2016 Summer Reading Assignments IB Psychology II:
Rising Seniors (Class of 2017)
Review the google.doc and choose one book from your assigned subtopic. We will be covering all subtopics of Human Relationships & Abnormal Psychology next year for Paper 2 of your External Assessment. (Just to clarify, you are only responsible for reading one book, but feel free to read more if you want) Please try to email me with the title of your specific book you chose by July 1st so that I can add them to the google.doc! or
HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS:
Social Responsibility:
The Price of Altruism: George Price and the Search for the Origins of Kindnessby Oren Solomon Harman
Survival of the fittest or survival of the nicest? Since the dawn of time man has contemplated the mystery of altruism, but it was Darwin who posed the question most starkly. From the selfless ant to the stinging bee to the man laying down his life for a stranger, evolution has yielded a goodness that in theory should never be. Set against the sweeping tale of 150 years of scientific attempts to explain kindness, The Price of Altruism tells for the first time the moving story of the eccentric American genius George Price (1922–1975), as he strives to answer evolution's greatest riddle. An original and penetrating picture of twentieth century thought, it is also a deeply personal journey. From the heights of the Manhattan Project to the inspired equation that explains altruism to the depths of homelessness and despair, Price's life embodies the paradoxes of Darwin’s enigma. His tragic suicide in a squatter’s flat, among the vagabonds to whom he gave all his possessions, provides the ultimate contemplation on the possibility of genuine benevolence. 24 black-and-white illustrations.
Moral Origins: The Evolution of Virtue, Altruism, and Shame
byChristopher Boehm
From the age of Darwin to the present day, biologists have been grappling with the origins of our moral sense. Why, if the human instinct to survive and reproduce is “selfish,” do people engage in self-sacrifice, and even develop ideas like virtue and shame to justify that altruism? Many theories have been put forth, some emphasizing the role of nepotism, others emphasizing the advantages of reciprocation or group selection effects. But evolutionary anthropologist Christopher Boehm finds existing explanations lacking, and in Moral Origins, he offers an elegant new theory. Tracing the development of altruism and group social control over 6 million years, Boehm argues that our moral sense is a sophisticated defense mechanism that enables individuals to survive and thrive in groups. One of the biggest risks of group living is the possibility of being punished for our misdeeds by those around us. Bullies, thieves, free-riders, and especially psychopaths—those who make it difficult for others to go about their lives—are the most likely to suffer this fate. Getting by requires getting along, and this social type of selection, Boehm shows, singles out altruists for survival. This selection pressure has been unique in shaping human nature, and it bred the first stirrings of conscience in the human species. Ultimately, it led to the fully developed sense of virtue and shame that we know today.A groundbreaking exploration of the evolution of human generosity and cooperation, Moral Origins offers profound insight into humanity’s moral past—and how it might shape our moral future.
Survival of the Nicest: How Altruism Made Us Human and Why It Pays to Get Along
by Stefan Klein
The phrase “survival of the fittest” conjures an image of the most cutthroat individuals rising to the top. But Stefan Klein, author of the #1 international bestseller The Science of Happiness and winner of the Georg von Holtzbrinck Prize for Scientific Journalism, makes the startling assertion that the key to achieving lasting personal and societal success lies in helping others. In fact, Klein argues, altruism is our defining characteristic: Natural selection favored those early humans who cooperated in groups, and with survival more assured, our altruistic ancestors were free to devote brainpower to developing intelligence, language, and culture—our very humanity. As Klein puts it, “We humans became first the friendliest and then the most intelligent apes.”To build his persuasive case for how altruistic behavior made us human—and why it pays to get along—Klein synthesizes an extraordinary array of material: current research on genetics and the brain, economics, social psychology, behavioral and anthropological experiments, history, and modern culture. Ultimately, his groundbreaking findings lead him to a vexing question: If we’re really hard-wired to act for one another’s benefit, why aren’t we all getting along?Klein believes we’ve learned to mistrust our generous instincts because success is so often attributed to selfish ambition. In Survival of the Nicest, he invites us to rethink what it means to be the “fittest” as he shows how caring for others can protect us from loneliness and depression, make us happier and healthier, reward us economically, and even extend our lives.
Interpersonal Relationships:
Why We Love: The Nature and Chemistry of Romantic Love
by Helen E. Fisher
In Why We Love, renowned anthropologist Helen Fisher offers a new map of the phenomenon of love—from its origins in the brain to the thrilling havoc it creates in our bodies and behavior. Working with a team of scientists to scan the brains of people who had just fallen madly in love, Fisher proved what psychologists had until recently only suspected: when you fall in love, specific areas of the brain "light up" with increased blood flow. This sweeping new book uses this data to argue that romantic passion is hardwired into our brains by millions of years of evolution. It is not an emotion; it is a drive as powerful as hunger. Provocative, enlightening, engaging, and persuasive, Why We Love offers radical new answers to age-old questions: what love is, who we love—and how to keep love alive.
