Psych 350 - Personality psychology lab
CRN 39819

Instructor

R. Chris Fraley, PhD
Office: Department of Psychology, Room 409
E-mail, phone, and other information: http://www.psych.uiuc.edu/~rcfraley
Office hours: W 1:00 - 3:00 or by appointment [Just swing by on any afternoon other than M or T. I have an open-door policy and I'm happy to meet with students.]

Teaching Assistants

Jia Chong

Luyao Zhang

Class web page

http://www.yourpersonality.net/psych350/fall2015/

Updates

Aug 25, 2015

First day!
Sept 15, 2015

I am moving the deadline for the completion of the First Major Project from Sept 22nd to Tues, Oct 6th.
Sept 28, 2015

Here is the grading guide that will be used for your first major project (self-other project). Grading Sheet [PDF]
Oct 12, 2015

I am moving the deadline for the completion of the Second Major Project from Tues Oct 27th to Wed Nov 4th (lab).
Oct 21, 2015

There is NO lecture on Oct 26. There WILL be labs that week.
Nov 11, 2015

I added a note about extra credit. Please see below.
Readings

There is no textbook for this class. All reading material will be made available via the class website and will be announced in class.

Overview of the Course

The discipline of psychology occupies a peculiar niche in modern universities. Contemporary psychologists are concerned with basic humanistic issues (e.g., the nature of emotions, the mind, relationships, free will, and consciousness) that have traditionally been studied by philosophers, poets, and historians. However, unlike scholars in these other disciplines, modern psychologists employ the methods of the natural sciences (e.g., measurement, experimentation) to understand these phenomena.

The objective of this course is to introduce you to scientific methods, explain why they are valuable, and illustrate how they can be used to understand psychological phenomena. More specifically, we will focus on the methods used to study the psychology of personality. Personality psychology is concerned with understanding the ways in which people differ from one another, the origins and development of those differences, and the implications of those differences for important life outcomes (e.g., life satisfaction, close relationships, career performance, creativity, mental and physical health). The study of personality is arguably one of the most integrative areas in contemporary psychology, bringing together theories and data from multiple disciplines to better understand the way in which the mind works, how we develop, and what makes us different from one another. As such, the methods we will discuss in this course will be unusually broad in scope.

Because this is a methods class, this specific course will not discuss on the "content" of personality psychology (i.e., the knowledge that has accumulated over the last few decades). Psychology 250 serves that purpose and functions as a pre-req for this class.

Structure of the Course

There are two components to this course: Lectures and Labs.

Lectures will be held on Tuesdays (3:30 to 5:20) in Room 23 in the Psychology Building. In the lectures I will cover some basic material that you need to know to be an educated researcher or consumer of research in psychology.

Each student should also be enrolled in a lab section. The lab sections will be held in Rooms 289 and 453D (2nd and 4th floor, respectively) of the Psychology Department on Weds and Fridays. The labs will not necessarily meet on BOTH Weds and Fridays of each week. I will announce each Tuesday whether we are using one or both lab times each week.

39820 - 9:00 AM - 10:50 AM - WF Room 289 Psychology - Jia Chong
39821 - 11:00 AM - 12:50 PM - WF Room 289 Psychology - Jia Chong
39822 - 11:00 AM - 12:50 PM - WF Room 453D Psychology - Luyao Zhang
49078 - 1:00 PM - 2:50 PM - WF Room 453D Psychology - Luyao Zhang


In those sections you will design studies, collect and analyze psychological data, read and discuss papers, and expand your critical thinking skills. These sections will be lead by one of the two TA's for the class and attendance is mandatory. These labs will not necessarily be held twice a week every week, but you should plan your schedule as if each and every lab will be meeting. Please attend lecture to stay up to date on the lab schedule. I will announce the lab schedule for each week during the Tuesday lectures.

