discussions

PSY-101

Week 2 Discussion

COLLAPSE

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Do you have free will? Or does your brain chemistry make decisions for you?

This week you’re learning about the electrochemical reactions that happen every time you think, feel, sense, or act. So does that mean you are not in charge? Does body chemistry direct your choices and eliminate your control?

1. Watch the TED-Ed video How Does Caffeine Keep Us Awake? that explains the specific ways caffeine affects your mood, alertness, and performance, all through your nervous system.

2. Then, write a post offering your opinion: Free will, or brain chemistry? Or is there some way to reconcile the two?

Support your post with information from the video or the weekly Webtext. To receive full credit, remember to write 2 posts in the discussion: one original and a response to another student. Your original should be at least 7 sentences, and your reply should be 4 sentences.

Note - please write more than your preferences about caffeine. Be sure to answer the question about free will or brain chemistry. Thanks!

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Week 3 Discussion

COLLAPSE

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As we study human development, our focus turns to change and stability. Do people’s personalities ever really change? Or are we destined to make similar choices throughout our lives?

1. Read Invisibilia: Is Your Personality Fixed, Or Can You Change Who You Are? by Alix Spiegel (2016). This article explores the question through the dramatic example of a man in prison for a heinous crime.

2. Pick one position—either stability or change—and provide a rationale for your choice. You can also learn more about personality on page 3.12 in Chapter 3 of our webtext.

To receive full credit, remember to write 2 posts in the discussion: one original and a response to another student. Your original post should be at least 7 sentences, and your reply should be at least 4 sentences.

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