Download Advanced Placement Psychology Teacher: Ms. Frenis E

Advanced Placement Psychology
Teacher: Ms. Frenis
E-mail: [email protected]
Room: 328
Book: Psychology AP Edition; Saundra Ciccarelli and Noland White
The central question addressed in this Psychology class is “how do psychologists think”
Course Objectives:
1. Students will study the fundamental concepts and theories of psychology
2. Students will learn the basic skills of psychological research. They will be able to devise research
projects, interpret and generalize results, and evaluate the validity of research.
3. Students will develop critical thinking skills and improve their reading, writing, and discussion
skills.
4. Students will wrestle with the ethical issues and enduring questions addressed by psychologists
5. Students will apply psychological principles to their own life.
6. Students develop the ability to examine their decisions and relationships in a reflective and
sensitive manner.
7. Students will discuss and reflect on how psychologists can explain and improve social problems.
Visual Resources:
During the course we will use Nova specials and clips from the series: The Brain, The Mind and Scientific
Frontiers in order to highlight real word examples of psychological concepts and issues covered on class.
Psychism will be used for experiments and demonstrations
Powerpoint presentations
Films
Materials Needed:
 3 ring binder
 14 tab dividers ( one for each unit covered)
 Writing utensil
Grading Policy:
In order to accurately assess each of your efforts and learning there will be a wide variety of assignments.
I want every student to have the opportunity to excel in class. If a student does poorly on a test or formal
writing assignment , they can meet with me to revise and rework their paper or get extra help in order to
take a retake of the exam.
Every quarter you will have:
 Tests ( end of each unit) the format for the test will include multiple choice questions (usually 25)
terms to define and provide an example ( usually 5) and an open response essay.
 1-2 projects
 Frequent multiple choice quizzes on the textbook reading
 Homework
 Participation, attendance, preparation . Participation in class discussions is expected with
questions, comments, and examples including from your own life. Due to the fact that many
topics covered in psychology class have a sensitive nature it is crucial to have respect and
confidentiality in class
Academic Responsibility:
Plagiarism is forbidden. Research and learning are often best done in groups, collaboration with
classmates is expected. However, all work on tests must be individual and research papers must be
written in your own words. You must properly cite resources and people used in your research. Any work
test or project that is plagiarized will receive a zero.
Late Policy:
 It is your responsibility to get assignments if you are out. Work is expected the day you return
unless there are special circumstances.
COURSE OUTLINE:
I.
The Science of Psychology/Introduction to Psychology
A.
What is Psychology?
B.
Psychology’s perspectives
C.
The Scientific Method
D.
Psychology’s methods
 Description
 Correlation
 Experimentation
 Statistical reasoning
E. Ethics
Sources: Psychology textbook
Nova Special- Genie: The secrets of the wild child
Essential questions:
 How should psychologists address the ethical dilemma presented in Genie’s case when
treatment and research conflict?
 In what cases is deceptive research justifiable?
II. Biological bases of Behavior:
A.
The Brain
B.
The Nervous System
C.
Neural Communication
D.
The endocrine System
Sources:
Text book
Nova Special : “The Secrets of the Mind”
Projects:
“ A Silhouette with a View” - collage of brain parts and functions
Essential Questions:
 What does the current research about brain functioning suggest about optimum learning?
 What do case studies show about the interaction between neurology and personality?
 Are we the product of “ nature vs. Nurture?”
III. Sensation and Perception:
A.
Sensing the world
B.
Vision
C.
Hearing
D.
The Other Senses
E.
Perceptual Illusions
F.
Perceptual Interpretation
Essential Questions:
 To what extent does our mind consciously control our sensations and perceptions?
 How do unconscious perceptual biases influence our thoughts, feelings, and actions?
IV. States of Consciousness:
A.
Consciousness
B.
Sleep and Dreams
C.
D.
Hypnosis
Drugs and Consciousness
Essential Questions:
 What is the nature of consciousness? How can it be best studied?
V. Personality:
A.
Historical Perspectives on Personality
B.
Contemporary Research on Personality
C.
Assessment Techniques\
Essential Questions:
 What is the role of the unconscious in shaping our personalities?
 What psychoanalytic ideas are helpful in understanding family members and friends’ behaviors
and feelings?
 How valid and useful are personality inventories?
 Which personality theory provides the most accurate explanation for how personality develops?
VI. Learning:
A.
Classical conditioning
B.
Operant conditioning
C.
Learning by observation
D.
Cognitive processes in Learning
Essential Questions:
 Is it ethical to use aversive conditioning to eliminate maladaptive or harmful behavior?
 What role does free will play in determining individual’s thoughts and actions?
 What does the term learning really mean?
VII: Memory
A.
Information processing model
1. Encoding
2. Storage
3. Retrival
B. Forgetting
C. Memory construction
D. Improving Memory
Essential Questions:
 How is memory linked to identity?
 What are the three processes of memory and the different models of how memory works?
 Why do we forget?
 How can we use recent research on memory to improve student learning?
VIII: Cognition: Thinking Intelligence and Language
A.
Thinking
B.
Problem Solving and Creativity
C.
Language
D.
Thinking and Language
Essential Questions:
 Can thoughts exist without language?
 How logical is an individual's thought process?
 What impact does bias have on our decision making?
Cognition: Thinking, Intelligence and Language:
A.
Mental Imagery
B.
What is Intelligence
C.
Assessing intelligence
D.
Genetic and Environmental influences on intelligence
E.
Standardization and norms
Essential Questions:
 Are intelligence tests culturally biased?
 Is intelligence a general mental ability or many specific abilities?
 To what extent is intelligence determined by genes? By environment?
X: Psychological Disorders:
A.
Perspectives on Psychological Disorders
B.
Anxiety Disorders
C.
Mood Disorders
D.
Schizophrenia
E.
Personality Disorders
F.
Somatoform Disorders
G.
Dissociative Disorders
Project:
Case Conference( paper):Read a novel where the main character suffers from a mental illness. Analyze
and diagnose the main character. Present your analysis to the class. Research your diagnosis and
compare your characters course of illness with research
Essential Questions:
 What is abnormality
 How can we develop empathy for individuals with mental illness?
 To what extent does society stigmatize mental illness?
 What are benefits and burdens diagnostic labeling?
XI: Psychological Therapies:
A.
Psychological Therapies
B.
Evaluating Psychotherapies
C.
Biomedical Therapies
D.
Preventing Psychological Disorders
Essential Questions:
 What are the rewards and challenges working as a therapist?
 Whose responsibility is treatment of the mentally ill?
XII: Development Across the Lifespan:
A.
Prenatal development
B.
Infancy and childhood
C.
Adolescence
D.
Adulthood
E.
Death and Dying
Essential Questions:
 To what extent is development caused by forces within the individual? By societal forces?
 Do our personality characteristics stay the same throughout our life, or do we become different
people as we age?
 What is the significance of research about cognitive, social, and emotional learning?
XIII Stress and Health:
A.
Stress and stressors
B.
Physiological factors
C.
Coping with Stress
D.
Wellness
Essential Questions:
 What is stress? How do psychologists define stress?
 How does stress affect the physical functioning of the body?
 How does coping with stress affected by culture and religion?
XIV:Social Psychology:
A.
Social thinking
B.
Social influence
C.
Conformity
D.
Compliance
E.
Obedience
F.
Social Relations
1. Prejudice
2. Aggression
3. Conflict
4. Attraction
5. Altruism
6. peacekeeping
Essential questions:
What factors increase conformity?
To what extent does the situation determine individual thoughts, feelings, and actions?