HECOL 210 Intimate Relationships
Tuesday, Thursday @ 11:00 a.m. – 12:20 p.m. (ECHA 2 490) 5 September, 2017 – 8 December, 2017
Instructor: Matt Johnson, PhD Office: 339 Human Ecology Building E-mail: [email protected] Office Hours: by appointment
Phone: (780) 492-5008
Policy about course outlines can be found in 23.4(2) of the University Calendar.
Course Description
This course explores the most current research and theory in the field of intimate relationships, emphasizing the contextual factors, intrapersonal variables, and interpersonal processes that contribute to relationship failure or success. Students will be exposed to a variety of topics related to intimate relationships, including attraction, communication, commitment, and conflict. The course also incorporates an experiential component, facilitating exploration and analysis of personal beliefs concerning intimate relationships and the development of
communication/problem solving skills.
Course Objectives
To appreciate the importance of intimate relationships for individuals, children, and society
To articulate the basic tenants of the influential theories used to understand intimate relationships
To evaluate knowledge/advice concerning intimate relationships based on methodological rigor
To understand the magnitude of the differences between men and women and the key areas where sex differences arise within an intimate relationship
To identify the key intrapersonal and interpersonal processes within intimate relationships and the impact of these processes on intimate relationships
To understand the ways that contextual factors influence intimate relationships
To articulate the basic concepts related to various couple therapy modalities
To understand the ways that intimate relationships develop within a particular couple and across the lifespan
To develop research-based communication and problem solving skills for intimate relationships
Required Text
Bradbury, T. N., & Karney, B. R. (2014). Intimate relationships (2nd ed.). New York: W. W. Norton & Company.
Additional Course Fees
There are no additional course fees.
Technology
This course has an E-class page available through Moodle. This page contains links to the reading quizzes for each textbook chapter, class handouts that the student is responsible for having access to during the lecture, and course power points that will be posted for the lectures.
There is also a general forum on Moodle for questions related to assignments or exams. Questions must be posted there so all students have access to the same information from the professor. Questions will be responded to within 2 business days, and questions posted less than 2 business days until the assignment is due or the exam is scheduled to take place will not be answered.
Laptops are permitted for note taking only during class. Although there is compelling evidence their use is associated with shallower information processing and less retention of information than hand-written notes (e.g., Mueller & Oppenheimer, 2014).
No electronic devices are permitted during exams.
Audio or video recording of lectures, labs, seminars or any other teaching environment by students is allowed only with the prior written consent of the instructor or as a part of the approved accommodation plan. Recorded material is to be used solely for personal study, and is not to be used or distributed for any other purpose without prior written consent from the instructor.
Email Policy
I welcome communication via email for quick questions (other than those related to assignments or exams, which must be posted to the forum). Please refer to the syllabus prior to sending an email, as the answer to your question may be located there. I will respond to all emails within 2 business days. For lengthier questions, please come to office hours or make an appointment.
Additionally, students need to regularly check their U of A email for communications from the professor. If I have an emergency and need to cancel class, email will be the mechanism for communicating this information.
Late Work Policy
Late work is not accepted in this course, and any assignment not completed as designated in the course outline will result in no credit for that assignment. In the case of illness or serious personal/family issue, an alternate assignment will be offered. This alternate assignment will entail either constructing a detailed outline of the textbook chapter or a research report on a topic of the instructor’s choosing.
Course Requirements
Class Participation Assignments (17% weight)
This course is designed to be highly interactive, including class discussions and a variety of activities. There are class participation assignments randomly assigned throughout the course. These assignments will be completed within the class period and must be handed in to the instructor with the students’ name on it at the end of class.
Marking for these activities will be based on evidence that the assignment was fully completed, with serious thought given to the subject.
Reading Quizzes (13% weight)
There are 13 reading quizzes posted on the Moodle site that correspond to each chapter in the textbook. All questions on the quizzes will be based on the material from the text. Each quiz closes at midnight on the day they are due (the course schedule contains the day each quiz is to be completed). Question format will range from true/false, multiple choice, and matching. You are to work alone on the quizzes, and feel free to use your textbook.
If it comes to the instructors’ attention that answers are being shared, investigation and reporting procedures for academic dishonesty will be initiated. The quizzes will be timed, with 30 minutes being allotted for each quiz.
Mid-Term Exam (30% weight)
The mid-term exam will cover all lecture and reading material through October 10. The exam may consist of true/false, matching, multiple choice, and short answer. Additional details concerning the exam will be provided prior to the exam.
Please Note: Any student who is unable to write the mid-term exam will have the weight of that exam added to the final exam.
Final Exam (40% weight)
The final exam will cover all course material. The exam may consist of true/false, matching, multiple choice, short answer, and essay questions. This exam is scheduled for December 14, 2017 at 9:00 a.m. at a location to be announced later in the semester. Additional details concerning the exam will be provided prior to the exam.
Grading Scale
Evaluation of exams and assignments is expressed in raw marks throughout the term. A final, cumulative score is translated into a letter grade based on the university four-point grading system (see below). Assignment of final grades is based on a combination of absolute achievement and relative performance in this course.
Excellent:
The student has demonstrated excellent understanding of course content.
A+ Outstanding: The student has demonstrated an extraordinary grasp of the course content and performance reflects creativity and innovation, in addition to a high level of analytical ability.
A Excellent: The student has demonstrated superior understanding of the course content and a high level of analytical ability.
A- The student has demonstrated superior understanding of the course content, but has not shown the same level of analytical ability as students receiving an A.
