Ap Psychology Summer Assignment Write-Up

AP Psychology Summer Reading Assignment

Welcome to AP Psychology! Psychology is a fascinating social science that endeavors to describe, explain, and predict human thinking and behavior. Given that most students have little prior experience with psychology, this summer assignment helps you to familiarize yourself with one area of psychology that is of interest to you. This assignment will give you experience reading non-fiction, will enhance your understanding of what the study of psychology involves, will encourage you to think in a critical way, and will provide you with knowledge that will enrich our class in the coming year.

On the reverse side of this page is a list of several books, their authors, and the topics that each addresses. The books vary in reading difficulty and content. Due to the nature of the subject matter that defines this course, some of the books do contain mature content. If you are concerned about which book will be best for you, please see Ms. McKay in Room 126.

This summer, you need to… 1. Choose ONE book. If you’re not sure which one you might like, see Ms. McKay for a discussion and suggestions. 2. Read it closely, making note of interesting, surprising, thought-provoking, or challenging passages that raise questions in your mind. Look up unfamiliar terms or concepts, especially those that occur repeatedly. 3. Complete the attached written assignment, which will be due on September 5, 2017.

Several of the books are available through our school or town library, many can be purchased at book stores, and all can be purchased on amazon.com or half.com (new or used). Ms. McKay also has many of the books in her classroom and can lend a book to any student who does not wish to purchase one.

SEE SUMMER READING BOOK CHOICES ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS PAGE! SUMMER READING CHOICES:

Title Author Brief Description Predictably Irrational Dan Ariely Psychological and social influences on economic decision-making and behavior Nurture Shock Po Bronson/Ashley Merriman Influences of social factors on development Quiet: The Power of Introverts … Susan Cain The benefits of the personality trait “introversion” Sleep Thieves Stanley Coren Sleep and the brain GRIT: The Power of Passion and Perseverance Angela Duckworth The role of intensity, drive, and persistence in achievement Stumbling on Happiness Daniel Gilbert How thinking is related to perception, success, and satisfaction Blink: The Power of Thinking without Thinking Malcolm Gladwell Unconscious thought and decision-making Thinking in Pictures: My Life with Autism Temple Grandin An author with a PhD and autism diagnosis explains her perspective An Unquiet Mind Kay Redfield Jamison A memoir of bipolar disorder, written by a psychiatrist Ungifted: Intelligence Redefined Scott Barry Kaufman Questioning ideas of intelligence with research in neuroscience and psych The Minds of Billy Milligan Daniel Keyes DID (multiple personalities) and the criminal justice system The How of Happiness Sonja Lyubomirsky Research findings about what it takes to live a happy life Drive: The Surprising Truth about What Motivates Us Daniel Pink How motivational research informs performance at home, school, and work The Tell-Tale Brain V.S. Ramachandran Evolutionary explanations for brain function Spark John Ratey Exercise and brain function The Quiet Room Lori Schiller A memoir of schizophrenia Confessions of a Sociopath M.E. Thomas A memoir written by a diagnosed sociopath AP PSYCH OLOGY SUMMER WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT

Use your notes from the book that you read this summer to type a 3-4 page response that includes answers to the prompts that follow. Write in paragraph form.

1. Be sure to clearly indicate the title of the book and its author in your response. 2. Describe the subject of the book and explain what you learned about the psychological issue(s) presented in the book through your reading. 3. Quote two specific passages from the book, and describe why each stood out for you. These might be passages that you thought were particularly interesting, surprising, moving, or thought provoking. Choose passages that raised questions for you, or that helped you to make connections to prior learning or personal experiences. 4. Think critically about the content of the book that you read. Did the author have a specific purpose when writing this book? Would you consider the author an expert on the subject? Would someone else write about this subject in a different way? Do you agree or disagree with the author’s perspective? Were there arguments made or information reported in the book that you question? Explain. 5. On a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being “I would never recommend this book to anyone, any time, anywhere, for any reason” and 5 being “This book was excellent,” how would you rate this book for future students? Briefly explain the reason for your ranking. (The summer reading of future students depends on you!)

Your completed response should…  be your own work  demonstrate that you have read and understood your book—if there are terms or concepts that you have not heard of, look them up!  demonstrate the ability to critically evaluate an author’s perspective and/or question information  indicate that you have related your own prior knowledge and/or experiences to the content of your book, or that you have connected ideas in the book to one another  evaluate the book’s usefulness and interest to future students  be organized, neat, and written in complete sentences using correct paragraph structure, spelling, and grammar  be three to four typed pages, double-spaced, using 12-point Times New Roman font with 1” margins

Your responses are due at the beginning of class on TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6 th.

 I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU IN THE FALL! 