psy 326

PSY 326 Final Project Guidelines and Rubric

Overview The final project for this course is the creation of a research paper.

For the final project in this course, you will marshal the knowledge you have built to accomplish the core goal of all psychologists—to explain human behavior. You will select a current or historical event and use theory and research from the field of social cognition and perception to explain, from your perspective, why the event occurred. You will also suggest, again drawing from social cognitive theory and research, how this event could have turned out differently had it occurred in a different culture. Although you will not have been exposed to the material in the entire course by the time you begin working on the project, you should feel free to utilize theory and research covered in any portion of the course readings, or elsewhere within the field of social cognition, in achieving the project objectives. The project will be completed in three steps: a topic proposal, a detailed outline and tentative annotated bibliography, and a final paper.

The project is divided into two milestones, which will be submitted at various points throughout the course to scaffold learning and ensure quality final submissions. These milestones will be submitted in Modules Three and Five. The final research paper will be submitted in Module Seven.

This assessment will assess your mastery with respect to the following course outcomes:

 PSY-326-01 Evaluate contemporary research in social cognition and perception for its contributions to and importance for analyzing human behavior

 PSY-326-02 Analyze the impact of cognitive theory and methodology on social psychology

 PSY-326-03 Assess the impact of the social environment (with a focus on both functionality and shortcomings) on basic cognitive processes, perceptual processes, and behavior

 PSY-326-04 Apply the automatic versus controlled model of social cognition to the analysis and evaluation of human behavior

 PSY-326-05 Assess the role of culture as one component of the social environment for its impact on basic cognitive and perceptual processes

Prompt Your paper will address two major questions:

1. How does the literature in social cognition and perception help explain a real-world event? 2. Based on the literature, how could this event have happened differently had it occurred in a different culture?

The introductory part of your paper should provide background information on your chosen event, including where and when it occurred, how people were affected by it, and its impact. For example, the event might have significantly impacted individuals, or perhaps it had an environmental or political impact. Include any other relevant information that will provide the reader with a full picture of the nature of the event.

Next, you will utilize your knowledge of social cognitive theory and research to explain why the event occurred. Select two theories from the course that could explain how and why the event happened. In your discussion of each theory and how it applies to understanding the event, incorporate information from at least two representative, peer-reviewed articles that capture the essence of the theory and can be used to illustrate what the theory predicts would happen in this situation.

Although you will address the applicability of the theories to the event in some detail, you should also analyze the role of other basic cognitive, perceptual, and social psychological forces at work in bringing about the occurrence or unfolding of the event. Part of this analysis should include how the dual process model can be utilized to analyze the course of events. How did automatic and controlled processes contribute to the event? What is the difference between these two modes of processing? Utilize scholarly research to support all of yourclaims.

What specific heuristics, biases, or errors might have occurred in the course of the event? How are the biases or heuristics that you have identified functional or problematic within this context? How might they have been reduced? Utilize information in the scholarly literature or your textbook for this discussion.

Finally, could this event have turned out differently if it unfolded in a different culture? Or do you think the outcome would have been much the same? Make use of information in the scholarly literature or your textbook in discussing thisissue.

You will need to take care in selecting an event that will lend itself to detailed analysis from a social cognitive perspective. One example of such an event would be the terrorist attacks that took place on September 11, 2001, and the aftermath. Many things occurred that could be viewed through the lens of social cognition. The individuals who carried out the attack may have had certain motivations that social cognitive perspectives could explain. The public developed certain views of the hijackers and, in some cases, had altered views of the groups to which the hijackers belonged. The rate of flying on commercial airliners plummeted for a time. Subsequent U.S. military invasions of Afghanistan and later Iraq were portrayed as responses to this attack. Yellow ribbons and “Support Our Troops” bumper stickers became widespread symbols. Hostility toward those critical of U.S. government policies increased.

