Download AP Psychology Course Information

AP Psychology Course Information – 2006/2007
Course Specific Standards
Upon completion of this course students will be able to:
! Comprehend, articulate, and disseminate psychology as a science.
! Integrate natural and social sciences as they apply to psychology.
! Identify and define the principles of human behavior.
! Examine ethical scientific inquiry.
! Critically analyze research methods, statistics, and research designs.
! Understand and apply scientific methods.
! Make informed judgments that strengthen the community and assist in the integration
of cultural understanding and diversity.
! Take the Advanced Placement Examination and receive a passing score, fostering the
pursuit of postsecondary school education and possible career choices in the field of
psychology.
Grade Percentage Breakdowns
Tests/Quizzes 40%
Homework
Project(s)
Midterm/Final 10%
35%
15%
Tests/Quizzes
There will be a test at the end of each chapter. The tests will consist of 50 multiple-choice
questions and Free-Response Questions (FRQs). The weight of the scoring will be modeled after the AP
Psychology Exam in that 2/3 of the student’s grade will be from multiple-choice and 1/3 will be from the
FRQs.
At the halfway point of the book (Chapters 1-8) there will be a cumulative Midterm. Upon completion of
the entire book (Chapters 1-16) there will be a cumulative Final.
Homework Expectations
It is expected that all students enrolled in AP Psychology will complete all reading assignments
and complement this with accompanying color-coded notes by the assigned due dates. Additional
assignments and projects will be added to supplement and illustrate concepts presented throughout the
chapters.
Projects
Throughout the year various projects will be assigned to further illustrate psychological principles.
Some examples of these include: Constructing a 3-D Brain, 48-Hour Ice Cube Addiction, Breaking Social
Norms, Nature vs. Nurture Debate, and an Illustrated Notebook of Psychological Disorder and
Treatments.
Course Syllabus Dates
Week 1
Chapter 1: Evolution of Psychology
From Speculation to Science: How Psychology Developed
Contributions of Wundt and Hall
Structuralism vs. Functionalism
Watson’s Behaviorism
Freud’s Emphasis on the Unconscious
Skinner’s Behaviorism
Humanists Revolt
Psychology as a Profession
Renewed Interest in Cognition and Physiology
Psychology Broadens: Cultural Diversity
Psychology Adapts: Evolutionary Psychology
Research Areas and Professional Specialities
Key Themes to Psych as Field of Study
Key Themes to Psychology’s Subject Matter
Study Habits/Reading and Test-Taking Strategies
Critical Thinking Skills/Attitudes/Necessity
Activities: Psychological Role-Play
Theoretical Preferences: Favorite/Least Favorite…
S o Far
La Tabula Rasa (Aristotle – Blank Slate)
Colorful Note-taking System
Week 3
Chapter 2: Research Enterprise in Psychology
Scientific Approach to Behavior
Experimental Research
Independent and Dependent Variables
Experimental and Control Groups
Extraneous Variables
Advantages and Disadvantages of Experimental Research
Descriptive/Correlational Research
Naturalistic Observation, Case Studies, Surveys
Advantages and Disadvantages of Descriptive/Correlational Research
Statistics and Research
Descriptive and Inferential Statistics
Evaluating Research
Sampling Bias
Placebo Effects
Distortions in Self-Report Data
Experimenter Bias
Ethics: Deception, Animal Research
Technical Journals, Finding and Reading
Perils of Anecdotal Evidence
Activities: Coke vs. Pepsi (An Easy Experiment?)
Statistical Significance Using M&Ms
JD’s House of Values (What is the “Average” Salary?)
