Download AP Psychology Syllabus 2015-2016

Advanced Placement Psychology
Mr. Randolph
2015 – 2016
Jeffrey Randolph
6
Email: [email protected]
Office: 205-C
Office periods: 3 &
Phone: 206.275.5006
The broad purpose of the AP Psychology course is to introduce students to the systematic and scientific study of the
behavior and mental processes of human beings. Students will learn psychological facts, principles, and phenomena
associated with each of the major subfields within psychology. They will also learn about the ethics and methods
psychologists use in their science and practice.
Objectives
AP Psychology students will do the following in and as a result of the course:
 Study the core concepts and major theories of psychology and assess some of the differing approaches adopted by
psychologists, including the biological, behavioral, cognitive, humanistic, psychodynamic, and sociocultural
perspectives.
 Define key terms and use them in their everyday vocabulary.
 Learn the basic principles of psychological research.
 Devise simple research projects, interpret and generalize from results, and evaluate the validity of research
reports.
 Apply psychological concepts to their own lives and recognize psychological principles when they are
encountered in everyday situations.
 Develop critical thinking skills and become aware of the danger of blindly accepting or rejecting arguments
without careful, objective evaluation.
 Build their reading, writing, and discussion skills.
 Take the Advanced Placement Examination in Psychology and score a “3” or higher.
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Learn about psychology as a profession and become aware of the educational requirements which must be met to
pursue such careers. Students will learn about the ethical standards governing the work of psychologists.
Textbook
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Myers, David G. Psychology. Holland, Michigan: Worth Publishers, 8th ed. 2007.
Materials
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Something on which to record and store class notes.
Composition notebook dedicated to Psychology. Please note that composition books must be of the bound, nonspiraled variety.
The required text(s).
Outside reading text, including:
o Hock, Roger. Forty Studies that Changed Psychology: Explorations into the History of Psychological
Research. New York: Prentice Hall, 5th ed. 2004.
o Self-selected outside reading book
Grading Philosophy Statement and Proportions
Description
Summative Assessments: Major Projects, Unit Tests, AP Multiple-Choice Tests,
Free-Response Questions, and Expository, Argumentative, and Narrative essays
Formative Assessments: AP Psych Notebook, Daily Assignments, Participation and
Discussion, AP Practice / Diagnostic Tests, and Pop-Reading Quizzes
% of Grade
80
20
Mr. Randolph believes that the primary purpose of assessing student work and assigning grades is to enable you to monitor
your academic progress and performance in this class. I realize that there are many competing theories about how and why
grades should be determined, and I have attempted to synthesize assessment rubrics and practices into a system that is both
fair and clear while providing meaningful performance indicators to students, their guardians, and future academic
institutions.
My main goal in organizing the AP Psychology curriculum is to have students learn about the major core concepts and
theories of psychology and assess some of the differing approaches adopted by psychologists, including the biological,
behavioral, cognitive, humanistic, psychodynamic, and sociocultural perspectives. The best way to do this is to have
students read and write about a broad range of complex texts and participate in relevant, thought-provoking
demonstrations. Homework assignments and journal responses are generally intended to help students synthesize key
information and to prepare for upcoming classroom discussions. Essays and tests are designed to have students think more
analytically about complex topics and to practice and improve on the organizational and writing skills vital to AP and
most future university success. Most class periods are spent discussing and demonstrating concepts from the previous
night’s reading to aid comprehension and to facilitate greater depth and understanding about given concepts. While I wish
all students would complete all readings and tasks for the sheer love of learning, I believe that providing grade marks for
assignments, quizzes, tests, and active classroom participation gives the majority of my students at MIHS increased
incentive to stay engaged with daily coursework.
Late Work Policy
Major assignments submitted one day late will be docked one letter grade (10%). Assignments submitted two days late will
be docked 20 percent (and so on). Major assignments submitted more than one week late will receive a maximum grade of
50% but can always be completed through the end of the semester. Late homework and journal assignments may be
submitted one day late with a 50% grade reduction. If homework, tests, or quizzes are not completed on the due date because
of an excused absence, you will have two days to make up the missed work for full credit.
