Theories of Personality Syllabus

B. A. J. Theories of Personality Fall 2014 PSYC 3570, Auburn University

THEORIES OF PERSONALITY PSYC 3570

MWF 10:00 – 10:50 AM, TICHENOR HALL 215 FALL 2014

Instructor Teaching Assistant Mr. Brandon A. Johnson Andie Thompkins Thach 210 Thach 208A [email protected] [email protected] Office Hours: MWF 9:00 – 9:50* Office Hours: M 2:00 – 3:00* 334-844-6486 W 1:00 – 2:00* * All office hours are by appointment only. Course Description This course is a survey of the major theories of personality and the research methods used to test these theories. We will critically engage several perspectives on personality an address questions such as the following: What is personality? How do individuals differ, and in what ways are they the same? What influences personality development? How is personality studied? What are the implications and consequences of the theories of personality covered in this course? The nature of this course does not allow us to spend a great deal of time going over these theories in depth, so I encourage you to examine further any theories that may interest you. Required Texts Cervone, D., & Pervin, L. A. (2013). Personality: Theory and research (12th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Course Objectives We will (a) engage the history and various complexities within this field, (b) discuss the major theories and research, (c) understand how theories of personality apply in “real world” contexts, and (d) understand how these theories inform your everyday experiences. This course is relatively writing intensive. Do not expect this class to be one where you simply identify multiple-choice items on a test. Writing is critical to your professional development. As aspiring professionals, I expect you to complete all assignments with academic integrity. As a reminder, plagiarism is taking the work of others and offering it as one’s own. Plagiarism is a major breach of academic responsibility and trust, and such behavior is unacceptable in any community of learning. As such, plagiarism is cause for automatic failure of the course in which the statement, paper, project, test, or oral presentation has been plagiarized. The following link directs you to the policies and procedures that govern academic honesty for Auburn University: https://sites.auburn.edu/admin/universitypolicies/Policies/AcademicHonestyCode.pdf.


Teaching Philosophy Teaching has distinct opportunities for both teacher and learner. As a teacher, I have the opportunity to demonstrate tenacity, optimism, and an appropriate level of humor to you. Exhibiting such attributes fosters and engaged classroom and build rapport. It is this rapport that allows me to quickly identify and address obstacles in learners’ understanding, as well as utilize what I refer to as an “artistic approach” to my presentation of information. Teaching entails creating an atmosphere conducive to learning where both teacher and learner share information and ideas. This reciprocal exchange benefits and allows for growth on the part of all parties. An artistic approach to teaching fosters an environment that encourages creativity and critical thinking in a low- or no-stakes environment. Learners find it easy to share ideas without any recourse for “wrong” ideas or for a lack of understanding. Ultimately, I strive to teach you how to think and how to synthesize information in a way that facilitates problem-solving skills. I believe the most basic information can be taught in such a way as to create a dynamic experience in terms of critical thinking and overall excitement, but still maintain the integrity of the information being presented. I value the experience you have. I like to exhibit the traits—tenacity, resilience, dedication, and organization—that I like to see in you. I encourage you to attend to the world around you and understand how class material impacts your day-to-day experiences. I challenge you to ask questions. I value your feedback, and I will periodically ask you to provide feedback during this course. This feedback allows me to make modifications to the course to fit the individuals who are currently enrolled in it. I do not wish simply to be a purveyor of content and information. Rather, I desire to create a positive learning experience. However, you play a critical role in making this philosophy a reality—be prepared and ready to learn!

COURSE ACTIVITIES

Writing Assignments Writing assignments will be APA-style responses to case studies based on your assigned readings. Examine the readings critically and answer the questions that you are asked. Your answers should be concise, complete, and no more than five, double-spaced pages. As well, please remember that these writings should indicate that you read the materials. Generic dribble is easier to detect than you think, and it defeats the purpose of this class. You will have 4 writing assignments, each worth 50 points; assignments are due on CANVAS by 5:00 p.m. on Friday of the specified week. I want to encourage you to pay attention to your writing. I will DEDUCT ½ a point for every typographical or grammatical error in any written assignment OR major project. To clarify, I will deduct for the following common errors: misspelled words, use of the wrong word, lack of subject-verb agreement, sentence fragments, missing commas in a series, lack of pronoun-antecedent agreement, missing a comma after an introductory element, vague pronoun reference, wrong/missing prepositions, omission of necessary words, and confusion of homophones (e.g., “its” versus “it’s”). The goal is not for me to be difficult, Rather I wish to challenge students’ tendency to procrastinate and to encourage you to edit your work.


CANVAS Quizzes We will cover several topics in this class. Although the material is not cumulative, many topics overlap. Therefore, understanding of a particular topic may require retention of previous information. On specified weeks, quizzes will be available from noon on Wednesdays until noon on Fridays. Quizzes may cover material both from class and from your assigned readings. You will have 10 quizzes, each worth 10 points. Each quiz is timed, and each question will only be available for 30 seconds. Exams You will have four exams, each worth 100 points. Exams may utilize multiple choice, short answer, or essay questions. I will again emphasize the importance of retention in this class. To fully understand these theories, you may occasionally be asked to compare/contrast theories from chapters on which you have already been tested. I may occasionally allow you to take your test using class notes. Please understand that you should not substitute my allowing you to use notes for actually studying. If I have determined that you may use your notes, it is likely because the questions asked are more complex and require more careful consideration. Grading Policy You will have several assignments throughout the semester. These assignments will total 700 points. The grading scale is as follows: A = 90 – 100% (627 – 700 points) B = 80 – 89% (557 – 626 points) C = 70 – 79% (487 – 556 points) D = 65 – 69% (452 – 486 points) F = 64% or less (451 or fewer points The points for this class are distributed across the following assignments: Writing Assignments (4 assignments, 50 pts. each) – 200 CANVAS Quizzes (10 quizzes, 10 pts. Each) – 100 Tests (4 exams, 100 pts. each) – 400 Late Assignments and Make-up Policy All assignments are due at the specified time in the syllabus. I will deduct 20% per day for any assignment you turn in late. For example, an assignment worth 100 points that is turned in two days late will automatically be deducted 20 points before it is even graded. Thus, the maximum possible grade in this example is 80 points. Therefore, it would behoove you simply to turn in your work on time. You may submit late work without penalty if you have a university sanctioned excuse. Please refer to the online Student Handbook to determine what qualifies as a university sanctioned excuse and relevant time limits. Make-ups of any sort are your responsibility. I will not remind you to take an exam you have missed or to turn in an assignment. Any make-ups that arise are subject to the policies in the online Student Handbook, which can be found at the following: https://sites.auburn.edu/admin/universitypolicies/Policies/PolicyonClassAttendance.pdf


