AP Psychology
2007 – 2008
Brief Description of Course
AP Psychology is a course of study designed to address psychological behaviors and
mental processes, including the central theme of, "How do psychologists think?" Each
unit will be followed by a unit quiz including covering important psychologists
associated with the chapter studied; vocabulary; and past, present, and possible future
research associations. Several exams will be given at the end of the course formatted like
the AP exam in preparation for the AP test.
Unit Information
Unit Name or Timeframe:
Unit #1 Psychology: Past, Present, and Future (1 week) Chapter Prologue
Content and/or Skills Taught:
*Trace past views/origins of knowledge on how the mind/ body relate
*Discuss past efforts to understand the structure/functions of the mind
*Identify the nature and scope of contemporary psychology
*Describe psychology in terms regarding stability/change, rationality/ irrationality, and
nature/nurture
*Describe the different perspectives of behavior and mental processes
*Identify psychology's basic/applied subfields, and differentiate the mental health
professions of clinical psychology and psychiatry
Major Assignments and/or Assessments:
Active learning strategies and themes:
*What is the relationship between brain/ behavior, brain/mental processing?
*How/why do babies develop a strong bond with the parents (Harlow)?
*How do we come to experience our world?
*How much of the world do we really experience?
*To what extent do we learn new behaviors by observing others (Bandura)?
*Compare/contrast Aristotle-Descartes- Locke-Wundt-James psychologies.
Unit Name or Timeframe:
Unit #2 Thinking Critically with Psychological Science (2 weeks)
Chapter # 1
Content and/or Skills Taught:
Objectives, themes, and active learning strategies:
*Describe the hindsight bias, overconfidence, and their misuse
*Explain how the scientific attitude encourages critical thinking
*Describe the relationship between psychological theories and scientific research
*Compare/contrast case studies, surveys, and naturalistic observations
*Describe positive/negative correlations, proper sampling, and prediction
*Explain why correlation research fails to provide evidence of cause-effect relationships
*Identify the basic elements of an experiment, controls, sampling
*Complete experiment (below) using the three measures of central tendency and the two
measures of variation
*Discuss making generalizations, inferences from samples
*Explain why psychologists study animals, and discuss the ethics of experimentation
with both animals/humans (Zimbardo, Milgram, Watson)
*Describe the impact of personal values on research application
Major Assignments and/or Assessments:
Experiment: M & M's-by color describe by using mode, mean, median, range and standard deviation;
group then by two, four, eight, and sixteen, and show the variability and measures of central tendency to
understand proper sampling. Extra points for showing types of graphs for presenting the results,
including bar graph error potential.
(Each student has his/her own pack of M & M' s.)
Unit Name or Timeframe:
Unit #3: Neuroscience and Behavior (2 weeks) Chapter #2
Content and/or Skills Taught:
Objectives, themes, and active learning strategies:
*Describe the structure of a neuron and how neural impulses are generated
*Describe nerve cell communication, neurotransmitters and drug impacts
*Identify the major divisions of the nervous system, describe their functions, noting the
three types of neural networks
*Contrast reflexive neural pathways with neural networks
*Identify and describe several techniques for studying the brain
*Identify/describe the parts and functions of the brain
*Discuss brain impairment in association/cortical areas and the brain's ability to
reorganize following injury/illness
*Describe split brain research and impacts on normal brain functioning
*Describe brain organization, the endocrine system, and nervous system interaction
Major Assignments and/or Assessments:
The Ultimate Portable Brain Model: Using the hand and including several kinds of tactile
mnemonic devices the students are aided in remembering brain structures and functions.
Each student will eventually lead the class through the entire brain anatomy using the
model learned.
Unit Name or Timeframe:
Unit #4: The Nature and Nurture of Behavior (2 weeks) Chapter #3
Content and/or Skills Taught:
Objectives, themes, and active learning strategies:
*Describe the composition and physical location of genes.
