Download Unit 1: History and Perspectives of Psychology

College Board AP Course Audit — AP Psychology
Course Overview
Name
Description
AP Psychology
AP Psychology provides an overview of current psychological research
methods and theories. Students will explore the therapies used by professional
counselors and clinical psychologists and examine the reasons for normal
human reactions: how people learn and think, the process of human
development and human aggression, altruism, intimacy, and self-reflection.
They’ll study core psychological concepts, such as the brain and sense
functions, and learn to gauge human reactions, gather information, and form
meaningful syntheses. The course exposes students to facts, research,
appropriate terminology, and major figures in the world of psychology. Along
the way, students will also investigate relevant concepts like study skills and
information retention. The equivalent of a 100-level college survey course, AP
Psychology prepares students for the AP Exam and for further studies in
psychology and life sciences.
The content aligns to the scope and sequence specified by the College Board
and to widely used textbooks.
Teacher role
Prerequisites
Length
Materials
All students enrolled in this course are assigned to a "section" and have a
teacher who is charged with ensuring student success and addressing student
questions, problems, and concerns. In addition, all students have a "mentor"
who is available in their school or home and helps keep the student on track for
completing the materials in a timely manner.
• Biology
• Recommended for qualified AP students
One semester
The majority of the required instructional material for this course is available to
students online. These materials were created and owned by our company. In
addition, either the student or the school must purchase the following:
Myers, David G. Psychology. 11th Ed. New York: Worth Publishing, 2015.
The following key should help you understand the different types of activities students engage in
during the course:
Activity type
Diagnostic
Discuss
Explore
Practice
Quiz
Review
Study
Test
Description
Pre- or post-test used to help students assess their mastery and understanding
of the material introduced in the unit.
Students discuss topics in an online bulletin-board style forum. Teachers
participate in these discussions as well and students receive credit for their
participation.
Students are provided with links to sites on the World Wide Web where they
can do research or learn more about a particular topic.
Students answer questions regarding what they have learned thus far.
Computer-administered and automatically graded assessment.
Review of the material covered in a unit or over a semester
Primary instructional online content that teaches new concepts through
multimedia and interactivity.
Assessment covering the material introduced in a unit.
Course Syllabus
Unit 1: History and Perspectives of Psychology
Lesson 1: History and Perspectives of Psychology
Required reading from Myers: Prologue “The Story of Psychology”
(Pages 1-15)
Study — Development of Psychology as a
Science
Explore — What Do You Know about
Psychology? A Common Sense Test
Discuss — Getting Acquainted
Study — Modern Perspectives in Psychology
Practice — Comprehension Check
Study — Fields in Psychology
Practice — Careers in Psychology
Practice — Identifying Perspectives in
Psychology
Quiz — Comprehension Check
Learn about the development of psychology
from early philosophy to modern science.
Major figures in the field such as Freud, Jung,
and Watson are introduced and discussed.
Perspectives and theories such as monism,
dualism, structuralism, functionalism, gestalt,
psychoanalysis, and behaviorism are
introduced. The role of empirically supported
data in psychological research is touched
upon.
Take a quick quiz on common sense and find
out what you might already know about
psychology.
Introduce yourself to students and instructor.
Share information about yourself, your school,
and your interest in psychology.
Learn about eight of the most common
perspectives in modern psychology:
psychodynamic, behavioral, cognitive,
humanistic, biomedical, evolutionary, sociocultural and social cognitive. Humanistic vs.
cognitive behavior is explored. Socio-cultural
and socio-cognitive perspectives are
discussed. Watch video interviews with actual
psychologists talking about perspectives in
their work.
Answer questions to assess your
understanding of the history and perspectives
of psychology.
Learn about psychologists, psychiatrists, and
counselors as well as the types of settings in
which they work.
Match psychology jobs to their functions (for
example, neuropsychologists study brain
function and how they influence behavior).
Learn about the application of data to the
perspectives you've been studying.
Look at some case studies and explain the
reasons why people act as they do.
Answer questions to assess your
understanding of the history and perspectives
of psychology introduced in this lesson.
Lesson 2: Research Methods
Required reading from Myers: Chapter 1 “Thinking Critically with Psychological Science”
(Pages 19-41)
In this lesson, students discover the difference between basic and applied research, learn how
psychologists collect data (e.g. through naturalistic observation, case studies, surveys,
correlational studies, and experimental studies), and discover how researchers select subjects to
participate in research studies (and avoid selection bias, ethical violations, and other problems).
