Psychology 392: Senior Seminar

Psychology 392
Senior Seminar
Illinois State University
J. Cooper Cutting
Syllabus
Spring 2019

Contact Information

	Instructor: J. Cooper Cutting
Office:	De Garmo 435D
Phone:	438-2999
e-mail:	jccutti@ilstu.edu
office hours:	Wed 2-3, Thurs 9-10 & by appointment

General Course Information

Where and When?

Section 01: TuTh 2-3:15; DEG 463.
Section 03: MW 11-12:15; DEG 204.

Course Description & Objective.

Catalog Copy. A capstone course for PSY majors featuring in-depth study of selected topics.

Course description. A seminar is a group of advanced students studying under a professor, with each student contributing to class participation through active reading, doing library research, presenting and discussing the material with one another and the professor. The senior seminar course, the pinnacle of one's undergraduate education, examines contemporary psychological issues and problems of the future. Issues vary from instructor to instructor. This section focuses on cognitive psychology, including issues about perception, learning, memory, and language.

Goal. My main goals for this semester is to promote critical thinking in students and to connect the science of psychology with our everyday lives. These goals will be addressed through a number of different techniques, including writing critical and reflection and review papers, and giving presentations. The topics on which these techniques will be developed will be drawn from readings selected by the instructor (2 books) and the students (1 book each).

Objectives.
My teaching objectives are:

to help students learn to think critically

to help students learn the benefits of thinking critically

to give students a number of different techniques to promote critical thinking

to give students an opportunity to think about some of the current (and perhaps past and future) issues in cognitive psychology and cognitive science

to encourage an exchange of ideas/information among all members of the class.

Departmental Objectives are posted here.

Evaluation (grading). Over the course of the semester each of you will read 3 books, two that are read by everyone, and one that each student will select for themselves. The evaluation of the students' overall course performance will be based on their participation and on the quality of the participation on the assignments. The assignments consist of a variety of different kinds of tasks (as mentioned above in the Goal section). Roughly the breakdown will be as follows:

12 chapter review and reflection papers (RP) (10 pts each, 120 total)

Brief summaries of the week's chapters, thoughts about the chapter, including at least one discussion question about each chapter, & one related reference citation that you would be interested in hearing more about. These will be emailed to the instructor by 10 AM of the day of class. Copies will be made and distributed at the begining of class and these will serve as the outlines for our discussions.

2 Research Article presentations (25 pts each, 50 total)

Each student will find and present an empirical article related to one of the chapter readings (for each of the two common books). The presentations will be 15-20 mins. Students must provide the instructor a copy of the article in advance of the presentation (pdf prefered). The presentations should include: a summary of the article (issue, methods, results, conclusions), how it relates to the chapter reading, why they picked it, their general reflections about the article, and be prepared to lead a brief discussion of the article (answer questions of the other students, have discussion questions of their own).

Pick, read, and review a book of your own selection

Each student will pick a book to read over the course of the semester. The books need to be psychology related (see the "starter list" below).
For each chapter the student will write a brief reflection. The student will write a brief (~3-8 pages) review of the book. The brief review and the reflections will be turned in together. (55 pts)
Students will also do a presentation to the class about their book (35 pts)

Active participation in class discussion is critical for this course.

The instructor will evaluate participation for each class discussion, (5 pts each, 140 total)

400 pts total

A: 360-400 pts, B: 320-359, C: 280-319, D: 240-279, F: <239

Readings.

Kahneman
Levitt&Dubner

Kahneman (2013). Thinking Fast and Slow. (TFS)
Levitt & Dubner. Think Like a Freak. (TLF)

Student selected readings. Here is a "starter list" of potential books that you might find interesting.