*Describe how twin and adoption studies help us differentiate hereditary and
environmental influences on human traits
*Discuss how differences in infant temperament illustrate the effect of heredity on
development
*Discuss and give examples of the potential promise and perils of molecular genetics
*Explain why we should be cautious about attributing children's successes and failures to
parental influences
*Describe how development is influenced by the individual's peer group and culture
*Discuss the importance of gender roles, and explain how social and cognitive factors
contribute to gender identity and gender-typing
Major Assignments and/or Assessments:
ESSAY: Using examples from class (extreme deprivation, feral children,
'Genie' video, the 'critical period' hypothesis, twin and adoption studies, and 'normal'
development thesis, compare and contrast the nature versus nurture controversy.
Unit Name or Timeframe:
Unit #5: The Developing Person (2 weeks) Chapter #4
Content and/or Skills Taught:
Objective, themes, and active learning strategies:
*Discuss prenatal development and the destructive impact of dermatogens
*Describe/discuss newborn capacities for cognition-memory-motor skills
*Describe Piaget's view on cognitive development and its stages
*Discuss infant social attachments, body contact (Harlow), development
*Define adolescence and describe Erikson's eight life cycle crises
*Identify the major physical and emotional changes in childhood- adolescence - early-
middle-late adulthood
*Describe impacts of aging on memory, intelligence, and the life span
Major Assignments and/or Assessments:
Unit Name or Timeframe:
Unit #6: Sensation (1 week) Chapter #5
Content and/or Skills Taught:
Objectives, themes, and active learning strategies:
*Contrast the processes of sensation and perception
*Define absolute/difference thresholds-subliminal stimulation-sensory adaptation -
parallel processing
*Explain the visual process, including the stimulus input, the structure of the eye, and the
transduction of light energy
*Explain the Young-Helmholtz and opponent-process of color vision, and describe the
nature of color constancy
*Explain the auditory process, including the stimulus input and the structure and function
of the ear
*Explain the place and frequency theories of pitch perception, and describe how we
locate sounds
*Describe the effects of noise on hearing and behavior
*Describe the sense of touch, and explain the basis of pain
*Describe the senses of taste and smell
*Distinguish between kinesthesis and the vestibular sense
Major Assignments and/or Assessments:
Unit Name or Timeframe:
Unit #7: Perception (1 week) Chapter #6
Content and/or Skills Taught:
Objectives, themes, and active learning strategies:
*Describe how the process of perception is directed and limited by selection attention
*Explain how illusions help us to understand perception
*Discuss Gestalt psychology's contribution to our understanding of perception
*Explain the figure-ground relationship, the visual cliff, binocular and monocular cues in
depth perception
*Describe stroboscopic movement and the phi phenomenon
*Describe the debate over the role of nature and nurture in perception, and discuss what
research findings on sensory deprivation and restored vision have contributed to this
debate
*Discuss the effects of experiences, assumptions, expectations and context on our
perceptions
*State the claims of ESP; explain why most research psychologist remain skeptical
Major Assignments and/or Assessments:
Unit Name or Timeframe:
Unit #8: States of Consciousness (2 weeks) Chapter #7
Content and/or Skills Taught:
Objectives, themes, and active learning strategies:
*Discuss the nature of consciousness, currently and historically
*Contrast conscious and subconscious information processing
*Discuss the content/potential functions of daydreams/fantasies
*Discuss biological rhythms; describe the cyclical nature and possible functions of sleep;
identify the major sleep disorders
*Discuss the content, possible functions of dreams, hypnosis potential
*Discuss/describe drug dependence/addiction misconceptions
*Discribe the physiological/psychological effects of depressants, stimulants,
hallucinogens and the factors contributing to drug use
*Describe the near-death experience/controversy for mind-body dualism
Major Assignments and/or Assessments:
Unit Name or Timeframe:
Unit #9: Learning (2 weeks) Chapter #8
Content and/or Skills Taught:
