Saturday, January 31, 2015

The Brain, Concussions and Preston Plevrides

Every time I do the brain and neuroscience unit, I show this selection from the ESPN show E:60.  It is the story of a college football player who returned to the field too soon after a concussion, experienced a second one and had a life-altering series of medical issues and surgeries.  Very powerful and poignant.  Preview before using in class.






posted by Chuck Schallhorn

Friday, January 30, 2015

Cheppewa Valley TOPSS Conference/Symposium Announcement

Greetings, Psych Teachers!

I am pleased to announce a new conference and training opportunity that may be of particular interest to folks in the Midwest, especially Wisconsin and Minnesota. With generous support and assistance from the University of Wisconsin-Stout, we’ve been putting together a FREE Chippewa Valley TOPSS Symposium for high school psychology teachers that will be held Saturday, February 28th at the UW-Stout Campus in Menomonie, Wisconsin.

The symposium has a neuroscience theme, in part because of UW-Stout’s tremendous access to biopsych resources and expertise. Highlights include hands-on use of EEG equipment in an EEG lab, demonstration of a brain specimen from the cadaver lab, keynote speaker Dr. Michael C. Mensink’s talk on “Educational Neuromyths: Separating Fact from Fiction in Teaching & Learning,” and a neuroscience lesson-share led by the fabulous Amy Ramponi. Click here to view the full schedule and speaker biographical information.

Although there is no cost, REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED and enrollment is limited to 32 participants (due to the size of the EEG labs/space issues). Registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, so don’t delay! Click here to complete the online registration form and reserve your spot today.

Reasons you should attend:
  • Did you see that this is FREE? Even your breakfast and lunch are included. Wowsa.
  • Location: Menomonie, WI is just an hour’s drive from the Twin Cities, 2 hours from Wausau, WI, 2.5 hours from Superior/Duluth. Outside of the Midwest? Now’s your chance to experience Wisconsin in late February. Who would want to miss that?!
  • You’ve always wanted to take a selfie while EEG electrodes are pasted to your head.
  • It’s a Saturday, so you don’t even have to put in for a substitute or miss class.
  • Meet other psychology teachers from the area! Really, we’re very nice people.
  • GET FREE STUFF! There will be door prizes! Because of the impressive legwork of Amy Ramponi, who has contacted many textbook publishers and other parties to solicit donations, you are unlikely to leave without free goodies.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions: wellevk@chipfalls.org

Hope to see you there!

Virginia Welle
AP Psychology Teacher
Chippewa Falls Senior High School
715-726-2406 ex. 1136
wellevk@chipfalls.org <------- wbr="">-- Please note that my email address has recently changed. 

Practicing the Methods of Psychology

Over the years, when working with students about the methods of psychology, there is way too much confusion.  As a result, I made this sheet to make the ideas more basic and created this first practice before I get into actual descriptions of case studies that describe real research.
The original Word version can be found here. By all means, let me know if I have made an error on the key or in an explanation.

Practicing the Methods of Psychology


1.      Case Study
2.     Interview
3.     Naturalistic Observation
4.     Laboratory Observation
5.     Survey
6.     Ψ’l Tests (psychological tests-I encourage my kids to learn "notehand" with their own abbreviations)
7.     Correlation Studies
8.    Experiment


Scenarios
Best Method
1.      I seek lots of data in order to make predictions

correlation
2.      I am used best when combined with other methods since all I can do is offer insights based upon perceptions
interview
3.      I find out cause and effect
experiment

4.      I may be the most famous since you take fake versions of me on social media
Psych tests
5.      I get to ask lots of people the same questions and gather the data to reach general conclusions
survey
6.      I find one individual and do intensive work on them

