Neuron: Neuronal and synaptic transmission, Intelligence: Defining intelligence, history of • • psychopharmacology, drug abuse intelligence and aptitude testing, nature/nurture issues Nervous System: Structural and functional Giftedness & Mental Retardation • • organization UNIT VII: CONSCIOUSNESS, MEMORY AND Brain: Research methodology, neuroanatomy, brain LANGUAGE • development and aging, hemispheric Topics: specialization States of Consciousness: Waking, sleep and Endocrine System: Anatomy, HPA-axis, and dreaming, hypnosis, altered states • immune system Consciousness and Information Processing Genetics and Heritability • and Dreams UNIT IV: SENSATION AND PERCEPTION Hypnosis Topics: Drugs and Consciousness Psychophysics: Thresholds (absolute,Weber’s law), • Near-Death Experiences signal detection Memory theory Phenomenon of Memory Sensory Organs and Transduction: Visual • (including vision and feature detection), Encoding auditory, olfactory, gustatory, proprioceptive Storage (including kinesthetic and vestibular) Forgetting Perception: Attention, processing, illusions • Memory Construction (including Gestalt psychology), and Improving Memory camouflage Language UNIT V: DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY Thinking Topics: Language Methodology: Longitudinal and cross-sectional • studies Thinking and Language Nature vs. Nurture (maturation versus learning) • Animal Thinking and Language Influential Theories: Piaget and cognitive • UNIT VIII: MOTIVATION & EMOTIONS development, Freud and psychosocial Topics: development, Kohlberg and moral development, Gilligan and gender differentiation Motivational Concepts: Instincts, drives, optimal • arousal, Maslow’s hierarchy Infancy, Childhood, Adolescence, and Adulthood • Hunger and Eating Disorders • UNIT VI: INTELLIGENCE & PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING Sexuality and Sexual Orientation • Topics: Achievement Motivation: McClelland and the TAT, • intrinsic versus extrinsic motivators Psychological Testing: Methodology, norms, • reliability, validity Physiology of Emotion: Fear, anger, happiness •
• Neuron: Neuronal and synaptic transmission, psychopharmacology, drug abuse • Nervous System: Structural and functional organization • Brain: Research methodology, neuroanatomy, brain development and aging, hemispheric specialization • Endocrine System: Anatomy, HPA-axis, and immune system • Genetics and Heritability UNIT IV: SENSATION AND PERCEPTION Topics: • Psychophysics: Thresholds (absolute,Weber’s law), signal detection theory • Sensory Organs and Transduction: Visual (including vision and feature detection), auditory, olfactory, gustatory, proprioceptive (including kinesthetic and vestibular) • Perception: Attention, processing, illusions (including Gestalt psychology), and camouflage UNIT V: DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY Topics: • Methodology: Longitudinal and cross-sectional studies • Nature vs. Nurture (maturation versus learning) • Influential Theories: Piaget and cognitive development, Freud and psychosocial development, Kohlberg and moral development, Gilligan and gender differentiation • Infancy, Childhood, Adolescence, and Adulthood UNIT VI: INTELLIGENCE & PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING Topics: • Psychological Testing: Methodology, norms, reliability, validity • Intelligence: Defining intelligence, history of intelligence and aptitude testing, nature/nurture issues • Giftedness & Mental Retardation UNIT VII: CONSCIOUSNESS, MEMORY AND LANGUAGE Topics: States of Consciousness: Waking, sleep and dreaming, hypnosis, altered states Consciousness and Information Processing and Dreams Hypnosis Drugs and Consciousness Near-Death Experiences Memory Phenomenon of Memory Encoding Storage Forgetting Memory Construction Improving Memory Language Thinking Language Thinking and Language Animal Thinking and Language UNIT VIII: MOTIVATION & EMOTIONS Topics: • Motivational Concepts: Instincts, drives, optimal arousal, Maslow’s hierarchy • Hunger and Eating Disorders • Sexuality and Sexual Orientation • Achievement Motivation: McClelland and the TAT, intrinsic versus extrinsic motivators • Physiology of Emotion: Fear, anger, happiness
ap_psychology_2015_syllabus.docx