Study — Introduction to Psychological
Research
Explore — Why Learn about Psychological
Research? An Introduction
Study — Observational Studies
Study — Experiments
Study — Hypothesis Testing
Explore — Hypothesis Testing in Current
Research
Study — Correlational Research
Practice — Evaluating Research Design
and Ethics
Practice — Fact from Fiction: Evaluating
Scientific Information
Practice — Comprehension Check
Discuss — Should Animals Be Used in
Research?
Quiz — Comprehension Check
Get some explanations regarding the world of
psychological research.
Learn the key elements of how research should be
conducted and designed so that you can better
evaluate reports that may seem confusing.
Learn about surveys and other types of
information-gathering studies where the
researcher does not exert control over the
subjects. See how psychological facts are
supported empirically and learn about the role of
sampling, observational studies, undercoverage,
research bias, wording bias, and false consensus
bias.
Learn about studies where the researcher exerts
control over the subjects and observes how they
react. Discover what an experiment is and learn
about Milgram's controversial experiments. Learn
the terminology of experiments, including the
terms variable, factor, experimental unit, control,
Hawthorne effect, and treatment group.
How science answers important 'yes or no'
questions: setting up hypotheses, significance
testing, and hypothesis testing in the real world.
Explore current research and gain a deeper
understanding of hypothesis testing and statistical
significance.
Learn how to analyze the relationship between
two variables (for example, between TV watching
and grades).
Evaluate the research design and ethical
standards of several research proposals. Apply
analysis of empirically supported psychological
facts and research findings to your work.
Evaluate the quality of information from credible
and non-credible sources and see how the source
affects what you read or hear.
See how much you know about the basic research
methods in psychology you've been learning in
this lesson.
Explore the pros and cons of animal research and
experimentation in psychology.
Answer multiple-choice questions to assess your
understanding of research methods in psychology
introduced in this lesson.
Lesson 3: Basic Statistics
Required reading from Myers: Chapter 1 “Thinking Critically with Psychological Science”
(Pages 42-47)
Study — Basic Statistics
Study — The Normal Distribution z-Scores and
Percentiles
Practice — Descriptive Statistics
Practice — Basic Statistics
Practice — Comprehension Check
Quiz — Comprehension Check
Learn basic measures of central tendency
(averages) and variation (standard deviation).
Terminology introduced includes: average,
deviation, frequency distribution, correlation
coefficient, mean, median, mode descriptive
vs. inferential statistics, data gathering, data
organization, probability, survey, chart,
likelihood, and random sampling.
Learn how the common 'bell curve' is used to
determine probabilities and percentiles.
Terminology introduced includes: normal
Distribution, z-score, and percentile.
Practice what you have learned about
descriptive statistics with this PsychSim tutorial
(from the textbook publisher).
Calculate, organize, and identify basic
statistical data. This exercise offers students
the opportunity to apply research findings and
work with terminology and associated
phenomena.
Answer questions to assess your
understanding of basic statistics to prepare for
the lesson quiz.
Answer questions to assess your
understanding of basic statistics (for credit).
Lesson 4: History and Perspectives of Psychology Wrap-Up
Review — History and Perspectives of
Psychology
Review — Advanced Placement Essay Writing
Test — History and Perspectives of
Psychology
Review the material introduced in this unit to
prepare for the test.
Learn about how to write Advanced Placement
Exam essays.
Test your understanding of the key concepts
covered in this unit. This 50-minute teachergraded test includes both multiple-choice and
essay questions.
Lesson 5: Diagnostic
Diagnostic — History and Perspectives of
Psychology
Test your understanding of the key concepts
covered in this unit.
Unit 2: Perception and Consciousness
Lesson 1: The Nervous and Endocrine Systems
Required reading from Myers: Chapter 2 “The Biology of Mind”
(Pages 51-87)
Study — Organization of the Nervous
System
Study — A Tour of the Brain
Explore — Hemisphere Specialization
Study — Methods for Studying the Brain
Practice — Neuron Activity
Practice — Comprehension Check
Study — The Endocrine System
Explore — Sheep Brain Dissection
Practice — Brain Biology
Quiz — Comprehension Check
Learn about the main components of the human
nervous system and how they work together. Explore
the somatic nervous system and the different types of
neurons. Terminology introduced includes: Central
nervous system, somatic system, automatic,
sympathetic system, neural impulse, and action
potential.
