Psychology 3720F-650 Summer Distance 2019

The Psychology of Prosocial and Antisocial Behaviour

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

1.0    CALENDAR DESCRIPTION

The course will consider the social, situational and personality factors responsible for the occurrence of antisocial behaviours such as violence and aggression, and of prosocial behaviours such as helping others in disaster or crisis situations.

 

 

Prerequisites: Psychology 2820E or both Psychology 2800E and 2810 (or Psychology 2780E or permission of the Department at Huron)

 

Unless you have either the prerequisites for this course or written special permission from your Dean to enroll 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.

 

                        Course Weight: 0.5 

2.0    COURSE INFORMATION

Instructor:  Dr. Melanie MacEacheron, LL.B.                   

       Office and Phone Number, and Email Policy:  Because this is an internet-based course, the best way to contact me is by email. I will respond to your emails by two business days after business day received (e.g., if I receive an email from you after 5 p.m. on a Friday, and the following Monday is not a holiday, I will respond on or before Wednesday). Note: I may respond with a class-wide Announcement (emailed to all students, but not mentioning any by name).

Please be sure to include “Psych 3720” as part of the subject line of your emails, email from your “@uwo.ca” account, and check that account at least every other business day for my emails and Announcements. You must read all Announcements as well as this syllabus: Emailed questions to me answerable by reading either this syllabus or the Announcements will be responded to with "Please see syllabus/Announcements" or similar. Questions regarding either the syllabus' or Announcements' content must quote the passage regarding which the student has a question.

       Office Hours:  I am open to hosting live discussions via the OWL course website Forums: Please ask

       if that is of interest.                                     

       Email:  mmaceac4@uwo.ca                                   

                                                                                   

If you or someone you know is experiencing distress, there are several resources here at Western to assist you. Please visit:  http://www.uwo.ca/uwocom/mentalhealth/ for more information on these resources and on mental health.

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 wish to contact Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) at 519-661-2111 ext 82147 for any specific question regarding an accommodation.

3.0  TEXTBOOK

All Required:

 

Dovidio, J. F., Piliavin, J. A., Schroeder, D. A., & Penner, L. A. (2006). The Social Psychology of Prosocial Behavior. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum. (For Part 1 of the course)

 

Krahé, B. (2013). The Social Psychology of Aggression (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Psychology Press. (For Part 2 of the course)

 

Online notes, including additional readings, and other resources, as well as discussion boards, available on OWL course website powered by Sakai (connect via https://owl.uwo.ca/portal: ask if any connection issues). Note each student is responsible for accessing and using the course OWL site. If unresolvable problems arise contact ITS immediately. Note that inability to access/use the course OWL site cannot be used as an excuse for late work.

 

Note that in the online notes you may find links to outside material that is marked optional. You will not be marked on the content of these: they may merely be of interest to you. If you access them, please be warned the content of them may be objectionable or (no longer) relevant (e.g., the content of these may have changed since I recommended them).

 

4.0    COURSE OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this course are: 

  • To teach students about key theories, methods and findings in the scientific study of prosocial and antisocial behavior
  • To provide students with the adequate tools to generate a research idea and to write a research proposal according to APA standards
To encourage students to think critically and apply their knowledge through online discussions with their colleagues

   4.1    STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES 

    At the end of this course, you should be able to: 

  • Describe theories, research methods and findings regarding the occurrence of antisocial and prosocial behaviours. Measured through exams.
  • Apply theoretical principles and research findings to everyday examples of prosocial and antisocial behaviour. Measured through online discussions with colleagues.
  • Locate and critically evaluate information. Measured through online discussions with colleagues and research proposal (literature review).

Generate and develop a research idea. Measured by research proposal. 

5.0     EVALUATION

PLEASE NOTE:  Because this is an essay course, as per Senate Regulations, you must pass the essay component to pass the course. That is, the average mark for your Research Proposal must be at least 50%.

