Psychology 2036A 650 FW23

Psychology of Physical Health & Illness

If there is a discrepancy between the outline posted below and the outline posted on the OWL course website, the latter shall prevail.

WESTERN UNIVERSITY 

LONDON               CANADA 

Department of Psychology 

Fall 2023 

 

Psychology 2036A    Section 650 

Psychology of Physical Health & Illness 

 

 

  1. CALENDAR DESCRIPTION 

 

This course will cover the role of psychological factors in the prevention of illness and the maintenance of good health, and treatment of already-existing illness. Topics will include the stress/illness relationship, psychological influences on physical symptom perception and reporting, personality and health, behavioral factors in disease, coping, adherence and compliance. 

 

Antirequisite: Psychology 2330A/B, Psychology 3330 F/G  

 

Antirequisites are courses that overlap sufficiently in content that only one can be taken for credit. If you take a course that is an antirequisite to a course previously taken, you will lose credit for the earlier course, regardless of the grade achieved in the most recent course. 

 

Prerequisite: Not Applicable 

 

There are approximately 66 hours of lecture time (three-hours of lecture per week) 

 

Course Weight: 0.5 

Lecture Hours: 3 per week 

 

Unless you have either the prerequisites for this course or written special permission from your Dean to enrol in it, you may be removed from this course and it will be deleted from your record. This decision may not be appealed. You will receive no adjustment to your fees in the event that you are dropped from a course for failing to have the necessary prerequisites. 

 

2.0 COURSE INFORMATION 

 

Instructor: Eric Collins, PhD  

Office and Phone Number: Virtual (via Zoom)  

Office Hours: By appointment  

Email: ecollin9@uwo.ca (48-hour response time on weekdays and 72-hours during exams and holidays)  

Teaching Assistant: TBA  

Office: Virtual (TBA)  

Office Hours: TBA  

Email: TBA  

 

Time and Location of Classes: Online and asynchronous 

 

 

Students who are in emotional/mental distress should refer to Health and Wellness @Western https://www.uwo.ca/health/ for a complete list of options about how to obtain help. 

  

Please contact the course instructor if you require material in an alternate format or if you require any other arrangements to make this course more accessible to you. You may also contact Accessible Education at aew@uwo.ca  or 519-661-2147. 

 

2.1 ONLINE LEARNING NOTICE 

 

Please note: For courses delivered in an online format, include an online component, or are required to pivot online, students must have a reliable internet connection and computer that are compatible with online learning system requirements. Some courses may also require the use of a remote proctoring platform to ensure assessments are taken fairly in accordance with Western’s policy on Scholastic Discipline for Undergraduate Students and Scholastic Discipline for Graduate Students. Please refer to the course syllabus for further information. 

 

3.0 TEXTBOOK (REQUIRED) 

 

Poole, G., Matheson, D., & Cox, D. (2023). The psychology of health and health care. A Canadian perspective. 6th Edition. Pearson: Toronto 

 

4.0 COURSE OBJECTIVES & LEARNING OUTCOMES 

 

In this course, we will explore health psychology and its influence on human health and the health care system. We will investigate health psychology from its inception to its current application to human health and health care. This course will also examine stress and coping by highlighting some of its most important theories and models. Our focus will then shift to the field of psychoneuroimmunology, which is an area that inspects the relationship between human biology and psychology. The next topic is health communication, which assesses the dynamics of physician-patient relationships. Thereafter, our attention turns to human health and physical activity, specifically the interconnection between physical activity, psychology, and health. Health-compromising behaviours such as drug use and eating disorders will also be surveyed. Subsequently, we will navigate the issues of chronic and life-threatening illnesses such as cancer and explore its impact on health psychology. Next, we will study the topic of pain through theoretical constructs and clinical application. The health care system will also be probed to help illuminate issues such as medical care and patient autonomy. Near the end of the term, our focus turns to the social-ecological model, which will assess the impact of the social determinants of health and their impact on a macro level. Lastly, we will be introduced to the concept of health promotion and delve into its application and theoretical underpinnings. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Learning Outcome  

Learning Activity  

Assessment 

Depth and Breadth of Knowledge.  

  • Understand ways in which social psychological processes occur in daily life, such as how people perceive themselves and others and how they interact with the surrounding environment 

 

  • Lectures 
  • Readings 
  • Forum 

 

  • Quizzes 
  • Exams 
  • Forum 

Application of Knowledge.  

  • Interpret social psychological situations in order to make predictions about behaviour 

 

  • Lectures 
  • Readings 
  • Forum 

 

  • Quizzes 
  • Exams 
  • Forum 

Application of Methodologies 

  • Explain the scientific study of social psychology to a non-academic/non- psychologist 

 

  • Lectures 
  • Readings 
  • Forum 

 

  • Quizzes 
  • Exams 
  • Forum 

 

 

5.0 EVALUATION 

 

The evaluation and testing formats for this course were created to assess the learning objectives as listed in section 4.0 and are considered necessary for meeting these learning objectives. 

