Part A
As evidenced by the readings, particularly the Bobo Doll Experiment, it is clear that observational learning has a strong impact on children’s development. Do you believe that restrictions should be placed on what children can view, particularly when it comes to violence in media? How much impact does violent media (television, movies, video games) have on children, versus violence they might witness at home or in their community?
How does observational learning influence your own development today? For example, when you are in a new job, what are you learning by observing your co-workers and/or supervisors? What other examples of observational learning impact your daily life?
Part B— Choose any movie or show for the second paragraph
In your first paragraph, explain and describe one or two of the social psychology concepts that you learned about in this unit. You may decide to choose from the following:
Self-fulfilling prophecy
Groupthink
Correspondence bias
Reciprocal altruism
Cognitive dissonance
Social loafing
Conformity
In your second paragraph, describe a scene or character(s) from a movie, TV show, or book that demonstrates your chosen social psychology concept. Be sure to give some background of the story and/or character, and specifically explain how this scene or character is an example of your chosen social psychology concept.
NOTE: In the Subject of your post, be sure to identify the concept and the movie/TV show/book (example: Cognitive Dissonance in “The Walking Dead”)
Part C
Most of us can relate to setting goals and feeling very motivated to accomplish those goals. Sometimes our motivation stays strong and we reach the goal, and other times our motivation falters and we fall short of the goal, often with promises to ourselves that we will succeed “next time.” Think about some times when you felt especially motivated, perhaps with your schoolwork or a new diet/exercise plan. What helped to keep your motivation sustained? What are some of the obstacles you encountered that caused your motivation to waver? Based on your past experience, and based on the readings in this unit, what are some of the best ways to maintain motivation in the long-term?
Describe how stress can affect your health. What do you believe are the best coping techniques for dealing with stress, and why?
Part D
While psychological disorders still have a stigma, steps have been taken by some individuals to help others understand the disorders a little better. For example, photographer John William Keedy captured images to express anxiety disorders, OCD, and varied neuroses in “Photos Reveal What It’s Like to Have Anxiety Issues”. Watch “What It’s Like to Have Schizophrenia” which attempts to show viewers what it’s like to have schizophrenia (warning: the video is graphic and may be disturbing). Then there is a personal story from Healthline called “In Their Shoes: Understanding What Bipolar Disorder Feels Like” and another from Mills Baker called “What Does It Feel Like to Have Bipolar Disorder?” Both stories are told from the point of view of someone with bipolar disorder and tries to capture what it’s like living with the illness.
Write a two-paragraph response to the following:
How does our history and culture affect our understanding of psychological disorders? What, if anything, can be done to reduce the stigma attached to psychological disorders? Do the photographs, video, and stories mentioned above help people to better understand the disorders, or do they serve to further stigmatize the disorders? Explain.
Studies have shown that having a low socioeconomic status (SES) increases the risk factor for developing a mental illness. Why might this be the case? Think about some of the symptoms of psychological disorders. What connections do you see between the symptoms and low SES?
Sample Solution
