AP Psychology

Course Description

The purpose of the AP course in Psychology is to introduce the systematic and scientific study of the behavior and mental processes of human beings and other animals. Included is a consideration of the psychological facts, principles, and phenomena associated with each of the major subfields within psychology. Students also learn about the ethics and methods psychologists use in their science and practice.

Students will produce original work based on their own research. Class participation is vital for this discussion based course. Students will have frequent short quizzes, complete take home essays, out of class projects and research, and take rigorous tests covering large amounts of material. An introductory college course in psychology is generally one semester in length, with some variation among colleges. The aim of our AP psychology course is to provide a learning experience equivalent to that obtained in most college introductory psychology courses. Students successfully completing this course will be prepared to the College Board’s Advanced Placement Psychology Exam.

The course is very demanding and fast-paced, requiring the student to work independently and thoroughly during and especially, outside of class. A large amount of technical reading, self-guided note taking and self-assessment is required. Writing is also an essential component of the course.

Class time will be devoted to reinforcing concepts, discussions, testing, review, writing and designing of experiments. Hand-outs and video will be employed to help facilitate greater understanding of difficult topics. It is imperative that students possess good note-taking skills. Students, who are self-motivated, responsible, possess strong reading/reading-comprehension and writing skills and have an interest in psychology are encouraged to enroll. It is also very important that students minimize absences from class!

This course is primarily open to seniors (juniors may apply). There are no specific prerequisites for matriculation in this course however past overall academic record will be used to assess students when class size restraints are encountered. Although students are not required to take the AP exam, they are strongly encouraged to do so. All tests and quizzes will reflect the format of the AP examination. Students will sit for a mock AP exam at the end of each trimester.

Summer reading and assignments are assigned to entering students. Outside class time may be scheduled for AP preparation, remediation.

The AP course is divided into three trimesters of approximately 11 weeks. Classes meet every other day for 90-minutes. Some labs will be conducted during class time and outside of class research will be required.

Class Expectations

1. Read chapters and take notes and identify topics of difficulty

2. Come to class and ask questions about readings (Make sure that you have questions ready to be asked!)

3. Supplemental information will be provided during class time. Class discussions are for reinforcement of materials covered. Multi-media and hand-outs are provided to further enhance your understanding. Discussion is STRONGLY encouraged.

4. You will promptly be tested on materials read/covered. Tests will be MC and ESSAYS and reflect the actual AP exam.

5. Homework assignments and projects are expected to be turned in as per due dates.

Course Objectives

1. Students will study the major core concepts and theories of psychology and be able to relate them to their own daily lives.
2. Students will be able to define key terms and understand them as part of their daily vocabulary
3. Students will learn the basic skills and methodology of psychological research and be able to conduct their own simple research.
4. Students will develop their critical thinking skills,
5. Students will prepare to excel on the AP Psychology Examination

Grade Distribution

Tests/Exams- 45% (will always reflect AP exam; you will have an AP mock exam at the end of each trimester)

Quizzes- 20% (over past, current material/readings, pre-lab readings)

In-Class/Homework, Papers/Presentation/Projects- 35%

Required Textbook

Myers, David G., Psychology, 7th Ed. (2002)

AP Psychology Test Preparation Book (of choice)*

Teacher Resources

Makosky, V.P., Whittemore, L.G., and Anne Rogers. Activities Handbook for Teaching Psychology, volume 2. APA (1998)

Nye, Robert D. Three Psychologies, 6th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 1999.

Pettijohn, Terry F. Notable Selections in Psychology, 3rd ed. Guilford, CT: Dushkin, 2000

Hock, Roger R. Forty Studies that Changed Psychology: Explorations into the History of Psychological Research, 5th ed. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 2004

1999 AP Released Exam in Psychology

Brannigan, Gary G., Experiencing Psychology – Active Learning Adventure, Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 200

AP Psychology Exam Format

The exam is includes two sections: a 70 minute multiple choice section and a 50 minute free response section consisting of two questions. The multiple choice forms two-thirds of the grade and the free response provides the remaining third.

Trimester 1

Unit 1 – Introduction, Overview, History and Scientific Methodology in Psychology

Essential Questions:

• What is psychology really?
• How do different perspectives and subfields of psychology fit into the overall study of psychology
• What are the historical roots of psychology?
• How do psychologists employ the scientific method to the study of mental process and behavior?
• Which methods of research are appropriate for the study of different behaviors and how does experimental design affect results?
• How do psychologists draw conclusions on behavior from research?
• How do psychologists make ethical decisions regarding research with human and animal subjects?

