Common Planner
K–12 Standards

Psychology

Other West Virginia Social Studies sets

Scientific Inquiry

  • 1

    Development of psychology as an empirical science.SS.P.1

    1. 1

      Define psychology as a discipline and identify its goals as a science.SS.P.1.1

    2. 2

      Describe the emergence of psychology as a scientific discipline.SS.P.1.2

    3. 3

      Describe perspectives employed to understand behavior and mental processes.SS.P.1.3

    4. 4

      Explain how psychology evolved as a scientific discipline.SS.P.1.4

  • 2

    Major subfields within psychology.SS.P.2

    1. 1

      Discuss the value of both basic and applied psychological research with human and non-human animals.SS.P.2.1

    2. 2

      Describe the major subfields of psychology.SS.P.2.2

    3. 3

      Identify the important role psychology plays in benefiting society and improving people’s lives.SS.P.2.3

  • 3

    Research methods and measurements used to study behavior and mental processes.SS.P.3

    1. 1

      Describe the scientific method and its role in psychology.SS.P.3.1

    2. 2

      Describe and compare a variety of quantitative (e.g., surveys, correlations, experiments) and qualitative (e.g., interviews, narratives, focus groups) research methods.SS.P.3.2

    3. 3

      Define systematic procedures used to improve the validity of research findings, such as external validity.SS.P.3.3

Biopsychology

  • 4

    Structure and function of the nervous system in human and non-human animals.SS.P.4

    1. 1

      Identify the major divisions and subdivisions of the human nervous system.SS.P.4.1

    2. 2

      Identify the parts of the neuron and describe the basic process of neural transmission.SS.P.4.2

    3. 3

      Differentiate between the structures and functions of the various parts of the central nervous system.SS.P.4.3

    4. 4

      Describe lateralization of brain functions.SS.P.4.4

    5. 5

      Discuss the mechanisms of, and the importance of, plasticity of the nervous system.SS.P.4.5

  • 5

    Structure and function of the endocrine system.SS.P.5

    1. 1

      Describe how the endocrine glands are linked to the nervous system.SS.P.5.1

    2. 2

      Describe the effects of hormones on behavior and mental processes.SS.P.5.2

    3. 3

      Describe hormone effects on the immune system.SS.P.5.3

  • 6

    The interaction between biological factors and experience.SS.P.6

    1. 1

      Describe concepts in genetic transmission.SS.P.6.1

    2. 2

      Describe the interactive effects of heredity and environment.SS.P.6.2

    3. 3

      Explain how evolved tendencies influence behavior.SS.P.6.3

  • 7

    Methods and issues related to biological advances.SS.P.7

    1. 1

      Identify tools used to study the nervous system, including the brain.SS.P.7.1

    2. 2

      Describe advances made in neuroscience.SS.P.7.2

    3. 3

      Discuss issues related to scientific advances in neuroscience and genetics.SS.P.7.3

  • 8

    The processes of sensation and perception.SS.P.8

    1. 1

      Discuss processes of sensation and perception and how they interact.SS.P.8.1

    2. 2

      Explain the concepts of threshold and adaptation.SS.P.8.2

  • 9

    The capabilities and limitations of sensory processes.SS.P.9

    1. 1

      List forms of physical energy for which humans and non-human animals do and do not have sensory receptors.SS.P.9.1

    2. 2

      Describe the visual sensory system.SS.P.9.2

    3. 3

      Describe the auditory sensory system.SS.P.9.3

    4. 4

      Describe other sensory systems, such as olfaction, gustation, and somesthesis (e.g., skin senses, kinesthesis, and vestibular sense).SS.P.9.4

  • 10

    Interaction of the person and the environment in determining perception.SS.P.10

    1. 1

      Explain Gestalt principles of perception.SS.P.10.1

    2. 2

      Describe binocular and monocular depth cues.SS.P.10.2

    3. 3

      Describe the importance of perceptual constancies.SS.P.10.3

    4. 4

      Describe the nature of attention.SS.P.10.4

    5. 5

      Explain how experiences and expectations influence perception.SS.P.10.5

Cognition

  • 11

    Encoding of memory.SS.P.11

    1. 1

      Identify factors that influence encoding.SS.P.11.1

    2. 2

      Characterize the difference between shallow (surface) and deep (elaborate) processing.SS.P.11.2

    3. 3

      Discuss strategies for improving the encoding of memory.SS.P.11.3

  • 12

    Storage and retrieval of memory.SS.P.12

    1. 1

      Describe the differences between working memory and long-term memory.SS.P.12.1

    2. 2

      Identify and explain biological processes related to how memory is stored.SS.P.12.2

    3. 3

      Analyze the importance of retrieval cues in memory.SS.P.12.3

    4. 4

      Discuss strategies for improving the retrieval of memories.SS.P.12.4

  • 13

    Basic elements comprising thought.SS.P.13

    1. 1

      Define cognitive processes involved in understanding information.SS.P.13.1

    2. 2

      Define processes involved in problem solving and decision making.SS.P.13.2

    3. 3

      Discuss non-human problem-solving abilities.SS.P.13.3

  • 14

    Obstacles related to thought.SS.P.14

    1. 1

      Describe obstacles to problem solving.SS.P.14.1

    2. 2

      Describe obstacles to decision making.SS.P.14.2

    3. 3

      Describe obstacles to making good judgments.SS.P.14.3

Development and Learning

  • 15

    Classical conditioning.SS.P.15

    1. 1

      Describe the principles of classical conditioning.SS.P.15.1

    2. 2

      Describe clinical and experimental examples of classical conditioning.SS.P.15.2

    3. 3

      Apply classical conditioning to everyday life. Methods and issues in life span development.SS.P.15.3

