Download ap psychology - Plain Local Schools

AP Psychology
Course Syllabus
2011-2012
Instructor:
Email:
Phone:
Room:
Planning:
Mr. Lindsey
[email protected] (Remember the “i” after the v)
(330) 491-3800
B210
2A & 1B
SCOPE AND SEQUENCE
The AP Psychology course is designed to introduce students to the systematic and scientific
study of behavior and cognition of human beings and animals. The course provides students with an
introduction to the broad field of psychology including psychological facts, principals, and phenomena
associated with subfields of psychology.
RESOURCES FOR TEACHING AP PSYCHOLOGY
PRIMARY TEXT
1. TEXT; Coon, Dennis, Introduction to Psychology, Brooks/Cole Publishing, 1999, Eighth Edition
2. TEACHERS EDITION; Coon, Dennis, Introduction to Psychology, Wadsworth/Thompson, 2004,
Tenth Edition
SUPPLEMENTARY RESOURCES
3. Resources from APA and membership in TOPPS including sample unit plans.
4. APA Monitor in Psychology
5. Supplemental Teachers Editions of other Textbooks
6. Activities from TOPPS Conferences, Activities Handbooks, Software, and Internet sites
GRADING
Homework/Classwork
Quizzes
Tests/Projects
Final Exam
20%
25%
40%
15%
MATERIALS REQUIRED
 3 Ring binder
o Bell Ringer
o Notes
o Handouts
o Assessments
 Note cards
o Vocabulary
COURSE PLAN
I. HISTORY AND APPROACHES (1 week)
A. Recognize how philosophical perspectives shaped the development of psychological
thought.
B. Describe and compare different theoretical approaches in explaining behavior:
a. Structuralism, functionalism, and behaviorism in the early years;
b. Gestalt, psychoanalytic/psychodynamic, and humanism emerging later;
c. Evolutionary, biological, and cognitive as more contemporary approaches.
C. Recognize the strengths and limitations of applying theories to explain behavior.
D. Distinguish the different domains of psychology:
a. Biological, clinical, cognitive, counseling, developmental, educational,
experimental, human factors, industrial–organizational, personality,
psychometric, and social.
E. Identify the major historical figures in psychology
a. Mary Whiton Calkins, Charles Darwin, Dorothea Dix, Sigmund Freud, G. Stanley
Hall, William James, Ivan Pavlov, Jean Piaget, Carl Rogers, B. F. Skinner, Margaret
Floy Washburn, John B. Watson, Wilhelm Wundt.
II. RESEARCH METHODS AND ETHICS (1 week)
A. Differentiate types of research
a. Experiments, correlational studies, survey research, naturalistic observations,
and case studies) with regard to purpose, strengths, and weaknesses.
B. Describe how research design drives the reasonable conclusions that can be drawn
a. Experiments are useful for determining cause and effect; the use of
experimental controls reduces alternative explanations.
C. Identify independent, dependent, confounding, and control variables in experimental
designs.
D. Distinguish between random assignment of participants to conditions in experiments
and random selection of participants, primarily in correlational studies and surveys.
E. Predict the validity of behavioral explanations based on the quality of research design
a. Confounding variables limit confidence in research conclusions.
F. Distinguish the purposes of descriptive statistics and inferential statistics.
G. Apply basic descriptive statistical concepts, including interpreting and constructing
graphs and calculating simple descriptive statistics
a. Measures of central tendency, standard deviation.
H. Discuss the value of reliance on operational definitions and measurement in
behavioral research.
I. Identify how ethical issues inform and constrain research practices.
J. Describe how ethical and legal guidelines
a. Those provided by the American Psychological Association, federal regulations, local
institutional review boards
b. Protect research participants and promote sound ethical practice.
III. BIOLOGICAL BASES OF BEHAVIOR (2 – 3 weeks)
A. Explore the range of techniques used to learn about brain function.
B. Explain the structure and functioning of a neuron.
C. Explain the transmission of a nerve impulse and the functions of the neurotransmitters.
D. Describe the organization of the nervous system into the central and peripheral nervous
system.
E. Discuss the major structures of the brain and their functions.
F. Differentiate the abilities of the two hemispheres of the cerebral cortex.
F. Explore the interrelationship of the nervous system and the endocrine system.
IV. SENSATIONS AND PERCEPTIONS (1 – 2 weeks)
A. Define sensations.
B. Distinguish between absolute threshold and difference threshold.
C. Describe the anatomy and function of the various sensory receptors.
D. Explain how sensory receptors act as biological transducers.
E. Discuss the process of sensory adaptation.
F. Define perception.
G. Examine the perceptual processes involving Gestalt principles, constancy, and depth
perception.
V. STATE OF CONSCIOUSNESS (1 – 2 weeks)
A. Describe various states of consciousness and their impact on behavior.
B. Discuss aspects of sleep and dreaming:
a. Stages and characteristics of the sleep cycle
b. Theories of sleep and dreaming
c. Symptoms and treatments of sleep disorders.
C. Describe historic and contemporary uses of hypnosis
a. Pain control and psychotherapy.
D. Explain hypnotic phenomena
E. Identify the major psychoactive drug categories and classify specific drugs,
including their psychological and physiological effects.
