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2XX: Foundations in Psychology 
Course Overview  [P2]
WINTER 20XX  

Lecture: Wednesdays 2:45 – 5:30 PM 

Location: SGW H-1309 

Office Hours:  

9:00 – 10:00 AM Mondays (online: Zoom link in Moodle)
1:30 – 2:30 PM Wednesday (in-person: H-1505)
By appointment: Please email me to request an appointment. Include the day you would prefer to meet.

Land Acknowledgement 

We would like to begin by acknowledging that Concordia University is located on unceded Indigenous lands. The Kanien’kehá:ka Nation is recognized as the custodians of the lands and waters on which we gather today. Tiohtià:ke/Montréal is historically known as a gathering place for many First Nations. Today, it is home to a diverse population of Indigenous and other peoples. We respect the continued connections with the past, present and future in our ongoing relationships with Indigenous and other peoples within the Montreal community.

Course Description

This course offers a broad overview of psychology, the scientific study of mind and behavior. Students will explore fundamental concepts, theories, and research in various areas of psychology, including biological, cognitive, social, developmental, and clinical perspectives. 

Prerequisites: none

Expanded Course Description

This course will primarily focus on introducing students to foundational principles of psychology. Topics will include influential theorists and milestones that have shaped the field. By focusing on human behaviour and cognition, emphasis will be placed on the relationship between social and developmental factors and the processes of the brain. In addition to exploring the foundational principles of psychology, students will also be introduced to the ethical considerations and implications of conducting research in this field. By examining the importance of ethical guidelines and standards in psychological research, students will develop a greater awareness of the responsibilities that come with studying human behavior.

An important part of this course is to analyze various research methodologies, allowing students to critically evaluate studies and understand the importance of empirical evidence in establishing psychological theories. During this course, students will complete assignments and participate in discussions and in-class activities that will provide opportunities to reflect on contemporary issues within psychology and consider applications in real-world settings, such as education and healthcare. This course is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of diverse fields within psychology and the skills to synthesize and evaluate psychological concepts, theories, and research.

Learning Objectives

1. Recall key concepts and terminology from each major area of psychology, such as biological bases of behavior, cognitive processes, and social influences
2. Explain the foundational theories and principles in psychology, including how they apply to real-world scenarios and diverse cultural contexts. 
3. Critically evaluate your own intuitive perceptions of psychology question those perceptions, and clearly express the scientific understanding of psychological concepts.
4. Analyze and evaluate different psychological theories and treatments, considering their effectiveness and cultural relevance.
5. Design psychological research study following ethical principles. 

Assessments

Important Note: For complete assignment details and grading criteria, please see the assignment details document posted in the general course resources section on Moodle.

*If you perform better on the final exam than the midterm, your midterm will be weighted at 15% and the final will be weighted at 35%.

Sample Assignment Description

Assignment Name: Individual Assignment(s)

Due Dates: To be submitted weekly, according to choice of assignment. Option 1 is due anytime before Week 11; Option 2 is due anytime before Week 5 for the first submission and anytime before Week 11 for the second submission

Weight: 20%

Brief Description: Students have the choice between: one 3-5-page paper on a topic from the course OR two 1.5 – 2.5 page reading reflections/analyses For both assignments, students should select a concept or theory from the course and analyze it in relation to their own experience, referring to the assigned text from that week and at least 1 additional source. You may also submit these as audio or video. I am open to suggestions for alternative assignment formats.

Learning Objectives Evaluated: Objectives 2, 3, and 4

Teaching Philosophy

As an educator, my role is to create a space for growth, curiosity, and exploration. A key foundation of my teaching philosophy is that we can learn from each other. While my role is to facilitate your learning journey by cultivating a supportive environment for all students, I believe that much of your learning should be self-directed. I am inspired by the idea that learning happens when students are encouraged to experiment with new concepts, explore new ideas, and discuss their insights with their peers. I see myself as a facilitator, helping students self-direct their learning to make it relevant to them, their interests, and their experiences. In psychology, we all have different ways of approaching this discipline, which can be both personal and transformative. I believe in creating a space where diverse viewpoints and experiences can be expressed, and where we can learn from each other by communicating across lines of difference.

