Psychology 12, Spring 2007
Introduction to African American Psychology
Professor Halford H. Fairchild
Office:  203 Scott Hall, Pitzer College
Hours:  Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11:00 - 12:00 and by appointment
Phone:  909-607-3056

Course Syllabus

 

Course Description and Requirements:

This course surveys the specialty of African American Psychology.  The course is writing and speaking intensive.  Tuesdays are devoted to an exploration of the main text by Belgrave & Allison (students should expect quizzes in the first five minutes of each class); Thursdays are devoted to discussions of the readings provided by the instructor.  Short "S/R" papers are required each Thursday.  See "S/R papers," described below.


Texts:


Belgrave, Faye Z., & Allison, Kevin W.  (2006).  African American Psychology:  From Africa to AmericaThousand Oaks, CA:  Sage Publications.

Fairchild, H.H.  (2007).  Readings in African American PsychologyClaremont, CAPitzer College.

 

McAdoo, H.P.  (2007).  Black families (4th Edition).  Thousand Oaks, CA:  Sage Publications.

 

Recommended links:

http://www.abolishthenword.com/homepage.htm - Abolish the Nword

Association of Black Psychologists

 

 

click here for a really big, high resolution copy of this photo

 

Schedule of Readings:

Date

Topic

Readings

1-16-07

Course Introduction and Overview - What is African American Psychology?

 

1-18-07

The impetus for African American Psychology:  Racism in White Psychology (Powerpoint Lecture) Today's News: Officer faces court-martial for denouncing war LA Times 1/18/07

 

 

 

 

1-23-07

Introduction and Historical Foundation. What is Black Psychology?

Today's Quiz

 Film: Black history: Lost, stolen or strayed. Narrated by Bill Cosby

B&A: Chapter 1

1-25-07

Fairchild, H.H.  (2000).  African American psychology.  Pp. 92-99 in A.E. Kazdin (Editor).  Encyclopedia of psychology.  Washington:  American Psychological Association.
Fairchild, H.H.  (1995).  Placing Blacks at the center of psychology.  Los Angeles Times (City Times), July 30, 1995, p. 12.
Fairchild, H.H.  (1988).  Curriculum design for Black (African American) psychology.  Pp. 134-141 in P. Bronstein & K. Quina (Eds.), Teaching a psychology of people: Resources for gender and sociocultural awareness.  Washington:  American Psychological Association.

McAdoo, Chapter 1.  African American Families: A Historical Note, by John Hope Franklin and

McAdoo, Chapter 2:  The Nguzo Saba and the Black Family:  Principles and Practices of Well-being and flourishing by Maulana Karenga and Tiamoyo Karenga.

Fairchild's SR Papers: Film Notes and McAdoo; Reader

 

 

 

 

1-30-07

Africentric Psychology -Video Presentation by Ulisa Erylene Piper-Mandy

Today's Quiz

B&A: Chapter 2

2-1-07

Kiri Davis, A Girl Like Me - Video that recreates the Clark Study - You Tube Version

 

Fairchild, H.H., Whitten, L., & Richard, H.W.  (2003).  Teaching African American psychology: Resources and strategies.  Pp. 195-206 in P. Bronstein & K. Quina (Eds.), Teaching gender and multicultural awareness: Resources for the psychology classroom.   Washington:  American Psychological Association.
Fairchild, H.H.  (1996).  Black history, Black psychology and the future of the world.  Psych Discourse, 27(2), 3.
Kwate, N.O.A.  (2005).  The heresy of African-centered psychology.  Journal of Medical Humanities, 26(4), 215-235.

McAdoo, Chapter 3:  Interpreting the African Heritage in African American Family Organization, by Niara Sudarkasa.

Fairchild's SR Paper on these readings

 

 

 

 

2-6-07

Kinship and Family

 

Fairchild, H.H., & Basu, D.  (2000).  Continuing struggles in Black studies.  Psych Discourse, 31(9), 11.
Fairchild, H.H.  (1999).  Father is a verb.  Unpublished manuscript.

Filmed Lecture and discussion: Maulana Karenga: "Kawida, Culture and Psychology: The Issue of Human Wholeness"

 

Today's Quiz: Will include questions on the two readings in addition to Chapter 3. See last year's syllabus for 2-7-06 for some helpful practice. Today's Quiz

B&A: Chapter 3

2-8-07

Guest Lecture:  Reparations, by Donna Lamb.

Handouts. : Overview Methods Forms

 

 

 

 

2-13-07

Educational Systems

Today's Quiz

B&A: Chapter 4

2-15-07

Fairchild, H.H.  (1984).  School size, per-pupil expenditures, and school achievement.  Review of Public Data Use, 12, 221-229. (PDF FILE)
Fairchild, H.H.  (2001).  SAT's 'halo effect' casts a long shadow.  Los Angeles Times (February 26, 2001), p. B7.
Fairchild, H.H.  (2002).  SAT: The sacred cow of higher education.  Daily Bulletin (February 24, 2002), p. A21.
Fairchild, H.H.  (1982).  How universities rip-off Black students.  Nommo: African Student Newsmagazine at UCLA, p. 5.

