Carlton J. Kell High School

AP Psychology

Leah Kurtz Carlton J. Kell High School 4770 Lee Waters Road Marietta, Georgia 30066 (678) 494-7844, extension 441 [email protected] http://cobblearning.net/kurtzappsychology/ Sign up for free updates by texting @2ff07 to (678) 270-2076 then follow the directions

The purpose of AP 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 psychological facts, principles, and phenomena associated with each of the major subfields within psychology.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

1. Students will prepare to do acceptable work on the AP Psychology Examination (scores of 3, 4, or 5).

2. Students will study the major core concepts and theories of psychology. They will be able to define key terms and use them in their everyday vocabulary.

3. Students will learn the basic skills of psychological research and be able to apply psychological concepts to their own lives.

4. Students will develop critical thinking skills.

COURSE METHODOLOGY Students will utilize a number of approaches (to include. but not limited to scientific inquiry, research skills and methodology, written expression. etc.) to accomplish the Course Objectives. The instructor will attempt to utilize interactive learning, demonstration, discussion and lecture to further the objectives of the course. It is the intent of the instructor to provide multiple types of assessments throughout the course to be able to accurately gauge the learning of all of the students—regardless of learning style, level or ability. TEXTBOOK

Myers, David G. Psychology, 8th ed. New York: Worth, 2007.

TEACHER RESOURCES

Bolt, Martin. Instructor’s Resource Manual. New York: Worth, 2001.

Hock, Roger R. Forty Studies that Changed Psychology: Explorations into the History of Psychological Research, 4th ed. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 2002. Krieger, Larry. AP Psychology Crash Course. Piscataway, N.J.: Research and Education Association, 2010.

Straub, Richard O. Study Guide to Accompany David G. Myers Psychology, 8th edition. New York: Worth Publishers, 2007.

HOMEWORK EXPECTATIONS

Ample notice will be given for any assignment, quiz, or exam. The amount of work depends on the unit being covered in class. There are assigned pages to read in the textbook every week.

Vocabulary terms are also given for each unit. Quizzes are administered frequently, at least once a unit. The quizzes range from using fill-in-the-blank, short answer, and/or multiple-choice questions. Exams will be given at the end of every second unit and will consist of 70 multiple-choice questions (simulating the first part of the AP exam). All exams are cumulative throughout the year.

Other assignments given to students are class presentations, group projects, and practice Free Response Questions. These assignments will vary with the unit being covered.

CLASS RULES AND EXPECTATIONS

1. The instructor reserves the right to modify, amend or otherwise change the classroom rules at any time and for any reason. 2. Respect yourself, others, and the classroom environment. 3. Come to class prepared every day with your textbook, paper, notebook, and writing utensil. 4. All beverages MUST have lids. Food and drinks are allowed as long as a neat classroom is maintained. Failure to properly dispose of used items or leaving food/drink in the classroom are grounds for privilege sacrifice – either individually or by the whole class! 5. Make up work will be accepted in accordance with Cobb County School District policies regarding student absences and make up work. It is the responsibility of the student to ask the teacher what assignments were missed and/or check the blog for what was missed. Until make up work has been turned in and graded, it will be recorded as a 0 in Synergy with a comment that student was absent. No make up work will be allowed for unexcused absences. Assignments missed due to unexcused absences or tardies will result in a grade of zero (0). 6. Late work policy will be accepted for a 10% deduction per day the assignment is late. After five days late, the highest score possible will be a 50%. Please be advised that there are assignments that will NOT be accepted late, and those instructions will be made clear at the BEGINNING of those assignments. 7. Restroom policy: Passes to the restroom are granted only in an emergency (Mrs. Kurtz is the final judge as to the validity and severity of an emergency). Absolutely no passes will be issued during the first or last ten minutes of class.

Carlton J. Kell High School AP Psychology Syllabus Page 2 of 20 8. BE ON TIME! Quizzes will be given in the first five minutes of class. If you are tardy, you will receive a zero. The Kell High School tardy policy will be strictly adhered to. 9. In accordance with district and school policy, no student is authorized to possess or use any electronic device that is not primarily of an educational nature (such as cell phones, pagers, CD players, MP3 players, handheld gaming devices, etc.) from 8:20 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Any student found to be in violation of this policy will be punished as per the policies outlined by Kell High School administration. Consequences

Please see the Student Handbook for consequences.