Grade Breakdown

 

Component

% of Final Grade

Exam 1

25

Exam 2

25

Research Proposal

25

Discussions

25

Total

100

 

Although the Psychology Department does not require instructors to adjust their course grades to conform to specific targets, the expectation is that course marks will be distributed around the following averages:

70%     1000-level and 2000-level courses
72%     2190-2990 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


6.0  TEST AND EXAMINATION SCHEDULE

Course grades will be based on five online discussions, two exams, and a research proposal. Any concern regarding a perceived marking discrepancy must be made in writing to me, contained within one email (per assignment or exam), and received within one week of the assignment or exam mark being returned to the student. Note that requests for extra credit work will not be granted.

 

  1. Exams: Each two-hour exam will consist mostly of “short answer” questions that test your ability to identify, conceptualize, and/or apply the course material. Sample questions will be provided in the form of practice questions. All exams will be closed-book -- no notes, cell phones, smart watches, or aids of any type, other than a paper-based translation dictionary preapproved by a proctor, will be allowed. Note that students arriving more than 30 minutes late for an exam will not be permitted to write it.

 

Please bring a couple pens, a watch, and your student identification cared to the examinations. You may also bring a clear beverage in a clear container. At the beginning of each exam, you will be asked to place all items with you other than those listed in this paragraph at the front of the room. Neither I nor UWO can be held responsible for theft, damage, or loss of items left there. Thus, it is recommended you not bring valuables. 

 

The midterm exam (tentatively, Saturday, June 8th), worth 25% of the final grade, will cover material from May 6th through June 7th (weeks 1-5).

 

The final exam (during the final exam period: date, time and location will be available from Registrar’s office), worth 25% of the final grade, will cover material from June 10th through July

19th (weeks 6-11). (No new material will be taught in week 12: July 22nd-26th.)

 

Make-up Exams:

Exams must be written at the scheduled dates/times unless you have a legitimate excuse recognized by your Academic Counselor. A student who misses a regularly scheduled exam for other reasons, or who cannot justify a claim, will be assigned a 0 for the exam. Please approach your academic counselor immediately, and directly (rather than contacting me), if you think you might have such an excuse.

 

  1. Research Proposal: You are required to write a research proposal, which is worth 25% of the final grade. It must be a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 11 typed, double-spaced pages (excluding references and title page). The maximum length of the proposal is 15 typed, double-spaced pages (excluding references). It is due in APA format on July 21st at 11:45 p.m.

 

Your goal is to propose a study (preferably an experiment) that would extend our understanding of any area in prosocial or antisocial behaviour. Note that you will not actually conduct the study. More information about the requirements for the research proposal will be provided on the course website.

 

  1. Online Discussions: There will be five online discussions worth 25% of the final grade (or, 5% each). The online discussions will take place in weeks 1, 2, 3, 7, and 10 (see schedule below).

 

There will be a discussion board on the course website, which will list a new question each of these weeks, for students to comment on/discuss. You will be divided into groups of approximately five, and will comment on/discuss the question among yourselves. Do not post any derogatory or demeaning comments about other students or their postings. Note that I will be reading all postings.

 

Students are expected to participate in all of these discussions by completely answering each component of each question, posting their own thoughts or observations, and by commenting constructively on other students’ comments (see also rubric on course OWL site). In the Discussion area of the course website, you, as a student, can interact with your classmates to explore questions and comments related to the content of this course. A successful student in online education is one who takes an active role in the learning process. Participation in the discussion should enhance your learning experience throughout the course.

 

The discussions will be graded for the quality and content of your contributions. Examples of quality posts include:

  • providing additional information to the discussion;
  • elaborating on previous comments from others;
  • presenting explanations of concepts or methods to help fellow students;
  • presenting reasons for or against a topic in a persuasive fashion;
  • sharing some of your own experiences that relate to the topic; and
  • providing a URL and explanation for an area you researched on the Internet.

 

It is strongly suggested that you participate in each discussion regularly (i.e., not solely just before the deadline for the submission of each), and multiple times. One reason for this, is that in order to earn a good grade, you are expected to not only to post good comments that completely answer the given question, but also to respond to others’ posts. Your (final) posting for each discussion must be received by OWL by Friday at 11:45 p.m. of the week of the discussion, in order to be marked. No technology issue will be accepted as an excuse for lateness. Kindly keep a copy of your postings. 

