Psychology 2990A 650

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 

Summer Distance  (May 3 – July 23, 2021) 

 

Psychology 2990A    Section 650 

Applications of Psychology 

 

 

  1. CALENDAR DESCRIPTION 

 

The purpose of this course is to acquaint students with some of the ways in which psychological evidence and techniques can be applied to the practice of law, business, education, the health sciences, and other areas. 

 

Prerequisite(s): At least 60% in a 1000 level Psychology course.  

 

0.5 course. 

 

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. 

 

2.0 COURSE INFORMATION 

 

Instructor: Dr. Graeme Haynes  

Office:    SSC 7440  

Office Hours: Fri. 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM, via Zoom  

Email:  ghaynes@uwo.ca   

 

Teaching assistant: TBA 

 

This is a fully online course that will use Western University’s learning platform, OWL (Sakai) and other educational resources based on the needs of the course. This class is designed to be asynchronous, meaning we will not have a regular, mandatory time when the entire class must be online.  However, there may be some synchronous activities that you will sign up for based on your own schedule, including office hour appointments with the professor or T.A. 

 

Given the current pandemic situation, I will not be holding office hours in person for the time being. Email is the best way to contact me, and if need be, I can be available to meet with you over Skype or Zoom.   

 

When sending me an email, please make sure to use proper email etiquette (e.g., start with a greeting), and include the following information: your name, the course you are in (I’m teaching several different courses this semester), and your question.  

 

Sample email: 

 

Hi Prof. Haynes,  

 

This is [insert name here] from your Psychology 2990A class.  I have a few questions about the course material and I was wondering if we could set up a Zoom meeting next week to discuss them? 

 

Sincerely,  

 

[Name] 

 

If you adhere to these guidelines, I promise to reply to all emails within 24 hours. 

 

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 

 

Schneider, F. W., Gruman, J. A., & Coutts, L. M. (Eds.). (2016). Applied social psychology (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.   

 

Additional Readings (required):  
Additional readings have been prepared for some topics.  These readings will be made available as PDF files on the course website at least one week prior to that topic's listed date on the Psychology 2990A Schedule. The material from these additional readings will be tested on the exams. 

 

4.0 COURSE OBJECTIVES 

 

This course covers various areas of applied psychology, including sports psychology, consumer psychology, forensic psychology, environmental psychology, health psychology, and psychology applied to the courtroom. The intent of this course is to expose students to the use of psychology in a wide range of occupations.  Whether you choose to pursue a professional career in these areas, or are simply curious about these areas in your everyday life, it is hoped that you will discover how the scientific study of human behavior can be used to enhance your understanding of these areas. 

  

4.1 SUPPLEMENTARY COURSE MATERIAL 

Supplementary material is intended to complement the textbook.  Thus, I will present some slideshows on OWL containing material that is not in the textbook, and will be tested on the exams.   

 

4.2  STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES 

 

 

Learning Outcome  

Learning Activity  

Assessment 

Depth and Breadth of Knowledge & Awareness of Limitations of Knowledge.  

-identify major concepts and theories in applied psychology (including examples) 

 

-interpret the results of research that has examined these concepts and theories; 

-recognize the uses of psychology in everyday life and identify the extent that these applications do (or do not) connect with psychological theory and empirical findings. 

 

-Assigned readings and supplementary slideshows 

-multiple choice exams 

Application of Knowledge.  

-reflect upon examples of applied psychology in everyday life and propose creative/novel ways that psychology could be applied in the future. 

-Assigned readings and supplementary slideshows 

-online discussion forums 

-multiple choice exams 

-online discussion forums 

Communication Skills.  

-communicate in writing accurately, clearly and logically, using the discourse of the discipline of psychology 

-online discussion forums 

-online discussion forums 

 

 

 

 

5.0 EVALUATION 

 

  1. Exams (25%, 30%, and 30%) 

 

For the exams, you are responsible for material assigned in the textbook, as well as material covered in supplementary online lectures.   

