Describe the impact of social context on conformity, obedience, and helping behaviors.

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In Week 2, you were introduced to the bystander effect (Darley & Latané, 1968). The perceived diffusion of responsibility makes bystanders less likely to intervene in an emergency situation. It might be tempting to assume that aggressors and the bystanders who do nothing to intervene are just “bad” people; however, the reasons for how and why these behaviors occur are much more complex. In this assignment, you will consider how factors such as obedience to authority, perceived power, and diffused responsibility in the presence of others may explain varied responses to potential or actual harm to others.

  • Reflect on the following social media scenario: You are reading posts in your favorite social media site, when you come across a post by a 19-year-old male. He writes that he was raped at a party last night and he’s afraid they will post pictures of it online. He is contemplating suicide. You notice three types of behaviors in the comments to him:
  1. A small group of individuals are using profanity and belittling him. They are encouraging him to commit suicide.
  2.  A larger group of individuals are making supportive comments and providing the number for a crisis help line.
  3. Many of his online followers have not responded to his post.
  • Think about how social psychology theories or principles could be applied to explain the types of comments made to the 19-year-old in the scenario.

By Day 7

Submit a 2 page paper that addresses the following:

  • Describe the impact of social context on conformity, obedience, and helping behaviors.
  • Explain how social psychology theories or principles could be applied to account for each of the responses in the scenario (e.g., which principles/theories could explain response type A; which principles/theories could explain response type B, and so on). Be sure to support your assertions with scholarly content.
  • Provide at least one recommendation to help reduce the derogatory comments or increase the number of supportive comments in the scenario, based on what you have learned about social psychology.

identify one example of social change initiative promoting progress and one example of degeneration that can occur. Note in your discussion who the principal actors are in developing public policy in response to either progressive social change or degenerative social change.

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In Chapter 1 of the Simon Public Policy text, we see that in a governing entity (whether a government, for-profit, or non-profit organization), values are fundamental to the understanding public policy. Since Simon mainly focuses on the U.S. federal or state government as the principal actor in the making of public policy, we should note that the governing bodies of for-profit and non-profit organizations are influenced by the same ideas and practices. In other words, governance by any organization may serve to implement public policy. But, in these different governing bodies, who are the actors actually making public policy? Can we say it is people in a community, officials in program agencies, or governing officials? Can we envision a role for human services professionals?

Drawing on Internet sources, identify one example of social change initiative promoting progress and one example of degeneration that can occur. Note in your discussion who the principal actors are in developing public policy in response to either progressive social change or degenerative social change.

Discussion #2

What is your experience with social change?

Drawing on your readings on progress and degeneration, and considering D. B. Bury’s and Benedict Morel’s perspectives, describe your personal experience in defining social needs for change either progressively or in degeneration (social worsening) as a professional in your community.

Include the following in your discussion:

  • Identify the problem.
  • Explain how the problem was first identified.
  • Describe the population or individuals affected.
  • Identify what or who was responsible for responding to the need for change.
  • Explain whether the community, business, non-profit, or government agency was expected to implement social change policy.

Use a minimum of two references (and their associated citations in your discussion narrative), applying APA style

  Define four concepts from our readings/materials that relate to your chosen social problem and analyze how these concepts help us better understand the social problem you are discussing.

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This final paper will be the culmination of what we have accomplished during our course. Now that we have identified and clarified the nature of social problems, and examined two key organizations that address a social problem, we will give a more in depth discussion about the scope of a social problem, a major theoretical idea that can be applied to the social problem, and our own analysis of how this social problem might be better solved. A crucial part of this assignment will be in identifying one of the major theoretical perspectives we have covered this session. The major ones include the functionalist, conflict, and symbolic interaction approaches. However, as our materials note, there are other theoretical viewpoints we may also adopt if we choose. The key will be in thoroughly understanding these theoretical viewpoints, and finding the most effective one for understanding our chosen social problem of study.

