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Psychology Syllabus
Mr. Farrand
Rm 716/715
[email protected]
Office Hours: Wednesdays & by appointment
Course Description
Psychology is a year-long introductory course about the science of human behavior. We will focus on the history of psychology research, the
biological bases supporting human behavior and development, models for learning, cognition and emotion, and various aspects of human
interactions within a society—all in a class structured similar to an introductory college course and in preparation for Psychology coursework
in college.
Required Texts Provided by MCP
Psychology (Tenth Edition) by David G. Myers
**A book cover for your Psychology textbook is required**
All texts must be returned to MCP before the last day of class; any lost or damaged textbooks must be paid for IN FULL prior to walking in
graduation. Loss of the Myers text will result in a fine of $60.
What do you need?
Stack of 250 Notecards & Notebook.
School Policies
All school policies will be followed as stated in the Student Handbook. This includes the specifics for Demerits, Tardies, LaSalle, electronic
devices, etc.
Sleeping
A discipline escort will be immediately called for students who fall asleep in class. No exceptions.
Absence and Tardy Policy
For excused absences and absences due to suspension, make up work will be allowed and students are given as many days as they were absent
to turn in work. For example, if a student is absent for two days, he/she would have to turn in make-up work by the second day back. For
unexcused absences, make-up work does not have to be given.
Students who are absent can find work on the Muchin Wiki at http://mcppsychology.wikispaces.com/. If you have a Writing Portfolio
assignment due on a day you are absent, it must be e-mailed to the instructor by 8 a.m. to be considered on time.
Tardy to Class – refer to page 6 of the Student Handbook for policy.
Late Work – refer to page 3 of the Student Handbook for policy. Clarification:
 INCLUDING PORTFOLIOS, TESTS AND QUIZZES, all assignments will be considered late if not turned in on the due date.
 All late work will be counted for 50% earned credit.
 After the time allotted by the absence policy, NO LATE WORK will be accepted.
Restroom Policy
Students are expected to leave the classroom for emergencies only, and an escort will be called in the event that a student must use leave.
Students will receive 1 demerit for each restroom escort. If you do need to go to the bathroom, please do not interrupt discussion/lecture.
Quiz Retakes
Making up a quiz is allowed only during the next office hours (Wednesday) after the initial quiz. The quiz retake will be harder than the
original quiz.
PROJECTS
 Neuroscience Children’s Book
 Sensory Presentations
TOPICS COVERED & STUDENT OBJECTIVES:
Introduction/History/Approaches/Research Methods (4 weeks)
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Identify famous psychologists & describe their contributions to psychology.
Compare and contrast the psychological perspectives.
Identify elements of an experiment (e.g., variables, groups, sampling, population).
Compare and contrast research methods (e.g., case study, survey, naturalistic observation).
Explain correlational studies.
Discuss the ethics of animal and human research.
Biological Bases (3 weeks)
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Describe the structure of a neuron and explain neural impulses.
Describe neural communication and discuss the impact of neurotransmitters.
Identify and describe the functions of brain structures (e.g., thalamus, cerebellum, limbic system).
Describe the four lobes of the cerebral cortex and their functions.
Explain split-brain studies.
Memory (3 weeks)
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Describe sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory.
Distinguish between automatic and effortful processing.
Explain the encoding process (e.g., imagery, chunking, hierarchies).
Differentiate between implicit and explicit memory.
Describe the impact of retrieval cues on memory.
Identify mnemonic devices (e.g., acronyms, method of loci, peg-word).
Sensation & Perception (3 weeks)
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Contrast the processes of sensation & perception.
Distinguish between thresholds (absolute, difference, Weber’s law).
Label a diagram of the parts of the eye and the ear.
Differentiate the Young–Helmholtz & opponent-process theories of color vision.
Describe Gestalt principles, figure-ground, and depth perception.
Consciousness (2 weeks)
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Define consciousness.
Describe the sleep cycle & identify what occurs in each stage.
Compare differences between NREM and REM.
