SYLLABUS
TEACHER: Brian Luthringer
COURSE TITLE: Advanced Placement Psychology
TEXT: PSYCHOLOGY: The Adaptive Mind
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
The purpose of the AP course in Psychology is to introduce students to the systematic and scientific study of the behavior and mental processes of human beings and other animals. Students are exposed to the facts, principles and phenomena associated with each of the major sub fields within psychology. They also learn about the methods psychologists use in their science and practice. The aim is to provide the student with a learning experience equivalent to that obtained in most college introductory psychology courses. The Advanced Placement course in Psychology gives you the chance to try college-level work in high school. If you get a “qualifying” grade on the AP exam, there are thousands of colleges worldwide that will give credit or advanced placement for your efforts. For more information about Advanced Placement courses, visit the web site at select AP from the menu.
COURSE OUTLINE
I. An Introduction to Psychology
A.DefiningandDescribingPsychology
B.TracingtheEvolutionofPsychologicalThought
C.UnderstandingtheFocusofModernPsychology
II. The Tactics of Psychological Research
A.ObservingandDescribingBehavior-DescriptiveResearch
B.PredictingBehavior-CorrelationalResearch
C.DeterminingWhyBehaviorOccurs-ExperimentalResearch
D.TreatingResearchParticipantsEthically:HumanandAnimal
Guidelines
III. Biological Processes
A.CommunicatingInternally-ConnectingWorldandBrain
B.InitiatingandCoordinatingBehavior-ADivisionofLabor
C.RegulatingGrowthandInternalFunctions
D.StoringandTransmittingtheGeneticCode
IV. Human Development
A.DevelopingPhysically
B.DevelopingIntellectually
C. Developing Socially and Personally
V. Sensation and Perception
A.Vision
B.Hearing
C.TheSkinandBodySenses
D.TheChemicalSenses
E.FromthePhysicaltothePsychological
VI. Consciousness
A.Attention
B.SleepingandDreaming
C.AlteringAwareness
VII. Learning From Experience
A.NoticingandIgnoring
B.ClassicalConditioning
C.InstrumentalConditioning
D.ObservationalLearning
VIII. Remembering and Forgetting
A.RememberingOvertheShortTerm
B.StoringInformationfortheLongTerm
C.RecoveringInformationfromCues
D.UpdatingMemory
IX. Intelligence
A.ConceptualizingIntelligence
B.MeasuringIndividualDifferences
C.TheNature-NurtureIssue
X. Motivation and Emotion
- Activating Behavior
- Hunger and Eating
- Sexual Behavior
- Expressing and Experiencing Emotion
XI. Personality
- Conceptualizing and Measuring Personality
- Determining How Personality Develops
- Resolving the Person – Situation Debate
XII. Social Psychology
A.SocialCognition
B.SocialInfluence
C. EstablishingRelationswithOthers
XIII. Psychological Disorders
A.WhatisAbnormalBehavior?
B.ClassifyingPsychologicalDisorders
C.UnderstandingPsychologicalDisorders
XIV. Therapy
A.BiomedicalTherapies
B.InsightTherapies
C.BehavioralTherapies
D.EvaluatingandChoosingPsychotherapy
Evaluation and Assessment
Chapter tests, quizzes, projects, homework, notebooks and class participation will comprise the quarterly as well as the overall grade for this course. It is expected that students will take the AP Psychology examination when it is offered. The content, critical thinking problems, research design and test taking strategies involved in this course will prepare the student for the AP Psychology exam.
*Alternative Assignment Disclaimer
If a student finds any outside reading, assignment or research project objectionable, the student may discuss the objection privately with the teacher and a suitable alternative will be assigned.