Objectives:

• Define psychology
• Discuss the different perspectives and approaches to the study of psychology
• Identify the many subfields and specialties in psychology
• Trace the historical development of psychology as a field of study
• Discuss the different types of research methods used to study psychology, descriptive, correlation, experimental.
• Discuss which forms of research are best for certain types of inquiries.
• Identify the elements, benefits, and limitations of experimental research
• Prepare and conduct a naturalistic observation
• Explore experimental design and design a novel experiment.
• Describe and employ certain statistical measures for gathered data.
• Discuss the ethical considerations of human and animal research

Activities, Readings and Viewings:

• Personal Theory Inventory – Experiencing Psychology
• Naturalistic Observation Project
• Experimental Design Project
• Read Excerpts from – Three Psychologies – by Nye

Trimester 1

Unit 2 – Neuroscience – The Biological Basis for Behavior

Essential Questions:

• Is everything that is psychological, biological?
• How do biological processes relate to behavior?
• How does damage to a biological process affect behavior?
• What are the core components of the nervous system and how are they organized?
• How do the nervous system and the endocrine system interact to affect behavior?
• Nature versus Nurture?

Objectives:

• Identify the major components of the nervous system and determine how they are organized
• Describe the neuron and its functioning – action potentials, neurotransmitters, synaptic integration, and modification
• Identify and describe the functions of the different parts of the brain.
• Explain split brain studies
• Describe the nature of the endocrine system and it interaction with the nervous system.
• Determine the role of genetics in influencing behavior.

Activities, Readings and Viewings:

• Video – The Secret Life of the Brain – PBS
• Brain coloring book
• Video – The Brain Module: Split Brain - Online
• Hemispheric Preference Inventory - Experiencing Psychology

Trimester 1

Unit 3 – Sensation and Perception

Essential Questions:

• What is the difference between Sensation and Perception?
• How do the five senses receive and transmit signals to the brain fro processing?
• How do our senses adapt and affect behavior?
• How does the brain process sensory information correctly and incorrectly to produce our perception?
• What are the limitations of each sense and how do those limitations affect behavior?

Objectives:

• Contrast the processes of sensation and perception.
• Discuss signal detection theory and thresholds. (Weber’s Law)
• Discuss sensory adaptation and accommodation
• Identify the components and functions of both the visual and auditory systems
• Identify and contrast proprioception and vestibular senses.
• Explain the Young-Hemholz and the opponent process theory of color vision.
• Explain the place and frequency theories of pitch perception
• Identify the views of Gestaltist as related to perception.
• Explain how we use monocular and binocular cues to determine size, depth, and distance.
• Discuss research on depth perception and cues
• Explain the concept of constancy.
• Analyze the effect of perceptual set on everyday sensory experience.
• Conduct original experiment on some aspect of sensation or perception

Activities, Readings and Viewings:

• The Stroop Effect – Online activity
• Sensation/Perception Experiment Project
• Optical Illusions
• Video – Basketball passes
• Video – The Mind: The Girl with no Pain receptors
• Excerpts from – The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat - Sacks

Trimester 1

Unit 4 – Learning and Behaviorism

Essential Questions:

• What constitutes learning?
• What are the different ways one can learn?
• How do principles of classical conditioning work to create learning?
• In what ways does classical conditioning work in human contexts?
• How do principles of operant conditioning work to create learning?
• In what ways does operant conditioning work in human contexts?
• How do principles of observational learning work to create learning?
• In what ways does observational learning work in human contexts?
• Does learning require experience?

Objectives:

• Define learning.
• Describe the elements and processes of classical conditioning - Pavlov
• Explain the processes of acquisition, extinction, spontaneous recovery, generalization, and discrimination.
• Describe the elements and process of operant conditioning.
• Relate how the works of different researchers such as Pavlov, Watson, and Skinner have lead to our better understanding of the learning process.
• Describe shaping and chaining.
• Understand the difference between reinforcement and punishment as it relates to the Law of Effect.
• Identify the different types and schedules of reinforcement
• Explain the importance of cognitive process and biological predisposition on conditioning
• Describe the processes and elements in Bandura’s Observational (social) learning.
• Describe Tolman’s research on Latent Learning.

