Course Description: In this course, we will work together through a series of recent articles on one psychological theme. This semester's theme will be simulation or role play as a behavioral intervention. Each week students will take turns analyzing various aspects of the articles, with responsibilities rotating so that each student performs each task over the course of the semester. The final product of the semester will be a detailed proposal for a new experiment on the same theme.
Grades will be based on the weekly assignments, the design proposal, a midterm take-home exam, and two quarterly homeworks. Since all the students in the class will benefit from each student's weekly contributions, none of the weekly assignments may be done late. There will also be a diagnostic test given on the second or third class that will review certain concepts that students have mastered in earlier courses (Statistics and Experimental Psychology). Your score on this test will not be included in the course grade, but you must pass this test before turning in your design proposal.
Course Objectives: The primary objective of this course is to allow you to apply skills and knowledge you have gained in other required Psychology courses. At the end of this course you should be able to:
* Identify a general area in Psychology and conduct a literature search in the chosen topic using PsychInfo and other resources,
* Summarize and integrate recent articles from the primary research literature,
* Reduce the topic to a meaningful question or hypothesis that can be empirically tested,
* Design an appropriate experiment for evaluating the hypothesis,
* Write a formal design proposal suggesting a viable experiment on an aspect of the theme of the course, including an extensive literature review and computer-generated graphs of possible outcomes.
*Computer Skills: Use a word-processing package (e.g., WORD) to write the text of the paper and use a graphics program or spreadsheet (e.g., EXCEL) to generate graphs.

Text:
American Psychological Association (1994). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association, (4th edition). Washington, DC: APA.
Course Requirements: The final grade will be based on five factors.
Design proposal: 40%
Mid-term: 20%
Weekly contributions: 20%
Bibliography: 10%
Statistics practice: 10%

As far as I know, every Seton Hall student is entitled to an e-mail account and it is expected for this course that you have one and can send me e-mail and receive e-mail. Additionally, material for some of the assignments will be posted on my web page. Let me know as soon as possible if you believe access to web pages and e-mail will be a problem for you.

PLAN OF THE COURSE:

FIRST QUARTER:

French, S. (1996). Simulation exercises in disability awareness training: A critique. In G. Haley, (Ed.), Beyond disability, (p. 114-123). London: Sage.
Conill, A. (1998). Living with disability: A proposal for medical education. Journal of the American Medical Association, 279, 83.
Russell, L. A., & Berger, S. N. (1993). Learning about diversity: A multicultural simulation. Journal of College Student Development, 34, 438-439.
Clark, M. C., Foos, P. W., & Faucher, M. H. (1995). You can touch this: Simulation exercises for aging and disability. Educational Gerontology, 21, 643-651.
Clore, G. L., & Jeffery, K. M. (1972). Emotional role playing, attitude change, and attraction toward a disabled person. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 23, 105-111.

Statistics Review assignment due October 4th

SECOND QUARTER:
*Gredler, M. (1992). Chapter from Designing and evaluating games and simulations. Houston: Gulf Publishing (not a discussion reading).
Jones, T. W., Sowell, V. M., Jones, J. K., & Butler, L. G. (1991). Changing children's perceptions of handicapped people. Exceptional Children, 47, 365-368.
Saltz, E., Perry, A., & Cabral, R. (1994). Attacking the personal fable: Role-play and its effect on teen attitudes toward sexual abstinence. Youth & Society, 26, 223-242.
Whitbourne, S. K., & Cassidy, E. L. (1994). Psychological implications of infantilization: A class exercise. Teaching of Psychology, 21, 167-168
Hoffman, S. B., Brand, F. R., Beatty, P. G. & Hamill, L. A. (1985). Geriatrix: A role-playing game. The Gerontologist, 25, 568-572.

Midterm critique assignment November 1st

THIRD QUARTER:
Goldstein, S. B. (1997). The power of stereotypes: A labeling exercise. Teaching of Psychology, 24, 256-258.
Czuchry, M, Sia, T. L., & Dansereau, D. F. (1999). Preventing alcohol abuse: An examination of the "Downward Spiral" game and educational videos. Journal of Drug Education, 29, 323-335.
Bryant, R. A., & McConkey, K. M. (1989). Hypnotic blindness: A behavioral and experiential analysis. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 98, 71-77.
Junn, E. N., Morton, K. R., & Yee, I. (1995). The 'gibberish' exercise: Facilitating empathetic multicultural awareness. Journal of Instructional Psychology, 22, 324-329.

Bibliography Assignment due December 6th

FOURTH QUARTER:
Wurst, S. A., & Wolford, K. (1994). Integrating disability awareness into psychology courses: Applications in abnormal psychology and perception. Teaching of Psychology, 21, 233-235.

Design Proposal due December 15th, 12:45.