Chapter 1: The Science of Psychology 1.A What Is Psychological Science? 1. Define psychological science. 2. Define critical thinking, and describe what it means to be a critical thinker. 3. Identify major biases in thinking, and explain why these biases result in faulty thinking. 1.B What Are the Scientific Foundations of Psychology? 3. Identify the major schools of thought that have characterized the history of experimental psychology. Chapter 2: Research Methodology 2.A How Is the Scientific Method Used in Psychological Research? 2. Describe the scientific method. 3. Differentiate between theories, hypotheses, and research. 2.B What Types of Studies Are Used in Psychological Research? 1. Distinguish between descriptive studies, correlational studies, and experiments. 2. List the advantages and disadvantages of different research methods. 3. Explain the difference between random sampling and random assignment, and explain when each might be important. 2.C What Are the Ethics Governing Psychological Research? 1. Identify ethical issues associated with conducting psychological research on human participants. 2.D How Are Data Analyzed and Evaluated? 1. Identify three characteristics that reflect the quality of data. 3. Describe the correlation coefficient. 4. Discuss the rationale for inferential statistics. Chapter 3: Biology and Behavior 3.A How Does the Nervous System Operate? 1. Distinguish between the two basic divisions of the nervous system. 2. Distinguish between the functions of distinct types of neurons. 3. Describe the structure of the neuron. 4. Describe the electrical and chemical changes that occur when neurons communicate. 5. Identify the major neurotransmitters and their primary functions. 3.B What Are the Basic Brain Structures and Their Functions? 1. Describe different methods for assessing brain function and activity. 2. Identify the basic structures of the brain and their primary functions. 3. Explain how the study of split brain contributes to understanding the functions of the cerebral hemispheres.
Chapter 3: Biology and Behavior 3.E What Is the Genetic Basis of Psychological Science? 1. Explain how genes are transmitted from parents to offspring. 3. Explain how environmental factors, including experience, influence genetic expression. Chapter 4: Consciousness 4.A What Is Consciousness? 1. Define consciousness. K. Evaluate the global workspace model of consciousness, and evidence for/against it. 4. Discuss how unconscious processes influence thought and behavior. 4.B What Is Sleep? 1. Describe the stages of sleep. 3. Discuss the functions of sleeping and dreaming. 4.D How Do Drugs Affect Consciousness? 1. Describe the neurochemical, psychological, and behavioral effects of stimulants, depressants, opioids/narcotics, hallucinogens/psychedelics, and other commonly used drugs. 2. Identify physiological and psychological factors associated with addiction. Chapter 5: Sensation and Perception 5.A How Does Perception Emerge from Sensation? 1. Distinguish between sensation and perception. 2. Describe how sensory information is translated into meaningful signals. 3. Explain the concept of threshold. Distinguish between absolute threshold and difference threshold. 4. Explain how thresholds are related to signal detection and sensory adaption. 5.B How Are We Able to See? 1. Explain how light is processed by the eyes and the brain. 4. Distinguish between binocular and monocular depth cues. 5.C How Are We Able to Hear? 1. Describe how sound waves are transduced into neural activity in the ear. K. Discuss the mechanisms of hearing loss and cochlear implants, and connect them to the sensory process of hearing. 5.D How Are We Able to Taste? 2. Describe how culture influences taste perception. 5.E How Are We Able to Smell? 1. Describe the neural pathway for smell. 5.F How Are We Able to Feel Touch and Pain? 2. Distinguish between the two types of pain. 3. Discuss gate control theory and the control of pain.
