HONORS PSYCHOLOGY

LAP 3

8 CLASS MEETINGS

DEB ROTHWEILER

Spring, 2016

Behavioral and Cognitive Psychology

Responses: Automatic or thought out

The capacity to learn is a womans infinite potential. It is her means to making her life better,
her ability to adjust to circumstances, her method to change. Learning permits the individual
to adapt, change, and modify her environment. It does not require thought. For instance, a
woman does not contemplate how she writes her name or how she walks across the room.
Needless to say, she probably is unaware of how she has learned bad habits and negative
attitudes, erroneous belief and survival instincts, or daily routines until these have been
brought to her attention. Learning is a process that appears to be second nature, requiring
little thought or planning.
For centuries, people have pondered the question, How do people learn? A revolution in
learning theory began when Ivan Pavlov enticed his dogs to salivate at the sound of a tuning
fork. Despite their critics, the ideas of Pavlov (classical conditioning,) and B.F. Skinner (operant
conditioning) have expanded far beyond the laboratory to field application in education,
therapy, industry, and personal enhancement. Today there are over 50 learning theories being
discussed in college classrooms.
There are other integral parts to learning. The acquisition, processing, and retention of
information, more commonly referred to as memory, provides the learned with the foundation
from which she is able to adapt to new situations. Similarly, intelligence (the ability to
understand and adapt to the environment) affects the level of success an individual has. Lastly,
the ability to think allows the woman to change and reorganize information stored in the
memory.
Overall, psychologists understand that numerous factors impact an individuals ability to learn;
anxiety, attention, personal attitude and motivavtion, learning styles, mental schemas, and
cognitive approaches enhance or detract from ones ability to learn However, ones biology
also impacts learning; without neurological structures, a woman would not be able to acquire
the necessary information needed for learning. Learning is a complex.

HONORS PSYCHOLOGY

LAP 3

8 CLASS MEETINGS

DEB ROTHWEILER

Spring, 2016

RATIONALE
Although people are a combination of the environment and their biological make-up. students will only
examine how environmental influences. They must evaluate what are the components of learning and
how these affect who they are.
Through personality tests, films, group activities, the students will explore the various concepts
connected to learning, including operant cognitive, vicarious, and classical conditioning. In addition,
they will examine the relationship between learning, memory, thinking, and intelligence. It is this
interrelationship that constitutes adaptation.

OBJECTIVES
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Explain the principles of learning

Analyze how individuals learn and remember effectively
Identify how memory is processed
Explain why individuals forget
Analyze what makes for creative and critical thought
Identify and explain the steps in problem solving and creative thinking
Define the following terms:
Thinking
symbol
concept
assimilation
Accommodation
brainstorming functional fixedness
divergent thinking
Inductive reasoning
deductive reasoning
uncritical thinking
feedback
Mnemonic device
relearning
recall
recognition
Encoding
storage
stm
ltm
Chunking
sensory register
interference
extinction
avoidance conditioning
generalization reinforcement
punishment
shaping
ratio schedule interval schedule
cognitive map
IQ
mental retardation
giftedness
fluid intelligence
crystallized intelligence

POWERPOINTS TO SUPPLEMENT YOUR READING

ASSIGNMENTS ARE ON rothiwa.com

HONORS PSYCHOLOGY

LAP 3

8 CLASS MEETINGS

DEB ROTHWEILER

Spring, 2016

Essential Questions: What constitutes true learning?

Is memory biological base or a trained process?
How are thinking and language related?
Can intelligence be improved
What motivates people?

Enrichment:
1. Conduct a survey of 5 adults and 5 peers on how parents influence the behavior of their children. Ask
them to explain why they believe parents use those specific methods. After doing the survey, write an
editorial on whether a parent should use rewards to influence behavior or punishment. 5 points

2. Create a comic strip that illustrates some aspect of grammar development in young children 3
points

3. Go to the library to do research on how advertisers influence the decision making of

consumers. Write a brief report. It must be typed and cited. 5 points
ADDITIONAL LAP ENRICHMENT IS ON rothiwa

CLASS MEETINGS:
First Class Meeting:

Introduce Learning Activities

Essential question: When does learning occur?

Second Class Meeting

Activities
When does true learning occur

DATE/DAY DUE
E Day March 11
G Day March 15

HONORS PSYCHOLOGY

LAP 3

8 CLASS MEETINGS

DEB ROTHWEILER

Spring, 2016

Third Class Meeting

Due at the beginning of class Assignment 3-1
Begin activities on Memory
Essential question: Is memory biological or trained?
Fourth Class Meeting
Due by the beginning of class Assignment 3-2
How are memories created- activities
Essential Question: Is memory biological or trained

H Day March 16

Fifth Class Meeting

Class focus: Memory Games
Essential question: Is memory biological or trained
Sixth Class Meeting
Due at the beginning of Class 3-3
Class focus: thinking and problem solving
Essential Question: Is thinking and language related- are they
related to learning
Seventh Class Meeting
Presentation on Intelligence
Intelligence Activity
Essential Question: Can intelligence be improved

A Day March 29

J Day March 17

C Day March 31

E Day March 4

Assignment Explanations on rothiwa.com

And Google Classroom