Download AP Psychology Syllabus - AP Psychology by Mr. Schlecht

AP Psychology Syllabus
Instructor: Pat Schlecht
Room 171
[email protected]
AP COMMITMENT:
AP Student Commitment:
AP Psychology is a demanding introduction to Psychology that assumes a high level of interest and commitment. Because this course is similar to a fir
year college course, students should expect the workload to be heavier than most regular high school courses. Students will be required to do extensive
nightly reading, studying, and preparing for class. A student’s commitment and dedication to this class is crucial to their success. The analytical thinki
writing, and reading skills that students develop in AP Psychology will equip them for college and lifelong learning. In order to succeed, students need
to be motivated to study and to be able to keep up with the demands of a college-level course. By taking the AP Exam at the end of the course, student
have the opportunity to demonstrate that they have indeed learned college-level material and are prepared to enter advanced college courses.
AP Teacher Commitment:
I am dedicated to ensuring students are successful in AP Psychology. I am available before school, during lunch, and after school for student conferenc
tutoring, and support. Please see me directly if you ever have a concern, no matter how small or great the concern. I am here to support you and your
learning. You may also reach me during evening hours through email.
Course Objectives: The central question addressed in AP Psychology is: “how do psychologists think?” A psychologist must learn
to “restrain intuition with critical thinking, making judgments with compassion, and illusion with understanding.” Whether you choose to
pursue a career related to psychology or one in some entirely different field, this habit of mind will be of great value. This AP Psychology
course is designed to introduce students to field of psychology. You will learn about some of the explorations and discoveries made by
psychologists over the past century as well as assessing some of the differing approaches adopted by psychologists, including the biological,
behavioral, cognitive, humanistic, psychodynamic, and socio-cultural perspectives. Most important, students come to an appreciation of how
psychologists think (or at least an appreciation of the kind of critical analysis that psychologists espouse and hope to model in their words and
actions).
Goals of this course:
1. Students will prepare to do acceptable work on the AP Psychology Examination.
2. Students will study the major core concepts and theories of psychology. They will be able to define key terms and use them in their everyday vocabulary.
3. Students will learn the basic skills of psychological research and be able to apply psychological concepts to their own lives.
4. Students will develop critical thinking skills.
General Expectations: This is an elective AP course, so it is expected that you have a general interest in Psychology, desire to work at a college level, and have
a goal of scoring well on the AP Exam. Any disruption or distraction you create will be a detriment to your education and those around you. Students should be
expected to adhere to the following:
Respectful Speaking and Listening
Preparation, Focus, and Attention
No Distractions
Attendance and Classroom Efficiency
Actively involved in classroom discussions
MATERIALS:
1. textbook
2. 2-inch binder
3. Note cards
Textbook: The Science of Psychology: An Appreciative View. Laura A. King
Work/Grade Expectations: The work in this course will be comparable to an entry level college psychology course. Ample notice
will be given for any assignment, quiz, or exam. The amount of work depends on the unit being covered in class. There will be a
unique set of vocabulary for each student that students are expected to learn. Each unit will have a summative test that encompasses
the entire unit. Questions on any assessment will range from using fill-in-the-blank, short answer, and/or multiple-choice questions.
The exams at the end of each unit will be used to simulate and prepare for the AP exam.
Unit Exams (50%) –
Projects, Quizzes, Reading Quizzes (20%)
Vocabulary Note Cards (15%)
In Class Assignments (15%)
Note Cards: Each student will be required to locate all chapter (Unit) vocabulary terms and write them on a note card with the definition and an
example of the term being used in a short sentence. Have each unit’s terms organized in some way so that you will be able to study them on the
go. Due for inspection on test day.
Final: The course final will be comprehensive and follow the outlines standard to Hilliard Davidson High School.
Attendance: All exams, quizzes, and assignments will be posted in advance. An absence or absences on the preceding day(s) does not
constitute a change in date. Students are expected to look ahead, be aware of the calendar, and take necessary measures to be prepared for class
each day. Unusual, lengthy, and/or emergency absences should be brought to the attention of the instructor.