 

Given the current pandemic situation, all exams will be written online.  It is expected that all students will complete the exams independently with no communication between classmates. Although you will have open access to your notes and the textbook, I advise you to study ahead of time to ensure you will be able to adequately answer all questions within the time allotted.   

 

For each of the three exams, you will be given a 24-hour period of time within which to write the exam.  You will have 75 minutes to complete the exam from start to finish (plus additional time for students who have documented accommodations which allow for extra time).  The exams will be linear, meaning once you have answered a question you can’t go back to it.  Once you start, you cannot stop or pause. Therefore, you should prepare to finish the exam within 75 minutes of starting. You will access this exam and submit your answers through the Tests and Quizzes tab on our OWL site. 

 

Each exam is non-cumulative, will consist of multiple choice questions, and will be worth 25-30% of your final grade.  

 

The first midterm exam will need to be completed on Friday, May 28th between 12:00 A.M. and 11:59 P.M., EDT.  

 

The second midterm exam will need to be completed on Monday, June 21st between 12:00 A.M. and 11:59 P.M., EDT.   

 

The non-proctored final examination will take place during the Summer exam period (July 26-29, specific hours TBA).    

 

***Please refer to Section 9.0 for the policy regarding make-up exams.*** 

  1. b) Discussion Forums (5% each, 15% total)

 

Online discussions related to issues from two of the weekly topics will be held on OWL, within pre-assigned groups of 8-10 students. Please make sure that you have thoroughly read the discussion forum rules below.  Each discussion thread will remain active for only one week, so it is your responsibility to know the deadlines for making your posts.   

 

Students are expected to participate in all of these discussions, by posting their own thoughts or observations, and commenting constructively on other students’ comments. Your grade will be earned based on the quantity and quality of your contributions to these discussions. A successful student in online education is one who takes an active role in the learning process. You are therefore encouraged to participate actively in the discussions to enhance your learning experience throughout the course. 

 

A substantive posting usually will reflect on a course concept or idea and will demonstrate a critical appraisal of the material or application thereof. Generally, postings should be between 300 and 400 words. A posting should lead the discussion in a meaningful direction. Examples of quality posts include: 

 

  • providing clear, coherent responses that directly address the topic at hand; 
  • presenting explanations of concepts or methods from the textbook or lecture materials to support your points; 
  • presenting reasons for or against a topic in a persuasive fashion; 
  • sharing your own personal experiences that relate to the topic; 

 

Expect a variety of views to be expressed, and feel free to express your own view. Debates are encouraged, but please remember that your communications must be respectful to others. Note that the instructor will not respond to each point added to the discussion board. Instead the instructor will read and evaluate the posts on the discussion board, and might add comments when appropriate to keep students on track if the discussion has gone off topic. 

For each post, you will be assigned a grade out of 5 (3.5 for original post, and 1.5 for responding to another student’s post and replying to any questions asked by other students).  Grades will be assigned as follows: 

0–2.5 = Unsatisfactory Post is brief and uninformative, does not contribute any insight to the topic, the question is not answered fully. 

3-3.5 = Satisfactory Post is somewhat informative, demonstrates basic understanding of the material, but merits a more clear or further explanation. 

4-4.5 = Very Good  Post is informative, demonstrates strong understanding of the material, and contributes substantial insight. 

5 = Excellent  Post goes beyond basic requirements, demonstrates excellent critical appraisal, shows evidence of considerable reading beyond course text & slideshows (e.g., refers to other articles/sources). 

To earn the full five points, you must demonstrate that you have given the topic serious thought, resulting in interesting observations and/or questions. You don’t have to be right (in fact frequently there won’t be a “right” answer) but you do have to demonstrate that you have thought in depth about the issue. 

 

 

 

The Discussion Forum Rules 

 

There will be three week-long periods during which a discussion forum will take place. Forum #1 will take place during the week of May 10-17; Forum #2 during the week of June 7 – 14; Forum #3 during the week of July 19-26.    

