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.
·
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.
………………………
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)
………………………
September 5 - 12. General beliefs about personality. Personality attributions.
Reading: Chapter 3. From
words to traits: The nature of
dispositions.
………………………
September 14 - 19. Personality trait measurement. Trait theories.
Reading: Chapter 4. The
Big Five: Are we finished?
………………………
September 21 - 26. Genetic bases of personality.
Reading: Chapter 5.
Genetic and environmental influences.
………………………
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.
………………………
October 12 - 19. Personality and evolution.
Reading: Chapter
7. Personality and evolution.
………………………
October 24 - 26. Motivation and goals.
Reading: Chapter 8. Motives and goals.
………………………
October 26. Review for second exam. Multiple choice questions due in class.
October 31. Second exam.
………………………
November 2 - 9 . The unconscious in personality.
Reading: Chapter 9.
Unconscious processes.
………………………
November 9 - 16 The self in personality Self esteem. Self knowledge.
Reading: Chapter 11. Our thoughts, our feelings ourselves.
………………………
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.