THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG

FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIECNES

Department of Psychology

COURSE OUTLINE (2022/2023, SEMESTER TWO)

1. Basic Course Information

Course Code PSYC1001

Course Title Introduction to Psychology
Course Credits 6
Lecture Time Mondays 09:30-11:20 (GMT+8; the same hereinafter)

2. Course Lecturer, Coordinator, and Tutors

Name Office Phone E-mail Consultation Hour

Dr. Henry Ng 6.16 Fridays
39178205 nghks@hku.hk
(Lecturer) JCT 2:30 - 3:30 p.m.
Elsa Lau 6.13 Mondays
39178226 elsaylau@hku.hk
(Coordinator) JCT 12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
7.12
Sarah Feng 39177390 u3568164@connect.hku.hk By appointment
JCT
7.12
Jinn Luo 65073634 jingyi.luo@connect.hku.hk By appointment
JCT
7.12
Lily Teng 39177387 u3306585@connect.hku.hk By appointment
JCT
7.12 Fridays
Junyu Wang 64868985 wangjuny@connect.hku.hk
JCT 11:00 - 12:00 p.m.
7.12 Tuesdays
Esther Zheng 39177376 estherzw@connect.hku.hk
JCT 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.

3. Course Description

This course is NOT going to teach you how to read mind and control other people in a psychic way. You will NOT
learn easy tricks to make people like you, believe you or to tell whether or not someone is lying. What do
psychologists do then? Psychologists work on the how and why of the human mind and behavior. These questions
have been studied by the humankind for a long time, including Socrates, Laozi, Mahler, and you! What makes
psychology unique is that ittakes a scientific approach in tackling these questions, as opposed to the philosophical
approach. Put otherwise, psychologists rely on systematic and empirical evidence in describing, explaining,
predicting, and changing people. In this course, you will get a glimpse of some questions that have been studied by
psychologists.

4. Course Learning Outcomes

On completing the course, students will be able to:

To understand psychology as a science and the reasons why some people think it is not.
To ask questions that psychologists are concerned with.
To apply this science to your everyday life.
To engage in critical thinking about psychological issues.

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5. Lectures and online resources

The lectures will be delivered face-to-face and streamed on Zoom simultaneously during the scheduled time. Lecture
recordings will be available for one week only. Note that students should attend lectures physically. The online
option is a contingency for situations such as hospitalization and quarantine due to COVID. The teaching team is
not obliged to provide livestreaming and lecture recordings, so any complaints about the video availability being too
short or video unavailability due to technical errors will lead to the cancellation of this friendly policy. If you need
to catch up with any lecture content you miss, consult your textbook and the teaching team. We are always happy to
help.

Students with a "pending" status or waiting a university account may access Moodle via the guest account:
Link: http://hkuportal.hku.hk/moodle/guest
Username: psyc1001_2b_2022_guest
Password: Guest_1001B

6. Tutorials

You will attend 4 tutorials in this course, participation in which will contribute to 10% of your grade. You
will register for 1 of the 21 tutorial groups below.

The registration period will begin from Jan 18 (Wednesday), 12 p.m. to Jan 30 (Monday), 5 p.m. Each tutorial group
has a limited quota, and places will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

You can register using the Tutorial Sign-up Application (instructions: shorturl.at/iCIM2) or via HKU Portal
(instructions: shorturl.at/opwAD). Choose your session by the Group Name and ignore the dates shown on the
system. The real schedule of each group is shown below (column 4).
Tutorial groups:
Group Dates of the 4 Tutorials
Tutor Tutorial Day & Time
Name (Ignore the dates on the system)
001 Esther Zheng Tue 09:30-10:20 Feb 7 Feb 21 Mar 21 Apr 18
002 Esther Zheng Tue 10:30-11:20
003 Esther Zheng Tue 11:30-12:20
004 Elsa Lau Tue 13:30-14:20
005 Elsa Lau Tue 14:30-15:20
006 Elsa Lau Tue 16:30-17:20
007 Elsa Lau Tue 13:30-14:20 Feb 14 Feb 28 Mar 28 Apr 25
008 Elsa Lau Tue 14:30-15:20
009 Elsa Lau Tue 16:30-17:20
010 Jinn Luo Wed 11:30-12:20 Feb 8 Feb 22 Mar 22 Apr 19
011 Jinn Luo Wed 12:30-13:20
012 Jinn Luo Wed 13:30-14:20
013 Junyu Wang Thu 09:30-10:20 Feb 9 Feb 23 Mar 23 Apr 20
014 Junyu Wang Thu 10:30-11:20
015 Junyu Wang Thu 11:30-12:20
016 Lily Teng Fri 09:30-10:20 Feb 10 Feb 24 Mar 24 Apr 21
017 Lily Teng Fri 10:30-11:20
018 Lily Teng Fri 11:30-12:20
019 Sarah Feng Fri 13:30-14:20 Feb 17
020 Sarah Feng Fri 14:30-15:20
021 Sarah Feng Fri 15:30-16:20

Please contact Ms. Elsa Lau (elsaylau@hku.hk) if you have any questions.

