HECOL 210 Intimate Relationships
Tuesday, Thursday @ 11:00 a.m. – 12:20 p.m. (Tory (T) B45) 4 September, 2014- 2 December, 2014
Instructor: Tara Boothby, MA R.Psych Office: TBA Human Ecology Building Email: [email protected] Office Hours: Tues/Thurs 9:45-10:45am by appointment Phone: TBA
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. (2010). Intimate Relationships. 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 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.
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 in 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 22. The exam may consist of true/false, matching, multiple choice, short answer, and essay questions. 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.
course content. 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.
The Truth in Education (T*I*E) project is a campus wide educational campaign on Academic Honesty. This program was created to let people know the limits and consequences of inappropriate academic behaviour.
There are helpful tips for instructors and students. Please take the time to visit the website at: http://www.ualberta.ca./tie
For a handout on “What is Plagiarism?” see: http://www.uofaweb.ualberta.ca/TIE//pdfs/Plagiarismhandout.pdf The “Don’t Cheatsheet” is available at:
http://www.uofaweb.ualberta.ca/governance/StudentAppealsCheatsheet.cfm
Course Schedule
Day Assignments
Thursday, September 4 Detailed Explanation of the Syllabus Defining an Intimate Relationship
Chapter 1: What Do We Want to Know About Intimate Relationships – pg. 2-39
Tuesday, September 9 Why Study Intimate Relationships?
Key Question About Intimate Relationships
Chapter 1 Quiz Closes at Midnight Thursday, September
11
Answering Questions about Intimate Relationships Chapter 2: Tools for Studying Intimate Relationships –
pg. 40-92
Chapter 2 Quiz Closes at Midnight
Tuesday, September 16 Evolutionary Psychology and Attachment Theory Chapter 3: Theoretical Frameworks for Understanding
Intimate Relationships – pg. 93-147 Thursday, September
18
Social Exchange Theory, Social Learning Theory, and Ecological Theories
Chapter 3 Quiz Closes at Midnight
Tuesday, September 23 Men and Women
Same-Sex Couples
Chapter 4: Men and Women, Gay and Straight – pg. 150-199 Thursday, September
25
Commitment Chapter 4 Quiz
Closes at Midnight Tuesday, September 30 Attraction and Hooking Up
Chapter 5: Attraction and Mate Selection – pg. 200-245
Thursday, October 2 Mate Selection Chapter 5 Quiz
Closes at Midnight Tuesday, October 7 Personality and Individual Factors
Chapter 6: Individuals in Relationships: Personality and Personal History – pg. 246-282
Thursday, October 9 Personal History Chapter 6 Quiz
Closes at Midnight Tuesday, October 14 Communication and Active Listening
Chapter 7: Communicating Closeness: How Intimate Relationships are Maintained – pg. 283-314
Thursday, October 16 Maintaining Intimate Relationships Chapter 7 Quiz Closes at Midnight
Tuesday, October 21 In-Class Exam Mid-Term Exam
Thursday, October 23 Aggression in Intimate Relationships Guest Speaker
Thursday, November 13
Stress and Intimate Relationships Chapter 11: Stress and Social Support: Intimate
Relationships in Context – pg. 445-491
Tuesday, November 18 Social Support Chapter 11 Quiz
Closes at Midnight Thursday, November
20
An Overview of Interventions for Relationship Distress Chapter 12: Interventions: Making Intimate Relationships
Better – pg. 494-540
Tuesday, November 25 Case Study of Relationship Distress Chapter 12 Quiz Closes at Midnight Thursday, November
27
Happiness or Dissolution
Chapter 13: Intimate Relationships Across the Lifespan pg. 541-598
Tuesday, December 2 Wrap Up Chapter 13 Quiz
Closes at Midnight Wednesday, December
10 9:00 a.m. – Location To Be Announced Final Exam
*This schedule is subject to changes.*
