Advanced Placement Psychology 2020-2021 Course Syllabus

Eagleville School

Mr. Alan Pepper (Eds.)

Email: [email protected]

COURSE DESCRIPTION
The purpose of AP Psychology is to introduce students to the studies of behavior and mental processes
of humans and animals. Students will be provided with a critical overview of the study of psychology,
focusing on the theories and research methods used in psychological science and practice. Because
psychology is a fascinating course, it is possible to explore the field using a variety of methods. The
course information will be presented through lectures, class participation activities, demonstrations, and
audio-visual aids. Students will use the textbooks and other resources such as the internet, popular
media, newspapers, and professional Psychological publications in order to conduct research
throughout the year. Students will learn about the methods and ethical approaches of professional
psychology. You are to be commended for taking on the challenge of a college-level course during this
year. If the effort is put in, the rewards can be significant. It is our goal to create a level of understanding
and interest in psychology that will benefit you in this class and the rest of your college-level classes.

COURSE TEXTBOOK

Psychology AP Edition: 3rd edition by David Myers and C. Nathan Dewall

REQUIRED MATERIALS

 3-ring binder
 College ruled notebook paper
 Index cards (you need LOTS of these)
 1 pack of dividers (for binder)
 blue or black ink pens
 Reading Material: How Psychology Works: The Facts Visually Explained (How Things
Work) Hardcover – June 5, 2018 by DK
 Elevated by Virgil Herring & Drew Maddux

CLASS POLICIES

General Expectations

 Be prompt. Attendance is paramount to success in this class.

 Be prepared. 
 Be positive. 
 Be productive. 
 Be polite. Respect other’s opinions and beliefs.
 Be your best. 
 Follow all school rules. 
Consequences: 

1.  A warning may be given, depending on the circumstances.

2.  Demerits will be given. 

3.  Discipline slips are given when inappropriate behavior is continuous. 

4.  Before the class starts each day, you will be required to put their cell phone in the lettered wall
pocket in the back of the room. You will be given a letter. After the class starts any cell phone seen by
the teacher will be taken to the office. Students may retrieve the phone at the end of the da

5.  Please see student handbook.

Cheating/Plagiarism:

 NO CHEATING or PLAGIARISM! There are NO EXCUSES and I have a ZERO TOLERANCE policy for
these offenses.
 Students will be doing a substantial amount of writing both in class and at home. Work is
expected to be original, which means students are not to copy answers directly from a book, the
internet, or another student.
 Plagiarized papers will result in a zero for the assignment.
 Note that plagiarism may result in the removal of a student from the AP class and/or a failing
grade for the assignment, marking period, or course.

Grading:

 Since our objective will be to prepare you for the national AP exam that is administered in May,
your grade for each grading period will consist of college-level multiple-choice exams,
vocabulary quizzes, essays and daily activities.
 Grades will be determined by your performance on the quizzes (pop or announced), exams,
essays, projects and other classroom activities. Very little extra credit is offered; do not count on
using it to save your grade. Whatever grade you earn at the end of the term is the grade you
earn in the class. There is no negotiating.
 No late work will be accepted in the class.

Grading Criteria:

 Tests: Count 200 points

 Notebook Check: Count 100 points
 Essays: 100 points
 Quizzes: 100 points
 Projects: 100 points

Grading Scale: A (93- 100) =Excellent, B (92- 85) =Above Average, C (75- 84) =Average,

D (74- 70) =Below Average, F (Below 70) = Failure

5 points will be added to each 9 weeks’ final grade and the midterm exam.
  Students are responsible for reading and studying the text. While much of the text will be
discussed in class, some of it will be covered through independent learning. Everything in the
book has the possibility to be on the AP exam, so you are expected study all of it. Failure to read
the entire text, and supplemental reading, will likely have a negative impact on your grade.

 Therefore, KEEPING UP WITH THE DAILY READING IS CRUCIAL FOR SUCCESS IN THIS COURSE!

 The course textbook will be extremely valuable in preparing for tests and quizzes, but students
should not limit themselves to these resources only. In addition to the reading required from the
textbook, additional reading will be assigned during the academic year.
 Note Taking: Keep a notebook or binder with all class notes. You are responsible to bring your
notebook or binder to every class. If I check for notebooks/binders and you do not have it, you
will receive a failing grade for that day.

Videos:

 Some documentary videos, movies or video clips from TV shows or movies may be used during
the school year to encourage critical thinking and allow students to analyze and apply concepts
learned in the classroom to situations that may occur during our lifespan.

Make Up Policy:

 If a student misses an assignment due to an illness or other excused absence, it is up to the

student to make up the work within 5 days.

AP COURSE DEMANDS

It should be understood from the beginning of this course that the expectations of this class are
consistent with those of any Advanced Placement course. Students should expect a workload similar to
that of a college level course.

This will involve extensive reading every night, active participation in class discussions and activities,
taking notes, completing projects, and doing research.