Learn about the brain, the most complicated system in
the known universe. Study the different parts of the
brain and their functions. Terminology introduced
includes: hindbrain, midbrain, medulla, pons,
cerebellum, limbic system, hippocampus, and
thalamus.
Discover more about brain function and hemisphere
specialization. Use the Myers PsychSim tutorials to
learn how the hemispheres of the brain function,
separately and together.
Read about the amazing tools that have given rise to
exciting new discoveries about the brain. Learn about
the brain observation devices EEG, CAT, MRI and
PET. Terminology introduced includes: hemisphere
and lobe.
Label the structures of a neuron.
Answer questions to assess your understanding of the
nervous system, the neuron basic brain structures and
their functions, and how scientists study the human
brain.
Discover the system of hormones and glands that
affects emotions and important processes such as
growth. Terminology introduced includes: endocrine
system, glands, pituitary, endorphins, and metabolism.
Delve into the world of brain structures and functions
by exploring a sheep's brain at the Exploratorium site.
Create a brain model that displays the various brain
structures and outlines their various functions.
Answer questions to assess your understanding of the
nervous and endocrine systems.
Lesson 2: Genetic Influences
Required reading from Myers: Chapter 4 “Nature, Nurture, and Human Diversity”
(Pages 133-173)
Study — Genetics and Genetic Diseases
Study — Nature-Nurture and Twin Studies
Discuss — Nature or Nurture?
Learn the basics of genes and chromosomes and
how they affect behavior. Terminology introduced
includes: DNA, chromosomes, alleles, and genes.
The phenomena of : Huntington’s Syndrome, Down
Syndrome, and Turner Syndrome are covered.
Discover more how genes and the environment
affect our behavior by exploring nature-nurture and
twin studies.
Explore the topic of nature vs. nurture with your
classmates. Use concrete examples to support your
view on how environmental or biological factors
Quiz — Comprehension Check
affect who and what we are. Which do you see as
more influential and why?
Answer questions to assess your understanding of
genetic influences introduced in this lesson.
Lesson 3: Sensation and Perception
Required reading from Myers: Chapter 6 “Sensation and Perception”
(Pages 229-274)
Study — Sensation
Study — Theories of Vision and Hearing
Explore — Theories of Taste, Smell, and
Position
Explore — Senses of Touch Position and
Balance
Explore — Fun with Your Senses
Study — Perception
Explore — Perception and Optical Illusions
Discuss — Extrasensory Perception
Explore — Sensation and Perception Jeopardy
Quiz — Comprehension Check
Learn how external and internal stimulation
such as light, sound waves, taste, smell, and
pressure are changed to an electrical-chemical
impulse that relays information to the brain for
further processing. Terminology introduced
includes: sensation, psychophysics, receptor
cells, transduction, thresholds, and sensory
adaptation.
Read about the properties of light, the
structures and functions of the eye, and how
information is processed in the eye and in the
brain. Then discover the properties of sound,
the structures and functions of the ear, and
how sound waves are processed to enable
hearing.
Explore research and details about how we
sense tastes and smells. Visit websites that
provide information on these senses and the
trigeminal sense as well.
Use the Internet to learn about the kinesthetic
(or proprioceptive) sense, the sense of touch
and pain, and the vestibular sense (or sense of
balance).
Now that you have some information about
how the different sensory systems operate, try
this "Challenge of the Senses."
Learn how the brain organizes and interprets
information from sense organs. Required
reading from Myers text: pages 237-269.
Terminology introduced includes: perception,
top-down processing, bottom-up processing ,
similarity, proximity, and continuity. Gestalt
Theory and Feature Detection Theory are
covered as well as Wertheimer and Perls.
Explore the connection between perceptual
expectations and optical illusions.
Share your view and provide specific examples
to support your opinion about the existence of
ESP.
Check your understanding of sensation and
perception with an on-line Jeopardy game.
Answer questions to assess your
understanding of sensation and perception.
