Download Psychology Syllabus 2013

SOMERSET ACADEMY MIRAMAR HIGH
Psychology Syllabus
Ms. J. Morales
2013-2014
E-mail: [email protected]
Hello and Welcome to Psychology. ThisPsychology course is designed to
introduce students to the systematic and scientific study of the behavior and
mental processes of human beings and other animals. Students are exposed to
the psychological facts, principles, and phenomena associated with each of
the major subfields within psychology. They also learn about the ethics and
methods psychologists use in their science and practice.
Students will have some type of assignment for this class every day,
including weekends, and non-class days. It may be working on their Cornell
notebook, doing some assigned reading, working on their charts, reviewing for a
test, writing a self-timed essay in their composition notebooks, or it may be a
more formal assignment. Home learning assignments will be announced in class
and will also be posted online at the Somersetcentral.org teacher website. This
class is not designed for those who procrastinate. Expect to work hard and to be
challenged.
Supplies:
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(1) 2inch 3 ring binder - This binder will be used to hold worksheets, essays,
and other graded materials. This will also be checked for Notebook
checks. This binder can be used with other classes, HOWEVER, please
remain organized as this will second as a study guide for exams.
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(1+) Notebook- This will be used for Cornell notes. (will be graded on
notebook check days)
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(1) Composition book. (Used for bell work, essays, timed writings, etc.)
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(1+) Highlighter(s)
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Blue or Black ink pens. Please DO NOT write in pencil unless it is for an
exam.
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Red Pens. For grading/editing work.
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(2) 3x5 packs of index cards- this will be used for vocabulary.
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A USB drive - Not only is it important to save information, but it is useful in
the sense that if something happens (printer is out of ink, cat ate
homework, computer is broken, etc.) you have the assignment backed
up to print elsewhere.
Classroom Rules:
1. Respect others and their property.
2. Regular class attendance is required. If you are absent, you are only allowed
to make-up Unit Exams. You will not be allowed to make up Bell-work, Timed
Writings and Reading Quizzes. You were either here or you weren’t. Also, if you
skip, I will catch you. Don’t do it.
3. Food and drinks need to be consumed elsewhere. Water bottles are ok.
Candy and gum will not be allowed.
4. Please put all of your trash in the appropriate garbage cans. My classroom is
not a locker. If it is left in my room, it will be trash.
5. Restroom breaks are for emergencies only. If it is an EMERGENCY and you
MUST go to the Restroom, raise your hand and do this signal . This will help
differentiate between participation within class and permission for restroom
breaks.
The Social Studies departmental grading policy is:
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30% Tests (Unit Exams, etc.)
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25% ALL Essays and Projects (including Timed Writings, etc.)
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20% Quizzes (including Pop Quizzes, Reading quizzes, etc.)
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15% Classwork and Homework (Cornell Chapters, Charts, etc.)
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5% Notebook (Entire Cornell, 2-inch Binder, etc.)
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5% Participation
Required Yearly Exams (Federal/State/District):
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August-June: Interim Assessments throughout year
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August-September: Baseline Benchmark Assessments
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December: Midterm Exams
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March: FCAT Writing
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April: FCAT Reading/Mathematics/Science, Writing Post-Tests
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May: Advanced Placement Exams
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June: Final Exams
Grading Scale:
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A 100-90
B 89-80
C 79-70
D 69-60
F 59-0
General Grade Definitions:
A = Strong scholarship, work significantly exceeds the requirements of the
instructor, and demonstrates independent thought and resourcefulness. Work is
on time, neat, organized and free from spelling and grammatical errors. Work
shows significant increase development of the student, and the work, if shared,
enhances the group’s learning. ABOVE and BEYOND AVERAGE.
B= Accurate and complete scholarship that goes beyond the requirements of
the instructor, and demonstrates above-average achievement. Work is on time,
neat, organized and free from spelling and grammatical errors. Work shows
some increased development of the student, and the work, if shared, is
beneficial to the group’s learning. BEYOND AVERAGE.
C= Scholarship meets the minimum requirements of the instructor, and
demonstrates little independent thought or it may simply parrot the text. Work is
on time, neat, but may not be well organized and may contain spelling errors.
Work shows little increased development of the student, if any. The work, if
shared, is marginally beneficial to the group’s learning. AVERAGE.
D= Scholarship does not meet the requirements of the instructor, and
demonstrates no independent thought and may be copied from another
source, or paraphrased. Work may or may not be neatly done and well
organized. The work may contain spelling errors. Work shows no evidence of
increasing the development of the student. The work, if shared, has little, or no,
benefit for the group’s learning. BELOW AVERAGE.
F= Scholarship does not meet the minimum requirements of the instructor or the
assignment. The work shows no evidence of independent thought, was copied
from another source, or was paraphrased. The work may not be neat, may
contain spelling errors, and may be incomplete. If shared, the work is not
beneficial to the group’s learning. SIGNIFICANTLY BELOW AVERAGE.
PARENTS:
Please note that any textbook supplied to your child by the teacher belongs to
the school unless otherwise indicated. If the textbook is lost, stolen or damaged,
the student and the parent are financially responsible for the FULL cost of the
book.
There are three ways to contact me:
1. E-MAIL :
It is faster to contact me through e-mail at [email protected].
Please make sure to: include your child's name, class subject and Period
on the subject line (example: John Doe-AP Psychology-Period 6), make
sure to address your inquiry, and include your direct phone number in the
e-mail.
2. PHONE
If you do not have e-mail access, please call (954) 435-1470 and leave a
message with one of the school's receptionists.
3. PARENT CONFERENCE
If you wish to have a Parent Conference, please note that I am only
available on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings from 7:15am to 8:00am.
