Faculty Syllabus

PSYC-2301 Introduction to Psychology

Associate Professor: Rev. Elizabeth "Megan" Baldwin, M.Ed., M.Div.

DIL (synchronous) SECTION 18348-059

Monday & Wednesday 10:30am to 11:50am

OFFICE HOURS: Friday 10:30am to 11:30am virtually via Google Meet

Face-to-Face (live) SECTION 18366-112

Monday & Wednesday 1:30pm to 2:50pm

Room 1232 Elgin Campus, Building 1000

OFFICE HOURS: Friday 9:30am to 10:30am virtually via Google Meet

Although Office Hours are “optional” I strongly recommend that students take full advantage of my availability.

TIP: Office Hours are conducted virtually, but students should feel free to contact me for an appointment when necessary. I will provide students with the Google Meet/Office Hours link on Fridays.

The first day of class for both sections is on Wednesday, 21 January.

All of my classes are ZTC-classes (Zero Textbook Cost sections).  In place of required textbooks, all materials needed for the class will be available online to students free of charge. Students may print copies of these resources but will be responsible for printing costs. The link below will take you to the textbook for the course.

Psychology by OpenStax:

https://openstax.org/details/books/psychology

PLEASE DO NOT PRINT ANY PORTION OF THE TEXTBOOK UNTIL YOU HAVE ATTENDED THE FIRST WEEK OF CLASS.

Additionally, several other course documents are made available to you via the dedicated website I have for this course: The Morning Squirrel. This site is an evolutionary document, and is always being updated and changing, usually based on comments and requests from students. It includes Google Slide Decks and Recorded Lectures that are available 24/7. (January 2026)

There is a link in your Blackboard Content for a printer-friendly PDF of the course syllabus. Print a copy of this syllabus and keep it with you.  The syllabus represents a CONTRACT between student and instructor; as such, it is an important document to which you may need to refer during the semester. You will also need it to complete the Syllabus Quiz that will be made available to you at the beginning of the semester. 

TIP: I strongly recommend the use of a 3-ring binder for this class. It can be used to accommodate any pages of your textbook that you choose to print, hand-written notes, crossword puzzles, study guides and handouts from class, along with PDFs of the Google Slides that are made available to you. The PDFs are specifically formatted to encourage notetaking while attending class and listening to the Recorded Lectures.

ESSENTIAL TIP: It will be critical for you to print the PDFs of the Google Slide decks, and to take notes on them during class and while listening to the Recorded Lectures. The PDF format facilitates this. These are the notes that you can use during exams, so a COMPLETE set will be vital to your successful performance in the class. It will also reduce test anxiety.

The Syllabus Quiz will be administered via Blackboard.

The Syllabus Quiz will be available beginning on

Friday, 16 January @ 9:00AM

and it must be completed by

Thursday, 22 January @ 11:59PM

The Syllabus Quiz may be attempted twice, and the highest score will be used for the purpose of calculating your final grade.

The syllabus represents a contract between the students and instructor. Students will be required to complete a Syllabus Quiz as an acknowledgment of having printed a copy of the Course Syllabus, and an indication that the policies stated are understood. Additionally, by completing the Syllabus Quiz you indicate to me that you are able to access Blackboard and can complete exams.

TIP: ASK QUESTIONS BEFORE COMPLETING THE SYLLABUS QUIZ.

TIP: Although I do not expect this, any significant changes, or additions to this syllabus will be distributed as a hard copy in class, posted on The Morning Squirrel, and sent as an announcement/email via Blackboard.

I routinely check email throughout the day. Email sent after 7:00PM will generally not see a response until 6:00AM the next day. Response times may be longer on Saturday and Sunday.

IMPORTANT: Email via Blackboard is my primary, usually ONLY means of communication with students. Make a habit of checking your email every day. Blackboard Announcements are always duplicated as an email that is sent immediately. Because of the nature of this class, you can expect to see email and/or announcements 3/4 times a week.

I can be contacted by way of ACC e-mail: kirbey@austincc.edu

Exercise good judgment with respect to the use of e-mail.  Be sure to include our section number somewhere in the subject heading. Emergency situations and time-sensitive information constitute the most appropriate uses of e-mail. Communication with the instructor, outside of office hours, is via e-mail, phone, Google meet, or other virtual session.

TIP: Make sure to set up your ACC gmail account at http://www.austincc.edu/accmail/.

Your e-mail communication with me must be through your ACC gmail account ONLY. This is true for all instructors not just me.

