Course Syllabus

Catalog Description

Examination of the major psychological perspectives on religion, faith, and religious experience. Objective and subjective approaches to the study of religion as related to prayer, meditation, social attitudes and behavior, mental health, mysticism, religious orientation, and personal development. 4 lectures.

Expected Outcomes

Knowledge of the fundamental methodologies used in psychology in general and in the psychological study of religion in particular.
Knowledge of psychological theories as they relate to the psychology of religion such as: personality, learning and developmental theories.
Knowledge of the perspectives of the classic contributors to the psychology of religion, including Freud, Jung, James, in light of their personal lives and guiding scientific beliefs.
Ability to compare and contrast psychological research and explanations for religious motivation, experiences and behavior.
Development of critical thinking skills and criteria applied to psychological research.
Ability to analyze and critically evaluate research findings and theoretical propositions in the psychology of religion.
Heightened self-awareness regarding the student's religious values and beliefs.
Ability to critically evaluate the student's religious beliefs and practices against the criteria developed by psychological theory and research.
Appreciation of the pluralism of modern psychological theories and the perspectives they afford.
Ability to discuss psychological theories and studies about religious phenomena while respecting the religious beliefs of others.
Development of an attitude of respect for both the science of psychology and the traditions of religion in its diverse forms throughout history and cultures.

Texts

Hood, R.W., Jr., Spilka, B., Hunsberger, B., and Gorsuch, R. (1996). Psychology of Religion: An Empirical Approach (2nd ed.). New York: Guilford.

Reserve Readings: Biographical Sketches of Freud, James and Jung taken from:

Wulff, D. M. (1997). Psychology of Religion: Classic and Contemporary (2nd ed.). New York: Wiley and Sons.

The Perspective of Sigmund Freud [~30 pages]

William James and His Legacy [~30 pages]

C.G. Jung and the Analytical Tradition [~30 pages]

Recommended Reading:

Tremmel, W. C. (1997). Religion: What is it? (3rd ed.). San Francisco: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.

I encourage any student interested in religion to check out this work. The author draws upon a wide variety of religious traditions and disciplines like philosophy, psychology, and the social sciences to explore though-provoking issues like the origin of religion, concepts of God, religious techniques and experiences.

Recommended Resources:

http://www.psywww.com/psyrelig/psyrelig.htm

I strongly encourage you to consult the psychology of religion homepage maintained by Dr. Michael Nielsen at Georgia Southern University. It is the best resource in this field that I've discovered to date.

http://www.multimedia.calpoly.edu/libarts/bfiorito

This is the course homepage. While its syllabus and learning objectives need updating, it has some useful content and is an illustration of what students can do and build upon for this course.

Method of Instruction

Class meetings will invlove lecture-discussions of the text and presented material. Students are expected to be prepared for and participate in class sessions by having read the text and by being willing to discuss the text and presented material.

I encourage you to express your opinions openly, to ask questions, and to remember that there are rarely any right-or-wrong answers in this area. During discussions, we will explore one of the topics (religion) which, along with sex and politics, is considered inappropriate in polite conversation. That is because religion is a controversial and sensitive issue for many persons. It is unrealistic to think that we have not formed some opinions, perhaps even deeply held convictions about religion. It is, therefore, essential that we strive to maintain an atmosphere of respect and tolerance for differing viewpoints in this class. It is also worthwile to remember that our goal is not to establish or abolish any given theological position, nor to recruit others to our own perspective. It is important to remember what psychological research and theory have to contribute to our discussions.

Tenative Course Outline

	Readings
A. Introduction 1. Focus and limits of the course 2. Definitions of terms 3. Why People are Religious 4. Science, religion and the Postmodern Perspetive B. Religion and Development 1. Religion in Childhood 2. Religion in Adolescence and Adulthood	chs. 1 - 4 [~150 pages] Freud Bio Sketch
Exam 1 - Week of 4/19-22
C. Religious Experiences 1. Religion and Death 2. Religious Experience 3. Mysticism and Concersion	chs. 5-8 [~150 pages] James Bio Sketch
Exam 2 - Week of 5/10-13
D. Social Psychological Aspects of Religion 1. Religious Organizations 2. Religion and Coping 3. Religion and Mental Disorder	chs. 9-13 [~130 pages] Jung Bio Sketch
Final Exam - Wednesday, 6/9, 1-4 p.m.