To schedule a Parent Conference, please call the counselor's office and
speak to your child's counselor to schedule an appointment for Tuesday or
Wednesday morning from 7:15am-8:00am at (954) 435-1970.
Course Outline
I. Scope, History, and Methodology [CR1]
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Historical Schools: Functionalism vs. Structuralism
Modern Approaches: Psychodynamic, Behaviorist,
Cognitive, Humanistic, Evolutionary, Neuroscience
Nature of Scientific Inquiry: Sources of bias and error
Research Methods: Introspection, observation, survey,
psychological testing, controlled experiments [CR2]
Statistics: Central tendency, variance, significance,
correlation
Ethics in Research: Human participants, animal subjects
[CR16]
II. Behaviorism
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Historical Background and Philosophy of Radical
Behaviorism
Classical Conditioning: Pavlov, Watson, applications,
biological critique, cognitivist challenge
Operant Conditioning: Thorndike, Skinner, Bandura,
behavior modification, biological critique, cognitivist
challenge [CR15]
III. Neuroscience [CR3]
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Neuron: Neuronal and synaptic transmission,
psychopharmacology, drug abuse
Brain: Research methodology, neuroanatomy, brain
development and aging, hemispheric specialization
Nervous System: Structural and functional organization
Endocrine System: Anatomy, HPA-axis, and immune
system
Genetics and Heritability
IV. Sensation and Perception [CR4]
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Psychophysics: Thresholds (absolute, difference,
Weber’s constants), signal detection theory
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Sensory Organs and Transduction: Visual (including
color vision and feature detection), auditory, olfactory,
gustatory, proprioceptive (including kinesthetic and
vestibular)
Perception: Attention, processing, illusions (including
Gestalt
psychology), and camouflage
V. Developmental Psychology [CR9]
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Methodology: Longitudinal and cross-sectional studies
Nature vs. Nurture (maturation versus learning)
Influential Theories: Piaget and cognitive development,
Freud and psychosocial development, Kohlberg and
moral development, Gilligan and gender differentiation
[CR6]
Infancy, Childhood, Adolescence, and Adulthood
VI. Intelligence and Psychological Testing [CR11]
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Psychological Testing: Methodology, norms, reliability,
validity
Intelligence: Defining intelligence, history of intelligence
and aptitude testing, nature-nurture issues
VII. Consciousness, Memory, and Language [CR5]
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States of Consciousness: Waking, sleep and dreaming,
hypnosis, altered states
Memory: Information processing, storage, retrieval
Accuracy of Memory: Loftus and Schacter
Cognition: Problem solving and heuristics [CR7]
Language: Skinner and Chomsky
VIII. Motivation and Emotions [CR8]
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Motivational Concepts: Instincts, drives, optimal
arousal, Maslow’s hierarchy
Hunger and Eating Disorders
Sexuality and Sexual Orientation
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Achievement Motivation: McClelland and the TAT,
intrinsic versus extrinsic motivators
Physiology of Emotion: Fear, anger, happiness
Expression of Emotion: Darwin and Ekman
Theories of Emotion: James-Lange, Cannon-Bard,
Schacter-Singer
IX. Personality [CR10]
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Psychodynamic Perspective: Freud, Jung, Adler
Trait Perspective: Allport, factor analysis and the fivefactor model, assessment (Myers-Briggs, MMPI)
Humanistic Perspective: Maslow and Rogers
Social-Cognitive Perspective: Bandura and Seligman
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Stress as a Concept: Selye
Stress and Health
Adjustment
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X. Stress and Health
XI. Abnormal Psychology [CR12, CR13]
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Approaches to Abnormality: The Rosenhan study,
historical approaches (deviance), the medical model,
the biopsychosocial model
Classifying Disorders: Evolution of the DSM-IV-TR
Major Categories of Disorders: Anxiety disorders,
dissociative disorders, mood disorders, schizophrenia,
personality disorders
Major Approaches to Psychotherapy: Psychoanalysis,
behavioristic, humanistic, cognitive, group,
pharmacological
Does Therapy Work? Eysenck, outcome studies, and
the Consumer Reports study
XII. Social Psychology [CR14]
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Attitudes and Behavior: Fundamental attribution error,
roles, Festinger and cognitive dissonance
Group Influence: Asch and conformity, Milgram and
obedience,
facilitation and loafing, Janis and groupthink
Prejudice and Scapegoating
Altruism: Darley and Latané
Return this page to Ms. Morales.
My signature below indicates that I have read and understood the Psychology
Syllabus in its entirety, given to me by Ms. Morales. I acknowledge that Ms.
Morales has the right to adjust the terms of this syllabus as needed. I understand,
agree, and will comply with the classroom methods & guidelines, rules, and
expectations Ms. Morales and the course stated herein.
I also understand, that any textbook supplied to me [my child] by the teacher
belongs to the school unless otherwise indicated and if the textbook is lost,
stolen or damaged upon return to the school, I agree that I am responsible for
the FULL cost of the textbook as when the textbook was originally purchased.
I understand that it is my [child’s] responsibility to:
- read the designated chapters before coming to class;
- do all the work assigned;
- attend study time sessions;
- get help early if the material is not understood;
- not procrastinate; and
- try my [their] best in this class.
My child and I also understand that plagiarism (cheating) is a serious matter and
if my child cheats in any way as stated in the syllabus, s/he will not only receive
a zero for that specific assignment but also a conduct grade of F for the nine
weeks and a detention to be served the next Wednesday after the incident.
Student Name (please print) __________________________________________
Student Signature___________________________________________________
Parent/Guardian Name (please print)___________________________________
Parent/Guardian Signature____________________________________________
Parent Contact Information: Phone: __________________________________
Email:_______________________________________________________________
Dated_________________________