PSYC2267: PSYCHOLOGY OF ART II

Course Description

PSYC 2267 Psychology of Art II

Prerequisite: PSYC 2256 or permission from the instructor (email him for permission: kens@nipissingu.ca)
Antirequisite: PSYC 2255
Hours: Three hours of lecture per week.
Credits: 3

This course examines each of the major creative arts in terms of the psychology of perception, cognition, and emotion, as well as the biological and evolutionary bases for some aspects of the aesthetic experience and art appreciation. Specific, exemplary artworks are presented and discussed. The relationship of the sciences to the traditional arts is also investigated.

Download Course Syllabus For PSYC 2267 Here.

Careful reading of the syllabus is essential, for every student is responsible for knowing the rules and course requirements outlined within it!

IMPORTANT NOTICES

Important Notices Regarding Psyc of Art II (PSYC2267) will be posted here.  Students taking this course online should visit this site regularly.
      

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT.

For those of you really interested in psychology, and related disciplines such as philosophy, art, and the other sciences, there is now a list server (very much like the one for this course) on which you can discuss ideas and share internet links to interesting content!  On it I'll post links to other cool stuff you may wish to investigate.  Other faculty will also contribute material. And you can contribute too!

This list server is open to anyone interested in joining.  Any student interested (no matter what their major) need only request to join by sending an email to ken@stange.com.  An invitation then will be sent back, and simply replying to the invitation will suffice to join the group.  One can, or course, drop out of the email list at any time.

Journal WORD templates

Download Journal Template For PSYC 2267 Here.

Some students have asked to see an example of what I consider a really good journal.  This is a journal from PSYC 2257 which was offered in-house a few years ago.  I’ve chosen this one not only because it received an excellent grade, but because it exemplifies the characteristics I use to give a high grade to the journal assignment for both Psyc of Art courses.  The most important of these characteristics is sincere engagement with the material.  This means thoughtful consideration of the numerous and various new content presented—not just saying “I liked it!” or “I disliked it!” or simply describing it.  This means being open-minded and open to new experiences and viewpoints.  But it also means being willing to disagree with the views presented and intelligently question the validity of the ideas presented.  I’m an atheist, as most students know, and you’ll note that the author of this journal has religious convictions, yet is independent-minded enough to express them. This honesty is appreciated, and it indicates engaging with the material on a personal level.  The inclusion of the author’s own poems is further evidence of this.  Finally, I should add that the paper is respectful in the sense that it was proofread and carefully prepared..  It is not immaculately perfect in grammar, but while being casual and informal, it shows a sincere effort to clearly express what the author wants to say.  I hope this exemplary journal will be found useful.  And I sincerely thank the author for permission to post it.

A++ Exemplary Journal

Supplementary Listing of Great Sites For 'Inquiring Minds'!

• The Poetry Archive is a wonderful online collection of recordings of poets reading their work.
• TED is a collection of inspired videos of talks by the world's leading thinkers and doers .
• UbuWeb is a resource dedicated to the avant-garde arts which includes lots of great audio files.
• YouTube is full of great videos on art and science--if one searches effectively through the plethora of junk.

Hints and Warnings

Hints and warnings regarding final exam.

• Please pay attention to the following pieces of advice and information on what I expect you to know.  I really don't want to surprise you with questions on material you thought you didn't have to study or be familiar with.
• Names matter! Out of respect for the artists and scientists whose work has been presented, you should know the association of the work and ideas with the individual.
• You are not expected to memorize minor details from the online 'readings', but you are expected to be familiar with the material. Surfing through it and reviewing it all before the exam is very strongly recommended.  You can expect at least one general question about most of the readings associated with each module. 
• Reviewing the course modules to refresh your memory is strongly advised.
  

Hints and warnings regarding forum participation.

• Participating in the forum discussions is an easy way to get a 100% on what is worth 24% of the course.  But every year students get less than this easy 100% just because they procrastinate. 
• Get involved early so you aren't scrambling to make posting at the end of each posting period.  Remember trivial postings aren't counted.

Hints and warnings regarding journals.

• Make your journal entries as you go through each module, and make an entry immediately, while the material is fresh in your mind.  If you don't make your entries when the topic is fresh in your mind, your comments will be weak. Making your entries immediately also will aid your learning and recalling of the material for the final exam. Trying to do your journal at the end of term, rather than keeping up with it, is like brushing teeth 365 times in one day that is the first time in a year you've brushed--and hoping you won't have any cavities.
• Respond to the material.  Question the material.  What makes a good journal entry is evidence of serious thought about the content discussed.