APA National Standards for High School Psychology Curricula

VA-1. Characteristics and origins of abnormal behavior
VA-2. Methods used in exploring abnormal behavior
VA-3. Major categories of abnormal behavior
VA-4. Impact of mental disorders

VA-1.1 Distinguish the common characteristics of abnormal behavior.

Students may indicate this by (performance indicators): Listing criteria that distinguish normal from disordered behavior Identifying patterns of behavior that constitute abnormality Describing how some abnormal behaviors may be designated as abnormal only in particular historical or cultural contexts

VA-1.2 Cite examples of abnormal behavior.

Students may indicate this by (performance indicators): Describing observable symptoms of abnormal behavior Distinguishing disorders on the basis of severity of interference with functioning, such as psychotic versus nonpsychotic disorders

VA-1.3 Relate judgments of abnormality to contexts in which those judgments occur.

Students may indicate this by (performance indicators): Recognizing the influence of context in designating abnormal behavior Identifying how judgments about abnormality have changed through history (e.g., epilepsy) Describing some abnormal behaviors specific to particular contexts or circumstances Acknowledging sociocultural implications of labeling behavior as abnormal Citing examples of misdiagnosis that may result from evaluator ignorance of relevant cultural and situational norms for behavior

VA-1.4 Describe major explanations for the origins of abnormality.

Students may indicate this by (performance indicators): Describing biological approaches as explaining disorders arising from physiological sources Characterizing psychological approaches as explaining disorders derived from psychological sources, such as emotional turmoil, distorted thinking, and learning Identifying sociocultural approaches as explaining how sociocultural factors, such as class and gender, influence diagnosis Defending spiritually-based explanations for abnormal behavior (e.g., soul loss, transgression against ancestor) Recognizing that a label, such as schizophrenia, does not explain, but only describes abnormal behavior patterns Exploring the long-term impact of diagnostic labels even after successful treatment

VA-2.1 Identify the purpose of different research methods.

Students may indicate this by (performance indicators): Describing methods used in research on abnormal behavior, such as case studies, experiments, and surveys Justifying the use of one method over another to answer a specific research question Discussing how animal models of abnormality offer insight into human problems

VA-2.2 Characterize the advantages and limitations of different research methods for studying abnormal behavior.

Students may indicate this by (performance indicators): Evaluating the quality of research conclusions derived in a specific study Hypothesizing about the preferred method for answering a specific research question Discussing validity of findings of research methods with different cultural groups

VA-3.1 Discuss major categories of abnormal behavior.

Students may indicate this by (performance indicators): Explaining selected psychological disorders as classified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual Identifying symptoms of selected categories of disorders

VA-3.2 Explore the challenges associated with accurate diagnosis.

Students may indicate this by (performance indicators): Examining the influence of cultural, ethnic, racial, age, religious, gender, social class, ability/disability, or sexual orientation bias on diagnosis Explaining how psychologists with different orientations produce different diagnostic conclusions about the same case example Exploring how definitions of abnormality differ over time and across cultures

VA-4.1 Consider factors that influence vulnerability to abnormal behavior.

Students may indicate this by (performance indicators): Exploring how sociocultural factors influence vulnerability to abnormal behavior Describing the role of heredity as it influences risk for abnormal behavior Identifying sociocultural factors that can help to explain the higher incidence of depression in women than in men (e.g., workplace discrimination, family violence, and poverty)

VA-4.2 Discuss the stigma associated with abnormal behavior.

Students may indicate this by (performance indicators): Citing historic or fictional examples of stigmatized behavior Hypothesizing about how abnormal conditions might influence acceptance in contemporary life

VA-4.3 Speculate about means for promoting greater understanding of abnormal behavior.

Students may indicate this by (performance indicators): Describing historic efforts to promote tolerance of those stigmatized by mental disorder Developing a strategy to promote support for individuals (e.g., children, adolescents, and adults) with specific mental disorders

VB-1. Prominent methods used to treat individuals with disorders
VB-2. Types of practitioners who implement treatment
VB-3. Legal and ethical challenges involved in delivery of treatment

CONTENT STANDARD VB-1: Prominent methods used to treat individuals with disorders
Students are able to (performance standards):

VB-1.1 Describe availability and appropriateness of various modes of treatment for individuals (e.g., children, adolescents, and adults) with psychological disorders.

Students may indicate this by (performance indicators): Describing major treatment orientations used in therapy, such as behavioral, cognitive, psychoanalytic, humanistic, feminist, and biomedical Distinguishing psychotherapy from medical intervention and spiritual support Describing different treatment formats, such as individual, couple therapy or group therapy Explaining how different treatment orientations will influence the therapy plan Discussing how theoretical orientations may promote specific treatment biases

VB-1.2 Describe characteristics of effective treatment and prevention.

Students may indicate this by (performance indicators): Characterizing early attempts to reduce psychological symptoms and speculate about their likelihood of success Discussing credibility of treatment based upon cultural explanations or beliefs about abnormality or causation of illness Hypothesizing about factors that prompt ethnic minority group members to stay or leave treatment (sometimes characterized as premature termination) provided in state or county mental health facilities Identifying criteria for evaluating successful treatment Discussing the validity of treatments for different cultural groups Citing evidence for success of a treatment intervention Describing prevention strategies that build resilience and promote competence

VB-2.1 Identify therapists according to training.

Students may indicate this by (performance indicators): Differentiating various types of intervention specialists (e.g., psychologist, psychiatrist, counselor, social worker) Debating the advantages and disadvantages of different types of practitioners Exploring how credibility of treatment professionals or healers varies among diverse groups of people

VB-2.2 Describing strategies for locating appropriate therapists.