Please keep in mind that this is a college level class. It is my expectation that stating these rules once should be ample notice for you to comply with them.

“No Name” Policy

Assignments submitted without a name will have 20% deducted from the total earned points. Any assignment with no name not claimed in a timely fashion will be disposed of. EXTRA CREDIT POLICY No individual extra-credit will be accepted for any reason. However, there will be occasions that the Instructor will assign or offer extra points for specific acts that are available to an entire class. These events will be very random, on a limited basis and not available for make-up. ACADEMIC INTEGRITY POLICY All personnel associated with this course shall maintain academic integrity. Academic misconduct, in any form, will not be tolerated and will result in a disciplinary action! Please refer to the handout, Academic Dishonesty for a detailed explanation of what is interpreted as academic misconduct. Any violations of academic integrity will result in a grade of zero (0) with no possibility of make up as well as parental contact and possible further consequences. ASSESSMENT CATEGORIES AND GRADE WEIGHTS Formative (Quizzes, Homework, Daily Grades): 20% Summative (Tests, Projects, and Essays): 70% Final Exam: 10%

AP PSYCHOLOGY EXAM FORMAT

Two-thirds of the exam consists of one hundred multiple choice questions taken during a seventy minute period. Please be reminded that the College Board has done away with the ¼ point penalty for incorrect answers, so it is to your benefit to guess. The remaining one-third of the exam consists of two

Carlton J. Kell High School AP Psychology Syllabus Page 3 of 20 Free Response Questions answered during a fifty minute period. These FRQs are generally quite comprehensive and cover many areas of the course. All aspects of the exam will be practiced throughout the course this year. The AP Psychology exam is scheduled for MONDAY, MAY 5, 2014, AT 12:00 P.M.

COURSE-LONG PLAN

Unit I: History and Approaches (2 weeks)

Textbook Sections: Prologue, Appendix A

Videos: Discovering Psychology (#1) Past, Present, Promise

PsychSim Tutorials: PsychSim5 Psychology Timeline

A. Logic, Philosophy, and History of Science

B. Approaches/Perspectives

Objectives

 Recognize how philosophical perspectives shaped the development of psychological thought.

 Describe and compare different theoretical approaches in explaining behavior: structuralism, functionalism, and behaviorism in the early years; Gestalt, psychoanalytic/psychodynamic, and humanism emerging later; evolutionary, biological, and cognitive as more contemporary approaches.

 Recognize the strengths and limitations of applying theories to explain behavior.

 Distinguish the different domains of psychology: biological, clinical, cognitive, counseling, developmental, educational, experimental, human factors, industrial–organizational, personality, psychometric, and social.

 Identify the major historical figures in psychology (e.g., Mary Whiton Calkins, Charles Darwin, Dorothea Dix, Sigmund Freud, G. Stanley Hall, William James, Ivan Pavlov, Jean Piaget, Carl Rogers, B. F. Skinner, Margaret Floy Washburn, John B. Watson, Wilhelm Wundt).

Unit II: Research Methods (2 weeks)

Textbook Sections: Chapter 1

Videos: Discovering Psychology (#2) Understanding Research

PsychSim Tutorials: PsychSim5 Descriptive Statistics

A. Experimental, Correlation, and Clinical Research

Carlton J. Kell High School AP Psychology Syllabus Page 4 of 20 B. Statistics

C. Research Methods and Ethics

Objectives

 Differentiate types of research (e.g., experiments, correlational studies, survey research, naturalistic observations, and case studies) with regard to purpose, strengths, and weaknesses.

 Describe how research design drives the reasonable conclusions that can be drawn (e.g., experiments are useful for determining cause and effect; the use of experimental controls reduces alternative explanations).

 Identify independent, dependent, confounding, and control variables in experimental designs.

 Distinguish between random assignment of participants to conditions in experiments and random selection of participants, primarily in correlational studies and surveys.

 Predict the validity of behavioral explanations based on the quality of research design (e.g., confounding variables limit confidence in research conclusions).

 Distinguish the purposes of descriptive statistics and inferential statistics.

 Apply basic descriptive statistical concepts, including interpreting and constructing graphs and calculating simple descriptive statistics (e.g., measures of central tendency, standard deviation).