That's Not What I Meant!: How Conversational Style Makes or Breaks Relationships
byDeborah Tannen(Author)
In That’s Not What I Meant!, Deborah Tannen, renowned communication expert and author explores how conversational styles can make or break interpersonal relationships at home, at work, or at play. Fans of her books and the healthily curious reader interested in popular psychology, feminism, linguistics, or social sciences will be fascinated by Tannen’s remarkable insights into unintentional conversational confusion.That’s Not What I Meant!is an essential guide to recognizing and adjusting what we say and how we are saying it in order to strengthen or save a relationship.
*Dangerous Passion
by David M. Buss
*The content of this book is for mature readers. If you/your child is uncomfortable with the material, please choose another book
Why do men and women cheat on each other? How do men really feel when their partners have sex with other men? What worries women more -- men who turn to other women for love or men who simply want sexual variety in their lives? Can the jealousy husbands and wives experience over real or imagined infidelities be cured? Should it be? In this surprising and engaging exploration of men's and women's darker passions, David Buss, acclaimed author of The Evolution of Desire, reveals that both men and women are actually designed for jealousy. Drawing on experiments, surveys, and interviews conducted in thirty-seven countries on six continents, as well as insights from recent discoveries in biology, anthropology, and psychology, Buss discovers that the evolutionary origins of our sexual desires still shape our passions today. According to Buss, more men than women want to have sex with multiple partners. Furthermore, women who cheat on their husbands do so when they are most likely to conceive, but have sex with their spouses when they are least likely to conceive. These findings show that evolutionary tendencies to acquire better genes through different partners still lurk beneath modern sexual behavior. To counteract these desires to stray -- and to strengthen the bonds between partners -- jealousy evolved as an early detection system of infidelity in the ancient and mysterious ritual of mating. Buss takes us on a fascinating journey through many cultures, from pre-historic to the present, to show the profound evolutionary effect jealousy has had on all of us. Only with a healthy balance of jealousy and trust can we be certain of a mate's commitment, devotion, and true love.
*The Evolution Of Desire - Revised Edition 4
by David M. Buss
*The content of this book is for mature readers. If you/your child is uncomfortable with the material, please choose another book
If we all want love, why is there so much conflict in our most cherished relationships? To answer this question, says noted psychologist David Buss, we must look into our evolutionary past. Based on the most massive study of human mating ever undertaken, encompassing more than ten thousand people of all ages from thirty-seven cultures worldwide, The Evolution of Desire is the first book to present a unified theory of human mating behavior. Now in a revised and updated edition, Buss's classic presents the latest research in the field, including startling new discoveries about the evolutionary advantages of infidelity, orgasm, and physical attractiveness.
The New Psychology of Love
by Robert J. Sternberg
Love . . . What is it? Can we define it? What is its role in our lives? What causes love, and what dooms it? No single theory adequately answers all our questions about the nature of love, yet there are many theories that can contribute to our understanding of it. This fascinating book presents the full range of psychological theories on love—biological, taxonomical, implicit, cultural—updated with the latest research in the field. Robert Sternberg and Karin Weis have here gathered more than a dozen expert contributors to address questions about defining love, the evidence for competing theories, and practical implications. Taken together, these essays offer a comprehensive and engaging comparison of contemporary data and theories. As a follow up to The Psychology of Love, which was published in 1988 and edited by Robert Sternberg and Michael Barnes, this new collection engages with the many changes in the study of love in recent years. New theories are introduced as are modifications to existing theories. Focusing not on a single point of view but on the entire range of current theories, The New Psychology of Love provides today’s definitive account of the nature of love.
Violence:
The Bully Society: School Shootings and the Crisis of Bullying in America's Schools (Intersections:Transdisciplinary Perspectives on Genders and Sexualities)
by Jessie Klein
In today’s schools, kids bullying kids is not an occasional occurrence but rather an everyday reality where children learn early that being sensitive, respectful, and kind earns them no respect. Jessie Klein makes the provocative argument that the rise of school shootings across America, and childhood aggression more broadly, are the consequences of a society that actually promotes aggressive and competitive behavior.The Bully Societyis a call to reclaim America’s schools from the vicious cycle of aggression that threatens our children and our society at large.
Heartbreaking interviews illuminate how both boys and girls obtain status by acting “masculine”—displaying aggression at one another’s expense as both students and adults police one another to uphold gender stereotypes. Klein shows that the aggressive ritual of gender policing in American culture creates emotional damage that perpetuates violence through revenge, and that this cycle is the main cause of not only the many school shootings that have shocked America, but also related problems in schools, manifesting in high rates of suicide, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, self-cutting, truancy, and substance abuse. After two decades working in schools as a school social worker and professor, Klein proposes ways to transcend these destructive trends—transforming school bully societies into compassionate communities.
