Daniel S. Messinger

Professor of Psychology, Pediatrics, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Music Engineering

PSY120

Spring 2007

FACULTY MENTOR: Daniel Messinger, Ph.D.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 305-284-8443
Office: Flipse, 5665 Ponce de Leon, Room 341
Office Hours:
Tuesdays 10:30 - 11:00
Thursdays 10:45 – 11:30, and by appointment.

PEER ADVISOR: Caitlin Walsh
Email: [email protected]
Office: Flipse 509

If you can’t reach us you can leave messages in the Psych. Dept. Main Office: 305-284 -2814

COURSE DESCRIPTION: This course will provide an orientation to research in Psychology, with an emphasis on social and emotional development. Career opportunities in the field of Psychology and opportunities for research in the Department will also be topics. Students, faculty, and the Peer Advisor will discuss original journal articles selected from the psychological literature. This course is the second part of a two semester sequence (FACT FORUM) designed to provide orientation, advising, and mentoring to Psychology majors in order to facilitate their integration into the community of scholars at the University of Miami.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS: Credit: Upon completion of this course, students will earn 1 credit hour applicable to the total number of credits to graduate from UM. This credit will not apply to the Psychology major or minor.

Attendance: Attendance is mandatory. Students missing more than 3 classes will not pass. Exceptions will be made for documented medical or legal reasons or University sponsored events (ex. participation on a sports team or musical performance). This is a participation class. Grades will be assigned according to the student’s knowledge of the material as demonstrated in weekly papers and contributions in class.

Readings: Weekly readings are listed on this website (below). Students are expected to come to class prepared to participate in discussion of the weekly readings.

Papers: A total of 10 short papers will be required. These papers will require approximately 2 paragraphs – one consisting of a summary of the reading for the day, and another giving your comment on the topic. At the end of each paper, you should also include a question that has come to you as a result of the reading. The papers must be type-written, single-spaced, and fit on one page. There are 11 opportunities to write papers (one is a special two paragraph assignment; see below), so you have only one paper you can miss. For each of the required 10 papers and the special assignment, if the paper is not handed in by the beginning of class, you will lose one third of a letter grade (e.g., B+-->B). If the paper is not handed in by the next week, you will lose two thirds of a letter grade (e.g., B+-->B-). If the paper is not handed in within two weeks, the paper will no longer be accepted and you will lose a full letter grade (e.g., B+-->C+). The goal is to come to class with the reading and your paper done ready to discuss and participate. In addition, please give a rating to each article we read from 1 (Terrible) to 5 (Excellent).

Quizzes: Extra credit pop quizzes may be given from time to time to assess student preparation for the class.

HONOR CODE: You will be required to abide by and sign the standard University of Miami honor code pledge on each exam or extra credit assignment. This pledge states: “On my honor, I have neither given nor received any aid on this exam/paper/etc.” Cheating and/or plagiarism will be considered sufficient reason to assign a failing grade for the course.

Tuesday.	Reading (paper due) or Activity
1. 1/16	Introductions and tour
2. 1/23	Grewal, D., & Salovey, P. (2005). Feeling Smart: The Science of Emotional Intelligence. American Scientist, 93(4), 330-339.
3. 1/30	Messinger, D. S. (2002). Positive and negative: Infant facial expressions and emotions. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 11(1) 1-6.
4. 2/6	Fredrickson, B. L. (2003). The value of positive emotions. American Scientist, 91, 330-335.
5. 2/13	Porges, S. W., King, J. A., Ferris, C. F., & Lederhendler, I. I. (2003). Social Engagement and Attachment: A Phylogenetic Perspective. In Roots of mental illness in children. (pp. 31-47). New York, NY, US: New York Academy of Sciences [INCOMPLETE]. and/or Porges, S. W. (2003). Social Engagement and Attachment. A Phylogenetic Perspective. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1008(1), 31-47.
6. 2/20	Prenatal substance exposure and human development
7. 2/27	Gilbert, G., & Clancy, B. (2004). How Early Experience Matters in Intellectual Development in the Case of Poverty. Prevention Science, V5(4), 245-252.
8. 3/6	Advising.
9. 3/13	SPRING BREAK -- NO CLASS
10. 3/20	Advising.
11. 3/27	Peter Mundy & Lisa Newell. Joint Attention, Social-Cognition and the Anterior/Posterior Attention Systems. Will be provided on Blackboard.
12. 4/3	Autism: Frith, U., & Frith, C. (2001). The Biological Basis of Social Interaction. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 10(5), 151-155.
13. 4/10	Baron-Cohen, S., R. C. Knickmeyer, et al. (2005). "Sex Differences in the Brain: Implications for Explaining Autism." Science 310(5749): 819-823. alternate: Allen, J. S., Bruss, J., & Damasio, H. (2004). The Structure of the Human Brain. American Scientist, 92(3), 246-253.
14. 4/17	Crick, N. R., Casas, J. F., & Nelson, D. A. (2002). Toward a more comprehensive understanding of peer maltreatment: Studies of relational victimization. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 11(3), 98-101.
15.4/24 MEET IN ROOM 201!	MEET IN ROOM 201 TODAY! Research opportunities Using http://www.psy.miami.edu/faculty/ email me one paragraph about a Psychology Department faculty member, indicating what Division they are in (Health, Child, or Adult), what they research, what courses they teach, and something else you found interesting about them. Also email a pretend email as if I were the professor. In that email, ask whether you can get involved in their research.

Daniel S. Messinger

PSY120

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