AP PSYCHOLOGY
ESSENTIAL UNIT 6 (E06)
(Motivation and Emotion)
(JULY 2012)
Unit Statement: The student will explore biological and social factors that motivate
behavior and biological and cultural factors that influence emotion.
Essential Outcomes:
1. The Student Will identify and apply basic motivational concepts to understand the
behavior of humans and other animals (e.g., instincts, incentives, intrinsic versus
extrinsic motivation).
2. TSW discuss the biological underpinnings of motivation, including needs, drives
and homeostasis.
3. TSW compare and contrast motivational theories (e.g., drive reduction theory,
arousal theory, general adaptation theory), including the strengths and
weaknesses of each.
4. TSW describe classic research findings in specific motivation systems (e.g.,
eating, sex, social).
5. TSW discuss theories of stress and the effects of stress on psychological and
physical well-being.
6. TSW compare and contrast major theories of emotion (e.g., James-Lange, CannonBard, Schachter two-factor theory).
7. TSW describe how cultural influences shape emotional expression, including
variations in body language.
8. TSW identify key contributors in the psychology of motivation and emotion (e.g.,
William James, Alfred Kinsey, Abraham Maslow, Stanley Schachter, Hans
Selye)
Materials:
1. King, Laura A. “Chapter 9.” The Science of Psychology: Essentials. New York:
McGraw-Hill, 2009. Print.
2. Meyers, David. “Modules 26 through 32.” Exploring Psychology in Modules, 7e,
E-book Access Card (Activation code for 365-day access). New York: Worth
Publishers, 2008. Print.
3. " Psychology Home ." Teacher Professional Development and Teacher Resources
by Annenberg Media. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Oct. 2010.
<http://www.learner.org/discoveringpsychology>.
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QSI AP PSYCHOLOGY SEC E06
Copyright © 1988-2012
Websites:
1. King - The Science of Psychology
2. Myers 7e in Modules
3. HippoCampus Psychology - Homework Help
4. Course-notes for Psychology
5. Psychology Home
6. Encyclopedia of Psychology - Psychology Websites
7. ADHD and Stimulants: Brain Boost or Drug Abuse? | Going Mental | Big Think
8. Bizarre Disorders of the Brain | Going Mental | Big Think
9. How the Alzheimer's Gene Affects a Colombian Family - Video Feature NYTimes.com
10. Addiction Science Research and Education Center
11. Leaders of the pack display high 'emotional intelligence'
12. Harvard's Shawn Achor on How to Be Happier | What's New at Big Think | Big
Think
13. Would Freud Feel Happy Now? | Think, See, Feel | Big Think
14. What Makes Us Happy? - Magazine - The Atlantic
15. Does Thinking About Money Make Us Less Happy No Matter How Much We
Have? | Big Questions Online
16. More on Money and Happiness | Big Questions Online
17. Is It Surprising That Our Brains Respond More to Those We’re Close With Than
Those Similar to Us? | Big Questions Online
18. Observations: Music and speech share a code for communicating sadness in the
minor third
19. The Deep Pain of Awkward Silences | Smart Journalism. Real Solutions. MillerMcCune.
20. These are our brains on music… : McGill Reporter
21. The Rule Book | Smart Journalism. Real Solutions. Miller-McCune.
22. Indispensability Is a Performance Enhancer | Smart Journalism. Real Solutions.
Miller-McCune.
23. BBC - Lab UK - Experiments - How musical are you?
24. YouTube - The Actual '73 Giving Tree Movie Spoken By Shel Silverstein
25. 1: Family, Friends & Lovers | This Emotional Life
26. 2: Facing Our Fears | This Emotional Life
27. 3: Rethinking Happiness | This Emotional Life
28. Teaching Resources — Pursuit of Happiness
29. More to a Smile Than Lips and Teeth - NYTimes.com
30. The Science Of Happiness - Science360 - The Knowledge Network
31. YouTube - Dr. Randy Pausch - Last Lecture
32. YouTube - Clarinet Scene - Mr. Holland's Opus
33. The Truth about Lies - CBS News Video
34. Neuromarketers Know You Better Than You Know Yourself | Hybrid Reality | Big
Think
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QSI AP PSYCHOLOGY SEC E06
Copyright © 1988-2012
Mandatory Assessments:
1. AP style multiple-choice exams must be used. The majority of the
questions should require students to use higher order thinking skills such as
synthesis and evaluation in which the student must combine knowledge and
skills across the unit.
2. Students must be required to complete the Examination Analysis form that
is contained as an attachment to the Course Outcomes. Students who have
taken the class report the value in helping them properly learn the TSWs.
3. Teacher generated or AP published free-response questions. Free response
questions can be taken directly from the AP Central site with rubrics
already created to use as an assessment tool.
Optional Assessments:
1. Create flash cards for the unit. Students have reported after the AP Exam
that they wish this was mandatory. Teachers may want to take this student
feedback into account in designing their teaching for this and all other
essential units.
2. Students present their approach to a free-response question to the class.
This holds students accountable demonstrating the ability to dissect freeresponse questions and for developing an outline to answer the question.
The focus is on students’ learning to answer the question asked.
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QSI AP PSYCHOLOGY SEC E06
Copyright © 1988-2012