 

Rule #1:  I will always post the discussion forum topic on the Monday morning when a new unit begins. The discussion forums will be open for 7 days, from Monday morning until the following week’s Monday at 12:00 noon (EDT). 

 

Rule #2:  In order to give students time to reply to the posts of other members, you must make your first post no later than Thursday night – any first posts made later than this will be given a late penalty of 0.5 per day. I recommend setting aside a specific block of time each Tuesday or Wednesday to compose your post.  

 

Rule #3:  Your first post should be at least 300 words. You can go over this, but try your best to be concise. Subsequent posts (e.g., responding to a fellow group member’s post) do not need to be as long as this, but their quality will still be factored into your grade. 

 

Sun. 

Mon. 

Tues. 

Wed. 

Thurs. 

Fri. 

Sat. 

 

Forum opens;  

 

 

Make first post 

Make first post 

First post due by 11:59 P.M. 

Respond to other group member’s post & answer any  

follow-up questions 

Respond to other group member’s post & answer any follow-up questions 

Respond to other group member’s post & answer any follow-up questions 

Forum closes at noon 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Note: If you don’t provide feedback to another group member’s post, your maximum possible grade will be 3.5 / 5.  If another student asks you a question about your original post before Sunday at 12:00 noon, you need to answer the question, or you will receive a 0.5 point penalty.  If another student does not ask you a follow-up question, you won’t be penalized. 

 

 

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 

 

To ensure fairness, please be aware that final grades in this course are based exclusively on students’ performance on the three exams and three on-line discussion forums. Exams and discussion posts may not be rewritten, nor will the exams or discussions be reweighted in calculating final grades. Grades will not be adjusted on the basis of need or a subjective evaluation of effort, and students will not be able to improve their marks by completing additional assignments.  

 

Note: The psychology department has mandated that grades ending in 9 will not be rounded up this semester.  This means that if you achieve a final grade of say, 79.3, your final grade will be 79, not 80, and the same goes for any other grade ending in 9. 

 

 

6.0 ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION SCHEDULE 

 

 

 

Date 

Value 

Midterm #1 

Friday May 28th,  

from 12:00 A.M. – 11:59 P.M. EDT 

 

25% 

Midterm #2 

Monday June 21st,   

from 12:00 A.M. – 11:59 P.M. EDT 

30% 

Final Exam 

July 26 – 29, TBA 

30% 

 

 

6.1 DISCUSSION FORUM SCHEDULE 

 

 

Date 

Topic 

Value 

Discussion #1 

Mon. May 10 – Mon. May 17 

 

The Canadian Legal System 

5% 

Discussion #2 

Mon. June 7 – Mon. June 14 

 

Health PSAs 

5% 

Discussion #3 

Mon. July 19 – Mon. July 26 

Conserving the Environment 

5% 

 

7.0 CLASS SCHEDULE 

 

 

Week of 

Topic 

Read 

May 3 

Intervention and Evaluation 

Chapter 4 

May 10 

Psychology and the Law 

 

Discussion Forum #1 

 

Chapter 11 

May 17 

The Psychology of Police Investigations 

Reading on website 

Friday, May 28 

Midterm # 1 

 

May 31 

Sport Psychology  

Chapter 6 

June 7 

Psychology and Health 

 

Discussion Forum #2 

 

Chapter 8 

June 14 

Applying Psychology to the Media 

Chapter 7 

Monday, June 21 

Midterm # 2 

 

June 28 

Consumer Psychology 

Reading on website 

July 5 

Diversity in the Workplace 

Chapter 14,  

pp. 383-404 

July 12 

Barriers to Personal Success & How to Overcome Them 

Chapter 16,  

pp. 445-452 

July 19 

Psychology and the Environment  

 

Discussion Forum #3 

 

 

Chapter 13,  

pp. 351-368 

July 26-29 

FINAL EXAM 

 

 

 

 

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.