31 Jan an adaptation response

Week 1 discussion

DQ1 Research Theory

Deception is used in research in order prevent participants from behaving in an expected way. For example, if participants know they are being observed about how angry something makes them, they may behave with more anger since that is what the study is about. Or they may want to seem as though they do not easily anger and try to show no anger at all.

Deception can be a helpful tool in conducting experiments. Discuss when and how much deception is acceptable and when a researcher has taken deception too far.

DQ2 Research Design

Social Psychology is applicable to a number of everyday occurrences.

For this question describe a theory in social psychology that you would like to know the answer to. Then describe how you would go about setting up an experiment to study your idea.

What is your hypothesis? What are the independent and dependent variables? How would you determine causality or correlation in this study?

Week 2 discussion

DQ1 The Influence of Culture

This discussion references the part of CO 3 that covers self in a social world. Culture is one of the two major independent variables that influences our self-concepts. Think of culture as a master script for our shared values, beliefs, ideas, and behaviors that is handed down from one generation to the next.

Individualism is an important cultural dimension in America. What is individualism, and how does it impact the way that we think of ourselves? Contrast your answer with the concept of collectivism and how it makes a person think of himself or herself.

DQ2 Attributing Cause and Effect

This discussion references CO4 with respect to impressions we form of ourselves and others.

Suppose your friend Lucy gets a hot last-minute deal on a 7-day trip to Cancun and misses the first 5 days of Week 3 in her online course at Chamberlain. As a result, she loses 15 of 30 discussion points, incurs a 30-point penalty for the late submission of an assignment that is worth 50 points, and also has so little time to study for the quiz that she earns only 55 of 100 possible points. You believe she was irresponsible, but you also are her friend. When she asks your opinion concerning the fact that the professor would not cut her a break, your response seems to be plagued by illusion of transparency discussed in Chapter 2. How has this social psychological concept impacted your response to her?

Week 3 discussion

The Influences of Gender

This discussion references CO 6 as it applies to social influences of which we may not be aware. Gender is the socially defined set of characteristics that are assigned to a category based on one’s biological sex. There are three biological-sex categories: male, female, and intersex (having both male and female sex organs). The terms man and woman are the gender categories with which you may be most familiar.

What does it mean to be a man and woman in our society? What kinds of social roles are perceived to be appropriate for men and women?

Week 4 discussion

DQ1 Conformity in Group Life

The study of conformity involves why people are likely to change their behaviors or beliefs as a result of real or imagined group pressure. Your textbook describes three types of conformity. If your employer has a policy that employees must wear business attire when making a presentation to clients, which type of conformity is implied: compliance, obedience, or acceptance? What about the situation led you to your conclusion?

DQ2 Doomsday Cults

This discussion references CO 7 which is specifically about cults and the social processes within them. The CO references new religious organizations called doomsday cults, though we may also touch on other new religious organizations that are not apocalyptic.

Consider Jim Jones, Marshall Applewhite, and David Koresh. What characteristics do or did these doomsday cult leaders have in common?

Week 5 discussion

Discrimination Experiences

This discussion references CO 5 as it applies to stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination. Some relevance to CO 3 is also implied with respect to the sense of social self, self-concept, and self-esteem.

We will approach the subject by observing that being the target of discrimination can be a life-altering experience for someone in a target group. Access to housing accommodations is an area of American social life in which discrimination on the basis of race and ethnicity continues, even if not legally.

What must it feel like to sense that you are being excluded from renting an apartment because you are a member of a visible minority?

Week 6 discussion

DQ1 Get Mad or Get Even?

This graded discussion references CO 12 as it applies to aggression. One form of aggression that practically everybody can relate to is road rage. Road rage is aggressive behavior by a car or truck driver in response to the actions of another road user.

Most of us have either been targets of road rage, been the road ragers, or perhaps both. To begin our discussion, please share a story about road rage in your life, or the life or a friend or relative.

DQ2 Circle of Friends

This discussion references COs 9 and 10 as they apply to interpersonal attraction.