You will be using computers in the labs. To access these computers, you will need an Active Directory (AD) account. Students should already have AD passwords. Please go to the CITES website to create your AD password if you do not already have one: http://www.cites.illinois.edu/accounts/index.html

Participation and User IDs

Because this is a class about personality psychology, we will often want to work through examples based on data that we have collected in class, in lab, or as part of a homework assignment. To benefit from this process, it is important that you fully participate in class and lab activities. You will be assigned an ID code in the first week of labs that is distinct from your name. This ID will be used to associate you with your lab participation and lab-based assignments. You should not share this ID with any of your classmates. Once you acquire this code, you will need to write it down and keep it in a safe place. You will not be able to participate in certain assignments without access to this ID.

The Class Webpage

I will post lecture notes and other materials relevant to the class on the class web page. You should treat the class web page as your primary syllabus. I will be updating it on a regular basis and it will be your responsibility to keep up-to-date on any changes that are made. (I will, however, announce significant changes in the lecture sessions.) The lecture-topical schedule listed below is preliminary and will change as a function of how quickly or slowly we are progressing though the course. If you do not have Internet access at home, please visit one of the many student computer facilities on campus.

Grading

This class will be a hand's on course. What I mean by that is that you'll be learning "how" to do things more than learning about things themselves. You will regularly be asked to write brief reports based on lab activities. In addition to those written reports, you will be in charge of writing three major research papers over the course of the semester based on data that you and your classmates collect. There will also be quasi-weekly quizzes at the start of Tuesday lectures. Final grades of A, B, C, D, and F will be used; I do not use the + and - system in this class.

Your final grade will be weighted in the following manner:

20% Attendance and participation in lab activities
Lab exercises will typically be completed in lab or at home. These assignments are designed to assess what you've learned thus far and whether you've mastered the skills that were taught in lecture and lab. They will be graded in an all-or-none fashion.

20% Quizzes
There will be short, 10-min long quizzes at the start of most lectures. The purpose of these quizzes is to assess your learning thus far. There are three reasons we will be having multiple, short quizzes instead of a few long exams. First, research indicates that people learn more effectively when studying and testing their knowledge on a regular basis. Second, the average of a large number of tests is a better indication of your accomplishments than the average of a small number of tests. Third, using lecture time to administer long exams takes away time that we can spend covering material. Your lowest two quiz scores will not count toward this part of your grade. Thus, if you miss a quiz or can't attend a class, you shouldn't need to worry too much. If you already anticipate missing more than two classes due to travel, you will need to consider how this will impact your final grade before committing to the class.

20% Major Project 1 - Self-Other Agreement
A written paper that summarizes data that you collect regarding your personality traits, interests, and attitudes. You will compare and contrast how you see yourself and how others (friends and strangers) view you.

Due: Tues Sept 22nd at start of lecture. Update: It is now due Tues Oct 6th at start of lecture. Grading Sheet [PDF]

20% Major Project 2 - Ideographic Analyses
Write a paper that summarizes the data you've collected and analyzed on how your specific traits and attributes covary across time.

Due: Tues Oct 27th Wed (lab) Nov 4th. Grading Sheet [PDF]

20% Major Project 3 - Cross-sectional or experimental study
Written paper that summarizes a study you've designed and the data you've collected. Grading rubric PDF

Due: Tues Dec 8 at start of lecture.



Extra Credit Opportunities

You can earn up to 3 extra percentage points toward your final grade by participating in research via the Psychology Department Subject Pool. Please note that this is not required; this is an optional, extra-credit opportunity. You can also obtain comparable 3 points of extra credit by writing an additional 3-page research report on topics in personality psychology. Please speak to your TA before Dec 1 if you are interested in this later option instead.

To learn more about the way the Subject Pool works, please see the following: Dept Web Page. You will need to register in the appropriate online system to sign up for studies and receive credit.

Note: If you need to know your estimated grade at any point in the semester, please contact your TA.

Policy on Missed Assignments

Students will be eligible for a make up assignment if they notify the TA in advance of the due date. Thus, if there is a scheduling conflict that will prevent you from completing a lab assignment, please let your TA know as soon as you become aware of the conflict.

