Course Description:
During this class you will learn about Human Behavior. You will examine issues using your critical thinking skills in order to gain a better understanding of the world around you. By learning to think critically you will be better prepared to enter college or the work force. Some of the topics we will cover include: Psychological Methods, Biology and Behavior, Sensory and Perception, Consciousness, Learning, Memory, Thinking and Language, Intelligence, Human Development, Motivation and Emotion, Psychological Tests, Gender Roles, Psychological Disorders, and Methods of Therapy. This class will teach you time management, communication, and collaboration skills that are necessary for lifelong success. By completing the readings and writing assignments you will also increase your knowledge base allowing you to hold conversations with people of all backgrounds and helping you to understand allusions in popular culture of which other people are aware.
Standards Covered in this Course:
- Define psychology as a discipline and identify its goals as a science.4
- Explain how psychology evolved as a scientific discipline.
- Discuss the value of both basic and applied psychological research with human and non-human animals..3
- Identify the important role psychology plays in benefiting society and improving people's lives..1
- Describe the scientific method and its role in psychology..1.1
- Identify the major divisions and subdivisions of the human nervous system.23.2
- Describe the interactive effects of heredity and environment.
- Explain Gestalt principles of perception.5
- Describe the nature of attention .1
- Identify states of consciousness..3.3
- Evaluate the biological and psychological effects of psychoactive drugs.
- Discuss theories of cognitive development.
- Discuss theories of moral development.
- Discuss theories of social development.
- Evaluate the theories of language acquisition.
- Discuss psychological research examining gender identity.
- Discuss the psychological research on gender and how the roles of women and men in societies are perceived.I.2.1
- Describe the differences between working memory and long-term memory.XI.1.3
- Discuss strategies for improving the encoding of memory.
- Discuss alternative conceptualizations of intelligence.2.1
- Discuss the history of intelligence testing, including historical use and misuse in the context of fairness.
- Explain biologically based theories of motivation.
- Explain humanistic theories of motivation.
- Evaluate psychodynamic theories.
Instructors Expectations:
This is a high school course. As such I expect that you will take the course seriously and behave in a mature manner. This means you are expected to:
- Be prepared. You must complete the readings and assignments. If you are unprepared to participate your grade will be negatively impacted.
- Participate. You must ask questions, participate in activities, and practice in order to be successful.
- Be respectful. At times our discussions may find people disagreeing over views. This is a healthy part of discourse. Please make sure to maintain a respectful tone. I do not allow students to use any “trigger” words in my classroom. It is disrespectful and rude. This includes words like “retard,” “gay,” and the “n-word.” Also, refrain from swearing.
- Use proper English. Different environments call for different forms of language. The way you speak in class should be more formal than the way you speak when hanging out with your friends. This is good practice for when you are in the workforce.
Contacting the Instructor
E-mail is the best way for you to contact me outside of school. Please make sure to include in the email’s subject line your full name, first and last, as well as the class name and time. For example, John Smith ENG 10 2nd period. You should maintain a mature tone. Please include a salutation, for example, Dear Ms. Fuller. Use complete sentences and refrain from text speak. Make sure to end your email with a closing and your full name. If we engage in an email conversation following the first email you may omit the salutation and closing but should continue to maintain an academic tone.