HECOL 210 Intimate Relationships
Monday and Wednesday @ 9:00 a.m. – 11:50 a.m. (MS 227) May 4, 2015- June 10, 2015
Instructor: Tara Boothby, MA R.Psych Office: TBA Human Ecology Building
Email: [email protected]
Office Hours: Mondays 12-1 pm by appointment Phone: TBAPolicy 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 (Second 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 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
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 (20% weight)
This course is designed to be highly interactive, including class discussions and a variety of activities. These
assignments will be completed in class and must be handed in to the instructor with the students’ name on it at the end of class (unless explained otherwise by the course instructor). The schedule date for these assignments is below in the Class Schedule outline. Marking for these activities will be based on evidence that the assignment was fully completed, with serious thought given to the subject.
Online Forums (10% weight)
There will be FIVE questions posted sporadically on the eclass page throughout the semester. Each student must contribute a minimum of one post per forum. Posts may be an answer to the original forum question or a response to another students post. POSTS MUST BE BETWEEN 50-100 WORDS. Maximum grade per forum is 2%.
Online Forum questions will demonstrate the student’s critical thinking and ability to integrate the course content.
Mid-Term Exam (30% weight) In class Wednesday, May 27th
The mid-term exam will cover all lecture and reading material through to the end of Chapter 7 in the textbook. The exam will consist of multiple choice questions and will be based on in class discussions as well as the textbook.
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 TBA 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.
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
Monday, May 4th Detailed Explanation of the Syllabus Defining an Intimate Relationship
Chapter 1: What Do We Want to Know About Intimate Relationships –
Why Study Intimate Relationships?
Key Question About Intimate Relationships Answering Questions about Intimate Relationships Chapter 2: Tools for Studying Intimate Relationships – Wednesday, May 6th Evolutionary Psychology and Attachment Theory Chapter 3: Theoretical Frameworks for Understanding
Intimate Relationships –
Social Exchange Theory, Social Learning Theory, and Ecological Theories
BRING YOUR TEXTBOOK
In Class Assignment One5%
Monday, May 11th Men and Women
Same-Sex Couples
Chapter 4: Men and Women, Gay and Straight – Commitment
Wednesday, May 13th Attraction and Hooking Up Chapter 5: Attraction and Mate Selection –
Mate Selection
Monday, May 18th LONG WEEKEND NO CLASS Wednesday, May 20th Personality and Individual Factors
Chapter 6: Individuals in Relationships: Personality and Personal History –
Personal History
BRING YOUR TEXTBOOK In Class Assignment Two
5%
Monday, May 25th Communication and Active Listening Chapter 7: Communicating Closeness: How Intimate
Relationships are Maintained – Maintaining Intimate Relationships
Wednesday, May 27th MIDTERM EXAM
Midterm 30%
Monday, June 1st Aggression in Intimate Relationships Guest Speaker
Conflict Resolution
Chapter 8: Managing Differences: Conflict and Aggression Wednesday, June 3rd Beliefs and Expectations About Intimate Relationships
Chapter 9: Beliefs and Values: Thinking about Intimate Relationships –
Values and Where they Come From
BRING YOUR TEXTBOOK In Class Assignment Three
5%
Monday June 8th Construction of Meaning In Intimate Relationships Chapter 10: Explanations and Justifications: Making
Meaning in Intimate Relationships – Stress and Intimate Relationships Chapter 11: Stress and Social Support: Intimate
Relationships in Context – Social Support
BRING YOUR TEXTBOOK Prepare for next Class
Assignment Four
Wednesday, June 10th An Overview of Interventions for Relationship Distress Chapter 12: Interventions: Making Intimate Relationships
Better –
Case Study of Relationship Distress Happiness or Dissolution
Chapter 13: Intimate Relationships Across the Lifespan
BRING YOUR TEXTBOOK In Class Assignment Four
5%
Presentations
TBA 9:00 a.m. – Location To Be Announced Final Exam 40%
*This schedule is subject to changes.*