Week 5
Chapter 3: Biological Bases of Behavior
Communication in the Nervous System
Nervous Tissue: Basic Hardware
Neural Impulse: Using Energy to Send Information
The Synapse: Where Neurons Meet
Neurotransmitters and Behavior
Peripheral and Central Nervous System
Research Methods
Electrical Recordings
Lesioning
Electrical Stimulation of the Brain
Brain-imaging Procedures
Brain and Behavior
Hindbrain, Midbrain, Forebrain
Plasticity of the Brain
Cerebral Laterality: Right Brain/Left Brain
Bisecting the Brain: Split-Brain Research
Hemispheric Specialization of the Intact Brain
Endocrine System
Basic Principles of Genetics
Heredity Influence: Research Methods
Interplay of Heredity and Environment
Evolutionary Bases of Behavior
Darwin’s Insights
Subsequent Refinements to Evolutionary Theory
Behaviors as Adaptive Traits
Parental Investment and Mating Systems
Cerebral Specialization and Cognitive Processes
Key Findings in Neural Development
Risks of Overextrapolation
Activities: Construction of 3-D Brain
Path of a Neuronal Transmission (Using Humans)
Pinky and the Brain Sing-A-Long (& Create Your Own)
Nature vs. Nurture Debate
Week 7
Chapter 4: Sensation and Perception
Psychophysics: Basic Concepts and Issues
Thresholds: Looking for Limits
The Just-Noticeable Difference
Psychophysical Scaling
Signal-Detection Theory
Perception Without Awareness
Sensory Adaptation
Visual System
Stimulus: Light
Eye: Living Optical Instrument
Retina: Brain’s Envoy in the Eye
Vision in the Brain
Viewing the World in Color
Perceiving Forms, Patterns, and Objects
Perceiving Depth or Distance
Perceiving Geographical Slant
Perceptual Constancies in Vision
Optical Illusions
Auditory System
Stimulus: Sound
Human Hearing Capacities
Sensory Processing in the Ear
Auditory Perception: Theories of Hearing
Auditory Localization: Perceiving Sources of Sound
Chemical Senses: Taste and Smell
Taste – The Gustatory System
Smell – The Olfactory System
Touch – The Sensory System in the Skin
Feeling Pressure and Pain
Other Senses: Kinesthetic and Vestibular System
Art and Illusion
Recognizing Contrast Effects
Activities: Blind Walk Lab
Smell Linked to Memory Lab
Optical Illusions
3-D Magic Eye
Visual Displacement Goggles
Guess the Jelly Bean Flavor While Holding Nose
Week 9
Chapter 5: Variations in Consciousness
Nature of Consciousness
Variations in Levels of Awareness
Evolutionary Roots of Consciousness
Consciousness and Brain Activity
Biological Rhythms and Sleep
Role of Circadian Rhythms
Ignoring Circadian Rhythms
Melatonin and Circadian Rhythms
Sleep and Waking Cycle
Stages of Sleep
Age Trends in Sleep
Culture and Sleep
Neural Bases of Sleep
Evolutionary Bases of Sleep
Sleep Deprivation
Sleep Disorders
Content of Dreams
Culture of Dreams
Theories of Dreaming
Hypnosis: Altered Consciousness or Role-Playing?
Hypnotic Induction and Susceptibility
Hypnotic Phenomena
Theories of Hypnosis
Meditation: Pure Consciousness or Relaxation?
Physiological Correlates
Long-Term Benefits
Altering Consciousness with Drugs
Principal Abused Drugs and Their Effects
Factors Influencing Drug Effects
Mechanisms of Drug Action
Drug Dependence
Activities: Dream Log
Drug Presentations
Let’s Meditate!
Hypnosis Story – You Decide…
R ole Playing or Altered State?
48-Hour Ice Cube Addiction (Hourly Log and Write-Up)
Week 11
Chapter 6: Learning
Classical Conditioning
Pavlov, Watson
UCS, UCR, NS, CS, CR
Operant Conditioning
Thorndike’s Law of Effect
Skinner (Consequences)
Terminology and Procedures
Reinforcement, Intermittent Reinforcement
Positive vs. Negative Reinforcement
Negative Reinforcement and Avoidance Behavior
Punishment: Consequences That Weaken Responses
Biololgical Constraints and Cognitive Processes
Observational Learning
Bandura and Modeling
Activities: Training the Human (Pos Reinf, Neg Reinf, Punishment)
Evil Ad Lab – Applying Classical Conditioning to Marketing
Pavlov’s Lemonade Stand
Click – Here Comes a Treat
It is A-Maze-Ing (Practice Makes Perfect Maze Race)
Week 13
Chapter 7: Human Memory
Encoding
Role of Attention
Levels of Processing
Enriching Encoding
Storage
Sensory Memory
Short-Term Memory
Long-Term Memory
Retrieval
Cues and Context
Reconstructing Memories and the Misinformation Effect
Source and Reality Monitoring
Forgetting
Ebbinghaus’ Forgetting Curve
Measures of Forgetting
Why We Forget
Repressed Memories Controversy
Physiology of Memory
Biochemistry, Neural Circuitry, and Anatomy of Memory
Memory Systems
Implicit vs. Explicit
Declarative vs. Procedural
Semantic vs. Episodic
Prospective vs. Retrospective
Improving Memory: Adequate Rehearsal, Mnemonics, Deep Processing
Eyewitness Accounts: Hindsight Bias, Overconfidence
Activities: The Robbery Report
The Game of Simon (Does it Prove 7+/-2? Why or Why Not?)
Word List Related to Sleep (but Never Says Sleep)
Childhood Recollections
Which Works? (Memory Pegs, Storytelling, Method of Loci)
Seven Dwarfs (Recall vs. Recognition)
50 States – Can You Recall Them All?
The Telephone Game
Week 15
Chapter 8: Language and Thought
Language: Turning Thoughts into Words
Structure of Language
Language Development Milestones
Bilingualism
Can Animals Develop Language?
