Special Topics: Love & Sexual Behavior

Dr. Travis Langley

Summer, 2009

Required reading:

            textbook

            assigned Internet readings.

Overview:

This course explores intimate relationships including friendship, romance, sex, and marriage. The material looks at relational behavior that is normal or abnormal, mature or immature, healthy or unhealthy. Discussions will examine factors that may play roles in determining whether relationships succeed or fail, such as communication, negotiation, gender differences, cultural differences, and predictors of divorce. Topics include attraction, courtship, dating, mating, marriage, parenting, divorce, jealousy, fidelity, sexual response cycle, dysfunctions, paraphilias, obsession, impulsivity, sex crimes, and Internet relationships.

Disclaimer:

Course material may at times be of a frank and explicit nature. If you are offended by on topics related to love or sexual behavior, do not take this class. If you are under the age of 18, do not take this class. If you are unable or unwilling to travel to a place like Hot Springs for field research, do not take this class. Do not redistribute course material to anyone who is underage or who may find such material personally offensive. Proceeding with this course means that you take responsibility for your own actions in doing so.

SCHEDULE

UNIT 1                                                                       Test: Monday, June 15

UNIT 2                                                                       Test: Monday, June 29

FINAL: CUMULATIVE PLUS UNIT 3

UNIT 3                                                                       Test: Thursday, July 2

EXAMS

Each unit will conclude with a 40-item multiple choice exam covering lecture notes, assigned readings, and class discussion. Bring number 2 pencils for every test. If you have trouble erasing mistakes completely, bring Liquid Paper or similar correction fluid to cover your erasures. Any answer marked wrong due to an incomplete erasure is simply wrong.

On every test, put your name and ID number on the front of the answer sheet and on the back of your test. Follow instructions to put your test and answer sheet face down and in the right stack; otherwise the Scantron machine might grade the back of your answer sheet or grade it according to the wrong answer key.

There will be NO makeup tests. If you arrange for a guest speaker of sufficient educational value to come to our class (or maybe for us to go to them), your lowest test will be dropped, even if it is the final exam.

GRADING

Test questions range in difficulty to get an accurate idea of exactly how much you know and understand about the course material. I do not feel it is right to establish a curve based on the highest grade in the class, in which case only one score would determine everyone's grade. The scale on the 40-point tests (although bonus credit makes them worth more than 40) is simply this:

A 35.1 -->              B 30.1 - 35.0         C 25.1 - 30.0         D 20.1 - 25.0         F    <-- 20.0

Your professor reserves the right to assign other values for these grade cutoffs. The professor also reserves the right to subtract any number of points from the grade of someone who disrupts class, or to assign a course grade of F to someone caught cheating. Anyone caught cheating will also be referred for University disciplinary measures.

Keep track of your own grades and the grade scale for each test. If you want to keep up with your grades, write down your numerical scores along the way. If you are not in class on the day when a test is returned graded, you can learn the score on that test when the next test is returned graded.

GROUP PRESENTATIONS

In groups of about four, you will all make presentations before the class at some point during the course. Those who make their presentations earliest will be graded slightly more leniently. Grades for the presentations will be based on quality of presentations, educational value, and amount of work reflected. Each presentation will be worth 40 points, the same as a test.

Not all members of the group have to get up and talk, as long as everyone in the group feels that all have pulled their weight. A group grade will be assigned, with adjustments for individual efforts and quality of presentation.

Point value for presentations:

A+ 40                     B+ 35                    C+ 30                     D+ 25                     F              10

A  38.3                   B  33.3                   C  28.3                   D  23.3                   0              0

A- 36.6                   B- 31.6                  C- 26.6                  D- 21.6

Examples of group presentation topics:

LAB AND OTHER ASSIGNMENTS

You will be given assignments that will collectively count at least as much as one test, maybe more. This will include discussion of readings, reporting on field research, and Internet-based lab assignments. The first two Fridays will be field trip days, and the third hour of every class session will be lab time, so we will definitely make sure you have time to do these things.

 

LETTER OF CONSENT:

1. I am at least 18 years old.

2. I understand that material covered by this course may at times be of a frank and explicit nature.

3. I am not offended by discussion on topics related to love or sexual behavior. I understand that a person can find a specific topic disturbing without getting offended by the fact that it is being discussed in a scholarly setting.

4. I will not disclose to anyone outside the class information of a personal nature that may be revealed by the professor or any member of this class.

5. I will not redistribute course material to any other person who is underage or who might find such material personally offensive. This includes any information obtained from the textbook, magazines, websites, Internet chatrooms, or other sources used to supplement course material.

6. I will not commit illegal acts in the process of course activities, including but not limited to: If I am a minor, I will commit no status offense (e.g., underage drinking), or if I am not a minor, I will not contribute to the delinquency of a minor (e.g., providing alcohol to a minor).

7. I will hold the professor, the Department of Psychology, and Henderson State University harmless if I discover that I find any course material, discussion, or supplemental information offensive.

8. I recognize the freedom of expression provided for in the Constitution of the United States of America.

9. Taking this course means that I understand and accept responsibility for my own actions, thus releasing the professor, the Department of Psychology, and Henderson State University from all liability.

Signing below means that you agree to all terms above.

Print your name:  ___________________________________________

Date of Birth:  ___________________________________________

Signature:  ___________________________________________

Today’s Date:  ___________________________________________

LETTER OF CONSENT:

1. I am at least 18 years old.

2. I understand that material covered by this course may at times be of a frank and explicit nature.

3. I am not offended by discussion on topics related to love or sexual behavior. I understand that a person can find a specific topic disturbing without getting offended by the fact that it is being discussed in a scholarly setting.

4. I will not disclose to anyone outside the class information of a personal nature that may be revealed by the professor or any member of this class.

5. I will not redistribute course material to any other person who is underage or who might find such material personally offensive. This includes any information obtained from the textbook, magazines, websites, Internet chatrooms, or other sources used to supplement course material.

6. I will not commit illegal acts in the process of course activities, including but not limited to: If I am a minor, I will commit no status offense (e.g., underage drinking), or if I am not a minor, I will not contribute to the delinquency of a minor (e.g., providing alcohol to a minor).

7. I will hold the professor, the Department of Psychology, and Henderson State University harmless if I discover that I find any course material, discussion, or supplemental information offensive.

8. I recognize the freedom of expression provided for in the Constitution of the United States of America.

9. Taking this course means that I understand and accept responsibility for my own actions, thus releasing the professor, the Department of Psychology, and Henderson State University from all liability.

Signing below means that you agree to all terms above.

Print your name:  ___________________________________________

Date of Birth:  ___________________________________________

Signature:  ___________________________________________

Today’s Date:  ___________________________________________