Introductory Psychology Background Questionnaire

Introductory Psychology Background Questionnaire What is your primary reason for taking this course? (Circle one.) A. Interest in topic B. Distribution requirement C. Requirement for major D. Recommended by another student E. Recommended by advisor or another faculty member F. Other (specify) What topic in psychology interests you the most? Why? ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ What do you expect to learn from this course? ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ What are your hobbies, interests, and extracurricular activities? ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Please describe any recognition you have received for any special accomplishments or achievements, either in high school or college: ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ What formal activities are you involved with in college (e.g., athletic team, music, dance, on-campus jobs, etc.)? ________________________________________________________________________ Handout 1–1 Psychology’s Family Tree Complete this table by listing the subfields included that address each question about behavior and the areas of concern that are the focus of each subfield. Questions about Behavior Subfield(s) Area(s) of Concern What are the biological foundations of behavior? Behavioral neuroscience How biological processes determine behavior How do people sense, perceive, learn, and think about the world? Experimental psychology Cognitive psychology Experimental: sensing, perceiving, learning, and thinking Cognitive: thinking, memory, reasoning, problem solving, judging, decision making, language What are the sources of change and stability in behavior across the life span? Developmental psychology Personality psychology Developmental: human growth and change Personality: consistency in people’s behavior How do psychological factors affect health? Clinical psychology Health psychology Counseling psychology Clinical: study, diagnosis, and treatment of psychological disorders Health: relationship between psychological factors and physical illness Counseling: educational, social, and career adjustment problems How do our social networks affect behavior? Social psychology Cross-cultural psychology Social : how people’s thoughts, feelings, and actions are affected by others Cross-cultural: similarities and differences in psychological functioning in and across cultures and ethnic groups Handout 1–2 Where Psychologists Work For each of the settings below, indicate what type of work psychologists perform. The brochure utilized in this activity can be downloaded directly from the APA Website at www.apa.org/careers/resources/guides/careers.aspx. As the brochure may be updated regularly, the answers for this exercise are not in the answer key for the handouts. Setting Type of Work Performed Independent practice Universities, colleges, and medical schools Hospitals, clinics, and other human services Government Schools and other educational settings Business Handout 1–3 Methods of Research Research, systematic inquiry aimed at the discovery of new knowledge, is a central ingredient of the scientific method in psychology. It provides the key to understanding the degree to which hypotheses (and the theories behind them) are accurate. Just as we can apply different theories and hypotheses to explain the same phenomena, we can use a number of alternative methods to conduct research. In this exercise, you will learn more about several methods of research that psychologists use to gain new knowledge about human behavior. What might be the advantages of using the archival method? [Answers: A large amount of available data. Inexpensive.] What might be the disadvantages of using the archival method? [Answers: Difficulty of organizing the information. Not all e-mails contain punctuation.] 2. Now imagine that you are conducting research on the length of time it takes customers to select items in a grocery store. Assume that your hypothesis is that people will spend more time deciding on more expensive items than on cheaper items. What might be the advantages of using naturalistic observation? [Answers: People are completing the behavior in a naturalistic setting rather than a laboratory. The data will be easily scored.] What might be the disadvantages of using naturalistic observation? [Answers: People might act differently if they knew they were being watched. It is not possible to control the choices that people make.] 3. You have decided to conduct a survey on whether a given political candidate will be popular with Latino voters. What is an advantage of the survey method? [Answers: Those who are surveyed can be followed up with more detailed questions if necessary. The researcher can use a small sample to predict how a whole population would respond.] What is a disadvantage of the survey method? [Answers: People may alter their answers to provide the responses they think the experimenter wishes to get. Question wording is very important to avoid bias.] 4. You have decided to use the case study method to investigate a mother’s experience in raising a child with autism. What is an advantage of the case study method? [Answers: In-depth understanding of a few unusual or important instances. Gain insights into complex human problems.] What is a disadvantage of the case study method? [Answers: The possibility of collecting data that cannot be analyzed. An inability to draw cause-and-effect conclusions.] Handout 1–4 Correlational Research Correlation and Causation In correlational research, the relationship between two sets of variables is examined to determine whether they are associated or correlated. When we find that two variables are strongly correlated with each other, it is tempting to presume that one variable causes the other. The mere fact that two variables occur together does not mean that one causes the other. It is impossible to determine which variable is the “cause” and which the “result.” In addition, there may be other variables not accounted for that are responsible for the correlation. This principle is known as “correlation is not causation.” In this activity you will have the chance to learn for yourself about the problems involved in making conclusions about causality in correlational research. Part 1 GRAPH A: Here is the correlation between the amount of stress hormones in the blood and the ratings by participants of how much stress they are feeling. X Axis: Stress hormones Y Axis: Perceived stress levels Is this correlation positive, negative, or zero? [Answer: Positive] GRAPH B: Here is the correlation between the number of action movies seen in the last 12 months and a personality trait called fear of arousal. X Axis: Number of action movies Y Axis: Arousal personality trait Is this correlation positive, negative, or zero? [Answer: Negative] GRAPH C: Here is the correlation between intelligence and the enjoyment of popular music. X Axis: Intelligence Y Axis: Enjoyment of pop music Is this correlation positive, negative, or zero? [Answer: Zero] Out of the three graphs you just saw, which one showed the strongest (closest to 1) relationship? [Answer: Graph A] Part 2 Now that you have learned the basics of correlational studies, let’s go on to examine ways of interpreting the results of this type of research. Dr. Robert Denver is conducting a study examining the relationship between Internet surfing and self-esteem by using a telephone survey of 50 people selected randomly from all over the country. He hypothesizes that Internet surfing can harm a person’s self-esteem. Each participant completed a survey involving 10 questions on self-esteem, a question asking for the number of hours per week they spent surfing the Internet, and other questions asking for age, occupation, education, salary, and attitudes toward a variety of current issues. The researcher finds that the amount of time spent Internet surfing is negatively correlated with self-esteem. Dr. Denver is excited about his findings and contacts his colleague, Dr. Gilligan, to let him know. Here’s what he writes: Dear Dr. Gilligan, As you can see from the attached file of my data, I have shown that people who spend many hours on the Internet each day are more likely to have low self-esteem than those who spend a little time on the Internet. This study proves that, as we have long suspected, the Internet is psychologically harmful. People should try not to use it because if they do, they will have lower self-esteem. I expect to publish these findings very soon in the Journal of the Society of Scientists (J-SOS). Thank you for your attention. Sincerely, Dr. Robert Denver Dr. Gilligan writes back: Dear Dr. Denver, I have looked over your data, but unfortunately I see that there is a serious problem with your conclusions. It would be best if you would take a more careful look at your findings before you try to publish them, especially in such a well-respected journal as the J-SOS. Best regards, Dr. William Gilligan Clearly, Dr. Denver has made a serious error that caused Dr. Gilligan to warn him not to try to publish the findings. What was that error? [Answer: Trying to show any type of cause and effect.] Dr. Denver made the classic error of failing to realize that correlation does not equal causation. His study cannot show cause and effect. Check off below all the possible interpretations of Dr. Denver’s findings: [ANSWER TO EACH ONE WAS YES] _ Internet surfing caused low self-esteem (Dr. Denver’s conclusion). _ Low self-esteem caused Internet surfing. _ A third factor caused people to engage in Internet surfing and to have low self-esteem. _ Men were more likely to engage in Internet surfing and have lower self-esteem. _ Women were more likely to engage in Internet surfing and have lower self-esteem. _ People without jobs were more likely to have low self-esteem and engage in Internet surfing. _ People with few friends are likely to have low self-esteem and spend time surfing the Internet because they have fewer social activities. _ Being ill could lead people to have low self-esteem due to feeling unwell and to have