AP Psychology Summer Assignment 2019

PART I: Podcast & TED Talk Assignment

Choose 3 of the TED Talks listed below and 3 of the podcasts listed below to watch/listen to and
analyze. For each talk and podcast, complete a typed Response and Analysis Sheet.

TED Talk Options:

❖ Philip Zimbardo: The Psychology of Evil
https://www.ted.com/talks/philip_zimbardo_on_the_psychology_of_evil?language=en
❖ Martin Seligman: New Era of Positive Psychology
https://www.ted.com/talks/martin_seligman_on_the_state_of_psychology?language=en
❖ Elizabeth Loftus: How Reliable Is Your Memory
https://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_loftus_the_fiction_of_memory
❖ Susan Cain: Power of Introverts
https://www.ted.com/talks/susan_cain_the_power_of_introverts
❖ Keith Barry: Brain Magic
https://www.ted.com/talks/keith_barry_does_brain_magic
❖ Angela Lee Duckworth: The Key to Success - Grit
https://www.ted.com/talks/angela_lee_duckworth_grit_the_power_of_passion_and_pers
everance
❖ Amy Cuddy: Body Language Shapes Who You Are
https://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_are
❖ Dan Gilbert: Surprise Science of Happiness
https://www.ted.com/talks/dan_gilbert_asks_why_are_we_happy
❖ Pamela Meyer: How to Spot a Liar
https://www.ted.com/talks/pamela_meyer_how_to_spot_a_liar
❖ Ben Ambridge - 10 Myths About Psychology Debunked
https://www.ted.com/talks/ben_ambridge_10_myths_about_psychology_debunked

Podcast Options
❖ Freakonomics - 5 Psychology Terms You’re Probably Misusing
http://freakonomics.com/podcast/misused-psychology-terms/
❖ Sawbones – Phrenology
http://www.maximumfun.org/sawbones/sawbones-phrenology
❖ Sigmund Freud (I & II)
https://player.fm/series/the-story-of-psychology/sigmund-freud-part-1​,
https://player.fm/series/the-story-of-psychology/sigmund-freud-part-2
❖ Psychoanalysis: A Contemporary Treatment?
http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/allinthemind/psychoanalysis/6757820
❖ Behaviorism
https://player.fm/series/the-story-of-psychology/behaviorism
 ❖ The Cognitive Movement
https://player.fm/series/the-story-of-psychology/the-cognitive-movement​,
https://player.fm/series/the-story-of-psychology/the-cognitive-movement-part-2
❖ What is Forensic Psychology Really All About?
https://player.fm/series/the-psych-files/1-ep-294-what-is-forensic-psychology-really-all-ab
out
❖ RadioLab - Oliver Sacks: A Journey from Where to Where
http://www.radiolab.org/story/oliver-sacks-journey-where-to-where​/
❖ Little Albert’s Real Identity - Time to Rewrite the Textbooks
https://player.fm/series/the-psych-files/ep-223-little-alberts-real-identity-time-to-rewrite-th
e-textbooks
❖ Hidden Brain - The Scientific Process
https://www.npr.org/2016/05/24/477921050/when-great-minds-think-unlike-inside-scienc
es-replication-crisis
❖ Planet Money - The Experiment Experiment
https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2016/01/15/463237871/episode-677-the-experiment
-experiment
❖ Why Replications Sometimes Don’t Agree with the Original Study
https://player.fm/series/the-psych-files/ep-246-why-replications-sometimes-dont-agree-wi
th-the-original-study
❖ SYSK - How the Placebo Effect Works
https://www.stuffyoushouldknow.com/podcasts/how-the-placebo-effect-works.htm
❖ SYSK - What Are False Positives?
https://www.stuffyoushouldknow.com/podcasts/what-are-false-positives.htm
❖ Personal Space Invasions – Ethical Implications of one of Psychology’s Strangest
Studies
http://www.thepsychfiles.com/2008/09/episode-69-personal-space-invasions-ethics-of-ps
ychologys-strangest-study/
❖ Stuff You Missed in History Class: The Tuskegee Syphilis Study
https://www.missedinhistory.com/podcasts/tuskegee-syphilis-study.htm
❖ RadioLab - Henrietta Lacks
http://www.radiolab.org/story/91716-henriettas-tumor/