Students may indicate this by (performance indicators): Locating care providers through established systems, such as local mental health associations, hospitals, and mental health clinics Incorporating the idea of matching the presenting problem to the orientation and expertise of the care provider Hypothesizing about why disenfranchised group members might mistrust mental health professionals in traditional settings Discussing validity of findings of research methods with different cultural groups

VB-3.1 Describe the intersection between mental health and law.

Students may indicate this by (performance indicators): Identifying conflicts between individual rights and rights of society, as illustrated by deinstitutionalization and commitment proceedings Distinguishing competent to stand trial versus legally insane status Identifying historic or fictional examples involving mental health judgments in legal settings

VB-3.2 Examine the influence of ethics and professional practice.

Students may indicate this by (performance indicators): Identifying the therapist’s ethical obligation to practice competently Describing how confidentiality protect client privacy Explaining “right to treatment” as well as “right to refuse treatment”

Content Standards

After concluding this unit, students understand:

VC-1. Social judgment and attitudes
VC-2. Social and cultural categories
VC-3. Social influence and relationships

Content Standards With Performance Standards and Suggested Performance Indicators

CONTENT STANDARD VC-1: Social judgment and attitudes
Students are able to (performance standards):

VC-1.1 Demonstrate an understanding of person perception.

Students may indicate this by (performance indicators): Explaining the role of social schemas in person perception Stating how different kinds of physical attractiveness can influence perceptions of other personal characteristics Describing how cultural socialization determines social schema development

VC-1.2 Describe how attributions affect our explanations of behavior.

Students may indicate this by (performance indicators): Explaining differences between internal and external attributions and the role that culture plays in assigning such attributions Drawing conclusions about the effect of actor-observer bias and the formation of fundamental attribution errors

VC-1.3 Identify sources of attitude formation.

Students may indicate this by (performance indicators): Providing learning-based interpretations of attitude formation (e.g., Asch) Explaining the role of expectations and stereotyped thinking as they relate to attitude and behavior (e.g., Milgram) Discussing the contribution of role-playing to attitude formation (e.g., Zimbardo’s prison experiment)

VC-1.4 Assess some methods used to change attitudes.

Students may indicate this by (performance indicators): Citing research on the effects of advertising and persuasion Hypothesizing about the potential of media to influence positive attitude change Creating campaigns to produce social change and evaluate their effectiveness

VC-2.1 Identify basic social and cultural categories.

Students may indicate this by (performance indicators) Identifying major social categories in the U.S. culture (e.g., gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and disability) Describing the components of culture (e.g., symbols, language, norms, and values) Differentiating between culture and society or social structure Describing and differentiating between rural and urban social structures and diverse populations

VC-2.2 Discuss how social and cultural categories affect behavior.

Students may indicate this by (performance indicators): Explaining how U.S. culture is both similar to and different from culture in other countries Discussing how membership in particular social categories (e.g., gender, age, and sexual orientation) can affect how individuals are treated, and how that treatment can change over time and differ across cultures Hypothesizing about how lives would change if magically transformed into a different social category (e.g., other gender) Discussing the types of misunderstandings (both verbal and nonverbal) that can occur between people of different cultures (e.g., differences in interpersonal space, attitude toward silence in a conversation)

VC-3.1 Describe effects of the presence of others on individual behavior.

Students may indicate this by (performance indicators): Applying the concept of social facilitation to performance at a track meet Providing an example of the bystander effect Distinguishing differences in social behavior among individuals relative to their exercise of power (e.g., persons with less power may show greater awareness of persons with more power)

VC-3.2 Describe how social structure can affect intergroup relations.

Students may indicate this by (performance indicators): Discussing conflict and the processes involved in conflict resolution Describing Sherif’s research and explaining its implications about superordinate goals Giving examples of creating social structures that would foster competition between groups Differentiating between American and Japanese business models Providing positive and negative outcomes of group polarization Giving examples of how a superordinate goal can increase cooperation between groups

VC-3.3 Explore the nature and effects of bias and discrimination.

Students may indicate this by (performance indicators): Describing how social biases create a world where one kind of person is considered to be normative, and other kinds of persons are “different” (e.g., males are normative, whereas females are different; European Americans are normative, whereas other ethnic groups are different) Examining how bias and discrimination influence behavior Describing examples from early research on prejudice and discrimination Relating a personal example of ethnocentrism Exploring the nature of in-group/out-group dynamics Describing the sources of opposition to the 1954 Supreme Court’s decision regarding Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka Predicting how the self-fulfilling prophecy can fuel stereotypes about ethnic groups and gender Developing strategies for promoting tolerance, cooperation, and equality

VC-3.4 Describe circumstances under which conformity and obedience are likely to occur.

Students may indicate this by (performance indicators): Explaining the importance of group size as a predictor of conformity Discussing why obedience to authority is a common phenomenon Citing examples of disobedience to authority Analyzing disasters from the perspective of the groupthink hypothesis (e.g., space shuttle disaster, Bay of Pigs)

VC-3.5 Discuss the nature of altruism in society.

Students may indicate this by (performance indicators): Delineating the arguments for and against the labeling of a given human behavior as altruistic Debating whether specific actions qualify as altruistic Discussing the factors that increase or decrease altruism

VC-3.6 Discuss the significance of aggression.

Students may indicate this by (performance indicators): Explaining aggression from several theoretical orientations (e.g., biomedical, psychodynamic, and social-learning perspectives) Debating whether media can influence aggressive acts Discussing ways to reduce aggression and violence in schools and/or in society at large Describing examples of aggression in animals, other than humans

VC-3.7 Discuss factors influencing attraction

Students may indicate this by (performance indicators): Identifying the important factors that help or hinder the forming and maintaining of close relationships Discussing gender and cultural differences in the criteria for, and the process of, mate selection Explaining how gender and culture may influence attraction