more time to surf the Internet. _ Living alone could cause people to have low self-esteem because they are lonely and spend more time on the Internet. _ People who spend a great deal of time on the Internet may be working very hard and also feel stressed, leading them to have low self-esteem. _ Spending many hours on the Internet could lead people to realize that they are not as successful as other people and therefore have low self-esteem. _ People looking for better housing may spend many hours on the Internet and become frustrated that they cannot afford it, lowering their self-esteem. _ People with lower income have lower self-esteem and are also less able to afford going out, so they spend more time on the Internet. As you can see, there are many possible interpretations of the findings from Dr. Denver’s study. Fortunately, he had many other variables to explore, allowing him eventually to eliminate factors such as health, education, employment status, and lifestyle. Handout 1–5 Experimental Design The only way psychologists can establish cause-and-effect relationships through research is by carrying out an experiment. In a formal experiment, the relationship between two or more variables is investigated by deliberately producing a change in one variable in a situation and observing the effects of that change on other aspects of the situation. In an experiment, then, the conditions required to study a question of interest are created by an experimenter, who deliberately makes a change in those conditions in order to observe the effects of that change. The change that an experimenter deliberately produces in a situation is called the “experimental manipulation.” Experimental manipulations are used to detect relationships between different variables. In this activity you will have a chance to explore the factors involved in designing an experimental study. You are the manager of MassChips, a manufacturing plant that produces computer chips. Your department’s production has been down lately, and you want to find out how to improve it. You hire Dr. H. Thorne, a noted industrial psychologist, to help you solve this problem. Here is what he has to say. After looking over the situation, I can see that, obviously, you need to improve the conditions in this place! First, you have to improve the lighting. I am now going to do research that will test the hypothesis that better lighting will lead to higher productivity among your workers. If Dr. Thorne is going to test his hypothesis that better lighting will lead to higher productivity, what should he do next? [Answer: Design an experimental study.] Now that he has decided to do an experiment, Dr. Thorne has to define the independent and dependent variables. If Dr. Thorne wants to improve productivity by turning up the lights, then What is the independent variable? [Answer: The level of light] What is the dependent variable? [Answer: Productivity] Dr. Thorne then moves on to the next phase of the experiment. He hands out cards to the workers. Half of the cards say, “Go to Room 108.” The other half of the cards say, “Go to Room 109.” Room 108 is brightly lit, but Room 109 has the same lighting the whole factory had before. Over the next two weeks, Dr. Thorne’s research assistants will sit in both rooms and count the number of computer chips that each group of workers produces. What is the name for the group that will be working in Room 108? [Answer: Experimental group] What is the name of the group that will be working in Room 109? [Answer: Control group] The next day, Dr. Thorne’s research assistants are sitting in each room, counting the chips as they come off the production line. Two weeks later, the workers are now all working in a brightly lit environment. Dr. Thorne is holding a thick report and is looking pleased. Here’s what he has to say. Well, the experiment worked! My statistics show that the experimental group (those in Room 108) were more productive than the control group (those in Room 109). However, I noticed that the control group’s productivity went up as well! At least MassChips will be making a profit now. I guess I can move on to my next assignment, which I hope will be as successful as this one was! What can Dr. Thorne conclude about lighting and productivity? [Answer: That lighting contributed to productivity, but that there was another cause as well, because the control group’s productivity also went up.] What step was important for Dr. Thorne to take in order to ensure that there were no preexisting differences between the experimental and control groups that would have influenced the results of the experiment? [Answer: Random assignment to conditions] What Dr. H. Thorne did not know is that simply by observing the workers, their productivity would improve, as was seen by the improved performance of workers in Room 109 (the control room). In fact, the “Hawthorne effect,” named after the Hawthorne plant of Western Electric, was demonstrated in a series of studies conducted by researchers from Harvard Business School. Production increased not as a consequence of actual changes in working conditions introduced by the plant’s management but because management demonstrated interest in the improvements. In the case of this experiment, having observers watch both groups of workers also added to the effect. The Hawthorne effect is now one of the known risks of research involving live observations to obtain measures.This study also was considered the first in the rapidly growing field of industrial-organizational psychology. Handout 2–1 Parts of the Nervous System Identify each part of the nervous system. Exerts control over all parts of the body (nervous system) Controls all voluntary movements, thoughts, and registration of incoming information (CNS) The site where the processing of all central nervous system activity takes place (brain) Main carrier of messages between the brain and the body (spinal cord) Registers information and controls movements outside the central nervous system (peripheral nervous system) Takes charge of the body’s involuntary functions outside conscious awareness (autonomic nervous system) Increases the heart rate in an emergency situation (sympathetic nervous system) Stimulates digestion of food when the body is in a state of rest (parasympathetic nervous system Coordinates incoming information from the senses and sends instructions to the muscles and glands (somatic nervous system) Handout 2–2 Parts of the Endocrine System Identify each part of the endocrine system. Major chemical in the endocrine system (hormone) Regulates the pituitary gland (hypothalamus) The body’s “master gland” (pituitary) Hormones involved in sugar metabolism (insulin and glucagon) Female reproductive organ (ovary) Organ that produces hormones involved in sugar metabolism (pancreas) Gland that controls the metabolic rate (thyroid) Nervous system organ that is also in the endocrine system (hypothalamus) Male reproductive organ (testis) Type of regulation in the endocrine system (negative feedback) Gland involved in controlling body size (pituitary) Involved in regulating the body’s reaction to stress (adrenal gland) Handout 2–3 Parts of the Brain Describe one daily routine you do that uses each of these parts of the brain (you can use one example or five separate examples). ANSWERS WILL VARY 1. Cerebellum. 2. Hypothalamus. 3. Reticular formation. 4. Limbic system. 5. Frontal lobes. Handout 2–4 Activities in the Parts of the Brain Identify the part of the nervous system associated with each of the following activities. Balancing on a tightrope (cerebellum) Clapping your hands (pons) Waking up when the alarm goes off (reticular formation) Feeling hungry (hypothalamus) Understanding your psychology professor’s lecture (Wernicke’s area) Planning your route to drive home (frontal lobe) Becoming enraged when someone cuts you in line (limbic system) Talking on your cell phone (Broca’s area) Hearing your favorite music group on your iPod (auditory area) Feeling drops of rain on your face (somatosensory area) Seeing a traffic light change color (visual cortex) Breathing while you sleep (medulla) Pushing the “enter” key on the computer when a page has downloaded (thalamus) Handout 2–5 Left Brain–Right Brain Questionnaire ANSWERS WILL VARY For each statement, indicate “T” or “F” to show whether it is true or false for you. I always wear a watch. I keep a journal. I believe there is a right and a wrong way to do everything. I hate following directions. The expression “Life is just a bowl of cherries” makes no sense to me. I find that sticking to a schedule is boring. I’d rather draw someone a map than tell them how to get somewhere. If I don’t know which way to turn, I let my emotions guide me. I’m pretty good at math. If I had to assemble something, I’d read the directions first. I’m always late getting places. If I have a tough decision to make, I write down the pros and the cons. I’d make a good detective. I am musically inclined. If I have a problem, I try to work it out by relating it to one I’ve had in the past. When I talk, I gesture a lot. I believe there are two sides to every story. I keep a “to do” list. I feel comfortable expressing myself with words. Before I take a stand on an issue, I get all the facts. I’ve considered becoming a poet, a politician, an architect, or a dancer. I lose track of time easily. If I forgot someone’s name, I’d go through the alphabet until I remembered it. When I’m confused, I usually go with my gut instinct. I have considered becoming a lawyer, a journalist, or a doctor. Answers To Left Brain–Right Brain Questionnaire L L L R L R R R L L R L L R R R R L L L R R L R L Handout 3–1 Sensory Abilities Survey ANSWERS WILL VARY Answer True or False to each item. I have trouble seeing at night. I am color-blind. I wear glasses for nearsightedness. I wear glasses for farsightedness. I wear a hearing aid for a hearing deficit. I constantly experience ringing in my ears. I am often the first person in a group to detect a new odor in a room. I can usually detect even a tiny amount of seasoning in food. I often get motion sickness when riding in airplanes, ships, or on amusement rides. I am often the first person in a group to notice a room temperature change. Feedback for Handout 3–1 Current Survey Results for 658 Entries. Percentages may not add up to 100%, owing to rounding. 