In-class quizzes cannot be made up. As noted above, your two lowest grades will be dropped; this is designed to cover all possible situations that might make it difficult for you to attend class.

All assignments must be turned in to your TA by their due dates. Grades for assignments that are turned in late will be deducted the equivalent of a full letter grade. Moreover, for each additional day that an assignment is late, an additional letter grade will be docked. Assignments that are graded in a simple "did it" or "didn't do it" fashion will be graded as "didn't do it" if not turned in on time.

Emergencies

Students that will require assistance in the event of an emergency should identify themselves to the instructor. Your instructor will make arrangements to assist you in moving to a Safe Area during an emergency. Safe Areas are located on each floor of the Psychology Building next to the freight elevator in the southwest corner, and they are marked on the emergency wayfaring maps found throughout the building.

Writing

A substantial portion of your performance in this course will be based on the quality of your written assignments. Please attend carefully to the quality of your writing. If you are unsure of the quality of your writing skills, please feel free to ask TAs and the instructor to review drafts of your written work before those assignments are due. Moreover, you can obtain free assistance from the Writers Workshop, part of the Center for Writing Studies. They provide free writing assistance for University of Illinois students, faculty, and staff from all disciplines and at all stages of the writing process. Discuss your writing with consultants who are experienced writers and teachers of writing. Call 333-8796 (or drop-in) to set up a 50-minute session at one of the four Workshop locations. http://www.cws.illinois.edu/workshop/

In your writing, please be sensitive to plagiarism. You are expected to do your own writing; you are not merely supposed to copy the writing of others. The following is paraphrased from http://www.library.illinois.edu/learn/research/academicintegrity.html

Plagiarism is using others' ideas and/or words without clearly acknowledging the source of that information. It may be intentional (e.g., copying or purchasing papers from an online source) or unintentional (e.g., failing to give credit for an author's ideas that you have paraphrased or summarized in your own words). Plagiarism is a problem for a number of reasons. Plagiarism is dishonest and prevents instructors from being able to assess students' authentic strengths and weaknesses and thereby help students to improve. It is crippling to your intellectual progress as it interferes with your ability to trust your own thinking, and it constipates future creative thinking. It is also an infraction of academic integrity and could result in expulsion from the university.

Schedule and Files

Note: Information about the lectures and labs will be updated each week as we progress through the course.

1. Week of Aug 25
Lecture: Introduction to the Science of Personality
Lecture notes: PowerPoint

Wed Lab: No Wed lab this week
Fri Lab: Zero-acquaintance exercise


2. Week of Sept 1
Lecture: Four Limitations of Personal Experience; the Scientific Method in Personality Psychology


Lecture notes: PowerPoint
Wed Lab: No lab
Fri Lab: Personality Rating Exercise and Developing Questionnaire Items Exercise


3. Week of Sept 8
Lecture: Creating internet surveys and collecting data using HTML
Lecture notes: PowerPoint Lecture

Links used in class:
testform1.htm
testform2.htm
example1.html
Note: To view the raw HTML code for these files, open them in your browser window and, on Windows machines, right-click and choose the option titled 'view source'

Wed Lab: Creating web-based questionnaires. Homework assignment.
Fri Lab: No lab.


4. Week of Sept 15
Lecture: Overview of First and Second Major Projects + Importing Data from Web Survey and yourPersonality
Lecture notes: PowerPoint
Homework Assignment - Due in Lab on Friday, Sept 18 [PDF]

Wed Lab: Create personality questionniare for first major project
Overview of First Major Project [PDF] [Alternative PDF][Alternative link: MS Word Document]

Fri Lab: Create yourPersonality modules for second major project
Overview of Major Project 2 - Ideographic Project [PDF][Alternative link: MS Word Document]


5. Week of Sept 22
Lecture: Univariate Descriptive Statistics, Z-scores
Lecture notes: PDF

Wed Lab: Import web data from your personality questionniare. Organize it in Excel or SPSS in a way that enables you to use it appropriately for your Self-Ohter Project
SPSS File for pracice: [SPSS file][CSV txt file]

Fri Lab: Optional. Meet with TA to discuss paper outline and drafts.


