Dual Credit Psychology
Breckenridge HS & Ranger College
Calvin Best, B.Ed. & M.A.
Fall Semester 2023
Let me welcome you to my classroom web page for Dual Credit General Psychology for the 2023-2024 school year. I'm very excited about what lies ahead, and I really look forward to working with you! Below, you will find my course syllabus and instructional layout for each specific unit of instruction along with supplemental reading asssignments, unit exam requirements, and a variety of media resources. My bio is also just below along with contact information. I will update units and place them in the order we need as we progress through the semester.
Calvin Best, B.Ed. & M.A.
BISD Webmaster & BHS Teacher
Director, Sports Information & Livestream Media Productions
calvin.best@breckenridgeisd.org - Teacher Bio
BHS Classroom Phone: 254-212-4730 EXT 1102
Classroom Policies
CELL PHONES: You will get out your cell phones on the first day of class and place this teacher website on your home screen, and I will also show you how to utilize school district calendars. After that, I never want to see a cell phone in my classroom - EVER! They have become a huge disruption to learning. All cell phones must be placed, as you enter the classroom, in the holster hanging by the door. If I see your cell phone, I will take it and allow you to come and get it at the end of the day. If the problem continues, we will go into disciplinary mode. That's what we will do without exception this year. Last year, many students much too often used their cell phones during class, hiding them behind their Chromebook screens while "supposedly" taking notes, becoming distracted and, subsequently, disconnected from what I was teaching. This year, all of those kinds of contradictions are coming to an immediate halt.
UNDIVIDED ATTENTION: Last year when I was in the middle of interactive teaching, a few students would, from time to time, ignore my instruction. They would work on something that, in their mind, was more pressing during my class and even do so right in front of me. I strongly recommend that you do not do that, as negative consequences will immediately result. I am a veteran teacher who is organized and prepared to teach you bell-to-bell, college-level US History, and I am excited to do so. I expect your 100%, undivided attention and total participation in that process. Please remember that this is an official college class where the responsibilities for learning increasingly shift to you, the student, and where your performance impacts your official college transcript.
DRESS CODE & FOOD/DRINKS: We will follow and abide by the high school's policies regarding dress code, food, and drinks. Please do not push me on these topics, as I will require that you follow our campus rules, and that is also what my bosses, Mr. Armstrong, Mr. West, and Coach Pearce, require me to do, and it's the right thing to do. Please do your part.
MAKE-UP QUIZZES & LATE SUBMISSIONS: All of my UNIT EXAMS utilize an essay format and are open-note and open-resource. They are due at the beginning of class on the day that we establish, and that will be made known to you well in advance. If you turn in your test one day late, then you will receive a subtraction of 10 points before I grade it. If you turn it in two days late, then you receive a subtraction of 20 points before I grade it. After that, you receive a "0" for that major grade. If you miss a supplemental reading quiz (which we have almost daily) for any reason, including being at a school activity, you will be required to make that up with a brief one-page essay that I will assign at that time.
Unit #1: Understanding Personality Disorders
Introduction: We have all heard someone say, or we, ourselves, have said the following: "That person is crazy!" You’ve likely heard terms such as “manic-depressive,” “schizophrenia,” or “bi-polar.” You might be somewhat surprised to know that there are clear, objective standards concerning those classifications that are based upon requirements as articulated in the Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders or DSM. Likewise, there are distinguishing characteristics (and co-morbidities) that also work as a connective thread between the disorders; namely, dissociation and narcissism. In this unit, we will examine Personality Disorders, attempting to separate fact from fiction. We want to know, in other words, what "crazy" really means in a clinical sense versus behavior that is simply annoying or something that is defined through pop culture.
Interestingly, if we look into early 20th Century or late 19th Century literature, we can see “psychology” revealed through the characterization of both the protagonist and antagonist, which the third-person, omniscient narrator disclosed over the course of the story. That was an effective and enduring method for what we could call a pre-psychological revelation of personality idiosyncrasies as well as serious flaws.
Before we dive deeply into personality disorders, however, we need to know more about the Human Dilemma concerning the “self,” and we need to define, at least briefly at first, the term “personality.” We will go into a more in-depth study of personality in the unit called Theories of Personality Formation.