 Discuss the value of reliance on operational definitions and measurement in behavioral research.

 Identify how ethical issues inform and constrain research practices.

 Describe how ethical and legal guidelines (e.g., those provided by the American Psychological Association, federal regulations, local institutional review boards) protect research participants and promote sound ethical practice.

Unit III: Biological Basics of Behavior (3 weeks)

Textbook Sections: Chapters 2 and 3

Videos: Discovering Psychology (#3) The Behaving Brain, (#4) The Responsive Brain, (#13) The Mind Awake & Asleep; The Brain: Teaching Modules (#5) The Divided Brain, (#6) Language and Speech, (#18) Living with Amnesia, (#24) Aggression, Violence, and the Brain; The Mind: Teaching Modules (#5) Endorphins, (#10&11) Clive Wearing; Awakenings (PG-13) Robin Williams, Robert DeNiro

PsychSim Tutorials: PsychSim5 Hemispheric Specialization and PsychSim5 Mind Reading Monkeys

A. Physiological Techniques (e.g. imaging, surgical) Carlton J. Kell High School AP Psychology Syllabus Page 5 of 20 B. Neuroanatomy

C. Functional Organization of Nervous System

D. Neural Transmission

E. Endocrine System

F. Genetics

Objectives

 Identify basic processes and systems in the biological bases of behavior, including parts of the neuron and the process of transmission of a signal between neurons.

 Discuss the influence of drugs on neurotransmitters (e.g., reuptake mechanisms).

 Discuss the effect of the endocrine system on behavior.

 Describe the nervous system and its subdivisions and functions:

• central and peripheral nervous systems;

• major brain regions, lobes, and cortical areas;

• brain lateralization and hemispheric specialization.

 Recount historic and contemporary research strategies and technologies that support research (e.g., case studies, split-brain research, imaging techniques).

 Discuss psychology’s abiding interest in how heredity, environment, and evolution work together to shape behavior.

 Predict how traits and behavior can be selected for their adaptive value.

 Identify key contributors (e.g., Paul Broca, Charles Darwin, Michael Gazzaniga, Roger Sperry, Carl Wernicke).

Unit IV: Sensation and Perception (3 weeks)

Videos: Discovering Psychology (#7) Sensation and Perception; The Brain: Teaching Modules (#8) Visual Processing: Elem., (#9) Visual Processing: Perception, (#10) Perception: Inverted Vision, (#11) Sensory- Motor Integration; The Mind: Teaching Modules (#20) Phantom Limb Pain, (#21) Treating Chronic Pain

PsychSim Tutorials: PsychSim5 Auditory System and PsychSim5 Visual Illusions

Carlton J. Kell High School AP Psychology Syllabus Page 6 of 20 A. Thresholds

B. Sensory Mechanisms

C. Sensory Adaptation

D. Attention

E. Perceptual Processes

Objectives

 Discuss basic principles of sensory transduction, including absolute threshold, difference threshold, signal detection, and sensory adaptation.

 Describe sensory processes (e.g., hearing, vision, touch, taste, smell, vestibular, kinesthesis, pain), including the specific nature of energy transduction, relevant anatomical structures, and specialized pathways in the brain for each of the senses.

 Explain common sensory disorders (e.g., visual and hearing impairments).

 Describe general principles of organizing and integrating sensation to promote stable awareness of the external world (e.g., Gestalt principles, depth perception).

 Discuss how experience and culture can influence perceptual processes (e.g., perceptual set, context effects).

 Explain the role of top-down processing in producing vulnerability to illusion.

 Discuss the role of attention in behavior.

 Challenge common beliefs in parapsychological phenomena.

 Identify the major historical figures in sensation and perception (e.g., Gustav Fechner, David Hubel, Ernst Weber, Torsten Wiesel).

Unit V: States of Consciousness (2 weeks)

Videos: Discovering Psychology (#13) The Mind Awake & Asleep; The Brain: Teaching Modules (#13) Sleep & Circadian Rhythms, (#14) Sleep: Brain Functions, (#15) REM Sleep & Dreaming; The Mind: Teaching Modules (#2) Hypnotic Dissociation & Pain Relief, (#9) Subliminal Stimulation, (#22) Depressants and their Addictive Effect on the Brain, (#29) Alcohol Addiction

PsychSim Tutorials: PsychSim5 EEG and Sleep Stages and PsychSim5 Your Mind on Drugs

A. Sleep and Dreaming Carlton J. Kell High School AP Psychology Syllabus Page 7 of 20 B. Hypnosis

C. Psychoactive Drug Effects

Objectives

 Describe the nervous system and its subdivisions and functions:

— central and peripheral nervous systems;

— major brain regions, lobes, and cortical areas;

— brain lateralization and hemispheric specialization.