Teaching Approach 

The teaching approach for this course will be dynamic and inclusive, integrating a combination of interactive lecturing, class discussions, small group activities and discussions, and clickers to engage students designed to accommodate students with diverse preferences. During the lectures, there will be frequent opportunities for students to engage with the content, ask questions, check their knowledge and receive feedback through the use of clickers. Group discussions and activities will encourage collaborative learning and allow students to explore different perspectives, fostering a deeper understanding of psychological concepts and how they relate to and impact diverse communities. This multifaceted approach aims to create an engaging and supportive learning environment where all students can thrive.

Course Schedule

Important Note: The instructor will do their best to follow the schedule as much as possible, but there may be changes. Students will be notified in advance.

Course Communications 

The instructor will post important notices and announcements via the Course Announcements forum on Moodle. These announcements will automatically be sent to the email address associated with your Moodle account. Please make sure to check this email regularly throughout the course. These announcements can be viewed at any time during the course by accessing the Announcements link in Moodle.

All other communications should be directed by email (samantha.liu@concordia.ca) to the instructor or your TA as appropriate. The instructor will respond within 24 hours during the week and 48 hours on the weekend or holidays. Please do not use Moodle Messaging to contact the instructor.

Attendance

As much as you are able, students are expected to attend every class. I recognize that some of you may have responsibilities in your lives that may prevent you from always attending class, may that be responsibilities around your families, your physical health, your mental health, your cultural observances, or your faith.
Students are permitted 1 absence during the semester to receive full attendance marks.
In the event that you are unable to attend more than 1 class, please reach out as far in advance as possible so that we can figure out what to do.

Classroom Guidelines 

There are a set of expected behaviours for the classroom to maintain a positive and productive learning environment for everyone. These guidelines are in place to encourage respectfully discussing course content, and to promote thoughtful consideration of your contributions to the classroom.

1. Ask for clarification if you are confused or unsure about something that is said 
2. Do not interrupt one another 
3. Build on one another’s comments during discussions
   
4. Challenge and discuss ideas, not your classmates      
   
5. Use "I" statements when sharing in discussion
   
6. When possible, reference course content or additional sources when sharing opinions
      
7. When speaking, be as specific as possible, avoiding generalizations

Late Assignment Submissions

I employ a due date and cut-off date policy to make it easier for students to complete course work in the event of unforeseen circumstances.
It is expected that all or nearly all assignments will be submitted by the posted due date and time. However, in the case of unforeseen circumstances, a 48-hour extension is granted to any student without the need for approval.
This “hard” deadline is a cut-off date. No submissions will be accepted after the cut-off date.

Please plan to submit all assignments by the posted due date. All assignment submissions will be made through Moodle. Note that the Moodle submission portal will be open for the 48-hour extension period and then close.

Office Hours

You can visit out office hours for a number of reasons, such as asking clarifying questions about course concepts and assignments, or sharing access needs and accommodations for in-class instruction.
I encourage you to come to my office hours to get to know me.

Inclusive Classroom Statement

As your instructor, I am committed to creating an inclusive learning environment. This means actively working to confront and reduce barriers like sexism, racism, ableism, transphobia, and queerphobia
in how I teach, what I teach, and how we engage with each other. I hope you will also embrace this commitment so that we can learn with respect and safety during our time together. 

In this class, we will be interacting with new ideas and each other. It is important to maintain an inclusive environment while doing so. We will have discussions where we can bring in our own experiences and perspectives. However, it is crucial to differentiate between opinion, which everyone has, and knowledge, which comes from rigorous study and consistent practice. Awareness of this distinction will support both learning and inclusion. I will always intervene when interactions jeopardize the maintenance of an inclusive classroom.