*** Make up assessments must be completed within one week of return.
Scholastic Misconduct and Academic Honesty
Academic dishonesty in any portion of the academic work for this course shall be dealt with according to the guidelines set forth in the student
handbook, and is grounds for receiving an “F” for the course.
Scholastic misconduct is defined as “any act that violates the rights of another’s student in academic work or that involves
misrepresentation of your own work.” This includes: Cheating on assignments or exams, plagiarism, depriving another student of necessary
course materials, or interfering in another student’s work.
AP EXAM
The A P Psychology E X A M is scheduled for Monday, May 4th at 12:00 PM. This is an opportunity for you to
demonstrate your acquisition of knowledge throughout the year. You can also earn college credits, which is nice.
Do I offer study sessions for the A P exam? Yes, they are called class. There are over 150 of these throughout the
year. In this bridge to college course, students will be encouraged to take ownership of their learning (thinking
critically, asking questions, reading ahead, anticipating exam dates, study time). Students who practice these
habits will score very well on the A P exam. The fee for the exam is $89.
Students who choose not to take the AP Exam will have an AP Exam given by Mr. Schlecht the same day as the AP Exam. This grade will be a
test grade for the nine weeks. The final exam consists of a 25 question exam on exam day and a final project the week before exams.
The AP Commitment is real and students are expected to keep up on all reading and vocabulary. This takes planning and many hours of work
at home with focus to the task. The satisfaction of learning new material and being able to apply it to the real world is what makes A P
Psychology such a great course.
Test Days: All phones will be collected at the start of class and given back when the last students have completed the test!
“ Most people are overconfident about what they can complete or accomplish in any given day. However, most
people underestimate how much they could accomplish in a week, a month, or year. Small, regular, and
systematic steps can lead to very comprehensive and complete results. – David G. Myers, The Pursuit of Happiness
Course-Long Plan:
Unit One: Methods, Approaches, and History ~ 18 Days
Chapters 1 and 2
Objectives
• Define psychology and trace its historical development.
• Compare and contrast the psychological perspectives.
• Identify basic and applied research subfields of psychology.
• Identify basic elements of an experiment (variables, groups, sampling, population, etc.).
• Compare and contrast research methods (case, survey, naturalistic observation).
• Explain correlational studies.
• Describe the three measures of central tendency and measures of variation.
• Discuss the ethics of animal and human research.
Unit Two: Memory and Cognition ~ 2 weeks
Chapter 7~ Objectives
• Describe memory in terms of information processing, and distinguish among sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory.
• Distinguish between automatic and effortful processing.
• Explain the encoding process (including imagery, organization, etc.).
• Describe the capacity and duration of long-term memory.
• Distinguish between implicit and explicit memory.
• Describe the importance of retrieval cues
• Discuss the effects of interference and motivated forgetting on retrieval.
• Describe the evidence for the constructive nature of memory.
Unit Three: Biological Basis of Behavior ~ 3 weeks
Chapter 3 ~ Objectives
• Describe the structure of a neuron and explain neural impulses.
• Describe neuron communication and discuss the impact of neurotransmitters.
• Classify and explain major divisions of the nervous system.
• Describe the functions of the brain structures (thalamus, cerebellum, limbic system, etc.).
• Identify the four lobes of the cerebral cortex and their functions.
• Discuss the association areas.
• Explain the split-brain studies.
Unit Four: States of Consciousness, Sensation and Perception ~ 4 weeks
Chapters 4 and 5 ~ Objectives
• Describe the cyclical nature and possible functions of sleep.
• Identify the major sleep disorders.
• Discuss the content and possible functions of dreams.
• Discuss hypnosis, noting the behavior of hypnotized people and claims regarding its uses.
• Discuss the nature of drug dependence.
• Chart names and effects of depressants, stimulants, and hallucinogenic drugs.
• Compare differences between NREM and REM.
• Describe the physiological and psychological effects of depressants, stimulants, and hallucinogens.
• Contrast the processes of sensation and perception.
• Distinguish between absolute and difference thresholds.
• Label a diagram of the parts of the eye and ear.
• Describe the operation of the sensory systems (five senses).
• Explain the Young-Helmholtz and opponent-process theories of color vision.
• Explain the place and frequency theories of pitch perception.
