Psychology 206: 70472 

Alicia Hammond, M.S.

 

Note from the Instructor:

Welcome! Have you ever acted differently in the presence of others? Submitted to peer pressure? Noticed your speech patterns change when you talk to different people?

 

Although in our culture, we tend to think of ourselves as individuals who act according to our own desires and whims, the truth is that other people have an enormous influence on our thoughts and actions.  The scientific study of how other people influence an individual's behavior is Social Psychology.  This class will take you through the basics of this fascinating field, and at the end of this class you will understand how important other people are to our social and emotional well being, and how our interactions are shaped by other people every day.

 

Contact Information  

Email Address: alicia_hammond1@cuesta.edu 

Office Hours:  

Office hours will be held every Tuesday from 9-10 via Zoom.  Click the “Ms. Hammond’s Virtual Office Hours” link on the left-side navigation bar in the class’s Canvas portal in order to attend. 

Instructor Contact Expectations:   

The best and fastest way to contact me is email.  I will generally respond to your emails within 24 hours during weekdays only.  During busy times of the semester, the response time may increase to 48 hours.   

 

A note from the Instructor: 

Welcome! Thank you so much for your interest in Introduction to Psychology! My name is Alicia Hammond (Uh-lee-cee-uh Ham-und) and I have been teaching at Cuesta College for just over one year.  I received my M.S. Psychology at UC Santa Cruz.  Although the nature of this class will be challenging, psychology is a fascinating and rewarding subject that will be applicable in your academic, personal, and work life! If you interact with people, you will learn something from this class that will benefit you.  

 

Class Information

Course Environment:  

This online course will be using a Web-based Learning Management System Canvas as the method to disseminate information. Canvas provides the framework for the course including PowerPoint presentations, student data files, the tools to receive and send course materials, and a grade book. Using the communication tools, you can communicate using e-mail, and you can share materials and ideas with other course participants via the discussion forums and groups. 

 

Class opens / Accessing Canvas:  

 Prior to the Monday classes start (8/17/2020), you will receive an email to your my.cuesta.edu address providing you with a reminder that class will be starting and log in procedures for Canvas, the learning management system (LMS) used to deliver course content. You can access Canvas by logging into MyCuesta, then clicking on the Resources Tab, then clicking on Canvas in the Online Learning Channel, or by typing the Canvas address (https://cuesta.instructure.com/) into your browser address bar. Do not bookmark / favorite the canvas site after your login, or you will get an error message next time you try to log in. You must access the canvas log in directly.  

 

If you are not familiar with logging into canvas, please refer to the Canvas Quick Reference Guide.Links to an external site. Once logged into Canvas you will be directed on where to get started. Be sure to read all the direction on the course home page.   

 

If you are having difficulty logging into Canvas after [8/19/2020] and need assistance please email me or technical support at this email address: support@my.cuesta.edu.   

 

Online Learning:   

If you have never taken an online class or this is your first experience with Canvas, please be patient with yourself. Online classes are not inherently easier, although they may be much more convenient for many students. You should expect to spend at least as much time, if not more on this course as you would on a course that meets face to face. Since there is no lecture component, much of this time will be self-directed and there will be a substantial amount of reading, viewing, studying, and writing required. This course is completely online using Canvas; all coursework (discussions, assignments, quizzes) is submitted online. There are no face-to-face meetings.  Please be prepared to spend 10 hours per week on coursework for this class 

IS an ONLINE CLASS FOR YOU?   

• First, go to the Online Readiness ResourcesLinks to an external site. to take a "self-assessment”. There are many resources that were designed to help you understand the basis for an online class and the skills necessary for success. (If the tutorials do NOT describe you, then taking this class online is NOT for you and I strongly suggest that you drop the online class and enroll in a traditional classroom section.) 

 

Regular Effective Contact policy:  

Regular and Effective Instructor Contact will be met through weekly instructor initiated threaded discussion forums; weekly announcements to students; timely and effective feedback on student assignments; email, messaging to individuals; and virtual office hours.  

Before contacting Ms. Hammond with questions, please refer to the FAQ’s tab in the Canvas course front page. Email regarding questions covered in the FAQ tab will not be responded to. 

 

Course Description  

Introduces psychology as the study of behavior and mental processes involving biological, psychological and social influences that provide the basis for human experience. Principles involved in brain function, learning, development, motivation, perception, personality and social adjustment present the basic concepts, vocabulary and methods of psychology. 

 

Student Learning Outcomes  

1. Describe the basic concepts, theories and vocabulary necessary to the understanding of social psychology.  
2. Analyze and evaluate the basic theoretical perspectives and research methods utilized by psychologists in the study of social behavior.  
3. Apply basic theoretical perspectives and research methods in the scientific analysis of their own as wells as other people's social behavior and cognition.  
4. Describe and analyze cognitive and social influences on various types of inter-personal and inter-group relations including attraction, altruism, aggression, prejudice, sexism, racism, discrimination, social conflict and conflict resolution. 

 

 

Text Book and Materials  

• Social Psychology (5th ed.) by Gilovich, Keltner, Chen, & NisbettLinks to an external site. 

• Zoom 
• Adobe readerLinks to an external site. 
• Microsoft Office for Free (including word and powerpoint) 

 

Technical Support  

Cuesta students are encouraged to direct all technical support inquiries to  support@my.cuesta.edu. If you are having issues with Canvas, you should contact the Canvas Support Hotline at (877) 921-7680, or click on the help button on the Canvas Navigation to report a problem.  

If you are having difficulty viewing the course or logging in, it may be because you are not using the correct url: https://cuesta.instructure.com/ or you are using your phone or using an unsupported browser.  

 

Your learning environment is best accessed from a desktop or laptop computer, using Firefox or Chrome.  Please review the browser requirements and minimum computer specificationsLinks to an external site.. 

 

Accommodations:  

This course is designed using an accessible Learning Management System, and course materials have been created with ADA compliance in mind. If you have a disability and might need accommodations in this class such as extended time on exams or other resources, please contact the instructor as soon as possible (within the first week of class) so that you can receive appropriate accommodations in a timely manner. You should also contact DSPS (Disabled Student Programs & Services)Links to an external site. at 805-546-3148 or dspsinfo@cuesta.edu 

 

College & Course Policies:  

Academic Honesty Policy: You are expected to complete your own work. In addition to my course policy, please note all students attending San Luis Obispo County Community College District at any district site and when representing Cuesta College in any off-campus activity, assume an obligation to conduct themselves in an acceptable manner compatible with the Student Code of conduct. Please review the Cuesta College Student Code of conductLinks to an external site..  

Add / Drop Policy: You may be dropped after failing to log in to Canvas 5 consecutive business days, with or without notification. In addition to my policy, please review the Cuesta policy for drops:  

• Add Policy 
• Drop Policy 

 

Waitlist Policy: Waitlists will be processed in registration order, with exceptions at my discretion. In addition to my course specific procedures, please review Cuesta’s waitlist procedure and instructionsLinks to an external site..