case study
7.      I like to people watch and take notes—but I do this in the habitat of my subjects where they cannot see me
naturalistic observation
8.      I examine people in situations that I get to manipulate, but I cannot determine cause and effect
laboratory observation
9.      My goal is to obtain as much information on one person in order to gain insights that I can use to better understand the person
case study
10.  An example of me is when I put people in a room and make it look like there is a fire so I can see how they react
laboratory observation
11.  Sometimes when I use this method, people may think of me as a nosy reporter
interview
12.  Every semester, students ask their psych teachers if they can give an IQ test to see how “smart” they are.  Little do they know is that IQ is only the beginning of me
psych tests
13.  I have the greatest level of control in my method—my method is the toughest to do, but is very important
experiment
14.  I am all about how strong relationships are—but I am never outside of negative one to positive one
correlation
15.  Once you know how to use my method, you will probably not get bored waiting in line at the grocery store or any other public place
naturalistic observation
16.  I am the method used when studying little children in developmental psychology—I can set up situations to see how the kids react—ask the teacher about the marshmallow study
laboratory observation
17.  I am the King of research methods, but because people are so complex, it is often difficult to use me
experiment
18.  When I say “there is a link” between two ideas, people often misunderstand and assume the link is causal—it’s not
correlation


posted by Chuck Schallhorn

Thursday, January 29, 2015

Ghettocide

The other day I had one of those NPR moments when I was driving home and could not turn off the engine until I had finished listening to the story that was playing.  It was an interview with the author of Ghettocide: A True Story of Murder in America.  The author was talking on Fresh Air and discussing different kinds of grief that people experience.  She had interviewed many people who had lost loved ones and she noticed that their experiences with death were different and had longer lasting impacts especially if there was no closure of an arrest of the perpetrator.  Her interview was so riveting, I ordered the book and will receive it later today.

Listen or read here: http://www.npr.org/2015/01/26/381589023/ghettoside-explores-why-murders-are-invisible-in-los-angeles

Here is her appearance on the Daily Show



posted by Chuck Schallhorn

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

What Can You Do With a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology?

This is a scanned copy of a document I received many years ago from Dr. Drew Appleby who has taught at Marian College and Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis who compiled it.  I share this with my students who are interested in majoring in psychology.  It is actually a five page document available at this link:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1wCp40SmVkIbXJBd3ZsdWtjd1E/view?usp=sharing





posted by Chuck Schallhorn

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

AP Psychology Free Response Questions-Updated to 2014

The following information is taken from the AP Central Website.  For some, it can be challenging to navigate given that the older information is on a different page.  This information is public information available without a log-in to AP Central.  The original set of links were posted by Kent Korek.  The update was posted by Chuck Schallhorn.
(for broken links, send detailed info to schallhornpsych AT gmail.com)

http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/exam/exam_information/2088.html


2014: FRQs
Free-Response Questions
Scoring Guidelines
Student Performance Q&A
Scoring Statistics
Sample Responses Q1
Sample Responses Q2


Score Distributions

2013: FRQs
Free-Response Questions
Scoring Guidelines
Student Performance Q&A 
Scoring Statistics
Sample Responses Q1
Sample Responses Q2
Score Distributions

2012: FRQs
Free-Response Questions
Scoring Guidelines
Student Performance Q&A
Scoring Statistics
Sample Responses Q1
Sample Responses Q2
Score Distributions


2011: FRQs
Free-Response Questions
Scoring Guidelines
Student Performance Q&A
Scoring Statistics
Sample Responses Q1
Sample Responses Q2
Score Distributions
========================================================

Kent's original post:

In the AP Courses and Exams section of the AP Central website (http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/Controller.jpf), you will find all of the AP Psychology Free Response Questions since 1999 along with various other documents pertaining to the FRQs. Many people have difficulties finding the documents from 1999-2002 as they are on a different web page. To make it easier for teachers, below you will find links to the AP Central documents. Please report any faulty links to Kent Korek at kkorek AT germantown.k12.wi.us

2010
Free Response Questions 1 & 2
FRQ Scoring Guidelines (Rubrics)
Student Performance Q&A
FRQ Scoring Statistics
Sample Response Question 1
Sample Response Question 2
Overall Grade Distribution

2009

Free Response Questions 1 & 2
FRQ Scoring Guidelines (Rubrics)
Student Performance Q&A
FRQ Scoring Statistics
Sample Response Question 1
Sample Response Question 2
Overall Grade Distribution

2008

Free Response Questions 1 & 2
FRQ Scoring Guidelines (Rubrics)
Student Performance Q&A
FRQ Scoring Statistics
Sample Response Question 1
Sample Response Question 2
Overall Grade Distribution

2007

Free Response Questions 1 & 2
FRQ Scoring Guidelines (Rubrics)
Student Performance Q&A
FRQ Scoring Statistics
Sample Response Question 1
Sample Response Question 2
Overall Grade Distribution

