Contact Information

Instructor: Prof. Carol DiFalco, PhD, LMHC
Office Location: Quincy Campus, Room 453
Office Hours: By appointment
Phone: (617) 405-5942 Quincy office
Email: cdifalco@quincycollege.edu

Course Description

This course is a comprehensive look at the psychology of personal change and associated factors, from a biological, sociocultural, and psychosocial perspective. Students will be able to apply their knowledge of the working model to analyze a program of change within an area of interest.

Pre-requisites: PSY 101 General Psychology or PSY 216 Growth and Development.

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

Explain how change occurs using scientific and historical evidence from biological, psychological, and social influences.
Analyze historical viewpoints of behavior and change that have helped and hindered the understanding of the process of change.
Describe the interconnectedness of how human behavior and thought corresponds to brain changes.
Articulate a perspective on the change process based on an analysis of the research.

(CLO = Course Learning Outcome)

Course Materials

Course Textbooks:

Kottler, J. A. (2014). Change: What really leads to lasting personal transformation. Oxford University Press.
Dweck, C. S. (2016). Mindset: The new psychology of success (Updated ed.). Random House.
Mindset-The-New-Psychology-of-Success-Dweck.pdf

Articles:

Gardner, B., Lally, P., & Rebar, A. L. (2020). Does habit weaken the relationship between intention and behaviour? Revisiting the habit‐intention interaction hypothesis. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 14(8), Article e12553. https://doi.org/10.1111/spc3.12553
Ntoumanis, N., Ng, J. Y., Prestwich, A., Quested, E., Hancox, J. E., Thøgersen-Ntoumani, C., Deci, E. L., Ryan, R. M., Lonsdale, C., & Williams, G. C. (2021). A meta-analysis of self-determination theory-informed intervention studies in the health domain: Effects on motivation, health behavior, physical, and psychological health. Health Psychology Review, 15(2), 214-244. https://doi.org/10.1080/17437199.2020.1718529
Soga, M., & Gaston, K. J. (2020). The ecology of human–nature interactions. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 287(1918), 20191882. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2019.1882
Voss, P., Thomas, M. E., Cisneros-Franco, J. M., & de Villers-Sidani, É. (2017). Dynamic brains and the changing rules of neuroplasticity: Implications for learning and recovery. Frontiers in Psychology, 8(1657). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01657
Cialdini, R., & Goldstein, N. (2004). Social Influence: Compliance and Conformity. Annual Review of Psychology, 55, 591–621. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.55.090902.142015
Hashemzadeh, M., Rahimi, A., Zare-Farashbandi, F., Alavi-Naeini, A. M., & Daei, A. (2019). Transtheoretical Model of Health Behavioral Change: A Systematic Review. Iranian journal of nursing and midwifery research, 24(2), 83–90. https://doi.org/10.4103/ijnmr.IJNMR_94_17
Brown, K. W., Ryan, R. M., & Creswell, J. D. (2007). Mindfulness: Theoretical foundations and evidence for its salutary effects. Psychological Inquiry, 18(4), 211–237. https://doi.org/10.1080/10478400701598298

Third-party Software:

During this course, you might have the opportunity to use public online services and/or software applications sometimes called third-party software such as a blog or wiki. While some of these could be required assignments, you should not provide personal information about yourself or your classmates on a public site. Where appropriate, you may use a pseudonym or nickname. Some written assignments posted publicly may require personal reflection/comments, but the assignments will not require you to disclose any personal information. If you have any concerns about this process, please contact your instructor.

Course Syllabus

Course Syllabus

Academic Integrity

Please read and familiarize yourself with the following Quincy College academic integrity policies:

Student Code of Conduct: Students at Quincy College are expected to maintain the highest ethical standards. Academic dishonesty is considered a serious breach of these ethical standards because it interferes with the College mission to provide a high-quality education in which no student enjoys an unfair advantage over any other. Please refer to Policy 6.16: Student Code of Conduct Policy in the QC Policy Manual.
Academic Integrity: Academic dishonesty is also destructive to the College community, which is grounded in a system of mutual trust and places a high value on personal integrity and individual responsibility. Please refer to Policy 5.15: Academic Integrity Policy in the QC Policy Manual.
The Quincy College Policy Manual: For detailed information about the mission, vision, commitment to excellence, and general policies of Quincy College, please refer to the QC Policy Manual.

Accessibility & Privacy Policies

Various tools and technologies will be utilized throughout this course. For information on the privacy and accessibility standards of specific technologies, please refer to the following policies:

QC Student Accessibility Services (SAS) provides academic support, accommodations, and many other services to meet student accessibility needs. For further information, or if you feel you require support, please contact Student Accessibility Services.

QC Student Success

Need Help?

Free support services are available for QC's students. You can access resources and assistance through QC's Student Services.

Next Steps: Begin This Course

Complete the following:

Review the material in the Start Here module.
Complete the "About you" survey.
Participate in the Course introductions discussion board.
Complete the Syllabus & course quiz.

Click the Next ▶ button to continue.