Download Course Syllabus

Course Syllabus
AP Psychology, 2011 – 2012
AP psychology is designed to introduce students to the scientific study of human
behavior and experience and the major perspectives in the field. Students will gain
understanding of the methods used by the different perspectives to verify their theories,
including their study of human and animal behavior. The course is designed to prepare
students for the Advanced Placement Examination in Psychology.
Course Objectives:
Students in this course will:
1. gain an understanding of the nature of psychological diversity of human beings
and the contribution biological, social, and cultural influences on behavior.
2. develop appreciation of psychology as an academic discipline.
3. recognize the application of psychology to students’ personal lives.
4. demonstrate understanding of various methods of psychological inquiry.
5. gather and interpret data using the empirical method of inquiry.
6. demonstrate an understanding and respect for the ethical demands of research
with humans and respect for the individual.
7. demonstrate an understanding of the different theoretical approaches to
understanding behavior.
8. demonstrate a clear understanding of the major psychological perspectives
(psychodynamic, behavioral, cognitive, and humanistic).
9. undertake one research study
10. demonstrate mastery of critical thinking and communication of ideas, especially
in preparation for the demands if the AP exam.
Course Outline:
These topics are required in preparation for the AP test. Other topics may develop based
on student interest.
Homework: Daily reading as assigned. For each day’s reading: write 3 new things you
learned, ask 1 question, and make 1 connection to something else. Turn in Cornell Notes
OR Outline for each reading. Turn these in at the end of the chapter.
Tests: Each chapter will end with a multiple choice test AND a free response test. One
will be in class, the other will be take home. Which one is given in class will be
determined by coin flip. If you have prepared a cheat sheet for the one that wins, you
may use it. If not, you’re on your own.
SEMESTER I
Understanding Psychology
A. Definition, history, application, overview of perspectives.
Reading: Prologue
B. History/Perspectives/Important People Test
Methodology
A. The Need for Psychological Science
Reading: Text pp. 18 - 29
B. Description (Case Study, Survey, Naturalistic Observation)
Reading: Text, pp. 26 - 29
C. Correlation
Reading: pp. 30 - 36
D. Experimentation
Reading: Text, pp. 37 - 40
E. Statistical Reasoning
Reading: Text, pp. 42 – 43
Biological Bases of Behavior
A. Neural Communication
Reading: Text, pp. 56 - 61
B. The Nervous System
Reading: Text, pp. 65 - 67
C. The Brain
Reading: pp. 69 – 92
D. The Endocrine System
Reading: pp. 94 – 97
Sensation and Perception
A. Sensing The World
Reading: Text, pp. 192 - 198
B. Vision
Reading: Text, pp. 199 - 211
C. Hearing
Reading: Text, pp. 212 - 218
D. The Other Senses
Reading: Text, pp. 219 – 227
E. Perceptual attention, illusions, organization
Reading: Text, pp. 230 – 247
F. Perceptual Interpretation
Reading: Text, pp. 248 - 258
States of Consciousness
A. Waking Consciousness
Reading: Text, pp. 264 - 268
B. Sleep and Dreams
Reading: Text, pp. 269 - 284
C. Hypnosis
Reading: Text, pp. 285 - 291
D. Drugs and Consciousness
Reading: Text, pp. 294 – 305
Behavioral Perspective/Learning Theory: Ivan Pavlov, James Watson, B.F. Skinner
A. Classical Conditioning
Reading: Text, pp. 308 - 321
B. Operant Conditioning
Reading: Text, pp. 322 - 335
C. Cognitive Learning/Observational Learning
Reading: Text, pp. 336 - 337
Cognition
A. Memory
Reading: Text, Chapter 9
B. Thinking and Language
Reading: Text, Chapter 10
Motivation and Emotion
A. Motivational Concepts
Reading: Text, pp. 454 - 458
B. Hunger
Reading: Text, pp. 459 - 466
C. Sexual Motivation
Reading: Text: pp. 467 - 482
D. The Need to Belong
Reading: Text: pp. 483 – 497
E. Emotion
James-Lange, Cannon-Bard, Schachter-Singer
Reading: Text, Chapter 13
Developmental Psychology
A. Prenatal Development and the Newborn
Reading: Text, pp. 134 - 139
B. Infancy and Childhood
Reading: Text, pp. 140 - 158
C. Adolescence
Reading: Text: pp. 159 - 159
D. Adulthood
Reading: Text: pp. 172 - 191
Text Test
Personality
A. Historical Perspectives on Personality
Reading: Text, pp. 574 - 589
B. Contemporary Research on Personality
Reading: Text, pp. 590 - 617
Intelligence, Testing, and Individual Differences
E. The Origins on Intelligence Testing
Reading: Text, pp. 418 - 421
F. Intelligence
Reading: Text, pp. 422 - 440
G. Individual Differences
Reading: Text: pp. 441 - 453
25 Minute Essay Test + Multiple Choice (AP style exam)
Social Psychology
A. Social Thinking
Reading: Text, pp. 694 - 701
B Social Influence
Reading: Text, pp. 702 - 713
A. Social Relations
Reading: Text: pp. 714 - 738
Psychological Disorders and Treatment: “Abnormal Psychology”
A. Perspectives on psychopathology (demonic possession to disease)
Reading: Text, pp. 618 - 626
B. Anxiety Disorders – When your hands are way too clean
Reading: text, pp. 627 - 632
C. Mood Disorders – It’s not the ups and downs, it’s the little jerks along the way
Reading: Text, pp. 633 - 645
D. Schizophrenia – Head voices holla’ back, girl!
Reading: Text, pp. 646 – 652
E. Personality Disorders – I crashed your car because I love you!
Reading: Text, pp. 653 - 655
F. Dissociative Disorders – Me, Myself, and Irene
G. Somatoform Disorders – But my arm worked yesterday!
H. Categorization, etc. – The DSM-IV-TR
Project: “Break-A-Norm Day.” Students research a particular disorder and live
with the symptoms for a day (in school, all day, verified)
Therapy: Treatment of Psychological Disorders
A. Psychoanalysis, Behaviorist, Humanist, Cognitive, Group/Family Therapy
Reading: Text, pp. 658 - 673
B Evaluating Psychotherapy
Reading: Text, pp. 674 - 684
B. Biomedical Therapies
Reading: Text: pp. 685 - 693
Practice full-length AP Exams: 3-4 full length AP Exams, depending on time. The
First will be the final exam for first semester.
GRADING:
1. Reading: For each chapter, you must turn in EITHER an outline OR Cornell
Notes. These are worth 50 points per chapter.
2. Notes: In-class notes for each chapter. These are worth 50 points per chapter.
3. Tests: Multiple choice and free response for each chapter.
4. Other homework/projects: Points are variable based on the difficulty of the
project.
5. Final Exams: There will be an AP style test – multiple choice and free response,
for your first semester final. The second semester final will be a project. Both are
worth ¼ of your semester grade.