2015-2016 AP Psych
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2015-2016 AP Psychology Summer Project
Miss. Chaires
Pamela_Chaires@avusd.org
Please note that AP Psychology is an elective, college-level course with higher student expectations than most courses
taken by high school students. AP Psychology also deals with course material and content at the “college” level, which will
require maturity from student beyond which is typically expected at the high school level.
Students who come into the course with a background in some of the psychological concepts discussed during the year
will have an academic advantage in the class. Prior knowledge allows students to speak intelligently on concepts and
topics and have the potential for more success on the AP Psychology exam in the spring. Therefore you will be required
to complete a four part summer project. The summer project MUST be finished in its entirety and will NOT be accepted if
any components are incomplete or missing. This project will be 10% or your overall grade thus it is impossible to get an A
in the class without successful completion. DUE DATE: The first day of class **Have an electronic copy saved**
If you should have any questions regarding the assignment, please feel free to email me. I will be attending a number of
seminars in California and Colorado preparing myself for my school year and expanding my knowledge as a professional
educator. Therefore, please note the following weeks will be blocked out for traveling and further career development:
-June 21st-27th, 2015
-July 12th-July 21st, 2015
-July 26th-August 1st, 2015
Assignment 1: All future AP Psychology students are expected to read at least one (more than one is encouraged) of the
following or similar psychology-related books before returning to school in August. Possible follow up activities that
teachers might use at the beginning of the school year include journals, reports, and presentations.
After completing your summer reading assignment in AP Psychology, write an original paper of no more than four pages.
The paper should be in double-spaced, 12-point Times-New Roman font, and have 1” margins on all sides. It should also
provide detailed answer to the following questions:
• What was the book about? Who wrote it?
• What did you learn that you didn’t previously know?
• Why were you interested in reading this particular book?
• How does the book you read relate to psychology? Please explain.
• Do you agree or disagree with the author’s conclusions? Please explain and justify you answer.
• After reading the book, is there anything you would like to learn more about?
Remember to cite all you sources using APA (American Psychological Association) format.
**see below for list of possible books; if you would like to read a book not listed below you will need to get the book approved by
me prior to beginning the project.
Book List for Assignment 1:
The following please is a complied list of books to appeal to a variety of psychological interests. Students can
obtain books from local libraries or bookstores.
Experimental Psychology:
• World as Laboratory: Experiments with Mice, Mazes, and Men by Rebecca Lemov
• Opening Skinner’s Box: Great Psychological Experiments of the Twentieth Century by Lauren Slater
• Experiments with People: Revelations From Social Psychology by Robert P. Abelson, Kurt P. Frey, Aiden Gregg, etc.
• Classic Case Studies in Psychology by Geoff Rolls
• Living Walden Two: B.F. Skinner’s Behaviorist Utopia and Experimental Communities by Hilke Kuhlmann
Neuropsychology:
• Mind Wide Open: Your Brain and the Neuroscience of Everyday Life by Steven Johnson
• Brainwashing: The Science of Thought Control by Kathleen Taylor
• Phantoms in the Brain: Probing the Mysteries of the Human Mind by V.S. Ramachandran and Sandra Blakeslee
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• Head Cases: Stories of Brain Injury and Its Aftermath by Michael Paul Mason
• Why Beautiful People Have More Daughters: Evolutionary Psychologists Explain Why We Do What We Do by A.S. Miller • Head Case
by Dennis Cass
• Sway: The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior by Ori Brafman and Rom Brafman
Language, Intelligence and Cognition:
• The Stuff of Thought: Language as a Window into Human Nature by Steven Pinker
• The First Word: The Search for the Origins of Language by Christine Kenneally
• Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain by Oliver Sacks
• What is Intelligence?: Beyond the Flynn Effect by James R. Flynn
• IQ: A Smart History of a Failed Idea by Stephen Murdoch
Sensation and Perception:
• Hypnosis: Secrets of the Mind by Michael Streeter
• The Gift: Extraordinary Experiences of Ordinary People by Sally Rhine Feather
