Download Course Syllabus

Course Syllabus
AP Psychology, 2012 – 2013
AP psychology is designed to introduce students to the scientific study of human
behavior and experience and the major perspectives in the field. Students will gain
understanding of the methods used by the different perspectives to verify their theories,
including their study of human and animal behavior. The course is designed to prepare
students for the Advanced Placement Examination in Psychology.
Course Objectives:
Students in this course will:
1. gain an understanding of the nature of psychological diversity of human beings
and the contribution biological, social, and cultural influences on behavior.
2. develop appreciation of psychology as an academic discipline.
3. recognize the application of psychology to students’ personal lives.
4. demonstrate understanding of various methods of psychological inquiry.
5. gather and interpret data using the empirical method of inquiry.
6. demonstrate an understanding and respect for the ethical demands of research
with humans and respect for the individual.
7. demonstrate an understanding of the different theoretical approaches to
understanding behavior.
8. demonstrate a clear understanding of the major psychological perspectives
(psychodynamic, behavioral, cognitive, and humanistic).
9. undertake one research study
10. demonstrate mastery of critical thinking and communication of ideas, especially
in preparation for the demands if the AP exam.
Course Outline:
The AP psychology program is governed by a set of national standards created by the
American Psychological Association. These standards build on each other, so it is vital
to understand what comes first in order to understand everything after it.
Homework: Daily reading as assigned. The day after each assigned reading, there will be
a quiz on the information. Quizzes will be at the beginning of each period, kept on the
same piece of paper, and turned in on the last day of the week.
Also, there is a set of required homework exercises that governs all of the standards for
the year. These are projects that take the course information and ask you to use it in a
more real-world way. The information necessary to complete them will be discussed in
class. This makes attendance very important. EVERY ONE OF THESE EXERCISES
MUST BE COMPLETED IN ORDER TO EARN A GRADE ABOVE “D.” Exercises
are due on the dates given in class, but may be turned in late for reduced credit or just to
be sure you get the grade over “D.”
Vocabulary: Flashcards must be made for every vocabulary word given to you in class. I
will check flashcards on the day BEFORE each test. You will receive 1 point per card.
Keep the cards for later. You’ll need them.
Tests: Multiple choice tests will be given in the places noted in the syllabus below. Free
response or other critical thinking tests will be assigned about once per unit.
Understanding Psychology
A. Definition, history, application, overview of perspectives.
Reading: Prologue
B. History/Perspectives/Important People Test
Methodology
A. The Need for Psychological Science
Reading: Text pp. 18 - 29
B. Description (Case Study, Survey, Naturalistic Observation)
Reading: Text, pp. 26 - 29
C. Correlation
Reading: pp. 30 - 36
D. Experimentation
Reading: Text, pp. 37 - 40
E. Statistical Reasoning
Reading: Text, pp. 42 – 43
TEST: Experimental methods
Biological Bases of Behavior
A. Neural Communication
Reading: Text, pp. 56 - 61
B. The Nervous System
Reading: Text, pp. 65 - 67
C. The Brain
Reading: pp. 69 – 92
D. The Endocrine System
Reading: pp. 94 – 97
TEST: Biology and Behavior
Sensation and Perception
A. Sensing The World
Reading: Text, pp. 192 - 198
B. Vision
Reading: Text, pp. 199 - 211
C. Hearing
Reading: Text, pp. 212 - 218
D. The Other Senses
Reading: Text, pp. 219 – 227
E. Perceptual attention, illusions, organization
Reading: Text, pp. 230 – 247
F. Perceptual Interpretation
Reading: Text, pp. 248 - 258
States of Consciousness
A. Waking Consciousness
Reading: Text, pp. 264 - 268
B. Sleep and Dreams
Reading: Text, pp. 269 - 284
C. Hypnosis
Reading: Text, pp. 285 - 291
D. Drugs and Consciousness
Reading: Text, pp. 294 – 305
TEST: Sensation, Perception, and States of Consciousness
Behavioral Perspective/Learning Theory: Ivan Pavlov, James Watson, B.F. Skinner
A. Classical Conditioning
Reading: Text, pp. 308 - 321
B. Operant Conditioning
Reading: Text, pp. 322 - 335
C. Cognitive Learning/Observational Learning
Reading: Text, pp. 336 – 337
TEST: Learning Theory
Cognition
A. Memory
Reading: Text, Chapter 9
B. Thinking and Language
Reading: Text, Chapter 10
TEST: Thinking, Language, and Memory
Motivation and Emotion
A. Motivational Concepts
Reading: Text, pp. 454 - 458
B. Hunger
Reading: Text, pp. 459 - 466
C. Sexual Motivation
Reading: Text: pp. 467 - 482
D. The Need to Belong
Reading: Text: pp. 483 – 497
E. Emotion
James-Lange, Cannon-Bard, Schachter-Singer
Reading: Text, Chapter 13
TEST: Motivation and Emotion
Developmental Psychology
A. Prenatal Development and the Newborn
Reading: Text, pp. 134 - 139
B. Infancy and Childhood
Reading: Text, pp. 140 - 158
C. Adolescence
Reading: Text: pp. 159 - 159
D. Adulthood
Reading: Text: pp. 172 - 191
TEST: Developmental Psychology
Personality
A. Historical Perspectives on Personality
Reading: Text, pp. 574 - 589
B. Contemporary Research on Personality
Reading: Text, pp. 590 - 617
Intelligence, Testing, and Individual Differences
E. The Origins on Intelligence Testing
Reading: Text, pp. 418 - 421
F. Intelligence
Reading: Text, pp. 422 - 440
G. Individual Differences
Reading: Text: pp. 441 - 453
25 Minute Essay Test + Multiple Choice (AP style exam)
TEST: Personality, Intelligence, Testing, and Differences
Social Psychology
A. Social Thinking
Reading: Text, pp. 694 - 701
B Social Influence
Reading: Text, pp. 702 - 713
A. Social Relations
Reading: Text: pp. 714 – 738
TEST: Social Psychology
Psychological Disorders and Treatment: “Abnormal Psychology”
A. Perspectives on psychopathology (demonic possession to disease)
Reading: Text, pp. 618 - 626
B. Anxiety Disorders – When your hands are way too clean
Reading: text, pp. 627 - 632
C. Mood Disorders – It’s not the ups and downs, it’s the little jerks along the way
Reading: Text, pp. 633 - 645
D. Schizophrenia – Head voices holla’ back, girl!
Reading: Text, pp. 646 – 652
E. Personality Disorders – I crashed your car because I love you!
Reading: Text, pp. 653 - 655
F. Dissociative Disorders – Me, Myself, and Irene
G. Somatoform Disorders – But my arm worked yesterday!
H. Categorization, etc. – The DSM-IV-TR
Therapy: Treatment of Psychological Disorders
A. Psychoanalysis, Behaviorist, Humanist, Cognitive, Group/Family Therapy
Reading: Text, pp. 658 - 673
B Evaluating Psychotherapy
Reading: Text, pp. 674 - 684
B. Biomedical Therapies
Reading: Text: pp. 685 – 693
TEST: Psychological Disorders and Treatment
GRADING:
1. Reading: Daily quizzes turned in once a week.
2. Vocab: One point per flash card, due the day before each test.
3. Tests: Multiple choice tests as noted in syllabus. Free Response tests as assigned.
4. Exercises: Projects that must be completed to earn better than a “D.”
5. Final Exams: There will be an AP style test – multiple choice and free response,
for your first semester final. This test will be comprehensive to that point. The
second semester final will be a project. Both are worth ¼ of your semester grade.