1. I have trouble seeing at night. True 259 39% False 372 56% 2. I am color-blind. True 29 4% False 601 91% 3. I wear glasses for nearsightedness. True 290 44% False 339 51% 4. I wear glasses for farsightedness. True 122 18% False 504 76% 5. I wear a hearing aid for a hearing deficit. True 21 3% False 606 92% 6. I constantly experience ringing in my ears. True 70 10% False 558 84% 7. I am often the first person in a group to detect a new odor in a room. True 327 49% False 304 46% 8. I can usually detect even a tiny amount of seasoning in food. True 339 51% False 292 44% 9. I often get motion sickness when riding in airplanes, ships, or on amusement rides. True 187 28% False 442 67% 10. I am often the first person in a group to notice a room temperature change. True 345 52% False 283 43% Handout 3–2 Visual Information Processing This figure illustrates the pathway from both retinas to the brain. Answer the following questions: Where in the cortex does an image on the right half of the visual field show up? The right visual cortex or the left visual cortex? (Answer: Left visual cortex.) Where in the cortex does an image on the left half of the visual field show up? The right visual cortex or the left visual cortex? (Answer: Right visual cortex.) Where does the information from the two halves of the visual field cross before reaching the brain? (Answer: optic chiasm) Where does information from the right retina show up in the cortex? (Answer: The right retina projects to both the right and left visual cortexes.) Handout 3–3 Auditory Information Processing Identify each part of the auditory system. Tubelike passage that leads to the eardrum (auditory canal) Operates like a miniature drum, vibrating when sound waves hit it (eardrum) Thin membrane leading to the inner ear that vibrates when sound waves hit it (oval window) Structures in the middle ear that transmit vibrations and increase their strength (hammer, anvil, and stirrup) Coiled tube filled with fluid that can vibrate in response to sound (cochlea) Structure in the cochlea that contains hair cells (basilar membrane) Involved in the sensation of balance (semicircular canals) Handout 3–4 Decibel Levels of Various Noises ANSWERS WILL VARY Indicate the decibel levels of 10 noises in your environment by using the following scale as a rough guide: Leaves rustling 10 dB Whispering 25 dB Normal conversation 60 dB Car 70 dB Alarm clock 80 dB Crying child 90 dB Level at which sustained exposure causes damage 95 dB Subway train 100 dB Walkman at average level 100 dB Power tools 110 dB Auto horn 120 dB Pain at exposure to noise 125 dB Amplified rock music at 4 to 6 feet 120 dB Rock music peak 150 dB Jet engine close up 155 dB Rocket launching 180 dB Death of hearing tissue 180 dB Noise Decibel level Handout 3–5 Smell-Rating Activity ANSWERS WILL VARY Looking around you, find 10 substances or ordinary objects that you think will have a distinct odor. These could include, for example: a stick of gum a rollerball pen or highlighter coffee or a soft drink a bottle of cologne a bar of soap a bottle of shampoo a piece of food (candy, fruit, bagel) a leaf from an indoor plant a blade of grass a stuffed animal a pillow a wool sweater a candle shaving cream Next, you will smell each one. As you pick it up, close your eyes and take a deep whiff. Then write onto the space indicated here the name of the object and words to describe its smell. Then rate the pleasantness of the smell. In between scents, breathe in some clean air or, if it is available, some unroasted coffee. Source Describe the smell in words Rate the pleasantness of this smell (1 = not pleasant, 5 = very pleasant) Handout 3–6 Taste-Rating Activity ANSWERS WILL VARY Looking around you, find 10 substances or ordinary objects that you think will have a distinct taste. These could include, for example: Salty—potato chip or pretzel Sweet—candy or fruit Bitter—coffee (unsweetened) Sour—lemon (unsweetened) Umami—meat or cheese In between tastes, eat something bland so that you can fully savor the next bite. Record your taste ratings here. Food What is the primary taste? How pleasant is this taste? (1 = not pleasant, 5 = very pleasant) Now, randomly choose one of these foods, except this time hold your nose while you’re taking a bite. Close your eyes while you chew. Can you identify the food by flavor? (Answer should be “no.”) Handout 3–7 The Moon Illusion The actual cause of the moon illusion is not known, but the theory of perceptual constancy states that when the moon is near the horizon, the perceptual cues of intervening terrain and objects such as trees on the horizon make us think that it is farther away than it is when it is high in the sky, where we have no distance cues. Adding to this is the perception of the sky over our heads as being closer than the sky at the horizon. If the moon is farther away at the horizon but still reflects the same image onto our retina (about a 5% visual angle), it must be larger than the moon overhead. In either case, the explanation rests on the case that the brain perceives the horizon moon as farther away and adjusts the viewer’s perception to emphasize the fact that it must be an enormous object to be so far away and still take up so much of the sky. This can be seen below. Interestingly enough, although perceivers may say that the horizon moon appears closer (not farther away), experiments measuring the perception of the horizon moon’s apparent distance validate that people place the horizon moon farther away than the overhead moon. See www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/bigmoon_000105.html You can try this illusion for yourself. Keep in mind that the first link requires Java. www.sandlotscience.com/Moonillusion/Moon_Illusion_Demo.htm www.pnas.org/content/97/1/500/suppl/DC1 The moon illusion is a misapplication of size constancy, then, in which we adjust our perception of an object to take into account its distance. Here’s another example. When we see a friend 200 feet away, this person will look small to our retinas. However, our brains “know” that the person is actually 5 or 6 feet tall, not 1 or 2 inches tall. We automatically adjust our perception to “see” our friend as having normal height, not being the size of a tiny doll. Handout 4–1 What do you dream? Check off each of the dreams that you have: ANSWERS WILL VARY Chased or pursued, not injured Physically attacked (beaten, stabbed, raped) Trying again and again to do something Being frozen with fright Eating delicious foods Arriving too late (e.g., missing a class) Swimming Being locked up Snakes Finding money Flying or soaring through the air Falling Being inappropriately dressed Being nude Being tied up, unable to move Having superior knowledge or mental ability Creatures, part animal, part human Your teeth falling out Seeing yourself in a mirror Having magical powers Floods or tidal waves Tornadoes or strong winds Earthquakes Insects or spiders Being a member of the opposite sex Being an object (tree or rock) Being killed Seeing yourself as dead Vividly sensing a presence in the room Being unable to find a toilet School, teachers, studying Sexual experiences Losing control of a vehicle Fire A person now dead as alive A person now alive as dead Being on the verge of falling Failing an examination Being smothered, unable to breathe Wild, violent beasts Being at a movie Killing someone Lunatics or insane people Being half awake and paralyzed in bed Seeing a face very close to you Seeing a UFO Seeing extraterrestrials Traveling to another planet or visiting another planet Being an animal Being a child again Seeing an angel Encountering God in some form Discovering a new room at home Seeing an airplane crash Someone having an abortion Encountering an evil force or demon Do you notice a pattern in your dreams? Which theory do you think best explains these dreams? Handout 4–2 Comparing Theories of Dreaming ANSWERS WILL VARY Describe a recent dream you had. Without revealing more than you would like to in this paper, answer these questions about the dream: Analyze the dream based on Freudian psychoanalytic (wish-fulfillment) theory. Include relevant dream symbols in this analysis. Analyze the dream based on activation synthesis theory. Which theory do you prefer in understanding this dream? Why? Handout 4–3 Measure Your Sleep Debt ANSWERS WILL VARY Rate each of the following situations using this scale: 1 = Would never doze 2 = Slight chance of dozing 3 = Moderate chance of dozing 4 = High chance of dozing Sitting and reading Watching TV Sitting, inactive in a public place (e.g., a theater or a meeting) As a passenger in a car for an hour without a break Lying down to rest in the afternoon when circumstances permit Sitting and talking to someone Sitting quietly after a lunch without alcohol In a car, while stopped for a few minutes in traffic Interpretation: 0 = You have little or no sleep debt, or are taking the test at a time of peak alerting. 8 = You have a manageable amount of sleep debt, but you could feel some improvement by working it off. 16 = Definitely troublesome. You are likely to feel low energy during dips in the circadian rhythm, or when you are driving or at rest. 24 = Severely sleep deprived, quite possibly because of a sleep disorder such as apnea or insomnia. People with untreated narcolepsy score in this range. Handout 4–4 What’s Your Sleep IQ? During sleep, your brain rests. You cannot learn to function normally with one or two fewer hours of sleep a night than you need. Boredom makes you feel sleepy, even if you have had enough sleep. Resting in bed with your eyes closed cannot satisfy your body’s need for sleep. Snoring is not harmful as long as it doesn’t disturb others or wake you up. Everyone dreams every night. The older you get, the fewer hours of sleep you need. Most people don’t know when they are sleepy. Raising the volume of your radio will help you stay awake while driving. Sleep disorders are mainly due to worry or psychological problems. The human body never adjusts to night shift work. Most sleep disorders go away even without treatment. Answers: F T F T F T F F T F F T F Handout 4–5 Morningness–Eveningness Questionnaire ANSWERS WILL VARY 1. Considering only your own “feeling best” rhythm, at what time would you get up if you were entirely free to plan your day? 5:00–6:30 a.m. (5 points) 6:30–7:45 a.m. (4 points) 7:45–9:45 a.m. (3 points) 9:45–11:00 a.m. (2 points) 11:00 a.m.