2006

Free Response Questions 1 & 2
FRQ Scoring Guidelines (Rubrics)
Student Performance Q&A
FRQ Scoring Statistics
Sample Response Question 1
Sample Response Question 2
Overall Grade Distribution

2005

Free Response Questions 1 & 2
FRQ Scoring Guidelines (Rubrics)
Student Performance Q&A
FRQ Scoring Statistics
Sample Response Questions
Scoring Commentary on Sample Response Questions
Overall Grade Distribution

2004

Free Response Questions 1 & 2
FRQ Scoring Guidelines (Rubrics)
Student Performance Q&A
FRQ Scoring Statistics
Sample Response Question 1
Sample Response Question 2
Scoring Commentary on Sample Response Questions
Overall Grade Distribution

2003

Free Response Questions 1 & 2
FRQ Scoring Guidelines (Rubrics)
Student Performance Q&A
FRQ Scoring Statistics
Sample Response Question 1
Sample Response Question 2

Scoring Commentary on Sample Response Questions
Overall Grade Distribution

2002

Free Response Questions 1 & 2
FRQ Scoring Guidelines (Rubrics)
Student Performance Q&A
FRQ Scoring Statistics
Sample Response Question 1
Sample Response Question 2
Scoring Commentary on Sample Response Questions
Overall Grade Distribution

2001

Free Response Questions 1 & 2
FRQ Scoring Guidelines (Rubrics)
Student Performance Q&A
Sample Response Question 1
Sample Response Question 2
Scoring Commentary on Sample Response Questions
2000

Free Response Questions 1 & 2
FRQ Scoring Guidelines (Rubrics)
Sample Response Question 1
Sample Response Question 2

1999

Free Response Questions 1 & 2
FRQ Scoring Guidelines (Rubrics)
Sample Response Question 1
Sample Response Question 2
Scoring Commentary on Sample Response Questions


posted by Kent Korek
Updated by Chuck Schallhorn

Monday, January 26, 2015

The Psychology of Spanking

This amazing infographic found its way to me on facebook somehow.  There is just such a rich set of research and statistics dealing with the issue.  I really appreciate the world views presented and the context in which the ideas are shared.

The direct link to the page is here: http://www.online-psychology-degrees.org/psychology-of-spanking/


Psychology of Spanking


Source: Online-Psychology-Degrees.org/
posted by Chuck Schallhorn

Saturday, January 24, 2015

The Crayola Monologues-A Social Psychological Video

I found this as a video file that I received from Amy Jones at a conference a few years ago. I am still sifting through all the amazing resources she shared.

This video is called, "The Crayola Monologues."  It is sharable for all ages, but especially great for social psychology and prejudice/bigotry issues.  To be honest, I love this video.  The artist who created it can be found at this link: http://www.nathangibbs.com/crayola-monologues/.  This page contains lengthy commentary and exploration of color, race, and ethnicities and issues surrounding these ideas in our society.



posted by Chuck Schallhorn

Friday, January 23, 2015

Perspectives in Psychology Practice Questions

When it comes to perspectives, my students for some reason, seem to have difficulty.  Sometimes I will make the unit at the beginning of the semester for regular psych.  Sometimes I will incorporate and integrate the ideas throughout the course and summarize after we've done some units.

Below is a sheet that I created to help my kids practice.  After going over the main perspectives, reading in and out of the text, outside outlines from Britain, a chart that Drew Appleby created and more, I use this sheet to see how well they understand the major points of view--psychoanalytic, behavioral, cognitive, humanistic, biological, and sociocultural (my book is from 2003). I have them do it as homework, but we go over it as a class and I help them identify key words in the clues.

A Word Version Linked Here
Key to Doc-Word Version


Perspectives Practice Questions                   Name                                                                           Block              

Below are a set of scenarios and ideas that a psychologist from a particular perspective might use.  Choose the best perspective of the following:  Psychodynamic, Behavioral/Learning, Cognitive, Humanistic, Biological, Socio-cultural/social psychological.
Scenario
Perspective
1.      When looking at why a person chooses to behave a particular way, I will examine how they think and process information.

2.      When looking at why a person chooses to behave a particular way, I will examine what happened in childhood and what kinds of issues the patient is fixated on.