Attendance Policy I will record attendance at every class meeting, and I expect you to attend class. Student athletes should submit a copy of their semester schedules by August 29, 2014. Only valid university excuses will be accepted as evidence to support having missed class. Any student who is absent, even for a legitimate cause, is responsible for the material covered and assignments given during that time. I will not give you a personal lecture covering everything you missed while you were absent. However, I will clarify anything on which you are confused. Consistent with university policy, missing class with three or more unexcused absences will result in your earning an “FA” in this course. Accommodations Policy Students who require accommodations due to a registered disability should contact me during the first two weeks of class to go over the logistics of your accommodations, such as are required for this class. If you do not have an Accommodation Memo but need accommodations, please contact the Program for Student with Disabilities (PSD), 1244 Haley Center, (334) 844-2096 (V/TT). Extra Credit Policy There may occasionally be extra credit opportunities in this class. The maximum amount of extra credit that may be earned is 25 points. That having been said, you may watch any movie and subsequently write a 5-page paper that discusses how personality psychology informs this movie. However, please remember that the aforementioned writing rules still apply (i.e., APA style, good grammar, etc.). iClickers Please obtain an iClicker or iClicker 2 for use in this class by September 5, 2014. We will be using the iClickers for Clicker questions and attendance tracking throughout the semester. We will have 3 to 5 clicker questions each class for a possible total of 100 points. At the end of the semester, these clicker points may be used as a replacement for the lowest of your first 3 tests if such a change is to your advantage. You may not use the points to replace your final exam grade.

COURSE CALENDAR DAY ASSIGNMENT 08/18 – MON Introduction – Syllabus Review 08/20 – WED Chapter 1 08/22 – FRI Chapter 1 08/25 – MON Chapter 2 08/27 – WED Chapter 2 08/29 – FRI Chapter 2; QUIZ 1; Due date for Student Athlete Schedules 09/01 – MON LABOR DAY – NO CLASS 09/03 – WED Chapter 3 09/05 – FRI Chapter 3; QUIZ 2


09/08 – MON Chapter 4 09/10 – WED Chapter 4 09/12 – FRI Chapter 4 09/15 – MON TEST 1: CHAPTERS 1-4 09/17 – WED Chapter 5 09/19 – FRI Chapter 5; QUIZ 3 09/22 – MON Chapter 6; Writing Assignment 1 Due 09/24 – WED Chapter 6 09/26 – FRI Chapter 6; QUIZ 4 09/29 – MON Chapter 7 10/01 – WED Chapter 7 10/03 – FRI Chapter 7; QUIZ 5; Writing Assignment 2 Due 10/06 – MON Chapter 8 10/08 – WED Chapter 8 10/10 – FRI TEST 2: CHAPTERS 5 - 8 10/13 – MON Chapter 9 10/15 – WED Chapter 9 10/17 – FRI FALL BREAK – NO CLASS 10/20 – MON Chapter 9 10/22 – WED Chapter 10 10/24 – FRI Chapter 10; QUIZ 6 10/27 – MON Chapter 11 10/29 – WED Chapter 11 10/31 – FRI TEST 3: CHAPTERS 9 - 11 11/03 – MON Chapter 12 11/05 – WED Chapter 12 11/07 – FRI Chapter 12; QUIZ 7; Writing Assignment 3 Due 11/10 – MON Chapter 13 11/12 – WED Chapter 13 11/14 – FRI Chapter 13; QUIZ 8 11/17 – MON Chapter 14 11/19 – WED Chapter 14 11/21 – FRI Chapter 14; QUIZ 9


11/24 – MON THANKSGIVING – NO CLASS 11/26 – WED THANKSGIVING – NO CLASS 11/28 – FRI THANKSGIVING – NO CLASS 12/01 – MON Chapter 15 12/03 – WED Chapter 15 12/05 – FRI Chapter 15; QUIZ 10; Writing Assignment 4 Due ________________________________________________________________________

FINAL EXAM: CHAPTERS 12 - 15 Date: THURSDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2014

Location: TICHENOR HALL 215 Time: 8:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

A Final Note on Technology… I want you to enjoy this class. I want this to be a wonderful experience for both of us. If you decide you wish to text in my class, your actions will ensure that this is not a pleasant experience for both of us. You do not need to check the time. You will always get out on time. You do not need to use your devices for purposes other than learning. You do not need to respond to an e-mail that you just received. Resist the temptation to check Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. while my class is in session. Finally, remember that e-mail is the approved form of communication at Auburn University. It is your responsibility to check your campus e-mail so that you are aware of any class changes.

Documents

Theories of Personality Syllabus