Culture Of Honor: The Psychology Of Violence In The South (New Directions in Social Psychology)
byRichard E NisbettDov Cohen
In the United States, the homicide rate in the South is consistently higher than the rate in the North. In this brilliantly argued book, Richard Nisbett and Dov Cohen use this fact as a starting point for an exploration of the underlying reasons for violence. According to Nisbett and Cohen, the increased tendency of white southerners to commit certain kinds of violence is not due to socioeconomic class, population density, the legacy of slavery, or the heat of the South; it is the result of a culture of honor in which a man’s reputation is central to his economic survival. Working from historical, survey, social policy, and experimental data, the authors show that in the South it is more acceptable to be violent in response to an insult, in order to protect home and property, and to aid in socializing children. These values are reflected not only in what southerners say, but also in the institutional practices of the South, the actions of Southerners, and their physiological responses to perceived affronts. In this lively and intriguing account, the authors combine bold theory and careful methodology to reveal a set of central beliefs that can contribute to increased violence. More broadly, they show us the interaction between culture, economics, and individual behavior. This engaging study will be of interest to students, educated lay readers, and scholars.
Evil: Inside Human Violence and Cruelty
byRoy F. Baumeister
Why is there evil, and what can scientific research tell us about the origins and persistence of evil behavior? Considering evil from the unusual perspective of the perpetrator, Baumeister asks, How do ordinary people find themselves beating their wives? Murdering rival gang members? Torturing political prisoners? Betraying their colleagues to the secret police? Why do cycles of revenge so often escalate? Baumeister casts new light on these issues as he examines the gap between the victim's viewpoint and that of the perpetrator, and also the roots of evil behavior, from egotism and revenge to idealism and sadism. A fascinating study of one of humankind's oldest problems, Evil has profound implications for the way we conduct our lives and govern our society.
The Anatomy of Violence: The Biological Roots of Crime
byAdrian Raine
Why do some kids from good environments become mass murderers? Is there actually such a thing as a natural born killer? And, if so, what can we do to identify and treat those born with a predisposition to criminal behavior? For more than three decades Adrian Raine has sought answers to these questions through his pioneering research on the biological basis for violence. In this book, he presents the growing body of evidence that shows how genetics and environmental influences can conspire to create a criminal brain, and how something as seemingly innocent as a low resting heart rate can give rise to a violent personality. Bristling with ingenious experiments, surprising data, and shocking case studies, this is also a clear-eyed inquiry into the thorny ethical issues this science raises about prevention and punishment. Passionate, courageous, and at times controversial, The Anatomy of Violence is a ground-breaking work that will challenge your core human values and perspectives on violence.Show moreShow less
Humans Relationships Journaling Assignments:
Due the first day of class
You must respond to all questions that relate to the topic of the book you chose. For each question (including the 5 additional journal entries), you must respond with a thoughtful response (10 detailed sentences); please provide evidence from the book to back up your responses! (direct quotes/paraphrasing with page numbers must be included) I prefer that you type your responses (12 point font, double spaced) however, if you need to handwrite them, than that will be acceptable. Be sure to number and staple all of your questions together and remember to put your name on the front.
Social Responsibility / Interpersonal Relationships / ViolenceWhat causes some people to be willing to risk their own life to save another person’s life? / What causes someone to love another individual? What purpose do you think love serves? / What causes some people to become violent?
Would you be willing to risk your life for someone? Would there be any specific circumstances that would cause you to help or not to help? / Do you think that everyone is capable of loving another individual? / Have you ever witnessed violence and how did it impact you?
Do you believe that some cultures are more empathetic than others? If so, what do you think causes these differences? / What do you think allows relationships to last? / Do you believe that some cultures are more violent than others? If so, what do you think causes these differences?
How do social norms impact an individual’s willingness to help a stranger? / Do you think jealously helps or hinders relationships? / Overall, do you think the world as a whole has become a more violent place? Justify your response
Research the Kitty Genovese case. Explain the case and the term/concept that relates to this case. If you were a bystander what would you have done? / Do you think being in a relationship is a NEED or a WANT? Justify your response / Have you personally been bullied or know someone that has? How did it impact you/them?
Why do you think some people bully others?
Do you think the concept of helping others is a learned behavior or something that we are innately born with? / What is the difference between lust, love, and attachment? / What type of situations makes you angry? Do you deal with your anger in a healthy way?
When you see someone in trouble, how do you feel and what do you do? Why do you feel and act this way? / Do you think conflicts in relationships are caused by an individual’s personality or due to outside factors and situations within the environment? / Do you think that violence can be reduced? If so what are some ideas/programs that can help reduce violence?
Make 5 more journal entries about questions you may have, ideas/concepts that sparked your interest, or ideas you may disagree/agree with. Be ready to share these thoughts on the first day of class! Each response must be AT LEAST 10 sentences! / Make 5 more journal entries about questions you may have, ideas/concepts that sparked your interest, or ideas you may disagree/agree with. Be ready to share these thoughts on the first day of class! Each response must be AT LEAST 10 sentences! / Make 5 more journal entries about questions you may have, ideas/concepts that sparked your interest, or ideas you may disagree/agree with. Be ready to share these thoughts on the first day of class!
Each response must be AT LEAST 10 sentences!
ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY: