B. Fechner s, Weber s Law, & Stevens Power Law C. Signal-Detection Theory a. Hit, Miss, False Alarm, Correct Rejection D. Discussing the Concept of Se

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1 AP Psychology Mr. Cassady Course Description: This course is designed to introduce students to the systematic and scientific study of the behavior and mental processes of human beings and animals. Students will explore the inner workings of. As well, students will ascertain various psychological facts, principles, and phenomena associated with each of the major subfields within psychology. Ideally, students will also learn about the ethics and methods psychologists use in their everyday fields of study. Class Materials: AP Psychology text book (Myers Psychology for AP 1 st Edition; ISBN#= ) Replacement cost for AP Text Book= $120 Handouts Student class notebook (3 subject or larger) Student class folder AP Course Outline: I. Psychology; History & Approaches; A. History of Psychology- Greeks, Empiricism, Wundt, Freud, Jung, etc. B. Schools of Psychology- Compare & Contrast; Structuralism, Functionalism & Psychoanalysis C. Focus on principal approaches D. Behavioral, Biological, Humanistic, Cognitive, Psychodynamic & Sociocultural E. Identifying major psychological subfields of study II. III. IV. Research Methodologies; A. Describe & Define the 4 Psychological Goals; - Describe, Control, Predict & Explain B. Experimental Methods - Sampling - Control - Correlational Methods i. Naturalistic Observation ii. Survey iii. Case Studies C. Flaws in Experimental Research - Experimenter Bias - Placebo Effect - Confounding Variables D. Statistics - Descriptive & Inferential Biological Bases of Behavior; A. Comparing the interrelationship between Behavior & Biology (Nature vs. Nurture) B. Nervous System Functioning; - Examining the organization & functions of neurons, neurotransmitters, synapses, etc. C. Methods of Brain of Diagnostics; EEG, MRI, FMRI, CAT, PET D. Identifying & Examining key structures of the brain; ex: examining behavioral genetics in relation to family, twin & adoption studies. Sensation & Perception; A. Absolute & Difference Threshold

2 B. Fechner s, Weber s Law, & Stevens Power Law C. Signal-Detection Theory a. Hit, Miss, False Alarm, Correct Rejection D. Discussing the Concept of Sensory Adaptation E. Identifying sensation successions for smell, touch, vision, taste, & hearing Accessory structures Transduction Thalamus relay Brain Perception V. States of Consciousness; A. Define Consciousness B. Sleep Stages; Non-Rem vs. REM - Functions of Sleep - Sleep Cycles - Identifying specific sleep disorders C. Dreaming - Theories (origins of study- Freud) D. Hypnosis - Altered state theories E. Psychoactive Drugs - Depressants - Opiates - Stimulants - Psychedelics VI. Learning; A. Classical Conditioning - Pavlov s Experiment (Pavlov & Zimbardo experiments) - Taste Aversion (ex: taste aversion skittles activity) - Little Albert - Phobias (ex: arachnophobia) B. Operant Conditioning- B.F. Skinner (ex: pigeon experiments) - Positive Reinforcement - Negative Reinforcement - Punishment (+ & -) - Extinction C. Schedules of Reinforcement - Fixed-Ratio - Fixed-Interval - Variable-Ratio - Variable-Interval D. Observational Learning/Vicarious Conditioning - Bandura s- Bobo Doll E. Define and Describe the 3 basic memory processes - Encoding; Semantic, Acoustic, Visual - Storage; Episodic, Procedural, Semantic - Retrieval; Recall & Recognition F. Distinguish between: Implicit & Explicit memory

3 Declarative & Procedural Memory Episodic & Semantic Memory G. Describe the various measures of forgetting Decay Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve VII. Cognition; A. Mental Representations: Ingredients of Thought - Cognitive Maps - Schemas - Artificial & Natural Concepts B. Thinking Strategies Formal & Informal Reasoning C. Identifying Problem Solving Strategies - Obstacles to Problem Solving - Decision-Making D. Identifying the elements of language - Understanding Speech - Stages of Language Development - How Language is acquired - Influence of prior knowledge and culture on language VIII. Motivation & Emotion; A. Sources of Motivation - Biological, Emotional, Cognitive, Social B. Compare & Contrast theoretical perspectives on motivation - Instinct, Drive, Incentive, Arousal Theories C. Hunger and Eating - Biological Signals- role of the hypothalamus - Flavor, Cultural learning on food selection D. Eating Disorders - Obesity, Anorexia, Bulimia E. Achievement Motivation - Identifying the differences between men and women in need for achievement - Achievement & Success in the Workplace F. Maslow s Hierarchy - Physiological Needs - Safety Needs - Belongingness & Love - Esteem - Self-Actualization G. Nature of Emotion - Identifying the biology of Emotion - Fight or Flight response H. Compare & Contrast the theories of emotion - James-Lange Theory- perception of peripheral responses - Cannon-Bard Theory- Central Nervous System - Schachter-Singer Theory- Cognitive Interpretation IX. Developmental Psychology;