Evaluation

Grades will be assigned on the basis of a total points earned on exams and a paper. There will be two 100-point midterm exams, and a 100-point final exam covering the texts and class presentations. Each exam is noncomprehensive. Since the class paper is worth 100 points, the total number of points capable of being earned by students is 400. Grades will be assigned according to the percentages indicated below with the highest and lowest 2% in each percentage category receiving plus/minus grades respectively. To receive and A, however, a student must maintain 94% or higher.

Percentage	Grade
90% or higher	A
80% or higher	B
70% or higher	C
60% or higher	D
less than 60%	F

Class Paper

Students have a choice among the three types of papers and small group project described below. All papers should be typed, proofread, and use APA style for references, if used. All papers are due on Thursday, June 3. Papers handed in by Friday, May 21 will receive a bonus of 5 extra points. An early paper is accepted if it is an "A" or "B" paper; early papers that aren't "A" or "B" papers will be returned once for further work. Papers submitted on June 3 will be graded "as is". Papers submitted between June 3 and the final will receive a penalty grade of 5 points per day late. No papers will be accepted after the final exam unless the student has made arrangements with the instrucor to take an incomplete.

Topical Paper: Select a topic covered in class or the text and write an 8-page paper summarizing the theoretical and empirical literature. The paper should be based on a minimum of 8 recent references. This paper will be graded on substance or quality of the paper, number and currency of references, writing style and length.

Course Improvement Paper: Seleect a topic to add to the course and write an 8-page paper that includes : a summary of the theoretical and empirical literature; your personal statement as to why this topic would be a positive addition to the course; a list of printed, electronic and AV resources to use in covering this topic in class. This paper will be graded on substance or quality of the paper, number and currency of references and resources, writing style, and length.

Personal Development Paper: Write an 8-page paper that describes how course material has been used for your personal development. The paper should include specific reference to topics and suthors along with personal sharing and/or critical thinking on who these topics influenced your thought and development in this area. If you choose to do this paper, I would recommend that you keep a journal to record your thoughts and reactions to topics and discussions that you might include in the paper. This paper will be graded on substance or quality of the paper, writing style, and length.

Historical Figure Paper: Select a significant figure in the psychology of religion and write an 8-page paper that includes: a summary of the person's professional writings on one topic in this field; a summary of the current empirical knowledge; a description of the person's personal and professional background that you believe caused assumptions or biases to influence this person's work; your evaluation will be graded on substance or quality of the paper, number of references, writing style, and length.

Course Web Site Project: Update, improve, and add to the course web site which would include among other components: course syllabus, lecture outlines, learning objectives, practice test questions, electronic resources, and links to other related sites. This project will be graded on the content and quality of the web site and a written report on what has been changed or added to the site. This is a small group project for a limited number of students with the ability to create web pages; students need the instructor's approval to take on this assignment.

AV Resource Project: List video materials that would illustrate or dramatize course content. The final project woould consist of a written report that would describe what each videotape segment illustrates and videotapes (to be returned to students) cued to the times segment identified in the written report. This project will be graded on the number and relevancy of video scenes presented and described, organization and writing style of the written report. This is a small group project for a limited nimber of students who need the instructor's approval to undertake it.

A Note on Paper Length: While length is not a primary grading standard, it is necessary to do a good job. Papers may be longer than 8 pages but additional length does not guarantee a better grade. Substance/quality is the primary criterion for grading. Papers which are significantly shorter than the prescribed 8 pages will be graded as follows:

Paper Length	Highest Potential Grade
7	90
6	80
5	60