2036A-650
Psychology 2036A-650
The Psychology of Physical Health and Illness
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
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, behavioural factors in disease, coping, adherence and compliance.
Antirequisites: Psychology 3330F/G
Antirequisites are courses that overlap sufficiently in content that only one can be taken for credit. So if this course has an antirequisite that you have previously taken, you will lose credit for the earlier course, regardless of the grade achieved in this one.
0.5 course
2.0 COURSE INFORMATION
Instructor: Dr. Kelly Barnes
Office and Phone Number: SSC 7440
Office Hours: By appointment only
Email: kbarne2@uwo.caIf 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
Required:
Ragin, D. F. (2015). Health psychology: An interdisciplinary approach to health (2nd edition). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. [ISBN: 9780205962952]
4.0 COURSE OBJECTIVES
We will examine biological, psychological, social, and environmental factors involved in health behaviour, susceptibility to illness, reactions to being ill, and the individual’s involvement with the healthcare system. Health and illness issues from all over the globe will be highlighted. The aim is to increase your understanding of worldwide health problems, their prevention, and their treatment.
4.1 STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to:
- Identifythe determinants of health and the role psychology plays in health and illness;
- Interpretthe results of health psychology research; and
- Applythese concepts (such as coping strategies) and theories to improve their own health and well-being and that of those around them.
5.0 EVALUATION
Student evaluation will be based on two exams and quality of participation in discussions.
|
Component |
Percent of Final Mark |
|
Midterm |
35% |
|
Final |
40% |
|
Discussions |
25% |
|
Total |
100% |
The course grade is based on participation in four online discussions and on two multiple choice tests.
Participation in three online discussions, worth 25% of the course grade
There will be a total of three online discussions and a bonus discussion on the course OWL site. Each discussion is therefore worth 8.33% of the course grade. A forum will become open on the day that its associated textbook chapter is introduced. The opening and closing date for each forum is listed in the Lecture Schedule (see section 7.0 of this course outline). You would need to contact your Academic Counsellor if you miss one or more posting and you are requesting academic accommodation for the missed posting(s) (see Section 9.0 of this course outline).
Your forum post will be marked according to the following 3-point scale (no half marks):
0 = no, late, or an inadequate post. Aspects of an inadequate post include: restating the question in your own words but not providing a clear answer to the question; posting information that is off-topic, incorrect, rude, or irrelevant to the discussion; or providing no references or supporting experience.
1 = adequate post with superficial thought and preparation. Shallow contribution to the discussion (e.g., agrees or disagrees). The post does not enrich discussion; that is, it repeats but does not add substantive information to the discussion. There is use of personal experience, but no references to readings or to research.
2 = the post is factually correct but lacks full development of concept or thought. It elaborates on the question or on an existing post with further comment or observation. There is incorporation of some references from literature and from personal experience. The post contributes valuable information to discussion, with minor clarity errors.
3 = the post demonstrates analysis of the question or of others’ posts. Information is factually correct. There is reflective and substantive contribution which advances meaningful discussion with clear and concise comments. References to literature, readings, and personal experience support comments.
The bonus discussion, if you choose to complete it, will take the place of your lowest discussion mark. Alternatively, you can use it to make up for a skipped discussion.
Two multiple-choice tests, worth 35% and 40% of the course grade
There will be two tests, non-cumulative in content. These tests deal with material covered in the textbook and in the OWL Sakai lesson notes. There will be 100 questions on each test, with each test being two hours long. Approximately 30% of the questions will come from the OWL Sakai lesson notes, and the remainder will be based on the textbook readings. No aids are allowed during the test. Bring your Western student card and a No. 2/HB pencil to the test. Students who wish to change the location of their exam centre will need to give Distance Studies at least 4 weeks advanced notice before the date of the test.
Missing a midterm test
It is the Academic Counsellor, rather than the course instructor, who processes all cases of missing a test. If you miss a test, you are required to contact your Academic Counsellor in a timely fashion and be prepared to submit to them the necessary supporting documentation (see Section 9.0 of this course outline). Your Academic Counsellor will inform me about the outcome of his or her discussion with you.
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 the University of Western Ontario 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
|
Exam |
% of Final Grade |
Date |
|
Midterm |
35% |
June 10, 2017 (exact time is TBD) |
|
Final |
40% |
July 31 – August 2, 2017 (exact time and date are TBD) |
7.0 CLASS SCHEDULE
An assigned textbook chapter means that all the pages in that chapter are assigned as reading. The matching OWL Sakai lesson note expands on material found in the textbook. For the tests, you are responsible for the material in the textbook, as well as the material in the OWL Sakai notes.
|
Week |
Date |
Topic |
Assignments |
|
Week 1 |
May 8, 2017 |
An Interdisciplinary View of Health |
Chapter 1 Discussion 1 |
|
Week 2 |
May 15, 2017 |
Research Methods |
Chapter 2 |
|
Week 3 |
May 22, 2017 |
Global Communicable and Chronic Diseases |
Chapter 3 Discussion 2 |
|
Week 4 |
May 29, 2017 |
Theories and Models of Health Behaviour Change |
Chapter 4 |
|
Week 5 |
June 5, 2017 |
Risky Health Behaviours |
Chapter 5 |
|
Midterm – June 10, 2017 (Exact Time and Date TBD) Midterm Exam covers Weeks 1 – 5 (Chapters 1 – 5) |
|||
|
Week 6 |
June 12, 2017 |
Emotional Health and Well-Being |
Chapter 6 |
|
Week 7 |
June 19, 2017 |
Stress and Coping |
Chapter 7 |
|
Week 8 |
June 26, 2017 |
HIV and AIDS |
Chapter 8 |
|
Week 9 |
July 3, 2017 |
Cardiovascular Disease |
Chapter 9 |
|
Week 10 |
July 10, 2017 |
Chronic Pain Management and Arthritis |
Chapter 10 Discussion 3 |
|
Week 11 |
July 17, 2017 |
Cancer |
Chapter 11 |
|
Week 12 |
July 24, 2017 |
Health Care Systems and Health Policy: Effects on Health Outcomes |
Chapter 12 Bonus Discussion |
|
Final Exam Final Exam covers Weeks 6 – 12 (Chapters 6 – 12) |
July 31 – August 2, 2017 Exact Date/Time of Exam TBD |
||
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/2017/pg954.html
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
- 2017 Calendar References
No electronic devices, including cell phones, will be allowed during exams.