–12:00 (noon ) (1 point) 2. Considering only your own “feeling best” rhythm, at what time would you go to bed if you were entirely free to plan your evening? 8:00–9:00 p.m. (5 points) 9:00–10:15 p.m. (4 points) 10:15 p.m.–12:30 a.m. (3 points) 12:30–1:45 a.m. (2 points) 1:45–3:00 a.m. (1 point) 3. Assuming normal circumstance, how easy do you find getting up in the morning? Not at all easy (1 point) Slightly easy (2 points) Fairly easy (3 points) Very easy (4 points) 4. How alert do you feel during the first half hour after having awakened in the morning? Not at all alert (1 point) Slightly alert (2 points) Fairly alert (3 points) Very alert (4 points) 5. During the first half-hour after having awakened in the morning, how tired do you feel? Very tired (1 point) Fairly tired (2 points) Fairly refreshed (3 points) Very refreshed (4 points) 6. You have decided to engage in some physical exercise. A friend suggests that you work out twice a week for an hour and the best time for him is 7:00–8:00 a.m. Bearing in mind nothing else but your own “feeling best” rhythm, how do you think you would perform? Would be in good form (4 points) Would be in reasonably good form (3 points) Would find it difficult (2 points) Would find it very difficult (1 point) 7. At what time in the evening do you feel tired and, as a result, in need of sleep? 8:00–9:00 p.m. (5 points) 9:00–10:15 p.m. (4 points) 10:15 p.m.–12:30 a.m. (3 points) 12:30–1:45 a.m. (2 points) 1:45–3:00 a.m. (1 point) 8. You wish to be at your peak performance for a test that you know is going to be mentally exhausting and will last for two hours. You are entirely free to plan your day, and considering only your own “feeling best” rhythm, which one of the following four testing times would you choose? 8:00–10:00 a.m. (4 points) 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. (3 points) 3:00–5:00 p.m. (2 points) 7:00–9:00 p.m. (1 point) 9. One hears about “morning” and “evening” types of people. Which one of these types do you consider yourself to be? Definitely a morning type (4 points) More a morning than an evening type (3 points) More an evening than a morning type (2 points) Definitely an evening type (1 point) 10. When would you prefer to rise (provided you have a full day’s work—eight hours) if you were totally free to arrange your time? Before 6:30 a.m. (4 points) 6:30–7:30 a.m. (3 points) 7:30–8:30 a.m. (2 points) 8:30 a.m. or later (1 point) 11. If you always had to rise at 6:00 a.m., what do you think it would be like? Very difficult and unpleasant (1 point) Rather difficult and unpleasant (2 points) A little unpleasant but no great problem (3 points) Easy and not unpleasant (4 points) 12. How long a time does it usually take before you “recover your senses” in the morning after rising from a night’s sleep? 0–10 minutes (4 points) 11–20 minutes (3 points) 21–40 minutes (2 points) More than 40 minutes (1 point) 13. Please indicate to what extent you are a morning or evening active individual. Pronounced morning active (morning alert and evening tired) (4 points) To some extent, morning active (3 points) To some extent, evening active (2 points) Pronounced evening active (morning tired and evening alert) (1 point) Total the scores from the questions above and use this guide to interpret the results: 44 or more = extreme morning person 37–43 = moderate morning person 30–36 = no particular tendency 23–29 = moderate evening person 22 or less = extreme evening person Extreme morning person: True morning persons tend to get out of bed as early as four or five a.m. and go to bed by nine or ten p.m. Their periods of high alertness are about two hours earlier than people with standard profiles, and they do their best work of the day around eight or nine a.m. Moderate morning person: Although you exhibit some of the tendencies of an extreme morning person (such as rising early and going to sleep in the mid-evening hours), you are within the standard circadian range (waking between seven a.m. and eight a.m. and going to bed between eleven p.m. and midnight). In between, most people have periods of high alertness in the morning and early evening and experience a period of low alertness in the early afternoon. Moderate morning persons may have more trouble than most people in maintaining alertness through the overnight hours. No particular tendency: You have a standard circadian profile. The standard profile would find a person feeling comfortable waking up between seven a.m. and eight a.m. and going to bed between eleven p.m. and midnight. In between, most people have periods of high alertness in the morning and early evening and experience a period of low alertness in the early afternoon. Moderate evening person: Although you may exhibit some of the tendencies of an extreme night person (such as loving to sleep late in the morning and staying awake past midnight) and your circadian rhythms are probably more flexible, you are within the standard circadian range (waking between seven a.m. and eight a.m. and going to bed between eleven p.m. and midnight). In between, most people have periods of high alertness in the morning and early evening and experience a period of low alertness in the early afternoon. Extreme evening person: True evening persons love to sleep into the late morning but have no trouble staying awake and alert past two or three a.m. Their periods of high alertness and sleepiness are about two hours later than people with standard circadian profiles. Evening persons have an easier time staying alert late at night. This is true in part because their times of alertness start out more closely aligned with being awake at night. In addition, evening persons’ circadian rhythms tend to be more flexible than those of people with standard or morning profiles. Adapted from Horne, J. A.,& Ostberg, O. (1976). “A Self-Assessment Questionnaire to Determine Morningness–Eveningness in Human Circadian Rhythms.”,Available a www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/ssehs/research/centres-institutes/sleep/MEQ%20-%20paper%20-%20scoring%20on%20p100.pdf Handout 4–6 “Trance” Diary ANSWERS WILL VARY There are many variations in the trance state, ranging from “highway hypnosis” to a full-blown dissociative episode. Thinking back over the past week, check off which of the following you experienced in that period. Trance State About how often this past week did you experience this? Becoming absorbed in your reading Listening intently to a song Feeling as though you were in a movie you were watching Not hearing what was said in a conversation Eating a meal without realizing what you had eaten Forgetting whether you had taken a medication or not Crying in a sad movie Played a sport and not been aware of observers Played a musical instrument without being aware of anyone around you listening Gardening or mowing the lawn Playing with a pet Engrossed in a video game Others (list) Handout 4–7 Indicate whether each statement is true or false about hypnosis: It’s all a matter of having a good imagination. (F) Hypnosis has been induced during vigorous exercise. (T) Many highly motivated subjects fail to experience hypnosis. (T) It is dangerous. (F) Responding to hypnosis is like responding to a placebo. (F) Hypnosis can enable people to “relive” the past. (F) When hypnotized, people can remember more accurately. (F) Hypnotized subjects fully adhere to their usual moral standards. (T) Hypnotized people do not remember what happened during the session. (F) Performance following hypnotic suggestions for increased muscle strength, learning, and sensory acuity does not exceed what can be accomplished by motivated subjects outside hypnosis. (T) Source: Adapted from Nash, M. R. (2001). “The truth and hype of hypnosis.” Scientific American, June, pp. 47–55. Handout 4–8 Binge Drinking on College Campuses ANSWERS WILL VARY According to the U.S. government’s Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 120 million Americans aged 12 or older reported being current drinkers of alcohol in a 2002 survey (51.0%). About 54 million (22.9%) had participated in binge drinking at least once in the 30 days before the survey, and 15.9 million (6.7%) were heavy drinkers. How much do college campus administrators try to prevent binge drinking? You can provide some insights in this assignment: 1. What is your campus’s alcohol policy? 2. How are cases of alcohol abuse by students handled? 3. You have probably witnessed at least one case of binge drinking in a friend or acquaintance. What happened to the person involved? How did that person’s friends react? 4. Do you think that there is any way that binge drinking can be controlled? If so, how would you suggest it be handled? Handout 4–9 Alcohol Advertisements ANSWERS WILL VARY For this assignment, you need to find five alcohol ads, either in print or on television. Fill out the following chart based on these ads. Indicate your reaction to this ad in terms of how it might affect people of college age. Ad Content Target Audience Presumed Effect Your Reaction Handout 4–10 Attitudes Toward Drugs ANSWERS WILL VARY Indicate whether you believe each statement to be True or False. Alcohol is a dangerous drug. Nicotine should be regulated by the federal government. Caffeine helps keep me alert. Ritalin is too frequently prescribed for hyperactivity. Cocaine is no more dangerous than caffeine. Marijuana should be legalized. Hallucinogens such as LSD are useful to relieve boredom. Nicotine helps relax people who are stressed. There should be zero tolerance for drivers who are drunk. People should have complete access to any drug they medically need. Responses to the Attitudes Toward Drugs Survey Based on 572 entries. 