 

Component 

Value % 

Forum 

10 

Quiz 1 

5 

Quiz 2 

5 

Midterm Exam 1 

20 

Midterm Exam 2 

20 

Final Exam 

40 

Total 

100 

 

Forum: Ten questions will be posted to the Forum on OWL throughout the term. Questions will be generated from weekly PowerPoints and assigned readings. Each student is required to contribute an original response to each week’s posting and provide a response to a fellow student’s original response. Each week’s original response and response to a fellow student’s response are worth a total of 1%. There are no part marks. “I agree” or “I disagree” are insufficient responses and will not be awarded marks. Students are expected to provide thoughtful responses that demonstrate critical thinking and an understanding of theoretical concepts. Each post must include a minimum of 80 words each (160 words in total). Examples of original responses can be found on OWL in the Forum. 

Quizzes: There are two quizzes in this course. The quizzes cover material from the PowerPoints and assigned readings. Quiz 1 will be available to complete asynchronously on September 30. Quiz 1 covers content from chapters 1-3 and is worth 5%. Quiz 2 will be available to complete asynchronously on October 21. Quiz 2 covers content from chapters 4-6 and is worth 5%. Each quiz consists of 15 questions and includes multiple-choice, true or false, matching, and fill-in-the-blanks. Both quizzes will include a time-limit. Please make sure you have a strong internet connection before beginning each quiz. The quizzes will be completed on OWL using the Tests & Quizzes tool. 

Exams: There are three exams in this course. They will be synchronous and remotely proctored. The exams cover material from the textbook and PowerPoints. Midterm exam 1 will take place online on October 14. This assessment contains 30 questions, covers chapters 1-4, and is worth 20%. Midterm exam 2 will take place in online on November 11. This assessment contains 30 questions, covers chapters 5-8, and is also worth 20%. The midterm exams include multiple-choice, true or false, matching, and fill-in-the-blanks. The final exam will take place in online (date and time TBA). This assessment is cumulative, contains 75 questions, covers chapters 1-12, and is worth 40%. The final exam will be scheduled by the OOR, so the date and location are TBA. The final exam includes multiple-choice, true or false, matching, and fill-in-the-blanks.  

5.1 POLICY ON MISSING COURSEWORK 

Unless you receive academic accommodations for missed course work, you receive a grade of zero for that component. The weight of accommodated missed course work is re-distributed to an assessment of equal weighting. Alternatively, you are permitted a re-write for missed course work, as long as it is within one week of the original closing date. There are no extra assessments for missed course work without accommodations. 

The expectation for course grades within the Psychology Department is that they will be distributed around the following averages:  

70% 1000-level to 2099-level courses 

72% 2100-2999-level courses 

75% 3000-level courses 

80% 4000-level courses 

 

The Psychology Department follows Western’s grading guidelines, which are as follows (see: http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/general/grades_undergrad.pdf) 

 

A+ 90-100 One could scarcely expect better from a student at this level 

A 80-89 Superior work that is clearly above average 

B 70-79 Good work, meeting all requirements, and eminently satisfactory 

C 60-69 Competent work, meeting requirements 

D 50-59 Fair work, minimally acceptable 

F below 50 Fail 

 

Note that in the event that course grades are significantly higher or lower than these averages, instructors may be required to make adjustments to course grades. Such adjustment might include the normalization of one or more course components and/or the re-weighting of various course components. 

 

Policy on Grade Rounding: Please note that although course grades within the Psychology Department are rounded to the nearest whole number, no further grade rounding will be done. No additional assignments will be offered to enhance a final grade; nor will requests to change a grade because it is needed for a future program be considered. To maximize your grade, do your best on each and every assessment within the course. 

 

 

 

 

 

6.0 ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION SCHEDULE 

 

Open Date 

Due Date 

Assessment 

Sep 7 

Sep 14 

Forum Posting 1 

Sep 14 

Sep 21 

Forum Posting 2 

Sep 21 

Sep 28 

Forum Posting 3 

Sep 28 

Oct 5 

Forum Posting 4 

Sep 30 

Sep 30 

Quiz 1 

Oct 5 

Oct 12 

Forum Posting 5 

Oct 14 

Oct 14 

Midterm Exam 1 

Oct 12 

Oct 19 

Forum Posting 6 

Oct 19 

Oct 26 

Forum Posting 7 

Oct 21 

Oct 21 

Quiz 2 

Oct 26 

Nov 9 

Forum Posting 8 

Nov 9 

Nov 16 

Forum Posting 9 

Nov 11 

Nov 11 

Midterm Exam 2 

Nov 16 

Nov 23 

Forum Posting 10 

TBA 

TBA 

Final Exam 

 

 

7.0 CLASS SCHEDULE 

 

An assigned textbook chapter means that all the pages in that chapter are assigned as reading. The PowerPoints on OWL expand on material found in the textbook. For the exams, you are responsible for the material in the textbook, as well as the PowerPoints.  