Lesson 4: Consciousness
Required reading from Myers: Chapter 3 “Consciousness and the Two-Track Mind”
(Pages 91-130)
Explore — Theories of Consciousness
Study — Sleep and Dreaming
Explore — Sleep Inventory and Tips for
Sleeping Well
Discuss — Sleep
Practice — Stages of Sleep
Explore — Dream Interpretation
Study — Hypnosis
Practice — Comprehension Check
Study — Psychoactive Drugs
Quiz — Comprehension Check
Explore different views on what it means to be
conscious. Includes a review of some basic
philosophy, including dualism and monism.
Psychological facts such as states of consciousness,
dreaming, and the physiological and psychological
effects of depressants, stimulants, and hallucinogens
are covered, as are Activation-Synthesis and
Information-Processing. Associated Phenomena such
as major sleep disorders, physical and psychological
effects of addiction are discussed. Terminology
includes the words circadian and REM. The work of
Freud and Jung is discussed.
Learn about the stages of sleep and some popular
theories about dreaming. Includes discussions of
sleep stages, REM sleep, sleep disorders, dreaming,
processing theories, and circadian rhythms.
Take a sleep inventory to assess the quality of your
sleep and visit a website for tips on sleeping well.
Discuss which sleep disorder you think would be the
hardest with which to cope. Expand your discussion to
also talk about the effect of getting too much or too
little sleep on your waking life.
Write answers to questions about the characteristics
of the four stages of sleep and explain the
distinguishing characteristics of REM and non-REM
sleep.
Keep a dream journal for a night then go on-line to
examine its possible latent and manifest content.
Learn what hypnosis is and how it's used.
Answer questions to assess your understanding of
sleep and hypnosis.
Learn the major classes of drugs (agonists, ,
stimulants, depressants, opiates, hallucinogens,
amphetamines, barbiturates, etc.) and what they do.
Answer questions to assess your understanding of
consciousness.
Lesson 5: Perception and Consciousness Wrap-Up
Review — Perception and Consciousness
Test — Perception and Consciousness
Review the material introduced in this unit to
prepare for the test.
Test your understanding of the key concepts
covered in this unit. This 50-minute teacher-graded
test includes both multiple-choice and essay
questions.
Lesson 6: Diagnostic
Diagnostic — Perception and Consciousness
Test your understanding of the key concepts
covered in this unit.
Unit 3: Thinking and Feeling
Lesson 1: Classical and Operant Conditioning
Required reading from Myers: Chapter 7 “Learning”
(Pages 279-313)
Study — Classical Conditioning
Understand how a stimulus can become paired
with a response. Pavlov, Watson, and Skinner
are discussed as well as cognitive vs. operant
conditioning. The Garcia and Koelling shock
experiments are covered.
Explore — Little Albert and the Classical
Conditioning of a Phobia
Explore a classic and controversial experiment
about classical conditioning in humans. As you
think about how classical conditioning works,
try to relate this experiment to your own
experience and to today's standards of ethics.
Little Albert and classic conditioning are
discussed.
Learn about the basic processes of operant
conditioning, including the role of
consequences, such as rewards and
punishments, and the impact of how these
consequences are delivered. Terminology
covered includes: discrimination, reward, and
reinforcement.
Answer questions to assess your
understanding of operant conditioning.
Using your knowledge of classical and operant
conditioning, discuss how phobias develop and
how they can be treated.
Answer questions to assess your
understanding of classical and operant
conditioning
Study — Operant Conditioning
Practice — Comprehension Check
Discuss — Conditioning
Quiz — Comprehension Check
Lesson 2: Cognitive and Social Approaches to Learning
Required reading from Myers: Chapter 7 “Learning”
(Pages 279-313)
*Reading continued from Lesson 1
Study — Cognitive and Social Approaches to
Learning
Practice — How Do We Teach Our Children?
Examine two theories that expanded upon the
original notions of classical conditioning and
operant conditioning to include the influence of
the social environment and mental processes
on learning. Bandura, Milgram, and Hutchins
are discussed, as are Kohler’s ape research,
cognitive learning theory, latent learning, and
cognitive load.
Think about how various theories and
experiments affect and influence the behavior
of children, as well as the ways those theories
can help parents raise those children. Also
consider the ways certain learning theories can
help kids get a better night's sleep.
Answer questions to assess your
understanding of cognitive and social
approaches to learning.
Quiz — Comprehension Check
Lesson 3: Memory
Required reading from Myers: Chapter 8 “Memory”
(Pages 317-351)
Study — Memory
Explore — Testing Memory
Practice — Forgetting
Explore — Mnemonic Devices
Discuss — Mnemonic Devices
Practice — Memory Practice
Quiz — Comprehension Check
Learn about basic models and systems of memory and
consider some interesting memory related phenomena.