Describe the major sleep disorders.
Explain the purpose of dreams.
Discuss hypnosis and describe the characteristics of those more likely to be hypnotized.
Discuss dependence, tolerance, and withdrawal in relation to drug use.
Chart names and effects of depressants, stimulants, and hallucinogenic drugs.
Developmental Psych (3 weeks)
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Describe the course of prenatal development.
Discuss Piaget’s theory of cognitive development.
Illustrate development changes in physical, cognitive, moral, & social areas.
Describe the early development of self-concept.
Identify Kohlberg’s moral development stages & apply to scenarios.
Describe Erikson’s psychosocial development stages.
Learning (3 ½ weeks)
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Describe classical conditioning (Pavlov’s experiments).
Explain acquisition, extinction, spontaneous recovery, generalization, & discrimination in conditioning.
Describe operant conditioning (Skinner’s experiments).
Identify the different types of reinforcers (positive, negative, partial, continuous, primary, & secondary).
Describe the schedules of reinforcement.
Discuss the effects of punishment on behavior.
Describe the process of observational learning (Bandura’s experiments).
Motivation & Emotion (2 ½ weeks)
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Define motivation & identify motivational theories.
Explain Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.
Define achievement motivation, including intrinsic & extrinsic motivation.
Describe the 3 theories of emotion (James–Lange, Cannon–Bard, Schachter–Singer).
Identify physiological changes that occur during emotional arousal.
Discuss the catharsis hypothesis.
Describe the biological response to stress.
Personality (2 ½ weeks)
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Describe Freud’s iceberg theory (id, ego, & superego).
Explain how defense mechanisms protect the ego.
Describe the contributions of the neo-Freudians (Jung, Adler, Horney).
Describe the humanistic perspective on personality (Maslow’s self-actualization & Rogers’s self-concept).
Identify locus of control, learned helplessness, & optimism.
Social Psychology (4 weeks)
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Describe the fundamental attribution error.
Describe Zimbardo’s prison guard experiment & the effects of role-playing on attitudes.
Discuss the results of Asch’s experiment on conformity.
Discuss Milgram’s experiments on obedience.
Explain social facilitation, social loafing, & deindividuation.
Differentiate group polarization & groupthink.
Define & give examples of prejudice.
Abnormal Psych (3 weeks)
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Discuss the purpose of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR).
Describe & identify symptoms of anxiety disorders (generalized, panic, phobias, OCD, PTSD).
Discuss dissociative disorders (amnesia, fugue, dissociative identity disorder).
Describe & explain the development of somatoform disorders.
Differentiate mood disorders (major depression vs. bipolar).
Differentiate hallucinations & delusions, and identify subtypes of schizophrenia.
Describe the 3 clusters of personality disorders (anxiety, eccentric, impulsive).
Treatment of Psych Disorders (2 weeks)
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Describe psychoanalytic therapeutic techniques (e.g., free association, interpretation).
Discuss Rogers’s client-centered therapy.
Identify counterconditioning techniques
Describe the goals of the cognitive therapies.
Discuss the benefits of group therapy & family therapy.
Differentiate between antianxiety, antidepressant, & antipsychotic medications.
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Describe electroconvulsive therapy & lobotomies.
Discuss the effectiveness of the psychotherapies.
Psychology in More Detail
College Completion Standards: Because Senior Psychology is a college preparatory course, one of the main objectives is to drive
ambition and independence in students to realize their own potentials and fulfill their personal definitions of success. This will involve
training in work place skills, note-taking, studying and time management. In terms of content, the goal is for students to master
introductory psychology material so as to be able to take Psychology 101 (or comparable course on their respective college campuses after
graduation). To do this, students will be able to
1. Internalize college & life vision: Set goals and recognize passions & interests
2. Work in an unstructured environment: Manage time, organize materials, take notes, and develop study habits
Measurable Goal: Students will achieve mastery (75%) over course content through quizzes, tests, and projects or portfolios. ** An F in
this course will result in delayed graduation; a student who fails will not be able to walk in graduation and will be required to take
summer school at the cost of $140 per class.
