AP Psychology – 2015-2016 / Mr. Ranweiler / Room 242 / Berthoud High School
/ wiki: ranweiler.wikispaces.com / vm-970.613.7729
UNIT 1: Social Psychology
Essential Questions:
1. What is stress and what are its major sources and effects?
2. How is stress related to serious illness?
3. How is health psychology involved with tobacco, alcohol, and chronic pain?
4. What techniques and resources are available to help people stay healthy and cope with stress?
Objectives:
•Differentiate between stress and stressors, eustress and distress
•Identify the seven major types of stressors and their effects
•Contrast the three basic conflicts
•Describe the physiological effects of stress
•Describe how stress is related to cancer
•Explain the relationship between stress and heart disease
•Contrast Type A and Type B personalities and describe the research and treatment regarding them
•Describe hardiness and state how it is related to stress
•Describe how stress is related to PTSD and ulcers
•Define health psychology and identify major occupational options for health psychologists
•Describe factors that lead to smoking, its consequences, preventions, and how to quit
•Discuss the use of alcohol around the world
•Describe the role of psychologists in helping people deal with chronic pain
•Contrast emotion-focused and problem-focused forms of coping with stress
• List coping resources and describe how each improves coping
•Explain how exercise and relaxation can reduce stress
UNIT 2: History/Careers/Research Methods
Essential Questions:
1. What is psychology? What are its goals and main career specialties?
2. Who are the important contributors to psychology, and what are the seven primary perspectives that guide modern psychology?
3. What is the scientific method and what are the key ethical issues in psychological research?
4. What are the four main methods of psychological research?
Objectives:
•Define psychology; compare and contrast psychology, critical thinking, and pseudopsychology
•List and describe the four goals of psychology
• Describe the difference between a psychiatrist and psychologist, and describe the ten major options in psychology.
•Describe early psychological perspectives including structuralism and functionalism
•Briefly describe the seven perspectives in psychology today
• Name four women or minorities who have contributed to the field of psychology
• Identify how the biopsychosocial model unifies the major modern these of psychological theory
•List and describe the six basic steps involved in scientific research, defining basic research terminology
• Describe the rights of human subjects and organizations that are in place to safeguard both human and nonhuman animal rights during research studies
• Describe the rights of psychotherapy patients
•Define experiment, independent and dependent variables, and experimental and control groups
• Describe researcher and participant problems in research and the experimental safeguards related to them
•Define descriptive research and contrast the merits and limitations of naturalistic observations, surveys, and case studies
• Define correlational research and the three types of correlations. Determine the strength of a correlation from a correlation coefficient
• Define biological research and describe the basic techniques used to study the brain and nervous system
• Identify gender and cultural universals
UNIT 3: Neuroscience and Biological Foundations
Essential Questions:
1. What are neurons and how do they communicate information throughout the body?
2. How is the nervous system organized?
3. What are the lower-level structures of the brain, and what are their roles in behavior and mental processes?
4. How does the cortex control behavior and mental processes?
5. How are heredity and evolution linked to human behavior?
Objectives:
•Draw a neuron, label its parts, and describe the function of each part
• Describe the electrochemical process involved in an action potential
• Define neurotransmitter and explain how neurotransmitters act to excite or inhibit action potentials
•Describe the effects of the major neurotransmitters and explain how they are related to some diseases, poisons, and mind-altering drugs
•Describe the function of the endocrine system and contrast hormones with neurotransmitters
•Define the major divisions of the nervous system, list the subdivisions of the central nervous system, and describe the functions of the spinal cord
•Describe the functions of the major subdivisions of the peripheral nervous system, and the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems
•Locate and describe the function of the cerebellum and the three parts of the brain stem
•Locate and describe the function of the thalamus, hypothalamus, and limbic system
•Describe the cerebral cortex. Locate and describe the function of the four cortical lobes, and important areas in each lobe
•Define lateralization and describe the specialized and interdependent functions of the brain’s left and right hemispheres
•Describe the methods for studying behavioral genetics
•Describe how evolutionary psychologists use Darwin’s principles of natural selection and genetic mutations to explain human behavior
•Describe recent research regarding gender differences related to the brain and behavior
•Describe recent research regarding neuroplasticity and neurogenesis, and the role of stem cells in the treatment of various brain dysfunctions.