McAdoo, Chapter 4: Conceptualizations and Research of African American Family Life in the United States: Some Thoughts, by Jualynne Elizabeth Dodson.

McAdoo, Chapter 5:  African American Family Life: An Instrument of Culture, by Wade W. Nobles.

 

 

 

 

2-20-07

Neighborhoods and Communities - Today's Quiz

B&A: Chapter 5

2-22-07

Fairchild, H.H., & Tucker, M.B.  (1982).  Black residential mobility: Trends and characteristics.  Journal of Social Issues, 38(3), 51-74.
Fairchild, H.H.  (1991).  A sad tale of persecuted minorities.  Los Angeles Times (March 24, 1991), p. M1.
Fairchild, H.H.  (1993).  Drip by drip, the indignities go on.  Los Angeles Times (April 19, 1993), p. B7.

McAdoo, Chapter 6: African American Education: A Cultural-ecological Perspective, by John U. Ogbu

McAdoo, Chapter 7: Religion in African American Families, by Harriette Pipes McAdoo.

Prof. Fairchild's SR Paper

 

 

 

 

2-27-07

Interpersonal and Close Relationships - Chapter Highlights

Study Participation: Last 20 minutes: College experiences. (Extra credit opportunity)

B&A: Chapter 6

3-1-07

Fairchild, H.H.  (1985).  Black singles:  Gender differences in mate preferences and heterosexual attitudes.  Western Journal of Black Studies, 9(2), 69-73.
Fairchild, H.H.  (1988).  Glorification of things white.  The Journal of Black Psychology, 14(2), 73-74.
Fairchild, H.H.  (2002).  Denzel.  Psych Discourse, 33(1&2), 3.

McAdoo, Chapter 8: Old-Time Religion: Benches Can’t Say “Amen”, by William Harrison Pipes

 

 

 

 

 

3-6-07

Cognition, Learning and Language -
Chapter Highlights

McAdoo, Chapter 9:  Sources of Racial Socialization: Theological Orientation of African American Churches and Parents, by Pamela P. Martin & Harriette Pipes McAdoo

Today's Quiz

B&A: Chapter 7

3-8-07

Fairchild, H.H., & Edwards-Evans, S.  (1990).  African American dialects and schooling.  Pp. 75-86 in A.M. Padilla, H.H. Fairchild & C.M. Valadez (Eds.), Bilingual education:  Issues and strategies.  Newbury Park, CA:  Sage Publications.
Fairchild, H.H.  (1990).  Today's America needs many tongues.  Los Angeles Times (December 5, 1990), p. B7.
Fairchild, H.H.  (1991).  Redefining excellence in higher education.  Nommo: African Student Newsmagazine at UCLA, 22(4), 11.

McAdoo, Chapter 10: Death in the Family: Historial Descriptions and Funerary Display of African American Families, by LaTrese Evette Adkins.

 

 

 

 

 

3-12-07

Spring Break

 

3-15-07

Spring Break

 

 

 

 

3-20-07

Religion and Spirituality

McAdoo, Chapter 11: African American Demographic Images, by Harriette Pipes McAdoo.

Diversity in Higher Education, Article by Trower & Chait (2002)

Today's Quiz News Article: Teachers Lose Job Over Emmett Till poem, LA Times 3-18-07

B&A: Chapter 8

3-22-07

Fairchild, H.H.  (2000).  Taking care of business:  The Black family and the Black church.  Unpublished manuscript.
Fairchild, H.H.  (1992).  Aren't they really us?  Los Angeles Times (May 13, 1992), p. B7.
Fairchild, H.H.  (1991).  Scientific racism: The Cloak of objectivity.  Journal of Social Issues, 47(3), 101-115. (PDF FILE)

McAdoo, Chapter 12: African American Female-Headed Households: Some Neglected Dimensions, by Niara Sudarkasa

Fairchild's S/R Paper for today.

 

 

 

 

 

3-27-07

Self-Attributes and Racial Identity

McAdoo, Chapter 13: The Significant Other: Type and Mode of Influence in the Lives of Black Families by Wilhelmina Manns.

B&A: Chapter 9

3-29-07

Fairchild, H.H.  (1987).  N Word should be odious from anyone.  Los Angeles Times (September 16, 1987), p. II.5.
Fairchild, H.H.  (1985).  Black, Negro or Afro-American? The differences are crucial!  Journal of Black Studies, 16(1), 47-55.
Fairchild, H.H. & Cowan, G. (1997).  The O.J. Simpson trial: Challenges to science and society.  Journal of Social Issues, 53(3), 583-591.

McAdoo, Chapter 14: Parenting of Young Children in Black Families: A Historical Note, by Marie Ferguson Peters

Bonus Article: Southland's Third World Slums (LA Times, 3/26/07)

Fairchild's SR Paper for Today.

 

 

 

 

 

4-3-07

Lifespan Development

McAdoo, Chapter 15: The Roles of African American Fathers in the Socialization of Their Children, by Jonathan N. Livingston and John L. McAdoo.

