• Class Number 7313
  • Term Code 2960
  • Class Info
  • Unit Value 6 units
  • Mode of Delivery In Person
  • COURSE CONVENER
    • Prof Katherine Reynolds
  • LECTURER
    • Prof Katherine Reynolds
  • Class Dates
  • Class Start Date 22/07/2019
  • Class End Date 25/10/2019
  • Census Date 31/08/2019
  • Last Date to Enrol 29/07/2019
SELT Survey Results

In this course three key areas of psychology will be introduced: social psychology, personality psychology & biological psychology. 

The course will chart key developments, theories and foundational research that continues to have an impact on current approaches. The course will address the big questions in psychology, such as: How does the social environment influences the way people think, feel and behave?; Are there stable personality traits that determine people’s behaviours across time and different situations?; How flexible is the human brain in adapting to changing life circumstances and injuries?

No prerequisite knowledge is required for this course. Students can enrol in PSYC1004 before completion of PSYC1003. Completion of both PSYC1003 and PSYC1004 is required for most later-year psychology courses.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

Upon successful completion of this course, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

  1. Describe key theories and topics in social psychology including humans as social animals, social norms, social influence, stereotyping and prejudice. 

 2. Describe key models of personality, including trait, psychodynamic, and biological models. 

 3. Describe the structural components of the brain, and biological mechanism and how they relate to elements of human behaviour and behavioural disorders. 

4.  Understand and critically analyse theoretical and empirical material in social, personality and biological psychology.

5.  Develop the ability to integrate information from multiple (sometimes conflicting) sources, construct a logical argument and effectively communicate it through writing, either in the fields of biological, social, or personality psychology, in the form of a research essay.

Required Resources

Burton, L., Westen, D., & Kowalsi, R. (2015). Psychology: 4thAustralian and New Zealand Edition. John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.


Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

  • written comments
  • verbal comments
  • feedback to whole class, groups, individuals, focus group etc

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). The feedback given in these surveys is anonymous and provides the Colleges, University Education Committee and Academic Board with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement. The Surveys and Evaluation website provides more information on student surveys at ANU and reports on the feedback provided on ANU courses.

Other Information

In order to help manage workload where full-time students are enrolled in 4 courses, a guide is that a 6 unit course should require on average 10 hours of work a week (including lectures and laboratory classes PLUS preparing for and revising lectures, readings). IT IS EXPECTED THAT ALL STUDENTS WILL ATTEND LECTURES EACH WEEK (3-hours each week), as well as 7 x 2 hours laboratory classes. Research shows students learn BEST and achieve higher marks when they attend lectures and revise and review the material afterwards. The laboratory program is not designed necessarily to follow the lecture program but to further develop certain knowledge, concepts and skills in a small-group teaching setting. 

Class Schedule

Week/Session Summary of Activities Assessment
1 Week 1 Lecture: Introduction to PSYC1004 & Social Psychology Lecture: Social Psychology: Social Influence Lab: No laboratory class - Enrol via Wattle
2 Week 2 Lecture: Social Psychology: Social Influence Lecture: Social Psychology: Stereotyping & Prejudice Lab: No laboratory class - Enrol via Wattle
3 Week 3 Lecture: Social Psychology: Stereotyping & Prejudice Lecture: Social Psychology: Attitudes, Norms & Behaviour Lab: Laboratory 1: Milgram Obedience Study
4 Week 4 Lecture: Social Psychology: Attitudes, Norms & Behaviour Lecture: Social Psychology: Cross-cultural Psychology Lab: Laboratory 2: Minimal Group Paradigm & Discrimination Laboratory Quiz 1
5 Week 5 Lecture: Biological Psychology: Introduction to Biological Psychology & Perception Lecture: Biological Psychology: How does the human body communicate? Lab: Laboratory 3: Research Essay Writing Laboratory Quiz 2
6 Week 6 Lecture: Biological Psychology: The action potential Lecture: Biological Psychology: Drugs at the synapses & drugs Lab: [Laboratory classes replaced by research participation]
7 Week 7 Lecture: Biological Psychology: Functional Neuroanatomy & Networks Lecture: Biological Psychology: Neuroanatomy and Clinical Disorder Lab: Laboratory 4: Interactive approach to Neurons Laboratory Quiz 3
8 Week 8 Lecture: Biological Psychology: Introduction to Methods in Biological Psychology (EEG, fMRI, TMS etc.) Lecture: Biological Psychology: Applied Biological Psychology Lab: Laboratory 5: Neuroanatomy Laboratory Quiz 4
9 Week 9 Lecture: Personality Psychology: Introduction and Research Methods Lecture: Personality Psychology: Introduction and Research Methods/ Trait Theory Lab: [Laboratory classes replaced by research participation]
10 Week 10 Lecture: Personality Psychology: Trait Theory Lecture: Personality Psychology: Behaviourism and Social-Cognitive Theories Lab: [Laboratory classes replaced by research participation]
11 Week 11 Lecture: Personality Psychology: Freud's Theory of Personality Lecture: Personality Psychology: Psychodynamic and Phenomenological Theories Lab: Laboratory 6: Assessing Famous Personalities Laboratory Quiz 5
12 Week 12 Lecture: Personality Psychology: Narcissism, Psychopathy, and Machiavellianism Lecture: Personality Psychology: Narcissism, Psychopathy, and Machiavellianism Summary & Review Lab: Laboratory 7: Psychopathy Laboratory Quiz 6