UNIT 4: Sensation and Perception
Essential Questions:
1. How do our sensory organs gather sensory information and convert it into signals our brain can understand?
2. How do our eyes and ears enable us to see and hear?
3. How do our senses enable us to experience the world?
4. How do we decide what to pay attention to in our environment?
5. How do we organize stimuli to perceive form, constancies, depth, and color?
6. What factors influence how we interpret sensations?
7. Is there scientific support for subliminal messages and ESP?
Objectives:
• Define and differentiate sensation and perception
•Explain transduction, sensory reduction, and coding in sensory processing
•Define psychophysics. Describe absolute and difference thresholds and the importance of sensory adaptation
•Explain the gate-control theory of pain perception
•Describe the physical properties of light and light waves
•Diagram the eye, and explain how each structure contributes to the visual process
•Describe the physical properties of sound and sound waves
•Diagram the ear, and explain how each structure contributes to the auditory process
•Describe the place and frequency theories related to hearing
• Describe the causes of conduction and nerve deafness
•Describe olfaction, including basic anatomy, the lock-and-key theory, gender and cultural differences, and the role of pheromones in animals and humans
•ªDescribe gustation, including basic anatomy, how it works, and causes of “picky” eating
•Describe the skin senses and their functions
•Describe the vestibular and kinesthetic senses
•Describe the differences between illusions, hallucinations, and delusions
•Describe perceptual selection and the physiological and stimulus factors involved
•List and discuss the Gestalt principles of perceptual organization
•Explain perceptual constancy as it relates to size, shape, color, and brightness
• Explain how a person perceives depth, using binocular and monocular depth cues
• Discuss how both the trichromatic and opponent-process theories are needed to explain how humans perceive color
•Describe the factors that influence perceptual interpretation
•Discuss the research on subliminal perception
•Define potential problems with believing in extrasensory perception
UNIT 5: States of Consciousness
Essential Questions:
1. How do we define and describe consciousness?
2. What happens to consciousness when we sleep and dream?
3. How do psychoactive drugs affect consciousness?
4. How do alternate states of consciousness, like hypnosis and meditation, affect consciousness?
Objectives:
• Define consciousness and alternate states of consciousness; and describe controlled and automatic processing
• Identify common myths about sleep
•Define circadian rhythms; and discuss the effects of disruptions in sleep-wake cycles
•Describe how EEGs, EMGs and EOGs are used to study sleep
•Describe the various physical changes associated with each non-REM and REM stage of sleep
•Discuss current theories regarding the reasons we sleep
•Discuss current theories and research regarding the reasons we dream
•Describe symptoms, consequences, and treatments for the five major sleep disorders
•Define psychoactive drugs, drug agues, addiction, psychological and physical dependence, and tolerance
•Define depressants; describe the effects of alcohol on the nervous system and behavior, and discuss why alcohol is a growing social concern.
•Define stimulants; and describe the effects of nicotine and cocaine
•Define opiates; and describe their effects on the nervous system and behavior
•Define hallucinogens; and describe the effects of LSD and marijuana on the nervous system and behavior
•Discuss current issues and concerns related to “club drugs”
•Briefly explain how drugs act as agonists and antagonists in the brain, and describe how psychoactive drugs affect each of the four steps in neurotransmission
•Explain the major reasons people use and abuse drugs, and describe recent research regarding the importance of dopamine and glutamate on drug addiction
•Define meditation, and discuss its potential benefits
•Define hypnosis, discuss five myths and controversies regarding its use, and state how it is used today in medical and psychotherapy
UNIT 6: Learning
Essential Questions:
1.What is classical conditioning, and how can we apply it in everyday life?
2. What is operant conditioning, and how can we apply it in everyday life?
3. How and when do we learn according to cognitive-social theory, and how can we use it in everyday life?
4. What neurological changes take place during and after learning? What are the evolutionary advantages to learning?
5. What are the practical applications of conditioning principles?
Objectives:
•Define learning and conditioning
•Explain the process of classical conditioning, describing the differences between an unconditioned, neutral, and conditioned stimulus, and an unconditioned, conditioned, and eonditioned emotional response
•For classical conditioning: describe stimulus generalization, stimulus discrimination, extinction, spontaneous recovery, and higher-order conditioning.
