PSY 2090 Psychology of Adulthood and Aging 
Dr. Diane Finley

A man's age is something impressive, it sums up his life:  maturity reached slowly and against many obstacles, illnesses cured, griefs and despairs overcome, and unconscious risks taken; maturity formed through so many desires, hopes, regrets, forgotten things, loves.  A man's age represents a fine cargo of experiences and memories.  ~Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Wartime Writings 1939-1944, translated from French by Norah Purcell

Contacting the Instructor:
Office Hours: TBA – Check classroom for an announcement
Office: M2049       Phone: 301-322-0869
Email:  dfinley@pgcc.edu  
Website: academic.pgcc.edu/~dfinley
Blackboard: pgcconline.blackboard.com

Be sure to put PSY2090PGCC in the subject line so that your mail won't be accidentally deleted. If you put something else in the subject line such as question or test, I may delete your message if I don't read all of my mail.

Prerequisites
General Psychology (PSYC 1010) is a prerequisite of this course. Reading proficiency as defined by the College is also expected.

Course Description
The biological, psychological, historical and cultural aspects of aging are presented in a multidisciplinary approach. Diversities in the aging experience are discussed.

Course Rationale
This course is designed to give students an understanding of the psychological principles related to adulthood and aging. Such principles are selected for their applicability to those who work with this population. An attempt will be made to relate these principles to many potential situations.

General Departmental Objectives:
1. Identify developmental theories of adulthood including
2. Discuss factors related to successful aging
3. List methods of studying adults and explain issues related to research including ethical and methodological concerns.
4. Discuss adulthood and aging within the context of a lifespan developmental approach to psychology



PSY 2090 Grading

 

Final Grades:

The instructor reserves the right to make corrections to incorrect grades and discrepancies in the Blackboard gradebook. The Bb gradebook is for informational purposes only. The official gradebook is the one that the instructor keeps.

Grading of Group DBS:
All group discussion must be done in the group area. That allows me to track participation. Use email only to let your group members know you have posted.  Do not try to meet outside of the online classroom. It is not necessary. Also, note that most of the points come from individual effort (7 pts). The first posting which must be completed by the early posting deadline must be substantive and address the DB question. Once the deadline for individual posting has past, the group may proceed with discussing the assignment. You do not have to wait for a group member who does not post on time. The other 3 points are earned for the group posting to the DB in the class area. The group will need to choose (volunteer) one person to summarize and post to the Class DB at the end of the week. I will not open the Class DB until the end of next week. Note that if you post to the Class area and are not summarizing for your group, I will delete that posting and you will not receive credit. 

If someone in the group does not participate, they will not get any points. If groups are not balanced in terms of active members, I will shuffle them for the next group assignment. 

Responses to Classmates
For all DBs, except debates and the introduction DB, you must comment thoughtfully on what someone else writes. Merely saying good point or interesting will not earn these points. You must make a comment that advances the discussion.
(2 points per response. Extra responses will be considered if you reach 20 points and are within 5 points of a higher letter grade.)

Quizzes
Because they are available for at least one week, there are no make-ups for quizzes. It is essential that you take all quizzes early in the week when they are available to avoid getting “bumped out” and not having enough time to complete the quiz before the due date.

Late Work
You may submit one DB late for partial credit in the late DB area. Group DBS have posting dates early in the week they are due. Those deadlines must be met in order to earn full points. On the current events and case study assignments, there is a loss of 4 points per day for late assignment submission.  Also recognize that later submissions will not receive feedback, just a grade.

Extra Credit
The only extra credit is during the first week, the Introductory Learning Unit. By completing all required submission items in the Intro LU, you can earn 5 extra credit points (1%).

Incomplete
A grade of I (Incomplete) can only be given for verifiable medical reasons (I will ask for details - a note saying you are sick will not be sufficient) or for documented circumstances beyond your control (this does NOT mean a dead car battery but some severe incident). Documents must be in writing and will be verified. Additionally, it is my choice to give or not give the "I." The Dean must also approve all Incompletes. He seldom does so. DO NOT ASSUME you will be granted one.

Final Exam
The final exam is cumulative and is closed book. It covers materials from the beginning of the course. It is not comprehensive, however, and a study guide for the final will be posted by the middle of the course. It is possible that the exam will be computerized. That means when you arrive at your testing site, you will sign onto the course as usual and the proctor will enter the password to access the exam.  It is your responsibility to verify the hours at the Testing Center. Be aware that the Center has limited seats and that during busy times, you may have to wait in line to check in. You cannot bring any materials into the Testing Center. You will need a quarter (not just 25 cents, but a quarter) to use the lockers. Please plan now for a time when you can take the exam.  Note that the Testing Center closes early on some days – check their website for specifics.