Semester One - Final Exam

Well, my children, here it is: the end of our time together.  But I leave you with two things - 1. the semester exam study guide which, if used properly, will give you the preparation and guidance to perform exceptionally on the exam and end the semester with the best grade possible...and...2. some inspiration from your dear, old friend.
Study Guide:    http://bdoughertyamschool.wikispaces.com/Grade+10+documents+-+2010-2011
Inspiration:     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erLKiUqptCs

Law of Effect and Operant Conditioning

Edward Thorndike:

1. Explain Thorndike's puzzle-box experiment.

2. Explain Thorndike's "Law of Effect".

3. Explain Thorndike's "Law of Exercise".

B.F. Skinner:

1. Explain Skinner's concept of Operant Conditioning

2. What does  reinforcement always do?

3. What does a punishment alsways do?

4. Explain the difference between "postive" and "negative" as they are used in opernat conditioning.

You will need to do internet research to complete the questions above - remember, you must not COPY/PASTE - write your answers in your own words and site all resources used.
Due Date is Friday December 3rd.

Important Dates: Week of November 29th-December 3rd

There will be a short quiz on Tuesday and Friday of this week.  Both quizzes will be on the information covered in class (that you wrote down on your charts).  Tuesday's quiz will cover Pavlov, Watson, Classical Conditioning and Behaviorism.  Friday's quiz will cover Thorndike, Skinner, Law of Effect and Operant Conditioning.

Your information charts on our theorists:   http://bdoughertyamschool.wikispaces.com/Grade+10+documents+-+2010-2011

Classical Conditioning

You must use internet research to complete the following assignment...

Answer the following questions regarding classical conditioning (post your answers on your blog):

Ivan Pavlov:
1. What was Pavlov actually studying when he developed his theory of classical conditioning?
2. Explain (in detail) how Pavlov's experiment was conducted.
3. Identify the conditioned stimulus, the unconditioned stimulus and the conditioned response from Pavlov's experiment.
4. Explain what extinction means in relation to classical conditioning.
5. Explain what stimulus generalization means in relation to classical conditioning.
6. Explain what sstimulus discrimination means in relation to classical conditioning.
7. Explain at least two limitations of this experiment.
8. Explain what Pavlov theorized about how we learn.

John B. Watson:
1. Explain (in detail) how Watson's "Little Albert" study was conducted.
2. Identify the conditioned stimulus, the unconditioned stimulus and the conditioned response from Watson's study
3. Explain at least two limitations of this study.
4. Explain Watson's law of frequency.
5. Explain Watson's law of recency.
6. Explain the basic assumptions of behaviorism according to Watson.

Answers are due by  - Friday November 26th. 
Do not COPY/PASTE - restate all answers in your own words and site all resources used.

TEST - MONDAY NOV. 15th

Test will include all information form notes taken in class: Brain, Sleep, Dream Theories

Selected Articles About Sleep

Each of the six articles linked below relates to a particular study completed recently regarding various aspects of sleep.  Read through each of the articles, then choose three of them to analyze.
Your summary for each of the three articles should include:
- name of people/institution responsible for conducting the study
- thoroughly explain the method of the study
- describe the findings or results
- state your opinion on what you think of the article

* Be sure to write in your own words as much as possible.
* Include one related picture with each summary

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081215074351.htm

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080609071202.htm

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100705190532.htm

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090609072813.htm

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070308121912.htm

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101025161023.htm

Due date: Thursday, November 4th by midnight (turn it in earlier and get a good night's sleep!)

Sleep & Psychology

We spend 1/3 of our lives asleep (some of us even more) - why is sleep so important to our survival?  What is the difference between deep sleep and REM sleep?  How does sleep affect your health? How does sleep affect your intelligence and development?  These are some of the questions we are going to examine in our unit on sleep and psychology.

Article from Time Magazine:   http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1009765-1,00.html

Video from 60 Minutes:    http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4181992n

PowerPoint from Class:    http://bdoughertyamschool.wikispaces.com/Grade+10+documents+-+2010-2011

The Limits of the Human Brain

When the human body/brain are pushed to extremes we find out that the brain is capable of things we never imagined.  Watch the videos to find out what your brain is able to achieve.

Video Response Questions (completed in class):    http://bdoughertyamschool.wikispaces.com/Grade+10+documents+-+2010-2011

Quiz: the Brain

Your quiz on Friday, October 1st will cover the information from your notes in class as well as the 10 questions answered last week on your blog and the information covered in class regarding the case study of Phineas Gage.  We will have a short review in class this week - please see me with any questions.

