Social Psychology and Behavioral Economics

by | Mar 12, 2023 | Supply Chain

 

 

Compose a reflection paper in which you will consider how topics studied in social psychology influence these concepts in the real world. To complete your paper, first, pick a topic you previously learned about in this course. Then, address the following points. Define your chosen topic as it was presented in the prior unit. Describe how your topic could be applied in a work setting. In your description, be sure to mention the similarities and the differences you would expect in applying your topic to the real world. Would your chosen topic be perceived as beneficial or detrimental if you were in the role of employ​‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‍‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍​ee? Why? How would your perspective on the topic change if you were in a nonpaid position, such as a volunteer or intern? Think about the concepts of behavioral economics. What is a rational course of action to protect (if a detriment) or promote (if a benefit) yourself, as an individual employee? How does this compare to actions that protect or promote the company at large? How could you balance the two? Discuss how behavioral economics can create social dilemmas in the workplace

 

Sample solution

Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell. 

In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.


This question has been answered

God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.

Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.

To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.

 

References

Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.

Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.

Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.

Sample Solution

My chosen topic is reinforcement theory. Reinforcement theory is a psychological concept that describes how people learn behaviors by reinforcing them with rewards and punishments. It states that behavior which leads to positive reinforcement will be repeated, while behavior which results in negative reinforcement will not be repeated. In a work setting, this could be applied in various ways such as providing employees with incentives for good performance or rewarding team members who complete tasks quickly and efficiently. Additionally, it could also involve punishing employees who are not performing well or disciplining those who break company rules.

Sample Solution

My chosen topic is reinforcement theory. Reinforcement theory is a psychological concept that describes how people learn behaviors by reinforcing them with rewards and punishments. It states that behavior which leads to positive reinforcement will be repeated, while behavior which results in negative reinforcement will not be repeated. In a work setting, this could be applied in various ways such as providing employees with incentives for good performance or rewarding team members who complete tasks quickly and efficiently. Additionally, it could also involve punishing employees who are not performing well or disciplining those who break company rules.

In terms of an employee perspective on this topic, it would depend on the situation whether they perceive it as beneficial or detrimental. If they are being offered rewards for their good performance then this would generally be viewed positively since it provides motivation and recognition for their hard work. On the other hand, if they are receiving punishments when they fail to meet expectations this may have a more negative effect since it can create feelings of frustration or discouragement .

If I were in a non-paid position such as a volunteer or intern then my perspective may change slightly depending on the context. Generally speaking though I believe I would still view reinforcement theory in much the same way because although there may not be any financial reward involved you can still receive intrinsic rewards from doing something meaningful such as feeling proud of your accomplishments or gaining experience that can help further your career.

From an individual employee’s standpoint it is important to take actions that protect themselves such as negotiating for fair wages/working conditions & making sure their rights aren’t being violated , while balancing these goals with those of the organization at large (which could include meeting deadlines , staying within budget etc.). To do this effectively requires careful consideration of behavioral economics principles like weighing costs vs benefits before taking action – so if an outcome appears unfavorable based on potential risks then opting out might be best option regardless of how attractive initial opportunities appear to be.

Behavioral economics can create social dilemmas in the workplace because certain decisions made by individuals can impact whole groups – say one member agrees to accept lower pay than what was initially discussed during negotiations , then all others following after them might find themselves stuck with same unfair deal even though each party had no knowledge beforehand what happened between first person and employer . This kind of scenario creates difficult situations where everyone must weigh pros & cons carefully before agreeing to anything binding .

This question has been answered.

Get Answer