1. Alcohol is a dangerous drug. True 426 74% False 92 16% 2. Nicotine should be regulated by the federal government. True 342 59% False 175 30% 3. Caffeine helps keep me alert. True 323 56% False 193 33% 4. Ritalin is too frequently prescribed for hyperactivity. True 411 71% False 104 18% 5. Cocaine is no more dangerous than caffeine. True 142 24% False 386 67% 6. Marijuana should be legalized. True 285 49% False 262 45% 7. Hallucinogens such as LSD are useful to relieve boredom. True 120 20% False 403 70% 8. Nicotine helps relax people who are stressed. True 291 50% False 225 39% 9. There should be zero tolerance for drivers who are drunk. True 417 72% False 100 17% 10. People should have complete access to any drug they medically need. True 306 53% False 215 37% From Pettijohn’s “Connectext.” Handout 5–1 Classical Conditioning Using the chart, analyze the experiences listed in terms of classical conditioning. Experience Unconditioned Stimulus Unconditioned Response Conditioned Stimulus Unconditioned Response A song reminds you of a former friend or romantic partner. Event with friend or romantic partner Thinking about friend or romantic partner Song Thinking about friend or romantic partner You cringe when you pass the intersection where you nearly had a car accident. Fear Cringe A place where you felt fear Cringe Opening a can of pet food with a can opener leads your pet to start jumping around. Food Pet jumping around Can opener Pet jumping around Walking by the gym where you hurt yourself working out makes you wince. Pain Wince A place where you felt pain Wince Smelling a perfume you wore during a great party makes you smile and feel good. Going to a great party Smile and feel good Smelling the perfume you wore to the party Smile and feel good Handout 5–2 Shaping and Successive Approximation This is Barbie, whom you are going to teach to use the hula-hoop. However, the hula-hoop is hidden behind a closet door. You are going to train Barbie to use this hula-hoop by using reinforcement. Barbie knows that there is something you want her to do, but she does not know what that is. She knows that as she gets closer to guessing what you want her to do, you will give her the reinforcement of clapping. Put in order the steps that you would use to shape Barbie to swing the hula-hoop around her waist. (The correct order is 5, 4, 6, 2, 3, 7, 1.) Swing the hula-hoop around her waist. Look behind the door. Find the hula-hoop. Walk in the direction of the door. Look in the direction of the door. Open the door. Put the hula-hoop up to her waist. Now, choose another complex behavior that you would like to train someone to perform. Write the behavior here: ______________________________ Break down into 10 steps what you would need to do to train this behavior: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. As you can see, shaping involves a very complex analysis of behaviors to break them down into their simplest components. Handout 5–3 Schedules of Reinforcement Provide an original example from your daily life for each of the following schedules of reinforcement. ANSWERS WILL VARY Fixed ratio: rewards given after fixed number of responses Example: . Variable ratio: rewards given after varying number of responses Example: Fixed interval: rewards given after fixed period of time Class example: Variable interval: rewards given after varying periods of time Class example: Handout 5–4 Effects of Role Models ANSWERS WILL VARY In the spaces below, write down the names of seven people who are important role models for you (they can be well-known people, family, or friends). Describe their most striking characteristics and summarize the effects of their behavior on yours. Name Most Striking Characteristics Effects on Your Behavior Handout 5–5 Images in Music Videos Watch 30 minutes of music videos on television. Note below the nature and frequency of images that communicate messages about sex, violence, drugs, and other dangerous behaviors. ANSWERS WILL VARY Music Video Images Number of Times the Images Occur What can you conclude about the images in music videos? Handout 6–1 The Seven Sins of Memory Below are the Seven Sins of Memory. Based on the class discussion, provide for each one an example from your own experience. ANSWERS WILL VARY Transience Absentmindedness Blocking Misattribution Suggestibility Bias Persistence Handout 6–2 Flashbulb Memory Questionnaire September 11, 2001 Answer each of the following questions. After each one, rate your confidence in your answer, using this scale: 1 = Not confident 2 = Somewhat confident 3 = Fairly confident 4 = Very confident 1. Describe in detail what you were doing when you heard about the news of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. ANSWERS WILL VARY Confidence: __________ 2. What was the exact time? Confidence: __________ 3. Who was with you? Confidence: __________ 4. What was your first thought when you heard the news? Confidence: ___________ 5. Now recall what you were doing on September 15, 2001. Describe in detail your most vivid memory: Confidence: ____________ Handout 6–3 Theories of Forgetting ANSWERS WILL VARY Choose one recent situation in which you forgot (and later remembered) something important and describe this situation. Using the grid below, show how each of these theories of forgetting would explain your memory lapse. Theory Why You Forgot How You Could Have Avoided Forgetting Levels of processing Decay Interference Cue dependent forgetting Handout 7–1 Concepts and Prototypes ANSWERS WILL VARY For each of the following concepts, think of a prototype. Then ask a friend to give you his or her prototype for that concept. Concept Your Prototype Compare with Friend’s Active sports Spectator sports Junk food Female music stars Male music stars Horror movies Kids’ movies Fast cars Cheap cars Clothing stores Count how many of your prototypes match those of your friend. __________ What does this tell you about prototypes? Handout 7–2 Problem-Solving Terms Define each term related to problem solving and cognition in your own words and provide an example from your everyday life that fits the term. 1. Arrangement problem Problems that require the problem solver to rearrange or recombine elements in a way that will satisfy a certain criterion. 2. Functional fixedness The tendency to think of an object only in terms of its typical use 3. Mental set The tendency for old patterns of problem solving to persist 4. Availability heuristic Judging the probability of an event on the basis of how easily the event can be recalled from memory. 5. Algorithm A rule that, if applied appropriately, guarantees a solution to a problem. 6. Means–end analysis Repeated testing for differences between the desired outcome and what currently exists. Handout 7–3 Steps Involved in Problem Solving Preparation No Well-defined? What kind? How to represent and organize? Production Judgment Trial and error Means–end Subgoals Insight Familiar? Yes Problem solved? (arrangement, transformation, inducing) structure) No Yes THE PROBLEM-SOLVING MAZE Handout 7–4 Elements of Language in Everyday Life Over the next day, provide examples for each of the following elements of language by observing others. ANSWERS WILL VARY Element Example Intonation Dialect Hand gestures Facial expression Odd use of language “Freudian slip” Ambiguity Unintended humorous meaning What do these examples tell you about language? Handout 8–1 Applying Theories of Motivation ANSWERS WILL VARY 1. Describe a recent goal you have achieved (academic, personal, social, performance, or athletic). 2. Explain this achievement in terms of each of these theories or terms: a. Drive reduction b. Intrinsic–extrinsic c. Maslow’s hierarchy 2. Which theory or term best accounts for your having achieved this goal? Why? Handout 8–2 Maslow’s Theory of Self-Actualization ANSWERS WILL VARY Choose an original example of a person, living or dead, whom you think meets the criteria for self-actualization in Maslow’s theory. Answer these questions about that person: 1. Who is this person? 2. Justify why you think this person is self-actualized. 3. Do you think this person proves or disproves the idea that lower-order needs must be satisfied in order to achieve self-actualization? Why? 4. How do you think self-actualization differs from the need for achievement? Handout 8–3 Self-Actualization Scale ANSWERS WILL VARY Measurement of Self-Actualization, by Jones and Crandall (1986). Administer this quiz in class. Fill out the following scale. Use the scoring system below. 1 = Disagree 2 = Somewhat disagree 3 = Somewhat agree 4 = Agree _____ 1. I do not feel ashamed of any of my emotions. _____ 2. I feel I must do what others expect me to do. _____ 3. I believe that people are essentially good and can be trusted. _____ 4. I feel free to be angry at those I love. _____ 5. It is always necessary that others approve of what I do. _____ 6. I don’t accept my own weaknesses. _____ 7. I can like people without having to approve of them. _____ 8. I fear failure. _____ 9. I avoid attempts to analyze and simplify complex domains. _____ 10. It is better to be yourself than to be popular. _____ 11. I have no mission in life to which I feel especially dedicated. _____ 12. I can express my feelings even when they may result in undesirable consequences. _____ 13. I do not feel responsible to help anybody. _____ 14. I am bothered by fears of being inadequate. _____ 15. I am loved because I give love. SCORING OF SELF-ACTUALIZATION SCALE For items 2, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 13, and 14: The assignment of points is 4 for an answer of 1, 3 for an answer of 2, 2 for an answer of 3, and 1 for an answer of 4. For all the remaining items: The assignment of points corresponds to the answer (1 point for an answer of 1, 2 for an answer of 2, etc.). The higher your score, the more self-actualized you may be. Handout 8–4 Drive vs. Incentive Motivations in Advertisements Select advertisements that fulfill either the drive (filling a need) or incentive (creating a need) theories of motivation. For each one, briefly describe the advertisement, list the need it appeals to, and indicate whether or not you think it is effective. ANSWERS WILL VARY Advertisement Description Need It Appeals To Is It Effective? Handout 8–5 Cultural Contributions to Eating Disorders Select four magazine articles that deal with weight or weight loss. Describe and comment on each article below. ANSWERS WILL VARY Article Title Content of Article and How It Treats the Topic of Weight or Weight Loss How Do You Think This Article Conveys Social Attitudes toward Weight or Weight Loss? Handout 8–6 Daily Activity Diary ANSWERS WILL VARY Over the next 24 hours, complete this chart. For each activity, indicate what might have motivated you to use more energy. For example, if you drove from one end of campus to the next, indicate what would make you more likely in the future to walk that distance. The first three lines are filled in to suggest way to complete the rest of the chart. Time of Day Low-Energy Activity Alternate High- Energy Activity What Would Motivate You to Use More Energy? 