Good:
The student has demonstrated a sound understanding of course content.
B+ The student has demonstrated a sound understanding of course material, with superior understanding being evident in some topics.
B The student has demonstrated a uniformly sound understanding of course material.
B- The student has demonstrated a generally sound understanding of course material, but there are some areas in which depth of understanding is limited.
Satisfactory/Adequate:
The student has demonstrated awareness of course content.
C+ The student has demonstrated adequate awareness of course content with sound understanding of some topics.
C The student has demonstrated adequate awareness of all of the central dimensions of the course.
C- The student has demonstrated adequate awareness of most of the central dimensions of the course, but lacks knowledge of one or two topics.
Poor D+ The student has demonstrated a lack of knowledge in one or more of the central dimensions of the course, and has very superficial understanding of most topics.
Minimal Pass D The student’s performance is only minimally acceptable due to a lack of understanding of several central dimensions of course content.
Fail F The student has demonstrated a lack of knowledge of most of the course content.
Academic Integrity
“The University of Alberta is committed to the highest standards of academic integrity and honesty. Students are expected to be familiar with these standards regarding academic honesty and to uphold the policies of the
University in this respect. Students are particularly urged to familiarize themselves with the provisions of the Code of Student Behaviour (online at www.ualberta.ca/secretariat/appeals.htm) and avoid any behaviour which could potentially result in suspicions of cheating, plagiarism, misrepresentation of facts and/or participation in an offence.
Academic dishonesty is a serious offence and can result in suspension or expulsion from the University.” (GFC 2003)
Code of Student Behaviour
“All students at the University of Alberta are subject to the Code of Student Behaviour, as outlined at:
http://www.governance.ualberta.ca/en/CodesofConductandResidenceCommunityStandards/CodeofStudentBehavio ur.aspx. Please familiarize yourself with it and ensure that you do not participate in any inappropriate behavior as defined by the Code. Key components of the code include the following statements.
30.3.2(1) No Student shall submit the words, ideas, images or data of another person as the Student’s own in any academic writing, essay, thesis, project, assignment, presentation or poster in a course or program of study.
30.3.2(2) c. No Student shall represent another’s substantial editorial or compositional assistance on an assignment as the Student’s own work.”
Course Schedule
Day Assignments
Tuesday, September 5 Detailed Explanation of the Syllabus Defining an Intimate Relationship
Chapter 1: Why Study Intimate Relationships? – pg. 1-32 Thursday, September 7 Why Study Intimate Relationships?
Key Question About Intimate Relationships
Chapter 1 Quiz Closes at Midnight Tuesday, September 12 Answering Questions about Intimate Relationships
Chapter 2: Tools of Relationship Science – pg. 33-81 Thursday, September
14
Methods for Studying Intimate Relationships Chapter 2 Quiz Closes at Midnight Tuesday, September 19 Evolutionary Psychology and Attachment Theory
Chapter 3: Theoretical Frameworks – pg. 82-130 Thursday, September
21
Social Exchange Theory, Social Learning Theory, and Ecological Theories
Chapter 3 Quiz Closes at Midnight Tuesday, September 26 Men and Women; LGBT Couples
Chapter 4: Men and Women, Gay and Straight – pg. 131-170 Moore & Stambolis-Ruhstorfer (2013): pg. 499-503
Peplau & Fingerhut (2007): pg. 405-412; 416-419
Chapter 4 Quiz Closes at Midnight
Thursday, September 28
Attraction and Mate Selection
Chapter 5: Attraction and Mate Selection – pg. 171-210
Chapter 5 Quiz Closes at Midnight Tuesday, October 3 Personality and Individual Factors
Chapter 6: Personality and Personal History – pg. 211-236
Thursday, October 5 Personal History Chapter 6 Quiz
Closes at Midnight
Tuesday, October 10 Commitment
Online Lecture via eClass
Thursday, October 12 In-Class Exam Mid-Term Exam
Tuesday, October 17 Communication and Active Listening Chapter 7: Communicating Closeness – pg. 237-261
Thursday, October 19 Maintaining Intimate Relationships Chapter 7 Quiz Closes at Midnight Tuesday, October 24 Conflict Resolution
Chapter 8: Managing Differences – pg. 262-297
Thursday, October 26 Aggression in Intimate Relationships Chapter 8 Quiz Closes at Midnight Tuesday, October 31 Beliefs and Expectations About Intimate Relationships
Chapter 9: Beliefs and Values – pg. 298-335 Thursday, November 2
Values and Where they Come From Chapter 9 Quiz Closes at Midnight Tuesday, November 7 Construction of Meaning In Intimate Relationships
Chapter 10: Understanding Each Other – pg. 336-372
Chapter 10 Quiz Closes at Midnight Thursday, November 9 How Do Relationships Change?
Tuesday, November 14 Fall Reading Week Thursday, November
16
Fall Reading Week
Tuesday, November 21 Stress and Intimate Relationships
Chapter 11: Relationships in Context – pg. 373-415
23 Closes at Midnight Tuesday, November 28 An Overview of Interventions for Relationship Distress
Chapter 12: Improving Relationships – pg. 416-452 Thursday, November
30
Case Study of Relationship Distress Chapter 12 Quiz Closes at Midnight
Tuesday, December 5 What’s Next?
Chapter 13: Relationships Across the Lifespan – pg. 453-505
Thursday, December 7 Wrap Up Chapter 13 Quiz
Closes at Midnight Thursday, December
14
9:00 a.m. – Location To Be Announced Final Exam
*This schedule is subject to changes.*