Objectives, themes, and active learning strategies:
*Discuss the importance of learning/process of learning associations
*Describe classical conditioning demonstrated by Pavlov's experiments
*Explain/ define acquisition-extinction-spontaneous recovery/ generation- discrimination
processes
*Discuss/explain importance of Pavlov's work cognitively-biologically
*Describe Skinner's experiments-operant conditioning-reinforces-impacts
of punishment on behavior and their controversy
*Describe/discuss observational learning-antisocial/ prosaically modeling and Bandura's
experiments
Major Assignments and/or Assessments:
Complete representative experiments (classical conditioning/operant conditioning) using
proper experimental terminology and principles
Unit Name or Timeframe:
Unit #10: Memory (2 weeks) Chapter #9
Content and/or Skills Taught:
Objectives, themes, and active learning strategies:
*Describe/define information processing-sensory, short-term, long-term memory
*Define automatic/effortful processing, rehearsal, the encoding process
*Describe memory formation/storage, implicit/explicit memory
*Contrast recall, recognition, and relearning measures of memory
*Describe retrieval cues-benefits of forgetting-encoding failure
*Describe memory eyewitness events regarding children-abuse-criminality
Major Assignments and/or Assessments:
Unit Name or Timeframe:
Unit #11: Thinking and Language (2 weeks) Chapter #10
Content and/or Skills Taught:
Objectives, themes, and active learning strategies:
*Discuss how we use trial and error-algorithms-heuristics-insight to solve problems;
describe how confirmation bias/fixation interfere
*Explain how representativeness/availability heuristics-overconfidence-framing- beliefs
influence our judgments and decisions
*Describe the structure of language in terms of sounds-meaning-grammar
*Trace language acquisition from babbling through the two-word stage
*Discuss Whorf's linguistic determinism hypothesis and the relationship between thought
and language
*Discuss the impact of Chomsky's research on language
Unit Name or Timeframe:
Unit #12: Intelligence (2 weeks) Chapter #12
Content and/or Skills Taught:
Objectives, themes, and active learning strategies:
*Trace the origins of intelligence testing-Binet-Stern- Terman-Gardner
*Describe nature of intelligence/creativity-general/specific abilities
*Describe efforts to correlate intelligence with brain anatomy-brain functioning-cognitive
processing speed
*Define test standardization-sampling-reliability-validity assessment
*Discuss normal distribution-genetic/environmental influences-bias
Major Assignments and/or Assessments:
Unit Name or Timeframe:
Unit #13: Motivation and Work (2 weeks) Chapter #12
Content and/or Skills Taught:
Objectives, themes, and active learning strategies:
*Define motivation and identify several theories of motivated behavior
*Describe Maslow's hierarchy also physiological determinants of hunger
*Discuss psychological/cultural influences on hunger
*Describe symptoms of anorexia nervosa-bulimia nervosa
*Describe research on common sexual practices-cycles-hormones-motives
*Discuss industrial/organizational psychology -performance-placement-appraisal-
employee selection/satisfaction-strengths-leadership
Major Assignments and/or Assessments:
Unit Name or Timeframe:
Unit #14: Emotion (2 weeks) Chapter #13
Content and/or Skills Taught:
Objectives, themes, and active learning strategies:
*Identify the three components of emotion-contrast the James-Lange and
Cannon-Bard theories of emotion-describe Schachter's two-factor theory
*Describe how emotions can be differentiated along the dimensions of valance and
arousal level
*Describe emotional arousal/physiological changes and performance
*Describe physiological state/specific emotions/polygraph effectiveness
*Describe-nonverbal indicators of emotion-cultural impacts-fear factors
*Define the catharsis hypothesis-anger management-happiness
Major Assignments and/or Assessments:
Unit Name or Timeframe:
Unit #15: Stress and Health (2 weeks) Chapter #14
Content and/or Skills Taught:
Objectives, themes, and active learning strategies:
*Identify the major concerns of health psychology
*Describe the 'fight-or-flight' response-general adaptation syndrome
*Discuss health consequences of catastrophes-life changes-daily hassles
-Type A or B personalities-control issues-economics-pessimism
*Describe the impact of stress on the body's immune system
*Identify/discuss coping strategies for stress-nutrition-physical wellbeing- weight