Assignments
Homework: Homework will be given most every night. Reading will be of 10-15 pages a night. Written homework
assignments will always be checked and occasionally collected. You should plan on approximately an hour every night and
more when essays or projects due dates are on the horizon. If absent, assume you missed work. It is your responsibility to
check with the weekly assignment schedule or our class website for missing work.
Research projects and papers: You will write two research-based / theory application papers each semester. The papers
should be MLA (or APA) formatted, typed, double-spaced and 12-point Times New Roman font. Forms will be handed
to you giving you more detailed instruction.
AP Psychology Notebook: The journal (or notebook) will be a place to reflect and respond to a topic or question. Prompted
entries must be dated and have a title. If you are absent, it is up to you to find out (from your classmates or our website)
what you missed. Journals can be used on pop reading quizzes, will be occasionally checked, and will prove useful to
generating polished reflections for grades. Physical composition notebooks will be used so that they can easily be collected
and so that students can practice writing longhand in anticipation of the AP FRQ test questions.
Unit Tests, AP Multiple-Choice Tests, Free-Response Questions: Unit test will consist of approximately 30 multiplechoice questions and 1 free-response question. There will be a cumulative midterm and final at the end of each semester.
Other formative opportunities:
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“Be on the look out!” In order to recover participation points lost due to tardies and biobreaks, you can keep an eye
out for anything around you that relates to what we have learned about psychology. Whenever you notice a concept of
psychology ANYWHERE in your daily life, you may write up a one paragraph summary of what you saw and how it
relates to the field of psychology and our class. For example, you may see a movie where one or more characters
exhibit a personality disorder; you may see a television commercial for a pain medication that illustrates how
neurotransmitters work; or, you may notice yourself exhibiting a defense mechanism.
During the last weeks of the second semester, students will work on a research-based controlled experiment of
varying types and topics, culminating in a 15-minute presentation near the end of the semester. After designing their
study, students will collect data to answer their research question and test their hypotheses. After analyzing the data,
students will figure out how to present the data, using tables and graphs. The project must get IRB approval, and must
incorporate a review of literature (e.g., American Psychologist and Journal of Social Issues), discussion of method,
evaluation of results, and a conclusion.
In preparation for the research project, students will read relevant sections of Forty Studies that Changed Psychology:
Explorations into the History of Psychological Research, 5th ed. (New York: Prentice Hall, 2004) to practice
identifying research methods.
Each student will complete a 15minute observation of a human participant in a naturalistic setting. The purpose is to
familiarize students with this method, to improve their powers of observation, and to help them distinguish between
subjective and objective records.
The AP Exam in Psychology: May 2, 2016
The AP Psychology Exam is approximately 2 hours long and includes both a 70-minute multiple-choice section (100
questions, 66.6%) and a 50-minute free-response section (2 essay questions, 33.3%). The test is scored on a 5-point scale.
What Can You Do to Help Yourself Be Successful?
1. Don’t hesitate to ask for help if you do not understand something. How can you get help?
a. Ask a classmate.
b. See me before school or during my office hours (2nd, 4th).
c. Email me.
d. Visit the class website.
2. Stay on task! Set a schedule and be disciplined enough to stick to it, so you don’t fall behind. Reading the
textbook is crucial because not all concepts that will appear on the exam will be covered in class. Reading the
textbook is the greatest predictor of AP success. I do not know who will take the exam and who will not, so it is
only fair that I teach the class as if all students were taking the exam.
3. Take complete, dated class notes. Put them in your own words. Don’t write something you don’t understand
without asking about it. Leave some blank space on each page to make additions and clarifications. It is very
important to review your class notes each day while they are fresh in your mind. Expand them, clarify them, and
add examples so they will make sense when you go back to study them later. Note anything that doesn’t make
sense and ask questions the following day.
