Psychology
256: PERSONALITY PSYCHOLOGY
Spring 2004
Professor: Joan Ostrove
Olin-Rice 325
696-6464
Office Hours : Mondays, 2:30-4:30 p.m., and by appointment
Course Overview and Goals :
There are lots of ways to describe and explain why people are the way they are. This course is a survey of the major theories and research strategies that the field of psychology has developed for understanding human personality. Every theory has a different set of assumptions that underlie it, was developed in a different historical and cultural context, and is – you will probably find – more or less successful at explaining or describing the lives and personalities of people you know or are intrigued by. We will all read the autobiography of Olympic diver Greg Louganis at the beginning of the semester so that we can see how the theories presented later in the class might be used to explain Louganis’ personality and behavior. Louganis’ life, as well as your own and that of other people you know or read about, will all provide “data” that the theories we learn about in the course will help us to analyze.
Throughout the course, you will be expected to read, think critically about, absorb, understand, and question all of the course material. This will be a participatory class in which we’ll hopefully have lots to discuss and I will ask you to reflect on and share your ideas about the course material in both written and oral formats (no, there won’t be oral exams, just opportunities for you to share your ideas out loud in the course of class discussion!). Because who we are (our “personalities”) is shaped by where and when we were born; our gender, race, class, religion, culture, etc.; and our own individual and personal experiences, there will be times during the class when we all might want to reflect on the ways in which these factors have shaped us – the members of the class. You will be under no obligation to share any information about yourself that you don’t want to share, but you can expect that the course material will encourage you to reflect on your own life and the lives of people you know, and will stimulate you to think about these more “personal” issues.
Requirements:
It is your primary responsibility to come to class prepared, having read and thought about the readings for the day. Class participation will account for 10% of your course grade. Participation may mean a lot of different things – showing up prepared for class; sharing your ideas and thoughts; listening well to others’ ideas; asking questions; connecting the course material to issues in your life or the lives of other people you know, and/or to issues on campus and in the world, etc.
In addition, the course has the following requirements:
· Eight reaction papers over the course of the semester (due dates are on the syllabus). This 1-2 page paper is an opportunity for you to think “on paper” about one or more of the readings for that day. Among other possibilities, you may compare two readings to each other, agree or disagree (explaining why for either reaction) to the ideas presented in any of the week’s readings, write about a current event or person you know that is relevant to the readings. You’re welcome to use a standard essay format, but need not feel constrained by that. Reaction papers will account for 15% of your course grade (see grading guidelines on the last page of the syllabus).
· Hour exams. There will be four, non-cumulative hour exams throughout the semester. Each exam will count for 12% of your final grade for a total of 48% .
· A final project. I’ll provide a lot more explanation of the project later in the semester, but it will be a case report paper (about 10-12 pages in length) in which you will choose a person (fictional or real, living or dead), whose life you will analyze based on some of the principles and theories and perspectives from this course. I strongly recommend starting to think about whom you’ll write about early in the semester. This project will account for 27% of your course grade. It will be due no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, May 7th. You will be asked to turn in a proposal for your final project (that is, who you will study and what approaches you plan to take to study that person) on March 29th. Five points will be deducted from your final paper if you do not hand this in.
Readings :
Mischel, W., Shoda, Y., & Smith, R. E. (2004). Introduction to personality: Toward an integration (7th edition). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
Louganis, G. (1996). Breaking the surface. NY: Penguin Books
Books are available at the campus textbook store. All readings listed below that are not the textbook or the Louganis autobiography will be available as a packet that you must purchase from the psychology department.
Course policies :
· Academic integrity: I expect all of you to follow the college’s guidelines regarding academic integrity, outlined in the Student Handbook. Please talk to me if you are not clear how these guidelines apply to the course. I will report any suspicion of academic dishonesty to the Dean of Academic Programs. Academic dishonesty will result in at least a failing grade on the assignment, and a second instance of dishonesty will usually result in a failing grade in the course.
· Late work: You may not receive extensions on work in the class, except in the most extraordinary circumstances (in which you will need documentation from the Dean’s Office or Health Services). Reaction papers will receive a “check-minus” if they are turned in late (but it’s a lot better to turn it in late than to get a “0” factored into your grade!). Final papers that are turned in late for any reason (besides an extraordinary circumstance) will have a third of a grade taken off for each day that it is late (e.g., a B+ would become a B if you hand in work any time after the exact time that it is due – the “day late” begins immediately after the time the assignment is due). The exams may not be made up (or taken early) except under extraordinary circumstances.
· Incompletes: I will only grant incompletes under extraordinary circumstances that occur in the second part of the semester. This will not include being really busy at the end of the semester.
· Written assignments: Please type, double-spaced with 12-point font, all of your written assignments for this course. Please do not use margins that are larger than 1 inch – all around. Don’t use smaller margins, or smaller font, either – length is not necessarily strength, but when I expect you to write at least a page on a topic, I’d like it to be a full page!
· Grades: Grading policies are explained on the last page of the syllabus.
· Accommodations for students with disabilities: I will provide any reasonable accommodation for students with disabilities that will assist in making this course accessible and will provide an optimal educational experience for everyone. I will expect to receive documentation from the office for students with disabilities about the kinds of accommodations that you require. Please speak to me at the beginning of the semester so that we can make an effective plan.