Tutorial Registration

On Wattle

Assessment Summary

Assessment task Value Due Date Return of assessment Learning Outcomes
Research Essay 40 % 16/09/2019 11/10/2019 1,2,3,4,5
Laboratory Quizzes x 6 20 % 12/08/2019 31/10/2019 1,2,3,4
Research in Psychology Experience 5 % 14/10/2019 31/10/2109 1,2,3,4
Final Exam 35 % 31/10/2019 28/11/2019 1,2,3,4

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines, which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Misconduct Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website. In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Wattle’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Participation

Students are expected to attend weekly lectures (three hours each week), as well as a total of seven two-hour laboratory classes over the semester. In addition, there is an expectation that students will regularly and consistently engage in the course readings, as stipulated by the lecturers. Sections of the assigned readings will be assessed via six on-line quizzes administered during laboratory classes (see outline below for dates). On average, students are expected to spend approximately 10 hours of work on this course per week, including the time spent in lectures and laboratory classes. 

The laboratory program is not designed necessarily to follow the lecture program but to further develop certain knowledge, concepts and skills in a small-group teaching setting. 

Examination(s)

For approved dictionaries in accordance with ANU Policies, see link http://www.anu.edu.au/students/program-administration/assessments-exams/assessment-arrangements-for-students-from-language.


It is the policy of the Research School of Psychology that the assessment package for all courses will include an invigilated component or components (i.e., taken under supervised examination conditions) accounting for at least forty percent (40%) of the overall grade, and that a Pass mark (50% or greater) is required in at least one part of the invigilated component that counts for at least 50% of the total invigilated component, before the course can be passed as a whole.

 

Students failing to achieve this, but who otherwise have an overall grade of 45% or better, will be offered the opportunity to sit, and pass, a further (supplementary) invigilated examination.

 

Students achieving a passing grade (50% or better) in that supplementary invigilated examination will be eligible to pass the course overall but their final recorded course mark will be 50%. 

Assessment Task 1

Value: 40 %
Due Date: 16/09/2019
Return of Assessment: 11/10/2019
Learning Outcomes: 1,2,3,4,5

Research Essay

You will be asked to write a research essay answering a question from one of the three areas of the course. The essay will be 2,000 words in length and needs to be formatted using the guidelines set out by the American Psychological Association (APA). The essay topics and starting references will be made available on the PSYC1004 Wattle site. Information about how to write a research essay, as well as the marking criteria, will be discussed and outlined in Laboratory Class 3; this information will also be placed on the PSYC1004 Wattle site.

Due date: Week 7.

Estimated assignment return date: 3 weeks from the submission date

Assessment Task 2

Value: 20 %
Due Date: 12/08/2019
Return of Assessment: 31/10/2019
Learning Outcomes: 1,2,3,4

Laboratory Quizzes x 6

Value: 20% of your final grade – Each quiz will be worth 4% of your final grade.

Estimated due dates:

Quiz 1: Week 4 in the laboratory class

Quiz 2: Week 5 in the laboratory class

Quiz 3: Week 7 in the laboratory class

Quiz 4: Week 8 in the laboratory class

Quiz 5: Week 11 in the laboratory class

Quiz 6: Week 12 in the laboratory class

Estimated return dates: Quiz marks will be available approximately one week after the date of the quiz.

There will be six quizzes that you will complete after reading the assigned sections of the textbook or other relevant readings. These quizzes will be made available online during specified laboratory-class periods. Students may attempt each quiz only once, and must complete all quizzes during their scheduled laboratory classes. For example, students will not be able to complete all their quizzes in one go, at the end of semester. Quizzes are considered an invigilated component of the course and, as such, must be completed under exam conditions. Any attempts by students to view or complete a quiz outside of laboratory times will result in those students forfeiting their marks for the quiz.


The quizzes will consist of multiple choice questions each. These quizzes are intended to keep students up to date with the course work and enable them to track their progress throughout the semester. 

Assessment Task 3

Value: 5 %
Due Date: 14/10/2019
Return of Assessment: 31/10/2109
Learning Outcomes: 1,2,3,4

Research in Psychology Experience

Research Participation


There are two options that you can take to complete this assessment component. Students can exclusively take up Option 1 or Option 2, but can also choose to do a combination of both (i.e. complete three hours of research participation through Option 1 and two hours through Option 2). A total of 5 hours of research participation through either option must be completed.


