Psychological Science: Psychopathology

Describing and defining abnormal behavior; models of etiology; research evidence for biological and social models; methods of intervention and prevention. Prerequisite: PSYS 1400.

Prereq enforced by the system: PSYS 1400; HSOC and PSYS majors and minors only; Co located with PSYS 2500 B; Total combined enrollment = 266; PACE students with permission and override

***SECTION A IS FOR PSYCHOLOGY MAJORS; NURSING MAJORS SHOULD REGISTER FOR SECTION B*** This course is designed to introduce you the field of psychopathology. You will be introduced to the ways that clinical psychologists conceptualize, assess, diagnose, and treat various mental health problems. We will also explore ways in which psychopathology differs across cultures.

Attendance and participation required

1. Learning Curve Quizzes: These Learning Curve quizzes are meant to be an adaptive learning tool. These “quizzes” have gaming elements built in that will help you actively process the course material in a fun way. You must answer a minimum number of questions correctly to earn a passing grade. You may answer questions until you reach the grade you want! These assignments are due BEFORE class on Tuesdays. The reason for this is that we can have the most meaningful, engaging discussions and activities if everyone in class has some mastery of the material before entering the classroom! 2. In Class Activities: Individual and small group activities will be assigned in class each week and will be completed during class time. Assignments are not limited to but may include brief writing assignments done at the start of class to reflect on the assigned readings for the day, mini-reports done during the middle of class based on group work or lecture, or comments and questions on the day’s topic turned in at the end of class. These will be unannounced, so please bring paper and a writing utensil to every class. Legible, well-written responses are expected. Attendance for the entire class period is required to receive credit for the ICA on that day. Please note that if you arrive late to class, you may miss the ICA for the day. 3. iClicker Starting the second week of class, iClicker questions will be included in each lecture. These questions are designed for active learning, engagement, feedback, and to make sure that we are all on the same page for our understanding of a topic! You must answer at least 75% of the questions in a class to get full credit for that day. 4. Exams: Research has shown that coming up with your own examples, critically thinking about concepts, and applying concepts to your own life are helpful ways to learn new material. You will retain more and be better prepared to engage in more advanced psychology courses in the future! These exams are designed to help you connect the psychological concepts from the course to the real-world. 5. Book Group: You will all be assigned to groups of ten students and an Undergraduate Teaching Fellow. You will read the book Crazy Like Us. You will write one reflection about the book prior to the book club day and one after. On book group day, you will be assigned a location to meet with your group. Your UTF will facilitate this book club. You will receive credit if you are engaged, respectful, and contribute to the conversation 6. Mental Health in Fiction Paper: Early in the semester, you will choose a fictional character from a book, movie, or television show. You will use scholarly research to evaluate the potential diagnos(is/es) of your character, the accuracy of the portrayal, and the impact of mental health portrayals on consumer mental health. You will complete a series of reflections relating your character to some of the mental health conditions covered in class. You will also create an annotated bibliography and, finally, a 5-7 page paper in APA format.