Briefly describe how experiencing cognitive dissonance about a debatable issue may make a person more susceptible to social influence, such as conformity, from others who hold opposing opinions.

/in /by

In this assignment, you will assess how your attitudes and behaviors connect in order to understand how cognitive dissonance as a cognitive process can influence the way you think and what attitudes you hold. This assignment is divided into three parts, so it is suggested that you begin working on it in advance.

Part I: Pick a debatable issue that you think is important to address in society today (e.g., universal healthcare). Write a paragraph discussing why you care about and agree with the importance of this issue, and why others should care about this issue as well. Allow one day before moving on to the next part.

Part II: Make sure at least one day has passed since writing the first paragraph. Now, write another paragraph detailing what you personally do to promote this viewpoint. What actions do you take to support this cause? How have you specifically contributed to promoting this issue in the recent past? You will include both of these paragraphs in your essay.

Part III: To complete your essay, identify your chosen topic in an introductory section and include your paragraphs from Parts I and II. Then, reflect on your previous responses by addressing the following points.

1. Discuss the differences between your arguments from the first paragraph (in which you show the importance of the topic) and the second paragraph (in which you discuss how you personally act on your viewpoint). Are your attitudes about the importance of the issue reflected in your behaviors (i.e., is there dissonance between your attitudes and your behaviors)? How do you feel about the level of dissonance between your attitudes and behaviors?

2. Elaborate on whether you think that your opinion of the importance of this topic has changed, particularly thinking about your initial thoughts on the topic before you wrote either paragraph.

3. Briefly describe how experiencing cognitive dissonance about a debatable issue may make a person more susceptible to social influence, such as conformity, from others who hold opposing opinions.

Throughout your discussion, incorporate research on cognitive dissonance from your textbook or another resource to support your claims.

Your response should be at least two pages in length, and you must use at least two sources as references. All sources used, including the textbook, must be referenced; paraphrased and quoted material must have accompanying citations. Please format your paper and all citations in accordance with APA guidelines.

Briefly describe the article you found on memory. Explain how the article informs our understanding of cognition and cognitive neuroscience. Be specific. 

/in /by

During the late 1960s and early 1970s, cognitive psychology researchers conducted studies that offered new information about how memory is stored and processed. Findings suggested that memory is first encoded based on sensory data from the environment (sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell), moved to short-term memory, where it can be easily retrieved, and, when rehearsed (i.e., repeated thinking about the memory), moved to long-term memory, where it is stored and can be retrieved at a later date (Atkinson & Shiffrin, 1968; Craik & Lockhart, 1972).

The basic structural information about memory that arose from these early studies, along with the emergence of brain imaging technology, has led to major advancements in our understanding of cognition and cognitive neuroscience. For example, there is a body of literature on the association between PTSD and memory dysfunction. Traumatic memories are thought to be encoded differently than other memories, which helps explain symptoms such as flashbacks, nightmares, and anxiety. In addition, experiencing a traumatic event and then consistently reliving it through flashbacks and nightmares can damage the hippocampus, the area of the brain responsible for memory encoding, leading to deficits in short-term memory (Hays, VanElzakker, & Shin, 2012; MacIntosh & Whiffen, 2005). Fortunately, exciting new research on neuroplasticity suggests that the brain is malleable and that it is possible to reverse the damage to certain parts of the brain (Kays, Hurley, & Taber, 2012).

In this discussion, you will examine other studies on memory and consider how the findings contribute to our understanding of cognition and cognitive neuroscience.

Atkinson, R. C., & Shiffrin, R. M. (1968). Human memory: A proposed system and its control processes. In K. Spence & J.T. Spence (Eds.), Psychology of learning and motivation (Vol. 2, pp. 89–195). Cambridge, MA: Academic Press.

Craik, F. I., & Lockhart, R. S. (1972). Levels of processing: A framework for memory research. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 11(6), 671–684.

Hayes, J. P., VanElzakker, M. B., & Shin, L. M. (2012). Emotion and cognition interactions in PTSD: A review of neurocognitive and neuroimaging studies. Frontiers in integrative neuroscience,6(89), 1–14.

Kays, J. L., Hurley, R. A., & Taber, K. H. (2012). The dynamic brain: Neuroplasticity and mental health. The Journal of neuropsychiatry and clinical neurosciences, 24(2), 118–124.

MacIntosh, H. B., & Whiffen, V. E. (2005). Twenty years of progress in the study of trauma. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 20(4), 488–492.

Briefly describe the article you found on memory. Explain how the article informs our understanding of cognition and cognitive neuroscience. Be specific.

Identify and explain contextual factors (other than cohort effects) described by Kotchick and Forehand (2002) that might have influenced the parenting practices of each generation you described.

/in /by

You learned in your readings that parenting practices and techniques used to shape child development are influenced by many factors including culture, socioeconomic status, non-normative life events, and cohort effects. To understand cohort effects, consider that the experiences of a child growing up in the 1940s are different in many ways from a child growing up today.