3.      When looking at why a person chooses to behave a particular way, I will examine the brain chemistry and hormonal issues of the person.

4.      When looking at why a person chooses to behave a particular way, I will examine if the behavior helps the person reach his/her own potential.

5.      When looking at why a person chooses to behave a particular way, I will examine what consequences (pleasant or unpleasant) the person experienced.

6.      Examining how a person’s gender will affect their actions.

7.      The unconscious mind influences everything we do.

8.      How do people remember and forget?

9.      Depression is influenced by genetic predisposition and brain chemistry.

10.  Depression is influenced by how we perceive the work and how our thoughts can betray us.

11.  Depression is the result of not being able to express our anger toward those at whom we are angry, so we “swallow” it, leading to depression.

12.  Depression is the result of the depressive behavior being reinforced by important others in our lives.

13.  Depression is caused when an individual has a specific self-concept, but important others in our lives have different views of who we are and what we should be.

14.  When we watch important people in our lives being depressed, we imitate it.

15.  Recent research has found that being a part of any ethnic group changes the way our brains are wired.  This has two answers.

16.  Examining the structures of the brains of schizophrenic twins and comparing them to their healthy twins.

17.  What makes people watch a commercial repeatedly, then go out and buy a product?  There are multiple responses here.

18.  We are constantly trying to become who we are.  Our lives are a process of growth.

19.  There seem to be a few things that motivate people:  hunger, thirst, and sex.  Examining the hormones of each uses this perspective.

20.  Analyzing dreams is a part of this point of view.

21.  An individual’s behavior is connected to a person’s feelings and self-image.

22.  Examining how an eyewitness will interpret a situation and how a lawyer can best cross-examine that witness.

23.  Using drugs to treat various mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, anxiety, and depression.

24.  When parents use punishment to change their child’s behavior, they are using a technique from this perspective.




25.  When learning song lyrics, you are using techniques from this perspective.

26.  How the body and brain creates emotions, memories, and sensory experiences.

27.  Examining the whole person, not just their biology or culture—we need to examine the entirety of a person and his/her perceptions of their world.

28.  Looking at thinking and the “unconscious mind” is folly.  Psychology should examine only observable behavior.

29.  The biggest influence on personality is what happens to us from birth to five years.

30.  The biggest influence on personality is a person’s genetics.

31.  The biggest influence on personality is a person’s culture.

32.  Individual free will is more important for a person becoming who they are as any other factor.

33.  Our mind uses defense mechanisms to reduce anxiety when we face uncomfortable realities.

34.  Teachers will attempt to make the classroom a “safe place” so you can maximize your comfort level and learn more effectively.

35.  Schools provide meals for students so they can avoid hunger and be able to learn more effectively.

36.  Teachers will often get some students to study more by offering extra credit

37.  If you show the same picture of a house on a hill to a Maori and to someone from Iowa, the Maori is more likely to be interested in the hillside, while the Iowan is more likely to be interested in the house.

38.  The reason students will act inappropriately in school is because of how they were raised in their home environment—they never learned how to behave properly but were reinforced to act without manners.

39.  A student tells a teacher to “f-off” while walking out of class.  The reason for that was because the student under the influence of an illicit substance.

40.  A student plays the role of “class clown” in one class and the role of “brain” in another class.  This approach explains it by examining a student’s interpretations of how well the student assesses his/her own abilities in each subject.

41.  A student realizes that she and her boyfriend just cannot continue dating—he really like monster truck races and working on his car.  She prefers the finer things in life such as gourmet foods and expensive clothes/fashion.  They just cannot agree on what to do together.  They come from two different worlds.

42.  A sports psychologist will work with an athlete to help him/her visualize the proper mechanics of the sport to improve performance.

43.  An athlete knows that there will be a bonus if s/he scores more than 25 points in this last game.  Which perspective is being utilized?

44.  David Eagleman wrote “Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain.”  From which perspective does he write?

45.  As children, we need unconditional positive regard (acceptance without anything in return) in order to grow up and become healthy adults.

46.  Daniel Kahneman wrote “Thinking, Fast and Slow.”  From which perspective is he writing?

47.  Your psychology teacher likes to spend lots of time running and hiking because of how it makes him feel.  He always feels physically better after he works out.  Which two perspectives can explain this?




posted by Chuck Schallhorn