 Recount historic and contemporary research strategies and technologies that support research (e.g., case studies, split-brain research, imaging techniques).

 Discuss psychology’s abiding interest in how heredity, environment, and evolution work together to shape behavior.

 Predict how traits and behavior can be selected for their adaptive value.

 Identify key contributors (e.g., Paul Broca, Charles Darwin, Michael Gazzaniga, Roger Sperry, Carl Wernicke).

Unit VI: Learning (2 weeks)

Videos: Discovering Psychology (#8) Learning, The Brain: Teaching Modules (#16) The Locus of Learning & Memory, (#17) Learning as Synaptic Change

PsychSim Tutorials: PsychSim5 Operant Conditioning

A. Classical Conditioning

B. Operant Conditioning

C. Cognitive Processes in Learning

D. Biological Factors

E. Social Learning (Observational Learning)

Objectives

 Distinguish general differences between principles of classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and observational learning (e.g., contingencies).

Carlton J. Kell High School AP Psychology Syllabus Page 8 of 20  Describe basic classical conditioning phenomena, such as acquisition, extinction, spontaneous recovery, generalization, discrimination, and higher-order learning.

 Predict the effects of operant conditioning (e.g., positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, punishment, schedules of reinforcement).

 Predict how practice, schedules of reinforcement, and motivation will influence quality of learning.

 Interpret graphs that exhibit the results of learning experiments.

 Provide examples of how biological constraints create learning predispositions.

 Describe the essential characteristics of insight learning, latent learning, and social learning.

 Apply learning principles to explain emotional learning, taste aversion, superstitious behavior, and learned helplessness.

 Suggest how behavior modification, biofeedback, coping strategies, and self control can be used to address behavioral problems.

 Identify key contributors in the psychology of learning (e.g., Albert Bandura, John Garcia, Ivan Pavlov, Robert Rescorla, B. F. Skinner, Edward Thorndike, Edward Tolman, John B. Watson).

Unit VII: Cognition (3 weeks)

Videos: Discovering Psychology (#9) Remembering & Forgetting, (#10) Cognitive Processes, (#11) Judgment & Decision Making, (#6) Language Development; The Brain: Teaching Modules (#18) Living with Amnesia: The Hippocampus & Memory; The Mind: Teaching Modules (#8) Language Processing (#24) Language Predisposition, (#26) The Bilingual Brain, (#27) Animal Language

PsychSim Tutorials: PsychSim5 Iconic Memory and PsychSim5 My Head is Spinning

A. Memory

B. Language

C. Thinking

D. Problem Solving and Creativity

Objectives

 Compare and contrast various cognitive processes:

o Effortful versus automatic processing; Carlton J. Kell High School AP Psychology Syllabus Page 9 of 20 o Deep versus shallow processing;

o Focused versus divided attention.

 Describe and differentiate psychological and physiological systems of memory (e.g., short-term memory, procedural memory).

 Outline the principles that underlie effective encoding, storage, and construction of memories.

 Describe strategies for memory improvement.

 Synthesize how biological, cognitive, and cultural factors converge to facilitate acquisition, development, and use of language.

 Identify problem-solving strategies as well as factors that influence their effectiveness.

 List the characteristics of creative thought and creative thinkers.

 Identify key contributors in cognitive psychology (e.g. Noam Chomsky, Hermann Ebbinghaus, Wolfgang Köhler, Elizabeth Loftus, George A. Miller).

