In this course we examine the scientific integrity of popular movies with psychological themes, addressing questions such as “How well does this film depict psychological principles, behaviours, and psychological science?”

We address several different topics, examining the accuracy of Hollywood’s portrayal of psychological science. This year there are five units: how we perceive movies; memory for traumatic experiences; nature vs. nature (genes vs. environment); obedience to authority, and people sometimes called "psychopaths."

The course is accessed online through the Moodle system.

In PSYCH110, each unit will contain a variety of media—feature-length blockbuster movies, short videos, podcast-style interviews, and readings—to lead you through that topic. Within each unit, each component is designed to be completed in a specific order via Moodle, so please work through them in the order they are presented.

Everything you need to do this course will be provided through Moodle, except the 4 blockbuster movies.

The University library has a copy of each movie in its high-demand collection. In addition to the library’s copies, you can find these movies on various popular streaming services (for example, ETV, iTunes, YouTube, DocPlay), or from online video stores across the country (for example, Alice in Videoland, Aro Video).

We will provide you with list of sources for each movie. This list is accurate as of the beginning of the course, but please be aware that we don’t have any control over what streaming services or stores offer which movies. Depending on availability and how you choose to access these movies, you might need to pay a small fee to rent or stream them. That small cost is markedly offset by the fact that your textbook is free.

Each unit has a test that goes along with it. Because there are 5 units, that means you will have 5 tests. The tests, in combination with the discussion board, are designed to assess how well you have grasped the basic concepts described in the section “Learning Outcomes.” Tests can be a combination of multiple-choice, and/or short answer type questions.

They are administered via Moodle. The “Tests” section of Moodle details specific instructions and rules pertaining to the tests. You must follow these instructions and rules exactly, or you will receive a zero for your test(s).

The tests may be taken “open book,” which means that you are allowed to take them with the use of your notes. But you can use only your notes—do not try to use the information on the Moodle site while taking a test).

Each test is worth 1/5 of your grade (or 20%). Take the tests when you want, as long as you finish them by December 17th at 5pm.

The first thing you should do, if you have a question, depends on what kind of question it is. If the question relates to private, course administration matters, then contact the TAs via Moodle’s Private Help channel. They will coordinate with each other about who responds and follows up on your inquiry.

If your question has to do with the content of a particular unit or is about a topic, post your question instead on the discussion forum in the appropriate place, and someone will respond as quickly as possible. By posting on the forum, others in PSYCH110 who have the same question can learn from the answer and the ensuing discussion.

The TAs handle most aspects of course administration. They will happily handle all your questions, from correcting the way your name is spelled on our records, to collecting a medical certificate. If there is something they cannot handle, they will direct you to the person who can. For these private matters, contact them via Moodle’s Private Help channel.

If you have technical issues, please do not contact the TAs – instead, you should contact the ITS service desk (help@waikato.ac.nz).

If your question has to do with more public aspects of PSYCH110, such as where to get readings or access the movies, then post those questions to the forum in the appropriate place, so that everyone can learn from them.

Because this course is worth 15 points, the average student wanting an average passing grade should expect to spend an average of about 150 hours on PSYCH110 by the time it ends. If you backup and read that sentence again, you will note that the word average crops up a lot. In other words, these are rules of thumb, and your mileage may vary, as the saying goes. That 150 hours includes time you spend doing anything related to PSYCH110, including thinking. Actually, thinking is something students tend to undervalue. Thinking is hard work. Luckily, you can do it anywhere, including in the shower. And the topics from PSYCH110 are so interesting, that you will be thinking about them a lot, and talking about them to other people.

In short, PSYCH110 gives you a lot of flexibility about how you will actually deal with the learning and testing aspects of the course.