Chapter 6: Learning 6.A How Do We Learn? 1. Define learning. 3. Describe the nonassociative learning processes: habituation and sensitization. 6.B How Do We Learn Predictive Associations? 1. Define classical conditioning. 2. Differentiate between the UR, US, CS, and CR. 3. Describe acquisition, second-order conditioning, generalization, discrimination, extinction, and spontaneous recovery. 6.C How Do Consequences of an Action Shape Behavior? 1. Define operant conditioning. 2. Distinguish between positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, positive punishment, and negative punishment. 3. Distinguish between schedules of reinforcement. 6.D How Do We Learn from Watching Others? 2. Generate examples of observational learning, modeling, and vicarious learning. Chapter 7: Memory 7.A What Is Memory? 2. Describe the three phases of memory. 3. Describe the processes of consolidation and reconsolidation. 7.B How Are Memories Maintained over Time? 1. Distinguish between sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory. 2. Describe working memory and chunking. 3. Review evidence that supports the distinction between working memory and long-term memory. 4. Explain how information is transferred from working memory to long-term memory. 7.C How Is Information Organized in Long-Term Memory? 1. Discuss the levels of processing model. 2. Explain how schemas influence memory. 4. Identify retrieval cues. 7.D What Are the Different Long-Term Memory Systems? 1. Explain implicit, explicit, declarative, episodic, semantic, and procedural memories. 7.E How Is Memory Flawed? 1. Explain why people forget. 4. Generate examples of source misattribution. 5. Discuss susceptibility to false memories. Chapter 8: Thinking, Language & Intelligence 8.B How Do We Make Decisions and Solve Problems? 1. Explain how heuristics influence decision making and explore common heuristics. 3. Review strategies that facilitate problem solving and insight. 8.D How Do We Understand Intelligence? 2. Review theories and research related to general intelligence, fluid intelligence, crystallized intelligence, and multiple intelligences. 3. Discuss the relationship between intelligence and cognitive performance. 4. Summarize research examining genetic and environmental influences on intelligence. 5. Discuss sex and race differences in intelligence, and define stereotype threat.
Chapter 9: Human Development 9.A What Factors Shape Infancy? 1/2. Identify roles of genetics, environment and culture in prenatal and infant brain development. 4. Describe the different types of attachment infants have to their caregivers. 9.B How Do Children Learn About the World? 1. List and describe the stages of development proposed by Piaget. 2. Discuss challenges to Piaget s theory. 3. Define theory of mind and explain its significance for prosocial behavior. 9.C What Changes During Adolescence? 2. Explain key factors that influence identity development. 3. Describe how peers, parents, and cultural forces shape the sense of self. Chapter 10: Emotion and Motivation 10.A What Are Emotions? 2. Discuss the roles that the insula and the amygdala play in emotional experience. 3. Compare and contrast the James-Lange, Cannon-Bard, and Schachter-Singer two-factor theories of emotion. 4. Define misattribution of arousal and excitation transfer. 5. Recognize and apply the techniques from "how can you control your emotions?" 10.C How Are People Motivated? 4. Distinguish between extrinsic motivation and intrinsic motivation. 5. Discuss delay of gratification and hot vs. cold cognition. Chapter 12: Social Psychology 12.A How Does Group Membership Affect People? 2. Explain factors that determine ingroup and outgroup formation. 3. Describe the effects of group membership on social identity and on brain activity. 5. Differentiate between conformity, compliance, and obedience. 12.B When Do People Harm or Help Others? 3. Consider four factors that affect the bystander intervention effect. 4. Explain how bias against outgroups may be decreased. 12.D How Do People Think About Others? 2. Define the fundamental attribution error and the actor/observer discrepancy. 3. Describe the functions of stereotypes. 6. Discuss strategies to inhibit stereotypes and reduce prejudice.
Chapter 14: Psychological Disorders 14.A How Are Psychological Disorders Conceptualized and Classified? 1. Understand what is meant by the terms psychopathology and psychological disorder. 4. Describe the diathesis-stress model. 14.B Which Disorders Emphasize Emotional States? 1. Differentiate the various anxiety disorders. 2. Understand the various causes of obsessive-compulsive disorder. 3. Understand the role of trauma in posttraumatic stress disorders. 4. Discuss the origins and major features of depressive disorders. 5. Distinguish between bipolar I and bipolar II disorder. Important Information about the Final Exam! Essay Section. There will be a total of 6 essays on the final exam. Three of these essays will be from the first half of the course (Exams 1 and 2), and three will be from the second half of the course (Exam 3 and new material). The only new essays will be from the new material since the third mid-term exam; the other essays will be ones you have seen previously on the mid-term exams. The essay section will be placed on reserve in Bryant Hall according to usual Salem College final exam procedures. You will receive an email from the exam chairs closer to the end of the semester with the time and processes for the final exams. Most importantly, you will have 3 hours to complete the exam. Multiple Choice Section. There will be a total of 100 multiple choice questions. One-third of these (33 questions) will be from the new material (Chapters 9, 10, 12, and 14); the remaining two-thirds (67 questions) will be cumulative (Chapters 1-8). Some questions will be repeated from the mid-terms, but others will be new questions about the material from those earlier chapters. The multiple choice section will be online, linked from the main course webpage and following the same format as the mid-term multiple choice questions. The link already appears on the webpage, but do not submit the Honor Code statement before the official start of exams on Thursday, December 6 th at 8:30 am, or you will not be able to complete and submit the multiple choice section. Your answers must be submitted by the official end of exams at 5:15pm on Monday, December 10 th.