Below are the projects assigned in Psychology 114: Abnormal Psychology. This page will be continually updated this year.
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Dysfunctional Psychology Case Files
In small groups or individually, research multiple cases for the mental disorder of focus. Other methods of investigation (surveys, experiments, etc.) can be used as well. Complete the below for cases you select.
CITATION of the case study
1. Identify the mental disorder
2. Summarize the background of the case (personal history or circumstances).
3. Identify risk factors (these you will likely have to identify)
4. Characteristics/symptoms: be as specific as possible.
5. Treatment approach and its effectiveness.
6. Offer any psychological connections or interpretations (biological points, cognitive, behavioral, humanistic, psychodynamic, etc.).
If you are reviewing a non-case study, provide for the below information
CITATION of the study
1. Hypothesis or research question or topic
2. Participants (numbers and demographics)
3. Method of investigation and procedures
4. Results
5. Discussion: interpretation of the findings.
6. YOUR ANALYSIS and EVALUATION: connect the study's findings to what you have learned in the class (the perspectives, other studies, etc.); how can these findings be applied to help people; evaluation of the methods; ethical considerations; gender considerations.
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Stress and Mental Health Project
Objective
Students will apply their knowledge of the physical and mental health affects of stress on human psychology (particularly teenagers) by developing awareness material (poster, brochure, infographic, etc.) OR a detailed plan for a school day that will information and allow teens to practice affective stress-management strategies.
Instructions
Presenting
Projects will be presented the next class (complete any work for homework). ALL members must present and identify what their role was in the project. Presentations should be no longer than 5 minutes.
Anxiety Disorders Unit Project
In small groups OR individually, select ONE of the below projects (ALL CONTENT MUST BE ORIGINAL). ALL group members MUST demonstrate what he/she had done toward the project.
1. Pick any anxiety disorder from the chapter/class and research recent studies that have shed light on how we understand the disorder and/or how it is treated.
a) Find at least three studies of significant detail -- cite these studies
b) Create detailed summaries of the studies -- in your OWN words
c) Evaluate their claims (offer strengths and limitations of their claims)
d) Develop a presentation of the findings and YOUR analysis.
2. Create a compare-and-contrast visual/graphic organizer of the various perspectives (biological. psychodynamic, cognitive, learning, humanistic, etc.).
a) The visual should offer some representation for how they are different.
b) The visual should be detailed-rich in the perspectives' explanations of the disorders.
c) The visual must be creative and original.
3. Create a review game for the unit. This could be something similar to jeopardy or other game format.
a) Questions should be comprehensive across the disorders: symptoms, causal factors, and treatments.
b) The game can incorporate multi-media elements: videos, images, cases, etc.
Extra Credit Project List
Psychology 114 Study / Final Exam
As an individual or in an approved small group, research, design, develop, execute, write, and present a psychological study related to dysfunctional behavior. Below are the steps, and criteria.
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Dysfunctional Psychology Case Files
In small groups or individually, research multiple cases for the mental disorder of focus. Other methods of investigation (surveys, experiments, etc.) can be used as well. Complete the below for cases you select.
CITATION of the case study
1. Identify the mental disorder
2. Summarize the background of the case (personal history or circumstances).
3. Identify risk factors (these you will likely have to identify)
4. Characteristics/symptoms: be as specific as possible.
5. Treatment approach and its effectiveness.
6. Offer any psychological connections or interpretations (biological points, cognitive, behavioral, humanistic, psychodynamic, etc.).
If you are reviewing a non-case study, provide for the below information
CITATION of the study
1. Hypothesis or research question or topic
2. Participants (numbers and demographics)
3. Method of investigation and procedures
4. Results
5. Discussion: interpretation of the findings.
6. YOUR ANALYSIS and EVALUATION: connect the study's findings to what you have learned in the class (the perspectives, other studies, etc.); how can these findings be applied to help people; evaluation of the methods; ethical considerations; gender considerations.
=================================================================================================================================
Stress and Mental Health Project
Objective
Students will apply their knowledge of the physical and mental health affects of stress on human psychology (particularly teenagers) by developing awareness material (poster, brochure, infographic, etc.) OR a detailed plan for a school day that will information and allow teens to practice affective stress-management strategies.
Instructions
- Get into a manageable group OR you can work on your own.
- Review the affects of stress on the body and mind.
- Review the reading on coping with stress.
- Research online other research-based approaches to coping with stress -- these MUST BE cited.
- Choose which assignment you will do: visual aid on stress and coping with stress OR designing a "Wellness Day" for the school.
- Visual Aid Project
- This visual should have content from the readings, class lecture, and video pertaining to stress.
- The visual should be organized using the following headings: What is Stress, Examples of Stressors for Teens, Physical Effects of Stress, Mental Effects of Stress, Coping Strategies for Stress.
- Include current statistics on stress in the U.S.
- Wellness Day Project
- This project will have lesson plans for a half-day school day. The objectives for what the students learn are the same as above (What is Stress, Examples of Stressors for Teens, Physical Effects of Stress, Mental Effects of Stress, Coping Strategies for Stress), but the information will be taught via activities, presentations, discussions, etc.
- The Wellness Day plan must be DETAILED regarding what will be taught and what the students are to specifically do.
- Include current statistics on stress in the U.S.
Presenting
Projects will be presented the next class (complete any work for homework). ALL members must present and identify what their role was in the project. Presentations should be no longer than 5 minutes.
Anxiety Disorders Unit Project
In small groups OR individually, select ONE of the below projects (ALL CONTENT MUST BE ORIGINAL). ALL group members MUST demonstrate what he/she had done toward the project.
1. Pick any anxiety disorder from the chapter/class and research recent studies that have shed light on how we understand the disorder and/or how it is treated.
a) Find at least three studies of significant detail -- cite these studies
b) Create detailed summaries of the studies -- in your OWN words
c) Evaluate their claims (offer strengths and limitations of their claims)
d) Develop a presentation of the findings and YOUR analysis.
2. Create a compare-and-contrast visual/graphic organizer of the various perspectives (biological. psychodynamic, cognitive, learning, humanistic, etc.).
a) The visual should offer some representation for how they are different.
b) The visual should be detailed-rich in the perspectives' explanations of the disorders.
c) The visual must be creative and original.
3. Create a review game for the unit. This could be something similar to jeopardy or other game format.
a) Questions should be comprehensive across the disorders: symptoms, causal factors, and treatments.
b) The game can incorporate multi-media elements: videos, images, cases, etc.
Extra Credit Project List
- Find a relevant documentary, a non-fiction book, get it approved, and write a psychological review of the film or book.
- Propose a unit-specific recent-research study.
- Create classroom-friendly and very high quality educational visual.
- Propose and execute an experiment, survey, correlational study, etc. to perform regarding a topic within the unit.
- Develop an awareness campaign with a corresponding event.
- Propose and create a documentary (or other medium) with interviews of experts and current information that enhances and expands upon what was learned in the unit. -- This is NOT a review of the unit material.
- Propose an extended investigation of a topic of some sort.
Psychology 114 Study / Final Exam
As an individual or in an approved small group, research, design, develop, execute, write, and present a psychological study related to dysfunctional behavior. Below are the steps, and criteria.