PSYCHOLOGY 0160: PERSONALITY
Fall 2000� [CRN:� 06075]
Tuesdays and
Thursdays from 11-12:15� in L-9 Clapp
Hall
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Professor: |
Dr. Irene Hanson Frieze |
Teaching Assistant:� John Connelly |
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E-mail: |
FRIEZE@pitt.edu |
E-mail: jwcst4@pitt.edu |
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Office: |
426 Langley Hall (624-4336) |
Office:� 508B LRDC (624-7084) |
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Office hours: |
Tuesday 9:30-10:30am or by appointment |
Office hours: |
To be arranged |
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� Course Description:�� This introductory course is an overview of psychological research of human personality.� Topics include the measurement of personality, personality stability,� group differences in personality traits, standard personality scales, genetic and environmental influences on personality, biological aspects of personality, motives and goals, unconscious aspects of personality,� self concept, therapy, personality in the workplace and in interpersonal relations, and personality and health.
Course Goals:
������� Upon Completion of this course, students should be able to:
1. Appreciate the scientific basis of personality research.
2. Be aware of basic findings of personality researchers and some of the areas of disagreement among researchers.
Prerequisites:� The student should have completed one of the Introduction to Psychology courses before taking this course.
Required Text:�� Brody, N., & Ehrlichman, H.� (1998).� Personality psychology:� The science of individuality.� Upper Saddle River, NJ:� Prentice Hall.
Methods of Evaluation: [1000 regular points]. The course is graded on a point basis such that:
A+ = 975 and
above
C+ = 775 and above
A = 925 and
above
C = 725 and above
A- = 900 and
above
C- = 700 and above
B+ = 875 and
above
D+ = 675 and above
B = 825 and
above
D = 625 and above
B- = 800 and
above
D- = 600 and above
Points can be earned in any of the following ways:
� Multiple Choice Exams: Multiple choice questions on three in-class exams (250 points each = 750 points total). Each exam will have 50 questions. [Make-up exams will be (more difficult) essay exams and can be taken up to 2 weeks late].
� Essay Exams:� Each exam will include one essay question worth 30 points on each of the first two exams and 40 on the final exam, for a total of 100 points.� Possible essay questions will be discussed in lectures.� Answers should be prepared in advance, but notes cannot be used during the exam.� Each essay will involve some material from lecture or the book, but will also require some creative integration of material by the student.
� Student-Generated Multiple Choice Questions:� No later than the class before each exam, students should submit 5 multiple choice questions, based on material in the textbook assigned for that exam.� Each set is worth up to 50 points, for a total of 150 points.� Each question should have five responses, with the correct response identified, along with the page number of the book where the information comes from.� For an "A" grade, questions need to require more than simple memory of terms to be answered correctly.� Late submitted questions will be penalized 20 points per week late, and cannot duplicate any questions on the exam.
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Extra Credit Assignments:� Up to a total of 100 points can be earned
through extra credit.� For extra credit,
the student should formally write out an answer to one or two of the possible
exam essay questions and submit this by the time of the exam.� Each essay question should be answered with
at least 1.5 typewritten, double-spaced pages.�
All facts discussed in the answer need a citation to a particular
lecture or a particular page of the textbook, using APA citation style.� Each answer is worth� up to 20 points.� Answers should be more formal and more detailed than would be
expected on the in-class essay.
Makeup Exam Policies: When judged necessary by the student (for any reason), a makeup exam can be taken up to 2 weeks late. The student should notify the course instructor no later than the day of the exam if a makeup is desired. Makeup exams will be all essay and are generally considered harder than the standard multiple choice exams.
CourseInfo.� Lecture notes and other course information
is available on CourseInfo at http://courseweb.pitt.edu/courses/01106075
������� Exam
Schedule
������������ September 28. FIRST EXAM. (Review September 26.� Multiple choice questions due.)
������������ October 31. SECOND EXAM. (Review October 26.� Multiple choice questions due.)
������������ December 12. THIRD EXAM. (Review December 7.� Multiple choice questions due.)
August 29.� Overview of the course.
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August 31-September 5. The scientific study of personality.
Reading: Chapter 1. Personality and personality psychology.� Chapter 2.�
Personality measurement.
�� (Specific page assignments
for this topic and those following will be given in lecture;� they will also be available in CourseInfo)
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September 5 - 12. General beliefs about personality. Personality attributions.
Reading: Chapter 3.� From
words to traits:� The nature of
dispositions.
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September 14 - 19. Personality trait measurement. Trait theories.
Reading: Chapter 4.� The
Big Five:� Are we finished?
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September 21 - 26. Genetic bases of personality.
Reading: Chapter 5.�
Genetic and environmental influences.
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September 26. Review for exam.� Multiple choice questions due in class.
September 28. First exam.
October 3 - 10.� Biological bases of personality and
emotion.
Reading: Chapter 6. Personality and the brain.
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October 12 - 19. Personality and evolution.
Reading: Chapter
7. Personality and evolution.
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October 24 - 26.� Motivation and goals.
Reading:� Chapter 8. Motives and goals.
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October 26.� Review for second exam.� Multiple choice questions due in class.
October 31.� Second exam.
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November 2 - 9 . ��The unconscious in personality.
Reading: Chapter 9.�
Unconscious processes.
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November 9 - 16 The self in personality Self esteem. Self knowledge.
Reading: Chapter 11. Our thoughts, our feelings ourselves.
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November 21. No class!
November 28 - December 7.� Personalty in daily life.� Therapy.� Personality and health. Stress and coping. Personality and illness.
Reading: Chapter 12. Applications.
December 7: Review for exam. Multiple choice questions due in class.
December 12 . Third
exam.�� Tuesday, 10 - 11:15 am.
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Specific page numbers from the text that students are responsible for and some additional readings will be provided in lecture.