Class/Assignment Schedule :
PLEASE NOTE: Readings are assigned on the day that they are DUE to be read. That is, please come to class having already read the reading assigned for that day. Thank you!
Mon, Jan 26: Introduction to the course and each other
Wed, Jan 28: What does it mean to understand lives and personalities?
Fri, Jan 30: Personality research: Measuring, assessing and interpreting personality
Mon, Feb 2: Freud and the development of psychoanalytic theory
Wed, Feb 4: Freud’s psychoanalytic theory, continued
Fri, Feb 6: Psychoanalytic theory since Freud
Mon, Feb 9: Can psychoanalytic theory help us understand Greg Louganis?
Wed, Feb 11: Motives and Motivation
Fri, Feb 13: Motives and Motivation, continued
Mon, Feb 16: Measuring motives – The Thematic Apperception Test; Analyzing “running text” in Louganis’ autobiography
Wed, Feb 18: EXAM 1
Fri, Feb 20: Phenomenological Approaches – Existential and Constructivist Theories
Mon, Feb 23: Phenomenological Approaches – Humanistic Theories
Wed, Feb 25: Assessment using phenomenological approaches – the Q-sort
Fri, Feb 27: Cognition and the Self
Mon, Mar 1: Cognition and the Self
Wed, Mar 3: EXAM 2
Fri, Mar 5: Traits
Mon, Mar 8: Traits, continued (including assessing traits)
Wed, Mar 10: Traits, continued
Fri, Mar 12: An introduction to biological approaches to personality – Research on twins
Film: Body Doubles: The Twin Experience
SPRING BREAK!
Mon, Mar 22: Biological approaches to personality – Genetics
Wed, Mar 24: Biological approaches to personality – Evolution and biology
Fri, Mar 26: EXAM 3
Mon, Mar 29: Contextual approaches to personality – Personal and social identities
** FINAL PROJECT PROPOSALS DUE TODAY **
Wed, Mar 31: Contextual approaches to personality – Personal and social identities, continued
Fri, Apr 2: Contextual approaches to personality – Personal and social identities, continued
Film: Just Black?
Mon, Apr 5: Contextual approaches to personality – Culture and personality
Wed, Apr 7: Contextual approaches to personality – Social structure and personality
Fri, Apr 9 – NO CLASS
Mon, Apr 12: Contextual approaches to personality – Gender and personality
Wed, Apr 14: Contextual approaches to personality – Gender and personality, continued
Fri, Apr 16: Contextual approaches to personality – Can they help us understand Louganis?
Mon, Apr 19: Does personality change?
Wed, Apr 21: Assessing personality over time
Fri, Apr 23: Personality as life story
Mon, Apr 26: Life stories continued; review for exam
Wed, Apr 28: EXAM 4
Fri, Apr 30: Presentation of final papers
Mon, May 3: Presentation of final papers
** FINAL PROJECT DUE FRIDAY, MAY 7TH **
Grading Guidelines
I will use the
following guidelines when I assign marks to your reaction papers: In general, a reaction paper that is turned
in on time, is thoughtfully and clearly written, and is related to the assigned
reading(s) for the day will receive a “check.”
I mostly just want to know what you think and want to give you a chance
to express your views in this kind of informal but regular format. I will reserve “check plus” for the
occasional reaction paper that is particularly outstanding – super thoughtful,
provocative, particularly well-written…
Papers that do not relate at all to the readings will receive an “check
minus”, as will late reaction papers. It
is much better to turn in a reaction paper late, however, than not to turn it in
at all…
Below are the guidelines I follow when assigning grades to final papers. I use plusses and minuses when the work falls in between the qualities associated with each letter grade. Grades are based both on content and on writing style. I encourage you to ask for help from me, the Learning Center, or any other reasonable source if you’d like assistance with writing. Please acknowledge resources you use in a footnote to your paper.
“A” grades are assigned to outstanding papers. These papers reflect a deep engagement with the person you are writing about as well as with the application of concepts from personality. These papers also include insightful analysis, and excellent mastery of the material from the course. The paper addresses all aspects of the assignment fully and clearly. Finally, these “A” papers are well-written with respect to style and grammar.
“B” grades are assigned to papers that demonstrate a good understanding of the person you are writing about as well as good mastery of the material from the course, are coherently written, and that contain some insightful ideas. Sometimes “B” papers contain some really good ideas, but do not carry out arguments as elegantly as they could. Other times all of the aspects of the assignment are there, but the ideas are not particularly innovative.
“C” grades are given to papers that do not adequately cover the assignment, demonstrate that the material was not fully understood, and/or have problems with writing style. Sometimes “C” papers have some really good parts, mixed in with some parts that seem like they were not well-thought out. Papers with consistent grammatical or stylistic problems may receive a “C.”
“D” grades are assigned to papers that have serious problems – parts of the assignment are totally missing or are really incomplete, the writing is full of errors, the material was seriously misunderstood and/or misapplied.
“NC” grades are hardly ever given if a student has put even some work into the paper. However, if the content is totally irrelevant, or the writing is such that it is simply impossible for me to follow the arguments, then I would assign a failing grade.