F. Discuss drug dependence, addiction, tolerance, and withdrawal.
G. Identify the major figures in consciousness research
VI. LEARNING (1- 2 weeks)
A. Distinguish general differences between principles of classical conditioning, operant
conditioning, and observational learning.
B. Describe basic classical conditioning phenomena, such as acquisition, extinction,
spontaneous recovery, generalization, discrimination, and higher-order learning.
C. Predict the effects of operant conditioning
a. Positive reinforcement
b. Negative reinforcement
c. Punishment
d. Schedules of reinforcement
D. Predict how practice, schedules of reinforcement, and motivation will influence
quality of learning.
E. Interpret graphs that exhibit the results of learning experiments.
F. Provide examples of how biological constraints create learning predispositions.
G. Describe the essential characteristics of insight learning, latent learning, and social
learning.
H. Apply learning principles to explain emotional learning, taste aversion, superstitious
behavior, and learned helplessness.
I. Suggest how behavior modification, biofeedback, coping strategies, and self-control
can be used to address behavioral problems.
J. Identify key contributors in the psychology of learning
VII. COGNITION (1 week)
A. Compare and contrast various cognitive processes:
a. Effortful versus automatic processing
b. Deep versus shallow processing
c. Focused versus divided attention.
B. Describe and differentiate psychological and physiological systems of memory
C. Outline the principles that underlie effective encoding, storage, and construction of
memories.
D. Describe strategies for memory improvement.
E. Synthesize how biological, cognitive, and cultural factors converge to facilitate
acquisition, development, and use of language.
F. Identify problem-solving strategies as well as factors that influence their
effectiveness.
G. List the characteristics of creative thought and creative thinkers.
H. Identify key contributors in cognitive psychology
VIII. MOTIVATON AND EMOTION (1 week)
A. Identify and apply basic motivational concepts to understand the behavior of humans
and other animals
a. Instincts
b. Incentives
c. Intrinsic versus extrinsic
d. Motivation
B. Discuss the biological underpinnings of motivation, including needs, drives, and
homeostasis.
C. Compare and contrast motivational theories (e.g., drive reduction theory, arousal
theory, general adaptation theory), including the strengths and weaknesses of each.
D. Describe classic research findings in specific motivation systems.
E. Discuss theories of stress and the effects of stress on psychological and physical wellbeing.
F. Compare and contrast major theories of emotion.
IX. DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY (2 – 3 weeks)
A. Discuss the interaction of nature and nurture in the determination of behavior.
B. Explain the process of conception and gestation, including factors that influence
successful fetal development
a. Nutrition
b. Illness
c. Substance abuse
C. Discuss maturation of motor skills.
D. Describe the influence of temperament and other social factors on attachment and
appropriate socialization.
E. Explain the maturation of cognitive abilities including Piaget’s stages and information
processing.
F. Compare and contrast models of moral development.
G. Discuss maturational challenges in adolescence including related family conflicts.
H. Characterize the development of decisions related to intimacy as people mature.
I. Predict the physical and cognitive changes that emerge as people age, including steps
that can be taken to maximize function.
J. Describe how sex and gender influence socialization and other aspects of
development.
K. Identify key contributors in developmental psychology
X. PERSONALITY (1 – 2 weeks)
A. Define personality.
B. Demonstrate a knowledge of major personality theories.
C. Compare the background and thoughts of the major personality theorists.
D. Examine the various personality assessment techniques.
E. Explain self-concept and self esteem and their effect on behavior and personality adjustment.
XI. TESTING AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES (1 week)
A. Define standardization, reliability, and validity.
B. Evaluate the various types of tests in assessing human differences and ethical considerations.
C. Discuss the various theories of intelligence.
D. Examine the nature versus nurture debate and intelligence.
E. Discuss the role of human diversity in intelligence assessment.
XII. ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR (3 – 4 weeks)
A. Discuss the difficulty of defining abnormal behavior.
B. Differentiate among the different perspectives in understanding psychological disorders.
C. Describe the diagnosis and symptoms of anxiety disorders.
D. Describe the diagnosis and symptoms of somatoform disorders.
E. Describe the diagnosis and symptoms of personality disorders.
F. Describe the diagnosis and symptoms of dissociative disorders.
G. Describe the diagnosis and symptoms of organic disorders.
H. Describe the diagnosis and symptoms of schizophrenic disorders.
I. Describe the diagnosis and symptoms of mood disorders.
XIII. THERAPIES (TREATMENTS) (1 – 3 weeks)
A. Briefly describe the history of the treatment of psychological disorders.
B. Explore the major therapies used in the treatment of psychological disorders.
C. Evaluate the effectiveness of psychotherapies and drug therapies.
XIV. SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY (2 – 3 weeks)
A. Define social psychology.
B. Discuss attribution and describe the difference between situational and dispositional
attribution and the fundamental attribution error.
C. Describe Asch’s experiment on conformity.
D. Discuss Milgram’s study on obedience to authority.
E. Evaluate interpersonal attraction.
F. Discuss the impact of group dynamics on an individual’s behavior.
G. Describe compliance and methods of compliance.
H. Define attitude, its formation, and differentiate between stereotyping, prejudice, and
discrimination.
I. Determine the role of instinct, biology, and culture on aggression.