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 offences. 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 will be subject to submission for similarity review by software that will check for unusual coincidences in answer patterns that may indicate cheating. 

 

In classes that involve the use of a personal response system (PRS), data collected using the PRS will only be used in a manner consistent to that described in this outline. It is the instructor’s responsibility to make every effort to ensure that data remain confidential. However, students should be aware that as with all forms of electronic communication, privacy is not guaranteed. Your PRS login credentials are for your sole use only. Students attempting to use another student’s credentials to submit data through the PRS may be subject to academic misconduct proceedings.  

 

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. 

 

9.0 POLICY ON ACCOMMODATION FOR ILLNESS OR OTHER ABSENCES 

 

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 

 

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); 
  1. 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;  
  1. 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 must be submitted before the exam/coursework deadline in order to be valid. It 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 

 

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. 

 

10.0 CONTINGENCY PLAN FOR RETURN TO LOCKDOWN: IN-PERSON & BLENDED CLASSES 

 

In the event of a COVID-19 resurgence during the term that necessitates the course delivery moving away from face-to-face interaction, all remaining course content will be delivered entirely online, either synchronously (i.e., at the times indicated in the timetable) or asynchronously (e.g., posted on OWL for students to view at their convenience). The grading scheme will not change. Any remaining assessments will also be conducted online, as determined by the course instructor. 

 

11.0 STATEMENTS CONCERNING ONLINE ETIQUETTE 

 

In courses involving online interactions, the Psychology Department expects students to honour the following rules of etiquette: 

  • please “arrive” to class on time 
  • please use your computer and/or laptop if possible (as opposed to a cell phone or tablet) 
  • please ensure that you are in a private location to protect the confidentiality of discussions in the event that a class discussion deals with sensitive or personal material 
  • to minimize background noise, kindly mute your microphone for the entire class until you are invited to speak, unless directed otherwise 
  • In classes larger than 30 participants please turn off your video camera for the entire class unless you are invited to speak 
  • In classes of 30 students or fewer, where video chat procedures are being used, please be prepared to turn your video camera off at the instructor’s request if the internet connection becomes unstable 
  • Unless invited by your instructor, do not share your screen in the meeting 

 

The course instructor will act as moderator for the class and will deal with any questions from participants. To participate please consider the following: 

  • If you wish to speak, use the “raise hand” function and wait for the instructor to acknowledge you before beginning your comment or question. 
  • Please remember to unmute your microphone and turn on your video camera before speaking. 
  • Self-identify when speaking. 
  • Please remember to mute your mic and turn off your video camera after speaking (unless directed otherwise). 

 

General considerations of “netiquette”: 

  • Keep in mind the different cultural and linguistic backgrounds of the students in the course. 
  • Be courteous toward the instructor, your colleagues, and authors whose work you are discussing. 
  • Be respectful of the diversity of viewpoints that you will encounter in the class and in your readings. The exchange of diverse ideas and opinions is part of the scholarly environment. “Flaming” is never appropriate. 
  • Be professional and scholarly in all online postings. Use proper grammar and spelling. Cite the ideas of others appropriately. 

 

Note that disruptive behaviour of any type during online classes, including inappropriate use of the chat function, is unacceptable. Students found guilty of Zoom-bombing a class or of other serious online offenses may be subject to disciplinary measures under the Code of Student Conduct. 

 

12.0 OTHER INFORMATION 

 

Office of the Registrar: http://registrar.uwo.ca   

 

Student Development Services: 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 

- 2021-2022 Calendar References 

 

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 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.