Unit VIII: Motivation and Emotion (3 weeks)

Textbook Sections: Chapters 12, 13, and 14

Videos: Discovering Psychology (#12) Motivation and Emotion; The Brain: Teaching Modules (#21) Emotions, Stress, and Health, (#22) Stress: Locus of Control

PsychSim Tutorials: PsychSim5 Hunger and the Fat Rat, PsychSim5 Expressing Emotion, and PsychSim5 All Stressed Out

A. Biological Bases

B. Theories of Motivation

C. Hunger, Thirst, Sex, and Pain

D. Social Motives

E. Theories of Emotion

F. Stress

Objectives

 Identify and apply basic motivational concepts to understand the behavior of humans and other animals (e.g., instincts, incentives, intrinsic versus extrinsic motivation).

Carlton J. Kell High School AP Psychology Syllabus Page 10 of 20  Discuss the biological underpinnings of motivation, including needs, drives, and homeostasis.

 Compare and contrast motivational theories (e.g., drive reduction theory, arousal theory, general adaptation theory), including the strengths and weaknesses of each.

 Describe classic research findings in specific motivation systems (e.g., eating, sex, social).

 Discuss theories of stress and the effects of stress on psychological and physical well-being.

 Compare and contrast major theories of emotion (e.g., James–Lange, Cannon–Bard, Schachter two-factor theory).

 Describe how cultural influences shape emotional expression, including variations in body language.

 Identify key contributors in the psychology of motivation and emotion (e.g., William James, Alfred Kinsey, Abraham Maslow, Stanley Schachter, Hans Selye).

Unit IX: Developmental Psychology (3 weeks)

Videos: Discovering Psychology (#5) The Developing Child; The Brain: Teaching Modules (#2) The Effects of Hormones and the Environment on Brain Development; The Mind: Teaching Modules (#12) Teratogens, (#13) Capabilities of the Newborn, (#14) Infant Cognitive Development, (#15) Social Development in Infancy, (#16) The Effect of Aging on Cognitive Function

PsychSim Tutorials: PsychSim5 Cognitive Development

A. Life-Span Approach

B. Research Methods

C. Heredity-Environmental Issues

D. Developmental Theories

E. Dimensions of Development

F. Sex Roles, Sex Differences

Objectives

 Discuss the interaction of nature and nurture (including cultural variations) in the determination of behavior.

 Explain the process of conception and gestation, including factors that influence successful fetal development (e.g., nutrition, illness, substance abuse). Carlton J. Kell High School AP Psychology Syllabus Page 11 of 20  Discuss maturation of motor skills.

 Describe the influence of temperament and other social factors on attachment and appropriate socialization.

 Explain the maturation of cognitive abilities (e.g., Piaget’s stages, information processing).

 Compare and contrast models of moral development (e.g., Kohlberg, Gilligan).

 Discuss maturational challenges in adolescence, including related family conflicts.

 Characterize the development of decisions related to intimacy as people mature.

 Predict the physical and cognitive changes that emerge as people age, including steps that can be taken to maximize function.

 Describe how sex and gender influence socialization and other aspects of development.

 Identify key contributors in developmental psychology (e.g., Mary Ainsworth, Albert Bandura, Diana Baumrind, Erik Erikson, Sigmund Freud, Carol Gilligan, Harry Harlow, Lawrence Kohlberg, Konrad Lorenz, Jean Piaget, Lev Vygotsky).

Unit X: Personality (2 weeks)

Videos: Discovering Psychology (#14) The Mind Hidden and Divided, (#15) The Self, (#23) Health, Mind, and Behavior

PsychSim Tutorials: PsychSim5 Helplessly Hoping

A. Personality Theories and Approaches

B. Assessment Techniques

C. Self-concept/Self-esteem

D. Growth and Adjustment

Objectives

 Compare and contrast the major theories and approaches to explaining personality: psychoanalytic, humanist, cognitive, trait, social learning, and behavioral.

 Describe and compare research methods (e.g., case studies and surveys) that psychologists use to investigate personality.

Carlton J. Kell High School AP Psychology Syllabus Page 12 of 20  Identify frequently used assessment strategies (e.g., the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory [MMPI], the Thematic Apperception Test [TAT]), and evaluate relative test quality based on reliability and validity of the instruments.

 Speculate how cultural context can facilitate or constrain personality development, especially as it relates to self-concept (e.g., collectivistic versus individualistic cultures).

 Identify key contributors to personality theory (e.g., Alfred Adler, Albert Bandura, Paul Costa and Robert McCrae, Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, Abraham Maslow, Carl Rogers).