People inherently tend to categorize the people in their lives in terms of levels of interpersonal attraction. We perceive people who are lovers, friends, and acquaintances differently.

Do you make a distinction in your life between acquaintances and friends? What are the differences?

Week 7 discussion

The Games We Play

This discussion references CO 13 which is about violent aggression – an extreme form of conflict.

In Chapter 13 (Conflict and Peacemaking), Myers starts his coverage of what causes conflict by examining social dilemmas. What are the characteristics of a social dilemma?

Week 8 discussion

Clinical Judgement

This discussion references CO 11 as it applies to clinical judgements, cognitive processes, psychological approaches to treatment, and social relationships. Describe some ways new or seasoned health professionals can develop or improve clinical judgement skills? What are the risk factors associated with the lack of sound judgement?

Week 1 assignment

Week 1

The Many Me’s Questionnaire

This is a self-reflection assignment that is completed in two parts. This week you will complete the Many Me’s Questionnaire and submit it for 20 points. In week 2 you will complete a write up about your responses.

In this part you explore your self-concept collection by completing a short exercise in which you identify words that you use to describe yourself in response to the question “Who am I”?

Fill in the blanks in the Many Me’s questionnaire below. There are five dimensions of self that are covered. Report your descriptive words for each dimension. Once you have completed the questionnaire submit your assignment for grading in word document.

The Many Me’s Questionnaire

Words or phrases I use to describe my physical self

1. I am ___________________________________________

2. I am ___________________________________________

3. I am ___________________________________________

4. I am ___________________________________________

5. I am ___________________________________________

Words or phrases I use to describe my personality

6. I am ___________________________________________

7. I am ___________________________________________

8. I am ___________________________________________

9. I am ___________________________________________

10. I am ___________________________________________

Words or phrases I use to describe my social self (me interacting with others)

11. I am ___________________________________________

12. I am ___________________________________________

13. I am ___________________________________________

14. I am ___________________________________________

15. I am ___________________________________________

Words or phrases I use to describe my character traits

16. I am ___________________________________________

17. I am ___________________________________________

18. I am ___________________________________________

19. I am ___________________________________________

20. I am ___________________________________________

Words or phrases I use to describe my skills and abilities

21. I am ___________________________________________

22. I am ___________________________________________

23. I am ___________________________________________

24. I am ___________________________________________

25. I am ___________________________________________

.

Week 2 assignment

As you learned in this week’s readings and lecture we develop a sense of who we are by responding to the question “Who am I?” This exercise helps you look at your own response to this question.

You learned that each of us has an entire repertoire of self-concepts instead of just one, and that within this repertoire we attach different levels of importance to the various self-concepts. We present a self to others according to the situation we are in.

Last week you completed the Many Me’s Questionnaire. This week you will complete a write up of your responses by reflecting on your sense of self and answering the following five (5) questions about your self-concepts and report these in the second section of your paper:

a. Which of these identities is the most fundamental to your sense of self?

b. To which of these identities are you most strongly committed and why?

c. How were or are other people important to developing your most important self-concepts?

d. How have your images of self changed over the last five years?

e. Have you ever had your self-concepts challenged?

Expectations:

1. Write an essay-style report comprised of the two parts specified above.

2. The suggested length is 400 words although you are free to write more if you find it interesting to do so;

3. Your document file must be MS Word, Word Pad or rtf;

4. Single-spacing is fine;

5. You do not need a title page although your name must appear at the top of the document;

6. Before submitting your homework, spell check it and grammar check it;

7. Submit your homework below no later than Sunday of Week 2 before 11:59 PM Mountain time.

Grading:

• Thoughtful, fully formed responses using course terminology to the 5 different questions –40 points

• Orderliness, freedom from spelling and grammar errors written in APA style – 10 points

Week 3 assignment

Gender in the Workplace Assignment

Oftentimes it appears that genders are equal in the workplace. While we like to think this, research will prove that is not the case. Women are still paid less and do not hold as many higher level positions. This week you will research current events to help understand and deconstruct this issue.