Instructions:

Complete a 6-8 page final paper (NOT including title or reference pages) that analyzes the future impact of a social problem of your choice – note: you must use a DIFFERENT social problem from the one you used in your first assignment. In this assignment, you will cover:

1. The scope of this social problem over the last 30-50 years. (Note: you will need to use historical data to articulate the scope of this problem.)

2. Your own original analysis of how you think addressing the social problem could be improved. In this analysis, please mention what you think should be done to solve this social problem. Use your own viewpoint and voice, as a sociologist, rather than relying heavily on sources for this section.

3.    Define four concepts from our readings/materials that relate to your chosen social problem and analyze how these concepts help us better understand the social problem you are discussing. Concepts include ideas such as stratification, ethnicity, sexism, and others as mentioned in our readings and materials (NOTE: these are just examples of concepts – they may NOT apply to your topic – you need to select concepts that apply to your own topic).

4.    Define one sociological theory from our readings/materials that relates to your chosen social problem and analyze how this theory helps us better understand the social problem you are discussing. Sociological theories include functionalism, conflict theory, feminist theory, symbolic interactionism, and others as mentioned in our readings and materials.

Note – you may find our Sociological Theories and Concepts Toolkit to be helpful (found in Announcements).

Do not use unverifiable, secondary sites such as Wikipedia, about.com, ask.com, and similar. Use our course materials, peer-reviewed journal articles from the library, and other scholarly sources.

Your paper should utilize sound critical thought and it should include appropriate APA in-text citations and full APA references at the end.

Describe the topic you are addressing and its impact on employee performance. That is, demonstrate how test anxiety or competition arousal affects peak performance in the employee work situation

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Create an 8-slide PowerPoint presentation on the topic of 1) peak performance and test anxiety or 2) peak performance and competition arousal.

 

Suggested Resources

The following optional resources are provided to support you in completing the assessment or to provide a helpful context. For additional resources, refer to the Research Resources and Supplemental Resources in the left navigation menu of your courseroom.

Capella Resources

Click the links provided to view the following resources:

  • What Is Scholarly?

SHOW LESS

Library Resources

The following e-books or articles from the Capella University Library are linked directly in this course:

  • Whiteley, P. (2002). Motivation. Oxford, UK: Capstone Publishing.
  • Murray, G., Nicholas, C. L., Kleiman, J., Dwyer, R., Carrington, M. J., Allen, N. B., & Trinder, J. (2009). Nature’s clocks and human mood: The circadian system modulates reward motivation. Emotion, 9(5), 705–716.
  • Oyserman, D., Fryberg, S. A., & Yoder, N. (2007). Identity-based motivation and health. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 93(6), 1011–1027.
Course Library Guide

A Capella University library guide has been created specifically for your use in this course. You are encouraged to refer to the resources in the PSYC-FP3770 – Psychology of Human Motivation and Performance Library Guide to help direct your research.

NBC Archives on Demand

Image of NBC Learn logo

Is It Possible to Praise Children Too Much?
Video purchased for use in this Capella course through NBC Archives on Demand.

Image of NBC Learn logo

Americans More Stressed Than Ever
Video purchased for use in this Capella course through NBC Archives on Demand.
  • Click Is It Possible to Praise Children Too Much? to view a video from NBC Learn.
  • Click Americans More Stressed Than Ever to view a video from NBC Learn.

Assessment Instructions

Test anxiety and competition arousal are two forms of evaluation arousal. Create a PowerPoint presentation in which you analyze issues associated with peak performance in the workplace and recommend techniques for improving employee work performance.

