WESTERN UNIVERSITY

LONDON
CANADA
Department of Psychology
2016-2017
Psychology 2035B Section 650 (online)
Understanding Yourself and Others

1.0 CALENDAR DESCRIPTION

This course examines ways in which recent research findings in psychology may be applied in
the individual's life. Emphasis on psychology as an empirical science and on avenues of selfunderstanding and personal growth. Topics include personality, stress and coping, person
perception, interpersonal communication, friendship and love, sexuality, vocational development.
Antirequisite: Psychology 2050
Antirequisites are courses that overlap sufficiently in content that only one can be taken for
credit. So if you take a course that is an antirequisite to a course previously taken, you will lose
credit for the earlier course, regardless of the grade achieved in the most recent course.
0.5 course

2.0 COURSE INFORMATION

Instructor: Dr. Kelly Barnes
Office and Phone Number: SSC 7400
Office Hours: By appointment only
Email: kbarne2@uwo.ca
Teaching Assistant: Celia Goffin
Office:
Office Hours: By appointment only
Email: cgoffin@uwo.ca
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

Required: Weiten, W., Lloyd, M., Dunn D. S., & Hammer, E.Y. (11th ed., 2014). Psychology Applied
to Modern Life: Adjustment in the 21st Century. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
4.0 COURSE OBJECTIVES

This course provides a broad introduction to theories and findings associated with the scientific study of
human behaviour. By understanding the psychological processes that influence behaviour, it is hoped
that you will develop a greater appreciation for how these processes might influence your own behaviour
in everyday life. Indeed, actively applying the material to your everyday life should enhance not only your
self-understanding and personal growth, but also your understanding of other people.
4.1 STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

Students will learn how basic psychological principles apply to their everyday lives
Students will learn the causes, effects, and ways to reduce stress
Students will learn to better understand social situations including interpersonal communication,
friendship, love, and marriage
Students will learn about the psychological bases of their identities including gender, sexuality,
career orientation
Students will learn about psychological disorders, psychotherapy, and positive psychology

5.0 EVALUATION
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 and 2000-level courses
72% 2100-2990-level courses
75% 3000-level courses
80% 4000-level courses
The Psychology Department follows Westerns grading guidelines, which are as follows (see
http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/general/grades_undergrad.pdf)
A+
A
B
C
D
F

90-100
80-89
70-79
60-69
50-59
below 50

One could scarcely expect better from a student at this level

Superior work that is clearly above average
Good work, meeting all requirements, and eminently satisfactory
Competent work, meeting requirements
Fair work, minimally acceptable
Fail

Student evaluation will be based on two exams and quality of participation in discussions.
Component
Midterm
Final
Discussions
Total

Percent of Final Mark

35%
40%
25%
100%

Exams: The midterm exam will last for 90 minutes and will contain approximately 80 multiple choice
questions. The final exam will last for 2 hours and will contain approximately 100 multiple choice
questions. All exams will test your knowledge of the course readings (textbook and additional
readings). All exams will be closed book no books, notes, calculators, electronic dictionaries, or
aids of any type will be allowed. All students are expected to complete exams on the scheduled
dates.
Discussions (25% of final grade): There will be 5 online discussions and 1 bonus discussion. Each

discussion will be graded out of 5 marks. Students are required to post one original response and
two replies to other students for each discussion. Additionally, you are strongly encouraged to
respond to other students responses to your post. Receiving a good mark will require creative,
insightful posts that show accurate knowledge of the material, elaborate on information posted
earlier in the discussion, and involve a meaningful dialogue with classmates. More information about
the discussions will be available on the course website.
6.0 TEST AND EXAMINATION SCHEDULE
Exam
Midterm
Final

7.0

% of Final Grade
35%
40%

Date
(exact time is TBD)
April 9 April 30, 2017
(exact time and date are TBD)

CLASS SCHEDULE

Week

Date

Topic

Assignments

Week 1

January 9, 2017 Introduction and Overview

Chapter 1

Week 2

January 16,

Theories of Personality

Chapter 2

Stress and Its Effects

Chapter 3

2017
Week 3

January 23,

Discussion 1

2017
Week 4

January 30,

Coping Processes

Chapter 4

Psychology and Physical Health

Chapter 5

2017
Week 5

February 6,
2017

(pp. 130-137 only)

The Self

Chapter 6
Discussion 2

Week 6

February 13,

Social Thinking and Social Influence

2017
Reading Week
February 20 24, 2017

Chapter 7

Week 7

February 27,

Interpersonal Communication

Chapter 8

2017
Midterm March 4, 2017 (Exact Time and Date TBD)
Midterm Exam covers Weeks 1 7 (Chapters 1 8)
Week 8

March 6, 2017

Friendship and Love

Chapter 9

Marriage and Intimate Relationships

Chapter 10

Development and Expression of

Chapter 12

Sexuality

(pp. 353-365 only)

Discussion 3

Week 9

March 13, 2017

Gender and Behaviour

Chapter 11
Discussion 4

Week 10

March 20, 2017

Careers and Work

Chapter 13

Week 11

March 27, 2017

Psychological Disorders

Chapter 14

Psychotherapy

Chapter 15
Discussion 5

Week 12

April 3, 2017

Prepare for Exam

Final Exam

Final Exam covers Weeks 8 11 (Chapters 9 15)

Bonus Discussion
April 9 April 30,
2017
Exact Date/Time of
Exam TBD

8.0 STATEMENT ON ACADEMIC OFFENCES

Students are responsible for understanding the nature and avoiding the occurrence of plagiarism and
other scholastic offenses. Plagiarism and cheating are considered very serious offenses because they
undermine the integrity of research and education. Actions constituting a scholastic offense 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
offenses. 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 TurnItIns
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).
Possible penalties for a scholastic offense include failure of the assignment, failure of the course,
suspension from the University, and expulsion from the University.

9.0

POLICY ON ACCOMMODATION FOR MEDICAL ILLNESS

Westerns policy on Accommodation for Medical Illness can be found at:

http://www.westerncalendar.uwo.ca/2016/pg117.html
Students must see the Academic Counsellor and submit all required documentation in order to be
approved for certain accommodation:
http://counselling.ssc.uwo.ca/procedures/medical_accommodation.html

10.0

OTHER INFORMATION

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

Student Development Services web site: http://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
- 2016 Calendar References
No electronic devices, including cell phones, will be allowed during exams.