Activities, Readings and Viewings:

• Operant conditioning activity – Experiencing Psychology
• Videos – Discovering Psychology – Pavlov, Watson (little Albert), Skinner
• Behavior Modification Plan Project – to run through 3rd trimester

Trimester 2

Unit 5 – States of Consciousness and Memory

Essential Questions:

• What is consciousness?
• What’s going on as we sleep?
• What role or purpose does sleep play in our lives? How does it affect behavior?
• What are dreams?
• Is Hypnosis a real thing and if so what is it?
• What are psychoactive drugs actually doing to our consciousness and how do they affect behavior?
• What are memories?
• How do humans encode, store, and retrieve information in the memory systems?
• How can humans enhance memory, encoding, storage, and retrieval?
• Are memories stored or reconstructed?
• How much can a person remember?
• What are the conditions under which memories are made more easily or completed versus poorly?

Objectives:

• Define consciousness.
• Identify the different states of consciousness.
• Describe the sleep cycle and its stages.
• Discuss the different theories of dreams.
• Identify the common sleep disorder, their causes and consequences.
• Discuss hypnosis, the different theories and uses of hypnosis.
• Discuss the controversy of the uses of hypnosis.
• Describe the common psychoactive drugs and their effects.
• Describe how certain drugs actually impact the synapse.
• Discuss the nature and physiology of chemical dependence, addiction, tolerance, and withdrawal.
• Discuss the different models for the memory system.
• Analyze how humans encode, store, and retrieve memories.
• Distinguish between automatic and effortful processing.
• Compare and contrast the capacity and duration of sensory, short term (working), and long term memory.
• Distinguish between implicit and explicit memory
• Describe the importance of retrieval cues
• Discuss the effects of interference and motivated forgetting on retrieval.
• Describe evidence for the constructive nature of memory.

Activities, Readings and Viewings:

• Hypnosis Experience - CD
• Video – The Brain: Sleep and Circadian Rhythms
• Video – Discovering Psychology: hypnosis
• Video – The Mind: addiction
• Read Excerpts from – The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat – Sack
• Video – The Mind: memory
• Memory activity – Experiencing Psychology
• Memory Experiment Project

Trimester 2

Unit 6 – Language and Cognition

Essential Questions:

• How do humans think?
• In what ways is thinking flaw or constrained? How can people avoid falling for these errors in thinking
• How do humans acquire language?
• How do humans use language to communicate ideas?
• How is language flawed or constrained? How can people avoid falling for these errors in language use?
• Are humans the only animals to use language?

Objectives:

• Define cognition
• Define concept, heuristics, algorithms, prototypes, trial and error, and insight and explain how they are used in problem solving.
• Analyze how fixation, confirmation bias, overconfidence, framing, and belief perseverance influence the ability to solve problems.
• Describe the structure of language.
• Identify language development stages.
• Explain how the nature vs nurture debate relates to language acquisition and development.
• Discuss Whorf’s linguistic relativity hypothesis.
• Discuss other theories of language development – Chomsky, Skinner
• Analyze the studies on animal communication.

Activities, Readings and Viewings:

• Video – Nova: Secrets of the Wild Child
• Functional fixedness activity

Trimester 2

Unit 7 – Developmental Psychology

Essential Questions:

• How do people grow and develop physically throughout the lifespan?
• How do people grow and develop cognitively throughout the lifespan?
• How do people grow and develop socially throughout the lifespan?
• How do people grow and develop morally throughout the lifespan?
• How do people grow and develop personality throughout the lifespan?
• Are people relatively stable throughout their lives or do they change?
• What is the underlying mechanism for change?

Objectives:

• Describe the pattern of human physical development from prenatal to puberty
• Analyze the cognitive changes of infants through late childhood.
• Explore Piaget’s findings on cognitive development.
• Describe and contrast the stages of cognitive development or infants, children, and adolescents.
• Evaluate the importance of social development in children.
• Describe and Analyze Erikson’s theories on social development.
• Discuss the affects of parenting style, contact, and familiarity on attachment development.
• Explore the findings of Ainsworth and Harlowe as they relate to social development.
• Explain the importance of secure attachment and the impact of parental neglect on the development of children.
• Describe and analyze Kohlberg’s stages of moral development.
• Preview Freud’s psychosocial stages of personality development
• Discuss how the nature versus nurture debate relates to developmental psychology.
• Describe how studies on development are conducted comparing and contrasting Longitudinal and cross-sectional studies.