I will NOT respond to any e-mail sent from a non-ACC account.

ALWAYS START A NEW EMAIL.

NEVER  "PIGGY-BACK" OFF OF AN OLDER EMAIL.

NEVER  "PIGGY-BACK" OFF OF AN ANNOUNCEMENT

TIP: Set up a separate folder in your e-mail specifically for this class.

Students are expected to be logged in using Qwickly Attendance (launched by me every day from Blackboard) on time if not early, every day that class is scheduled, and to stay for the entire class. A student is tardy if they enter class 5 (five) minutes or more past the scheduled start of class. Be advised that 3 (three) tardies equals 1 (one) absence. After 3 (three) absences a student may be dropped from the course.

If you will be absent for ANY reason you must email me PRIOR to class.

Failure to do so will result in a five-point penalty every time. Over time these penalties can lower your final grade by a full letter grade or more.

There will be four mandatory exams in this course. Each of the exams are worth 100 points and will consist of 40 or more multiple choice, true-false, and short answer questions (give or take). The total number of points that can be earned on the exams = 400 points. Exams will be conducted via Blackboard during specific Testing Windows for each exam (usually about 48 hours long).

Exams will cover material from the textbook, and the Google Slides (greatest emphasis on the Google Slides, and Recorded Lectures), all of which can be found on unit-specific pages at The Morning Squirrel, my website for PSYC-2301 students.

TIP: Actual Testing Dates and Deadlines for exams will be announced via Blackboard Announcement, duplicated as an e-mail, and posted on The Morning Squirrel. Testing Dates & Windows will also be included in the Course Schedule (a separate document in Blackboard).

Students who miss a Testing Window will be given an opportunity to take a late exam. Late exams will be worth a maximum of 70 points.

Students who miss the deadline for the initial Testing Window and the Late Testing Window will receive a grade of zero.

ESSENTIAL TIP: If you miss a Testing Window for ANY reason, contact me immediately. In instances of loss of electricity and/or internet please use your phone or someone else’s laptop to send me an email as soon as possible.

ESSENTIAL TIP: Start exams and assignments early! Being allowed to use notes on the exam will take longer than if they were not allowed. You cannot start the exam two hours before the deadline and expect to have enough time to complete it. Approach your exams with a COMPLETE and organized set of notes. Being well prepared can lessen your anxiety about testing.

Instead of retesting, the OPTIONAL written assignment may be used to replace a low score on Exam #1, Exam #2, or Exam #3. There must be a test score on record. Details about this assignment can be found on its own page on The Morning Squirrel. The Optional Written Assignment may NOT be used to replace a low score on Exam #4.

This class uses Packback, replacing the use of Blackboard Discussion Boards. Packback assignments make up 100 points to be earned by the student, bringing the total to 500 (base) points (Exams = 400 + Packback = 100).

Because so many of you are not familiar with Packback there will be a more in-depth discussion about it during the first week of class. Additionally, there is a separate Content Link in Blackboard that will direct you to a brief video about it and how to use it.

ESSENTIAL TIP: It is mathematically impossible to earn an “A” for the course without completing Packback assignments.

Your final grade will be determined by the total number of points earned during the semester which corresponds to the following letter grades:

450 - 500 = A

400 - 449 = B

350 - 399 = C

300 - 349 = D

     0 - 299 = F

PLEASE NOTE: Your grades will appear as cumulative points only, never percentages, or averages.

I DO NOT DROP YOUR LOWEST GRADE.

Austin Community College offers support services for students with documented physical or psychological disabilities. Students with disabilities must request reasonable accommodations through the Office for Student Accessibility Services on the campus where they expect to take the majority of their classes. Students are encouraged to provide this documentation at least 2 weeks prior to the start of the semester.

Although the instructor reserves the right to drop any student from this class when it is appropriate and indicated, your registration is your responsibility! If you stop engaging and participating in this class for any reason, be sure to submit an online withdrawal form provided by the Office of Admissions. This may prevent you from receiving a grade of F.

The last day to drop any 16-week class is:

MONDAY, APRIL 27th

Students are responsible for understanding the impact that withdrawing from a course may have on their financial aid, veterans’ benefits, international student status, and academic standing. Students are urged to consult with their instructor or an advisor before making schedule changes. Per state law, students enrolling for the first time in Fall 2007 or later at any Texas college or university may not withdraw (receive a W) from more than six courses during their undergraduate college career. Some exemptions for good cause could allow a student to withdraw from a course without having it count toward this limit. Students are encouraged to carefully select courses; contact an advisor or counselor for assistance.