6. Week of Sept 29
Lecture: Correlations
Lecture notes: PDF

Wed and Fri Labs: Please use this time to work on your Self-Other Project (Major Project 1; due Oct 6). Please set aside specific meeting times with the TA if you need assistance or would like someone to review drafts. I would strongly recommend that you plan to review something (i.e., a draft, some ideas) with your TA on either Wed or Fri. We will not be taking attendance, however. But try to show up on one of those dates and/or set up a specific appointment.



7. Week of Oct 6
Lecture: Reliability, the Properties of Random Errors, and Composite Scores
Lecture notes: [PowerPoint]

Note: Major Project 1 due at start of lecture.


Wed Lab: No lab
Fri lab: Lab Exercise on composites and reliability: [MS Word] [PDF]. Due next Friday if you don't complete it in lab.





8. Week of Oct 13
Lecture: Different forms of Validity and Why They Matter

Lecture notes: PowerPoint


Wed lab: no normal lab. Please schedule a time slot with your TA if you want additional time or consultation.
Fri lab: no normal lab. Please schedule a time slot with your TA if you want additional time or consultation.


9. Week of Oct 20
Lecture: Within-person variation in psychological qualities and their assessment: Follow up on 15-day project


I will show you what you need to know in class. I couldn't get the lecture notes to update appropriately with images. If you wish to see a file with images, please feel free to view an older version of the PPT lecture notes here. Please note that the older slides reference a 30-day rather than a 15-day project. Don't panic.
Overview of Project 2 requirements. Due Nov 4. PDF
Grading rubric for Project 2: Grading Sheet [PDF]
Additional files for lab:
Fraley mood data: txt file
Fraley coffee data: txt file
Fraley weight data: txt file

Wed Lab: No lab. Please schedule a time slot with your TA if you want additional time or consultation.
Fri Lab: Work on Project # 2. Exercises on within-person analyses PDF. Please turn in your answers at the end of lab session.




10. Week of Oct 27
NO LECTURE THIS WEEK
Wed Lab: Please come to lab to work on your project. If you can, try to set aside specific times for the TA to provide you with consultation.
Fri Lab: Please come to lab to work on your project. If you can, try to set aside specific times for the TA to provide you with consultation.




11. Week of Nov 3
Lecture: Making Inferences about Causality: Experiments, Sample Selection, Partial Correlations, Statistical Control
Lecture notes: PPT

Wed Lab: Partial correlation exercises [Note: Major Project 2 is due at the START of lab section. Please bring a printed and stapled copy of your paper.]

Note: Online partial correlation calculator is available here.
Partial correlation assignment for lab is available here: [PDF version]. Please turn in the answers for the first five questions in lab. Turn in the answers to the remaining, open-ended questions on the date your TA specifies.
Fri Lab: No lab




12. Week of Nov 10
Lecture: Overview of Major Project 3. Lab group workshops.
Lecture notes: PDF

Wed: Lab - Create Research Groups for Final Project.
Fri: Lab - Continue working on Project.





13. Week of Nov 17
Lecture: Basic linear regression and multiple regression
Lecture notes: PowerPoint

Wed: Regression exercises
Lab Worksheet: PDF
Lab Dataset 1: Achievement.sav SPSS
Lab Dataset 2: WTC.sav SPSS
Lab Dataset 3: Morality.sav SPSS

Fri: Work with research groups


14. Week of Nov 24
FALL BREAK; NO CLASSES


15. Week of Dec 1
Lecture: Factor Analysis in Individual Differences Research: The Basics
Lecture notes: PowerPoint

Lab Worksheet/Assignment: PDF
Lab Dataset for Factor Analysis exercise: SPSS File [right-click and choose "Save as" on PC]

Wed Lab: Factor analysis worksheet + Work with research groups
Fri Lab: Work with research groups


16. Week of Dec 8
Lecture: Testing Theories: The Problem of Sampling Error
Project 3 due
Final paper: Grading rubric PDF