Language in Evolutionary Context
Theories of Language Acquisition
Culture, Language, and Thought
Problem Solving
Types of Problems
Barriers to Effective Problem Solving
Approaches to Problem Solving
Culture, Cognitive Style, and Problem Solving
Decision Making: Choices and Chances
Risky Decisions: Factors
Heuristics in Judging Probabilities
Tendency to Ignore Base Rates
Conjunction Fallacy
Alternative Outcomes Effect
Evolutionary Analyses of Flaws in Human Decision Making
Gambler’s Fallacy
Law of Small Numbers
Overestimating the Improbable
Confirmation Bias and Belief Perseverance
Overconfidence Effect
Effects of Framing
Semantic Slanting and Name Calling
Activities: Sam and Daddy Reading (Symbols to Words)
A Grey Elephant in Denmark (Heuristics)
Overcoming Functional Fixedness
26 = L. in the A. (Problem Solving Insight)
Politicians and Campaigning Breakdown
Week 17
Review / Mid-Term (Chapters 1-8)
Week 19
Chapter 9: Intelligence and Psychological Testing
Key Concepts in Psychological Testing
Principal Types of Tests
Standardization and Norms
Reliability and Validity
Evolution of Intelligence Testing
Galton’s Studies of Hereditary Genius
Binet’s Breakthrough
Terman and the Stanford-Binet
Weschler’s Innovations
Intelligence Testing Today
Questions on Intelligence Tests
What Do Modern IQ Scores Mean?
Do Intelligence Tests Measure Potential or Knowledge?
Do Intelligence Tests Have Adequate Reliability? Validity?
Do Intelligence Tests Measure Vocational Success?
Are IQ Tests Widely Used in Other Cultures
Extremes of Intelligence
Mental Retardation and Giftedness
Heredity vs. Environment as Determinants of Intelligence
Interaction of Nature and Nurture
Cultural Differences in IQ Scores
New Directions in the Assessment and Study of Intelligence
Increasing Emphasis on Specific Abilities
Biological Indexes of Intelligence
Cognitive Processes in Intelligent Behavior
Expanding the Concept of Intelligence
Measuring Emotional Intelligence
Measuring and Correlates of Creativity
Activities: Comparing On-Line IQ Tests (Reliable? Valid?)
Make Your Own IQ Test (What Should Be Measured?)
Applying Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences to You
The Chitlin Test
Week 21
Chapter 10: Motivation and Emotion
Motivational Theories and Concepts
Drive Theories
Incentive Theories
Evolutionary Theories
Range and Diversity of Human Motives
Motivation of Hunger and Eating
Biological Factors in the Regulation of Hunger
Environmental Factors in the Regulation of Hunger
Eating and Weight: The Roots of Obesity
Sexual Motivation and Behavior
Determinants of Sexual Desire
Evolutionary Analyses of Human Sexual Behavior
Mystery of Sexual Orientation
Human Sexual Response
Affiliation: In Search of Belongingness
Achievement: In Search of Excellence
Elements of Emotional Experience
Cognitive Component: Subjective Feelings
Physiological Component: Diffuse and Multifaceted
Behavioral Component: Nonverbal Expressiveness
Theories of Emotion
James-Lange, Cannon-Bard, Schachter’s Two-Factor Theory
Evolutionary Theories of Emotion
Anatomy of an Argument
Common Fallacies
Evaluating the Strength of Arguments
Activities: Theories of Emotion Skits
Thematic Apperception (Pseudo) Tests
Week 23
Chapter 11: Human Development Across the Life Span
Prenatal Development
Prenatal Stages and Environmental Factors
Childhood
Motor Development
Differences in Temperament
Early Emotional Development: Attachment
Personality Development
Cognitive Development
Development of Moral Reasoning
Adolescence: Puberty and Growth Spurt
Time of Turmoil?