Ariely (2009). Predictably Irrational.
Ariely (2016). Payoff: The hidden logic that shapes our motivations.
Cialdini (2001). Influence: Science and practice.
Chabris & Simons (2010). The invisible gorilla: And other ways our intuitions deceive us.
Deutscher (2010). Through the language glass: Why the world looks different in other languages.
Deutscher (2010). The unfolding of language: An evolutionary tour of mankind’s greatest invention.
Eberhardt (2019). Biased: Uncovering the hidden prejudice that shapes what we see.
Erard (2012). Babel no more: The search for the world’s most extraordinary language learners.
Erard (2007). Um…: Slips, stumbles, and verbal blunders and what they mean.
Foer (2011). Moonwalking with Einstein: The art and science of remembering everything.
Gladwell (2007) Blink.
Hallinan (2010). Why we make mistakes: How we look without seeing, forget things in seconds, and are all pretty sure we are way above average.
Harrison (2013). Think: why you should question everything.
Lieberman (2013). Social: Why our brains are wired to connect.
McRaney (2012). You are not so smart: Why you have too many friends on facebook, why your memory is mostly fiction, and 46 other ways you’re deluding yourself.
Mlodinow (2009). The drunkard’s walk: How randomness rules our lives.
Pennebaker (2011). The secret life of pronouns: What our words say about us.
Pinker (2010). The language instinct: How the mind creates language.
Sacks (2011). The mind’s eye.
Schacter (2002). The seven sins of memory: How the mind forgets and remembers.
Silver (2012). The signal and the noise: Why so many predictions fail – but some don’t
Susana, Macknik, & Blakeeslee (2011) Sleights of mind: What the neuroscience of magic reveals about our everyday deceptions.
Tavris & Aronson (2008). Mistakes were made (but not by me): Why we justify foolish beliefs, bad decisions, and hurtful acts.
Thaler & Sunstein (2009). Nudge: Improving decisions about health, wealth, and happiness.

Course Ground Rules.

Active participation is the central requirement for the class. Students will be expected to participate in a variety of ways, including several written and oral presentations and discussions. If you are going to miss a class, then you will miss an opportunity for participation. So it is critically important that you notify me AS SOON AS YOU KNOW that you'll be absent and WHY. Call, e-mail, or talk to me in person. Opportunity to make-up the missed work requires prior notification of the absence and an excused absence (that is one that you instructor accepts as reasonable and legitimate). How and when the work will be made up will be determined by the instructor.

To ensure a smooth flow of discussions, the following policies are established: Students are encouraged to listen with an open mind, respect the contributions of others, and avoid personal attacks. Students will often be faced with alternative viewpoints from the professor or their peers. Thus, students should be prepared to defend their own positions with empirical data, obtained from the assigned readings, and reasoned argument.

You are expected to do your own work. Plagiarism and cheating of any sort will not be tolerated. Either behavior will result in a grade of 'F'. Note that plagiarism includes situations where you meet with other students for group discussions and are asked write a summary. Unless otherwise instructed, this means that each participant in the group must write their own summary. Making up false excuses for absences will also be considered cheating and may result in a grade of 'F' for missed work.

And finally, if you have any questions regarding anything in the syllabus and or the course in general, please feel free to ask. Talk to me in class, via phone, or e-mail. Don't just assume that you know (or should know) the answer, I may not have been clear enough or may have forgotten to mention something.

The Student Access and Accomodation Services (formally known as Office of Disablity Concerns)

http://studentaccess.illinoisstate.edu/

Section Topic Calendars

Note: This topic calendar is an approximation and is meant to allow for some flexibility over the course of the semester.

Section 01 Section 03

Week Days Topic Days Topic

WK1 Tues Organization & Introduction
Mon Organization & Introduction

WK1 Thurs
Kaplan and Dahlstrom (2017)
TFS: Introduction Chapter
Wed
Kaplan and Dahlstrom (2017)
TFS: Introduction Chapter

WK2 Tues TFS Part 1: Chpts 1-3: Two Systems
Mon MLK Day - No Class

WK2 Thurs
TFS Part 1: Chpts 4-9: Two Systems
Research article presentation (Dr. Cutting)
(RP)
Wed TFS Part 1: Chpts 1-9: Two Systems
Research article presentation (Dr. Cutting)
(RP)

WK3 Tues TFS Part 2:Chpts 10-13: Heuristics and Biases
(RP)
Mon TFS Part 2:Chpts 10-13: Heuristics and Biases
(RP)

WK3 Thurs
University Closed due to weather Wed University Closed due to weather

WK4 Tues TFS Part 2:Chpts 14-18: Heuristics and Biases
(RP) Mon 1-2 student Research article presentations
TFS Part 2:Chpts 14-18: Heuristics and Biases
(RP)

WK4 Thurs
2-3 student Research article presentations Wed 1-2 student Research article presentations

WK5 Tues TFS Part 3:Chpts 19-24: Overconfidence
(RP) Mon TFS Part 3:Chpts 19-24: Overconfidence
(RP)

WK5 Thurs
3-4 student Research article presentations Wed 1-2 student Research article presentations

WK6 Tues TFS Part 4:Chpts 25-29: Choices
(RP)
helpful videos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7
helpful websites: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | wiki
Mon TFS Part 4:Chpts 25-29: Choices
(RP)
helpful videos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7
helpful websites: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | wiki

WK6 Thurs
3-4 student Research article presentations Wed 1-2 student Research article presentations