Some examples of topics you may want to research regarding gender and:

Pay Gap Academics Research

Leadership Promotions Small Business

Careers Technology Glass Ceiling

Your assignment for this week is to find two articles that discuss the issue of gender in the workplace. To help guide your analysis, complete the following steps:

– Summarize each article, focusing on main ideas and primary examples (2-4 Paragraphs)

– Discuss the relationship between the articles and key terms and ideas in social psychology (2-3 Paragraphs)

– Provide recommendations with ideas on how to change the issue and utilize social psychology ideas to support your recommendation (1-2 paragraphs)

– Provide APA citations for both articles and additional references.

Week 4 assignment

This assignment is worth up to 75 points. We will apply course concepts from Myers Chapter 7 (Persuasion) to the following case:

Case. Spin doctoring is form of impression management that has been in the repertoire of public relations practitioners for four decades. The term refers to the tactic of shifting the focus off of the negative and harmful aspects of something by substituting another issue that has positive connotations. Spin doctors change the terms of public perception and debate using the mass media, which today includes blogs and social media like Facebook. Spin doctoring is an international phenomenon the serves the interests of organizations in every sector of society.

The tobacco industry is considered to be the classic case of spin doctoring. After 1966 when the Surgeon General of the U.S. pronounced that cigarette packages must carry a health warning, the tobacco industry found a way to offset the damaging publicity by sponsoring sports and arts events and giving grants for community development. By de-emphasizing the dangers of smoking and emphasizing the positive contributions being made to community life, Big Tobacco trivialized the health problems and turned attention instead to its displays of corporate social responsibility.

A contemporary example of spin doctoring relates to the claim that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, which was the original rationale for the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003. When the intelligence about weapons of mass destruction proved to be faulty, the debate was quickly and skillfully shifted by spin doctors to a humanitarian argument that the Iraqi people must be freed from the clutches Saddam Hussein the ruthless dictator. While no evidence of weapons of mass destruction could be found, mass graves of Iraqi citizens killed at the behest of Saddam Hussein could be found and thus, legitimate the invasion.

The debate over climate change and global warming is very similar in some ways to the tobacco example because it involves the efforts of hydrocarbons producers to debunk the hypothesis that global warming is primarily caused by the high levels of CO2 emissions associated with the consumption of fossil fuels. By spinning the argument away from CO2 emissions towards touting how technology is producing cleaner, greener fuels, the hydrocarbon industry gives the appearance of being environmentally responsible at a time when the pressure from environmental organizations like Greenpeace and the Suzuki Foundation, and high-profile environmentalists like Al Gore cannot be denied.

Your Assignment: Use critical thinking to analyze the following three questions relating to aspects of persuasion. Specifically utilized the particular course concept or concepts stated in each question.

1. Which paths(s) to persuasion is/are present in the global warming case? Explain how the paths are shown.

2. How does the tobacco industry example fit into our understanding of impression management?

3. Is spin doctoring the same as propaganda or is it fundamentally different? How so? Address the weapons of mass destruction case in your answer.

Expectations

• You will address each of the required questions in essay form, explaining the reasoning behind your answer and identifying the course concept(s) explicitly;

• You will use subheadings so that each question clearly occupies its own section of the paper;

• Your name will appear on the first page of your paper;

• You will use APA citations in the text and include a References section at the end of your paper

• You will spell and grammar check your paper

Week 5 assignment

A grassroots way to facilitate change in society is through a social movement. Often these movements are created after an injustice to change the way a society thinks and acts towards a sect of people. Your assignment this week focuses on using social psychology concepts to explain the development of a social movement and the change in society that has occurred from the social movement.

