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​Kwä̀nä̀schis

Course Outline Psych 12

Intended units of study include but are not limited to: 
  1. Introduction to Psych / Why Study Psychology? 
  2. Research and Methodology
  3. The Biology of Behavioiur - Meet the Brain!
  4. Sensation and Perception
  5. Motivation and Emotion
  6. Stress and Coping
  7. Learning
  8. Memory
  9. Thinking and Language
  10. Consciousness
  11. Human Development
  12. Individuality
  13. Personality
  14. Psychiatric Disorders
  15. Psychiatric Treatments
  16. Social and Cultural Influences
  17. The Psychology of Advertising 
  18. Group behaviour
  19. Psychology and the Law

Week by Week

Week #7 - Memory Lane

Tuesday October 10th to Friday October 13th 

Now that we have some understanding of how our brain perceives and process the data (sensory information, experience etc.) of our lives, and how we begin to learn processes and information, let's take a look at how we encode that information for use later on in life. 

Key Terms & Folks

Key Concepts

What if the fault is not in our stars, but rather in our memories? 

Key Terms & Folks

Key Concepts

Week #6 - Learning About Learning

Monday October 2nd to Thursday October 5th 

How do humans, and in fact many other mammals and living organisms learn?  This first video discusses the behavioural approach taken by Pavlov, Skinner and Watson. 

Key Terms & Folks

People: Terms Learning

Key Concepts

  • Specific behaviours can be linked, through the process of conditioning, to specific stimuli to prompt predictably behaviours.
  • Behaviourism helped psychology gain credibility as a science because it focused on observable actions and replicable results. 
  • Behaviourism can still be seen in many elements of basic training humans receive, in other animal training, and even in media and advertising.

Key Terms

Key Concepts

Key Terms

Key Concepts

Also! Motivation and Emotions - All the feels AND
Coping with Stress

Assignment #3 - Tell Us How We Feel

Communicating Your Understanding - Emotions and Stress 

Requirements: 
  • Demonstrate that you understand the interaction between the mental experience of emotions and the physical experience of emotions. 
  • Demonstrate that you know the 10 basic human emotions. 
  • Demonstrate that you understand the Big Three motivators. 
  • Demonstrate that you understand the basic functioning of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. 
  • Demonstrate that you understand the three main categories of stressors. 
  • Indicate that you understand that emotions happen on spectra of intensity (arousal) and pleasantness (enjoyability). 
  • Indicate that you understand the benefits of short term stress and the dangers of long term stress. 
  • Offer suggestions on dealing with stress from your experience and your learning. 

Student Choice: 
You get to choose how you demonstrate your knowledge. 
Ideas include but are not limited to: 
  • Essay or report
  • Slide Show
  • Script
  • Newscast / expert interview
  • Podcast / vodcast
  • Story 
  • Comic strip
Length is based on the format you choose and covering the required information. 

Timeline 

Due Date = Wednesday October 11
Deadline = Friday October 13

Week #5 - Motivation and Emotions - All the feels

Monday September 25th to Friday September 29th 

What are the "whys" behind the things you do, think and feel? 
Key Terms
Key Concepts
  • Not all needs / motivators are created equally. 
  • None of the four theories presented cover ALL possible manifestations of motivation.
  • Motivators are not only physiological but cultural and social. 
I get so emotional, baayyyyybeeee... 
Key Terms: 
  • Emotion
    • Physiological arousal vs. expressive behaviour vs. conscious experience
    • James-Lange Theory 
    • Cannon-Bard Theory
    • Cognition
    • Two Factor Theory
    • Arousal
    • Spill Over Effect
    • High Road vs. Low Road
    • Emotion, like function, is somewhat localized in the brain 
Key Concepts
  • Emotions have physiological components
  • Different emotions often involve similar physiological reactions​
The mind-body connection.