INCOMPLETE GRADES

An incomplete (grade of "I") will only be given in the Spring 2026 semester due to extenuating circumstances. What constitutes “extenuating circumstances” is left to the instructor’s discretion. If a grade of “I” is granted, the remaining course work must be completed by a date set by the student and professor. This date may not be later than two weeks prior to the end of the Summer 2026 semester. A grade of “I” also requires completion and submission of the Incomplete Grade Form, to be signed by the faculty member, and the student. The form is then submitted to the department chair for approval.

TIP: If an Incomplete is not resolved by the deadline, the grade automatically converts to an “F.” Approval to carry an Incomplete for longer than the following semester or session deadline is almost never granted. College-wide, Incompletes automatically convert to f's upwards of 93% of the time.

The use of generative AI (GAI) is permitted in this course under certain circumstances in order to enhance learning while maintaining academic integrity.

GAI is permitted I order to foster technological fluency and to leverage advanced tools for research, as long as it does not substitute for critical thinking and learning. Generative AI encompasses technologies that create content through learned patterns and data without direct human input. GAI can be used for initial research, idea generation, and learning coding practices. It is not to be used for final submissions unless explicitly cited and discussed.

Guidance on the ethical and effective use of GAI will be provided through designated course materials, in-class discussions, and during office hours (at the request of the student). Contributions of GAI must be clearly cited and will be assessed on the student’s ability to critically analyze and integrate the AI-generated content. Misuse of GAI, including a failure to cite, will be considered a breach of academic integrity, with consequences including a failing grade for the assignment and academic review. Should this technology be required as an accommodation, exceptions will be made on a case-by-case basis.

Administrative Rule: Student Standards of Conduct & Disciplinary Process Acceptable standards of conduct include behavior that:

• Reflects the highest level of honesty and integrity

• Is civil, courteous, and respectful of all members of the campus community, their property, and the property of the college

• Encourages responsibility and prohibits the unlawful use of alcohol, illicit drugs, other substances, and weapons

• Promotes mutual respect, equality, and safety of its members and opposes those acts that harass, intimidate, or haze its members.

By enrolling at ACC, students agree to abide by the college’s Student Standards of Conduct. These standards also establish disciplinary procedures for students accused of violating those standards. The "Student Standards of Conduct and Disciplinary Processes" are published in the ACC catalog, and the Administrative Rules and Student Handbook.

Students are expected to be mature and responsible citizens.  Any student whose conduct or dress at any time is in violation of the law, is a public nuisance, or is deemed improper or detrimental to the College may be subject to disciplinary action.  Students are expected to respect the rights and welfare of other members of the College community and its guests. Violence, the threat of violence, any disruption to the learning process, or intimidation will be subject to disciplinary action. Referrals will be made to the Dean of Students.

For high school students attending ACC for dual credit: This is a privilege that should be treated as such.

Acts prohibited by the college for which discipline may be administered include scholastic dishonesty, including but not limited to cheating on an exam or quiz, plagiarizing, unauthorized collaboration with another in preparing outside work. Academic work submitted by students shall be the result of their thought, research, or self-expression. Academic work is defined as, but not limited to tests, quizzes, classroom presentations, discussion boards, and homework.  Plagiarism is the submittal of someone else's work as one's own. It will not be tolerated. Nor will any form of cheating during exams. If convicted of scholastic dishonesty in this course, the student will receive an F.  This topic and many others are covered in the official ACC College Catalog.

Here is a link to ACC COLLEGE POLICIES.

ACC works together with several local high schools, allowing HS students to complete college level courses. Students who are in high school must submit a consent form, signed by the parent or legal guardian. This form is required because one or more films shown in class may be rated "R" or flagged for language. Students will not be penalized in any way for non-attendance, should said parent or legal guardian decline to sign the consent form. This form will be made available in Blackboard with its own Content Link. It can be submitted as screen shot or image sent to my email, or given to me as a hard copy (preferred).

Additionally, prior to the showing of any film I will provide substantive details that will allow students (of any age) to determine for him or herself as to the suitability of viewing.

Course Learning Outcomes:

According to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s Lower Division Academic Course Guide Manual:

Upon successful completion of this course, students will:

Identify various research methods and their characteristics used in the scientific study of psychology.

Describe the historical influences and early schools of thought that shaped the field of psychology.

Describe some of the prominent perspectives and approaches used in the study of psychology.

