OCG - Psychology - Year

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School District of Oconee County

Psychology

Course Number: 334001CW

Psychology is an introductory study of human behavior that explores the history of the discipline, theroies of behavior and topics such as the brain and nervous system, sensation and perception, emotions and motivations, and  psychological disorders and their treatment.

 

There are no prerequisites required for this course.
There are no fees associated with this course.

National Psychology Standards

1A: INTRODUCTION AND RESEARCH METHODS

  • 1A-1. Contemporary perspectives used by psychologists to understand behavior and mental processes in context
  • 1A-2. Major subfields and career opportunities that comprise psychology
  • 1A-3. Research strategies used by psychologists to explore behavior and mental processes
  • 1A-4. Purpose and basic concepts of statistics
  • 1A-5. Ethical issues in research with human and other animals that are important to psychologists
  • 1A-6. Development of psychology as an empirical science

 

2A: BIOLOGICAL BASES OF BEHAVIOR

  • 2A-1. Structure and function of the neuron
  • 2A-2. Organization of the nervous system
  • 2A-3. Hierarchical organization of the structure and function of the brain
  • 2A-4. Technologies and clinical methods for studying the brain
  • 2A-5. Structure and function of the endocrine system
  • 2A-6. How heredity interacts with the environment to influence behavior
  • 2A-7. How psychological mechanisms are influenced by evolution

 

2B: SENSATION AND PERCEPTION

  • 2B-1. Basic concepts explaining the capabilities and limitations of sensory processes
  • 2B-2. Interaction of the person and the environment in determining perception
  • 2B-3. Nature of attention

 

2C: MOTIVATION AND EMOTION

  • 2C-1. Motivational concepts
  • 2C-2. The role of biology and learning in motivation and emotion
  • 2C-3. Major theories of motivation
  • 2C-4. Interaction of biological and cultural factors in emotions and motivations
  • 2C-5. Role of values and expectancies in determining choice and strength of motivation
  • 2C-6. Physiological, affective, cognitive, and behavioral aspects of emotions and the interactions among these aspects
  • 2C-7. Effects of motivation and emotion on perception, cognition, and behavior

 

2D: STRESS, COPING, AND HEALTH

  • 2D-1. Sources of stress
  • 2D-2. Physiological reactions to stress
  • 2D-3. Psychological reactions to stress
  • 2D-4. Cognitive and behavioral strategies for dealing with stress and promoting health

 

 

3A: LIFE SPAN DEVELOPMENT

  • 3A-1. Development as a lifelong process
  • 3A-2. Research techniques used to gather data on the developmental process
  • 3A-3. Theories of development
  • 3A-4. Issues surrounding the developmental process (nature/nurture, continuity/discontinuity, stability/instability, critical periods)

 

3B: PERSONALITY AND ASSESSMENT

  • 3B-1. How to distinguish between personality and personality constructs
  • 3B-2. Personality approaches and theories
  • 3B-3. Assessment tools used in personality

 

4A: LEARNING

  • 4A-1. Characteristics of learning
  • 4A-2. Principles of classical conditioning
  • 4A-3. Principles of operant conditioning
  • 4A-4. Components of cognitive learning
  • 4A-5. Roles of biology and culture in determining learning

 

4B: MEMORY

  • 4B-1. Encoding, or getting information into memory
  • 4B-2. Sensory, working or short-term, and long-term memory systems
  • 4B-3. Retrieval, or getting information out of memory
  • 4B-4. Biological bases of memory
  • 4B-5. Methods for improving memory
  • 4B-6. Memory constructions

 

4C: THINKING AND LANGUAGE

  • 4C-1. Basic elements comprising thought
  • 4C-2. Strategies and obstacles involved in problem solving and decision-making
  • 4C-3. Structural features of language
  • 4C-4. Theories and developmental stages of language acquisition
  • 4C-5. Links between thinking and language

 

4D: STATES OF CONSCIOUSNESS

  • 4D-1. Nature of consciousness
  • 4D-2. Characteristics of sleep and theories that explain why we sleep
  • 4D-3. Theories used to explain and interpret dreams
  • 4D-4. Basic phenomena and uses of hypnosis
  • 4D-5. Categories of psychoactive drugs and their effects

 

4E: INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES

  • 4E-1. Concepts related to measurement of individual differences
  • 4E-2. Influence and interaction of heredity and environment on individual differences
  • 4E-3. Nature of intelligence
  • 4E-4. Nature of intelligence testing

 

National Standards for High School Psychology Curricula 51

5A: PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS

  • 5A-1. Characteristics and origins of abnormal behavior
  • 5A-2. Methods used in exploring abnormal behavior
  • 5A-3. Major categories of abnormal behavior
  • 5A-4. Impact of mental disorders

 

54      National Standards for High School Psychology Curricula

5B: TREATMENT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS

  • 5B-1. Prominent methods used to treat individuals with disorders
  • 5B-2.Types of practitioners who implement treatment
  • 5B-3. Legal and ethical challenges involved in delivery of treatment

 

56      National Standards for High School Psychology Curricula

5C: SOCIAL AND CULTURAL DIMENSIONS OF BEHAVIOR

  • 5C-1. Social judgment and attitudes
  • 5C-2. Social and cultural categories
  • 5C-3. Social influence and relationships
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Required Instructional Materials and Resources: (List required materials including SDOC provided textbooks, including any fees that apply, etc.)

Kasschau, Richard A. (2003).Understanding psychology. New York;Glencoe.

Course Summary:

Date Details Due