Accessibility

The instructor will strive to make the learning experience as accessible and inclusive as possible. If you have accessibility needs that require academic accommodations, please meet with an advisor from the Access Centre for Students with Disabilities (ACSD) as soon as possible to set up an accommodation plan. I welcome meeting with all students to discuss their accessibility needs. For instance, for the midterm exam all students will be getting 100% extra time on top of the expected completion time of the test. That is, the expected completion time of the midterm is 1 hour, but everyone will get 2 hours. This will reduce barriers related to test taking for all students.  

Name and Pronouns

All students have the right to choose the name and pronoun
used to refer to them. Each of you also has the right to have this choice respected by me and other course participants. If you want to be called by a name other than what is listed on the class list, please feel free to pass along the information to me after class, over email, or during my office hours.
If I mistakenly use the wrong pronoun when referring to you, please advise me as soon as possible. You also can request to change your name used within Concordia by contacting name.change@concordia.ca.  For more information, please refer to the Concordia name requests web page.

Use of GenAI

You may use AI programs (e.g. ChatGPT) to help generate ideas and brainstorm; you may not use them to generate text or to paraphrase text generated by any of the these tools for your assignments.
You should note that the content generated by these programs may be inaccurate, incomplete, biased, or otherwise problematic.

Academic Integrity 

The most common offense under the Academic Code of Conduct is plagiarism, which the Code defines as “the presentation of the work of another person as one’s own or without proper acknowledgement.” This includes material copied word for word from books, journals, Internet sites, professor’s course notes, etc. It refers to material that is paraphrased but closely resembles the original source. It also includes for example the work of a fellow student, an answer on a quiz, data for a lab report, a paper or assignment completed by another student. It might be a paper purchased from any source. Plagiarism does not refer to words alone –it can refer to copying images, graphs, tables and ideas. “Presentation” is not limited to written work. It includes oral presentations, computer assignments and artistic works. Finally, if you translate the work of another person into any other language and do not cite the source, this is also plagiarism. 

In Simple Words: Try to avoid copying, paraphrasing or translating anything from anywhere without saying where you obtained it. 
I prefer that you overcite in your assignment submissions rather than leave out the original sources.

Behaviour 

All individuals participating in courses are expected to be professional and constructive throughout the course, including in their communications. Concordia students are subject to the Code of Rights and Responsibilities which applies both when students are physically and virtually engaged in any University activity, including classes, seminars, meetings, etc. Students engaged in University activities must respect this Code when engaging with any members of the Concordia community, including faculty, staff, and students, whether such interactions are verbal or in writing, face to face or online/virtual. Failing to comply with the Code may result in charges and sanctions, as outlined in the Code.

Ethical Behaviour 

Sexual violence, including sexual harassment and sexual assault, is not tolerated at Concordia. Please see Concordia’s policy on sexual violence for more information about awareness and prevention, support for survivors/ victims, responding to disclosures and procedures for reports and complaints. You can also contact the Sexual Assault Resource Centre for information and support. More information and support are available at the Sexual Assault Resource Centre, by email sarc@concordia.ca or phone 514 848-2424 x 3353 

Intellectual Property 

Content belonging to instructors shared in online courses, including, but not limited to, online lectures, slides, course notes, and video recordings of classes remain the intellectual property of the faculty member. It may not be distributed, published or broadcast, in whole or in part, without  the express permission of the faculty member. 

Students are also forbidden to use their own means of recording any elements of class or lecture without express permission of the instructor. Any unauthorized sharing of course content may constitute a breach of the Academic Code of Conduct and/or the Code of Rights and Responsibilities. As specified in the Policy on Intellectual Property, the University does not claim any ownership of or interest in any student IP. All university members retain copyright over their work. 

Extraordinary Circumstance 

In the event of extraordinary circumstances, the University may modify the delivery, content, structure, forum, location and/or evaluation scheme. In the event of such extraordinary circumstances, students will be informed of the changes.