Project

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INSTRUCTIONS FOR PROJECT OPTIONS: Required project, select one of the two projects options. OPTION 1: BOOK REFLECTION Your outside assignment is to read one outside book dealing with the subject of psychology and write a five to six page Reflection Paper (2000-2300). The paper needs to utilize class material with the material in your book and will also include your personal reaction to the book. Why did you select the book you read? How does this book relate to your life? This is not to be a book report, but your response to the book of your choice. What did you learn from this book? The purpose of this project is to allow you to pursue a topic of your choosing. Psychology is an interesting subject and can be life changing. You may read a book not on this list for this project. However, if you choose to read something, not on the list provided, you must clear it with me first. If you choose not to clear it with me, the paper will result in zero credit toward your grade. This project is required and is due anytime on or before Apr 5, 2021 by 11:00 PM. A late paper is defined as work turned in after the class period (scheduled class time) in which it was due, whether or not the student was in class on the day the assignment is due, does not matter. Submit the assignment in BlackBoard under the “Term Project” Assignment tab. Late work will bear a 10% penalty for each day that it is turned in late. Students are strongly encouraged to turn work in on time. All assignments are given a due date in the syllabus, however, this signifies the last date that work will be accepted, not the first. The project is worth 50 points. In grading this project, I look for depth of thought in reflection on the book you read and applying it to your life. The length of your paper I feel is reflected by the amount of effort and thought put into the paper, so it is required to be between 2000-2300 words. I will be looking for the clarity in thinking, and your appropriate usage of the English language in grammar and style, and proper spelling. I require typed double spaced papers with size 12 font. Students are required to include a Word count on the last page of the reflection. The top left-hand corner of the first page of the paper must contain the student’s name, name of class and class number, professor’s name, day and time class meets, and date. *Every paper must have a title (centered) and an MLA or APA (2010) reference page is required when referencing textbook and book selected for book reflection. The reference page and/or works cited page is the last page of the book reflection paper. BOOK LIST: The Brain That Changes Itself, Norman Doidge, MD Invisible Gorilla: Christopher Chabris & Daniel Simons Dibs, In Search of Self: Virginia Axline Emotional Intelligence: Daniel Goleman Moonwalking with Einstein: Joshua Foer Picking Cotton: Thomspon-Cannino, Cotton, Torneo The Honest Truth about Dishonesty: How we lie to everyone-especially ourselves: Ariely Dollars & Sense: Ariely Man’s Search For Meaning: Victor Frankl How to Win Friends & Influence People: Dale Carnegie Adult Children of Alcoholics: Janet Woititz (online version available) The narcissism epidemic: Twenge & Campbell Death: The Final Stage of Growth: Elizabeth Kubler-Ross (online version available) Payoffs: Ariely Mindset: The new psychology of success: Dweck

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The Quiet Room: Lori Shiller Gifted Hands: Ben Carson & Cecil Murphey The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat: Oliver Sacks Stumbling on happiness: Gilbert Mindless Eating: Wansink The Impact of Vision on Flavor Perception: Wansink Behavioural Economics Saved My Dog: Ariely (not in TCC library) The Dance of Anger: Harriet Lerner The hows and whys of detecting lies: DePaulo (not in TCC library) Why Zebras don’t get ulcers: Sapolsky The Road Less Traveled: M. Scott Peck Magnificent Mind: Dr. Daniel Amen No Complaining: Jon Gordon Brain Rules: John Medina The Power of Habit: Duhigg Solving the Procrastination Puzzle: Pychyl How We Learn: The surprising truth about when, where, and why it happens: Benedict Carey The Seven Sins of Memory: Daniel Schacter Permanent Present Tense: Corkin (online version available) What Shamu Taught Me About Life, Love, & Marriage: Sutherland (online version available) OPTION 2: KINDNESS PAPER PROJECT

Please read the following instructions carefully. Although the instructions deal considerably with parts 1 & 2, DO NOT NEGLECT part 3. Part 3 accounts for 30 points (60%) of the total 50 points of your grade for the project. Generally, most people have an easy time with parts 1 & 2. Part 3 requires you to demonstrate some learning of psychological concepts, terminology, theories from the course material, and proper referencing (APA).

Spend at least one whole day (24hrs.) going out of your way to consciously treat other people as well as you possibly can. Assume that everyone has a reason for the things they do, even if they’re rude to you or cut you off in traffic or whatever – assume they’re having a bad day or that someone broke up with them or that they’re late for work. Approach everyone as if you expect to be treated well in return, no matter how silly you feel being so happy and nice. Go out of your way to smile at strangers on the elevator, hold doors for other people, let people out in front of you in traffic, greet cashiers in stores with genuine warmth, and just all around be as courteous, kind, and polite as you possibly can, in spite of how anyone treats you. (And being kind doesn’t necessarily mean you put up with people mistreating you or your friends – it just means being as kind and respectful in your approach as you can be, no matter what the situation.) Treat your significant other like you did when you first met him or her, say hello to your profs when you enter the room, whatever you can think of to treat others as well as you can. If you make a mistake, just set it aside and go back to being as courteous and kind as you can. Now, write about your own reactions (thoughts, feelings, physical responses, behavior) before, during, and after your actions, as well as the reactions of the people around you. What did you learn about how your expectations affect others’ behaviors? How did people respond differently

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to you than they normally do? Did anything surprising happen? Will this affect how you behave in the future? Did you enjoy it, find it difficult, find it thought-provoking, etc.?