Some examples of social movements you may want to research are:

Black Lives Matter Blue Lives Matter Pro-Choice

Defend Science LGBTQ Human Rights

Environment Animal Rights Anti-Bullying

Your assignment for this week is to find two articles that discuss one social movement. To help guide your analysis, complete the following steps:

– Summarize each article, focusing on main ideas and primary examples (2-4 Paragraphs)

– Discuss the relationship between the articles and key terms and ideas in social psychology (2-3 Paragraphs)

– Describe social change that has come about from the movement and utilize social psychology ideas to support your recommendation (1-2 paragraphs)

– Provide APA citations for both articles and additional references.

Week 6 assignment

This assignment involves the critical analysis of a case study. The case study subject is model Cindy Jackson exploring attraction and media influence

Process:

Explore Cindy Jackson’s official website at http://www.cindyjackson.com/

Critically analyze the contents of the complete website

Based on your findings answer the following four questions:

1. What does your critical analysis of the website reveal to you about Cindy Jackson’s sense of her social self, her self-concept, her self-esteem and her self-presentation?

2. How does the physical attractiveness stereotype of interpersonal attraction factor into your findings about Cindy Jackson?

3. How does the mass media influence Cindy Jackson’s lifeworld?

4. What do you perceive that the theme of “manufacturing beauty” means?

Graded Product:

1. Write an essay presenting your critical analysis in an orderly and persuasive manner

2. Using subheadings, address each of the four required questions

3. Remember to use APA citations and include a References section, don’t forget to cite and reference Cindy Johnson’s website.

4. Spell and grammar check your document

5. Submit your assignment below by 11:59 PM MT on Sunday of Week 6

Week 7 assignment

Global Warming Case Study

Numerous people indicate that global warming is an issue for the future of the environment. Others disagree with the idea that global warming is even a concern. Your task this week will be to dissect articles that reflect both sides of the global warming argument.

Your assignment for this week is to find two articles that discuss the issue global one. One article should state that global warming is an issue and the other article should state that global warming is not a real concern.

– Summarize each article, focusing on main ideas and primary examples (2-4 Paragraphs)

– Discuss the relationship between the articles and key terms and ideas in social psychology (2-3 Paragraphs)

– Describe which side makes a more compelling argument and utilize social psychology ideas to support your decision (1-2 paragraphs)

– Provide APA citations for both articles and additional references.

Week 8 Final Exam

Question 1

CO 5. In August 2008, the republic of Georgia, once part of the former Soviet Union, became involved in a territorial dispute with South Ossetia, a province that wanted to break away from it and join the Russia Federation. Georgia sent troops into South Ossetia to quell the uprising, and the Russians made their displeasure known by bombing Georgian territory and sending soldiers in to discourage it from suppressing the independence movement, doing so on the pretense of “peacekeeping”.

World leaders from countries including Canada, which has said it would meet any attempt by the province of Quebec to secede from the nation with military intervention, and the United States, which fought a destructive civil war with southern states which seceded in the 1860s, widely condemned Russia. The general position of the leaders of both countries is that Georgia’s territorial sovereignty must be respected.

Apply the course concepts of ethnocentrism and moral hypocrisy to the criticisms of Russia made by these international leaders. What do you conclude about their behaviors? Hint: Explicitly use each course concept by name and also give a one sentence definition of it.

Question 2

CO’s 4 and 12. At the 2008 Summer Olympics, Cuban Taekwondo athlete Angel Matos fell to the mat, after being hit by his opponent. He became incensed at the referee, who disqualified him for exceeding the one-minute time-out allowed for an injury. Matos angrily disputed the call, physically pushing a judge and then pushing and kicking the referee in the face. He spat on the mat and was escorted out by officials. The World Taekwondo Federation immediately banned Matos for life, and the IOC took away his bronze medal.

This is a two part question:

a. What is it about the fundamental nature and structure of the Olympics that helps explain why this situation occurred?

b. This example contains evidence of both hostile aggression and instrumental aggression. Which part of the example involves hostile aggression, and which part of the example involves instrumental aggression? Explain your reasoning.