9:00 a.m. Took the elevator five flights Walked the stairs Ate pizza last night 1:00 p.m. Drove to the grocery store Walked Wear comfortable shoes 6–8:00 p.m. Watched television Worked out (for 30–60 minutes of that time) Want to feel energized Handout 8–7 Self-Ratings of Needs Indicate whether each of the items below is True or False for you. There are no right or wrong answers. ANSWERS WILL VARY I work hard to accomplish my goals. Other people consider me to be a risk taker. When I have a problem, I talk to other people. I feel good when other people compliment me. I have trouble establishing new friendships. Others consider me to be friendly and outgoing. I must take responsibility for my own life. I like directing other people. I can most often be found with other people. I consider myself to be independent. I enjoy influencing other people. I enjoy working with others to solve problems. I plan my life so I can be successful. People say that I am a good leader. Success is not as important as being popular. Other people consider me to be ambitious. I compete whenever given a chance. I need others to approve of what I do. I need feedback on my performance. I like to be in charge of things. Friendship is very important to me. I set realistic goals so I can meet them. Having the ability to influence others is important. I enjoy going to parties and social events. I am very proud of my accomplishments. I am basically a competitive person. I prefer to avoid conflict whenever possible. Success in life requires time and effort. It is important to influence other people. I like to spend time with other people. KEY Achievement: 1, 2, 4, 7, 10, 13, 14, 16, 17, 19, 22, 25, 28. Power: 5, 8, 11, 20, 23, 26, 29. Affiliation: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30. Handout 9–1 Prenatal Influences Complete this chart by indicating the nature of the influence, its effect, and the methods of prevention. Influence Effect on Developing Child Genetic or Environmental? Rubella Blindness, deafness, heart abnormalities, stillbirth Environmental Tay-Sachs disease Death by age 3 or 4 because of the body’s inability to break down fat Genetic Addictive drugs Low birth weight, addiction of infant to drug, with possible death after birth from withdrawal Environmental Phenylketonuria Mental retardation Genetic Alcohol Mental retardation, lower-than-average birth weight, small head, limb deformities Environmental Smoking Premature birth, low birth weight and length Environmental Sickle-cell anemia Episodes of pain, yellowish eyes, stunted growth, and vision problems, and heart problems can lead to premature death in middle age Genetic Down syndrome Mental retardation Genetic Handout 9–2 Everyday Examples of Conservation ANSWERS WILL VARY Use the chart below to provide examples from your daily life of Piaget’s concept of conservation. For each type of conservation, find two objects that appear to have different quantities but actually are the same. Type of Conservation Object 1 Object 2 Number Substance Length Area Weight Volume Give an example of a time that you were fooled into thinking that objects of the same size, weight, or volume were different, because they differed in one dimension. If adults have difficulty with conservation, what does this say about Piaget’s theory? Handout 9–3 Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development ANSWERS WILL VARY For this assignment you will need to find another student, a child, or a teenager. Ask this person to answer the “Henry” dilemma in the text. Read the following word for word: In a European country, a woman is near death from a special kind of cancer. The one drug that the doctors think might save her is a medicine that a medical researcher has recently discovered. The drug is expensive to make, and the researcher is charging ten times the cost, or $5,000, for a small dose. The sick woman’s husband, Henry, approaches everyone he knows in hopes of borrowing money, but he can get together only about $2,500. He tells the researcher that his wife is dying and asks him to lower the price of the drug or let him pay later. The researcher says, “No, I discovered the drug and I’m going to make money from it.” Henry is desperate and considers stealing the drug for his wife. What would you tell Henry to do? 1. Write down your subject’s response and his or her age. 2. Use the chart in the text to rate the stage this response fits in with. 3. Justify why you rated the response as belonging to this stage. Handout 9–4 Attitudes Toward Aging Answer “True” or “False” to each of the following statements: Cognitive functioning does not decline significantly in old age. Old people lose all interest in sex. Most older people are lonely and unhappy. Belief in a religion usually significantly increases among old people. The vast majority of old people live in institutions. Old people rarely take baths or wash their clothes. Fear of death increases significantly as a person grows older. Old people most often tend to be victims of crime. Old people only want to talk about the past. Old people cannot effectively contribute to society. Responses to Handout 9–4 For 1,291 Entries. Percentages may not add up to 100 percent owing to rounding. 1. Cognitive functioning does not decline significantly in old age. True 579 44% False 656 50% 2. Old people lose all interest in sex. True 114 8% False 1,126 87% 3. Most older people are lonely and unhappy. True 216 16% False 1,021 79% 4. Belief in a religion usually significantly increases among old people. True 858 66% False 380 29% 5. The vast majority of old people live in institutions. True 156 12% False 1,078 83% 6. Old people rarely take baths or wash their clothes. True 95 7% False 1,143 88% 7. Fear of death increases significantly as a person grows older. True 449 34% False 781 60% 8. Old people most often tend to be victims of crime. True 696 53% False 539 41% 9. Old people only want to talk about the past. True 262 20% False 973 75% 10. Old people cannot effectively contribute to society. True 74 5% False 1,166 90% Handout 10–1 Defense Mechanisms ANSWERS WILL VARY For each defense mechanism, provide an example from your own experience (either yourself or someone else). Defense Mechanism Personal Example Repression Regression Displacement Rationalization Denial Projection Sublimation Reaction formation Handout 10–2 Self-Efficacy Scale ANSWERS WILL VARY Rate the statements below using this scale: 1 = Disagree strongly 2 = Disagree moderately 3 = Neither agree nor disagree 4 = Agree moderately 5 = Agree strongly 1. I am able to make sure that my plans will work. 2. It is difficult for me to apply myself to my work. 3. If I can’t succeed at a job the first time, I keep trying till I can. 4. Making friends is difficult for me. 5. Heredity plays the major role in determining one’s personality. 6. It is difficult for me to make new friends. 7. When I set important goals for myself, I usually achieve them. 8. I give up on things before completing them. 9. If I see someone I would like to meet, I go to that person rather than waiting for that person to approach me. 10. I feel that I work best when I am challenged. 11. If something looks too complicated, I will not even bother to try it. 12. When I have something unpleasant to do, I stick to it until I finish it. 13. When I decide to do something, I go right to work on it. 14. When trying to learn something new, I soon give up if I am not initially successful. 15. I don’t handle unexpected problems very well. 16. I enjoy the challenge of trying to learn new things, even if they seem difficult. 17. Failure just makes me try harder. 18. I do not handle myself well in social gatherings. 19. I feel insecure about my ability to do things. 20. I feel that I am a self-reliant person. 21. I have acquired my friends through my personal abilities at making friends. 22. I give up easily. 23. I do not seem able to deal with most problems that come up in my life. Scoring: Add up your scores for the positive items (Positive: 1, 3, 7, 9, 10, 12, 13, 16, 17, 20, 21). Add up your scores for the negative items (Negative: 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 11, 14, 15, 18, 19, 22, 23). If your positive score is higher than your negative score, then you have a higher self-efficacy. If the opposite is true, then you have a lower self-efficacy. Handout 10–3 Locus of Control Scale ANSWERS WILL VARY Indicate for each statement whether it is True or False for you. There are no right or wrong answers. I usually get what I want in life. (I) I need to be kept informed about news events. (I) I never know where I stand with other people. (I) I do not really believe in luck or chance. (I) I think that I could easily win a lottery. (E) If I do not succeed on a task, I tend to give up. (E) I usually convince others to do things my way. (I) People make a difference in controlling crime. (I) The success I have is largely a matter of chance. (E) Marriage is largely a gamble for most people. (E) People must be the master of their own fate. (I) It is not important for me to vote. (E) My life seems like a series of random events. (E) I never try anything that I am not sure of. (I) I earn the respect and honors I receive. (I) A person can get rich by taking risks. (E) Leaders are successful when they work hard. (I) Persistence and hard work usually lead to success. (I) It is difficult to know who my real friends are. (E) Other people usually control my life. (E) Scoring: Look at the letters in parentheses after each item. I = internal, E = external. Add up the scores for E and I to indicate which locus of control, if any, is dominant. Handout 10–4 The “Barnum Effect” Use this scale for the initial personality “test.” THE SELF-UNDERSTANDING CLINICAL RATING SCALE This is a test of personality dispositions or enduring tendencies. To complete this test, answer each item True or False, marking 1 if True and 2 if False in the corresponding space on the answer sheet. Do not discuss your answers with anyone else. You will receive an interpretation of your answers at a later date. MAKE NO MARKS ON THIS SHEET. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, DIRECT THEM TO THE EXAMINER. Before voting, I thoroughly investigate the qualifications of all the candidates. I never hesitate to go out of my way to help someone in trouble. It is sometimes hard for me to go on with my work if I am not encouraged. I never have intensely disliked anyone. On occasion I have had doubts about my ability to succeed in life. I sometimes feel resentful when I don’t get my way. I am always careful about my manner of dress. My table manners at home are as good as when I am eating out in a restaurant. If I could get into a movie without paying and be sure I was not seen I would probably do it. On a few occasions, I have given up doing something because I thought too little of my ability. I like to gossip at times. No matter who I’m talking to, I’m always a good listener. I can remember “playing sick” to get out of something. There have been occasions when I took advantage of someone. I’m always willing to admit when I make a mistake. I always practice what I preach. I sometimes try to get even rather than forgive and forget. When I don’t know something I don’t at all mind admitting it. I am always courteous, even to people who are disagreeable. At times I have really insisted on having things my own way. There have been occasions when I felt like smashing things. I never resent being asked to return a favor. I have never been irked when people expressed ideas very different from my own. There have been times when I was quite jealous of the good fortune of others. I have almost never felt the urge to tell someone off. I am sometimes irritated by people who ask favors of me. I sometimes think when people have a misfortune they only got what they deserved. I have never deliberately said something that hurt someone’s feelings. FEEDBACK: You have a great need for other people to like and to admire you. Your have a tendency to be critical of yourself. You have a great deal of unused capacity that you have not turned to your advantage. Although you have some personality weaknesses, you generally are able to compensate for them. Your sexual adjustment has presented problems for you. Disciplined and self-controlled outside, you tend to be worrisome and insecure inside. At times you have serious doubts as to whether you have made the right decision or done the right thing. You prefer a certain amount of change and variety and become dissatisfied when hemmed in by restrictions and limitations. You pride yourself as an independent thinker and do not accept others’ statements without satisfactory proof. You have found it unwise to be too frank in revealing yourself to others. At times you are extroverted, affable, and sociable, while at other times you are introverted, wary, and reserved. Some of your aspirations tend to be pretty unrealistic. Security is one of your major goals in life. INTERPRETATION OF THE SELF-UNDERSTANDING CLINICAL RATING SCALE WE AT TPTS ARE INTERESTED IN YOUR REACTIONS TO THE FEEDBACK PROVIDED BY THIS RATING SCALE. USING THE CATEGORIES BELOW, PLEASE RATE THE DEGREE TO WHICH THE FEEDBACK FROM THIS SCALE ACCURATELY DESCRIBES YOUR PERSONALITY. FOR TPTS USE ONLY. DO NOT SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH OTHERS. 1 = VERY POOR, DOESN’T FIT ME AT ALL. 2 = POOR; ONLY APPLIES TO ME A LITTLE. 3 = NEITHER GOOD NOR POOR. 4 = GOOD; DESCRIBES ME QUITE WELL. 5 = EXCELLENT; REALLY DESCRIBES ME ACCURATELY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP. © TPTS, Inc. 1990; 2008 Handout 11–1 Methods of Coping For each of the following, indicate whether it is a problem-focused or emotion-focused method of coping, and discuss whether it is a method that you would find useful. Example Method of Coping (problem focused, emotion focused, or both) Useful or Not? Why? Looking at failure as having taught you a useful lesson Emotion Trying not to think about the problem Emotion Accepting responsibility when something went wrong Emotion Seeking help from other people Both Getting away from the problem; taking a break Emotion Feeling that you have benefited from disappointment Emotion Facing a challenge by breaking it down into smaller components Problem Taking a stand against a difficult situation Problem Controlling your emotions even though disappointed or hurt Emotion Handout 11–2 How Do You Cope? Briefly describe a situation that you experienced recently that you considered stressful. Answer these questions: ANSWERS WILL VARY What was the event? What made it stressful to you? Rate each of the 10 statements below. Indicate by using this 0–3 scale which methods of coping you found useful: 0 = Not used 1 = Used somewhat 2 = Used quite a bit 3 = Used a great deal ____ 1. I tried to get the person responsible to change his or her mind. (P) ____ 2. I tried to keep my feelings to myself. (E) ____ 3. I criticized or lectured myself. (E) ____ 4. I changed or grew as a person in a good way. (E) ____ 5. I stood my ground and fought for what I wanted. (P) ____ 6. I knew what had to be done, so I doubled my efforts to make things work. (P) ____ 7. I found new faith. (E) ____ 8. I made a plan of action and followed it. (P) ____ 9. I refused to believe it had happened. (E) ____ 10. I came up with a couple of different solutions to the problem. (P) Scoring: Add up the scores for P and E. “P” indicates a problem-focused approach. “E” indicates an emotion-focused approach. This scoring should indicate which method, if any, you used most. Source: Folkman, S., & Lazarus, R. (1984). Stress, Appraisal, and Coping. New York: SpringerHandout 11–3 Type A and Type B Behavior Inventory ANSWERS WILL VARY Indicate whether each statement is True or False for you. THERE ARE NO RIGHT OR WRONG ANSWERS. When you are done, give yourself 5 points for every item with an (A) at the end that you marked as true. Then add these together. Use the scoring system at the bottom of the page to learn more about your personality type. 1. I don’t let people know when I am angry. (B) 2. Most people are generally selfish and self-centered. (A) 3. Other people consider me a relaxed person. (B) 4. I feel anxious whenever I am idle. (A) 5. I usually can trust the people I work with. (B) 6. I think people are basically good. (B) 7. I become irritated when I must wait for something. (A) 8. I stay calm in emergency situations. (A) 9. I am usually patient while waiting for someone. (B) 10. I tend to keep my feelings to myself. (B) 11. I enjoy working against deadlines. (A) 12. It is important to take vacations regularly. (B) 13. I tend to concentrate on one problem at a time. (B) 14. I really can’t trust other people. (A) 15. Other people have mentioned my hostility. (A) 16. I listen to the ideas of other people. (B) 17. I often race against time even when there is no reason to. (A) 18. I often feel suspicious toward others. (A) 19. I do not work well under deadlines. (B) 20. I try to relax when things slow down. (B) Scoring: Each Type A response receives 5 points. 0–15: Definite Type B 20–35: Type B 40–60: Both Type A and Type B traits 65–80: Type A 85–100: Definite Type A Handout 11–4 Message Framing in Advertising ANSWERS WILL VARY Find two examples of both positive and negative message framing in advertisements (print or television). For each, write the example, indicate what makes it positive or negative, and describe its effect on the message recipient. Advertisement (Positive or Negative) Message Effect on Message Recipient Positive messages Advertisement #1: Advertisement #2: Negative messages Advertisement #1 Advertisement #2 Handout 12–1 Views on Psychological Disorders Indicate whether you believe each statement is True or False. ANSWERS WILL VARY ____ Mental illness is mainly due to biochemical imbalances. ____ We should eliminate the insanity plea in court cases. ____ Most mentally ill individuals could get well if they really tried. ____ Psychological disorders are universal; every society has mentally ill individuals. ____ People with severe psychological disorders should be sterilized so that they cannot pass on their problems to offspring. ____ We should spend more tax money to help people with psychological disorders. ____ Depression is relatively rare in our society. ____ Most people develop psychological disorders after a stressful or traumatic event. ____ Most psychological disorders are genetically transmitted. ____ Women experience more psychological disorders than men do. Survey Responses to Handout 12–1 Survey Results for 1,250 Entries 1. Mental illness is mainly due to biochemical imbalances. True 518 41% False 736 59% 2. We should eliminate the insanity plea in court cases. True 233 19% False 1,017 81% 3. Most mentally ill individuals could get well if they really tried. True 178 14% False 1,070 86% 4. Psychological disorders are universal; every society has mentally ill individuals. True 678 54% False 572 46% 5. People with severe psychological disorders should be sterilized so that they cannot pass on their problems to offspring. True 165 13% False 1,083 87% 6. We should spend more tax money to help people with psychological disorders. True 533 43% False 712 57% 7. Depression is relatively rare in our society. True 33 3% False 1213 97% 8. Most people develop psychological disorders after a stressful or traumatic event. True 543 44% False 704 56% 9. Most psychological disorders are genetically transmitted. True 306 24% False 943 76% 10. Women experience more psychological disorders than men do. True 1,070 141% False 390 51% Handout 12–2 Abnormal Psychology in the Media ANSWERS WILL VARY Choose an example from each category, and analyze whether or not it accurately portrays psychological disorders. Medium Name Disorder Accurate or Not? Why or Why Not? Movie Novel Television Music Other? Handout 12–3 Attitudes Toward Psychotherapy For each statement, indicate whether you Agree or Disagree. When you are finished, your responses will be combined with those of other students who have taken this survey. ANSWERS WILL VARY ________ Classical psychoanalysis is the most effective kind of psychotherapy. ________ Psychotherapy does not really help people with psychological problems. ________ Drug therapy can be dangerous. 