Key Terms 10 Basic Human Emotions (other emotions are combinations of these according to C. Izard)
  1. Joy
  2. Surprise
  3. Anger
  4. Sadness
  5. Disgust
  6. Contempt
  7. Shame 
  8. Fear
  9. Guilt
  10. Interest / excitement
Two Dimensional Model 
  • Emotions are experience and expressed on a spectrum
  • Emotions fall on two spectrums - between Positive/Pleasant vs. Negative/Unpleasant and on the other spectrum as being High     vs. Low arousal.  The crossover of the two spectrums create a quadrant map whereon you can place various emotions. 
  • The extremes on these spectra would be polarities of intensity in emotional reaction. 
Categories of Stressors
  1. Catastrophes
  2. Significant life events
  3. Everyday inconveniences
Cortisol 
Adrenaline  (from the adrenal glands) 
Enteric (brain in the gut) nervous system
Heart disease 
​Pessimism & depression
Key Concepts
  • ​Emotions impact our bodies and our health.  Emotions of one person can have an impact on the well-being and the emotional states of other people. 
  • Some emotions and their accompanying facial expressions may be universal. 
  • Humans often demonstrate a negativity bias, overestimating the duration of our bad moods, or how long it will take us to bounce back from unpleasant situations.
In case you are very interested in Paul Ekman's work on how emotions play out on the human face, below are some videos related to his work.  The video "Atlas of Emotions" is very academic and long but informative and pretty darn fascinating.   It's also an excellent example of where and how the science of social psychology in particular may find itself entering into the realm of speculation or further questions, because the Ekmans (Paul and his daughter and colleague, Eve) are very clear about the empirical limitations of their work. 
This husband and wife duo demonstrate some practical applications of the study of microexpressions. 
Below is a super-detailed breakdown of several peoples' faces during quick changing micro expressions. 
The pivotal TED talk from Susan Cain on The Power of Introverts.

The All About the Brain Test -
​Physical Structures of the Brain, Nervous System and Sensory Systems.

To take the test follow these instructions: 
  1. ​Click on the link above "The All About the Brain Test"  - it will take you to the Quizlet page for this test. 
  2. It should say "50 terms" in the top left corner and show my name, R_Carrey.    The title of the test is "What are we going to do tonight, Brain?" 
  3. There are a series of square boxes under the title of the test.  Select "Test". 
  4. The Quizlet site will auto create a test.  It will create a different version each time, but from the same set of 50 study cards. 
  5. At the bottom left of the test screen is a yellow button that says "Options"  Click that. 
    1. Make sure that Written is NOT selected, but that Matching, Multiple Choice and True/False are.   Actually, if you like, you can do just Matching and Multiple Choice if you like. 
    2. Change "20" to "50" out of 50 questions
    3. Under the pull down "Answer With" select "Both" 
    4. Make sure that "Show Images" IS selected. 
    5. Click "Create New Test" at bottom of that pop up screen. 
  6. Quizlet will generate a random test.  If you choose three types of questions (Matching, Multiple Choice and True/False) there will    be 16 or 17 of any given kind.  If you select two types of questions (Matching, Multiple Choice) there should be 25 of each, but it doesn't matter as long as there are 50 overall. 
  7. Answer the questions right on the computer.   
    1. As you do the matching questions, the choices you've already made will grey out on the right hand side so you know you've already used them. 
    2. For the multiple choice questions, select the BEST match for the definition / term. 
    3. For the True / False, think of the arrow as an "equals" sign.  If the statements on either side of the arrow do not mean the same thing, the answer is False. 
    4. If you want a close up look at the diagrams, right click the image, and choose "Open in new tab".   A new tab will open just for the image to the immediate right of the tab with the test.  This way you don't lose your test progress.  You can then use the   combination of the Command and + key to enlarge the image as needed. 
  8. When you get to the bottom, click "Check Answers". 
  9. You have two choices at this point - 
    1. Print out your completed test with your mark on the top (Quizlet calculates it for you) if you are satisfied with the result.   Put your name on the test and submit it to the teacher / sub. 
    2. If you are not satisfied with your result you may try the test again by repeating the steps above.  Please be sure to print off your final result.   When you hand in your final result, please note how many attempts you took.  
PLEASE NOTE:
  • You are free to study the test terms prior to taking the test (select the squares for Learn, Flashcards or Match prior to selecting       Test). 
  • You are also free to take the test as many times as you like to get your preferred result.  Just remember, unless you sign up for a      Quizlet account, it won't track your progress, so if you do the test say a second time and get a lower mark, you'll need to either accept it or do it yet again. 
  • You must show the teacher in class that you have either completed one attempt at the test and/or you have done at least two rounds of studying.   IF you do  so, and you choose to complete the rest of the test process from home over the weekend, you may do so. 
  • If you complete the test and are satisfied with your results with class time remaining, please find quiet work to occupy yourself until the end of the day. 
  • Please do not begin the test until Friday in case I need to make more edits. 

Week #4 - Sense and Perception - Your brain likes to mess with you.

Monday September 18th to Friday September 22nd 

Faster than the speed of thought....

