Abnormal Psychology Instructor: Dr. Jeanne B. Tinsley
Spring, 2005 Office: 302 Smith Hall
9:00 AM Mon,Wed, Fri Phone: 749-2180
e-mail: Tinsley @ bvu.edu
Classroom: DE 209 Academic Assistant: Cassandra King
Required Texts:
Butcher, J.N., Mineka, S.,& Hooley, J.M. (2004). Abnormal psychology and modern life (12th ed.). Allyn and Bacon.
Brown, T.A., & Barlow, D.H. (2001). Casebook in Abnormal Psychology (2nd ed.). Wadsworth.
Course materials are available on connected learning.
Tentative Schedule
Topic Reading Assignment
Defining Abnormal Behavior Chapter one pgs 1-13
Chapter four pgs 127-134
Chapter 18 pgs 606-615
Class discussion of the Yates case (read time article)
Historical Roots of Mental Illness Chapter 2
Moral Treatment and the Medical Model Chapter 3
Chapter 17 pgs 565-577
-Jonathan Miller Video(Brainwaves)
Test 1 February 18
Psychoanalytic Theory(Freud) Chapter 17 & review relevant
parts of Chapters 2(pgs 46-53) and 3(pgs. 72-103)
-The Rat Man(video)
Behavior Therapy
-Systematic Desensitization
Biopsychosocial Model Chapters 5 & 12
-Alcoholism
Case Study number 13 (Wednesday, March 2) Alcohol Dependence
(Jason DeBode and Elizabeth McDonald)
-PTDS
Case Study number 4(Friday, March 4)Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
(Sarah Dirkx and Lori Hogrefe)
-Depression
Test 2 March 11
Anxiety Disorders Chapter 6
-The Neurotic Paradox
Case Study number1(Monday, March 14)Generalized Anxiety Disorder
(Stephanie Phelps and Karin Leveke and Joy Hott)
Case Study number 2(Wednesday, March 16)Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia
(Amanda Brummer and Kent Gries and Jessica Hansen )
Case Study number 3(Wednesday, March 30) Adolescent Social Phobia
(Megan Erickson and Amber Connolly)
Case Study number 5 _ Obsessive -Compulsive Disorder and Case Study number 17 - Trichotillomania (Friday, April 1)
(Amber Redding and Lisa Kunkel) (Nicole Nelson-Sease and Jamie Parks)
Eating Disorders Chapter 9
Case Study number 10(Monday, April 4)Bulimia Nervosa
(Allie Linder and Stacy Wiebersch )
Affective Disorders Chapter 7
Case Study number 8(Wednesday, April 6) Major Depression
(Jon Salyers and Sean Metz)
Case Study number 9(Friday, April 8) Bipolar Disorder
(Somphane Rattanavong and Fong Inthakone and Valery DeLao)
Case Study number 7 Dissociative Identity Disorder
(Joey Kennedy and Tom Sellers and Dan Christianson)
Monday, April 11 Jaime Brower(guest lecturer)
Dissociative Disorders Chapter 8
Test 3 April 13
Schizophrenia Chapter 14
Case Study number 15(Monday, April 18) Schizophrenia
(Hannah Chandler and Kim Kassmeier)
April 22: Discussion of the movie A Beautiful Mind
Childhood Disorders Chapter 16
Case Study number 16(Monday, April 25) Autistic Disorder
(Josh Randall and Alex Kutz and Taylor Wadien)
- Autism(video)
Personality Disorders Chapter 11
Case Study number 14(Friday, April 29) Borderline Personality Disorder
(Hattie Mackowski and Ryan Erskine)
Sexual Disorders Chapter 13
Case Studies 11 & 12 (Wednesday, May 11) Sexual Dysfunction and
Pedophilia (Bobbi Rohwer and Chantalle Buhl )
(Kenzie Bell and Niki Dean)
Test 4(Monday, May 16, 10:15 AM)
Course Objectives: The goal for this course is to give you an introduction to the Field of Abnormal Psychology. We will cover much of the traditional content of this field through the text and lectures. We will also use discussions, activities, and case studies to explore the content and the issues in the field from a more free wheeling perspective. The course is set up in a mastery format. This means that you will be successful in the course if you are willing to master the material. You will have access to virtually all the test questions (through study guides and multiple choice questions ) prior to the exam. Attendance will not be taken, but it is expected that the serious student will attend. Credit is awarded for many of the activities in class, and these cannot be made up.
