Syllabus for PSYCO 302 (X51): Nonverbal Communication Winter 2018
Instructor: Lisa Smithson, Ph.D.
Office: BS-P343
Email: [email protected] (Please put PSYCO 302 in the subject line of your emails) Phone: (780) 492-0036
Office hours: By appointment
Course website: Go to eClass, accessible on the University main page
Required Text:
No textbook required.
Course Description and Objectives:
This course is intended to provide you with foundational knowledge required to gain a better understanding of nonverbal communication including: body language, gesture production, eye gaze, facial expressions, haptics, proxemics, and cultural influences. We will evaluate research methodology practices used in nonverbal communication research and discuss how research in this area can be applied in medical practice, psychiatric observation, consumer research, and everyday life.
Lecture Schedule:
One 2-hour and 50-minute lecture is scheduled for every week. I will introduce examples and concepts that expand on the information that is covered in assigned reading material and I will also introduce information that will supplement the assigned reading material.
All of the material discussed in lectures, as well as, the information contained in the readings, lecture notes, and class presentations may be covered on the exams.
Lecture # Date Reading Topics Activities
1 January 10 • Introduction to nonverbal communication
• Nonverbal communication methods
2 January 17 • Gestures and body language
3 January 24 Reading 1 • Gestures and body language 4 January 31 Reading 2 • Facial expressions
5 February 7 • Eye contact and gaze Midterm #1
6 February 14 Reading 3 • Eye contact and gaze
February 21 • NO CLASS (Reading week!)
7 February 28 Reading 4 • Voice
8 March 7 • Haptics and Proxemics
9 March 14 Reading 5 • Cultural influences on nonverbal behaviour
• Applications in medical practice, psychiatric observation and consumer research
Midterm #2
10 March 21 • Nonverbal communication in social situations, family
and work
11 March 28 • Class presentations
12 April 4 • Class presentations
13 April 11 • Final exam
*The instructor reserves the right to make changes to this outline as the course progresses.
Reading Reference
1 • de Gelder, B. (2006). Towards the neurobiology of emotional body language. Nature Review Neuroscience, 7 (3), 242-249.
2 • Fernandez-Dols, J.-M. (2013). Advances in the study of facial expression: An introduction to the special section. Emotion Review, 5 (1), 3-7.
3 • Wirth, J.H., Sacco, D.F., Hugenberg, K., & Williams, K.D. (2010). Eye gaze as relational evaluation: Averted eye gaze leads to feelings of ostracism and relational devaluation. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 36 (7), 869-882.
4 • Kim, J., & Davis, C. (2012). Perceiving emotion from a talker: How face and voice work together.
Visual Cognition, 20 (8), 902-921.
5 • Tso, I.F., Mui, M.L., Taylor, S.F., & Deldin, P.J. (2012). Eye-contact perception in schizophrenia:
Relationship with symptoms and socioemotional functioning. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 121, 3, 616-627.
Web Content:
Additional information for the course can be found on eClass
at https://eclass.srv.ualberta.ca/portal/. Lecture notes will be posted by 6pm the day before the lecture at the latest.
Evaluation:
Midterm #1 Lectures 1-4 20%
Midterm #2 Lectures 5-8 20%
Final exam Lectures 1-12 38%
Class presentation During lectures 11 and 12 10%
Class participation Lectures 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 12%
Exams:
Students are responsible for all lecture, reading, and eClass material. Additionally, any content that is covered in class in the form of a demonstration or activity as well as any videos that are played in class, are eligible to be covered on both midterm and final exams. The instructor will not answer any questions regarding what content the students should focus on for the exams.
Each of the two midterms (worth 20% each for a total of 40% of the final grade) will be 50 minutes long and will consist of 30 multiple-choice questions and two short answer questions. The final exam (worth 38% of the final grade) will be two hours long and will consist of 40 multiple-choice questions and three short answer questions. The midterms will not be cumulative. Therefore, Midterm #2 will only cover material learned since Midterm #1. However, the final exam will cover material from the entire course. The final exam will be held on the last day of class in class time (April the 12th from 5-7pm).
Class participation:
Part 1:
During lectures 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, I will present a research study. You will be given 15 minutes in a group to discuss the methods used in the study, how the finding (s) from this study could be applied meaningfully (in any domain(s)), and future research that could be done to extend the findings. You will then be given 10 minutes to complete a worksheet that outlines these ideas (this component will be done individually).
Part 2:
During lectures 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, I will present short video clips. Your task is to apply what you have learned in the course to understand what individuals and their interlocutors are communicating and understanding.
*Your best six evaluations will be used towards your grade. If you are not present in class for any reason, there will be no make-up participation forms since three of the forms will not count towards your grade.
Each one will be worth 2%:
• 0%: if the form is incomplete
• 1%: Responses are provided for each section, however the responses provided are only satisfactory
• 2%: Responses are provided for each section, and the responses provided are excellent
Class presentation:
You will work in pairs to present on a topic that piqued your interest in the course. You will propose a research study that could be conducted to assess the topic of interest (that to your knowledge has not already been used). In your presentation you will be expected to prepare a set of PowerPoint slides and send them to me on the day of your presentation.
Your presentation will be 10 minutes in length with three minutes for student questions.
The slides should contain the following information:
1. Introduction of the topic (/4)
2. The gap that exists in current knowledge (/2) 3. Your idea for a research study (/2)
4. Methodology (/4)
5. How the findings from this study could potentially be applied meaningfully (/4) 6. Presentation (creativity, style, persuasiveness) (/4)
Grades:
Final grades will be reported using letter grades. Final grades will be determined after combining scores for all components of the course into a percentage total for each student.
