PSYCHOLOGY

You can email Ms. Weid by clicking on her name above.

Teaching Methods:Methods may include lecture, class discussions, oral presentations, guest speakers, supplementary reading articles and handouts, research projects, audio-visual presentations, and possible field trips.There is also a teacher-created web page covering all topics included in this class, chapter vocabulary, study guides, and lecture notes.The Psychlinks website can be found on my home page – http://www.fidnet.com/~weid

Text:Kasschau, Richard A. (PhD) Understanding Psychology.Westerville, Ohio: Glencoe McGraw-Hill School Publishing Company, 2003.

To access an online version of the book please go to http://www.glencoe.com/sec/socialstudies/ose/national.html.Once on the site you will need to use the user name and pass word below:

USERNAME: psych03

PASSWORD: wr9drecrec

Course Description: Psychology is the study of the mental growth and development of the human being, considering factors involved in the development of mental powers and the power that the mind has to influence the physical and emotional state of the person.This course focuses on the complexity of everyday behavior, and is geared toward the practical applications of psychological theories.Topics of study include; learning, memory, the human brain, traumatic brain injury, sensation, perception, intelligence, motivation, emotions, altered states of consciousness, stress, psychological disorders, and therapy.

Course Outlne:

First Semester Chapters

1.) Introducing Psychology

9.) Learning: Principles and Applications

10.) Memory and Thought

11.) Thinking and Language

6.) Body and Behavior

8.) Sensation and Perception

Second Semester Chapters

12.) Motivation and Emotion

7.) Altered States of Consciousness

15.) Stress and Conflict

16.) Psychological Disorders

17.) Therapy and Change

There will be a comprehensive examination each semester that is worth 20% of the semester grade.

Course Objectives:The student will

1.) Investigate psychology as a discipline and a career.

2.) Explain the perspective of the major schools of thought in psychology.

3.) Assess the relationship between human biology and behavior.

4.) Identify the structure and functions of the human brain.

5.) Describe how to recognize, prevent, and treat the various types of traumatic brain injuries, and how

this can change the ways in which the brain functions.

6.) Demonstrate an understanding of how spinal cord injuries happen, their treatment, and how life is

altered learning to live with one.

7.) Define and apply cognitive processes.

8.) Describe the principles involved in motivation.

9.) Evaluate the factors involved in mental health and maladaptive behavior.

10.) Recognize the psychological, physical, and behavioral reactions to stress.

11.) Develop a healthy attitude toward death and dying by developing positive attitudes toward life

and death, analyzing social issues associated with death and dying, and gaining a deeper appreciation

of life.

12.) Develop a research plan and identify appropriate resources for investigating social studies topics,

by compiling and analyzing information as it relates to human behavior.

13.) Select, investigate, and represent a topic using primary and secondary resources.

14.) Distinguish between fact and opinion and analyze sources to recognize bias and points of view.

15.) Research, compile and analyze information and relate it to human behavior.

16.) Recognize faulty arguments or claims in advertising.

17.) Demonstrate effective use of computer technology in gathering, sorting and evaluating data.

18.) Implement research skills to find information on a psychological/mental health topic.

Text Objectives by Chapter:

CHAPTER 1 - Introducing Psychology

1-1:Why Study Psychology? (pp. 7–13)

1. Describe the range of topics that are covered in an introductory psychology course.

2. Cite the goals and scientific basis of psychology.

1-2:A Brief History of Psychology (pp. 14–22)

1. Explain important trends in the history of psychology.

2. Identify various approaches to the study of psychology.

1-3:Psychology as a Profession (pp. 24–28)

1. Explain the work of a psychologist.

2. Summarize the careers and specialized fields in psychology.

CHAPTER 9 – Learning: Principles and Applications

9-1:Classical Conditioning (pp. 241–248)

1. Describe the principles of classical conditioning.

2. Outline the techniques of classical conditioning.

9-2:Operant Conditioning (pp. 250–258)

1. Outline the principles of operant conditioning.

2. Describe applications of operant conditioning.

9-3:Social Learning (pp. 259–266)

1. Cite the principles involved in cognitive learning and modeling.

2. Identify the principles of learning used in behavior modification.

CHAPTER 10 – Memory and Thought

10-1:Taking in and Storing Information (pp. 273–280)

1. Explain the three processes of memory.

2. Describe the information-processing model of memory.

10-2:Retrieving Information (pp. 282–288)

1. Identify several memory retrieval processes.

2. Explain the processes involved in forgetting.

CHAPTER 11 – Thinking and Language

11-1:Thinking and Problem Solving (pp. 295–302)