7.0   CLASS SCHEDULE

Week Date           Topic                                  Readings                            Discussions

                                                                                                                                               

 

 

Part 1: Prosocial Behaviour

 

 

1

May 6 – 10

Introduction to Prosocial Behaviour

Dovidio, Ch. 1

Discussion 1

2

May 13 – 17

The Origin of Prosocial Behaviour

Dovidio, Ch. 2

Discussion 2

3

May 21 – 24

When will people help?

Dovidio, Ch. 3

  Discussion 3

4

May 27 – 31

Why do people help?

Dovidio, Ch. 4

 

5

June 3 - 7

Being the helper and Being helped

Dovidio, Ch. 7

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exam 1: Tentatively set for Saturday, June 8th, 2019 (Time TBA) – Covers all textbook chapters and lesson materials (notes, additional readings, activities, and videos) in Part 1 of the course.

 

Part 2: Antisocial Behaviour – Aggression  

       6              June 10 – 14

Defining and measuring Aggression

Krahé, Ch. 1

 

 

       7              June 17 - 21

Theories of Aggression

Krahé, Ch. 2

Discussion 4

 

       8              June 24 – 28

Development of Aggression

Krahé, Ch. 3

 

 

       9                 July 2 – 5

Situational elicitation of Aggression 

Krahé, Ch. 4

 

 

      10               July 8 – 12

Media violence and Aggression

Krahé, Ch. 5

Discussion 5

 

      11              July 15 – 19

Aggression as part of everyday life

Krahé, Ch. 6

 

 

      12              July 22 - 26

Study Week (do your own reviewing)

 

 

 

       

     13             July 29-Aug. 1                                                                             

Final exam period

 

 

Exam 2: Sometime between July 29 and August 1, 2019 (inclusive). Exact date and time will be available from Registrar’s office. Covers all textbook chapters and lesson materials (notes, additional readings, activities, and videos) in Part 2 of the course. 

 

 

 Recommended Schedule for completing the Research Proposal:  

  • Weeks 1 – 3:

o           Find area that interests you (skim readings).  

  • Weeks 4 – 6:
    • Review past research in this area (PsycInfo).  
    • Review the following material posted in the Research Proposal tab on the website:  
      • Techniques to generate a research idea that extends past research
      • The structure of an outline for your research proposal

o           Develop outline of a research proposal  

  • Week 7:
  • Write first draft
  • Week 8:
  • Review the following material posted in the Research Proposal tab on the

website:

  • Writing style/organization
  • Typical problems/sample feedback

o                              Keeping materials just-above in mind, write second draft   

  • Week 9:

o                              Submit draft to Turnitin and check for matches  

  • Week 10:

o                              Revise and submit final draft (one week before deadline)  

  • Week 11 (July 21st, 2019, 11:45pm):
Research Proposal Due

8.0     STATEMENT ON ACADEMIC OFFENCES

Students are responsible for understanding the nature and avoiding the occurrence of plagiarism and other scholastic offenses. Plagiarism and cheating are considered very serious offenses because they undermine the integrity of research and education. Actions constituting a scholastic offense 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 offenses. 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

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



9.0    POLICY ON ACCOMMODATION FOR MEDICAL ILLNESS

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

Students must see the Academic Counsellor and submit all required documentation in order to be approved for certain accommodation:
http://counselling.ssc.uwo.ca/procedures/medical_accommodation.html


10.0        OTHER INFORMATION

Office of the Registrar web site:  http://registrar.uwo.ca

Student Development Services web site: http://www.sdc.uwo.ca

Please see the Psychology Undergraduate web site for information on the following:

    http://psychology.uwo.ca/undergraduate/student_responsibilities/index.html

- Policy on Cheating and Academic Misconduct
- Procedures for Appealing Academic Evaluations
- Policy on Attendance
- Policy Regarding Makeup Exams and Extensions of Deadlines
- Policy for Assignments
- Short Absences
- Extended Absences
- Documentation
- Academic Concerns
- 2019 Calendar References

No electronic devices, including cell phones and smart watches, will be allowed during exams.