Activities, Readings and Viewings:

• Video – Discovering Psychology – Infant Object Permanence
• Temperament Inventory - Experiencing Psychology
• Activity – Bringing Genetic Screening Home – Activities Handbook for the Teaching of -Psychology
• Children’s Book – Socialization Activity

Trimester 2

Unit 8 – Personality

Essential Questions:

• What constitutes someone’s personality?
• How do psychologists study personality?
• How have theories of personality developed throughout the history of psychological study?
• What advantages and limitations exist for each theory’s description of personality?
• How do psychologist reliably measure personality and interpret personality’s role in behavior?
• How do the different theories of personality development compare and contrast to each other?

Objectives:

• Define Personality.
• Explain how the different perspectives – psychodynamic, humanistic, trait, and social-cultural – approach the study of personality.
• Evaluate the advantages and drawbacks of each theory of personality.
• Determine how psychologists asses personality according to the various perspectives.
• Describe Freud’s structure and components of personality and the importance of the unconscious mind - Psychoanalytic
• Evaluate Freud’s ideas on personality development.
• Explain how defense mechanisms protect the individual from anxiety.
• Describe the contributions of the neo-Freudians.
• Explain how personality inventories are used to assess traits.
• Describe the humanistic perspective on personality – Maslow and Rogers
• Describe the social-cognitive perspective on personality. - Bandura
• Discuss the consequences of locus of control, learned helplessness, and optimism.

Activities, Readings and Viewings:

• Video – A&E Biography: Sigmund Freud
• Self Rating Activity – Experiencing Psychology
• Five Factor Model Activity – Experiencing Psychology
• Self-actualization Activity – Experiencing Psychology

Trimester 3

Unit 9 – Abnormal Psychology and Therapy

Essential Questions:

• What constitutes “normal”?
• When is a difference a disorder?
• How do Psychologists measure and define abnormal behavior?
• How are the various disorders identified and studied?
• What impact do these psychological disorders have on individuals, families, communities, and society?
• How does your perspective on psychology affect your approach to treatment of psychological disorders?
• What different approaches are available for treatment of psychological abnormalities?
• Which therapeutic approaches are most successful for which disorders?

Objectives:

• Investigate how social norms and daily productivity establish what is abnormal and when a difference becomes a disorder.
• Identify the criteria psychologists use to diagnose psychological disorders.
• Describe the DSM-IV and its function.
• Differentiate between the different perspectives psychologists take to understand psychological disorders.
• Describe the characteristics and possible causes of mood disorders.
• Describe the characteristics and possible causes of anxiety disorders.
• Describe the characteristics and possible causes of somatoform disorders.
• Describe the characteristics and possible causes of dissociative disorders.
• Describe the characteristics and possible causes of schizophrenia.
• Describe the characteristics and possible causes of personality disorders.
• Describe the characteristics and possible causes of brain-based disorders.
• Discuss goals and methodology of psychoanalysis.
• Identify the basic characteristics of the humanistic therapies.
• Identify the basic assumptions of behavioral therapy.
• Describe the assumptions and goals of cognitive therapies.
• Discuss the benefits of group and family therapy.
• Discuss the findings regarding the effectiveness of the psychotherapies.
• Identify the common forms of drug therapy and the use of ECT.

Activities, Readings and Viewings:

• Video – Depression: Beyond the Darkness
• Video – The Brain: Multiple Personalities
• Video – The Brain: Schizophrenia
• Activity – Skits demonstrating therapy
• Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory – Experiencing Psychology
• Empathy Inventory – Experiencing Psychology
• Report on B-mod project started in first trimester

Trimester 3

Unit 10 – Motivation, Emotion and Stress

Essential Questions:

• What is motivation?
• What is emotion?
• What is stress?
• What are the different factors that motivate a human to behave a certain way?
• What methods of motivation are better than others?
• How can one increase their motivation to act in a certain way?
• What are the roles of physiological needs in motivating behavior?
• IN what way are social needs important in motivation?
• How does personal fulfillment work to motivate behavior?
• What role do emotions play in behavior?
• How are emotions generated and interpreted?
• How do cognitions affect emotions?