Unit XI: Testing and Individual Differences (2 weeks)

Videos: Discovering Psychology (#16) Testing & Intelligence; The Brain: Teaching Modules (#4) Intelligence & Culture

PsychSim Tutorials: PsychSim5 Get Smart

A. Standardization and Norms

B. Reliability and Validity

C. Types of Tests

D. Ethics and Standards in Testing

E. Intelligence

F. Heredity/Environment and Intelligence

G. Human Diversity

Objectives

 Define intelligence and list characteristics of how psychologists measure intelligence:

— abstract versus verbal measures;

— speed of processing.

 Discuss how culture influences the definition of intelligence.

 Compare and contrast historic and contemporary theories of intelligence (e.g., Charles Spearman, Howard Gardner, Robert Sternberg).

 Explain how psychologists design tests, including standardization strategies and other techniques to establish reliability and validity.

Carlton J. Kell High School AP Psychology Syllabus Page 13 of 20  Interpret the meaning of scores in terms of the normal curve.

 Describe relevant labels related to intelligence testing (e.g., gifted, cognitively disabled).

 Debate the appropriate testing practices, particularly in relation to culture-fair test uses.

 Identify key contributors in intelligence research and testing (e.g., Alfred Binet, Francis Galton, Howard Gardner, Charles Spearman, Robert Sternberg, Louis Terman, David Wechsler).

Unit XII: Abnormal Behavior (3 weeks)

Videos: Discovering Psychology (#21) Psychopathology; The Brain: Teaching Modules (#23) Multiple Personality, (#26, 27, 28) Schizophrenia, (#29) Autism; The Mind: Teaching Modules (#31) Mood Disorders: Mania & Depression, (#32) Hereditary Factors

PsychSim Tutorials: PsychSim5 Mystery Client

A. Definitions of Abnormality

B. Theories of Psychopathology

C. Diagnosis of Psychopathology

D. Anxiety Disorders

E. Somatoform Disorders

F. Mood Disorders

G. Schizophrenic Disorders

H. Organic Disorders

I. Personality Disorders

J. Dissociative Disorders

Carlton J. Kell High School AP Psychology Syllabus Page 14 of 20 Objectives

 Describe contemporary and historical conceptions of what constitutes psychological disorders.

 Recognize the use of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) published by the American Psychiatric Association as the primary reference for making diagnostic judgments.

 Discuss the major diagnostic categories, including anxiety and somatoform disorders, mood disorders, schizophrenia, organic disturbance, personality disorders, and dissociative disorders, and their corresponding symptoms.

 Evaluate the strengths and limitations of various approaches to explaining psychological disorders: medical model, psychoanalytic, humanistic, cognitive, biological, and sociocultural.

 Identify the positive and negative consequences of diagnostic labels (e.g., the Rosenhan study).

 Discuss the intersection between psychology and the legal system (e.g., confidentiality, insanity defense).

Unit XIII: Treatment of Abnormal Behavior (2 weeks)

Videos: Discovering Psychology (#22) Psychotherapy; The Mind: Teaching Modules (#30) Treating Drug Addiction, (#33) Medication & Talk Therapy, (#34) ECT, (#35) Psychopaths

PsychSim Tutorials: PsychSim5 Computer Therapist

A. Treatment Approaches

B. Modes of Therapy (e.g., individual, group)

C. Community and Preventative Approaches

Objectives

 Describe the central characteristics of psychotherapeutic intervention.

 Describe major treatment orientations used in therapy (e.g., behavioral, cognitive, humanistic) and how those orientations influence therapeutic planning.

 Compare and contrast different treatment formats (e.g., individual, group).

 Summarize effectiveness of specific treatments used to address specific problems.

 Discuss how cultural and ethnic context influence choice and success of treatment (e.g., factors that lead to premature termination of treatment). Carlton J. Kell High School AP Psychology Syllabus Page 15 of 20  Describe prevention strategies that build resilience and promote competence.

 Identify major figures in psychological treatment (e.g., Aaron Beck, Albert Ellis, Sigmund Freud, Mary Cover Jones, Carl Rogers, B. F. Skinner, Joseph Wolpe).

