This introductory course is designed to give an overview of key topics in psychology and to explore possible connections of psychology to future study and careers. Topics covered include the history and methods of psychology, brain structures, mental disorders, stress, therapy, sensation and perception, sleep and dreaming, child and adult development, motivation and emotion, and social psychology. This course is designed to give students a broad introduction to psychology and to preview topics that can be further studied at the college level (such as AP Psychology or introductory college courses).
This course utilizes standards and domains outlined by the American Psychological Association’s National Standards for High School Psychology Curricula.
A Note About Course Content
The study of psychology involves learning about and understanding information that students may not have encountered previously in a learning environment. Some of these topics include but are not limited to the following:
- Human growth and development, including physical and behavioral changes
- Human gender and sexuality
- Drug and substance abuse
- Physical and psychological abuse
- Death and dying
- Historical terms and treatments that are no longer considered acceptable
Please be advised that it is not possible to cover the course topics without encountering this information. If students enrolled in this course or their parents/guardians have a concern with these topics, they should contact their school counselor regarding a course change.