Physiology and Psychology of Violence and Aggression 

Purpose: to help other instructors teaching the same course

Common Course ID: PSY 3070
CSU Instructor Open Textbook Adoption Portrait

Abstract: This open textbook is being utilized in a psychology course for undergraduate students by Professor Hacopian at Cal State LA. Students can find course material in the form of PPT slides that are available on Canvas. The main motivation to adopt an open textbook was the need to reduce financial strain on students. Most student access the open textbook in on Canvas.

Course Title and Number:  PSY 3070; Physiology and Psychology of Violence and Aggression
 
Brief Description of course highlights:  In this course, you will learn about different types of violence such as homicide, juvenile violence, domestic violence, school shootings, gangs, substance abuse, sexual assault, elder abuse, and child abuse, among many others. This course will provide a broad overview of violence incidence statistics, violence as it relates to social class, various violence theories and typologies, and the biological and psychological bases of violent behavior. .

Student population: Most students taking PSY 3070 are either psychology or criminology majors.

Learning or student outcomes: 
-Understand the different approaches researchers have taken to understand violence and aggression such as the perspective of developmental psychopathology and risk factors and protective factors in the epidemiology of violence
-Recall different data sources of violence, such as the Uniform Crime Reports, the National Crime Victimization Survey, and the National Family Violence Survey
-Compare and contrast different theories and typologies in violence research, such as Holtzworth-Munroe and Meehan’s domestic offender typology. 

Textbook or OER/Low cost Title:  Englander, E. K. (2007). Understanding violence (3rd ed.). Lawrence Erlbaum Assoc Publishers. ISBN-13: 9780805860917

Brief Description: Provide a brief description of the textbook, OER or Low Cost option, including anything relevant to your choice.
Please provide a link to the resource
Authors:  E.K. Englander
Student access:  Canvas
Supplemental resources: I use PPT slides and rubrics as my supplemental resources
Provide the cost savings from that of a traditional textbook. The book was approximately $50–$100 that they saved from not buying it.

OER/Low Cost Adoption Process

Provide an explanation or what motivated you to use this textbook or OER/Low Cost option. Using OER lessens the financial burden on students. For students registered with OSD, using OER helps them not to fall behind on reading assignments.

How did you find and select the open textbook for this course? I used the textbook that previous professors that taught this class used.

Sharing Best Practices: I would suggest using OER materials because students with disabilities who are waitlisted or who are enrolled will have to take extra time to get the material digitalized. Especially if they are a waitlisted student, this could mean that they fall behind on work as the semester starts and are at a disadvantage.

Describe any challenges you experienced, and lessons learned. The only challenge I experienced was deciding whether to list the course material as recommended or optional since they wouldn’t be purchasing anything. 

Instructor Name:  Paulette Hacopian
I am a lecturer in the Psychology Department at Cal State, Los Angeles

Please describe the courses you teach.  
I teach social psychology and psychology of violence.
PSY 3220, PSY 3040, PSY 3070

Describe your teaching philosophy and any research interests related to your discipline or teaching.  My research interests concern chronic diseases and somatic symptoms in university students.