Question 3

CO 9. Barack Obama became a very hot political commodity in 2006 when he caught the attention and imagination of the American public by announcing his intention to run for President in 2008. He is a tall, nice looking, and a very articulate individual, which quickly made him a media darling. Some media watchers have described his impact as similar to a rock star.

Name two (2) factors of interpersonal attraction mentioned in the textbook that would explain his attractiveness to audiences.

Question 4

CO 6. Why do common external threats and shared goals lead to greater cooperation between two conflicting groups?

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Question 5

CO 3. Angelica and Michael are chatting about how things are going in their business statistics class. Angelica remarks that she got 68 percent on the Midterm. Michael says his mark was 92 percent. Angelica feels discouraged when she hears Michael’s score. This is an example of which one of the following concepts?

social identity

personal identity

social comparison

low esteem

Question 6

CO 13. Militant anti-abortion groups are socially deviant groups, by definition. They use violent aggression to get their messages across to their opponents, and to attack radical fringe supporters. People have been killed or seriously injured in bombings of abortion clinics and shootings of workers and physicians. All of the public attention is in effect, a payoff for the anti-social violence. Other groups have behaved similarly in the past, and the technique seems to have been successful. What theory or concept of aggression in the textbook corresponds to the argument that anti-abortion group violence continues because it is effective in getting attention, and reflects an imitation of observed behaviors of other people?

social learning theory

hostile aggression theory

frustration-aggression hypothesis

equity theory of motivation

Question 7

CO 1. Imagine you are walking along and a large dog approaches you. You assume the dog is unfriendly, so you start yelling at it to go away. In your mind, you are convinced the dog is going to harm you. The dog is alarmed and defends itself by biting you on the ankle. This is an example of which one of the following?

self-fulfilling belief

self-handicapping behavior

self-defeating behavior

perceived lack of control of your outcome

Question 8

CO 8. Using the definition in the text, which one of the following examples is NOT a group?

a doctor and her patient

three people sharing a taxi, and deciding who gets dropped off first

four students working together on a class project

five people who are riding a city bus to downtown

Question 9

CO 4. After seeing several advertisements for the Powerball lottery, you imagine living the life of the rich and famous for yourself. This future self-schema you imagine is an example of which one of the following?

gloried self

feared self

possible self

hoped-for self

Question 10

CO 2. Which one of the following research methods would work best if you wanted to study the routes people take when shopping in a grocery superstore while allowing them to maintain the effects of their natural environment?

follow people around the store unobtrusively, noting their routes (field study)

as people leave the store, ask them to fill out a short questionnaire (survey)

analyze the store’s cash register records against a store layout map (correlational study)

Question 11

CO 11. Which one of Melvin’s relatives is most likely to respond favorably to an unexpected request for a charitable donation to a local hospital?

Melvin’s older sister, who is in a hurry to get to her doctor’s appointment

Melvin’s mother, who just got a very positive job evaluation at work

Melvin’s cousin, who is upset over receiving a D on his college physical exam

Melvin’s father, who is annoyed because the person who delivers the newspaper threw the paper into a prized rose bush

Question 12

CO 7. There is a water shortage in the City of Crossroads, and all households have been asked to curb their lawn watering between 11 AM and 3 PM, when evaporation is at its highest on hot days. However, some residents persist in watering throughout the day, thus consuming more water than their share, even though the cost of the water is dispersed among all citizens. This result is described as which one of the following?

selfishness

environmental irresponsibility

overconsumption

tragedy of the commons

Question 13

CO 3. After arguing with her boyfriend over the telephone, in a fit of rage, Roberta throws the cordless telephone receiver across the room as a means for taking the anger out in another way. She barely misses the TV. This behavior demonstrates which one of the following aspects of aggression?

displacement

instrumental aggression

hostile aggression

an adaptation response

Question 14 5

CO 9. Expecting that someone will be pleasant and compatible (anticipatory liking) increases the chances of which one of the following?

becoming involved in an inequitable relationship

a co-dependent relationship

the weaker party being exploited in the early stages of the relationship

forming a mutually rewarding relationship