PowerPoint presentation from class:    http://bdoughertyamschool.wikispaces.com/Grade+10+documents+-+2010-2011

Lost And Found -- Cognitive Scientists Use fMRI To Watch Brains While Eyes Search

ScienceDaily  -- Cognitive scientists ran an experiment to understand how the brain searches for an object with a known shape. They asked subjects to track the movement of dots, and used fMRI to see which parts of the brain activated. The fMRI showed that when the brain is looking for a particular feature, such as a certain shape or color, it is searching for that feature everywhere in the visual field, not just in the spot where the eyes focus.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/videos/2008/0207-lost_and_found.htm

How Our Brains Work

Answer the following questions regarding how the human brain functions:

1. What does the word "hemisphere" refer to when talking about the brain?
2. What are the major differences between the left and right sides of the brain?
3. What is the corpus collasum?
4. Explain the study performed by Paul Broca in which he discovered "Broca's Area."
5. Explain the study conducted by Roger Sperry in regard to "split brain."
6. Explain the study conducted by Karl Wernicke which led to the discovery of Wernicke's Area."
7. Which lobe is most responsible for vision?
8. Which lobe is most responsible for hearing and language?
9. Which lobe is most responsible for performing math calculations?
10. Which lobe is most responsible for judgment, reasoning and impulse control?

This assignment is due by Friday, September 24th.

Phineas Gage

Write an entry including answers to the following questions:
1. Who was Phineas Gage?
2. Describe the event which caused his injury.
3. What happened to him as a result of his injuries?
4. What did we learn about the brain based on this case study?
5. Explain the idea of brain localization?
6. Explain the concept of brain lateralization?

* Include at least 3 pictures relevant to this entry
* At least 250 words in length
* Be sure to site all references.

Topics for Discussion - Nature vs Nurture (videos for class)

Six segments from the BBC entitled "The Mind of a Murderer": Details case studies of criminals convicted of murder and the biological/environmental factors that may have caused the brain damage thought to be responsible for the actions of the murderers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_u3PH-7oAg  Seg 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHpGEGSnGDA&feature=related  Seg 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZupNkYTcKM4&feature=related  Seg 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbZX4jfbQSE&feature=related  Seg 4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJl2qHrt6gI&feature=related  Seg 5
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXR-PtM_eCU&feature=related  Seg 6

A "60 Minutes" story detailing the possible biological connections to homosexuality (2 segments.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3pvAk7Zz5U&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZS6J_gg89ms&feature=related

Hotly Debated Topics in the Nature/Nurture Debate

Examine each of these topics and consider how each might be determined by both biological and environmental factors.  Choose one topic and explore (research) it in depth.  Write a 500 word minimum essay explaining it's possible causes (use your research to lay out your explanation.)

Begin with an introduction to the topic which explains both the question of nature vs. nurture as well as the topic your chose for research and your own ideasa on it's causes (explain what you think before any research is done that could change your opinion.)
In the body of the essay, explain (using the research you have done) what the beliefs are from psychology/other sciences about the origins of this human characteristic.  What research has been done to determine this? Are there both biological and environmental causes?
Finish your essay with a short conclusion which wraps up the ideas you have presented.

- Include at least two pictures relevant to the topic and be sure to site all references used.
*Be sure to write in your own words - do not copy and paste.
*Due date is midnight on September 07.

-Athletic Ability

-Intelligence

-Criminal Behavior
-Personality
-Homosexuality
-Creativity

Nature vs. Nurture - the Debate

-Explain what "nature vs nurture" means.

-Who first used this term?

-What are a few of the topics that are part of the debate?

-What is the general consensus (overall belief) of the "dabate"?

-What do you think?

This journal entry should be at least 200 words in length and include at least 2 pictures related to the topic.
*Site your sources of information

*Due date for this assignment is Friday, September 3rd by midnight.

Journal - Darwin and the Origin of Species

Research and write: 200 word minimum journal about Darwin and his theory.

-Explain who Darwin was
-Explain the background of how Darwin arrived at this theory
-Explain the theory of natural selection
-Explain the cultural issues of the day during Darwin's time that made his theory unpopular
-Explain why Darwin had so much anguish over developing his theory

Include at least two pictures related to yout topic

*Be sure to site your sources

*Due date is Friday, August 27th by midnight.

Darwin's Contribution to Psychology

Charles Darwin (1809-1882) Developed the Theory of Natural Selection following his 5-year journey aboard the HMS Beagle. It did, however, take him 22 years to develop and publish this theory of how life has adapted (or not) to environmental conditions to become what it is today.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_g2699/is_0000/ai_2699000082/

http://vimeo.com/8921583