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7. Assessment

There are 5 assessment components. The following weightings apply to your final grade.

Assessment Weight
1. Mid-term test 30%
2. Final test 30%
3. Tutorial attendance 10%
4. Individual project (essay) 26%
5. Research participation 4%

The following table was used for marks-to-grades transformation last year. It is subject to change.

Marks Grades1
80 – 100 A
70 – 79 B
60 – 69 C
50 – 59 D
< 50 F

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inc. all sub-grades in each grade category

8. Assessment Components

i. Mid-term and Final tests

The mid-term test is scheduled during class time (09:30 – 11:20 a.m.) on Mar 13. The final test will be
arranged by the exam unit during the assessment period: May 8 – 23. You must make sure that you will be
available for the final test during the assessment period, the date of which should be fixed in early March.
Both tests will require your personal, physical attendance to a test venue on the HKU campus, and
exceptions will be granted on medical reason only. Drop this course immediately if you are going to attend
the funeral of your friend’s pet rock in Bali during the assessment period.

You will answer 50 multiple-choice questions and two (out of three) short essays (400 words each) in each
test. All materials covered in lectures, tutorials, and the textbook will be included.

ii. Tutorial Attendance

Tutorials will begin after the add/drop period (Feb 7). We will do demonstrations and discuss some core
issues in psychology.

iii. Individual project

In this project, you will use your knowledge in psychology to develop a new, good habit in 2 weeks. Please
work on one of the following themes:

Reduce screen time

Exercise plan
Reduce plastic use
Learn a skill (e.g., language)

You will 1) identify the objective scientifically, 2) work out a plan to increase the success rate, 3) stick to
the plan for 2 weeks, 4) record your responses, and 5) write an essay to reflect on your experience during
the two weeks. Particularly relevant topics are The Scientific Method (L1), Learning Processes (L4),
Problem Solving (L6), Motivation (not covered in class; read chapter 7), and Personality and Social
Psychology (L8, L9).

It is an individual project, but you can also work together with your classmates in executing the plan (e.g.,
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 comparing different approaches to reach the same goal; see how social influences affect goal pursuit) and
write your own individual report.

It is OKAY to fail in the behavior change plan – your grade will not suffer because your plan fails. The most
important thing is how you reflect on the success, failure, or difficulty in carrying out the plan, with the
understanding of basic human psychology.

You should consult your tutor before executing the plan. The consultation period is printed on the class
schedule. The tutor will give comments regarding the goal and feasibility of the plan. For fairness’s sake,
no consultation will be given after the said period.

The word limit of the report is 1200 words (excl. title page, references, tables, figures, appendix), and is due
by May 2 (Tue), 5 p.m. The first tutorial meeting will brief you through the specific requirements.

iv. Research participation (4%)

To gain first-hand experience in psychology research, you can participate in the research designed by our
teachers and students. We believe it offers a unique learning experience. Youwill receive 1 credit for each
hour unit. This experiment participation can contribute up to 4%of your final grade. Those who choose not
to participate in any research can choose to write a400-word critique on an article from an assigned
reading list for each one-hour credit missed. Details will be available in the first tutorial meeting. Deadline
of research participation is Apr 29 (Sat), 5 p.m.

9. Important Notes

NOTE 1: Due to the pandemic, the above arrangements are likely to be changed during the semester. The teaching
team will keep you updated as things unfold.

NOTE 2: In normal circumstances, make-up tests, absence from tutorials, and late submission of assignments are
granted for medical (physical and mental) reasons only, including situations arising from quarantine and travel
restrictions. You must present legitimate medical documents to support your requests, such as a note written by a
qualified physician, medical doctor, clinical psychologist, or a counsellor.

Below are examples of exceptions that have been granted for non-medical reasons: representing your
University and/or country (e.g., qualifying for the Olympics), attending a funeral service for a close family
member.

Below are examples of situations that will DEFINITELY be rejected: being forgetful (of anything), being
physically unwell but fail to see a doctor on the date of test/ submission to provide a medical proof (note: if
you are that unwell, you should have been sent to the ER), having booked a flight during the assessment
period and therefore being unable to attend the final test.

NOTE 3: Send your requests for make-up tests or late submission to the course coordinator, Ms. Elsa Lau
(elsaylau@hku.hk), only. Please consider NOTE 2 above before sending in your requests.

NOTE 4: The University Health Service provides basic medical consultation for free. The Centre of Development
and Resources for Students (CEDARS) provide counselling service. Seek their help if you need the proof for special
arrangements stated in NOTE 2.

NOTE 5: Make-up tests are held within one week of the scheduled date of the test. There will be one make-up session
for each test only, and you will get zero mark if you cannot attend the original and the make-up test.