ESSAY EXAM PROMPT & REQUIREMENTS
MAIN PRESENTATION FOR PERSONALITY DISORDERS
Main Supplemental Reading Document
Quiz #1 - Tuesday, 08/15/23 - Pages 1-7
Quiz #2 - Thursday, 08/17/23 - Pages 8-11
Quiz #3 - Friday, 08/18/23 - Pages 12-17
Quiz #4 - Tuesday, 08/22/23 - Pages 18-22
Quiz #1 - Wednesday, 08/23/23 - Pages 1-3
Quiz #2 - Thursday, 08/24/23 - Pages 4-7
Quiz #3 - Friday, 08/25/23 - Pages 8 thru End of Document
Ancillary Materials
Key Elements of Personaoity Video #1
Key Elements of Personaity Video #2
Essay Prompt with Requirements
The Human Dilemma Chart - Understanding Our Condition
Additional, Online, Objective Assessment
In Class, Discussion-Based Assessment
Personality Disorders in Context to the DSM-V
Understading the Basic Ideas of Personality
Additional PD Supplemental Reading - Not Utilizing Fall 2023
Reading Quiz Pages 3-5 (Stop at THE DSM MULTIAXIAL MODEL)
Reading Quiz Pages 6-8
Reading Quiz Bottom of 8 through Page 11 up to NORMALITY VERSUS PATHOLOGY but not including it.
Diagnostic Exercise - Application of Personality Disorder Criteria
Establishing Core Values
How Do Values Differ from Character Flaws
and How Do Character Flaws Differ from
Clinical Personality Disorders
Utilize this Core Values Overview for
Related Essay: Mental & Emotional Health
Quiz TBA
Online Overview of Personality Disorders
Good Overview of Histrionic Personality Disorder
Quiz over this presentation TBA
Cluster B Disorders - Comprehensive Overview
Cluster C Disorders - Comprehensive Overview
Literary Examples of Mental Disorders
"The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allan Poe
The Open Window by SAKI
For the Video Adaptations on YouTube, See Below
Unit #2: Attachment Theory
Begins Monday, 08/28/23 & Concludes TBA
This unit - Attachment Theory Associated with Personality Disorders - is usually taught as part of developmental psychology, and we will do that to some degree, but there is an interesting and relevant need to explore this subject right now since we've just completed a comprehensive unit on personality disorders.
Specifically, attachment theory is most frequently associated with childhood and the parent-to-child and child-to-parent relationships that do or do not develop and what the ramifications can be when there are issues in this critical area of human development. Because a child's personality formation is so important, it is not difficult to see a linkage between Attachment Theory and the onset of Personality Disorders. We will explore this "linkage" and see what we can learn, and we will directly apply this to psycopathy in the Criminal Psychology unit of instruction that follows this one.
SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT FOR ATTACHMENT THEORY - WEDNESDAY, 09/06/23
Summarize the key points from this essay today in class; this must be completed and turned into Mrs. McCullough before you leave today. Do good work, and use your own words.
Article over Attachment Theory
Essay Exam Prompt & Requirements TBD
Seconday. Modified Presentation
Supplemental Reading Articles
"An Attachment Theoretical Framework for Personality Disorders"
Quiz over Pages 5-6 Tuesday, 08/29/23
Quiz over Pages 7-8 Wednesday, 08/30/23
Quiz over Pages - No Quiz - Done!
Unit #3: Criminal Psychology & Theories of Psychopathy
What is criminal psychology? What is deviance? What is psychopathy? In this unit, we will asnswer those questions, applying as well many of the key elements from the first unit of instruction concerning personality disorders. For example, you will see that Antisocial Personality Disorder is a common thread throughout violent forms of deviance. You will also see that compartmentalization and dissociation play key roles in criminal psychology.
Secondary Presentation over Deviance
Main Presentation over Psychopathy
Dr. Grande Video over Psychopathy
Dr. Grande Video Psychopathy & Moral Judgement
Psychopathy: Psychopath vs. Sociopath
What's Really Happening in the Brain of a Psychopath?
Supplemental Reading Quiz - Tuesday, 09/19/23 - Pages 1-3 - On the Brain
Supplemental Reading Quiz - Wednesday, 09/20/23 - Pages 4-7 - On the Brain
Psychological Factors Underlying Criminal Behavior
Supplemental Reading Quiz - Thursday, 09/21/23 - Pages 458-460
Supplemental Reading Quiz - Thursday, 09/28/23 - Pages 463-465
Genetic Factors in Criminal Behavior
Supplemental Reading Quiz - Tuesday, 10/03/23 - Pages 24-26
Video over Deviance #2
Video over Deviance #3
Understanding the Criminal Mind Video Resources
Inside the Criminal Mind - Criminal Profiler Analysis
FBI Criminal Profiler Explains the Process
We will read and watch "The Spot Remover," as this disturbing tale takes us on a tour of disassociation that will inform us as to how some criminal minds work. In that spirit, we will also read and watch an excellent adaptation of "The Tell Tale Heart," one of the best stories ever written about mental compartmentalization and perseveration. Edgar Allan Poe was clearly a genius in this macabre genre of literature.