control-general health hazards (smoking/obesity)
Major Assignments and/or Assessments:
Unit Name or Timeframe:
Unit #16: Personality (3 weeks) Chapter #15
Content and/or Skills Taught:
Objectives, themes, and active learning strategies:
*Define personality-discuss the personality theories of Freud, Homey, Jung, Maslow,
Seligman, Rogers, Adler, Bandura and others
*Discuss specifically Freud's views-terms-influences on personality
*Explain/name projective tests to assess personality-MMPI-TAT-Rorschach
*Evaluate the shortcomings-if any-of each of the personality theorists
*Discuss personality types-traits-research-assessment-inventories
*Describe the social-cognitive perspective-discuss the important consequences of
personal control, learned helplessness, and optimism
*Describe the impact of individualism/collectivism on self-identify and social relations-
identify contemporary research on personality
Major Assignments and/or Assessments:
Unit Name or Timeframe:
Unit #17: Psychological Disorders (2 weeks) Chapter #16
Content and/or Skills Taught:
Objectives, themes, and active learning strategies:
*Identify criteria for judging behavior as psychologically disordered
*Describe the DSM-IV aims-discuss the bio-psycho-social perspective
*Describe symptoms of the major anxiety disorders-panic-phobias-OCD
*Describe major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder-explain the biological and
social-cognitive perspectives of each
*Describe the various symptoms of DID-types of schizophrenia (including causes)-
personality-somatoform-mood disorders including age of onset/ and prevalence
Major Assignment and/ or Assessments:
Using the DSM-VI analyze the symptoms in the following case studies presented and
diagnose the psychological disorder present. Give a potential treatment(s) for each case.
Unit Name or Timeframe:
Unit #18: Therapy (2 weeks) Chapter #17
Content and/or Skills Taught:
Objective, themes, and active learning strategies:
*Discuss the aims/methods of psychoanalysis-explain critics' concerns
*Identify/explain humanistic therapies-client-centered therapy-behavior therapy-
systematic desensitization-behavior modification & their bias
*Discuss the rationale and benefits of group therapy/family therapy
*Discuss the effectiveness/commonalities of the psychotherapies and the role of
values/cultural differences in the therapeutic process
*Describe the use of ECT/psychosurgery/drug therapy/preventive mental health programs
Major Assignments and/or Assessments:
Unit Name or Timeframe:
Unit #19: Social Psychology (2 weeks) Chapter #18
Content and/or Skills Taught:
Objectives, themes, and active learning strategies:
*Describe the importance of attribution in social behavior and the dangers of the
fundamental attribution error
*Explain he foot-in-the-door phenomenon-cognitive dissonance theory-attitude impact on
actions-experiments on conformity
*Describe Milgram's-Zimbardo's-Watson's experiments and their implications ethically-
socially-for the bystander effect-social norms
*Define social faci1itation-socia1 loafing-deindividuation-groupthink
*Describe the socia1-emotiona1-cognitive factors contributing to the persistence of
cultural, ethnic, and gender prejudice/discrimination
*Describe the impact of biological factors, aversive events, and learning experiences
(violent video games-TV) on aggressive behavior
*Discuss proximity-physical attractiveness-interpersonal attraction-physical arousal-
passionate love-companionate love-self-disclosure
Major Assignments and/or Assessments:
Textbooks/ other materials
Title: Psycho1ogy 7th Edition
Publisher: New York: Worth
Published Date: 2004
Author: David G. Myers
Description:
Text is accompanied by an instructor's resource manual, study guide, and test bank.
Other Course Materials
Material Type: Audiovisua1 Materials
Description:
Scientific American Frontiers-an eclectic viewing of topics applicable to those covered in
introductory~ psychology courses.
Material Type Audiovisua1 Materials
Description:
The Brain, 2nd Edition-32 excerpts to enhance lecture topics to many chapters in Myer's
text.
Material Type: Audiovisual Materials
Description:
The Mind, 2nd Edition-38 excerpts to enhance lecture topics to 11 of 18 chapters in
Myer's text.
Material Type: Primary Source
Description:
Desk Reference to the Diagnostic Criteria from DSM-IV-TR, 2005-used to diagnose case
studies appropriate to chapters 16 and 17 in Myer's text.
