Psychology 2036A 650

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 

Summer Distance, May 3 – July 23, 2021 

 

Psychology 2036A    Section 650 

The Psychology of Physical Health and 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 22 hours of lecture time, which is based on the length of the uploaded audio-recordings. Lectures are offered asynchronously in an online format, so you may access the course content at your convenience.  

 

3 Lecture Hours. Course Weight: 0.5 

 

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, BHSc, MSc, Ph.D. (c) 

Office: Virtual (via Zoom) 
Office Hours: Virtual office hours (by appointment) 
Email: ecollin9@uwo.ca (48-hour response time on weekdays and 72-hours during exams and holidays) 

 

Graduate Student Teaching Assistant: TBA 

Office: Virtual office hours (more information TBA) 

Office Hours: TBA 

Email: TBA 

 

Time and Location of Classes: Online format (all course materials can be found on OWL) 

 

 

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 wish to contact Student Accessibility Services (formerly known as Services for Students with Disabilities) at 519-661-2147. 

 

3.0 TEXTBOOK 

 

Poole, G., Matheson, D., & Cox, D. (2016). The psychology of health and health care. A Canadian perspective. Fifth edition. Pearson: Toronto 

 

4.0 COURSE OBJECTIVES 

 

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. 

 

4.1  STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES 

 

Learning Outcome 

Learning Activity 

Learning 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 
  • Quizzes/Exams 

 

Application of Knowledge: Interpret social psychological situations in order to make predictions about behaviour 

•Lectures •Readings 
  • Quizzes/Exams 

 

Application of Methodologies: Explain the scientific study of social psychology to a non-academic/non- psychologist 

•Lectures •Readings 
  • Quizzes/Exams 

 

 

5.0 EVALUATION 

 

Component 

Value % 

Quiz 1 

5 

Quiz 2 

5 

Midterm Exam 1 

20 

Midterm Exam 2 

20 

Final Exam 

50 

Total 

100 

 

Quizzes: There are two quizzes in this course. Quiz 1 will be available to complete asynchronously between May 21-23. Quiz 1 covers content from chapters 1-3 and is worth 5%. Quiz 2 will be available to complete asynchronously between July 9-11. Quiz 2 covers content from chapters 7-9 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 be an open-book format but will include a time-limit. Please make sure you have a strong internet connection before beginning each quiz. Please note, the quizzes will be completed on OWL using the Tests & Quizzes tool. 

Exams: There are three exams in this course. The exams cover material from the textbook and PowerPoints on OWL. Midterm exam 1 will be available to complete asynchronously between May 28-30. Midterm exam 1 contains 30 questions, covers chapters 1-4, and is worth 20%. Midterm exam 2 will be available to complete asynchronously between July 16-18. Midterm exam 2 contains 30 questions, covers chapters 6-9, and is also worth 20%. The midterm exams include multiple-choice, true or false, matching, and fill-in-the-blanks. The final exam (date and time TBA) is cumulative, contains 75 questions, covers chapters 1-11, and is worth 50%. The final exam includes multiple-choice, true or false, matching, and fill-in-the-blanks. Each exam will be open-book format but will include a time-limit. Please note, the exams will be completed on OWL using the Tests & Quizzes tool. The final exam will not be proctored. 

 

Tests must be written on the scheduled dates, unless you have a legitimate excuse recognized by the university administration. Valid reasons include medical or compassionate reasons, internet access issues, and religious holidays, and must be substantiated by proper documentation (e.g., a medical certificate, which will be verified by the Office of the Dean). You may use the Self-Reported Absence System (SRAS) for a maximum of two short-term absences affecting course components worth 30% or less of the overall course grade. 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. Make-up exam dates will be scheduled at your instructor’s discretion. 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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 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 

 

Final grades in this class reflect student achievement. Per Department policy, grades that are 

close to the next grade level (e.g., 79%, 89%) will not be rounded up. The nature of these assessments will not be changed, nor will they be reweighted in calculating final grades. I will not adjust grades based on subjective need or a subjective evaluation of effort, and I will not offer additional (‘bonus’) assignments. 

 

 

6.0 ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION SCHEDULE 

 

Quiz 1: May 21-23 

Midterm Exam 1: May 28-30 

Quiz 2: July 9-11 

Midterm Exam 2: July 16-18 

Final Exam: TBA 

 

 

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. The winter reading weeks occurs between February 13 (12:00 am) and February 21 (midnight), as such no quizzes or exams will be scheduled during this time.  

 

Topic 

Topic 

Readings 

Week (2021) 

1 

Welcome to health psychology 

Chapter 1 

May 3 

2 

Stress and coping 

Chapter 2 

May 10 

3 

Psychoneuroimmunology 

Chapter 3 

May 17 

4 

Health communication 

Chapter 4 

May 31 

5 

Health and physical activity 

Chapter 5 

June 7 

6 

Health-compromising behaviours 

Chapter 6 

June 14 

7 

Chronic and life-threatening illness 

Chapter 7 

June 21 

8 

Pain 

Chapter 8 

June 28 

9 

The world of health care 

Chapter 9 

July 5 

10 

From one to many 

Chapter 10 

July 12 

11 

Health promotion 

Chapter 11 

July 19 

 

 

 

 

8.0 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. 

 

9.0 POLICY ON ACCOMMODATION FOR ILLNESS OR OTHER ABSENCES 

 

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

 

The full policy for consideration for absences can be accessed at: https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/Academic_Consideration_for_absences.pdf 

 

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. Submitting a Self-Reported Absence form (for circumstances that are expected to resolve within 48 hours); 
  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. The self-reported absence form must be submitted before the exam/coursework deadline in order to be valid. It may NOT be used for absences longer than 48 hours; coursework/tests/exams/etc., worth more than 30% of the final grade; or exams scheduled in the December or April final-exam periods: http://counselling.ssc.uwo.ca/procedures/medical_accommodation.html 

 

Students seeking academic consideration: 

  • are advised to consider carefully the implications of postponing tests or midterm exams or delaying handing in work;   
  • are encouraged to make appropriate decisions based on their specific circumstances, recognizing that minor ailments (upset stomach) or upsets (argument with a friend) are not normally an appropriate basis for a self-reported absence; 
  • must communicate with their instructors no later than 24 hours after the end of the period covered by either the self-reported absence or SMC, or immediately upon their return following a documented absence 

 

Students seeking accommodation for religious purposes are advised to contact Academic Counselling at least three weeks prior to the religious event and as soon as possible after the start of the term. 

 

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

 

In the event of a COVID-19 resurgence during the term 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. 

 

11.0 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. 

 

12.0 OTHER INFORMATION 

 

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

 

Student Development Services: 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 

- 2021-2022 Calendar References 

 

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.