This is not a curved course. These percentages will then be converted into letter grades based on the following conversion system:
I will apply adjustments using my expert judgment so that students' demonstrated ability corresponds to the letter grade as specified by the University Calendar. Exam grades will be posted under “My Grades” on eClass. Neither the midterm nor final exams will be passed back to the students. If students want to see their exam, they can view it with me during exam viewings (which will be scheduled at a later date) or by scheduling an appointment with the instructor.
Additional Considerations:
Specialized Support and Students with Disabilities: Students who require
accommodations in this course due to a disability affecting mobility, vision, hearing, learning, mental or physical health are advised to contact Specialized Support and Disability Services in SUB as soon as possible. It is possible both to get help with note taking and/or to get extra time for writing examinations. Students registered with
Specialized Support and Disability Services (SSDS) who will be using accommodations in the classroom, or who will be writing exams through SSDS, are required to provide a
"Letter of Introduction" to the instructor as soon as possible. Students are encouraged to make an appointment with the instructor to discuss any required accommodations.
Students who write exams with accommodations at SSDS should be cognizant of their deadlines and regulations. Failing to meet these deadlines or follow these procedures will most likely result in SSDS being unable to provide the necessary space and/or services required. In these situations, the department of Psychology does not have the resources to provide disability- related exam accommodations, and students will be invited to write their exams with their peers during the allotted time in the assigned room.
Missed term work: The University considers acceptable reasons for being absent from term work, including midterms, to be an incapacitating mental and/or physical illness, severe domestic affliction, or circumstances described in the University’s Discrimination, Harassment and Duty to Accommodate Policy (including religious conviction). Examples of unacceptable reasons for missing an exam include (but are not limited to) personal events such as vacations, weddings, work, or family travel arrangements. Students are expected to read their syllabi and ensure that they will be able to attend those days when they will be graded. For an excused absence where the cause is religious conviction, a student must contact the instructor(s) within two weeks of the start of classes to request accommodation for the term (including the final exam, where relevant). Instructors may request documentation from a pastor or imam, etc. to substantiate the student request.
Requests should be made to the instructor as far in advance as possible, but need to be made within 48 hours of the missed work or deadline.
Deferral of term work is a privilege and not a right; there is no guarantee that a deferral will be granted. Misrepresentation of Facts to gain a deferral is a serious breach of the Code of Student Behaviour.
Absence from exams: Students are expected to write all exams as scheduled; see the course outline above for the dates of the midterms and check the university exam schedule to confirm the final exam date. There will be no make-up examinations for the midterms (with the exception of accommodations for religious conviction). If a midterm is missed due to an acceptable reason (as outlined above), the weight of the midterm will be transferred to the final exam. For this to happen, the instructor must be contacted within 48 hours of the scheduled midterm. Failure to do so will result in a grade of zero being applied to the exam. To defer a final exam, you will need to go through the deferral process with their faculty office. The deferred exam will be cumulative, and will consist entirely of short and long answer questions.
Re-Marking: If you believe that an error was made in grading one of your exams, you must discuss it with the instructor, who will make the final decision.
Classroom Etiquette: Students are expected to behave appropriately during lecture, reflecting respect for the instructor and their classmates. Frequent talking or other disruptions will not be tolerated. Students should feel free to ask questions during class, but those who wish to discuss the lecture material (or other topics) with their classmates should make arrangements to do so outside of class time. Students who talk loudly or excessively during class with either a) be called on to ask questions regarding the lecture or text material, or b) be asked to leave the lecture. Students are expected to turn off all cell phones, pagers, blackberry and music devices during class time so as not to disrupt or annoy the class. Students should not resume the use of these devices until they have left the lecture theatre. Use of laptop computers will be permitted for the purpose of note taking. Note: 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 an 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.
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 Behavior (online at www.governance.ualberta.ca) and avoid any behavior 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.
Learning and Working Environment: The Faculty of Science is committed to ensuring that all students, faculty and staff are able to work and study in an environment that is safe and free from discrimination and harassment. It does not tolerate behaviour that undermines that environment. The department urges anyone who feels that this policy is being violated to:
1) Discuss the matter with the person whose behaviour is causing concern; or 2) If that discussion is unsatisfactory, or there is concern that direct discussion is
inappropriate or threatening, discuss it with the Associate Chair, or Chair of the department.
For additional advice or assistance regarding this policy students may contact the student ombudservice: (https://www.ombudservice.ualberta.ca/). Information about the University of Alberta Discrimination and Harassment Policy and Procedures can be found in the GFC Policy Manual, section 44 available
at http://www.governance.ualberta.ca/GeneralFacultiesCouncil.aspx.
Plagiarism and Cheating: All students should consult the ‘Truth-In-Education”
handbook or Website
(https://www.deanofstudents.ualberta.ca/en/AcademicIntegrity/UndergraduateHandbook.
aspx) regarding the definitions of plagiarism and its consequences when detected. An instructor or coordinator who is convinced that a student has handed in work that he or she could not possibly reproduce without outside assistance is obliged, out of
consideration of fairness to other students, to report the case to the Associate Dean of the Faculty. Before unpleasantness occurs
consult https://www.deanofstudents.ualberta.ca/en/AcademicIntegrity/UndergraduateHan dbook.aspx; also discuss this matter with any tutor(s) and with your instructor.
Writing Assistance: Any student experiencing difficulties, or requiring extra assistance for written assignments of any kind, is encouraged to make use of the resources available through the University of Alberta’s Centre for Writers in Assiniboia Hall (for a complete list of available services and tutors please see (http://c4w.ualberta.ca/).
Policy about course outlines can be found in the University Calendar.