Today's Quiz

B&A: Chapter 10

4-5-07

Fairchild, H.H.  (2001).  A wake-up call for peace.  Psych Discourse, 32(10), 18-19.
Fairchild, H.H.  (1998).  The psychological costs of gang violence.  Psych Discourse...

McAdoo, Chapter 16: Family First, Then the World: The “Know-It-All” Aunt and Her Three Nephews, by Darlene Clark Hine

 

 

 

 

 

4-10-07

Health, Illness and Disability - Video Lecture by Marcia Sutherland - Fairchild's notes.

McAdoo, Chapter 17: “Kin Keepers: Breast Cancer Prevention for African American Women, by Karen Patricia Williams

B&A: Chapter 11

4-12-07

Fairchild, H.H.  (1987).  Our 'ostrict mentality' on racism.  Los Angeles Times (April 12, 1987), p. V.5.
Fairchild, H.H.  (1993).  Confronting white supremacy.  Psych Discourse, 24(9), 11.
Fairchild, H.H.  (1997).  The problem of the 21st century.  Psych Discourse, ?

McAdoo, Chapter 18:  Family Therapy: A Help-Seeking Option Among Middle-Class African Americans, by Monica Mouton Sanders

 

 

 

 

4-17-07

NO CLASS TODAY. TODAY'S ASSIGNMENT.

Psychosocial Adaptation and Mental Health

McAdoo, Chapter 19: An Overview of Race and Marital Status, by Robert Staples

B&A: Chapter 12

4-19-07

Fairchild, H.H.  (1994).  Frantz Fanon's The Wretched of the Earth in contemporary perspective.  Journal of Black Studies, 25(2), 191-199.
Fairchild, H.H.  (2000).  A (truly) new world order.  Psych Discourse ?  

McAdoo, Chapter 20:  In Search of Love and Commitment: Dealing with the Odds of Finding Romance, by Audrey B. Chapman

Fairchild's SR Paper

 

 

 

 

 

4-24-07

Drug Use and Abuse Quiz

McAdoo, Chapter 21:  Practices and Attitudes Toward Contraception in the Black Community, by Algea Othella Hale.

Video Lecture by Thomas Parham

B&A: Chapter 13

4-26-07

Fairchild, H.H.  (1989).  A whole community faces a life sentence of neglect.  Los Angeles Times (Decembrer 19, 1989), p. B7.
Fairchild, H.H.  (1993).  The fires this time.  Pp. 13-19 in N.C. McKinney (Ed.), No justice no peace? Resolutions.   LA, CA:  CA Afro-American Museum Foundation.

McAdoo, Chapter 22:  A Portrait of Inequality, by Marian Wright Edelman

Fairchild's SR Paper

 

 

 

 

5-1-07

Aggression, Violence and Crime

McAdoo, Chapter 23:  The Impact of Welfare Reform on Black Families, by Robert B. Hill

B&A: Chapter 14

5-3-07

Course Rap Up (see description, below)

Fairchild's Closing Rap

 

 

 

Assignments


Quizzes.  Students should be prepared to take a short quiz every Tuesday at the beginning of class.  These will be multiple choice questions that examine the readings for that day.  Questions may also include material from the previous week's lectures, films, and/or discussions.

S/R Papers.  Students are required to write short "S/R" papers for each Thursday class session. "S/R" stands for "Stimulus/Response."  The "Stimulus,"  is the day's reading assignment.  The "Response" is the student's reaction to that reading.  For each class session that has a reading assignment, students should write an "S/R" for each of the readings.  When a film or video is shown on the previous Tuesday, an "S/R" paper should be produced for that film or video.  The "Stimulus" portion of the paper should be a very short summary or synopsis of what the reading assignment was about.  (The "Response" portion may be short or long -- and should provide your insights, reflections, thoughts, reactions, and/or questions to the reading material.  These "Responses" will be shared in class as part of our class discussion.  Students should come to class, each Thursday, with their "S/R Papers" typed and ready to hand in.  These papers are generally graded on a pass/fail basis -- 100 points for being turned in on time (weak papers may receive fewer points; strong papers may receive bonus points); 50% credit for being late (turned in after class or if a student is absent).  Papers submitted by email are awarded 50% credit.

Course Rap Up.  On the last day of class, students will present (singly or in teams), a "rap" that defines the field of African American Psychology.  The rap should seek to integrate course materials (texts, readings, video lectures, class discussions, etc.).  The course "rap" will be ungraded.  (However, failure to complete this assignment will adversely affect a student's grade in course participation.)

Grading

Students will be evaluated and graded based on their quiz scores, S/R papers, and classroom participation.  Attendance and participation are heavily weighted.  Each S/R paper can earn up to 100 points (late papers receive 50% credit; papers submitted in absentia--where the student was absent and did not participate in the discussion--receive 50% credit; and papers submitted by email receive 50% credit).  Quizzes are worth up to 100 points.  Class participation is worth up to 500 points.   "A" students receive 92% or more of the available points; "B" students 82% or more; etc.  Students on the margins receive minuses or plusses. 

Assignments, grading and course sequencing may change.