Thursday, February 27, 2014

Agenda: Week of March 3 - March 7, 2014

Advanced Placement Psychology with Mr. Duez
Unit 4 - Cognition: Memory, Language & Thought; and Intelligence
WEEK AT A GLANCE:
MON - Cognition: Language & Thought
TUE - Quiz over Memory; Finish Cognition: Lang. & Thought; Intelligence
WED/THU - Intelligence
FRI -  Intelligence - Documentary "The Savants"
The human brain is the greatest of computing machines.
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Cognition - Mem, Lang/Thought - Learning Targets:
1. Cognition is the study of mental processes.
2. STM seems to be limited to 7+ - 2 items at any given time.
3. The differences between encoding, storage, and retrieval are important.
4. Models of LTM deal with how we organize information that we need to know.
5. Problem solving involves applying what we know in an organized way to issues that we face.
6. Language is a complex system of communication that allows us to use complex symbols to talk about things in the past or future, not just the present.

Cognition - Mem, Lang/Thought - Essential Questions:
1. Explain the Theory - Model of Information Processing (Atkinson-Shiffrin).  
2. How does encoding, storage, and retrieval work in the memory process?
3. Explain the functions and processing of the brain when remembering.
4. What 4 key methods of problem solving does psychology focus on and compare each process.
5. How do humans learn language acquisition?
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Monday, March 3, 2014
Quote: "The only thing we have to fear is... fear itself." - Franklin Delano Roosevelt. By 1933 the depression had reached its depth. Roosevelt’s first inaugural address outlined in broad terms how he hoped to govern and reminded Americans that the nation’s “common difficulties” concerned “only material things.”

Agenda:
1. DO NOW: How language can help us understand human nature?
2. Notes, Video, Discussion: How do we communicate through language? Language is constructed from phonemes, morphemes, phrases, & sentences. They allow us to share ideas and those ideas can tell us a great deal about people, how they function, and how we can relate to them.
Including Pinker's Video Lecture: Language as a Window Into the Brain
3. Discussion - How does Language influence thought? (Syntax, Universal Language Phenomenon: Is it hardwired for humans to learn language?)
4. Also, Notes, Video, & Discussion: Non-verbal language. What can we learn from animals about communication? and Problem Solving.

Assignments
Read the chapter, review the Target Sheet, check out PsychTrek, and take notes to study for test and use on the quiz. We will have two quizzes during Unit 4. One on Tue. of this week and one on the Tue. after spring break. The test will be Wed/Thu after Spring Break. We will review Mon/Tue over Unit 4 is Memory, Language & Thought, and Intelligence before taking the test the next period. 


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Tuesday, March 4, 2014
Quote: "Winter is on my head, but eternal spring is in my heart." - Victor Hugo

Agenda:
1. DO NOW: Prep for Quiz over Memory. You may use your hand written notes to prepare.
Do Now for AFTER the Quiz: Name the 3 most intelligent people that you know. What makes each intelligent to you?
2. Quiz over Memory.
3. Notes, Video, & Discussion: Introduction to Intelligence
Psycho-metrics - from Binet to the IQ Test
Can you score very low on an IQ test and still be "Intelligent" ??? 

Assignments
Read the chapter, review the Target Sheet, check out PsychTrek, and take notes to study for test and use on the quiz. We will have two quizzes during Unit 4. One on Tue. of this week and one on the Tue. after spring break. The test will be Wed/Thu after Spring Break. We will review Mon/Tue over Unit 4 is Memory, Language & Thought, and Intelligence before taking the test the next period.

Intelligence - Learning Targets & Essential Questions:

- Explain the theories that have been created for understanding intelligence
- Compare the different modes of intelligence testing
- Explain how the range of mental abilities, from creativity and giftedness to mental retardation, can be identified, explained, & understood.

1. Binet created the first intelligence test and developed the concept of mental age, but Terman's revision, the Stanford-Binet, created a way to compute an IQ score.
2. Aptitude tests predict future success and achievement tests assess what individuals already know.
3. When designing tests, psychometricians focus on standardization, reliability, validity, and culture fairness.
4. Normal distributions are bell-shaped curves in which most scores fall near the average and the percentage of scores between standard deviations is fixed by a formula.
5. Reliability refers to a test being repeatable and validity refers to a test being accurate.

You do have to absolutely love super intelligent people who do not use their powers for evil. ;-)
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Wednesday, March 5, 2014 & Thursday, March 6, 2014
Quote: "Spring is nature's way of saying, 'Let's Party!'" - Robin Williams

Agenda:
1. DO NOW: 
  1. An eight year-old has a mental age of 10, what is his IQ?
  2. A 12 year-old has the mental age of 9, what is his IQ?
  3. A boy has the mental age of 10 & an IQ of 200, how old is he?
2. Notes, Video, & Discussion: Intelligence - IQ Test, Different types of intelligence, & Multiple Intelligence.
IQ Tests have shown to be good indicators of school performance. Why?
3. Notes, Video, & Discussion: "Does intelligence change over time?"
Emotional Intelligence, Flynn Effect, Aptitude/Achievement Tests.
Standard Deviation, Bell Curve, & IQ Test

Assignments:
Test is After Spring Break. Prepare by using the "Notes" link above. Also read your text book & focus on the Target Sheets. Study with a trusted friend or two. Come to tutoring. Good luck!
Stephen Wiltshire - amazing savant!
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Friday, March 6, 2014
Quote: "It's Spring! We are so excited that we wet our plants!" - Anon.

Agenda:
1. DO NOW: Pick up Questions for the Video.
2. Video Beautiful Minds: Einstein Effect (Savants); Forms/Theories of Intelligence
Beautiful Minds: The Einstein Effect. Link to video & Questions here.

SPRING BREAK!
Enjoy your time away from AHS. Rest. Relax. and come back ready for the home stretch!