Preparation

For this assessment, assume that your work organization has asked for your help in improving employee work performance. Surveys have determined that some employees struggle with test anxiety while others struggle with competition arousal, both of which prevent peak performance. Conduct research to identify:

  • Biological, learned, and cognitive factors that might be affecting the employees’ reactions to stress in the environment.
  • Motivation techniques, such as rewards or praise, that can be used to manage the stress and improve peak performance.
Instructions

Create a PowerPoint presentation on the topic of 1) peak performance and test anxiety or 2) peak performance and competition arousal. Include a script in the notes section of each slide detailing what you would say to an audience about that slide. In the presentation, complete the following:

  • Describe the topic you are addressing and its impact on employee performance. That is, demonstrate how test anxiety or competition arousal affects peak performance in the employee work situation.
  • Describe the biological, learned, and cognitive components of evaluation arousal in the employee work situation.
  • Recommend motivation techniques—supported by the literature—for managing test anxiety or competition arousal to improve peak performance.
  • In the final slide or slides, compile and present a list of five resources that would help the organization understand the connection between stress, health, motivation, and performance. These resources must be scholarly resources from the Capella library or from reputable professional organizations (for example, American Psychological Association, American Medical Association) found on the Internet.
Additional Requirements

Your presentation should meet the following requirements:

  • Written communication: Written communication is free of errors that detract from the overall message.
  • APA formatting: Resources and citations are formatted according to APA sixth edition style and formatting.
  • Number of resources: At least 3 scholarly academic resources supporting the presentation content, and five scholarly or professionally reputable resources listed as potential resources for the organization to use, are included in the presentation.
  • Number of presentation slides: The presentation includes a minimum of 8 slides, excluding the title slide and bibliography slide(s) of references.
  • Presentation notes: Each slide includes the presenter’s script (what you would say during the presentation) in the notes section of the slide.

Motivating Performance Scoring Guide

CRITERIA NON-PERFORMANCE BASIC PROFICIENT DISTINGUISHED
Demonstrate how test anxiety or competition arousal affects peak performance in an employee work situation.

 

 Does not identify test anxiety or competition arousal in an employee work situation. Identifies but does not describe test anxiety or competition arousal in an employee work situation. Demonstrates how test anxiety or competition arousal affects peak performance in an employee work situation. Demonstrates how test anxiety or competition arousal affects peak performance in an employee work situation and provides examples specific to the work situation.
Describe the biological, learned, and cognitive components of evaluation arousal in an employee work situation.

 

 Does not identify the biological, learned, and cognitive components of evaluation arousal in an employee work situation. Identifies but does not describe components of evaluation arousal in an employee work situation, or does not include all three components in the description. Describes the biological, learned, and cognitive components of evaluation arousal in an employee work situation. Describes the biological, learned, and cognitive components of evaluation arousal in an employee work situation and provides examples specific to the work situation.
Recommend research-supported motivation techniques for managing test anxiety or competition arousal and for improving task performance in an employee work situation.

 

 Does not recommend motivation techniques for managing test anxiety or competition arousal and improving task performance in an employee work situation. Recommends motivation techniques for managing test anxiety or competition arousal and for improving task performance in an employee work situation, but the recommendations are not well supported by the research. Recommends research-supported motivation techniques for managing test anxiety or competition arousal and for improving task performance in an employee work situation. Recommends research-supported motivation techniques for managing test anxiety or competition arousal and improving task performance in an employee work situation, and evaluates limitations.
Identify professionally reputable resources an organization could use to understand the connection between stress, health, motivation, and performance.

 

 Does not identify resources an organization could use to understand the connection between stress, health, motivation, and performance. Identifies resources an organization could use to understand the connection between stress, health, motivation, and performance, but many of the resources are not applicable or professionally reputable. Identifies professionally reputable resources an organization could use to understand the connection between stress, health, motivation, and performance. Identifies professionally reputable resources an organization could use to understand the connection between stress, health, motivation, and performance, and identifies the strengths and limitations of each resource.
Communicate in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and consistent with expectations for members of professional communities.

 

 Does not communicate in a manner that is scholarly and professional. Communicates in a manner that is scholarly and professional but is not consistent with expectations for members of professional communities. Communicates in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and consistent with expectations for members of professional communities. Communicates in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and consistent with expectations for members of professional communities, with written communication that is free of errors that detract from the overall message.
Apply proper APA formatting and style.

 

 Does not apply proper APA formatting and style. Uses adequate written communication but includes some APA errors and inconsistencies. Applies proper APA formatting and style. Applies scholarly writing skills and uses proper APA formatting and style throughout the assessment.