Try some activities to test your memory and learn some things
you can try to improve it.
Identify examples of retroactive and proactive interference, and
retrograde and anterograde amnesia.
Learn how to use mnemonic devices to improve your recall of
content.
Use what you have learned in this lesson to explain how
mnemonic devices can be used to improve study time and rate
of retention.
Review the “Encoding,” “Storage,” and “Memory Construction”
sections in chapter 9 of your textbook. Then give short answers
to some questions on what you've read and learned in this
lesson.
Answer questions to assess your understanding of memory as
covered in this lesson.
Lesson 4: Cognition Problem Solving and Creativity
Required reading from Myers: Chapter 9 “Thinking and Language” Part 1
(Pages 355-369)
Study — Cognition
Study — Problem Solving and Creativity
Practice — Comprehension Check
Practice — Making Decisions and Forming
Judgments
Quiz — Comprehension Check
Learn theories about how we think. Consider
the role of the brain, mental images and
concepts, reasoning, decision making, and
heuristics. Levels of cognitive theory, mental
images, and concepts reasoning are
discussed. Introduced terminology includes:
sensory memory, short- and long-term
memory; declarative, procedural, eidetic,
episodic, and semantic memory; recall,
recognition, reconstruction, and LTP.
Learn how problem-solving and creativity have
been defined and studied. Introduced
terminology includes the terms heuristic and
problem-solving.
Answer questions to assess your
understanding of cognition problem solving and
creativity.
Distinguish between availability and
representative heuristics, framing, and
schemas as you prepare for the lesson quiz.
Answer questions to assess your
understanding of cognition, problem solving,
and creativity as presented in this lesson.
Lesson 5: Language
Required reading from Myers: Chapter 9 “Thinking and Language” Part 2
(Pages 370-382)
Study — Language Development
Explore — Case Study: Genie the
Wild Child
Discuss — Do Animals Think?
Quiz — Comprehension Check
Learn how people acquire and use language. Includes an
overview of language development theories. Chomsky and
Skinner are introduced, as are nativist, behaviorist, and
interactivist perspectives.
Examine a historical case study of a feral child raised in
isolation and the effects of this experience on language
development.
Use concrete examples to support your opinion about
whether you believe animals are self-aware and whether
they use language.
Answer questions to assess your understanding of
language concepts covered in this lesson.
Lesson 6: Motivation and Emotions
Required reading from Myers: Chapter 11 “What Drives Us: Hunger, Sex, Friendship, and
Achievement”
(Pages 419-455)
Study — Overview of Motivation
Study — Motivation of Hunger and
Sex
Study — Overview of Emotions
Explore — Facial Expressions
Discuss — Achievement
Practice — Theories of Emotion
Practice — Comprehension Check
Study some important theories about motivation
including how it can be driven by biological needs.
Includes overviews of instinct, drive reduction, incentive,
and arousal theories. The hierarchy of needs and the
achievement motive are also explored. Intrinsic and
extrinsic motivation, non-verbal communication, and
catharsis hypothesis are covered, as are Instinct Theory,
Drive-Reduction Theory, Incentive Theory, and Arousal
Theory. The work of Hull, Maslow, and Zuckerman is
discussed as well as the Yerkes-Dodson experiment.
Terminology includes: obesity, anorexia nervosa, and
bulimia.
Learn about two basic human drives. Explore the
deprivation motive and the pleasure principle.
Explore some important theories about how emotions
are triggered and created. Learn about the JamesLangue bodily based theory, the Cannon-Bard thalamic
theory, the Schacter and Singer cognitive theory, and
the opponent-process theory. Solomon-Corbitt
opponent-based theory is also covered. Required
reading from Myers text: pages 513-567.
See how subtle differences in facial expression can be
powerful communicators of emotion.
Using your knowledge of achievement, discuss what you
would do as a coach or boss to motivate players or
employees to achieve more.
Student will read a series of scenarios and determine
the matching theory of emotion.
Check your understanding of motivation and emotion
before you take the lesson quiz.
Answer questions to assess your understanding of
motivation and emotion as presented in this lesson.