What is the difference between our senses and our ability to sense stimuli in our environment, and our perceptions (our interpretations) of those stimuli? 
What if your body proportions matched the significance of your sensory apparatus? You'd be one funny lookin' Homunculus! 
It is perception that we believe - but how and why? 

Week #3 - The Biology of Behaviour - Meet your BRAIN!

Monday September 11th to Friday September 15th 

"Everything psychological is biological." 

Key Terms to Know: 
  • neuron
  • electrochemical
  • bipolar (interneuron) 
  • unipolar (sensory neuron)
  • multipolar (motor neuron)
  • pyramidal cell 
  • soma
  • dendrites
  • axon
  • myelin sheath
  • transmit / transmitters
  • sensory input
  • triggered
  • stimulus / stimulated
  • firing impulse / action potential
  • synapses / synaptic gap
  • neurotransmitters
  • axon terminal
  • receptor sites
  • reuptake
  • exictatory
  • inhibitory
  • endorphins, serotonin, dopamine, GABA, norepinephrine, glutamate, acetylcholine, oxytocin
  • endocrine
  • hormones
  • glands
  • pituitary
  • thyroid and parathyroid
  • pancreas
  •  adrenal 
  • gonads (testes / ovaries) 

Key Concepts: 
  • Psychology IS BioChemistry! 
  • Feedback loop - brain, glands, hormones, brain, etc. 

No, seriously, time to meet The Brain!

Key Terms to Know: 
  • Phrenology (Gall) 
  • function
  • localized
  • CNS (Central Nervous System)
  • PNS (Peripheral Nervous System)
  • The Strange Case of Phineas Gage (the first accidental lobotomy)
  • Old Brain (The Ancestral Brain) 
    • Brain stem
    • Medulla 
    • Pons
    • Thalamus 
    • Reticular formation
    • Cerebellum 
  • The Limbic System
    • Amygdala
    • Hypothalmus
    • Hippocampus
    • Pituitary gland
  • The New
    • Cerebrum
    • Association areas
    • Somatosensory cortex
    • Motor cortex
    • Glial cells
    • Corpus Callosum 
    • Cerebral Cortex
    • Fissure
    • Lobes
      • Frontal 
      • Parietal
      • Occipital
      • Temporal
      • Hemispheres
  • lesion
  • pop psychology
  • circadian 

Key Concepts: 
  • How is the physical structure of the brain connected to the functions of the brain? 
    • The Mind is what the Brain DOES. 
  • Function is localized.
  • How much of our brains do we regularly use and how much energy does it take? 

The Supporting Cast - the Nervous Systems in all their glory
Key Terms to know: 
  • Central Nervous System Part I
    • sensory input
    • integration
    • motor output
    • comprised of the brain and spinal cord
    • PNS (Peripheral Nervous System) 
    • afferent (sensory division) 
    • efferent (motor division) 
    • SNS (Somatic Nervous System) = voluntary nervous system part of the Motor Division of the PNS
    • ANS (Autonomic Nervous System) = involuntary nervous system, part of the Motor Division of the PNS
    • Sympathetic Nervous System = also involuntary, exciatory
    • Parasympathetic Nervous System = also involuntary, inhibatory
    • Neuroglia / Glial cells 
    • Amitotic
    • Process
    • multipolar neurons
    • bipolar neurons
    • unipolar neurons
    • function
    • sensory neurons
    • motor neurons
    • interneurons
  • Central Nervous System Pt 2
    • action potential 
    • electrically neutral
    • membrane / membrane potential / resting membrane potential
    • currents
    • polarized
    • sodium potassium pump
    • electrochemical gradient
    • ion channels
    • voltage gated channels
    • lingand-gated channels
    • mechanical channels
    • graded potential
    • depolarization of membrane potential
    • refractory period
    • strength vs. frequency vs. conduction velocity
    • Nodes of Ronvier and saltatory conduction
  • Central Nervous System Pt 3


Key Concepts: 
  • The Central Nervous System is control central.  Without it, there is no "self", no "me", no perception, no action, nada.
  • Almost all animals, except SUPER simple critters like sponges, have some sort of nervous system.  Humans have one of the most complex nervous systems in the world of living creatures.  
  • The CNS is the main system but it has sub parts including it's side kick, the PNS (Peripheral Nervous System) 
  • Your nervous system is an electrochemical system, like a battery operated tool controlled by an app. 

The Brain, Boss, The Brain!