4. Learn to read more effectively. It is impossible to cover all the material in class; therefore, it is critical that
you keep up with your reading and assignments in order to be prepared for each test and the AP exam.
a. Read actively. Don’t just look at the words. Effectively reading a college-level text requires a great
deal more effort and concentration than leisure novels.
b. Preview a chapter before you begin to read. Review frequently as you read. Pause at the end of each
paragraph and summarize mentally in your own words.
c. Do not try to read an entire chapter at once. It is divided for a reason!
d. Do not ignore pictures, diagrams, tables, and sidebars in your book. These features serve to make the
text more interesting and often contain important information.
e. Take notes as you read. (You will learn the format that will be required.)
5. Form a study group. Online forums, Facebook pages, wiki-pages, there are a host of ways to work together,
and no reason not to learn from one another away from school. Use those resources, and from time-to-time meet up
as group!
Miscellaneous Rules and Expectations
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Homework, essays, and independent projects should be ready for submission at the beginning of the period in which
they are due. This means that your work should be printed out and stapled before you arrive in class. Points will
be deducted from students who use class time for readying assignments for submission.
Do not expect extra credit to raise your grade at the end of a term. Mr. Randolph will occasionally offer Homework
/ Reading Quiz passes to students who attend and reflect on relevant out-of school events or review sessions.
Individual requests for additional work that is not available to the entire class will be denied.
You will receive no credit or make-up opportunities for a missed quiz if your absence is unexcused. Mr. Randolph
offers quarterly make-up quizzes for students whose absences have been excused and students with perfect
attendance who wish to replace an existing quiz.
On the first day of each week, you will receive a Weekly Assignment Schedule. This sheet will indicate the daily
activities, readings, and assignments for the coming week. Students are expected to always have the current Weekly
Assignment Schedule in their Humanities notebook in a place where it can easily be found. If you are absent on the
first day of any particular week, you should go to my website to locate and print out this sheet.
Feel free to email me at any time with questions, concerns, or comments you have about the course. I will usually
respond to you within 24 hours. Do not, however, email me copies of essays or other assigned work without prior
permission. If you are not in class the day an assignment is due, simply bring me a hard copy the next time you are
in class.
In the event that you are late to class, please come in quietly, avoiding disruption. Do obtain a written excuse, but
wait until lesson breaks or the end of class to provide me with it.
Remember
Keep in mind that your level of motivation is much more important than your ability level. If you want to succeed in this
course, and if you are willing to put in the necessary effort, YOU WILL SUCCEED! Attitude, study skills, determination,
and discipline count far more than intelligence. Remember, the more you put in the more you will get out of it!!
Contacting Me
The best way to reach me outside of class hours is by email. I am available in my office during 1st and 6th periods, and I
am available to meet before and after school if you schedule with me in advance.
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2012-13 AP Psychology Syllabus Acknowledgment
My signature below shows that I have read and understand the contents and expectations of the AP Psychology syllabus. Sign
and return this page only to Mr. Randolph by September 5, 2013. Please keep the course syllabus at the front of your binder
for reference throughout the year.
Student Name: ___________________________________________________________
Student Signature: ________________________________________________________
Parent/Guardian Name(s): __________________________________________________
Parent/Guardian Signature: _________________________________________________
Content Outline
Unit
Topics
1
History and
Approaches
(Prologue)
Concepts
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History of psychology
Psychological
perspectives
Essential Questions
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2
Research
Methods (Ch. 1)
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Experimental method
Correlational method
Naturalistic
Observation
Case studies
Data analysis/Statistics
APA Ethical Guidelines
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1st Exam
3
Social
Psychology (Ch.
18)
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Attribution
Theory/Attitudes vs.
behaviors
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What ways does psychology
approach the study of human
and animal behavior?
How do the different
perspectives in psychology
compare and contrast?
Who were the movers and
shakers in the evolution of
psychology as a science?
How do psychologists use the
scientific method to study
behavior and mental
processes?
Which methods of research
are appropriate for the study
of different behaviors?
How do psychologists draw
appropriate conclusions
about behavior from
research?
How do psychologists make
ethical decisions about
researching behavior?
How do people explain the
behavior of others?
How are individuals affected
by groups?