Here are some other topics that you might choose as the focus of your paper:

 The civil rights movement

 The My Lai massacre during the Vietnam War

 The Nazi Holocaust

 The struggle to abolish slavery in the United States

 The Russian Revolution

 The stock market crash of 1929

 Human-induced global climate change

 The AIDS epidemic

 The nuclear disaster in Fukushima, Japan

 The Abu Ghraib prison torture scandal

 The Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting

 The Bernie Madoff investment scandal

These examples were selected because they lend themselves to rich analysis from the perspective of social cognition. Although you may select an event that is not listed here, your choice of event is subject to instructorapproval.

Specifically the following critical elements must be addressed:

I. Introduction A. Include extensive background information about the event including a description of the event, what might have led to it, and why the

event is worthy of analysis.

II. Why the Event Occurred: Theory I A. Include a theory from the course that justifiably explains the event and why the event occurred, and draw connections to two articles

relevant to the theory. III. Why the Event Occurred: Theory II

A. Include a theory from the course that justifiably explains the event and why the event occurred, and draw connections to two articles relevant to the theory.

IV. Analysis—Basic Perceptual and Cognitive Processes A. Analyze the impact of social psychological processes and how they might have contributed to this event. B. Analyze how those processes were impacted by social psychological factors.

V. Analysis—the Dual Process Model A. Apply the dual process model to demonstrate how it can successfully be used to explain human behavior. Accurately describe at least one

automatic and one controlled process in a comprehensive way. Explain how the processes contributed to the event. VI. Alternative Conclusions

A. Identify specific heuristics or biases that might logically have occurred during the event, and explain how those biases and heuristics are both functional and problematic in the context, as well as how they might have been mitigated.

B. Include an analysis of how this event could have turned out differently if it had unfolded in different culture.

Milestones Milestone One: Topic Proposal In Module Three, you will submit a topic proposal. The topic proposal will identify the event you are going to discuss and at least two theories you plan to use for your analysis. It should also include proposed search terms for finding the peer-reviewed journal articles you will use to write your paper. This milestone is graded with the Milestone One Rubric.

Milestone Two: Detailed Outline and Annotated Bibliography In Module Five, you will submit a detailed outline and annotated bibliography. This should be a full sentence-style outline that fully lays out how the final paper will meet each of the items listed for the final submission. To successfully complete the annotated bibliography, you should locate three quality research articles that you could potentially include in your final paper. The articles should be from the last three years. Choose works that provide a variety of perspectives on your topic. This milestone is graded with the Milestone Two Rubric.

Final Submission: Research Paper In Module Seven, you will submit your 8–10-page final research paper. This paper will lay out how you see social psychological theories and processes applying in a real-world event and will successfully address all of the critical elements listed in the rubric. This milestone is graded with the Final Project Rubric.

Final Project Rubric Guidelines for Submission: This submission should conform to APA (American Psychological Association) formatting guidelines. Note that because this paper is not a report on your own empirical research, it will not include the standard subject headings (method, results, discussion, etc.). In all other respects,

however, APA format should be followed.

The final paper should be 8–10 pages, excluding the cover page and references, which must be included. As with other papers for this course, all portions of this assignment must be double spaced, with one-inch margins on all sides, and should use 12-point Times New Roman font.

Critical Elements Exemplary (100%) Proficient (85%) Needs Improvement (55%) Not Evident (0%) Value

Introduction:

Background

Information

Meets “Proficient” criteria, and introduction includes extensive background information beyond basic facts about the event, including an analysis of what led to the event and why the event is important and worthy of analysis

Introduction includes complete background information of the event, including the basic facts about what happened and why it is important

Introduction does not include background information beyond the basic facts of what happened

Introduction does not include background information on the event

10

Why the Event

Occurred: Theory I

Meets “Proficient” criteria and uses scholarly research to buttress student’s own analysis of the event, beyond just including it to explain the theory

Submission includes a theory from the course that justifiably explains the event and why the event occurred and draws connections to two articles relevant to the theory

Submission includes a theory from the course that justifiably explains the event and why the event occurred, but does not draw connections to two articles relevant to the theory

Submission does not include a theory from the course that explains the event and why the event occurred