4. ________ Behavior therapy does not really help, because it does not analyze unconscious motivation. ________ Psychotherapists typically act in an unprofessional manner. ________ Drug therapy is more effective than psychotherapy. ________ There is a social stigma attached to going to a psychologist for therapy. ________ Psychotherapy is effective only with very severe psychological disorders. ________ Clients are often sexually attracted to their therapists. ________ Often a psychological problem will go away without therapy. Survey Responses to Handout 12–3 Survey Results for 160 Entries Percentages may not add up to 100%, because of rounding. 1. Classical psychoanalysis is the most effective kind of psychotherapy. True 37 23% False 112 70% 2. Psychotherapy does not really help people with psychological problems. True 24 15% False 126 78% 3. Drug therapy can be dangerous. True 130 81% False 20 12% 4. Behavior therapy does not really help, because it does not analyze unconscious motivation. True 38 23% False 111 69% 5. Psychotherapists typically act in an unprofessional manner. True 16 10% False 133 83% 6. Drug therapy is more effective than psychotherapy. True 36 22% False 113 70% 7. There is a social stigma attached to going to a psychologist for therapy. True 124 77% False 25 15% 8. Psychotherapy is effective only with very severe psychological disorders. True 13 8% False 136 85% 9. Clients are often sexually attracted to their therapists. True 59 36% False 92 57% 10. Often a psychological problem will go away without therapy. True 46 28% False 102 63% Handout 12–4 Comparison of Therapy Methods ANSWERS WILL VARY Choose one disorder that interests you. For this disorder, show how treatment would be carried out according to each of the therapy methods. Method Approach Application to This Example Psychoanalysis Behavioral therapy Cognitive therapy Humanistic therapy Biomedical therapy Handout 13–1 The Need for Cognition ANSWERS WILL VARY Answer “T” (True) or “F” (False )to each question. There are no right or wrong answers. When you are done, give yourself one point for every answer that matches those on the answer key. Then add up the points. The higher your score, the higher your need for cognition. ___ I really enjoy a task that involves coming up with new solutions to problems. ___ I would prefer a task that is intellectual, difficult, and important over one that is somewhat important but does not require much thought. ___ Learning new ways to think doesn’t excite me very much. ___ The idea of relying on thought to make my way to the top appeals to me. ___ I only think as hard as I have to. ___ I like tasks that require little thought once I’ve learned them. ___ I prefer to think about small, daily projects rather than long-term ones. ___ I would rather do something that requires little thought than something that is sure to challenge my thinking abilities. ___ I find satisfaction in deliberating hard and for long hours. ___ I like to have the responsibility of handling a situation that requires a lot of thinking. ANSWER KEY: ___ I really enjoy a task that involves coming up with new solutions to problems. (T) ___ I would prefer a task that is intellectual, difficult, and important over one that is somewhat important but does not require much thought. (T) ___ Learning new ways to think doesn’t excite me very much. (F) ___ The idea of relying on thought to make my way to the top appeals to me. (T) ___ I only think as hard as I have to. (F) ___ I like tasks that require little thought once I’ve learned them. (F) ___ I prefer to think about small, daily projects rather than long-term ones. (F) ___ I would rather do something that requires little thought than something that is sure to challenge my thinking abilities. (F) ___ I find satisfaction in deliberating hard and for long hours. (T) ___ I like to have the responsibility of handling a situation that requires a lot of thinking. (T) Handout 13–2 The Effectiveness of Different Methods of Advertising ANSWERS WILL VARY Choose four advertisements (from television or print media), contrasting the methods of processing used. Type of Processing Advertisement How Effective Was It? Peripheral Central One-sided Two-sided Handout 13–3 Methods of Compliance ANSWERS WILL VARY Visit several mall stores, including a department store, a jewelry store, an electronics store, and one “other” store. For each store, write down at least two examples of one of their sales compliance techniques and provide your reaction to that technique below. Type of Store Advertising or Sales Tactic Used (Specific Example) Type of Compliance Method This Represents Your Reaction Department store Jewelry store Electronics store Handout 13–4 Identifying the Types of Love For each of the following scenarios, indicate the type of love as described in Sternberg’s theory that seems closest to the example. Couple has been together for several years, still feel very close and connected emotionally, but do not always feel the same passion toward each other as they once did. (Answer: Companionate Love) They have a strong sexual drive and a need for physical and romantic contact with each other but do not feel very close to each other. They have not planned for their future together, and in fact have not even thought about any form of long-term commitment. (Answer: Infatuation) They have been married for a long time and still verbally proclaim their love for each other but admit to having lost much of the emotional connectedness, as well as the sexual desire that they once had. (Answer: Empty Love) After more than six years together, this couple is as “in love” as ever. They remain close and connected, very sexually and romantically in sync, and are completely committed to each other and to their relationship. (Answer: Consummate Love) This couple has been together for only a couple of months, and although they feel they have become close and are connected emotionally, they have yet to become passionately involved or think about their future commitment. (Answer: Liking) They are in love and both have a strong sexual desire for each other, and are very close and connected emotionally, but they have yet to discuss any future plans that would include a decision to commit only to each other. (Answer: Romantic Love) They have been together for a while and are planning on staying together. They continue to maintain a healthy and satisfying sex life, but say they do not feel very closely connected where emotion is concerned. (Answer: Fatuous Love) Handout 13–5 Leadership Survey Indicate whether each statement is T (True) or F (False) for you. There are no right or wrong answers. When you are finished, give yourself 5 points for every answer that matches that of the answer key. Then add these points to determine your leadership orientation. ANSWERS WILL VARY ____ I try to motivate people to do their best. ____ I have an obligation to provide progress reports. ____ I enjoy keeping others happy. ____ Deadlines are essential for the success of a group. ____ I try to help people relax and have fun. ____ I feel best when others are enjoying themselves. ____ I feel I should point out errors in the work of others. ____ I enjoy having responsibility for meeting goals. ____ I listen and respond to the opinions of others. ____ People usually understand my point of view. ____ Others look to me for direction and example. ____ I always consult other people in a group. ____ People are able to be at ease with me. ____ I usually speak with authority. ____ I am upset when the group is inefficient. ____ I consider everyone, including myself, as equal. ____ It is important to have goals and objectives. ____ I usually tell others what to do. ____ I enjoy being with other people. ____ I like helping other people improve. Scoring: 0–15 Strong social leader orientation 20–35 Social leader orientation 40–60 Combination of both traits 65–80 Task leader orientation 85–100 Strong task leader orientation ANSWER KEY: ____ I try to motivate people to do their best. (T) ____ I have an obligation to provide progress reports. (T) ____ I enjoy keeping others happy. (F) ____ Deadlines are essential for the success of a group. (T) ____ I try to help people relax and have fun. (F) ____ I feel best when others are enjoying themselves. (F) ____ I feel I should point out errors in the work of others. (T) ____ I enjoy having responsibility for meeting goals. (T) ____ I listen and respond to the opinions of others. (F) ____ People usually understand my point of view. (F) ____ Others look to me for direction and example. (T) ____ I always consult other people in a group. (F) ____ People are able to be at ease with me. (F) ____ I usually speak with authority. (T) ____ I am upset when the group is inefficient. (T) ____ I consider everyone, including myself, as equal. (F) ____ It is important to have goals and objectives. (T) ____ I usually tell others what to do. (T) ____ I enjoy being with other people. (F) ____ I like helping other people improve. (F)