ADVANCED PLACEMENT FOR COLLEGE CREDIT

One of the goals of this course is to prepare you for the AP examination. The AP grade for college credit
will be determined by taking the College Board Exam on Tuesday, May 11, 2021. The test is two hours
long and consists of 100 multiple choice questions and free response questions. A passing score will earn
you college credit for the class at most colleges and universities.

COURSE PLAN

This class conforms to the College Board topics for the Advanced Placement Introductory Psychology

Examination. It covers the following topics:

FIRST SEMESTER: -

Unit 1: Psychology’s History and Approaches (2-4% of AP Exam)

 Logic, Philosophy, and History of Science

 Historical Schools: Functionalism vs. Structuralism
 Approaches: Biological, Behavioral, Cognitive, Humanistic, Psychodynamic, Sociocultural,
Evolutionary

Unit 2: Research Methods: Thinking Critically With Psychological Science (8-10% of AP Exam)

 Experimental, Correlational, and Clinical Research

 Nature of Science Inquiry: Sources of bias and error
 Statistics: Central tendency, variance, significance, correlation
 Ethics in Research: Human participants, animal subjects

Unit 3: Biological Bases of Behavior (8-10% of AP Exam)

 Neural Transmission
 Functional Organization of Nervous System
 Physiological Techniques
 Neuroanatomy
 Endocrine System
 Genetics and Heritability

Unit 4: Sensation and Perception (6-8% of AP Exam)

 Thresholds
 Sensory Mechanisms
 Sensory Adaptation
 Attention
 Perceptual Processes

Unit 5: States of Consciousness (2-4% of AP Exam)

 Sleep and Dreaming

 Hypnosis
 Psychoactive Drug Effects

Unit 6: Learning (7-9% of AP Exam)

 Classical Conditioning: Pavlov, Watson, applications

 Operant Conditioning: Thorndike, Skinner, Bandura, behavior modification
 Cognitive Processes in Learning
 Biological Factors
 Social Learning

Unit 7: Cognition (8-10% of AP Exam)

 Memory: Encoding, Storage, and Retrieval

  Language: Skinner and Chomsky
 Thought
 Problem Solving and Creativity, Decision Making

Unit 8: Motivation, Emotion, and Stress (6-8% of AP Exam)

 Biological Bases
 Theories of Motivation
 Hunger, Thirst, Sex, and Pain
 Social Motives
 Theories of Emotion
 Nature of Stress
 Major Types of Stress
 Responding to Stress
 Effects of Stress
 Health-Impairing Behaviors

Second Semester

Unit 9: Developmental Psychology (7-9% of AP Exam)

 Prenatal, Infancy, Childhood, Adolescence, and Adulthood

 Research Methods: Longitudinal and cross-sectional studies
 Heredity–Environment Issues
 Nature vs. Nurture (maturation versus learning)
 Sex Roles, Sex Differences
 Influential Theories: Piaget and cognitive development, Freud and psychosocial development
Kohlberg and moral development, Gilligan and gender differentiation.

Unit 10: Personality (5-7% of AP Exam)

 Personality Theories and Approaches

 Assessment Techniques
Growth and Adjustment

Unit 11 Testing and Individual Differences (5-7% of AP Exam)

 Heredity/Environment and Intelligence

 Human Diversity
 Extremes of Intelligence: Mental Retardation, Giftedness
 Standardization and Norms
 Reliability and Validity
 Types of Tests
 Ethics and Standards in Testing

Unit 12: Abnormal behavior (7-9% of AP Exam)

 Definitions of Abnormality
  Theories of Psychopathology
 Diagnosis of Psychopathology
 Types of Disorders: Anxiety, Somatoform, Mood, Schizophrenic, Organic, Personality,
Dissociative

Unit 13: Treatment of Abnormal Behavior (5-7% of AP Exam)

 Treatment Approaches
 Modes of Therapy
 Community and Preventive Approaches

Unit 14: Social Psychology (8-10% of AP Exam)

 Person Perception, Forming Impressions of others

 Attribution Process: Explaining Behavior
 Interpersonal Attraction: Liking and Loving
 Attitudes: Making Social judgments
 Conformity, Compliance, Obedience
 Group Behavior
 Prejudice

FINAL EXAM

**3 Hours of college credit available upon successful passing of national exam in May 2021.

Every student is required to take the national exam. The cost of the test last year was $94. If money is
a problem, the administration at the school will provide a solution.

REVIEW & PRACTICE

The remaining class time will be spent reviewing and practicing for the AP Psychology Exam.

The AP Exam

Exam Format

Section I- Multiple Choice — 100 Questions | 1 Hour, 10 Minutes | 66.6% of Exam Score

Section II- Free Response — 2 Questions | 50 Minutes | 33.3% of Exam Score

Exam Grades: 5 = Extremely well qualified

4 = Well qualified

3 = Qualified

2 = Possibly qualified

1= No recommendation
I have read and understand the requirements and expectations stated in the syllabus and promise to
follow the rules of the class to the best of my ability. Return this page to Mr. Pepper.

Student Name (print): _______________________________

Student Signature: ____________________________ Date: _____________________

Parent Signature: _____________________________ Date: _____________________

When completed, this page will be kept in the student’s folder.