1. Identify the units of thought and the kinds of thinking.

2. Explain strategies for and obstacles to problem solving.

11-2:Language (pp. 304–308)

1. Explain the structure of language.

2. Describe how children develop language.

CHAPTER 6 – Body and Behavior

6-1:The Nervous System: The Basic Structure(pp.155–159)

1. Identify the parts of the nervous system.

2. Describe the functions of the nervous system.

6-2:Studying the Brain (pp. 160–168)

1. Identify the structure and functions of the human brain.

2. Discuss the different ways psychologists study the brain.

6-3:The Endocrine System (pp. 170–173)

1. Describe the endocrine system.

2. Identify hormones and their function in the endocrine system.

6-4:Heredity and Environment (pp. 174–176)

1. Give examples of the effects of heredity and environment on behavior.

2. Summarize research on the effects of heredity and environment on behavior.

CHAPTER 8 – Sensation and Perception

8-1:Sensation (pp. 207–213)

1. Describe the field of study known as psychophysics.

2. Define and discuss threshold, Weber’s law, and signal detection.

8-2: The Senses (pp. 214–222)

1. Describe the nature and functioning of the sense organs.

2. Identify the skin and body senses and explain how they work.

8-3:Perception(pp. 223–231)

1. Outline the principles involved in perception.

2. Describe how we learn to perceive and what illusions are.

CHAPTER 12 – Motivation and Emotion

12-1:Theories of Motivation (pp. 313–317)

1. Describe four theories of motivation.

2. Discuss the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.

12-2:Biological and Social Motives (pp. 319–327)

1. Describe the biological and social needs of humans.

2. Explain Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.

12-3:Emotions(pp. 328–336)

1. Give examples of physiological theories of emotion.

2. Explain the cognitive theorists’ approach to the study of emotion.

CHAPTER 7 – Altered States of Consciousness

7-1:Sleep and Dreams (pp. 183–190)

1. Describe the research related to sleep and dreams.

2. List and discuss sleep disorders.

7-2:Hypnosis, Biofeedback, and Meditation (pp. 191–195)

1. Determine how hypnosis relates to consciousness.

2. Describe research into such techniques as biofeedback and meditation.

7-3:Drugs and Consciousness (pp. 197–202)

1. Describe the effect drugs have on consciousness.

2. Define drug abuse.

CHAPTER 15 - Stress and Health

15-1:Sources of Stress (pp. 413–419)

1. Define stress.

2. Identify various sources of stress.

15-2:Reactions to Stress (pp. 420–429)

1. Give examples of the psychological, physical, and behavioral reactions to stress.

2. Identify stages of the stress reaction.

15-3:Coping With Stress (pp. 430–435)

1. Explain defensive strategies of coping with stress.

2. Describe active strategies of coping with stress.

15-4:Stress in Your Life (pp. 437–442)

1. Identify some of the issues related to adjustment to college life.

2. Describe issues related to starting a first job.

CHAPTER 16 – Psychological Disorders

16-1:What Are Psychological Disorders? (pp. 447–454)

1. Define psychological disorder.

2. Distinguish between the concepts of normality and abnormality.

16-2:Anxiety Disorders (pp. 455–459)

1. Identify the behavioral patterns that psychologists label as anxiety disorders.

2. Explain what causes anxiety disorders.

16-3:Somatoform and Dissociative Disorders (pp. 460–463)

1. Identify the behavioral patterns that psychologists label as somatoform disorders.

2. Describe the symptoms of dissociative disorders.

16-4:Schizophrenia and Mood Disorders (pp. 465–473)

1. Describe the disorder of schizophrenia.

2. Describe several theories that try to explain mood disorders.

16-5:Personality Disorders and Drug Addiction (pp. 474–478)

1. Describe how personality disorders differ from other psychological disorders.

2. Explain how drug abuse is a psychological problem.

CHAPTER 17 – Therapy and Change

17-1:What Is Psychotherapy? (pp. 485–492)

1. Explain the nature of psychotherapy.

2. Describe the role of a therapist.

17-2:Psychoanalysis and Humanistic Therapy (pp. 493–497)

1. Describe psychoanalysis and its aim.

2. Explain humanistic therapy and its goals.

17-3:Cognitive and Behavior Therapies (pp. 499–505)

1. Describe cognitive therapies and their aims.

2. Explain the processes and goals of behavior therapy.

17-4:Biological Approaches to Treatment (pp. 506–510)

1. Explain biological approaches to treatment.

2. Give examples of treatment medicines and their effects on patients.