WK7 Tues TFS Part 4:Chpts 30-34: Choices
(RP) Mon TFS Part 4:Chpts 30-34: Choices
(RP)

WK7 Thurs
3-4 student Research article presentations Wed 1-2 student Research article presentations

WK8 Tues TFS Part 5:Chpts 35-38: Two Selves
(RP) Mon TFS Part 5:Chpts 35-38: Two Selves
(RP)

WK8 Thurs
3-4 student Research article presentations Wed 1-2 student Research article presentations

SPRING BREAK

WK10 Tues TLF Chpt 1: What does it mean to think like a freak?
TLF Chpt 2: The three hardest words in the English Language
(RP)
The authors' podcasts: Freakonomics.com
Potentially Relevant Podcasts (PRP): 14, 41, 56, 166
Mon TLF Chpt 1: What does it mean to think like a freak?
TLF Chpt 2: The three hardest words in the English Language
(RP)
The authors' podcasts: Freakonomics.com
Potentially Relevant Podcasts (PRP): 14, 41, 56, 166

WK10 Thurs
4 student Research article presentations Wed 1-2 student Research article presentations

WK11 Tues TLF Chpt 3: What's your problem?
TLF Chpt 4: Like a bad dye job, the truth is in the roots
(RP) Mon TLF Chpt 3: What's your problem?
TLF Chpt 4: Like a bad dye job, the truth is in the roots
(RP)

WK11 Thurs
4 student Research article presentations Wed 1-2 student Research article presentations

WK12 Tues TLF Chpt 5: Think like a child
TLF Chpt 6: Like giving candy to a baby
(RP) Mon TLF Chpt 5: Think like a child
TLF Chpt 6: Like giving candy to a baby
(RP)

WK12 Thurs
4 student Research article presentations Wed 1-2 student Research article presentations

WK13 Tues TLF Chpt 7: What do King Solomon and David Lee Roth Have in Common?
(RP)
Humorous but relevant videos:
Telephone scams (~14 min)
Replying to scam emails (~9 mins)
Mon TLF Chpt 7: What do King Solomon and David Lee Roth Have in Common?
(RP)
Humorous but relevant videos:
Telephone scams (~14 min)
Replying to scam emails (~9 mins)

WK13 Thurs
4 student Research article presentations Wed 1-2 student Research article presentations

WK14 Tues TLF Chpt 8: How to Persuade People who don't want to be persuaded
TLF Chpt 9: The upside of quitting
(RP)
Cultural Cognition Project web page
Slate article about Persuading people
Dubner talks about Think like a freak (~47mins)
Mon TLF Chpt 8: How to Persuade People who don't want to be persuaded
TLF Chpt 9: The upside of quitting
(RP)
Cultural Cognition Project web page
Slate article about Persuading people
Dubner talks about Think like a freak (~47mins)

WK14 Thurs
3 Student Book Review Presentations
Rubrics and Samples
sample powerpoint
Wed 1 Student article Presentation
Rubrics and Samples
sample powerpoint

WK15 Tues 3 Student Book Review Presentations Mon work on book review presentations

WK15 Thurs
3 Student Book Review Presentations Wed 2 Student Book Review Presentations

WK16 Tues 3 Student Book Review Presentations Mon 2 Student Book Review Presentations

WK16 Thurs
3 Student Book Review Presentations Wed 2 Student Book Review Presentations

Finals Week Book review and reflections are due:
Wed. May 8, no later than 4:30 PM.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at jccutti@ilstu.edu.


Kahneman (2013). Thinking Fast and Slow. (TFS)	Levitt & Dubner. Think Like a Freak. (TLF)