• The Sense of Being Stared At: And Other Unexplained Powers of the Human Mind by Rupert Sheldrake
• The Head Trip: Adventures on the Wheel of Consciousness by Jeff Warren
• Extraordinary Knowing: Science, Skepticism, and the Inexplicable Powers of the Human Mind by Elizabeth Lloyd Mayer
Developmental Psychology:
• Genie: a Scientific Tragedy by Russ Rymer
• As Nature Made Him: The Boy Who Was Raised as a Girl by John Colapinto
• See Jane hit: Why Girls Are Growing More Violent and What We Can Do About It by James Garbarino
• The Boy Who Was Raised As a Dog: And Other Stories from a Child Psychiatrist’s notebook By Bruce D. Perry
• The Primal Teen: What the New Discoveries about the Teenage Brain Tell Us about Our Kids by Barbara Strauch
• Self-Made Man: One Woman’s Journey into Manhood and Back by Norah Vincent
• Grand Theft Childhood: The Surprising Truth About Violent Video Games and What Parents can Do by Lawrence Kutner
• The Sexual Spectrum: Why We’re All Different by Olive Skene Johnson
Psychological Disorders:
• Wasted: A Memoir of Anorexia and Bulimia by Marya Hornbacher
• The Broken Mirror: Understanding and Treating Body Dysmorphic Disorder by Katharine A. Phillips
• Devil in the Details: Scenes form an Obsessive Girlhood by Jennifer Taig
• Divided Minds: Twin Sisters and Their Journey Through Schizophrenia by Pamela Spiro Wagner
• A Fractured Mind: My Life with Multiple Personality Disorder by Robert B. Oxnam
• Sickened: The True Story of a Lost Childhood by Julie Gregory
• Compulsive Acts: A Psychiatrist’s Tales of Ritual and Obsession by Elias Aboujaoude
• Shyness: How Normal Behavior Became a Sickness by Christopher Lane
• Going Postal: Rage, Murder, and Rebellion: From Reagan’s Workplaces to Clinton’s Columbine by Mark Ames
Social Psychology:
• Why We Buy: The Science Of Shopping by Paco Underhill
• Odd Girl Out: The Hidden Culture of Aggression in Girls by Rachel Simmons
• Emotions Revealed: Recognizing Faces and Feelings to Improve Communication and Emotional Life by Paul Ekman
• A World of Gangs: Armed Young Men and Gangsta Culture by John M. Hagedom
• The Lucifer Effect: Understanding How Good People Turn Evil by Philip Zimbardo
• Fame: The Psychology of Stardom by Andre Ewans
• Take Back Your Life: Recovering from Cults and Abusive Relationships by Janja Lalich
• Abducted: How People Come to Believe They Were Kidnapped by Aliens by Susan A. Clancy
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Assignment 2: Summer Scavenger Hunt: Getting to Know Psychology:
Directions: Complete the following questions as an introduction to psychology. Use the suggested
websites to answer the questions. Some of the questions will ask you to attach an article or a picture.
When doing this, label each and attach in the order they are asked for in the scavenger hunt. Your
responses MUST be typed, 12 point font. Do NOT turn in hand written responses.
Biological Basis of Behavior
This emphasizes the relationship between biology and behavior. Here we will examine how the nervous system,
endocrine system, and the brain affect behavior and decision making.
Go here:
http://www.emc.maricopa.edu/faculty/farabee/BIOBK/BioBookNERV.html
1-
What are neurons? How do they work?
2-
What is the function of the peripheral nervous system?
3-
What is the function of the central nervous system?
Go here:
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/anatomy_of_the_endocrine_system/article_em.htm#Endocrine%20System%20Intro
duction
4-
What are some things regulated by the endocrine system?
5-
What 3 important endocrine system glands are located in the brain?
6-
Describe the adrenal glands, what functions do they serve?
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Go here:
http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?PG=fmribrain
7-
What does MRI stand for? What are MRI’s of the brain used for?
Go here:
http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?PG=pet
8-
9-
What does PET stand for? What functions can a PET scan monitor?
Search the internet for a diagram of “Brain Structures and their functions”. Print out the diagram and
attach it to you scavenger hunt. On the back of the diagram, list and explain 3 parts of the brain and
their functions.
Go here: http://www.intelliscript.net/test_area/questionnaire/questionnaire.cgi
10-
Take the Right Brain vs. Left Brain test. Are you right brained or left brained? Do you agree with the
description of your dominant side?
**IF THIS SITE DOES NOT WORK, THERE ARE LOTS OF THESE TYPES OF TESTS ON LINE…
FIND ONE YOU LIKE AND TRY IT! 
Sensation and Perception
This subfield involves processing the information gathered by the nervous system and the brain into meaningful
experiences and feelings.