    4. 4

      Explain the interaction of environmental and biological factors in development, including the role of the brain in all aspects of development.SS.P.15.4

    5. 5

      Explain issues of continuity/discontinuity and stability/change.SS.P.15.5

    6. 6

      Distinguish methods used to study development.SS.P.15.6

    7. 7

      Describe the role of sensitive and critical periods in development.SS.P.15.7

  • 16

    Operant conditioning.SS.P.16

    1. 1

      Describe the Law of Effect.SS.P.16.1

    2. 2

      Describe the principles of operant conditioning.SS.P.16.2

    3. 3

      Describe clinical and experimental examples of operant conditioning.SS.P.16.3

    4. 4

      Apply operant conditioning to everyday life.SS.P.16.4

    5. 5

      Physical, cognitive, and social development across the life span (prenatal, infancy, childhood, adolescence, emerging adulthood, adulthood, and older adulthood.)SS.P.16.5

    6. 6

      Identify key features of physical development from prenatal through older adulthood.SS.P.16.6

    7. 7

      Identify key features of cognitive development from prenatal through older adulthood.SS.P.16.7

    8. 8

      Identify key features of social development from prenatal through older adulthood.SS.P.16.8

Sociocultural Context

  • 17

    Social cognition.SS.P.17

    1. 1

      Describe attributional explanations of behavior.SS.P.17.1

    2. 2

      Describe the relationship between attitudes (implicit and explicit) and behavior.SS.P.17.2

    3. 3

      Identify persuasive methods used to change attitudes.SS.P.17.3

  • 18

    Social influence and relations.SS.P.18

    1. 1

      Describe effects of others’ presence on individuals’ behavior.SS.P.18.1

    2. 2

      Discuss how an individual influences group behavior.SS.P.18.2

    3. 3

      Discuss the nature and effects of stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination.SS.P.18.3

    4. 4

      Describe determinants of prosocial behavior.SS.P.18.4

    5. 5

      Discuss influences upon aggression and conflict.SS.P.18.5

    6. 6

      Discuss factors influencing attraction and relationships.SS.P.18.6

  • 19

    Social and cultural diversity.SS.P.19

    1. 1

      Define culture and diversity.SS.P.19.1

    2. 2

      Identify how cultures change over time and vary within nations as well as internationally.SS.P.19.2

    3. 3

      Discuss the relationship between culture and conceptions of self and identity.SS.P.19.3

    4. 4

      Discuss psychological research examining race and ethnicity.SS.P.19.4

    5. 5

      Discuss psychological research examining socioeconomic status.SS.P.19.5

    6. 6

      Discuss how privilege and social power structures relate to stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination.SS.P.19.6

Individual Variations

  • 20

    Perspectives on motivation.SS.P.20

    1. 1

      Explain biologically based theories of motivation.SS.P.20.1

    2. 2

      Explain cognitively based theories of motivation.SS.P.20.2

    3. 3

      Explain humanistic theories of motivation.SS.P.20.3

    4. 4

      Explain the role of culture in human motivation.SS.P.20.4

  • 21

    Perspectives on emotion.SS.P.21

    1. 1

      Explain the biological and cognitive components of emotion.SS.P.21.1

    2. 2

      Discuss psychological research on basic human emotions.SS.P.21.2

    3. 3

      Differentiate among theories of emotional experience.SS.P.21.3

  • 22

    Perspectives on abnormal behavior.SS.P.22

    1. 1

      Define psychologically abnormal behavior.SS.P.22.1

    2. 2

      Describe historical and cross-cultural views of abnormality.SS.P.22.2

    3. 3

      Describe major models of abnormality.SS.P.22.3

    4. 4

      Discuss how stigma relates to abnormal behavior.SS.P.22.4

    5. 5

      Discuss the impact of psychological disorders on the individual, family, and society.SS.P.22.5

  • 23

    Categories of psychological disorders.SS.P.23

    1. 1

      Describe the classification of psychological disorders.SS.P.23.1

    2. 2

      Discuss the challenges associated with diagnosis.SS.P.23.2

    3. 3

      Describe symptoms and causes of major categories of psychological disorders (including schizophrenic, mood, anxiety, and personality disorders).SS.P.23.3

    4. 4

      Evaluate how different factors influence an individual’s experience of psychological disorders.SS.P.23.4

  • 24

    Perspectives on treatment of psychological disorders.SS.P.24

    1. 1

      Explain how psychological treatments have changed over time and among cultures.SS.P.24.1

    2. 2

      Match methods of treatment to psychological perspectives.SS.P.24.2

    3. 3

      Explain why psychologists use a variety of treatment options.SS.P.24.3

Application

  • 25

    Career options.SS.P.25

    1. 1

      Identify careers in psychological science and practice.SS.P.25.1

    2. 2

      Identify resources to help select psychology programs for further study.SS.P.25.2

  • 26

    Educational requirements.SS.P.26

    1. 1

      Identify degree requirements for psychologists and psychology-related careers.SS.P.26.1

    2. 2

      Identify resources to help select psychology programs for further study.SS.P.26.2

  • 27

    Vocational applications of psychological science.SS.P.27

    1. 1

      Discuss ways in which psychological science addresses domestic and global issues.SS.P.27.1

    2. 2

      Identify careers in psychological science that have evolved as a result of domestic and global issues.SS.P.27.2

Frequently asked questions

What grade levels do these standards cover?
Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, and Grade 12

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