Course description: This course introduces students to the basic concepts and theories in the area of Psychology. It is designed to provide students with a basis for further explorations on a variety of topics in the field of Psychology. The topics range from the nervous system, sensation and perception, consciousness, memory, learning, motivation and emotion, cognition and language, health psychology, personality and psychopathology, to psychotherapy.

Textbooks: All readings are on the internet: The main textbook is General Psychology, by Dr. George Boeree (http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/genpsy.html). For pdf version, go to: http://www.social-psychology.de/do/genpsy1.pdf for Part 1 and http://www.social-psychology.de/do/genpsy2.pdf for Part 2.  Additional internet sites will be assigned for course reading.

Evaluation: You will have four non-cumulative exams and one cumulative final exam throughout the semester. Each exam will consist of 50 multiple-choice questions covering all readings and material discussed in class. All five exams will each be worth 25% of your final mark. Your lowest exam score will not count toward your final grade. For the first four exams, a study guide with a list of important concepts and theories will be available on a website (http://webspace.ship.edu/tosato/gpstg.htm) one week before each of the exams. Since the study guide for the cumulative final exam would consist of all of the material on the study guides for the first four exams, there will be no study guide made specifically for the cumulative final exam. You must bring a valid Shippensburg University photo ID to take the exams.

Missing exams & Tardiness for exams: Since your lowest exam grade will not count toward your final grade, you may miss one exam without penalty. Therefore, if you miss one of the first four exams, you will need to take the cumulative final exam to avoid any penalty. If you miss two of the first four exams, the two exams will be replaced with your cumulative final exam score minus 6%. If you miss three of the first four exams, the three exams will be replaced with your cumulative final exam score minus 12%. If you miss all of the first four exams, the four exams will be replaced with your cumulative final exam score minus 20%. Regardless of reasons, exams cannot be made up. There will also be an additional 10% deduction from your exam grade for arriving late for any exam.

Class etiquette: Each time you appear to be using electronic devices (e.g., mp3 players, cell phones, headphones, laptops, etc.) in class, you will receive a 10% deduction from your next exam grade. Each time you arrive late or leave in the middle of class, you will receive a 4% deduction from your next exam grade.

Extra Credit: You will have numerous opportunities to earn extra credit throughout the semester.