Grading Scale (Standard)
A+
97-100
B+
87-89
C+
77-79
D+
67-69
A
B
C
D
93-96
83-86
73-76
63-66
ABCD-
90-92
80-82
70-72
60-62
F
0-59
GPA Scale (Grade Point Average)
A+
4.3
B+
3.3
C+
2.3
D+
1.3
A
B
C
D
4.0
3.0
2.0
1.0
ABCD-
3.7
2.7
1.7
0.7
F
0.0
Grading Breakdown for each semester (TOTAL POINTS)
Assignment Category
Flashcards
Group Work
Quizzes/Homework
Tests
Presentations
Semester Cumulative
Final Exam
Projects
Value of Individual
Assignments
10
10
5-30
80
30
100
Points Possible Per
Category
60
180
260
240
60
100
Approximate Percent
50
100
10%
Total per Semester
1000
100%
6%
18%
26%
24%
6%
10%
EXTRA CREDIT
Career Interview Assignment
Article Write-ups
Movie Screenings
Email Mr. Farrand at [email protected] promptly when you are aware of an absence you will have or when you have a
question that is time-sensitive. Use professional email etiquette when sending messages as emails without proper salutations,
capitalization, punctuation, and closings may not be responded to or acted upon.
As an independent scholar, you are also encouraged to attend office hours when you need extra help, work cooperatively with others
when instructed to do so, set up a system for organization tailored to your needs, and/or set up a personal study schedule of time
management tailored to your needs. Remember to be respectful, be prepared, and be fierce. Learn to follow the daily expectations.
Senior Psychology Agreement – TWO SIDES
Student
I have read this syllabus and understand the content and expectations of this course.
You are responsible for knowing all syllabus content, but be sure to note the following:
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An F in this course will result in delayed graduation; a student who fails will not be able to walk in graduation and will be
required to take summer school at the cost of $140.
All texts must be returned to MCP before the last day of class for; any lost or damaged textbooks must be paid for IN FULL
prior to walking in graduation. Loss of the Myers text will result in a fine of $60.
Extra credit will be offered to all students.
Late Work: INCLUDING PORTFOLIOS, all assignments will be considered late if not turned in on the due date. All late work
will be counted for 50% earned credit. After 1 day late, NO LATE WORK will be accepted.
Students must use professional email etiquette when sending messages (emails without proper salutations, capitalization,
punctuation, and closings will not be responded to or acted upon).
__________________________________ _______
Student Name (Print)
__________________________________
Student Signature
** Please provide me with a story, some insight, or reflection into what you would like me to know about you now. Please share
any information you have learned about yourself in terms of your study skills, motivations, strengths, personal interests, areas of
growth you are working on, etc.
LENGTH = 5 lines minimum.
Parent / Guardian
I have read this syllabus and understand the content and expectations of this course. I know I can feel free to contact Mr. Farrand at
[email protected] with any questions or concerns.
Please note the following information about your student’s course:





An F in this course will result in delayed graduation; a student who fails will not be able to walk in graduation and will be
required to take summer school at the cost of $140.
All texts must be returned to MCP before the last day of class for; any lost or damaged textbooks must be paid for IN FULL
prior to walking in graduation. Loss of the Myers text will result in a fine of $60.
Extra credit will be offered to all students.
Late Work: INCLUDING PORTFOLIOS, all assignments will be considered late if not turned in on the due date. All late work
will be counted for 50% earned credit. After 1 day late, NO LATE WORK will be accepted.
Students must use professional email etiquette when sending messages (emails without proper salutations, capitalization,
punctuation, and closings will not be responded to or acted upon).
__________________________________ _______
Student Name (Print)
__________________________________
Parent Signature
** As parent/guardian, no one knows your student better than you. In the space below, please share any information you feel
might be pertinent to your child in the areas of reading. This might include particular areas of interest, struggles, previous
experiences, stories, interesting facts, etc. Thank you!