 These links will take you to a site developed through McGill University in Montréal.   The site is titled The Brain from Top To Bottom. 
It is chock full 'o' interesting and accurate information about the human brain and human psychology. 

One of the best features of this website is that towards the top left of any screen, you will see a small box with the heading Level of Explanation, in which are the words "Beginner", "Intermediate" and "Advanced".   While accessing the same key information, McGill has adapted the information on each page of the site for a range of reading levels and prior knowledge.   Each link below takes you to the "Intermediate" level page.  If you find that too difficult, please feel free to select "Beginner" under Level of Explanation.  Note: "Advanced" is generally for university level students, possibly even those in their second or third year of study. 

This site has interactive images as well as clickable links.  Please note that funding for the development and maintenance of this site was cut off to McGill a few years ago and it is now kept up mostly by volunteers.  Some links may be dead but the site itself is still "live" and accurate. 

There are three topics you should explore on this site (all under the heading of Brain Basics): 
  1. From the Simple to the Complex 
    1. Anatomy by level of organization (Beginner and Intermediate) 
    2. Function by level of organization  (at least Beginner if not Intermediate) 
  2. Evolution and the Brain
    1. Our evolutionary inheritance (please try the Intermediate, but you can also read the Beginner version) 
  3. How the Mind develops
    1. From embryo to ethics (at least the Beginner, and the Intermediate IF you feel up to it)

But how do we learn about the brain in 2017? 

PLEASE NOTE: The video below contains footage of human brains being dissected.  This is clinical footage and not gratuitously gruesome but some viewers may find it visually disturbing.  If you prefer, you may simply close your eyes and listen to the audio. 

That Brain Body Connection may be way deeper than we realized...

5 Myths About the Brain 

When the brain is physically traumatized.

Week #2 - Research and Methodology in the Science of Psychology

Tuesday, September 5th - Friday, September 8th, 2017

This week students have Tuesday and Wednesday booked into Lab 125 to work on their Schools of Thought mini research project.   No further class time will be provided for this project. 

DUE DATE for Schools of Thought mini research project - 3:30pm, Wednesday, September 6th, 2017
ABSOLUTE DEADLINE for Schools of Thought mini research project - 3:30pm Friday September 8th, 2017
Guess what? It's time to consider the "how" and "why" of the scientific approach to psychological study. 
First of all, what is scientific thinking? 
Neil deGrasse Tyson - because few are as passionate about why we should be able to employ scientific thinking.
Why is scientific thinking important and how do we do this? 
Let's really dig into the process a bit (this video is about biology but the key point is that the scientific thinking that underlies the process of exploration is the same across the sciences). 
Double check to ensure you haven't used fallacious thinking in designing or interpreting the results of your scientific experiment. 
Make sure your results can be replicated.
Now to the nitty gritty of research and methodology in psychology, with Crash Course and Hank Green.   
"...save the study of our minds from the stupidity of our minds." ~ Hank Green
Beware the oversimplification of "studies". 

Please note: this is an HBO production and is not censored.  It is a piece of social satire, in this case, discussing the problems around media reporting of preliminary studies and/or poorly designed studies.   We discuss this in class (using sources vs. classroom appropriate language from and among teachers and students).   The content is accurate, relevant and informative and has been judged to be useful to students in this course. 

Week #2 Readings for Research and Methods 


​ So - what KINDS of experiments do psychologists engage in with their subjects?  This link (see red button at left) to an article at Simply Psychology gives a good overview of several ways that studies in psychology can be conducted and can collect information. 

The Aims and Hypotheses article at Simply Psychology gets into how psychologists determine the ultimate goal of their research and how they go about beginning to frame their research queries. 
This article at Simply Psychology explains different types of sample groups used for studies why each type ore used. 
This article at Simply Psychology examines the Scientific Method as it is related to the study of psychology, it's limitations and demands in a social science. 
This article at Simply Psychology outlines the terminology related to psychological experiments and details the main types of experiments used in the study of psychology. 
Variables are one of the key concepts you need to understand in order to grasp the fine points of psychology experiments.  This article, from Simply Psychology, explains three main types of variables: independent, dependent and extraneous. 
How do you put together the actual experiment, once you know your aims, hypotheses, intended methodology, and have made sure that the process will be scientifically viable?   This article from Simply Psychology offers a basic guideline. 
As Hank Green (and many others have) pointed out, correlation is NOT causation.  But what IS correlation?  Take a read of this article at Simply Psychology for the low down on how variables relate. 
A key area of psychological research is how to conduct the experiments that need to be conducted, to find the information desired in a manner that doesn't infringe on anyone's safety or rights?   This article at Simply Psychology gets into the basics of what it means to design an ethical (and legal) psychological study. 
Anyone can make any outlandish claim and even create (or manipulate - see P-Hacking)  a study to get the results they want to further their agenda.  So how do you know if or when a study is a trustworthy piece of scientific investigative research? This article on Validity found at Simply Psychology touches on just that conundrum. 
So you've designed a thoughtful and innovative research experiment, you've made sure that it's ethical and you've accounted for variables and been scientific in gathering your data.  It's a valid measure of your hypotheses.  Now, how do you make sure that it's not a fluke, a one off? Read this article from Simply Psychology to get a feel for how psychologists check the reliability of their work. 
What's that you say about reliability? 
And now, for a little more about ethics in science, from our friend, Hank Green! 