Carlton J. Kell High School AP Psychology Syllabus Page 16 of 20 Unit XIV: Social Psychology (3 weeks)

Videos: Discovering Psychology (#19) The Power of the Situation, (#20) Constructing Social Reality

PsychSim Tutorials: PsychSim5 Social Decision Making

A. Group Dynamics

B. Attribution Process

C. Interpersonal Perception

D. Conformity, Compliance, Obedience

E. Attitudes and Attitude Change

F. Organizational Behavior

G. Aggression/Antisocial Behavior

Objectives

 Apply attribution theory to explain motives (e.g., fundamental attribution error, self-serving bias).

 Describe the structure and function of different kinds of group behavior (e.g., deindividuation, group polarization).

 Explain how individuals respond to expectations of others, including groupthink, conformity, and obedience to authority.

 Discuss attitudes and how they change (e.g., central route to persuasion).

 Predict the impact of the presence of others on individual behavior (e.g., bystander effect, social facilitation).

 Describe processes that contribute to differential treatment of group members (e.g., in- group/out-group dynamics, ethnocentrism, prejudice).

 Articulate the impact of social and cultural categories (e.g., gender, race, ethnicity) on self- concept and relations with others.

 Anticipate the impact of behavior on a self-fulfilling prophecy.

 Describe the variables that contribute to altruism, aggression, and attraction.

Carlton J. Kell High School AP Psychology Syllabus Page 17 of 20  Discuss attitude formation and change, including persuasion strategies and cognitive dissonance.

 Identify important figures in social psychology (e.g., Solomon Asch, Leon Festinger, Stanley Milgram, Philip Zimbardo).

PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS SYLLABUS IS SUBJECT TO REVISION.

TIME GUIDELINES GIVEN ON THE COURSE OUTLINE ARE TENTATIVE.

Carlton J. Kell High School AP Psychology Syllabus Page 18 of 20 PRINT STUDENT’S FULL NAME______

AP Psychology Ms. Leah Kurtz Room 2310 Voice mail: (678) 494-7844, extension 441 E-mail: [email protected] Fall and Spring 2014 – 2015

Dear Parents,

I want to welcome you back to Kell High School! I am looking forward to working with your child to insure that his/her academic growth reaches its full potential. I consider my classroom a team effort incorporating teacher, student and parent. Communication is the key to success. This is a college level course. The curriculum is very rigorous and based on the standards set by the College Board.

If you are new to the area, you will find that an online program called Synergy allows you to monitor your child’s progress in all of his/her classes. Please make use of this program to keep track of your child’s progress in AP Psychology.

My e-mail address is [email protected]. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns. This is the fastest way to reach me, and I can usually reply within three to four hours. We have a limited number of phone lines at Kell, which makes phone contact difficult, but if you do not have e-mail, you may call me at the school number 678-494-7844, extension 441.

You may enroll in Remind101 for class updates. These updates will be sent out approximately once a week. This is NOT mandatory, and there is NO cost to you other than normal text message charges. If you and your student wish to enroll, simply text @2ff07 to (678) 270-2076. Remind101 will send you back a message asking for your full name – please provide first and last name – and will set you up to receive future text messages from me. My cell phone number will never be available to you, and yours will never be available to me through Remind101. If you have any questions or concerns about this system, please e-mail me at [email protected].

Thank you for your support as we look forward to this semester.

Sincerely,

Leah Kurtz

As a way of supplementing material in the classroom, there may be some documentaries, political commentaries, or historical movies that are shown in class. It is possible that this material may have a PG- 13 rating. These movies or clips may contain some violence and adult language. The audio visual supplementary material will be accompanied by a writing assignment for the students to complete. Should you wish for your student NOT to watch this material, an alternative assignment will be provided for Carlton J. Kell High School AP Psychology Syllabus Page 19 of 20 him/her in the media center. By signing below, you are granting permission for your student to view a supplemental movie, documentary, or political commentary for this course of study that may be rated PG- 13.

I have read the course syllabus and classroom procedures. I understand that a copy of the course syllabus is available online on the class blog (http://cobblearning.net/kurtzappsychology/). All of the material was fully explained and I understand what is expected in this class.

PLEASE PRINT:

Student’s Name______Parent/Guardian Names______

Home Phone Number______Work Number(s) ______

Parent email address(es)______

STUDENT’S SIGNATURE______Date______

PARENT/GUARDIAN SIGNATURE______Date______

Carlton J. Kell High School AP Psychology Syllabus Page 20 of 20