• Discuss Gestalt psychology’s contribution to our understanding of perception.
• Discuss research on depth perception and cues.
Unit Five: Thinking, Language, Learning ~ 2.5 weeks
Chapters 6 and 8 ~ Objectives
• Describe the process of classical conditioning (Pavlov’s experiments).
• Explain the processes of acquisition, extinction, spontaneous recovery, generalization, and discrimination.
• Describe the process of operant conditioning, including the procedure of shaping, as demonstrated by Skinner’s experiments.
• Identify the different types of reinforcers and describe the schedules of reinforcement.
• Discuss the importance of cognitive processes and biological predispositions in conditioning.
• Discuss the effects of punishment on behavior.
• Describe the process of observational learning (Bandura’s experiments).
• Describe the nature of concepts and the role of prototypes in concept formation.
• Discuss how we use trial and error, algorithms, heuristics, and insight to solve problems.
Unit Six: Motivation and Emotion - 2 weeks (By Christmas Break)
Chapter 10 ~Objectives
• Define motivation and identify motivational theories.
• Describe the physiological determinants of hunger.
• Discuss psychological and cultural influences on hunger.
• Define achievement motivation, including intrinsic and extrinsic motivation
• Describe the physiological changes that occur during emotional arousal.
• Discuss the catharsis hypothesis.
• Describe the biological response to stress
Unit Seven: Developmental Psychology ~ 4 weeks
Chapters 9 and 11
Objectives
• Discuss the course of prenatal development.
• Illustrate development changes in physical, social, and cognitive areas.
• Discuss the effect of body contact, familiarity, and responsive parenting on attachments.
• Describe the benefits of a secure attachment and the impact of parental neglect and separation as well as day care on
childhood development.
• Describe the theories of Piaget, Erikson, and Kohlberg.
• Describe the early development of a self-concept.
• Distinguish between longitudinal and cross-sectional studies.
• Explain how the representativeness and availability heuristics influence our judgments.
• Describe the structure of language (phonemes, morphemes, grammar).
• Identify language developmental stages (babbling, one word, etc.).
Unit Eight: Personality and Testing - 2 weeks
Chapters 12
Objectives
• Describe personality structure in terms of the interactions of the id, ego, and superego.
• Explain how defense mechanisms protect the individual from anxiety.
• Describe the contributions of the neo-Freudians.
• Explain how personality inventories are used to assess traits.
• Describe the humanistic perspective on personality in terms of Maslow’s focus on self-actualization and Rogers’ emphasis
on people’s potential for growth.
• Describe the impact of individualism and collectivism on self-identity.
• Describe the social-cognitive perspective on personality.
• Discuss the consequences of personal control, learned helplessness, and optimism.
• Explain how the nature-nurture debate is illustrated in the theories of language development.
• Discuss Whorf’s linguistic relativity hypothesis.
• Describe the research on animal cognition and communication.
Unit Nine: Abnormal Psychology and Therapy
Chapters 15 and 16
Objectives
• Identify the criteria for judging whether behavior is psychologically disordered.
• Describe the medical model of psychological disorders.
• Describe the aims of DSM-V, and discuss the potential dangers of diagnostic labels.
• Describe the symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder, phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and
posttraumatic stress disorder.
• Describe and explain the development of somatoform and mood disorders.
• Describe the various symptoms and types of schizophrenia.
• Describe the nature of organic and personality disorders.
• Describe the characteristics and possible causes of dissociative disorders
• Discuss the aims and methods of psychoanalysis
Unit Ten: Social Psychology - 2 weeks
Chapters 13 and 17
Objectives
• Describe the importance of attribution in social behavior.
• Explain the effect of role-playing on attitudes in terms of cognitive dissonance theory.
• Discuss the results of Asch’s experiment on conformity.
• Describe Milgram’s controversial experiments on obedience.
• Discuss how group interaction can facilitate group polarization and groupthink.
• Describe the social, emotional, and cognitive factors that contribute to the persistence of cultural, ethnic, and
gender prejudice and discrimination.
• Discuss the issues related to aggression and attraction.
• Explain altruistic behavior in terms of social exchange theory and social norms.