4 A. Discussing Development over the Life Span - Prenatal Development - Newborn - Infancy & Childhood Piaget s Stages of Cognitive Development - Puberty Erikson s Stages of Psychosocial Development B. Identifying Kohlberg s stages of Moral Development C. Evaluating Kubler-Ross s research on death & dying X. Personality; A. Psychodynamic Approach - Freud- Id, ego, superego - Psychosexual Stages - Adler, Jung, Fromm, Erikson B. Trait Approach - Allport s Trait Theory - Cattell s Factor-Analytic Approach - Eysenck s Biological Trait Theory Big 5 Model of Personality C. Cognitive-Behavioral Approach - Rotter s Expectancy Theory - Bandura & reciprocal determinism - Mischel s person-situation theory D. Phenomenological Approach - Roger s self-theory - Maslow s Humanistic Psychology E. Assessing Personality - Objective Tests MMPI, NEO-PI-R F. Projective Tests - Rorschach Inkblot Test - Thematic Apperception Test XI. Testing & Individual Differences; A. Testing & Individual Differences - Discussion standardization and norms - Checking a test for reliability and validity B. Use of Various types of tests - Ethics in testing - Q Testing- History and evolution of C. Nature vs. Nurture - Identifying the effects of genetics & environment on intelligence XII & XIII. Abnormal Behavior & Treatment of Abnormal Behavior; A. What is abnormal behavior? B. Explanations of Psychological Disorders 1. Supernatural Influences 2. Biological Factors 3. Psychological Processes 4. Sociocultural Context 5. Diathesis-Stress C. Classifying Psychological Disorders

5 - Explaining the 5 major axes of DSM-IV D. Anxiety Disorders - Types & Causes- Biological and Cognitive E. Somatoform Disorders - Biological & Cognitive F. Dissociative Disorders - Biological & Cognitive G. Mood Disorders - Biological & Cognitive H. Depressive Disorders - Bipolar I. Schizophrenia - Symptoms, Treatments, Types, Causes J. Personality Disorders K. Discussing Mental Illness & the Law- - The Insanity Defense (legitimate?) L. Identifying the Difference between a Psychiatrist & Psychologist M. Treatment of Psychological Disorders - Psychodynamic Psychotherapy- talking cure - Phenomenological Psychotherapy - Client-Centered Therapy- Rogers - Behavior Therapy - Cognitive-Behavior Therapy i. RET- Ellis ii. Cognitive Restructuring- Beck N. Types of Therapy 1. Group 2. Family 3. Couples XIV. Social Psychology; Describing how each of the following contributes to impression - Physical Appearance - Schemas - Stereotypes Social Perception - Schemas - First Impressions - Attribution- Sources - Fundamental-Attribution Error A. Attitudes - Forming and Changing of Attitudes - Cognitive-Dissonance B. Prejudice and Stereotypes - Theories- Motivational, Cognitive, Learning - How can we reduce prejudice C. Interpersonal Attraction Keys to Attraction - Environment, Similarity, Proximity, Physical Attractiveness D. Triangular Theory of Love

6 - Intimacy, Passion, Commitment - What makes a strong marriage? E. Social Influence Norms and Deindividuation F. Examining Stanley Milgram s Studies on Obedience G. Asch s Conformity Study- Why and When people conform H. Group Behavior - Conformity & Compliance - Bystander Effect (why does this occur in larger groups?) I. Aggression - Why are people aggressive? Genetic & Learned mechanisms - When are people aggressive? J. Altruism and helping behavior Why do people help? - Arousal; cost-reward theory - Empathy; Altruism Theory - Evolutionary Theory K. Cooperation, Competition, and Conflict - Prisoner s Dilemma (Stockholm Syndrome & Zimbardo Studies) - Social Dilemma - Fostering Cooperation - Interpersonal Conflict L. Group Processes Group leadership- Task & person-oriented 1. Attendance: Students will promptly take their seats and attendance will be recorded electronically and in an attendance roster notebook. 2. Bell-Ringer/Big Questions: Students will begin the class period by being presented with 2-4 Big Questions which they will be able to answer accurately by the end of the day s lesson. These Big Questions will relate to the day s lesson and will be recorded in each student s notebooks which will be taken up for a completion grade at the end of the semester and/or grading term. 3. Late Work Grade Policy: 1 Day Late: -10% 2 Days Late: -25% 3 Days Late: -50% 4 Days Late: -75% 5+ Days Late: -100% 4. Absence Policy: If a student is absent, they will need to address the class syllabus and the Classroom Abbreviated Work Chart (a chart which explains the work done during a specific class day along with the exact date on which the class work took place). With this policy in place, there will be no excuse for missed work and there will also be no need to interrupt valuable classroom time by discussing with absentee students what assignments they have missed and/or need to complete. It is ALWAYS the students responsibility to arrange for make-up tests and quizzes to be taken. 5. Grading: Student assignments will be graded in adherence to the Bethlehem High School grading scale. Classroom assignments will include: Tests/Quizzes