psychology discussion

Week 2 Discussion: Learning Styles

Learning Styles

Whether or not there are different learning styles is still heavily debated. You may have heard people say they exist while others argue that they do not.

· Using outside academic resources, along with what you learned this week, do you believe we learn differently?

· How do you best learn new information (e.g. reading a textbook versus listening to an audio recording)?

· In what ways does your learning preference align with your answer above?

Week 3 Discussion: Sensation and Perception

Sensation and Perception

Sensations involve one of your five senses and perception involves the brain’s capacity to interpret, analyze, and integrate the stimuli presented.  We cannot tune into everything our senses come in contact with or we would be overloaded with sensory stimuli.  Read and respond to the following:

You are the president of a corporation that owns several large department stores. A board member has a plan for preventing shoplifting: In each store, play musical soundtracks containing subaudible and consciously imperceptible verbal messages such as “don’t steal” and “shoplifting is a crime.” Carefully discuss your reasons for supporting or rejecting this proposal to engage in subliminal persuasion. You should offer at least one citation to support your work.

Week 4 Discussion: Sleep Theories

Sleep Theories

There are many reasons that we need to sleep.  It is a restorative process that helps us function.  Suppose that a new “miracle pill” allows a person to function with only one hour of sleep per night.  However, because a night’s sleep is so short, a person who takes the pill will never dream again.  Knowing what you do about the functions of sleep and dreaming, what would be some advantages and drawbacks of such a pill from a personal standpoint?  Would you take such a pill?  You should offer at least one citation to support your work.

Week 5 Discussion: Flashbulb Memories

Flashbulb Memories

Flashbulb memories can be very vivid and often involve shocking historical events.  An example would be the terrorist attacks in New York on 9/11.  Choose a historic flashbulb memory that has significance to you and describe it in detail.  What senses are involved in this memory? Did you experience strong emotions during the original event? Why would you characterize this memory as a flashbulb memory?  You should offer at least one citation to support your work.

Week 6 Discussion: Gardner’s Eight Intelligences

Gardner’s Eight Intelligences

This week you learned about Gardner’s multiple intelligences. You can refer to your textbook, lecture, or any external resources (e.g. LIRN) to answer the following questions. Your response should be at least 1-2 paragraphs.

· Which of Gardner’s intelligences do you think you possess or use the most? Why?

· How do you think your interests are shaped by the intelligences you possess? For example, maybe you have verbal-linguistic intelligence and enjoy studying languages. Or perhaps you have logical-mathematical intelligence and are good at solving word problems.

· How do you think your intelligences influenced your decision regarding your chosen career path?

Week 7 Discussion: Parental Influences

Parental Influences: This week you will be discussing the importance of parental influences on the development of children based upon what you learned about childrens’ emotional and social development. Use your own child, a niece or nephew, a neighbor’s child, or any child you’ve watched grow and develop as an example to answer the questions below.

· How did the parental or caregiver influences impact the child?

· Do you think birth order had an impact on the relationship between the child and his/her caregiver? Why or why not?

Note: If the child you chose to discuss does not have siblings, address how you believe having siblings may have impacted the relationship between the child and his/her caregiver.

Week 8 Discussion: Reducing Stress

There are few people who do not deal with stress in their daily lives. As a student, you know about the stress of completing assignments and meeting deadlines. You may not realize that there is good stress and bad stress! It is the good stress that allows you to be successful in your degree program. Complete this week’s lesson to learn more about stress and how you can cope with the bad stress in your life.

Reducing Stress

Take the Life Events Stress Test (Links to an external site.). Indicate your results and discuss how these events have affected your health and well-being.

· What actions can you take to reduce stress in your life? How can you turn distress into eustress?

Week 9 Discussion: Getting Involved

Getting Involved

Have you ever witnessed an emergency situation? Did you intervene or were you a bystander? What factors influenced your decision to either get involved or stand aside? If you have never witnessed an emergency situation, how do you think you would react?

Week 10 Discussion: Introvert or Extrovert?

Introvert or Extrovert?

In this week’s lecture we discussed personality and personality types. For this week’s discussion you will have the opportunity to assess whether you are an introvert or extrovert, or somewhere in between.

Take the quiz at the following site: QUIZ: Are You an Introvert or an Extrovert? (And Why It Matters) (Links to an external site.).

· Did your score indicate that you are an introvert or an extrovert? Or somewhere in between? What are the advantages to being an introvert or extrovert? What are the disadvantages?

Week 11 Discussion: Romeo and Juliet Law

Romeo and Juliet Law

Read the following scenario and respond to the questions for this week’s discussion below. Recall in this week’s lecture the article regarding the “Romeo and Juliet” law as one source of information. Also consider LIRN to find information to respond to this week’s discussion.

Scenario: Joel turned 18 last week and has been dating his 15 1/2 year old girlfriend Anna for the past three months. Anna and Joel’s relationship has the approval of Anna’s parents, who are also aware of their sexual encounters. Anna told her best friend Rebecca that she had been having sex with Joel. Rebecca in turn told her mother about Anna and Joel’s relationship, and also mentioned that they were having sex. Rebecca’s mother, who was horrified, reported the sexual relationship between a minor and an adult to the police. The police arrest Joel, he is convicted of a felony, and is required to register as a “sex offender” until he is 43 years of age.

Please provide your response to the following questions.

· Should Joel be treated as an adult and be required to register as a “sex offender”? Please explain, why or why not.

· What impact will Joel’s being labeled as a “sex offender” have on his place in society?

· Will the label affect his ability to make new friends, keep the friends he had, will people be wary of being around him because of being associated with a “sex offender”? Please explain your response (s).

Week 12 Discussion: Changing Your Beliefs

Changing Your Beliefs

Think of an example from your own life where you experienced a negative emotion because of the beliefs you had about the situation. Were you eventually able to change your thinking so that you could feel more positive about the event?