Use terminology unique to the study of psychology.

Describe accepted approaches and standards in psychological assessment and evaluation.

Identify factors in physiological and psychological processes involved in human behavior.

Program Level Student Learning Outcomes:

Understand psychological concepts and be able to recognize them in real-world contexts.

Acquire a basic understanding of major perspectives in the field.

Gain an awareness of the breadth of the academic discipline of psychology.

Understand the various research methods psychologists use and critically evaluate evidence.

TIP: Use the objectives below in conjunction with the study guides provided to drive your reading.

Study Guide items will be selected from the list below but will not necessarily include everything listed.

The Science of Psychology

Outline the basic schools of psychology and how each school has contributed to psychology. Focus on CURRENT perspectives, not historical ones with the exceptions of Freud and the Gestalt perspective.

Discuss the procedures that researchers use to ensure that their research with humans and with animals is ethical.

Differentiate the goals of descriptive, correlational, and experimental research designs and explain the advantages and disadvantages of each.

Summarize the uses of correlational research and describe why correlational research cannot be used to infer causality.

Review the procedures of experimental research and explain how it can be used to draw causal inferences.

Outline the four potential threats to the validity of research and discuss how they may make it difficult to accurately interpret research findings.

Describe how confounding may reduce the internal validity of an experiment.

Explain how generalization, replication, and meta-analyses are used to assess the external validity of research findings.

The Biological Perspective

Describe the structure and functions of the neuron.

Draw a diagram of the pathways of communication within and between neurons.

List three of the major neurotransmitters and describe their functions.

Describe the structures and function of the “old brain” and its influence on behavior.

Explain the structure of the cerebral cortex (its hemispheres and lobes) and the function of each area of the cortex.

Define the concepts of brain plasticity & neurogenesis.

Compare and contrast the techniques that scientists use to view and understand brain structures and functions.

Outline the relationship between the use and manufacture of anti-depressants and the neurotransmitters norepinephrine and serotonin.

Given the variables of age, amount of damage and location of damage: recognize the variable that is arguably the most important in determining whether or not or to what extent an individual is likely to recover from brain trauma.

Sensation & Perception

Explain the difference between sensation and perception.

Explain why pain matters and how it may be controlled.

Distinguish individual reality from consensus reality.

Give examples of how our expectations may influence our perception, resulting in illusions and potentially inaccurate judgments.

Define motion. Correctly identify examples of apparent motion.

Distinguish an illusion from a hallucination. Describe cultural differences.

Learning

Describe how Pavlov’s early work in classical conditioning influenced the understanding of learning.

Review the concepts of classical conditioning, including unconditioned stimulus (US), conditioned stimulus (CS), unconditioned response (UR), and conditioned response (CR).

Explain the roles that extinction, generalization, and discrimination play in conditioned learning.

Outline the principles of operant conditioning.

Explain how learning can be shaped through the use of reinforcement schedules and secondary reinforcers.

Review the ways that learning theories can be applied to understanding and modifying everyday behavior.

Memory

Compare and contrast explicit and implicit memory, identifying the features that define each.

Explain the function and duration of eidetic and echoic memories.

Summarize the capacities of short-term memory and explain how working memory is used to process information in it.

Summarize the types of amnesia and their effects on memory.

Describe how the context in which we learn information can influence our memory of that information.

Outline the variables that can influence the accuracy of our memory for events.

Explain how schemas can distort our memories.

Consciousness and Cognition

Draw a graphic showing the usual phases of sleep during a normal night and notate the characteristics of each phase.

Review the disorders that affect sleep and the costs of sleep deprivation.

Outline and explain the similarities and differences among the different theories of dreaming.

Summarize the major psychoactive drugs and their influences on consciousness and behavior.

Review the evidence regarding the dangers of recreational drugs.

Review the ways that people may alter consciousness without using drugs.

Development Across the Life Span

List the stages in Piaget’s model of cognitive development and explain the concepts that are mastered in each stage

Critique Piaget’s theory of cognitive development and describe other theories that complement and expand on it.

Summarize the important processes of social development that occur in infancy and childhood.

Summarize the physical and cognitive changes that occur for boys and girls during adolescence.

Explain how adolescents develop a sense of morality and of self-identity.

Review the physical and cognitive changes that accompany early and middle adulthood.

Review the physical, cognitive, and social changes that accompany late adulthood.

Describe the psychological and physical outcomes of bereavement.

Motivation and Emotion

Explain the biological experience of emotion.