Material Type: Primary Source
Description:
Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky-essay event by students examining
through psychological analysis presented (implied or inferred) in the novel. Also used:
Kafka's “The Metamorphosis”, Schreiber's Sybil, Axline's Dibs In Search of Self,
Hayden's One Child
Websites
URL:http://www.worthpublishers.com/myers
Graded Items Percentage of Grade
Test/ Quizzes 60%
Homework/ Assignments 25%
Participation (discussion, journals, Group work, ECT) 15%
Grading Scale
93-100 A 77-79 C+ 60-62 D-
90-92 A- 73-76 C 0-59 F
87-89 B+ 70-72 C-
83-86 B 67-69 D+
80-82 B- 63-66 D
The AP Psychology Exam:
This year's exam will be an afternoon session in May, 2008. Information
regarding fees and time/location will be covered at a later date.
There are two sections of the A.P. Psychology Exam:
a. one 70 minute multiple choice exam, comprising 2/3 of the total grade
b. one 50 minute free response exam, consisting of two questions, comprising
1/3 of the total grade.
c. questions from the multiple choice section of the test come from:
2-4% history
6-8% methods and approaches
8-10% biological bases of behavior
7-9% sensation and perception
2-4% states of consciousness
7-9% learning
8-10% cognition
7-9% motivation and emotion
7-9% developmental psychology
6-8% personality
5-7% testing and individual differences
7-9% abnormal psychology
5-7% treatment of psychological disorders
7-9% social psychology
TIPS FOR EXAM SUCCESS
Multiple Choice Sections:
1. Questions on the exam increase in difficulty. The more difficult questions are
generally at the end of the exam, so pace yourself because you'll probably need
more time at the end.
2. You earn one point for each correct answer and lose a quarter of a point for each
incorrect answer. Blind guessing is discouraged, but eliminating choices that you
know are absolutely wrong will increase your chance of getting the right answer.
If you can eliminate answers from the list of choices, you should attempt to
answer the question.
3. You should focus on making sure your choice answers the stem of the question
that is asked rather than finding an answer with which you are familiar. How do
you practice this? Cover up the answer choices and try answering the stem based
on your knowledge. Then look for the answer choice that best matches what you
said.
Essay Section:
1. Answer in concise language. Present your response in a logical organization of
ideas rather than randomly placing thoughts that eventually address the question.
In other words, don't fill space. This is the one place where it will get you
nowhere.
2. Be able to define terminology well. Don't try to define the term using the term
itself in the definition. This tells the reader that you really don't know the concept.
3. Use terminology and famous names in psychology appropriately. When you use
terms and names in the right context, you earn points. When you just name-drop
or use "fancy words," you don't gain a thing.
4. You must address each part of the question in context to receive points. You
won't earn points if you blend two concepts into one paragraph, answering them
with the same example/definition. Better to use separate sentences/paragraphs to
tackle each concept.
5. Once you earn a point, it usually will not be taken away for wrong information
given later. Points are generally not revoked once earned.
6. Don't bog the reader down with lengthy introductions. Repeating the question in
your intro paragraph doesn't earn you any points. Summary/concluding
paragraphs can though. You should be able to tie together the concepts addressed
in the essay, showing how those concepts addressed the underlying idea featured
in the question. And don't just repeat what you already said. Use different words!
Academic Integrity:
Academic dishonesty is the highest violation in college and in this
class. Do not do it! If you suspect others of being dishonest, it is upon you to report this
to the instructor of the course in which you suspect the dishonesty is occurring. Any
academic dishonesty will not be tolerated, in this course or any others!
Above all be responsible for yourself-if you make a mistake, own up to it, accept the
consequences, and move on.
Think of school as preparation for the real world. When you leave high school you will
probably enter either: 1) College or some form of higher education/training, 2) Work, or
3) The military. The work ethic you must exude in this class will prepare you for any and
all of the above options.
I am excited to be your teacher. I hope this helps you understand how things will be
conducted in class and what I expect from you. I will always be up-front with you
regarding expectations, rules, policies, assignments, both academically and personally. In
return, I will adhere to the same policies, guidelines, and expectations.
Sincerely
Jason Johnson
AP Psychology Instructor
Tahoma High School
jjohnson@tahomsd.us