Option 1. You can participate in five hours of ongoing psychological research here in the Research School of Psychology. In this manner, you can experience first-hand what real psychological research is like. And you can be part of new and ongoing research projects, designed to further our understanding of human thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. As with participation in your formal laboratory classes, we believe this is a good opportunity for you to broaden your education and, in doing so, contribute to research that may lead to publication and impact on the field.


If you choose Option 1 for this component, please use the SONA linkon the PSYC1004 Wattle site to sign up for experiments.


Option 2. In lieu of the any one of the five hours of research participation, you can read one published psychology journal article, and complete a summary questionnaire about it. This exercise will allow you to learn about some important scientific discoveries in psychology. If you choose this option, please see wattle site for more information. For each article you read, you must then answer questions in an on-line format. As a rule of thumb, one article should take one hour to read and summarise, and should therefore equate to one hour of research participation. 


Word limit (where applicable): Approximately 400 words per hour for Option 2

Value:5% of your final grade

Presentation requirements: NA

Estimated return date: In the case of Option 1, credit will be granted upon completion of each experiment;

In the case of Option 2, credit will be granted at the end of semester.


This activitiy will be due in week 11

Assessment Task 4

Value: 35 %
Due Date: 31/10/2019
Return of Assessment: 28/11/2019
Learning Outcomes: 1,2,3,4

Final Exam

There will be one exam which will be held during the university examination period. It is likely to consist of multiple choice questions. The exact format will be discussed in class closer to the exam date. The final exam must be passed in order to pass the course overall. Please see the course Wattle site for information about the Examination rule.

Word limit (where applicable):NA

Value: 40% of your final grade

Presentation requirements: NA

Estimated return date: Exams are not returned; students can contact the course authority to view their exam papers if they wish to do so.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. At its heart, academic integrity is about behaving ethically, committing to honest and responsible scholarly practice and upholding these values with respect and fairness.


The ANU commits to assisting all members of our community to understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. The ANU expects staff and students to be familiar with the academic integrity principle and Academic Misconduct Rule, uphold high standards of academic integrity and act ethically and honestly, to ensure the quality and value of the qualification that you will graduate with.


The Academic Misconduct Rule is in place to promote academic integrity and manage academic misconduct. Very minor breaches of the academic integrity principle may result in a reduction of marks of up to 10% of the total marks available for the assessment. The ANU offers a number of online and in person services to assist students with their assignments, examinations, and other learning activities. Visit the Academic Skills website for more information about academic integrity, your responsibilities and for assistance with your assignments, writing skills and study.

Online Submission

You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the submission of your assignment. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records. Unless an exemption has been approved by the Associate Dean (Education) submission must be through Turnitin.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

Individual assessment tasks may or may not allow for late submission. Policy regarding late submission is detailed below:

  • Late submission permitted. Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item. Late submission is not accepted for take-home examinations.

Referencing Requirements

Accepted academic practice for referencing sources that you use in presentations can be found via the links on the Wattle site, under the file named “ANU and College Policies, Program Information, Student Support Services and Assessment”. Alternatively, you can seek help through the Students Learning Development website.

Returning Assignments

Research Essays that have been submitted on time will be marked and available to download from the Turnitin link on Wattle, approximately three weeks after the due date. The exact return date will be posted on Wattle. Late assignments (even those with formal extensions) will not be marked within this timeframe; our priority will be to mark the assignments that were handed in on time. We will aim to get the late assignments back before the end of semester. Marking of the late reports will commence once all on-time Laboratory Reports have been marked and returned.


Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. The Course Convener may grant extensions for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Resubmission of Assignments

Resubmission of assignments (for remark): From the time your assignment is made available on Wattle, you have two weeks in which to request a formal re-mark if you so choose. There is a standard procedure for requesting a re-mark within the Research School of Psychology. When you get your assignment back, read through the comments and look at the mark. If you think your assignment deserves a higher mark, you need to meet with your marker and tell that person in writing why you feel you deserve a higher mark (the marker’s contact details can be obtained from the Course Coordinator). Based on your reasoning, your marker will then decide to alter your mark or not.


If you remain unhappy with the marker’s decision, you can formally request a re-mark by contacting the PSYC1004 Assistant Coordinator, in which case a new independent marker will be assigned. The mark awarded by the second marker for your assessment becomes your final mark, regardless of whether it is higher, lower or the same as your original mark.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information.
In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service – including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy.
If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes.

Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

Prof Katherine Reynolds
61250673
Katherine.Reynolds@anu.edu.au

Research Interests


Prof Katherine Reynolds

Prof Katherine Reynolds
61250673
Katherine.Reynolds@anu.edu.au

Research Interests


Prof Katherine Reynolds

Responsible Officer: Registrar, Student Administration / Page Contact: Website Administrator / Frequently Asked Questions