 

 

Read the article: Kotchick, B.A. & Forehand, R. (2002). Putting parenting in perspective: A discussion of the contextual factors that shape parenting practices. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 11(3), 255-269.

http://www.thecampuscommon.com/library/ezproxy/ticketdemocs.asp?sch=auo&turl=http://search.proquest.com/docview/210500919

 

Synthesize what you learned in your readings as well as the above article to address the following:

 

  • Using the chart/table below, list at least 4 parenting practices of 3 generations. (Note: Parenting practices are not the same as parenting styles, which will be discussed later in the course). You can describe parenting practices of 3 generations of your family members, another family you interview, or general practices of generations based on research you find. For example, how did each generation address issues such as education, extracurricular activities, breastfeeding, sleeping arrangements, religious involvement, etc.?  Include brief demographic information (e.g., sex, age, region of the country) Note: 3 different generations means 3 different time periods, not 3 different people.
  • Now review the chart/table and discuss the following:
    • How were the parenting practices similar and different between generations?
    • Explain the concept of cohort effects. What cohort effects (e.g. historical or social events) might have influenced the parenting practices of each generation you described?
    • Identify and explain contextual factors (other than cohort effects) described by Kotchick and Forehand (2002) that might have influenced the parenting practices of each generation you described.
    • Why is it important to understand contextual factors, including cohort effects, when researching differences in parenting practices?
Generation 1: Years children were raised (19XX-XXXX) Generation 2: Years Generation 3: Years
Parenting Practice 1: Education
Parenting Practice 2:
Parenting Practice 3:
Parenting Practice 4:

Present the chart or table and your comments in a 3-page paper in Word format. Be sure to include introductory and concluding paragraphs in your paper, and an APA style reference page. Apply APA standards to citation of sources.

 

 

What other historical information might a counselor want to ask      about?

/in /by

Details:

Read the “Meredith Case Study.”

Answer the associated questions fully. Include the question in your responses.

APA format is not required, but solid academic writing is expected.

You are not required to submit this assignment to Turnitin.

Meredith Case Study

Meredith is a 24-year-old female who comes to the community counseling office where you work as a newly hired mental health counselor. On her intake form, she provided the following information, which is based on her answers to the questions on this form.

Birthdate: 1/22/1980

Home: Whiting, MA

Race: Caucasian

Current job: Assistant to the activities director at a nursing home

Parents: Married, both living, Leek, MA

Father: Works full-time as a business manager

Mother: Works part-time as an office clerk

Parents’ histories: Father – heavy use of alcohol, two heart attacks; mother – use of prescription opiates for back pain.

Siblings: Meghan, 22, who is employed full-time in the publishing industry in New York City; Molly, 20, engaged to be married, still in college; Sarah, 18 (Meredith reported during her first session that this sister is “acting weird, washing her hair constantly, scared to go outside, almost seems afraid of everyone and thinks everyone is talking about her – she refuses to go to high school”), and Brian,12, who lives at home.

Medical history: Migraines? [she writes a question mark after migraines], menstrual problems [she writes in “serious cramps”]

Mental health history of patient: None

Substance use history of patient: First use of alcohol during first year of college; drinks during celebrations and weekend parties, uses alcohol to help with sleep. Medications: None, “but I think I need sleep medication” [client’s words]

Sexual History: [client left questions related to sexual activity blank]

Extended family information: Uncles on Father’s side are two “alcoholics?” [she writes the question mark after the term alcoholics]; father’s sister was hospitalized for a mental disorder for two years; “maternal grandmother – early death, question of alcohol use.”

What prompted you to make this appointment? Meredith writes: “can’t sleep, eat, and my work is suffering because I can’t think…. I am stressed out…feeling out of control.”

  1. Based on what the clinician has learned during the intake, what are      some of the symptoms a clinician should look for, or ask about when      working with this client during the initial sessions? Explain each      symptom.
  2. What other historical information might a counselor want to ask      about?
  3. What might a clinician want to know about Meredith’s alcohol use and      why?
  4. What might a clinician want to know about her eating, sleeping, and      stress, and why?
  5. What conditions would the clinician want to explore when working      with this client? Explain why.
  6. If Meredith reported that her friends have said that she is “crazy,      talking too fast, hyperactive, and unable to pay attention,” what      diagnoses would you also explore? Could Meredith be suffering from a      substance-induced disorder? Explain.
  7. How would the clinician determine if Meredith was experiencing a      co-occurring disorder or a single diagnosis?
  8. Meredith explains in a future appointment that she is in love with      Andy, but is scared that her parents will not like this person. She states      that she feels stressed out about someone finding out how much she loves      this person. It is noticeable that Meredith is not using pronouns. What      other issues might a counselor want to explore? How does this interact      with the diagnosis, or does it?
  9. What are the treatment strategies that you might employ with      Meredith? Why?