Go Here: http://www.michaelbach.de/ot/mot_adapt/index.html
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13- Define the Motion Aftereffect.
States of Consciousness
The focus in this field is on states of mind and how they are altered through experiences, sleep, and biological functions.
**FOR THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS YOU WILL HAVE TO CONDUCT Google SEARCHES OR USE OTHER SOURCES TO
FIND THE NECESSARY INFORMATION…
14-
What is structuralism? What did this later became known as?
15-
What was the focus of William James’ studies of consciousness?
16-
What are the levels of consciousness as described by Sigmund Freud?
17-
Describe the views of Carl Jung.
18-
What is REM sleep?
19-
Describe meditation and its purposes.
20-
How can drugs impact consciousness?
21-
Identify 3 types of drugs and explain their effects on consciousness
Learning
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There are several types of learning which psychologists focus on. Research and practice can center on the way the brain
retains information as well as how learning can impact and change behavior.
Go Here: http://nobelprize.org/educational_games/medicine/pavlov/readmore.html
22-
Describe the Pavlov’s Dog experiment. What was he trying to investigate?
23-
Why were Pavlov’s experiments so important to psychology?
Go here: http://psychology.about.com/od/behavioralpsychology/a/introopcond.htm
24-
What is operant conditioning?
25-
Whose research was Skinner’s work based on?
26-
Take this quiz on learning styles http://www.edutopia.org/multiple-intelligences-learning-styles-quiz
I.
Analyze your results. Were you surprised by the learning styles in which you had the highest percentages?
Explain. What could be the use of a test like this?
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Cognition
Information and research here will focus on memory, thinking, language and intelligence.
Source: http://www.offthemarkcartoons.com/cartoons/1998-10-01.gif
YOU MAY NEED TO SEARCH AROUND AT SEVERAL SITES!!!
27Search the internet for 2 cartoons like the one shown that discuss memory.
Attach the cartoons to your scavenger hunt. Try to explain how this might relate to
memory and psychology.
Read this article: http://www.davidmyers.org/Brix?pageID=65
28-
Discuss one of your own fears that might seem illogical to others. What are the influences on our
intuitions about risk?
Motivation and Emotion
Here psychologists focus on the influences of motivations, and the causes and impacts of human emotions.
Go Here: http://allpsych.com/psychology101/emotion.html
29-
What are the parts of the James-Lange theory?
30-
How does the Cannon-Bard theory look different?
31-
Which of the theories do you feel is most accurate? Explain your answer.
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Developmental Psychology
Focus on changes in behavior, emotion, cognition and perception throughout the life span.
32As an introduction to some of the current issues of developmental psychology, read the following
article: http://www.theatlanticwire.com/technology/2011/08/what-facebook-does-kids-brains/40973/
Discuss the extent to which you agree with the author’s point of view. Overall, is Facebook more helpful or harmful to
kids? Explain.
Personality
Focus on our underlying patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving.
Go Here: http://www.psych.uncc.edu/pagoolka/typea-b-intro.html
Take the Type A/B Personality Test
33-
Describe your results. Do you think they are accurate?
34-
What could be some problems with this type of test?
Abnormal Psychology and Treatment of Psychological Disorders:
Focus of the causes and definition of mental disorders as well as appropriate ways to treat these conditions.
Go here: http://www.health.com/health/gallery/thumbnails/0,,20393228,00.html
35-
Choose 3 of the “10 Things to Say (and 10 Not to Say) to Someone with Depression” and explain why
you think sometimes people give the wrong advise in this area. How can we help educate people on
how to help friends and family that might be suffering from depression?
2015-2016 AP Psych
#1_____________________________
#2_____________________________
#3_____________________________
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2015-2016 AP Psych
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Assignment 3: Getting to know YOU: Consider the following statement:
“There is much debate and research in the field of psychology about whether ‘Nature’ (biochemistry, genes, and physical traits) or
‘Nurture’ (family, environment, and culture) have the most influence on our behavior, thought processes, and personality.
Discuss the ways you think nature and nurture have influenced both your everyday thoughts and behaviors as well as
your life goals and ambitions.
Your response should be 2-3 pages in length, typed and double-spaced using 12 pt. Times New Roman font and 1” margins. Use the
following format for the heading:
Your Name
Summer Essay
AP Psychology
Day Month 2015
Title
2015-2016 AP Psych
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Assignment #4: Vocabulary: Define and create note cards or a vocabulary list for the following vocabulary
terms. Evaluate the definitions and group the terms together according to your understanding.