NOTE6: Penalties are incurred for late submission of assignments at a discount rate of 10% within each day of
lateness. For late submission of tests (i.e., not returning your paper when the invigilators collect them after the test),
you will get zero.

NOTE 7: From the undergraduate handbook,

“The University does not allow or tolerate plagiarism. This is a grave academic offence. The commission
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 of plagiarism is a violation of the University’s Regulations Governing Students’ Academic Conduct
Concerning Assessment. Any student who commits plagiarism is liable to disciplinary action which can
result in serious consequences - including expulsion from the University.

The University has published a booklet entitled “What is Plagiarism?” All newly-enrolled students are
expected to read the booklet. Please consult your teachers if you have any questions about how to avoid
plagiarism.”

Link: http://www.rss.hku.hk/plagiarism/page2s.htm

All assignments submitted to this course will be checked for plagiarism. Don’t you ever try it.

10. Textbook

The following book is adopted for this course. You can purchase a hard copy or an e-book through the A&P
bookstore’s webpage:

Cacioppo, J. T., Freberg, L. A., & Cacioppo, S. (2022). Discovering Psychology: Science of Mind (4th
ed.). Cengage Learning.

Link to the bookstore: https://apbookshop.com/HKU/EN/Student/2022

The lectures will not cover the whole textbook. Still, you should read the whole chapter assigned for each lecture,
unless it is specified as “selection”. 10% of the mid-term and final tests will be from textbook-only content. To
read the textbook or not is entirely your choice.

11. Meeting Schedule and Dates

#Class Date Contents Readings Important dates

1 Jan 16 What is psychology? Ch.1, 2 Tutorial registration
2 Jan 30 The biological basis for psychology Ch.3, 4 period:
3 Feb 6 Sensation and perception Ch.5 Jan 18 (Wed) 12 p.m.
to
Jan 30 (Mon) 5 p.m.
4 Feb 13 Learning processes Ch.8
5 Feb 20 Memory Ch.9
6 Feb 27 Human cognition (selected topics) Ch.10
- Mar 6 Reading Week -
- Mar 13 Mid-term test [Coverage: Class 1 – 5] - Consultation Period
7 Mar 20 Lifespan development Ch.11 for individual project
8 Mar 27 Personality and individual differences Ch.12
9 Apr 3 Social psychology Ch.13
10 Apr 17 Psychological disorders and therapies Ch.14, 15
(selected topics)
11 Apr 24 Wrapping up and revision
May 2 Individual project due (5 p.m.)
May 8 – 23 Final Test [Coverage: Class 6 – 10]

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REMINDER:

Feedback policy
In normal circumstances, students can expect to receive feedback within 3 weeks after submitting written
assignments. Test papers will not be returned to students; however, students can receive individual feedback about
each test through meeting with the course tutor. Tutors will provide instant feedback to students’ tutorial
performance, but the assessment result will not be released andis subject to inter-class calibration. All official
assessment records will be released ONLY by the course coordinator through Moodle.

Academic Dishonesty
Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Any student who engages in any form of academic dishonesty (e.g.,
cheating on exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, interfering with grading, falsification and fabrication of data in any
academic exercise etc.) will receive a grade of F in this course and will be reported to the Department/Faculty
Office/University Disciplinary Committee for further disciplinary action. There will be no exceptions. If you are
not sure what constitutes theacademic offense of plagiarism, checkout the webpage at https://tl.hku.hk/plagiarism/.
Departmentof Psychology has formulated departmental policies/guidelines on student misconduct. Visit the
website at https://psychology.hku.hk/useful-information-to-current-students/ for more information.

Plagiarism
All assignments will be checked for plagiarism against a database of articles, books, web pages, andessays
submitted by students at HKU and other universities. Once you have successfully uploaded your work, you can
check the similarity index and the system allows you to overwrite the work before the deadline. However, please
be reminded that it takes at least 24 hours for the system to generate the similarity index every time you upload
your work (including re-upload).

No credit will be given for an assignment that contains plagiarized materials and a permanent record will be kept
in our department. Further penalties will also be applied. These penalties includea zero mark for participation in
course tutorials and a zero mark for the course. Plagiarism will also be reported to the Department/Faculty
Office/University Disciplinary Committee for consideration of possible disciplinary action. For serious cases, the
student will be referred to the University Disciplinary Committee for disciplinary actions, including a published
reprimand, suspension of study for a period of time, and even expulsion from the University.

Late submission of assignments

All late submissions of written assignments will be subject to mark deduction. Please refer to theassignment
guidelines.

House rules
"Behave and respect yourself (and your classmates). Do excessive talking outside the classroom."

Fairness
To ensure the fairness in this big class, we will be strictly adhering to the policies/deadlines set in thiscourse
outline. In the event of discrepancy between this course outline and what a member of the teaching team tells you,
the former takes precedence, unless an announcement has been made to the whole class through Moodle. On
critical administrative matters, request a written confirmation from the course coordinator Ms. Elsa Lau at
elsaylau@hku.hk.