Advanced Placement Psychology - Summer Work

**You must pick-up a copy of the AP Psychology text before leaving school in June

1. A skill which is highly valued in AP Psychology is the outlining of the text which is reading and preparing notes on that material. You will be regularly required to complete this task during the school year. By way of introduction, the AP summer work requires that you read and outline the Prologu e and much of Chapter 1 of the text (approx. 30 pages). This outline may either b e hand-written or typed and will be COLLECTED ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL. The specific topics and pages to be included in the outline are as follows: •• Prologue: The Story of Psychology (p 1)

o Psychology’s Roots (pp 2-7) o Contemporary Psychology (pp8-14) o Your Study of Psychology (pp 15-16)

•• Chapter 1: Thinking Critically With Psychological S cience o The Need for Psychological Science (pp19-26) o Description (pp 26-30) o Correlation (30-35)

2. A second part of your assignment is to complete the study guides for the above pages. These are a series of fill-in questions whic h I often use during the school year. The specific questions are attached to this sheet. Unlike the outlines, however, these study guides are due prior to the start of school. THESE SHEETS SHOULD BE PLACED IN MY MAILBOX IN THE CENTRAL OFFICE OF THE H IGH SCHOOL ON OR BEFORE TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2009 AT 3:00 PM. I do not accept late work. If not placed in my box by this time, don’t bother.

3. Finally, you will also be required to complete t wo free-response questions related to the same material. Please keep in mind that writin g in Psychology is different than the open-ended questions you may have written in Hi story or English class. In simple terms – no fluff or fill. Answer the questi ons as clearly and concisely as possible. You are NOT to include even a topic sent ence or closing sentence. Just answer the question. Your responses must be typed and are also due in my mailbox on or before TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2009 AT 3:00 PM. Th e two questions are as follows:

•• Julie, a physics major, has difficulty believing th at psychology is a science

because people cannot observe other people's though ts and sensations. Explain how Wilhelm Wundt and John Watson would have respon ded to Julie's skepticism regarding psychology's scientific status.

•• Jack is a second-grade student. He seems to have n o interest in learning, often

daydreaming in class and frequently disrupting the class by throwing objects at other students. Describe how a biopsychosocial appr oach might provide both an integrated explanation of Jack's classroom behavior and practical suggestions for helping Jack to cope more effectively with the chal lenges he faces.