History and Approaches to Psychology Goals

❖ Describe and compare different theoretical approaches in explaining behavior:
structuralism, functionalism, Gestalt, psychoanalytic, behaviorism, humanism, cognitive,
biological, socio-cultural, and evolutionary
❖ Recognize the strengths and limitations of applying theories to explain behavior
❖ Distinguish the different domains of psychology (biological, clinical, cognitive,
counseling, developmental, educational, experimental, human factors,
industrial–organizational, personality, psychometric, social)
❖ Explain the role of major historical figures in psychology (Mary Whiton Calkins, Charles
Darwin, Dorothea Dix, Sigmund Freud, G. Stanley Hall, William James, Ivan Pavlov,
 Jean Piaget, Carl Rogers, B. F. Skinner, Margaret Floy Washburn, John B. Watson, and
Wilhelm Wundt)
❖ Research Methods
❖ Describe descriptive research studies with regard to purpose, strengths and weaknesses
by taking into account different types (case studies, naturalistic observation and surveys)
random sampling, wording-effect, replication, generalization and applicable biases (ex.
social desirability effect, response bias, sampling bias).
❖ Describe correlational research study with regard to purpose, strengths, and
weaknesses by taking into account illusory correlations, operational definitions, random
sampling, correlational coefficient, and scatter-plots.
❖ Describe experimental research design with regard to purpose, strengths, and
weaknesses by taking into account operational definitions, independent/dependent
variables, extraneous variables, control/experimental groups, random assignment of
participants, single/double blind procedures, and applicable biases.
❖ Apply basic statistical concepts to explain research findings using descriptive statistics:
central tendency (mean, median, mode, skewed distributions), variance (range, standard
deviation, and normal distributions).
❖ Apply basic statistical concepts to explain experimental research findings using
inferential statistics (statistical significance, p-value).
❖ Identify the APA ethical guidelines, such as debriefing and informed consent, and
identify how they inform and constrain research practices.

Response & Analysis Sheet

Type up the following information after you have listened to your chosen TED Talks and
podcasts. This must be filled out separately for each TED Talk and podcast, using a separate
page for each talk/podcast.
Your name:
Title of TED Talk/podcast:
Explain the topic/main idea of the TED Talk/podcast in at least one paragraph:

Analyze 3 idea/concepts from the podcast you found interesting or enlightening (include why).
These should be about a paragraph each, but remember most of this is your opinion as to why
you found it interesting:
1.
2.
3.

Additionally, for each TED Talk/ podcast, connect the information with a key concept from the
History and Approaches to Psychology Goals. Explain the relationship/connection. The TED
Talk or podcast may connect with more than one Goal, so address all points of connection.
PART II: Reflection Paper
Everyone has a preconceived notion about what “psychology” is. Through the TED talks, you
are being introduced to various topics in psychology, and through the podcasts, you are being
introduced to many of the major figures from the past and the great diversity that exists in
research interests. Now, I would like you to reflect upon what you have learned about
psychology thus far. Please write a reflection paper that addresses the following questions.

❖ Before you listened to any of the podcasts or watched the TED Talks, what did you think
psychology was? What did you think psychologists do? What kind of topics did you
believe psychologists are interested in?
❖ Explain why you chose the podcasts and TED Talks that you did.
❖ What did you find most interesting or surprising? What did these podcasts and TED talks
teach you that you didn’t know before? Why did these stand out to you?
❖ What do you want to learn in our class? What areas are of greatest interest to you?
Why?

Your reflection must be at least 3 pages (typed, double-spaced, 12-point font: Times New
Roman/Arial/Calibri). Use specific examples from the podcasts and TED Talks to illustrate your
reflections.You do not need to follow a traditional 5-paragraph paper, but please be sure I can
tell which question (from above) is being answered.