Quiz — Comprehension Check
Lesson 7: Stress Health and Coping
Required reading from Myers: Chapter 12 “Emotions, Stress and Health”
(Pages 459-513)
Study — Stress Health and Coping
Explore — Measuring Your Stress Level
Practice — Comprehension Check
Quiz — Comprehension Check
Read theories about how people respond to stress
and how to better cope with it. Learn about general
adaptation theory, subjective well-being, learned
optimism, and positive psychology. Introduced
terminology includes: stress, resistance,
epinephrine, cortisol, exhaustion, and eustress.
Take an on-line evaluation of your current stress
level. Well-Being, learned optimism, and positive
psychology are discussed.
Answer questions to assess your understanding of
health, stress, and coping before you tackle the
lesson quiz.
Answer questions to assess your understanding of
stress, health, and coping as introduced in this
lesson.
Lesson 8: Thinking and Feeling Wrap-Up
Review — Thinking and Feeling
Test — Thinking and Feeling
Review material to prepare for the test covering the material
introduced in this unit.
Test your understanding of the key concepts covered in this
unit. This 50-minute teacher-graded test includes multiplechoice and an essay question.
Lesson 9: Diagnostic
Diagnostic — Thinking and Feeling
Test your understanding of the key concepts introduced in
this unit.
Unit 4: Development Testing and Individual Differences
Lesson 1: Studying Child Development
Required reading from Myers: Chapter 5 “Developing through the Life Span”
(Pages 177-195)
Study — Dimensions of
Development
Study — Developmental Research
Practice — Developmental
Timeline
Quiz — Comprehension Check
Examine some of the significant issues that developmental
psychologists consider when studying human development.
Jean Piaget's work is featured.
Explore the complex problems and ingenious solutions for
studying how people change over time. Learn about crosssectional design, cohort comparison, longitudinal design,
and sequential design.
Create a timeline that outlines the key cognitive, social, and
moral developmental stages in human development.
Answer questions to assess your understanding of child
development as presented in this lesson.
Lesson 2: Major Theories of Human Development
Required reading from Myers: Chapter 5 “Developing through the Life Span”
(Pages 195-225)
Study — A Survey of Perspectives
and Theories of Development
Explore — Parenting Styles
Discuss — Attachment
Practice — Comprehension Check
Quiz — Comprehension Check
Focus on some of the most important theories about how
people develop. Learn about biological and evolutionary
perspectives including, Freud's psychosexual theory,
Erikson's psychosocial theory, Piaget's cognitive
developmental theory, Kohlberg's stages of moral
development, behavioral perspectives, Bandura's theory,
Vygotsky's sociocultural theory, and David Elkind and the
Hurried Child.
Explore different styles of parenting such as
responsiveness and demandingness.
Discuss how attachment and different parenting styles
affect human development, as well as the role of the father
in the family.
Answer questions to assess your understanding of
theories of development in preparation for the lesson quiz.
Answer questions to assess your understanding of the
theories of human development as presented in this
lesson.
Lesson 3: Personality
Required reading from Myers: Chapter 14 “Personality”
(Pages 571-605)
Study — Psychodynamic Theories of
Development
Study — Psychoanalytic Perspectives
on Personality
Practice — The Id, Ego and Superego
Study — Other Perspectives on
Personality
Practice — Theories of Personality
Learn theories about the role of unconscious conflicts
in development. Explore Freud's levels of
consciousness, structures of personality, conflict and
guilt, psychosexual stages of development,
psychodynamic theories of development, and levels of
consciousness. Terminology introduced includes:
conscious, preconscious, unconscious, id, ego,
superego, repression, conflict, and guilt.
Dig into what creates personality and learn about
various personality theories from the psychoanalytic
perspective, including those of Freud, Jung, and Adler.
Learn about archetypes, the inferiority complex, and
the Rorschach test. Words introduced include:
sublimation, regression, archetypes, and inferiority
complex.
Develop a mastery of key terms and ideas about
psychoanalytic personality theory.
Explore behavioral, social-cognitive, humanistic, and
trait approaches to understanding personality.
Discover the work of Skinner, Rogers, Rotter, and
phenomenon known as "The Big 5."
In a series of short essays, explain how the various
theories of personality account for an introverted or
Explore — Personality Testing
Practice — Comprehension Check
Discuss — Personality
Quiz — Comprehension Check
extroverted personality.