Assignment #2 - Top Five Things You Need To Know About Research Methods 

Above, there are links to a series of articles related to Research and Methods in Psychology, from the site Simply Psychology.   
For EACH of the articles (you have been provided with hard copies as well as the links above) you need to create a Buzzfeed-style "Top 5 Things You Need To Know About...." 
  1. Top Five Things You Need To Know About Research Methods 
  2. Top Five Things You Need To Know About Aims and Hypotheses
  3. Top Five Things You Need To Know About Sampling Methods
  4. Top Five Things You Need To Know About Psychology As A Science
  5. Top Five Things You Need To Know About Experiments in Psychology
  6. Top Five Things You Need To Know About Variables in Psychological Experiments
  7. Top Five Things You Need To Know About Experiment Design in Psychology
  8. Top Five Things You Need To Know About Correlation in Psychology Experiments
  9. Top Five Things You Need To Know About Ethics in Psychology Experiments
  10. Top Five Things You Need To Know About Validity in Psychology Experiments
  11. Top Five Things You Need To Know About Reliability (Replicability) in Psychology Experiments

Showing What You Know - Assignment #2 The Top 5 Things You Need To Know About

Timeline - Assignment #2 The Top 5 Things You Need To Know About

Due Date:  Wednesday, September 13th
Absolute Deadline: Friday, September 15th 

Exemplar - Assignment #2 The Top 5 Things You Need To Know About....

Rubric for Assessment #2 - The Top 5 Things You Need To Know About 

Week 1 - Intro to Psych 12 / Why Psychology? 

Tuesday August 29th - Friday September 1st, 2017

This week I introduced myself to students and explained why I find the study of psychology to be so fascinating.  
Please note: the class population is still in flux as students finalize their senior course requirements and timetables.  

We looked at a resource we will return to, frequently, Crash Course with Hank Green, and learned some of the basic historical background of the science of psychology from early Greek Philosophers through the emergence of early modern psychology, most particularly figures like Wilhem Wunt, Sigmund Freud, and introducing figures like Ivan Pavlov and B.F. Skinner (about whom we will learn more later on in the semester).   

We discussed the use of primary, secondary and tertiary sources in research including how to determine the credibility of information in a Wikipedia entry, and began our first assignment, a mini-research project on Schools of Thought in Psychology. 
This Wikipedia timeline provides a very general overview of when particular works of noted psychological thinkers emerged.  Please note that there is a references section available.   

Crash Course Intro To Psychology 

Students are reminded that they can watch and re-watch these videos as needed to grab the information we've discussed in class.  

A handy YouTube tool is to click on the "..." on the far right under the video, and then select "Open Transcript".  
A transcript (a written version) of the spoken content of the video will then appear and scroll as the video plays.   You may find this helpful for taking notes or clarifying information in the video.   (I've included a screen capture below). 

Assignment #1 - Schools of Psychological Thought Mini Research Project

The mini research assignment on Schools of Psychological Thought, including assessment rubric, can be found here.  You can view it, share it or download it as needed. 
psych_12_schools_of_thought_mini_research_project.pdf
File Size: 43 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
 Below find a sample (exemplar) of a single example using a school of psychological thought that is NOT on the assignment list.   This example is between a level 3 and a level 4. 

There are only three sources (Very Effectively) there are no quotes but the information is summarized accurately in their own words (Very Effectively), matched school of thought with a specific application but with few details (Effectively), used time well (Very Effectively) and used APA formatting at Son of a Citation Machine APA to properly cite online sources but did not include parentheses because the piece did not include direct quotes.   Overall assessment = high three out of four = approx 78%