 

Lecture 

Topic 

Readings (Chapter) 

Day (2023) 

1 

Welcome to health psychology 

1 

Sep 7 

2 

Stress and coping 

2 

Sep 14 

3 

Psychoneuroimmunology 

3 

Sep 21 

4 

Health communication 

4 

Sep 28 

5 

Health and physical activity 

5 

Oct 5 

6 

Health-compromising behaviours 

6 

Oct 12 

7 

Chronic and life-threatening illness 

7 

Oct 19 

8 

Pain 

8 

Oct 26 

9 

The world of health care 

9 

Nov 9 

10 

From one to many 

10 

Nov 16 

11 

Indigenous People’s health in Canada 

11 

Nov 23 

12 

Health promotion 

12 

Nov 30 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8.0 LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 

 

We acknowledge that Western University is located on the traditional lands of the Anishinaabek, Haudenosaunee, Lūnaapéewak and Chonnonton Nations, on lands connected with the London Township and Sombra Treaties of 1796 and the Dish with One Spoon Covenant Wampum. 

 

With this, we respect the longstanding relationships that Indigenous Nations have to this land, as they are the original caretakers. We acknowledge historical and ongoing injustices that Indigenous Peoples (e.g., First Nations, Métis and Inuit) endure in Canada, and we accept responsibility as a public institution to contribute toward revealing and correcting miseducation, as well as renewing respectful relationships with Indigenous communities through our teaching, research and community service. 

 

9.0 STATEMENT ON ACADEMIC OFFENCES 

 

Students are responsible for understanding the nature and avoiding the occurrence of plagiarism and other scholastic offences. Plagiarism and cheating are considered very serious offences because they undermine the integrity of research and education. Actions constituting a scholastic offence are described at the following link: http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/scholastic_discipline_undergrad.pdf 

 

As of Sept. 1, 2009, the Department of Psychology will take the following steps to detect scholastic offences. All multiple-choice tests and exams will be checked for similarities in the pattern of responses using reliable software, and records will be made of student seating locations in all tests and exams. All written assignments will be submitted to TurnItIn, a service designed to detect and deter plagiarism by comparing written material to over 5 billion pages of content located on the Internet or in TurnItIn’s databases. All papers submitted for such checking will be included as source documents in the reference database for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of papers subsequently submitted to the system. Use of the service is subject to the licensing agreement, currently between Western and Turnitin.com (http://www.turnitin.com). 

 

Computer-marked multiple-choice tests and/or exams will be subject to submission for similarity review by software that will check for unusual coincidences in answer patterns that may indicate cheating. 

 

In classes that involve the use of a personal response system (PRS), data collected using the PRS will only be used in a manner consistent to that described in this outline. It is the instructor’s responsibility to make every effort to ensure that data remain confidential. However, students should be aware that as with all forms of electronic communication, privacy is not guaranteed. Your PRS login credentials are for your sole use only. Students attempting to use another student’s credentials to submit data through the PRS may be subject to academic misconduct proceedings.  

 

Possible penalties for a scholastic offence include failure of the assignment/exam, failure of the course, suspension from the University, and expulsion from the University. 

 

10.0 POLICY ON THE USE OF EXAM PROCTORING SOFTWARE 

 

Tests and examinations for online courses will be conducted using a remote proctoring service. By taking this course, you are consenting to the use of this software and acknowledge that you will be required to provide personal information (including some biometric data) and the session will be recorded.  Completion of this course will require you to have a reliable internet connection and a device that meets the technical requirements for this service. More information about this remote proctoring service, including technical requirements, is available on Western’s Remote Proctoring website at: https://remoteproctoring.uwo.ca.  
  

In the event that in-person exams are unexpectedly canceled, you may only be given notice of the use of a proctoring service a short time in advance. 

 

11.0 POLICY ON ACCOMMODATION FOR ILLNESS OR OTHER ABSENCES 

 

Western’s policy on Accommodation for Medical Illness can be found at:  
https://www.westerncalendar.uwo.ca/PolicyPages.cfm?PolicyCategoryID=1&Command=showCategory&SelectedCalendar=Live&ArchiveID=#Page_12 

 

If you experience an extenuating circumstance (e.g., illness, injury) sufficiently significant to temporarily make you unable to meet academic requirements, you may request accommodation through the following routes:  

  1. For medical absences, submitting a Student Medical Certificate (SMC) signed by a licensed medical or mental health practitioner in order to be eligible for Academic Consideration;  
  1. For non-medical absences, submitting appropriate documentation (e.g., obituary, police report, accident report, court order, etc.) to Academic Counselling in their Faculty of registration in order to be eligible for academic consideration. Students are encouraged to contact their Academic Counselling unit to clarify what documentation is appropriate. 