Take an on-line personality assessment (a brief
version of Myers-Briggs) and think about whether the
results are useful to you, whether you agree with
them, and how you might design a personality test
yourself.
Answer questions to assess your understanding of
personality as covered in this lesson.
Discuss two theories of personality that you feel best
explain the development of your personality.
Answer questions to assess your understanding of
personality as presented in this lesson.
Lesson 4: Testing and Individual Differences
Required reading from Myers: Chapter 10 “Intelligence”
(Pages 385-415)
Study — How Tests Are Created and Used
Study — Common Types of Psychometric
Tests
Explore — Howard Gardner: The World of
Multiple Intelligences
Discuss — Intelligence
Practice — Theories of Intelligence
Quiz — Comprehension Check
Look at how a test is constructed. Then discuss
concepts that are related to designing good tests,
such as reliability and validity. Learn about
Stanford-Binet Finally, examine intelligence testing
in particular, focusing on the problems in defining
intelligence and on the possibility of cultural and
ethnic bias in intelligence testing.
Learn about tests for intelligence personality and
other traits. Examine the definitions,
characteristics, intended purposes and some of
the strengths and weaknesses of each type of
test. Terminology covered includes:
psychometrician, achievement, and aptitude.
Discover your multiple intelligences profile. Think
about your strength and weaknesses, how you
might improve upon them, and whether the results
surprised you.
Apply what you have learned about intelligence to
answer one of these questions using examples to
support your opinion. Is there a difference
between men and woman? Is intelligence a
measure of innate ability or simply hard intellectual
work? Is intelligence determined at birth or is it
something in our lives that we can improve or
change?
Read descriptions and give the corresponding
theories of intelligence.
Answer questions to assess your understanding of
personality testing and individual differences as
introduced in this lesson.
Lesson 5: Development Testing and Individual Differences Wrap-Up
Review — Development Testing and Individual
Differences
Test — Development Testing and Individual
Differences
Review the material covered in this unit to
prepare for the test.
Test your understanding of the key concepts
taught in this unit. This 50-minute test is
teacher graded and includes multiple-choice
questions as well as an essay.
Lesson 6: Diagnostic
Diagnostic — Development Testing and
Individual Differences
Test your understanding of the key concepts
introduced in this unit.
Unit 5: Abnormal Psychology and Social Psychology
Lesson 1: Abnormal Psychology
Required reading from Myers: Chapter 15 “Psychological Disorders”
(Pages 609-653)
Study — Overview of Abnormal
Psychology
Study — Major Categories of Disorders
Discuss — Psychological Disorders
Study — Diagnosing Disorders
Explore — The Puzzle of Diagnosis
Practice — Diagnosing Psychological
Disorders
Practice — Comprehension Check
Quiz — Comprehension Check
Look at the concept of "abnormal" and see how it has
been defined has changed over the years. Then
examine how several major theoretical perspectives
approach "abnormality." Includes an introduction to
the DSM-IV. Terminology introduced includes sanity,
insanity, and competency. Behaviorist, biomedical,
and cognitive approaches are addressed.
Become familiar with the major categories of disorders
(such as anxiety, somatoform, dissociative, and
affective) as defined by the DSM-IV. See how the
disorders vary widely in terms of symptoms as well as
prognosis.
Select a psychological disorder that you find intriguing.
Discuss the symptoms and explain why and how you
find it interesting. Or take up the issue of insurance
coverage for mental disorders.
Practice diagnosing disorders according to how they're
defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual.
At the PsychSim website, examine several cases and
diagnose the psychological disorder.
Examine a set of five case studies. Then referring to
the DSM-IV, give a diagnosis and explanation of the
possible psychological disorder based on the
symptoms described.
Answer questions to assess your understanding of
psychological disorders in preparation for the lesson
quiz.
Answer questions to assess your understanding of
abnormal psychology as presented in this lesson.
Lesson 2: Treatments
Required reading from Myers: Chapter 16 “Therapy”
(Pages 657-691)
Study — Types of Therapies and Therapists
There exist various theoretical approaches to
treatment, and each perspective differs in terms
of how problems are targeted. See how each
theoretical perspective is unique, and how
different facets of each might be combined to
Explore — Pharmacological Approaches to
Treatment
Explore — Rogerian Therapy
Practice — Therapy and Treatment
Practice — Comprehension Check
Quiz — Comprehension Check
form an eclectic treatment model. Learn about
behaviorist, humanist, psychoanalytic, cognitive,
and biomedical therapies. The work of Pinel,
Freud, Perls, and Beck is featured. Terminology
introduced includes free association,
transference, resistance, implosive therapy, and
shock therapy.