Search for Identity
Personality Development in Adulthood
Family Life Transitions
Aging: Physical and Cognitive Changes
Gender Differences: Behavior, Biological Origins, Environmental Origins
Activities: Comparing Toys
Erikson’s Stages (Create a Mnemonic Device for Class)
Case Studies Using The Breakfast Club
Week 25
Chapter 12: Personality: Theory, Research and Assessment
Defining Personality: Consistency and Distinctiveness
Personality Traits: Dispositions and Dimensions
Five-Factor Model of Personality Traits (OCEAN)
Psychodynamic Perspectives
Freud’s Psychoanalytic Theory
Jung’s Analytical Psychology
Adler’s Individual Psychology
Evaluating Psychodynamic Perspectives
Behavioral Perspectives
Skinner’s Ideas Applied to Personality
Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory
Mischel’s Person-Situation Controversy
Evaluating Behavioral Perspectives
Humanistic Perspectives
Roger’s Person-Centered Theory
Maslow’s Theory of Self-Actualization
Evaluating Humanistic Perspectives
Biological Perspectives
Eysenck’s Theory
Behavioral Genetics and Personality
Evolutionary Approach to Personality
Evaluating Biological Perspectives
Contemporary Empirical Approaches
Sensation Seeking and Self-Monitoring
Culture and Personality
Personality Scales, Self-Report Inventories, Projective Tests
Activities: Myers-Briggs Personality Test and Results
Role-Playing Skits (Guess the Perspective)
Application of Theories toward The Breakfast Club Characters
Week 27
Chapter 13: Stress, Coping and Health
Nature of Stress: Appraisal and Eye of the Beholder
Major Types: Frustration, Conflict, Change, Pressure
Emotional, Physiological, and Behavioral Responses to Stress
Effects of Stress on Psychological Functioning
Impaired Task Performance, Burnout, PTSD
Psychological Problems and Disorders
Positive Effects of Stress
Effects on Physical Health
Type A Personality, Hostility, and Heart Disease
Emotional Reactions, Depression, and Heart Disease
Immune Functioning, Links Between Stress and Illness
Moderating the Impact: Social Support, Optimism, Conscientiousness
Health-Impairing Behavior
Smoking, Poor Nutritional Habits, Lack of Exercise, Alcohol, Drugs, AIDS
Reactions to Illness: Heading Medical Advice
Reappraisal: Ellis’ Rational Thinking
Humor, Releasing Pent-Up Emotions, Forgiveness, Relaxing
Activities: Draw a Picture of What You Look Like Stressed (Physical)
Sharing Stress Relievers (Breathing, Meditation, Exercise, etc)
Holmes and Rahe’s SRRS
You Know You’re Stressed When…
Week 29
Chapter 14/15: Psychological Disorders and Treatment
Medical Model, Criteria, Stereotypes, Prevalence
Classification of Disorders (DSM-IV, 5 Axes)
Anxiety Disorders
Somatoform Disorders
Dissociative Disorders
Mood Disorders
Schizophrenic Disorders
Personality Disorders
Disorders and the Law – Insanity, Involuntary Commitment
Culture and Pathology
Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia, Binge Eating (History, Prevalence, Etiology)
Treatments, Clients, Therapists
Insight Therapies
Behavior Therapies
Biomedical Therapies
Current Trends and Issues
Institutional Treatment in Transition
Looking for a Therapist
Activities: Illustrated Notebook of Psychological Disorders
Skits – Guess the Disorder
Reading of Problem – Recommendation of Treatment
Week 31
Chapter 16: Social Behavior
Person Perception: Physical Appearance, Cognitive Schemas, Stereotypes
Subjectivity in Person Perception
Evolutionary Perspective on Bias
Attribution Processes
Internal vs. External Attributions
Attributions for Success and Failure
Bias, Culture, and Tendencies
Liking and Loving
Key Factors in Attraction
Mystery of Love
Culture and Close Relationships
Evolutionary Perspective on Attraction
Attitudes: Making Social Judgments
Factors in Persuasion
Theories of Attitude Formation and Change
Conformity (Asch), Obedience (Milgram)
Behavior in Groups
Bystander Effect, Group Productivity, Social Loafing, Decision-Making
Understanding Prejudice
Stereotyping, Subjectivity, Biases in Attribution, Ingroups and Outgroups
Activities: Breaking Social Norms
Thank You Letter to Staff Member
Pick Your Ideal Psych Teacher From the Pics
Storytime: The Cheating Wife Dies (Who’s to Blame?)
Week 33
Review / Final
Week 35
AP TESTING WEEK
Week 36
Begin Preparations for Debates
Week 38
Debates Begin
Course Materials
Textbook:
Weiten, Wayne. Psychology: Themes and Variations. 6th ed.
Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning, Inc., 2004.
Additional Resources: Monitor on Psychology - multiple issues. Journals by the
American Psychological Association
Scientific American Mind - multiple issues. Bimonthly periodical
published by Scientific American, Inc.
McEntarffer, Robert and Allyson Weseley. Barron’s How to Prepare
for the Advanced Placement Psychology Exam. 2nd ed. New York:
Barron’s Educational Series, 2004.
Discovering Psychology. Video Series. Annenberg/CPB Multimedia
Collection.
The Brain and The Mind. Annenberg/CPB Multimedia Collection.
Hock, Roger. Forty Experiments That Changed Psychology. 5th ed.
Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2005.