12

Why the Event

Occurred: Theory II

Meets “Proficient” criteria and uses scholarly research to buttress student’s own analysis of the event, beyond just including it to explain the theory

Submission includes a theory from the course that justifiably explains the event and why the event occurred and draws connections to two articles relevant to the theory

Submission includes a theory from the course that justifiably explains the event and why the event occurred, but does not draw connections to two articles relevant to the theory

Submission does not include a theory from the course that explains the event and why the event occurred

12

Analysis: Impact of

Social Psychological

Processes

Meets “Proficient” criteria, and analysis is comprehensive and well developed; scholarlyresearch is used effectively to support own claims

Submission analyzes how basic perceptual and cognitive processes might have contributed to this event and how those processes were impacted by social psychological factors; includes scholarly research relevant to claims

Submission analyzes how basic perceptual and cognitive processes might have contributed to this event, but does not illustrate how those processes were impacted by social psychological factors, or does not include scholarly research relevant to claims

Submission does not explain how basic perceptual and cognitive processes might have contributed to this event

12

Analysis: Social

Psychological Factors

Meets “Proficient” criteria, and analysis is comprehensive and well developed; scholarly research is used effectively to support own claims

Submission analyzes how basic cognitive and perceptual processes might have caused this event to occur and how those processes were impacted by social psychological processes; includes scholarly research relevant to claims

Submission analyzes how basic cognitive and perceptual processes might have caused this event to occur, but does not discuss how those processes were impacted by social psychological processes, or does not include scholarly research relevant to claims

Submission does not analyze how basic cognitive and perceptual processes might have caused this event to occur

12

Analysis: Application

of Dual Process

Models

Meets “Proficient” criteria, and analysis is comprehensive and well developed, reflecting on the nature of dual process models in general and how and why they are applicable to an analysis of human behavior

Submission includes an assessment of how the dual process model can effectively be utilized to analyze human behavior during the event by discussing how automatic and controlled cognitive and perceptual processes contributed to the event, while highlighting the difference between the two; substantiates claims through the use of scholarly research

Submission includes an assessment of how the dual process model can effectively be utilized to analyze the human behavior during the event, but does not discuss how automatic and controlled cognitive and perceptual processes contributed to the event or does not substantiate claims through the use of scholarly research

Submission does not include an assessment of the dual process model

12

Alternative

Conclusions:

Heuristics, Biases,

and Errors

Meets “Proficient” criteria and reflects on the nature of heuristics, biases, or errors in general and how they apply to an analysis of human behavior

Submission identifies heuristics, biases, or errors that are logically possible in the course of the event, how these biases and heuristics are functional or problematic within this context, and how they could have been reduced

Submission identifies and describes multiple heuristics, biases, and errors but does not clearly explain how those biases and heuristics were functional or problematic in contributing to the event or how they could have been reduced, or does not substantiate claims through the use of scholarly research

Submission does not identify or describe heuristics, biases, and errors

10

Alternative

Conclusions: Culture

Meets “Proficient” criteria and demonstrates an understanding of the impact of cultural differences in the analysis of human behavior generally

Submission includes analysis of how the event could have turned out differently if it had unfolded in a different culture, using scholarly resources to substantiate claims

Submission includes an analysis of how the event could have turned out differently if it had unfolded in different culture, but does not use scholarly resources to substantiate claims

Submission does not analyze how the event could have turned out differently if it had unfolded in another culture

10

Application of APA

Format

Submission is free of errors related to citation format, references, or other elements of APA style

Submission has no major errors related to citation format, references, or other elements of APA style

Submission has major errors related to citation format, references, or other elements of APA style

No attempt to apply APA style is evident within the submission

5

Articulation of

Response

Submission is free of errors related to grammar, spelling, syntax, and organization

Submission has no major errors related to grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization

Submission has major errors related to grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that negatively impact readability and articulation of main ideas

Submission has critical errors related to grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that prevent understanding of ideas

5

Earned Total 100%