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COURSE SYLLABUS: PY439 - Comparative Psychology

Course Title: PY439 - Comparative Psychology
Department: School of Behavioral Sciences
Instructor: Sandra M. Harris, PhD, E-Mail -- Vita
Office Hours: Tue - Thu, 1:00 - 4:00 (Other times by appointment)
Phone: (334) 220-4466


Required Texts  Online Bookstore

Comparative Psychology: Evolution and Development of Behavior, 2nd ed., (2008). Taylor and Francis, Inc.

Course Description

This course examines the development, causal mechanisms, evolutionary history, and function of the behavior of animals, including humans.

Course Rationate

One of the foundations of psychology was the belief that an understanding of animal behavior could aid in the understanding of human behavior, based on experimental work of the 19th century and on evolutionary theory. Over the years, this belief has been borne out based on the voluminous amount of animal behavioral research that has had direct and indirect applications to the understanding of human behavior. This course will introduce you to this world of research and will look at a variety of animal behaviors to understand their causes and controlling factors, as well as how these behaviors relate to the human counterpart.

Student Learning Outcomes:
  1. Students will gain an overall understanding of the history of comparative psychology.
  2. Students will understand the types of research used in comparative psychology.
  3. Students will understand the role of evolution in the development of animal behavior and how genetics and heredity are affected by evolutionary forces.
  4. Students will understand the role of classical and instrumental conditioning in animal behavior.
  5. Students will understand forces behind foraging and migration.
  6. Students will understand aggressive behaviors involved in predation, territoriality, and competition.
  7. Students will understand sexual conflict, selection, courtship, and mating behaviors.
  8. Students will understand the role of communication and social behavior.
  9. Students will understand the role of parenting behaviors as well as cooperative and helping behaviors.
  10. Students will understand primate patterns and characteristics, including monkeys and apes.
  11. Students will understand how primate behavioral patterns relate to human behavioral patterns.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND EVALUATION

Grades: Your grade in this class will come from several sources. Please see the details outlined below.
Exams. There will be four open-book exams for the course. Each exam will cover approximately four chapters of the text. The exams must be typed. When you are ready to take an exam, please contact me. I will forward the exam by email. You will have one week from the date the exam is sent to complete and return the typed exam.

Article summaries: You must write two summaries on topics related to the course. Each summary must be at least 2-double spaced pages in length (500 words). One summary must cover a professional journal article. Articles must be cleared with the instructor prior to submission. The other summary must come from either (1) an observation at a local zoo to be written up in report form, or a summary of a movie that is related to topics presented in the course.

NOTE: The topic for each article summary must be cleared with your instructor in advance of writing and submitting the summary. Not obtaining prior approval will result in the summary receiving a score of zero. When you are ready to write the summaries, contact your instructor with your topic for approval. Once the topic is approved, you will receive further instructions for writing the article summary.

Term paper. You will be required to write a 6 page minimum (1500 words), term paper. The paper must be written in APA format and conform to current standards for good writing. You will be given a separate handout for the term paper. A sample paper may be seen at the following URL: http://www.dianahacker.com/resdoc/p04_c09_s4.html. The topic of the paper must be cleared with the instructor. When you have decided on a topic for your paper, contact your instructor with you topic for approval. Once the topic is approved, you will receive further instructions for writing the term paper.

The number of points you earn in the course will determine your final grade. Points will be awarded as follows:



Grading Scale



Course Completion: The course is structured so that it can be completed in approximately 10 weeks. To assist you in planning your time, a proposed schedule is presented on the following page. This scheduled in only a propose schedule. The various assignments can be accomplished in advance of the general dates listed in the calendar.

SPECIAL NEEDS: Anyone desiring special accommodations due to documented disabilities must let me know well in advance of their requirements and must present their documentation to the learning resource center.