Look at drug classifications and learn how
prescription medications are used to treat
mental illness.
Take part in a Rogerian therapy session at the
PsychSim Tutorial site.
Now that you know something about the major
psychotherapies and biomedical therapies,
apply this information to outline a variety of
treatment options for depression, explain the
preventative health model, and discuss
therapeutic effectiveness.
Answer questions to assess your understanding
of treatments before taking the lesson quiz.
Answer questions to assess your understanding
of treatments and therapies as presented in this
lesson.
Lesson 3: Attitudes and Social-Cognitive Theories
Required reading from Myers: Chapter 13 “Social Psychology”
(Pages 517-536)
Study — Attitudes and Social-Cognitive
Theories
Explore — Examine the Zimbardo Prison
Study on the Power of Roles
Explore — Famous Studies in Social
Psychology
Discuss — Social Psychology
Practice — Comprehension Check
Study — Friendliness Friendship and Love
Quiz — Comprehension Check
Discuss attitude formation and attitude change.
Then explore the processes by which we judge our
own and others' behavior and examine the
common biases that are a part of these processes.
The work of Eliot, Zimbardo, Milgram, and Asch are
featured.
Examine Zimbardo's historical case study to
discover the power of roles and consider whether it
explains Iraqi prisoner abuse.
Explore Asch's, Milgram's and Zimbardo's studies
about group influence on individual behavior.
Provide a real life example to support or refute the
findings of one of the studies you learned about in
the previous two activities.
Answer questions to assess your understanding of
attitudes and social-cognitive theories.
Learn more about what brings people together and
prompts them to love and help each other. The
mere exposure effect is featured.
Answer questions to assess your understanding of
attitudes and Social-Cognitive theories as covered
in this lesson.
Lesson 4: Groups and Intergroup Relations
Required reading from Myers: Chapter 13 “Social Psychology”
(Pages 537-567)
Study — Concepts in Groups and
Intergroup Relations
Study — Contact Theory
Explore — Prisoner Dilemma: A
Problem of Cooperation vs.
Competition
Explore — Dissonance Theory
Persuasion and Consumer Behavior
Discuss — Television and Aggression
Practice — Pro-social vs. Anti-social
Behavior
Quiz — Comprehension Check
Learn about a basic concept in social psychology: the
group. Learn important ideas and theories about how
groups behave and interact. Group- and intergroup
relations, stereotyping, and discrimination are
discussed. Terminology introduced includes: group
norms, deindividuation, group polarization, and groupthink.
Learn how contact between individuals in different
groups can increase understanding and cooperation
and reduce prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination.
Explore the Robbers Cave Study, the contact
hypothesis, and the jigsaw classroom.
Explore the effect of cooperation and competition on
individual decision-making by playing a computer
simulation game that mimics the Prisoner's Dilemma.
Take a look at how commercials and print
advertisements entice you to purchase their products
through promotion of cognitive dissonance.
Discuss whether violence, such as that shown on TV or
depicted in video games creates or releases
aggression in teens.
Use examples to write short essays that illustrate prosocial and anti-social group behavior.
Answer questions to assess your understanding of
groups and intergroup relations as introduced in this
lesson.
Lesson 5: Abnormal Psychology and Social Psychology Wrap-Up
Review — Abnormal Psychology and Social
Psychology
Test — Abnormal Psychology and Social
Psychology
Review the material covered in this unit to
prepare for the test.
Test your understanding of the key concepts
introduced in this unit. The 50-minute test is
teacher-graded and includes multiple-choice
questions and an essay.
Lesson 6: Diagnostic
Diagnostic — Abnormal Psychology and Social
Psychology
Test your understanding of the key concepts
presented in this unit.
Unit 6: Course Review and Exam
Lesson 1: Course Review
Review — Myers Review Materials
Lesson 2: Final Course Exam
Review the material you studied in this course and get a
refresher on how to write a good exam essay.
Exam — Final Course Exam
Take the Course Final to assess your understanding of the
content from both semesters. This two-hour exam is teachergraded and includes multiple-choice questions as well as two
essays.