Approximate
percentage of
the multiplechoice section
devoted to the
topic on the
AP exam
2-4%
Approximate number
of class weeks spent
on the topic
6-8%
2
7-9%
3
1
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4
2ndExam
5
3rd Exam
6
4th Exam
7
Learning (Ch. 8)
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The Influence of others
on an individual’s
behavior
Attraction
Aggression/Altruism
Stereotypes, prejudice
and discrimination
Cross-cultural
psychology
Classical conditioning
Operant conditioning
Observational learning
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How do psychologists define
culture? What influence does
culture have on individuals
and groups?
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How do psychologists define
learning?
How do principles of
classical, operant, and
observational learning work
to create learning?
7-9%
2
How do biological processes
relate to behavior?
How does damage to a
biological process affect
behavior?
8-10%
3
How do the 5 senses receive
and translate signals to the
brain for processing?
How does each sense affect
behavior?
How do sensation and
perception differ?
7-9%
3.5
In what ways are humans
motivated to behave?
7-9%
2.5
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Biological Bases
of Behavior (Ch.
2 &3)
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Neuro-anatomy
Nervous system
Brain
Endocrine system
Genetics
Nature versus nurture
debate
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Sensation and
Perception (Ch.
5&6)
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Thresholds
Sensory mechanisms
Sensory adaptation
Attention
Perceptual processes
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Motivation
Emotion
Stress
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Motivation,
Emotion &
Stress (Ch. 12,
13)
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Review/Semester
Final Exam
Outside Reading
Project
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8
Personality (Ch.
15)
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100 multiple choice
2 free-response
cumulative
Analysis of psychology
in everyday life
Review psychological
perspectives / concepts
Psychodynamic
theories of
personality
Trait theories of
personality
Social-cognitive
theories of personality
Humanistic theories of
personality
How can one increase
motivation to behave in
certain ways?
What role do emotions play
in behavior?
What are the three stages of
Hans Seyle’s GAS?
How does stress affect the
immune system?
What are the main coping
strategies?
How do psychologists define
consciousness?
What happens during the
sleep cycle?
How does lack of and REM
and NREM sleep affect
behavior?
1
On-going/wkly
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How do psychologists define
and study personality?
What advantages and
limitations exist for each
theory’s description of
personality?
7-9%
2
9
5th Exam
10
11
States of
Consciousness
(Ch. 7)
Developmental
Psychology (Ch.
4)
Testing and
Individual
Differences (Ch.
11)
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Consciousness
Sleep
Dreams
Hypnosis
Drugs
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Research methods
Prenatal
Influences/Infancy
Adolescence
Aging
Stage theories
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Reliability and validity
Types of tests
Theories of intelligence
Intelligence tests
How do psychologists define
consciousness?
What happens during the
sleep cycle?
How does lack of and REM
and NREM sleep affect
behavior?
2-4%
1
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How do people grow and
develop physically, socially
and intellectually throughout
the lifespan?
6-8%
2.5
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How do psychologists define
and study intelligence?
How did the use of
intelligence tests evolve
throughout the last two
centuries?
How do psychologists know
whether a test is reliable
and/or valid?
5-7%
1
How do humans encode,
store, and retrieve
information from memory?
How do humans think?
How do humans acquire
language and use it to
communicate ideas?
8-10%
3.5
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6th Exam
12
7th Exam
Cognition (Ch. 9
& 10)
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Memory
Language
Thinking
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13
14
8th Exam
Final Exam
AP Testing
Final Project
News reporting
Psychological
Disorders (Ch.
16)
Treatment of
Psychological
Disorders (Ch.
17)
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Defining abnormality
Anxiety disorders
Somatoform disorders
Dissociative disorders
Mood of affective
disorders
Schizophrenic disorders
Personality disorders
Psychodynamic theory
Humanistic therapies
Behavioral therapies
Cognitive therapies
Somatic therapies
Guided Course
Work
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How do psychologists
measure and define abnormal
behavior?
How are the various
psychological disorders
identified and studied?
7-9%
2
What are the treatment
options for the various types
of psychological disorders?
5-7%
2
4
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Analysis of psychology
in everyday life
Ongoing/wkly