Psy 3604: Abnormal Psychology

000129 PSYC 300 §01 Abnormal Psychology (4 cr.) Summer 2005
Class Meetings: 6:00–9:20 p.m. Wednesday Midway Room 34
Instructor: William M. Grove, Ph.D., Assoc. Professor (U. of Minnesota)
Office: N438a Elliott Hall, 75 East River Road, Minneapolis MN 55455–0344
E-mail: grove001@umn.edu
Office hours: by appointment
Phone: (612) 625–1599 office; (651) 578–8004 home (don’t call between 2:30 a.m.-7:00 a.m., please)
Course Description
This course will provide a broad survey of various aspects of abnormal behavior. Emphasis will be placed on an empirical view.
The bulk of the course will cover the various categories of adult and child psychopathology. The lectures will focus primarily on a
description of various forms of psychopathology. Diagnosis, epidemiology, research on etiology, laboratory test abnormalities, and
treatment will be considered as they relate to specific disorders.
Competence Statement
Understands descriptive psychopathology, epidemiology of mental disorders, and etiological research on mental disorders at an
introductory level.
Learning Objective #1 Understands and can recall DSM-IV and related diagnostic criteria for common and/or serious mental
disorders of adult and childhood onset, as shown on midterm and final examinations.
Learning Objective #2 Knows other basic descriptive psychopathology information, such as associated features, for these
mental disorders, as shown on midterm and final examinations.
Learning Objective #3 Understands and can recall basic information about epidemiology (general population prevalence, age of
onset distribution, sex ratio, and risk factors) regarding disorders, as shown on midterm and final examinations.
Learning Objective #4 Understands and can recall basic information regarding etiological research (biological factors,
psychosocial factors, and their interactions) regarding these mental disorders, as shown on midterm and final examinations.
Prerequisite
PSYC 100 General Psychology, or equivalent with instructor’s consent.
Format
Integrated lecture and discussion. Lectures will not simply repeat what’s in the readings (but repeating in lecture what you read in a
text is a good clue that something come up on an exam). Please interrupt me frequently to get me to slow down (I try to watch it,
but I tend to speak rapidly), to ask questions, or to debate my sometimes-dubious pronouncements. There is no such thing as a
stupid question. If something I say is not clear to you, or it’s implausible, chances are good that I haven’t explained things well
enough or I’ve made a mistake. Everyone is likely to benefit from hearing your question or counter-argument, and I will try to
ensure my answer is clear, informative, and well grounded in scientific research. I would rather cover fewer items of information,
with more good discussion and comprehension, than simply whiz through reams of information with the class sitting before me in a
silent daze.
Required Reading
Davison, G.C., & Neale, J.M. (2000). Abnormal Psychology, 8th ed. NY: Wiley. (Note: Study aids are at
http://www.wiley.com/college/bcs/0471318116/wave_s.html.)
Exams and Grading
There will be two exams, each with 60 questions. The midterm exam will address all material covered up to that point, including
readings, lectures, and discussion. The final exam will cover only material covered after the midterm. The exams will be multiple
choice, about 2/3 based on readings and 1/3 on lecture/discussion. You will not do well on the exams if you do not study very
carefully. ALL questions regarding the exams (including content, scheduling, make-up exams, missed exams, concerns about scores,
and grading) should be addressed to me. Any questions you may have about the grading of your exam MUST be brought up
within three weeks of the date of its administration. All tests contain copyrighted material; do not take tests from the classroom.

