PSY 210- Abnormal Psychology Mercer County Community College Professor Heather Jennings Email: [email protected] Phone: 609-586-4800 ext.3450 Office: LA 129 (West Windsor) KC 328 (James Kerney Campus) Office Hours: Tuesday 9:30-10:30am and 2:45-3:45pm (WW) Thursday 9:30-10:30 am and 2:45-3:45pm (WW) Saturday (JKC) 12:00-1:00pm Webpage: www.mccc.edu/~jenningh Required Textbook: Halgin & Whitbourne (2010) Abnormal Psychology: Clinical Perspectives on Psychological Disorders, 6/e. ISBN: 007337069x Books that Can Really Help You! American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed., text revision). Washington, DC: Author. Perrin, R. (2004). Pocket guide to APA style. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company American Psychological Association Publication Manual, Fifth Edition. (2001). Gelfand, H., Walker, C., American Psychological Association. (2001). Mastering APA Style: Student's Workbook and Training Guide. ‐ This is a self-guided workbook for learning APA style writing.Welcome to Abnormal Psychology! This class will explore that fascinating world of abnormal behavior…but what is that exactly? By the end of this course you WILL be able to answer that question! We will focus on the elements of psychopathology and mental disorders, as well as the history and classifications of various disorders. This class will discuss a variety mental illnesses, such as, depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, PTSD, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, personality disorders and other intriguing ailments that so many people endure on a daily basis; Posing the question, “How abnormal is it really?” This class is great for anyone interested in understanding those “abnormal” behaviors seen very often within our society. This class will also examine the tremendous impact mental illness has on the person living with abnormality. When I tell people that I work as a therapist, I am usually bombarded with stories like, “I know a guy who sees little green aliens”… “My sister has depression and is on medication… “I think my neighbor is crazy, he stares at the side of his house all day long and talks to his car…what do YOU think?” When examining the behavior of another, we can see many things both normal and abnormal. This is not to think everyone has a diagnosable disorder! As this class progresses, you will learn many tell-tale indicators of mental illness and psychopathology. It is a common practice for us to enjoy analyzing people and placing them into neat little categories, but please refrain from diagnosing yourself, your friends, your parents and family, your classmates, your professors or anyone else  This class will be interesting and fun, but it will not make you a psychologist! Course Objectives: This course is an introduction to the field of abnormal psychology. It is designed (1) to provide students with an integrative overview of the field of abnormal psychology and major psychological problems and disorders;(2) to familiarize students with the multiple causes of psychopathology as viewed from a number of different theoretical perspectives;(3) to illustrate an integrative view of research in the area of abnormal behavior; (4) and, to discuss intervention and prevention strategies for psychological disorders. Academic Integrity The work a student produces must be their own and should result solely from their own efforts. Plagiarism or cheating on any assignment is regarded as an extremely serious academic offense. Student’s who violate this policy will receive an “F” for the course. Please refer to the Mercer County Community College Academic Integrity Handbook, or request one from the professor.Reasonable Accommodations for Students with Documented Disabilities Mercer County Community College is committed to supporting all students in their academic and co-curricular endeavors. Each semester, a significant number of students document disabilities, which may require learning, sight, hearing, manual, speech, or mobility accommodations to ensure access to academic and co-curricular activities. The college provides services and reasonable accommodations to all students who need and have a legal entitlement to such accommodations. For more information regarding accommodations, you may visit the Office of Academic Support Services in FA129 or contact them at 609.570.3422 or [email protected]. It will be the student’s responsibility to arrange an accommodation. If you are a student with a disability or special need, please advise the professor within the first 2 weeks of the course so appropriate accommodations can be made. Attendance and Conduct As college students you choose to be here. You have elected to register for this course and YOU will determine your overall experience in this class. Although I do not expect students to attend every class due to demands of life, attendance is very important and required. If you miss class, it is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to get the information you have missed. Do not expect or request the notes to be supplied by me if you did not attend lecture. Attendance and lecture notes are crucial to success in this class. Without question, students who attend class perform better than those who do not…make sure you get to class. If you are often absent, it should lead you to ask the question, “WWhhyy ddiidd II rreeggiisstteerr ffoorr tthhiiss ccoouurrssee?” You will not hurt my feelings if this class is not for you, but please don’t just disappear- drop the class as soon as you realize you don’t want to be here. If you choose to not return without officially dropping the course, you will receive an “F” on your transcript. I will NOT drop you from the course- YOU must withdraw! Attendance Bonus Students who attend every class will receive a 4 point bonus. If you miss only one class, you will receive a 2 point bonus. Lateness is not acceptable from college students; therefore two lates will be equal to one absence. If you arrive to class after I have taken role, it is YOUR responsibility to advise me that you arrived late otherwise you will be marked as absent. All absences without a doctor’s note will be considered unexcused. It is at my discretion to add additional points for active participation. Exams Your final grade will be based, in part, on THREE 75 question multiple-choice/true-false exams. All exams will b administered