	Section 01		Section 03
Week	Days	Topic	Days	Topic
WK1	Tues	Organization & Introduction	Mon	Organization & Introduction
WK1	Thurs	Kaplan and Dahlstrom (2017) TFS: Introduction Chapter	Wed	Kaplan and Dahlstrom (2017) TFS: Introduction Chapter
WK2	Tues	TFS Part 1: Chpts 1-3: Two Systems	Mon	MLK Day - No Class
WK2	Thurs	TFS Part 1: Chpts 4-9: Two Systems Research article presentation (Dr. Cutting) (RP)	Wed	TFS Part 1: Chpts 1-9: Two Systems Research article presentation (Dr. Cutting) (RP)
WK3	Tues	TFS Part 2:Chpts 10-13: Heuristics and Biases (RP)	Mon	TFS Part 2:Chpts 10-13: Heuristics and Biases (RP)
WK3	Thurs	University Closed due to weather	Wed	University Closed due to weather
WK4	Tues	TFS Part 2:Chpts 14-18: Heuristics and Biases (RP)	Mon	1-2 student Research article presentations TFS Part 2:Chpts 14-18: Heuristics and Biases (RP)
WK4	Thurs	2-3 student Research article presentations	Wed	1-2 student Research article presentations
WK5	Tues	TFS Part 3:Chpts 19-24: Overconfidence (RP)	Mon	TFS Part 3:Chpts 19-24: Overconfidence (RP)
WK5	Thurs	3-4 student Research article presentations	Wed	1-2 student Research article presentations
WK6	Tues	TFS Part 4:Chpts 25-29: Choices (RP) helpful videos: 1 \| 2 \| 3 \| 4 \| 5 \| 6 \| 7 helpful websites: 1 \| 2 \| 3 \| 4 \| wiki	Mon	TFS Part 4:Chpts 25-29: Choices (RP) helpful videos: 1 \| 2 \| 3 \| 4 \| 5 \| 6 \| 7 helpful websites: 1 \| 2 \| 3 \| 4 \| wiki
WK6	Thurs	3-4 student Research article presentations	Wed	1-2 student Research article presentations
WK7	Tues	TFS Part 4:Chpts 30-34: Choices (RP)	Mon	TFS Part 4:Chpts 30-34: Choices (RP)
WK7	Thurs	3-4 student Research article presentations	Wed	1-2 student Research article presentations
WK8	Tues	TFS Part 5:Chpts 35-38: Two Selves (RP)	Mon	TFS Part 5:Chpts 35-38: Two Selves (RP)
WK8	Thurs	3-4 student Research article presentations	Wed	1-2 student Research article presentations
SPRING BREAK
WK10	Tues	TLF Chpt 1: What does it mean to think like a freak? TLF Chpt 2: The three hardest words in the English Language (RP) The authors' podcasts: Freakonomics.com Potentially Relevant Podcasts (PRP): 14, 41, 56, 166	Mon	TLF Chpt 1: What does it mean to think like a freak? TLF Chpt 2: The three hardest words in the English Language (RP) The authors' podcasts: Freakonomics.com Potentially Relevant Podcasts (PRP): 14, 41, 56, 166
WK10	Thurs	4 student Research article presentations	Wed	1-2 student Research article presentations
WK11	Tues	TLF Chpt 3: What's your problem? TLF Chpt 4: Like a bad dye job, the truth is in the roots (RP)	Mon	TLF Chpt 3: What's your problem? TLF Chpt 4: Like a bad dye job, the truth is in the roots (RP)
WK11	Thurs	4 student Research article presentations	Wed	1-2 student Research article presentations
WK12	Tues	TLF Chpt 5: Think like a child TLF Chpt 6: Like giving candy to a baby (RP)	Mon	TLF Chpt 5: Think like a child TLF Chpt 6: Like giving candy to a baby (RP)
WK12	Thurs	4 student Research article presentations	Wed	1-2 student Research article presentations
WK13	Tues	TLF Chpt 7: What do King Solomon and David Lee Roth Have in Common? (RP) Humorous but relevant videos: Telephone scams (~14 min) Replying to scam emails (~9 mins)	Mon	TLF Chpt 7: What do King Solomon and David Lee Roth Have in Common? (RP) Humorous but relevant videos: Telephone scams (~14 min) Replying to scam emails (~9 mins)
WK13	Thurs	4 student Research article presentations	Wed	1-2 student Research article presentations
WK14	Tues	TLF Chpt 8: How to Persuade People who don't want to be persuaded TLF Chpt 9: The upside of quitting (RP) Cultural Cognition Project web page Slate article about Persuading people Dubner talks about Think like a freak (~47mins)	Mon	TLF Chpt 8: How to Persuade People who don't want to be persuaded TLF Chpt 9: The upside of quitting (RP) Cultural Cognition Project web page Slate article about Persuading people Dubner talks about Think like a freak (~47mins)
WK14	Thurs	3 Student Book Review Presentations Rubrics and Samples sample powerpoint	Wed	1 Student article Presentation Rubrics and Samples sample powerpoint
WK15	Tues	3 Student Book Review Presentations	Mon	work on book review presentations
WK15	Thurs	3 Student Book Review Presentations	Wed	2 Student Book Review Presentations
WK16	Tues	3 Student Book Review Presentations	Mon	2 Student Book Review Presentations
WK16	Thurs	3 Student Book Review Presentations	Wed	2 Student Book Review Presentations
Finals Week	Book review and reflections are due: Wed. May 8, no later than 4:30 PM.