•Define operant conditioning and differentiate it from classical conditioning
•Describe the different schedules of reinforcement, and state the effect each schedule will have on response rate and extinction
•Describe how behaviors are shaped and how they can be weakened. Describe the consequences and side effects of punishment
•Compare and contrast classical and operant conditioning
•Define cognitive-social theory and describe insight and latent learning
•Describe the four processes involved in learning through observation. Describe how cognitive-social learning is related to prejudice and the influence of various media
•Describe the cross-cultural use of scaffolding as a teaching technique, and explain how it combines the principles of shaping and modeling
•Describe the neurological changes that occur during and after learning
•Define biological preparedness and describe how it is related to learning
•Define operant conditioning and instinctive drift
•Describe how classical conditioning is related to marketing, prejudice, medical treatment, and phobias
•Describe how operant conditioning is related to prejudice, biofeedback, and superstitious behavior
•Identify everyday incidences of cognitive-social learning
UNIT 7: Memory
Essential Questions:
1. What are the four major memory models?
2. Why do we forget, and how can we prevent forgetting?
3. How do we form memories and where do we store them?
4. How is memory related to the legal system?
5. How can we improve our memory?
Objectives:
•Compare and contrast the Information Processing Approach, the Parallel Distributed Processing Model, the Levels of Processing Model, and the Traditional Three-stage Memory Model
•Describe the purpose, duration, and capacity of each of the three distinct storage systems in the traditional view of memory
•Identify strategies used to improve long-term memory recall and the importance o retrieval cues
•Describe theories of forgetting, and differentiate between proactive and retroactive interference
•Discuss forgetting and describe how each of the following factors affects remembering; serial position effect, source amnesia, sleeper effect, spacing of practicing, and cultural differences
•Explain memory in terms of neuronal and synaptic changes, hormonal influences, and specific brain areas
•Identify empirical findings regarding location of memory in the brain
•Differentiate between retrograde and anterograde amnesia; and describe the symptoms, causes, and potential treatments for Alzheimer’s disease
•Discuss the practical importance of eyewitness testimony and repressed memories
•Describe how memory is constructed and distorted
•Describe specific methods of improving your memory and provide examples of the various mnemonic devices
UNIT 8: Language/Cognition
Essential Questions:
1. How do we think, solve problems, and be creative?
2. What is language? How is language related to thinking? Do nonhuman animals use language?
3. What is intelligence and how do we measure it?
4. Why is intelligence testing so controversial?
Objectives:
•Define cognition and thinking
•Define the three components of thinking, and the three major methods of concept formation
•List and describe the three stages of problem solving, including an explanation of the types of thinking that occur in each stage
•List and describe the five major barriers to problem-solving
•Define creativity, and discuss how convergent and divergent thinking and the investment theory of creativity are related to the creative process
•Define and provide an example of each of the building blocks of language
•Describe the interaction between language and thought
•Describe the stages of and theories related to, language development
•Describe research related to nonhuman animals and language
•Explain why intelligence is difficult to define, and differentiate between Cattell’s fluid crystallized intelligence
•Describe Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences and Sternberg’s triarchic theory of successful intelligence
•Explain how an intelligence quotient (IQ) is determined and differentiate between the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Test and the Wechsler intelligent tests, and describe the extremes of mental retardation and mental giftedness
•Define standardization, reliability, and validity, and explain why each is important for intelligence testing.
•Define mental retardation and some of its causes
•Identify the criteria necessary for giftedness and long-term characteristics of gifted people
• Explain how biology, genetics, and the environment impact intelligence
•Describe what is known about the influence of gender and culture on intelligence
UNIT 9a: Development I
Essential Questions:
1. How is research in developmental psychology different from research in other areas of psychology
2. What are the major physical changes that occur throughout our life span?
3. How does cognition, or the way we think about the world, change during our life cycle?
4. How do attachment and parenting styles affect development?
Objectives:
•Define developmental psychology, and discuss the ongoing debates in this field regarding nature versus nurture, continuity versus stages, and stability versus change
•Differentiate between cross-sectional and longitudinal research, and describe the major advantages and disadvantages of each method of research.
•Discuss four ways culture has impact on the study of human development
•Describe the physical changes associated with the three stages of prenatal development, and discuss paternal and maternal contributions to fetal well-being
•Describe the major changes in brain, motor, and sensory/perceptual development during the early childhood years; explain how these changes have been measured in newborns and infants
•Describe physical changes associated with puberty, middle age and later adulthood, including menopause and the male climacteric
•Define primary aging, and explain the programmed and damage theories for aging