Once you have defined the vocabulary terms, on a separate paper (typed) use your understanding of their
definitions to group appropriate terms together and provide a brief rationale for your term
groupings/associations. There should be a minimum of 4 groupings. These terms will be utilized during the first
unit and will be included in your course assessments and on the AP Psychology Examination.
**Provide a typed list of the source(s) you utilized for the definition of the terms in APA format**
Psychology
Empiricism
Structuralism
Functionalism
Applied Research
Psychiatry
Natural Selection
Basic Research
Nature versus Nurture Issue
Biopsychosocial Approach
Levels of Analysis
Approaches to Psychology
Biological
Evolutionary
Psychodynamic
Behavioral
Cognitive
Humanistic
Socio-cultural
2015-2016 AP Psych
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AP Psychology Summer Assignment Grading Rubrics
The following rubric will be used to assess your performance for EACH of the following parts of your
summer project. All assignments are equally critical.
I.
II.
III.
IV.
Assignment 1: AP Psychology Book Report (25 points)
Assignment 2: Summer Scavenger Hunt (25 points)
Assignment 3: Getting to Know YOU Report (25 points)
Assignment 4: Vocabulary (25 points)
Total: 100 Points
Teacher Name: Mrs. Chaires
Category
Quality of Information
Amount of Information
Organization
Sources
4
Information clearly
relates to the main
topic questions. It
includes several
supporting details
and/or examples
from the selected
text.
All topics are
addressed and all
thoroughly
questions answered.
Information is very
organized with well
constructed
paragraphs,
subheadings and
thoroughly follows
the format
directions.
All sources are
accurately
documented in the
desired format.
Student Name: ________________________________________
3
Information clearly
relates to the main
topic questions. It
provides 12
supporting details
and/or examples
from the selected
text.
All topics are
addressed and most
questions answered
2
Information clearly
relates to the main
topic questions. No
details and/or
examples are given.
1
Information has little
or nothing to do with
the main topic
questions.
Topics and questions
are vaguely answered
One or more topics
were not addressed.
Information is
organized with well
constructed
paragraphs and
thoroughly follows
the format directions.
Information is
organized, but
paragraphs are not
well constructed
and
lack of following the
format directions.
The information is
disorganized and
does not follow the
formatting
expectations.
All sources are
accurately
documented, but a
few are not in the
desired format.
All sources are
accurately
documented, but a
few are not in the
desired format.
Some sources are
not accurately
documented.
2015-2016 AP Psych
2015-2016 AP Psychology
Student Name: ___________________________________
Chaires 13
Chaires
Room No.:____________
Welcome to AP Psychology for the 2015-2016 academic year. The following packet is your summer project. Please thoroughly read
through the document. I will be hosting an after school meeting in my classroom (D504) on Tuesday, May 26 th, 2015 between 2:102:45pm to explain the expectations and directions as well as, answer any questions you may have.
Thank you,
Ms. Chaires
2015-2016 AP Psychology
Student Name: ___________________________________
Chaires
Room No.:____________
Welcome to AP Psychology for the 2015-2016 academic year. The following packet is your summer project. Please thoroughly read
through the document. I will be hosting an after school meeting in my classroom (D504) on Tuesday, May 26 th, 2015 between 2:102:45pm to explain the expectations and directions as well as, answer any questions you may have.
Thank you,
Ms. Chaires
2015-2016 AP Psychology
Student Name: ___________________________________
Chaires
Room No.:____________
Welcome to AP Psychology for the 2015-2016 academic year. The following packet is your summer project. Please thoroughly read
through the document. I will be hosting an after school meeting in my classroom (D504) on Tuesday, May 26 th, 2015 between 2:102:45pm to explain the expectations and directions as well as, answer any questions you may have.
Thank you,
Ms. Chaires
2015-2016 AP Psychology
Student Name: ___________________________________
Chaires
Room No.:____________
Welcome to AP Psychology for the 2015-2016 academic year. The following packet is your summer project. Please thoroughly read
through the document. I will be hosting an after school meeting in my classroom (D504) on Tuesday, May 26 th, 2015 between 2:102:45pm to explain the expectations and directions as well as, answer any questions you may have.
Thank you,
Ms. Chaires