Requirements:
1. There will be four tests. They will be over the material in the text, the case studies,the lectures and videos, and the class discussions. The test will include both multiple choice, essay questions, and take home questions. Each test will be worth between 100 and 150 points. Although the material in the text and the material covered in class will be related and will overlap at times, I have made a conscious effort not to simply cover the text in class. The class will expand on and cover selected aspects of the text. Much of the text you will be required to read and process on your own. Your are of course encouraged to raise issues as you like for discussion in class at anytime.
2. In Class Writing Exercises/Activities: Periodically you will participate in an exercise or free write in class. These are worth 5 points for an adequate performance. Occasionally more points might be awarded for a particularly well written and thoughtful analysis. Occasionally too, less than 5 points might be awarded if the exercise is not completed seriously. These will occur once a week or more and cannot be made up.
3. We will be viewing one recent popular movie this semester - A Beautiful Mind. We will watch this movie outside of class and discuss it in class on Friday, April 22. A two page, double spaced, word processed reaction paper to the movie is due in class on that day. It is worth a maximum of 50 points. The focus of the paper should be your own reaction to the movie and your own analysis of the movie from whatever perspective you find to be relevant. Try not to spend very much of your paper regurgitating the plot or reviewing the movie. Rather, react to it from the perspective of Abnormal Psychology. We will arrange a time to show this movie and will have the DVD available for you to borrow.
4. Sixteen case studies will be incorporated into the course. All class members will have read the case study, and two or three of you will be in charge of leading a class discussion(not a lecture) on the case study. To insure that all class members have read the study, you should begin your discussion with a very short 5 point quiz which you will grade. In addition, each student will a turn in a one page double spaced reaction/discussion of the case study which is to be discussed that day. The discussion should probably last around 15-20 minutes. You could focus on questions such as: 1. How did the case study experience match the symptom descriptions portrayed in the text and the lecture? 2. Which theories on etiology and treatment did this case study exemplify? 3. What did you learn about this disorder from the case study that was not in the textbook? These questions are only suggestions. You may structure the discussion as you would like. You will earn up to 50 points for leading this discussion. All students participating in the discussion will receive a maximum of 15 points for doing so and turning in the paper . These case study discussions cannot be made up due to the nature of the experience. However, if you miss one due to illness or sponsored university activities, you may turn in a 4 page double spaced critical analysis of the case study to make up for the points you missed..
Evaluation:
Tests 480 points (approximate)
Case Study Disc 50 points
Case Study Participation/Paper 225 points
Case Study Quizzes 75 points
Movie Reaction Paper 50 points
Writing/Exercises 85 (approximate)
Grades will be determined using the following procedures.
1. The total number of points each student has earned is computed.
2. A frequency distribution of total points is prepared.
3. Cutoffs are determined using the following procedures.
Lower limit of A = 90%
Lower limit of B = 80%
Lower limit of C = 70%
Lower limit of D = 60%
These are the strictest cutoffs I will use. I reserve the right to make the cutoffs more lenient, but will not do so for individual cases. If a cutoff is lowered, it is lowered for the entire class.
Students taking the class PNC will need a C to pass. It is typically my practice to pass very high D's. As with the letter grades above, any cutoff will apply to the entire class.
Refer to the Buena Vista University Academic Honesty Policy. The procedures outlined in this policy will be strictly followed in this class.
Class Laptop Policy: If you wish to use your computers in class for any reason relating to the course you are free to do so. Web research during class on topics related to the material under consideration is appropriate and you are encouraged to share your findings with the entire class. Examples of the types of computer activities which are not appropriate in this class are reading e-mail, playing games, instant messaging, and general surfing. You may engage in such activities before the class begins, but please refrain from doing so once the class has begun. Turn off the instant message device. These activities are distracting both to me and to other class members.