Unit #4: Theories of Personality
Unit Duration: Thursday, 10/19/23 Forward
From Frued and Jung through Erikson and Piaget. Plus, Personality Profiles for Students and Conventional Models Such as Personality Traits and Literary Character Traits
Behaviorism & Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Essay Prompt & Requirements
I am home sick - Monday, 11/13/23. Please read this article and write a summary of the specific content listed below that is due today at the end of class. Please write it on your own paper, turning it into your substitute teacher before you leave the classroom. ARTICLE
CONTENT: 1) Individuation; 2) Archetypes; and 3) Psychological Types
I will remain home one more day - Tuesday, 11/14/23 - but should return to school tomorrow, as I am doing much better. Please continue with the article from yesterday, summarizing the areas just below. You summary will be due at the end of class, so be sure to turn it in to my Mother-In-Law, Mrs. McCullough. Summarize Complexes, Neurosis, Treatment, & Other Concepts. Thank You!
What is personality (see this list & here)? The Online Encyclopedia Britannica states the following: "a characteristic way of thinking, feeling, and behaving. Personality embraces moods, attitudes, and opinions and is most clearly expressed in interactions with other people. It includes behavioral characteristics, both inherent and acquired, that distinguish one person from another and that can be observed in people’s relations to the environment and to the social group."
In this unit of study, we will first have you, the student, take a personality inventory (two or three of them) that I think you will find to be really insightful and even enjoyable. We will share the findings in a Q&A, discussion manner, and then we will delve into the main theories concerning personality formation.
Theories of Personality Presentation
Additional Presentation - Overview
Carl Jung Overview Presentation
Personality Assessment - Alternative (Emotional IQ #1)
Personality Assessment - Alternative (Emotional IQ #2)
Tuesday, 10/31/23 - Pages 3-6
Wednesday, 11/02/23 - Pages 7-9
Thursday, 11/03/23 - Pages 10-12 (Stop at Psyhometric Approaches)
Jung Supplemental Reading Quizzes
Reading Quiz #1: TBD - From Start to Biography (2.5 Pages)
Reading Quiz #2: TBD - From Theory to Other Archetypes (Top of Page 9)
Overview of Carl Jung's Key Ideas
The Handbook of Jungian Psychology
Behaviorist School - Video #1 - Video #2
Video Critique of Perseon-Centered Therapy
Brief, Graphical Overview of Client-Centered Therapy
Additoinal Resource
Unit #4: States of Consciousness
Tuesday, 12/01/20-Friday, 12/09/20
Assessment: Open-Note, Take-Home Essay - Not Yet Ready
Main States of Consciousness Presentation
Additional Presentatoin - Overview of Consciousness
Main Supplemental Reading Article
Altering Consciousness With Psychoactive Drugs
Overview of Impact of Drug Use on Mental Functioning
Additional Presentation over Substance Abuse - Altered States of Consciousness
Unit #4: Criminal Psychology
As we entered the home stretch of this semester, I asked the students what "other" topics they might like to study since we had made it through several of the main areas of general psychology. They chose the criminal mind. To that end, we have prepared a dashboard of materials that will help us address this very good request.
Supplemental Reading Quiz - Tuesday, 11/12/19 - Pages 1-3 - On the Brain
Supplemental Reading Quiz - Wednesday, 11/13/19 - Pages 4-7 - On the Brain
Psychological Factors Underlying Criminal Behavior
Supplemental Reading Quiz - Thursday, 11/21/19 - Pages 458-460
Supplemental Reading Quiz - Tuesday, 12/03/19 - Pages 463-465
Genetic Factors in Criminal Behavior
Supplemental Reading Quiz - Wednesday, 12/04/19 - Pages 24-26
We will read and watch "The Spot Remover," as this disturbing tale takes us on a tour of disassociation that will inform us as to how some criminal minds work. In that spirit, we will also read and watch an excellent adaptation of "The Tell Tale Heart," one of the best stories ever written about mental compartmentalization and perseveration. Edgar Allan Poe was clearly a genius in this macabre genre of literature.
On a lighter but related note relative to what we've been studying, we will read The Secret Life of Walter MItty. Just click that title at left for the PDF, online file. This story deals with something much less serious than a personality disorder and definitely less intense than psychopathy. This story really concerns what a modern psychologist might call neurosis or self-misunderstanding. I think you will find Walter Mitty's flights of fancy interesting and informative, but I think you will also see that a "break" with reality could go in a negative or positive direction. I think that when we are dealing with psychopathy, which is the centerpiece of a good bit of criminal psychology, we need to understand that a "psychotic" break with reality can turn (with lots of help) into something positive rather than always into deviant behavior that is criminal in nature.
Older Material for Biological Basis of Behavior
Will rebuild this unit for 2020-2021 - In this unit, we will focus on the basic building blocks of the brain and the nervous system; we will examine many neurological topics, concluding with genes, behavior, and genetics.
http://brainu.org/sites/brainu.org/files/lessons/psg_web_nsystem.pdf