 

Students must see the Academic Counsellor and submit all required documentation in order to be approved for certain accommodation.  

 

https://www.registrar.uwo.ca/faculty_academic_counselling.html 

 

Students seeking academic consideration: 

  • are advised to consider carefully the implications of postponing tests or midterm exams or delaying handing in work;   
  • must communicate with their instructors no later than 24 hours after the end of the period covered SMC, or immediately upon their return following a documented absence 

 

Students seeking accommodation for religious purposes are advised to contact Academic Counselling at least two weeks (no later than one week) prior to the religious event and as soon as possible after the start of the term. 

 

12.0 CONTINGENCY PLAN FOR RETURN TO LOCKDOWN: IN-PERSON & BLENDED CLASSES 

 

In the event of a COVID-19 resurgence or any other event that necessitates the course delivery moving away from face-to-face interaction, all remaining course content will be delivered entirely online, either synchronously (i.e., at the times indicated in the timetable) or asynchronously (e.g., posted on OWL for students to view at their convenience). The grading scheme will not change. Any remaining assessments will also be conducted online, as determined by the course instructor. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

13.0 STATEMENTS CONCERNING ONLINE ETIQUETTE 

 

In courses involving online interactions, the Psychology Department expects students to honour the following rules of etiquette: 

  • please “arrive” to class on time 
  • please use your computer and/or laptop if possible (as opposed to a cell phone or tablet) 
  • please ensure that you are in a private location to protect the confidentiality of discussions in the event that a class discussion deals with sensitive or personal material 
  • to minimize background noise, kindly mute your microphone for the entire class until you are invited to speak, unless directed otherwise 
  • In classes larger than 30 participants please turn off your video camera for the entire class unless you are invited to speak 
  • In classes of 30 students or fewer, where video chat procedures are being used, please be prepared to turn your video camera off at the instructor’s request if the internet connection becomes unstable 
  • Unless invited by your instructor, do not share your screen in the meeting 

 

The course instructor will act as moderator for the class and will deal with any questions from participants. To participate please consider the following: 

  • If you wish to speak, use the “raise hand” function and wait for the instructor to acknowledge you before beginning your comment or question. 
  • Please remember to unmute your microphone and turn on your video camera before speaking. 
  • Self-identify when speaking. 
  • Please remember to mute your mic and turn off your video camera after speaking (unless directed otherwise). 

 

General considerations of “netiquette”: 

  • Keep in mind the different cultural and linguistic backgrounds of the students in the course. 
  • Be courteous toward the instructor, your colleagues, and authors whose work you are discussing. 
  • Be respectful of the diversity of viewpoints that you will encounter in the class and in your readings. The exchange of diverse ideas and opinions is part of the scholarly environment. “Flaming” is never appropriate. 
  • Be professional and scholarly in all online postings. Use proper grammar and spelling. Cite the ideas of others appropriately. 

 

Note that disruptive behaviour of any type during online classes, including inappropriate use of the chat function, is unacceptable. Students found guilty of Zoom-bombing a class or of other serious online offenses may be subject to disciplinary measures under the Code of Student Conduct. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

14.0 OTHER INFORMATION 

 

Office of the Registrar: https://registrar.uwo.ca   

 

Student Development Services: www.sdc.uwo.ca  

 

Psychology Undergraduate Program: https://www.psychology.uwo.ca/undergraduate/index.html 

 

If you wish to appeal a grade, please read the policy documentation at: https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/appealsundergrad.pdf 

Please first contact the course instructor. If your issue is not resolved, you may make your appeal to the Undergraduate Chair in Psychology (psyugrd@uwo.ca). 

 

Copyright Statement: Lectures and course materials, including power point presentations, outlines, videos and similar materials, are protected by copyright. You may take notes and make copies of course materials for your own educational use. You may not record lectures, reproduce (or allow others to reproduce), post or distribute any course materials publicly and/or for commercial purposes without the instructor’s written consent. 

 

Policy on the Recording of Synchronous Sessions: Some or all of the remote learning sessions for this course (if scheduled) may be recorded. The data captured during these recordings may include your image, voice recordings, chat logs and personal identifiers (name displayed on the screen). The recordings will be used for educational purposes related to this course, including evaluations. The recordings may be disclosed to other individuals participating in the course for their private or group study purposes. Please contact the instructor if you have any concerns related to session recordings. Participants in this course are not permitted to privately record the sessions, except where recording is an approved accommodation, or the student has the prior written permission of the instructor.