2014-2015 Advanced Placement Psychology Syllabus

2014-2015 Advanced Placement Psychology Syllabus

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. There are no specific curricular prerequisites for students taking AP Psychology.

Instructor Contact Information

Best Conference Hours: 7:45-8:25 or 3:30à

Text

Myers, D. G. (2013). Psychology, Tenth Edition. New York: Worth Publishers.

Course Content

I. Research Methods (10 days)

A.  Nature of scientific inquiry and operational definitions

B.  Research methods

C.  Statistics (descriptive and inferential)

D.  Ethics

Major Activities:

·  Classroom statistical activities

·  Experimental design project

II. Learning (10 days)

A.  Classical conditioning

B.  Operant conditioning

C.  Social learning

D.  Biological basis for learning

Major Activities:

·  Conditioning exercises: Pixie Sticks and Eye dilation to a buzzer

·  Behavior modification plan

III. Cognition (12 days)

A.  Memory and forgetting

B.  Thought processes, problem-solving and creativity

C.  Language

Major Activities:

·  In-class memory, problem solving and creativity activities

IV. Intelligence, Testing and Individual Differences and Stress (8 days)

A.  Psychological Testing—Norms, reliability, validity, standardization, bias, ethics

B.  Intelligence—intelligence testing, aptitude testing

C.  Ethics

D.  Stress

Major Activities:

·  Biodots analysis

V. Biological Basis of Behavior (15 days)

A.  Brain anatomy

B.  Nervous system and neutral transmissions

C.  Endocrine system and hormones

D.  Physiological techniques to study the brain

Major Activities:

·  Building a brain model

·  Analysis of The Awakenings

VI. Sensation and Perception (8 days)

A.  Sensation thresholds

B.  7 senses, especially vision and audition

C.  Perception and illusions

Major Activities:

·  In-class sensation and perception activities

VII. States of Consciousness (8 days)

A.  Sleep and dreams

B.  Hypnosis

C.  Drugs

Major Activities:

·  Sleep diary project

·  Dreaming and problem solving activities

VIII. Motivation and Emotion (7 days)

A.  Motivational concepts and theories

B.  Hunger and eating disorders

C.  Achievement motivation

D.  Theories of emotions

Major Activities:

·  In-class motivation and emotion activities

IX. Abnormal Psychology and Treatment of Psychological Disorders (9 days)

A.  Categories of disorders—anxiety disorders, dissociative disorders, mood disorders, schizophrenia, personality disorders, somatoform, psychotic, organic

B.  DSM-IV

C.  Treatment Options—Psychoanalysis, Behaviorist, Humanistic, Cognitive, Group vs. individual therapy, Pharmacological

Major Activities:

·  Analyzing Abnormal Psychology in the Movies

·  Systematic Desensitization Project

·  Analyzing Abnormal Psychology through literature (First Person Plural, Sybil or The Bell Jar)

X. Developmental Psychology (15 days)

A.  Physical, cognitive, social and moral development through the ages

B.  Influences on development—genetics, environment and culture

C.  Infancy and childhood

D.  Adolescence

E.  Old Age

Major Activities:

·  Developmental Timeline

·  Creating scenarios for moral development

XI. Personality Theory (11 days)

A.  Psychoanalytic Approach

B.  Behaviorists

C.  Humanists

D.  Social Learning

E.  Cognitive Approach

F.  Trait Theorists

Major Activities:

·  Analyzing Fictional Characters

·  Essay-Writing Your Own Personal Theory of Personality

·  On-line personality assessments

XII. Social Psychology (12 days)

A.  Attitudes and behavior

B.  Attribution

C.  Group influence—conformity, compliance, and obedience

D.  Prejudice

E.  Altruism

F.  Aggression/Anti-social behavior

Major Activities:

·  Written Analysis of Jonestown: A Paradise Lost

XIII. History of Psychology (5 days)

A. Logic, Philosophy, and History of Science

B. Major People in the History of Psychology

C. Approaches--Biological, Behavioral, Cognitive, Humanistic, Psychodynamic, Sociocultural, Evolutionary

Major Activities:

·  History of Psychology timeline

Course Materials

3-ring binder (1-2 inch binder)

Index cards and index card box or "O" Ring

Pencil/pen and paper

Regular Internet access

Assessment

Assessment of AP Psychology will occur in a variety of ways including:

Exams—13 unit exams in the AP style of fifty (50) multiple choice and one (1) free-response essay

Readings—Students will read teacher-chosen and personal-chosen literature and articles throughout

the course and complete written or oral discussion and analysis of the selection.

Quizzes--Reading Quizzes may be given from textbook reading assignments

Projects—Group and individual—Examples include writing an experimental research plan,

conducting experiments, timelines, etc.

Notebook—All work, notes, handouts and journals are to be kept in a large 3-ring binder

Grading Policy

56% Summative (Major exams or unit projects)
31% Formative (Quizzes)
13% Daily Work

My goal is for students to master the content, and therefore there will be opportunities for students to retake quizzes and exams. The student must meet with the instructor and schedule all retakes on an individual basis unless otherwise stated. Retakes must be taken within 2 weeks of the given exam, and must be taken before or after school. *Retakes may be subject to instructor approval and/or student meeting qualifying criteria.

AP Exam

The National AP Psychology exam for 2015 will be announced upon release. In order to receive college credit for the course at most colleges, a student must score a 3 or higher on a 5-point scale. Review sessions will begin periodically before and after school at least six weeks before the exam. Attendance is not required, but highly recommended for preparation of the AP exam. The cost of the exam is approximately $90.

Student Work Load and Teacher Assistance

This is an AP course equivalent to a college class. Therefore, the work load will be greater and more demanding than in a regular high school class. The teacher is available before and after school barring bus duty and professional meetings to help students be successful in the course as well as the AP exam. Students should ask the day before about availability of tutoring for any given day. A regular study session schedule will be set up closer to the date of the AP exam, but the teacher is available for help year-round.

Course Expectations/Procedures

Classroom Expectations

1. Come to class prepared with textbook, notebook, paper and writing utensil every day.

2. Speak only when others are not speaking. Do not interrupt.

3. Participate in every activity including note taking. Sleeping will not be allowed.

4. Students may not have food or drink in the classroom.

Late-Work--Late work will be accepted in AP Psychology, but late work will receive an automatic 40% deduction on the grade. Students are expected to meet deadlines on assignments, and are rarely (excluding occasional 4-5 page reading textbook assignments) given less than 2-3 days to complete assignments.

Make-Up Work—After an absence, check the calendar at the front of the classroom for work missed from absentee dates. Check with a classmate for notes. You have the number of days that you missed plus one day to turn in all make-up work and to get notes or the grades will be subject to the late work policy. It is the student’s responsibility to get notes and assignments, and this follows the school’s attendance policy.

Make-Up Exams—If a student misses on the day of a test, he/she must make up the test before or after school.

Plagiarism/Cheating—If at any time a student is discovered to be using the work of another student or work obtained from the Internet or other outside source, there will be an automatic office referral for all students involved and a zero for the assignment grade. This includes someone who was “just helping” another student by giving his/her paper to someone else to copy, as well as copying homework, quizzes or tests in class or using even phrases or sentences from works found in books, on the Internet, etc.

Leaving the Classroom—Students should come to class prepared, and will not be allowed to leave the classroom unless deemed an emergency by the teacher.