Summarize the psychological theories of emotion.

Give examples of the ways that emotion is communicated.

Stress and Health

Define stress; review the body’s physiological responses to it.

Summarize the negative health consequences of prolonged stress.

Explain the differences in how people respond to stress.

Review the methods that are successful in coping with stress.

Understand the important role of positive emotions and in responding to stress.

Social Psychology

Review the principles of social cognition, including the fundamentals of how we form judgments about other people.

Define the concept of attitude and review the ways that attitudes are developed and changed, and how attitudes relate to behavior.

Summarize the genetic and environmental factors that contribute to human altruism.

Provide an overview of the causes of human aggression.

Explain the situations under which people conform to others and their motivations for doing so.

Summarize the advantages and disadvantages of working together in groups to perform tasks and make decisions.

Theories of Personality and Intelligence

Outline and critique the early approaches to assessing personality.

Define and review the strengths and limitations of the trait approach to personality.

Summarize the measures that have been used to assess psychological disorders.

Describe the strengths and limitations of the psychodynamic approach to explaining personality.

Identify the major contributions of the humanistic approach to understanding personality.

Explain how genes transmit personality from one generation to the next.

Outline the methods of behavioral genetics studies and the conclusions that we can draw from them about the determinants of personality.

Explain how molecular genetics research helps us understand the role of genetics in personality.

Define intelligence and list the different types of intelligences psychologists have studied.

Psychological Disorders

Define “psychological disorder” and summarize the general causes of disorder.

Explain why it is so difficult to define disorder, and how the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is used to make diagnoses.

Describe the stigma of psychological disorders and their impact on those who suffer from them.

Outline and describe the different types of anxiety disorders.

Outline and describe the different types of dissociative disorders.

Explain the biological and environmental causes of anxiety and dissociative disorders.

Summarize and differentiate the various forms of mood disorders, in particular dysthymia, major depressive disorder, and bipolar disorder.

Explain the genetic and environmental factors that increase the likelihood that a person will develop a mood disorder.

Categorize and describe the three major symptoms of schizophrenia.

Differentiate the five types of schizophrenia and their characteristics.

Identify the biological and social factors that increase the likelihood that a person will develop schizophrenia.

Categorize the different types of personality disorders and differentiate antisocial personality disorder from borderline personality disorder.

Outline the biological and environmental factors that may contribute to a person developing a personality disorder.

Psychological Therapies

Outline and differentiate the psychodynamic, humanistic, behavioral, and cognitive approaches to psychotherapy.

Explain the behavioral and cognitive aspects of cognitive-behavioral therapy and how CBT is used to reduce psychological disorders.

Classify the different types of drugs used in the treatment of mental disorders and explain how they each work to reduce disorder.

Critically evaluate direct brain intervention methods that may be used by doctors to treat patients who do not respond to drug or other therapy.

Explain the advantages of group therapy and self-help groups for treating disorders.

Evaluate the procedures and goals of community mental health services.

Summarize the ways that scientists evaluate the effectiveness of psychological, behavioral, and community service approaches to preventing and reducing disorders.

Mental health counseling services are available throughout the ACC Student Services District to address personal and or mental health concerns. If you are struggling with a mental health or personal crisis, call one of the following numbers to connect with resources for help. If you are afraid that you might hurt yourself or someone else, call 911 immediately.

Free Crisis Hotline Numbers

Austin/Travis 24-hour Crisis & Suicide hotline: 512-472-HELP (4357)

The Williamson County 24-hour Crisis hotline: 1-800-841-1255

Bastrop County Family Crisis Center hotline: 1-888-311-7755

Hays County 24 Hour Crisis Hotline: 1-877-466-0660

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

Crisis Text Line: Text “HOME” to 741741

National Alliance on Mental Illness Helpline: 1-800-950-NAMI (6264)

TIP: PERSONAL SUPPORT

Resources to support students are available at every campus.

Central Texas Food Bank for food resources, including community pantries and food bank drives.

Student Advocacy Center for assistance with childcare or utility bills. 

Student Emergency Fund for help with unexpected expenses that may cause you to withdraw from one or more classes.

Student Money Management Office for help with budgeting.

The Child Care webpage for services for student parents.

The CARES Act Student Aid, which helps eligible students pay expenses related to COVID-19.  

Please refer to specific portions of this online syllabus or the PDF provided in Blackboard for details.

Please refer to specific portions of this online syllabus or the PDF provided in Blackboard for specific details.