Also, in part 3 please relate your experiences to topics you have been learning about in this class. For each concept or theory, first explain the concept, term or theory. Then carefully explain how it applies to your experience. For example, you might apply concepts related to the study of attitude or related to emotions. You may want to apply attribution theory and how internal and external attributions applied to your perceptions of the causes of others' behavior and the causes of your own behavior. There are many social psychology concepts, potentially, related to your experience. Altruism (e.g., egoistic/empathic) or the violation of social norms may also be applied (but you must explain this in detail). Theories and concepts related to motivation may also be applied. These are just a few ideas; there are many other possibilities. Just stating that you experienced an emotion or felt a motivation does not demonstrate learning from the science of psychology. A significant portion of your grade (20 points or 40%) is associated with critical thinking and demonstrating that you understand psychology concepts. In part 3 you must demonstrate some learning of course material.

Your project paper should be organized in the following way (some sections may be longer than others, but you must devote about half of your paper to psychological concepts, terms, and theories. In other words, I don't just want a story; I want to see how your experience connected with your learning in the course.

PART 1: WHAT THE DAY WAS LIKE (what happened)

PART 2: MY REACTIONS (your thoughts, what you learned, how you feel about having done the assignment, etc.)

PART 3: CLASS CONCEPTS (relate your experiences to the topics you've been learning about in class -- please note that you need to discuss at least four or five concepts, and you must do more than mention terms in passing -- you must explain how you saw the concept at work during the Experience)

Your name, the project assignment and the class name should be on the paper. You should write the paper in first person. You should spell check and grammar check your paper (that is, PROOFREAD). Your paper length should be a minimum of five full pages (double spaced, typewritten); six or seven pages is usually better. It is required that you include an MLA or APA (2010) reference for the last sheet of your Kindness Project Paper. This project is required and is due anytime on or before Apr 5, 2021 by 11:00 PM. A late paper is defined as work turned in after the class period (scheduled class time) in which it was due, whether or not the student was in class on the day the assignment is due, does not matter. Submit the assignment in BlackBoard under the “Term Project” Assignment tab. Late work will bear a 10% penalty for each day that it is turned in late. Students are strongly encouraged to turn work in on time. All assignments are given a due date in the syllabus, however, this signifies the last date that work will be accepted, not the first. The project is worth 50 points.

Here is a list of concepts that may apply to your Kindness Project. This is not an exhaustive list. Remember, you need to discuss at least four or five concepts, and you must explain how you saw the concept at work during the experience.

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BIOPSYCH CONSCIOUSNESS LEARNING COGNITION,

LANGUAGE, INTELLIGENCE

MOTIVATION &

EMOTION

SOCIAL

PSYCH

Sympathetic Nervous

System Controlled

Processing Thorndike's Law of

Effect Heuristics

Hierarchy of

Needs:

belonging,

esteem, self-

actualization

needs

Situational

Attributions

Parasympathetic

Nervous System Automatic

Processing

Operant conditioning:

positive and/or negative

reinforcement Mental Sets

Cannon-Bard

Theory Dispositional

Attributions

Parts of the brain REM

Operant

conditioning: primary

vs. secondary reinforcers Confirmation Bias

Facial

Feedback

Hypothesis

Fundamental

Attribution Error

Neurotransmitters States of sleep

Operant

conditioning: reinforcem

ent schedules

Representativenes

s Heuristic

Schacter's

Two-Factor

Theory Saliency Bias

Sensations Operant

conditioning: shaping Creativity/Diverg

ent Thinking Intrinsic

Motivation Attitudes

Operant

conditioning: positive

and/or negative

punishment

Extrinsic Motivation

Cognitive

Dissonance

Observational learning Emotions

Prejudice,

Stereotyping, and

Discrimination

(and knowing

how to reduce

them)

Normative Social Influence

Informational Social Influence

Altruism - Egoistic Model

Empathy-

Altruism

Hypothesis

Diffusion of

Responsibility

(and knowing

how to counter

it)

Project Assignment Submission Guidelines Submit “Project” ASSIGNMENT in BlackBoard under the “PROJECT ASSIGNMENT” tab. It is required that the Assignment be submitted as word document file or pdf file. The assignment will receive a score of zero if submitted as google docs, notes, or pages format.