Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Spring Semester 2026

Personality Theory (Online)

PSY 3700-30I

Course: PSY 3700-30I
Credits: 3
Term: Spring Semester 2026
Department: PSY
CRN: 12374

Course Description

Building on established personality theories, the course offers students the opportunity for expanded self-understanding and understanding of others. Primary focus is on presentation and discussion of diverse theoretical views of personality and personality development. (Fall, Spring, Summer) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Prerequisite(s): PSY 1010 - Prerequisite Min. Grade: C- Registration Restriction(s): None

Required Texts

Kelland, M. (2017). Personality theory. OER Commons: Institute for the Study of Knowledge Management in Education. Retrieved from: https://oercommons.org/authoring/22859-personality-theory/view (FREE)

Learning Outcomes

1.     Contrast the different approaches to studying personality. 

2.     Describe the foundational importance of the psychoanalytic and neopsychoanalytic approaches to personality. 

3.     Summarize the recent trends in psychoanalytic theory. 

4.     Analyze trait theory’s techniques for determining personality. 

5.     Differentiate behaviorism and learning theories’ methods of studying personality. 

6.     Explain the humanistic and existential views on personality. 

7.     Relate the cognitive perspective to personality. 

8.     Summarize the primary methods used in personality research.

9.     Discuss non-western approaches to personality.

Course Requirements

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: Scholastic dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent. You are expected to have read and understood Policy 6.33 Academic Integrity and the current issue of the student handbook (published by Student Services) regarding student responsibilities and rights. 

ADA STATEMENT: Students with medical, psychological, learning or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Southern Utah University Coordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD), in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or phone (435) 865-8022. SSD determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.  

Emergency Management STATEMENT: In case of emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal.  In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at: https://www.suu.edu/ad/em/

HEOA Compliance statement: The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law.  Detailed information can be found at: https://www.suu.edu/heoa/index.html

DISCLAIMER: Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.

Course Outline

 | Week | Dates | Topics & Readings | Learning Activities  | Due Date
 | Week 1 | January 7 - 11 | Getting Started  | Introduction Discussion Post | 1/11/2026
 |   |   |   | Getting Started Quiz  | 1/11/2026
 |   |   | Read: Syllabus | Commenced Attendance Quiz  | 1/11/2026
 | Week 2 | January 12 – 18 | Introduction to Personality Theories  | Discussion Post #1: Definition of Personality  | 1/15/2026
 |   |   | Read: Introduction; Personality Culture, and Society | Respond to Two Classmates’ Posts | 1/18/2026
 | Week 3 | January 19 – 25  | The Psychoanalysis Approach  | Powerpoint #1: Biography of Sigmund Freud  | 1/25/2026
 |   |   | Read: Sigmund Freud |   |  
 | Week 4 | January 26 – February 1 | The Neopsychoanalytic Approaches  | Part 1: Final Project – Case Study Summary | 2/1/2026
 |   |   | Read: Carl Jung; Alfred Adler & Harry Stack Sullivan |   |  
 | Week 5 | February 2 – 8  | The Neopsychoanalytic Approaches Cont.  | Short Essay #1: Description of Two Theorists | 2/8/2026
 |   |   | Read: Neu-Freudian Perspectives; Karen Horney & Erich Fromm |   |  
 | Week 6 | February 9 – 15 | More Recent Trends in Psychoanalytic Theory | Exam #1: Chapters 1 through 7 | 2/15/2026
 |   |   | Read: Erik Erikson & Development Throughout Life |   |  
 | Week 7 | February 16 – 22  | Behavioral and Learning Theories | Discussion Post #2: Comparing Theories   | 2/19/2026
 |   |   | Read: B.F. Skinner, John Dollard, & Neal Miller; Albert Bandura, Julian Rotter, & Walter Mischel | Respond to Two Classmates’ Posts | 2/22/2026
 | Week 8 | February 23 – March 1 | Dispositional and Biological Basis of Personality | Powerpoint #2: Allport’s Maturity  | 3/1/2026
 |   |   | Read: Trait Theories |   |  
 | Week 9 | March 2 – 8 | Dispositional and Biological Basis of Personality Cont.  | Part 2: Final Project - Pick Aligned Theory | 3/8/2026
 |   |   | Read: Biology and Personality; Sociobiology; Mindfulness and the Martial Arts |   |  
 | Week 10 | March 9 – 15 | SPRING BREAK – NO CLASSES |   |  
 | Week 11 | March 16 – 22  | Dispositional and Biological Basis of Personality Cont.  | Short Essay #2: Eysenck’s Theory | 3/22/2026
 |   |   | Read: Appendix A – Personality Disorders |   |  
 | Week 12 | March 23 – 29  | Humanistic and Existential Theories  | Discussion Post #3: Humanism & Existentialism | 3/26/2026
 |   |   | Read: Carl Rogers, Abraham Maslow, & Henry Murray; Viktor Frankl, Rollo May, & Existential Psychology | Respond to Two Classmates’ Posts | 3/29/2026
 | Week 13  | March 30 – April 5 | Cognitive Theories | Powerpoint #3: Albert Ellis & Aaron Beck | 4/5/2026
 |   |   | Read: George Kelly, Albert Ellis, & Aaron Beck |   |  
 | Week 14  | April 6 – 12 | A Non-Western Approach  | Short Essay #3: Life Always Changes | 4/12/2026
 |   |   | Read: Yoga: A Purpose for Personality Development, and Buddhism: Zen and the Middle Way; Kabbalah, Christian Mysticism, & Sufism; Appendix B – African Perspectives on Personality  |   |  
 | Week 15 | April 13 – 19  | Wrapping It Up – Part I | Exam #2: Chapters 8 through 17 & Conclusions | 4/19/2026
 |   |   | Read: The Psychology of Women, The Stone Center Group, and Human Relations |   |  
 | Week 16* | April 20 - 24 | Wrapping It Up – Part 2 | Part 3: Final Project - Putting the Paper Together | 4/24/2026
 |   |   | Read: None |   |  
 

* Note that Week 16 ends on Friday, instead of Sunday.

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

Grading policy – Assignments submitted on time will be graded within one week. Any late work will be graded when the next round of grading is conducted. For example, if assignments were graded on Monday and you submit a late assignment on Wednesday, then the late assignment will not be graded until next time grading is completed.  

Late work – Might be accepted with an explanation. You cannot submit assignments more than two weeks late. If you submit, 1 day late, you will lose 1% of the total points of the assignment. For 2-3 days late, you will lose 2% of the total points of the assignment. For 4-6 days, you will lose 3% of the total points of the assignment. For 7 days, you will lose 4% of the total points of the assignment. For 8-14 days, you will lose 5% of the total points of the assignment. After 14 days, your assignment will not be accepted.  

Attendance Policy

This class is fully online and asynchronous. There is no specific attendance policy, except that students should log into the course 3-4 times a week. 

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.