Average Class Size: 35 students

Student Selection Criteria: Any student may sign up to the course. There is no prerequisite except for a general recommendation from another teacher.

Class Schedule: The course spans 16 weeks (one semester). We meet every other day for 90 minutes.

Course Purpose: The main goal is to make sure that students understand how psychology applies in the real world. By setting this as a goal, I find that the students enjoy the class more and come to be more observant of themselves and others in their social situations.

Class Structure: The class is very high paced. I teach using the Socratic method and expect all classwork to be done outside of class.The exams are multiple-choice and designed to represent all the material covered in the readings, notes, videos and textbook. Tutorials are held from 7:00-7:40 am each morning monday through friday. I am also available after school, except for the spring semester because of coaching responsibilities.

Course Materials: Weiten, W., it al. Psychology: Themes and Variations 5th ed. Stamford, CT.:Wadsworth, 2001, fully prepared psychology binder that includes important information for the class.

Basic Course Despcription: The range of topics in this course are designed to introduce students to the field of psychology. Students are expected to keeep up with regular reading assignments and note taking.

Evaluation: There will be two exams and 4-6 assignments every six weeks. Exams will count 66% of their grade and the assignments will count for 34%. Exams will be take home.

Grade Ranges: Standard school policy

 

Course Outline

I. History of Psychology 2-4%
A. Roots is Philosophy and Physiology (Descarte)
B. Major school of thought
1. functionalism
2. structuralism
C. Psychological Perspectives
1. Biological
2. Behavioral
3. Cognitive
4. Psychodynamic
5. Humanistic
6. Sociocultural

II. Research Methods 6-8%
A. Experimental Method
1. Independent and dependent variables
2. Control and experimental group
3. Blind and double-blind experiments
B. Correlation Method
1. Positive and negative correlations
C. Case Study
D. Naturalistic Method
E. Elementary descriptive statistics
F. Inferential statistics
G. Ethics

III. Biological Basis of Behavior 8-10%
A. Exploring the brain with ablation, direct stimulation, EEG, CAT, PET, MRI’s
B. Anatomical and functional relationships
C. Somatic and anatomic nervous system
D. Structure of neuron
E. Endocrine system
F. Genetics

IV. Sensation and Perception 7-9%
A. Concept of threshold (absolute and difference)
B. Understanding the various sensory systems
C. Transduction of energy (vision and audition)
D. Anatomy and function of eye and ear
E. Perceptual acuity
F. Sensory adaptation
G. Sensory Disorders (deafness and blindness)
H. Perceptual constancies
I. How three dimensional world is constructed
J. Perception of movement
K. Role experience plays on perception and how it can be improved by learning

V. States of Consciousness 2-4%
A. Sleep (functions, dysfunctions, theories)
B. Hypnosis
C. Meditation
D. Daydreams and dreams
E. Drugs

VI. Learning 7-9%
A. Classical and Operant Conditioning
B. Acquisition, extinction, spontaneous recovery, generalization, discrimination,
Shaping
C. Effects of reinforcement and punishment
D. Omission training
E. Active and passive avoidance
F. Schedules of reinforcement
G. Emotional learning
H. Taste aversions
I. Helplessness
J. Biofeedback
K. Self-control

VII. Cognition 8-10%
A. Construction of concepts that serve as our basis of the world
1. schemas
2. mental sets
B. Procedural and declarative knowledge
C. Effortful vs. automatic processing
D. Memory: episodic, semantic, forgetting, role of context, improving memory
E. Language: psycholinguistic models
F. Thinking: relationships between language and thought
G. Problem solving: algorithms, heuristics, functional fixedness
H. Creativity: theories on its role in problem solving and thinking

VIII. Motivation and Emotion 7-9%
A. Instincts, needs, drives, incentives
B. Psychological vs. Social Motives
C. James-Lange, Cannon-Bard, Schacter-Singer, Opponent process theories of emotion
D. Arousal
E. Stress: personality characteristics
1. type A and B
2. Selye’s General Adaptation Syndrome
3. Cognitive Views of Stress

IX. Developmental Psychology 7-9%
A. Dimensions of development are social, physical, cognitive, and moral
B. What extents does genetics, physiology, and environment play
C. Critical periods, culture
D. Theories of development
1. Jean Piaget
2. Eric Erickson
3. Lawrence Kohlberg
4. Carol Gilligan
5. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross
E. Consider data collecting techniques
1. Naturalistic
2. Observation
3. Self-report
4. Experimental
5. Clinical

X. Personality 6-8%
A. How self develops self-concept and self-esteem
B. Know how the psychodynamic, humanistic, cognitive, trait, and behaviorist perspectives view personality development
C. Projective tests
D. Adler, Freud, Allport, Bandura, Cattell, Jung, Mischel, Rogers
E. Personality disorders
F. Treatment of abnormal personality development

XI. Testing and Individual Differences 5-7%
A. Human differences in aptitude, intelligence, interests
1. the tests used to assess these traits
2. reliability and validity of these tests
B. Development of intelligence
1. retardation vs. giftedness
2. genetic vs. environmental determinants
3. race differences
C. Cultural bias in tests
D. Use of intelligence for selection and placement of students
E. Ethical issues of testing
1. comparisons that arise
2. confidentiality
F. Social impact of testing

XII. Abnormal Psychology 7-9%
A. Diagnosis of abnormal behavior
1. statistical comparisons
2. sociological norms
3. adaptive behavior
B. DSM IV
C. Etiology and diagnostic criteria of the following disorders
1. mood
2. dissociative
3. somatoform
4. anxiety
D. History of psychopathology

XIII. Treatment of Psychological Disorders 5-7%
A. Treatment of psychological disorders through approaches: behavioral, humanistic, psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, pharmacological
B. Mode: one-on-one, group
C. Outpatient, counseling, institutional setting, educational programs, crisis intervention, telephone hotlines

XIV. Social Psychology 7-9%
A. Attribution
B. Stereotypes
C. Attitudes
D. Conformity
E. Obedience
F. Etiology and expression of aggressive/antisocial behavior and its impact