Topics in Psychology: Health Psychology
Course Number: PSYC 4370.00
Prerequisites: PSYC 1301 and junior standing or permission of instructor
Semester: Fall, 2008
Instructor: Gary A. Biel, Ph.D.
Office Hours: 11:00 AM till noon, MTWR, 1:00 till 2:00 PM, MW, or by appointment.
Office Location: A. C. Schreiner #211R
Office Phone: 830-792-7453
EMAIL: gabiel@schreiner.edu
Website: faculty.schreiner.edu/gabiel
Class Location: Weir # 101
Meeting Time: 2:25 till 3:40 PM , MW
Textbook(s): No formal textbook. Students will create their own textbook in the form of an academic journal.
Course Objective:
The objective of this course is to familiarize the student with the basic principles of human behavior that affect physical and mental health and how, in turn, one’s health affects behaviors. You will learn how those principles were discovered as well as how they are used by psychologists to understand, describe, predict, and influence the vast catalogue of potential behaviors that we, as humans, have at our disposal.
In this course you will also learn how health psychologists do research and you will critically examine those research methods. There will be a heavy emphasis on the biological and physiological influences on behavior as well as a focus on the models of cognitive functioning that have been proposed to explain behavioral phenomena that are currently in question.
Course Requirements and Measurement of Objectives:
Each class meeting will be dedicated to a specific topic in the psychology of health (see the Course Calendar below for a list of the topics). Each student will be required to bring to class something that he/she found through research that deals with that topic. What you find may consist of a photocopied article, story, chapter, abstract, etc. that deals in some way with the topic. You will be expected to be able to summarize for the rest of the class what you found in your research if called upon to do so. This summary should be written in the form of an abstract (no more than a paragraph or two in length) and turned in at each class meeting. You will assemble each of your research assignments into your own personalized journal-style textbook for this course. In addition, I will provide you with background reading for each topic that you should also include in your journal and use to guide you toward the researched additions that you will include in your personal copy. That background reading will either be placed in the library on reserve, will be made available on Schreiner One, or will be brought to class for distribution.
The quality of your journal will be important for two reasons:
1). You will be able to use it to answer questions on the semester tests.
2). It will be collected after each of your tests and given a grade on its quality (is it thorough and complete?).
You will take 4 tests over the course of the semester. Each test will consist of 5 essay questions over the material we have covered in class for that section. They will be open book (your book of course) and be worth 100 points each. Your Journal will be graded on a 50 point scale at each of the 4 assessment points.
Attendance will be taken at every class meeting. You will lose 3 points from your overall point total for every unexcused absence.
Grading Scheme:
538 - 600 = A
478 – 537 = B
418 – 477 = C
358 – 417 = D
less than 358 = F
Classroom Rules:
u No food, beverages or tobacco products will be allowed in the classroom.
u All cell phones and pagers must be set to silent mode.
u If you are disrupting the class by talking or if you are sleeping in class you will be asked to leave and counted absent for that day.
u Cheating in any form on a test or plagiarizing in a paper or other written assignment will result in a failing grade for that assignment and may result in a failing grade for the course.
Course Calendar:
8-27 Introduction to Course
9-3 The Background of Health Psychology
9-8 Different Approaches: Western vs. Non-Western, Holistic, Alternative
9-10 The Mind-Body Connection
9-15 The Role of Stress in Health
9-17 The Physiology of Stress
9-22 The Physiology of Stress
9-24 Test 1, journal collected
9-29 Stress and Illness
9-29 Coping with Stress
10-1 Stress and Personality Factors
10-6 The Social Aspects of Stress and Coping
10-8 Coronary Heart Disease
10-15 Cancer
10-20 Smoking
10-22 Test 2, journal collected
10-27 The Psychology of Pain
10-29 The Psychology of Pain
11-3 Staying Healthy "An Ounce of Prevention"
11-5 Staying Healthy
11-10 Health and Behavioral Change
11-12 Health and Behavioral Change
11-17 Test 3, journal collected
11-19 Drug Use and Abuse in the Self-Medicating
11-24 Stress Management Techniques
12-1 Stress Management Techniques
12-3 Dealing with Medical Professionals
12-8 Well-Being and Happiness
12-10 Selected Topics
12-15 Final Exam, journal collected