PSYC 300 Sect. 01 Abnormal Psychology — Summer Session I 2004 Page 2 of 3
Your letter grade will be determined as follows: The 3 students with the highest total scores on the two exams will have their scores
averaged (the median is taken). This average will then be treated as a “perfect” score, and equated to a percentage score of 100%.
Students will receive a percentage score based on their raw score, by comparing it to the “perfect” score and rounding (if necessary)
to the nearest higher whole percent:
85% (of perfect score) and above = A
75–84% = B
65–74% = C
55–64% = D
54% and below = F.
For example, suppose that the 2 exams (totaling 120 possible points) yielded scores such that the top three students’ total scores are
118, 104, and 102—an average of 108. 85% of 108 is 91.8, which rounds to 92. Therefore all students receiving test totals of 92
or above would receive an A. (This is an example, not a guarantee; the exact numbers will vary from term to term, depending on
students’ performances.) Hence, you are NOT being graded on a curve; it is possible for every student to get an A. Students who
take the course Pass/Fail must earn a grade of “C” or higher to pass the course. Minus and plus grades (e.g., B+, C–) will not be
given. There is no extra credit of any kind. I reserve the right to adjust the given cut points downward, so as to improve student
grades; cut points will never be adjusted in a manner that lowers anybody’s grade.
Difficulties; Withdrawing from the Course
If you need to withdraw, try hard to do so while you can still request a tuition refund (according to the Metro State academic
calendar, this is May 16, I believe); the deadline for withdrawing without a refund is (again according to the calendar) June 5, I
believe. Incompletes (“I” grades) will NOT be given except under very limited circumstances. If you are experiencing difficulties in
the course, talk to the instructor as soon as you realize it, and if at all possible BEFORE you get a low test score. I will work hard
with you to help you do well in this course, including answering questions by phone or e-mail, talking with you before or after class,
attending group study/review sessions outside of class scheduled time, and meeting with you for individual tutoring (as needed and
within reason).
Missed Classes and Exams
You are not required to attend classes. However, it is to your advantage to do so. For one reason, interesting points frequently
come up in discussions, which end up on an exam. In you have to miss a class, borrow notes from another class member; please
don’t ask me to copy notes/overheads for you. I will e-mail electronic copies of overheads (in Microsoft PowerPoint format) to
students if they wish, all bundled together for the whole course. Note: these are quite bulky, and not all e-mail servers will accept
such large e-mails. CD copies of all materials (syllabus, PowerPoint slides, etc.) will be provided to students if they give me a blank
CD.
There are FEW acceptable reasons for missing an exam. Make-up exams will be offered only to those who obtain my permission
IN ADVANCE, or who have a significant illness documented by a letter from a licensed health care provider, or have an extremely
serious family problem (e.g., death of a family member) or have another very serious and unavoidable impediment (e.g., jury duty,
delivery of a baby, National Guard call-up, etc.). Students who miss an exam without satisfying one of these conditions will receive
a ZERO for that exam. Arrangements to take a missed exam MUST be made within ONE WEEK of the exam date. Any make-up
exams offered may be of a different format than the in-class exam, e.g., they may have oral or essay questions. Missed make-up
exams will be scored as ZERO, and will NOT be rescheduled. THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS TO THE POLICIES STATED
HERE.
Student Conduct Code (see http://www.metrostate.edu/handbook/text.html, heading “Community Conduct Code”)
The code states: “Individuals are expected to be honest in meeting their academic obligations. Violation examples: cheating on
assignments or examinations; plagiarizing; altering, forging or misusing university academic records; and using tests or other
materials without permission. Possible sanctions: warning, course failure or grade change, probation, suspension or expulsion.”
The instructor will strictly enforce this code with regard to examinations. Note: this course only has examinations; there are no
homework assignments, papers to write, etc.
Topical Schedule of Class Sessions
On the next page is the tentative topic schedule for each class session, with reading assignments. Readings from Davison & Neale
are given as “Ch 2,” etc. When a section or sections of a chapter, rather than the chapter entire, are to be read, the sections are
identified by “Section Title” and the like.

PSYC 300 Sect. 01 Abnormal Psychology — Summer Session I 2004 Page 3 of 3
Topic Schedule for Class Sessions
Week Date Topic Readings
1 May 11 History; Research Methods; Classification Ch 1; Ch 2 “Biological Paradigm,”
“Learning Paradigms,” “Cognitive
Paradigm”; Ch 3; Ch 4 “Reliability
and Validity in Assessments,”
“Psychological Assessments,
“Cultural Diversity and Clinical
Assessment,” “The Consistency and
Variability of Behavior”; Ch 5
2 May 18 Mood (Affective Disorders) Ch 10
3 May 25 Schizophrenia Ch 11
4 June 1 Anxiety Disorders Ch 6
5 June 8 Somatoform Disorders Ch 7 “Somatoform Disorders”
6 June 15 Substance-Related Disorders Ch 12