Blog 10
As I read my first blog for this course and I think about the things I have achieved in this course throughout this semester, I believe I have learned a lot and grown mentally and academically. I think I have done well at achieving the course objectives presented to me, I have taken in the information and successfully completed my work that was connected with each objective. I think I have gained an understanding of how different cultures operate in their societies and how culture influences how people make decisions. I have a better appreciation for other cultures because I have learned more about them and that not every culture has the same values, views and ideals. Now, I look at Cross-Cultural Psychology as a fascinating way to recognize different cultures. One thing that I would do differently if I took the course again would be to stay better organized and study deeper into each chapter. I’ve grown academically throughout this semester by realizing my academic strengths and weaknesses within this class through analyzing my understanding of the information that I am reviewing. One skill that I’ve gained in this course that I can utilize in my professional life would be the skill of acknowledging that my views may be different from others but to respect everyone’s views.
I chose this image to represent how I have grown throughout this course because it shows a person who starts off with a limited amount of knowledge but progressively gains more knowledge over a period of time through learning. At the end of the image, the person stands tall amongst the other depictions because he/she has achieved academic success. This image connects to my discussion of how I have gained a better understanding of certain concepts and that has contributed to my overall growth academically.
Blog 9
The top three things that I have learned in this course would be: how emotions are represented in different cultures and individually, how personality has different influences, and independency. The concept of values that I discussed in my Assignment Takeaway 2 connects to my Module 4 Artifact because my artifact discusses how values are displayed in different cultures and how those values influence those cultures. Assignment Takeaway 2 discusses how values shape American culture. In Cross-Cultural Psychology, the term “priming” is discussed in culture as cognition and it is a method used to determine if one stimulus affects another. This connects to a concept that I learned in Abnormal Psychology which is operant conditioning, this concept introduces a reward or punishment to either increase or decrease a particular behavior.
This image shows some concepts that I immediately thought of when discussing topics that I have learned in this class.
Blog 8
I have noticed Mexican people express themselves in light-hearted, positive ways despite if they were feeling negative emotions. They do not express their emotions straightforwardly but rather they mask their true feelings. They express themselves with their mouth region more than their eyes. Their behaviors were similar to my expectations because they are a part of the western world and I believe the western world expresses themselves with their mouths more. The concept of cultural display rules does explain my experiences because it outlines how different cultures perceive emotions and facial expressions and how those perceptions are translated to other people.
I selected this visual image because it depicts differences in how Western and Eastern culture perceive emotion and the clues they use to determine emotions.
Blog 7
Many fairytales are passed down from generations and incorporated into movies and books. Each time a fairytale is told in a different time period, the storyteller includes situations that are present to them within their era. Because of this, I do believe fairy tales reflect a shared set of cultural norms and/or values. I think main characters that are associated with more egalitarian roles are potentially impacting young audiences in a positive way because it allows these young audiences to see and imagine other people as equal although they may be different from them or have different belief systems. This is crucial to our society because it promotes inclusiveness and the ability to accept others for who they are. An example of a movie in which the main character positively impacted me was Princess Tiana in the movie “Princess and the Frog”. Princess Tiana was an African-American waitress from New Orleans, Louisiana who kissed a frog and turned into a princess. Her character resonated with me because I am an African-American female as well and as a child watching the movie, it was nice to see a positive representation of my race. She was the first black princess and that was a big deal to the black community because there was a feeling of inclusion within Disney films that had not been presented before.
I chose this image because it depicts the inclusiveness and togetherness of multiple races which follows along with what I mention in my blog.
Blog 6
Academically, I satisfy the need for autonomy by doing my work and balancing my classes. I take mostly online classes so I am able to manage my own schedule and work at on my own pace to ensure I have time to get everything done. I satisfy the need for relatedness by communicating with my peers and professors about topics that are associated with the curriculum and working in groups with my peers on certain projects. I gain a sense of togetherness with my peers and I feel that we are striving toward the same goal. I satisfy my need for competence when I am able to problem solve within my classes. If I am able to figure out how a system works or how to navigate my class work, I feel competent.
This image depicts autonomy. I chose this image because I believe it represents an independent woman who is invested into her which is associated with autonomy.
Blog 5
I consider myself as a freethinking individual who leads and does not follow. I am a caring person who is willing to help those around me if needed. The statements that I would consider to be associated with the “independent construal of self” are 1, 2, 4, 5, 7 and 9. These statements identify with my self perception and personal abilities that define who I am as a person aside from my family and friends. The statements that are associated with the “interdependent construal of self” are 3, 6, 8 and 10. These statements reflect my abilities to help those around me and show a sense of connectivity with those around me as well as how I perceive myself within my social groups. I believe I am more independent because I form my own ideals and thoughts on life without influence from others, I am the person others go to for help rather than me going to them. I do not like asking for assistance, I would rather figure out my own solutions. I describe my personality, the way I carry myself and my style as distinctive and tailored to me. An English proverb that represents “independent construal of self” would be “Trust your success to yourself and your actions”. An English proverb that represents “interdependent construal of self” would be “In our togetherness, castles are built”. It was easier for me to think of English proverbs that are associated with “independent self” because I identify with more independent ideals. I believe I am responsible for my own success and growth in this world and if I don’t look out for myself first, no one else will.
I chose this quote to represent who I am because it speaks to my ability to do things for myself and not having to rely on others to navigate the direction I want to take in my life.
Blog 4
During the process of reviewing the results of first test in Cross-Cultural psychology, I noticed that I did not study as thoroughly as I should have. I did not take time prior to the test to organize my notes in a way that would allow me to study more efficiently. I started the studying process late for this test so I did not give myself an adequate amount of time to receive and rehearse certain information. Moving forward, I am aware that I need to allow myself time to review a week prior to testing so I am better prepared to answer questions that have been lost in my mind. I also need to find organizational strategies that will such as color coding and dividing my notes which will help me condense and compartmentalize information in my mind.
This image is a visual representation of how I will color code my notes in the future to stay organized.
Blog 3
I believe the personality test matched up pretty accurately with my personality. I scored highest on Extraversion which is consistent with my personality because I enjoy being around people, discussions and getting to know how others think. My lowest score was in the category of Neuroticism which is very consistent with my personality because I am positive and optimistic about life, I do not like to dwell on negative emotions or victimize myself by what I’ve been through. I believe everything happens for a reason and as long as I keep a hopeful approach on life, I would never be defeated. I also scored high on openness and agreeableness which accurately defines myself because I am a caring person who enjoys helping others, I am the person who gives money to homeless people on the street or if my best friend asks to borrow $5, I will give it to her even if it is my last. I am empathetic to those going through situations that I consider worse than my own so I am more willing to help if possible. Through openness, I am interested in new experiences and I rarely discourage new ideas or adventures. I consider myself to be an intellectual being and I also enjoy listening to others perspectives on certain topics.
The title of this image is “Kennedy” because all of the characteristics that are listed in the photo describe who I am as a person and what makes me “Kennedy”.
Blog 2
As I reflect on my upbringing, I recognize that my family instilled the principles of hard work and education within me and they are one of the main reasons why I believe education is so important. I believe that if I work hard in school then I will be awarded more opportunities out of life. I know that in the society I live in, education does not always determine where you end up in life but I believe I will be put at a great advantage the more I learn. Obtaining higher education, for me, means that I am actively working toward my goals and I am holding myself accountable for my own success. My parents have always encouraged me to obtain a higher education and have assisted me in my transition from childhood to adulthood in order for me to focus on college.
The title of this image is “Knowledge”. I chose this image of a few of my school books to represent the amount of reading and time I put into analyzing and understanding my courses.
Blog 1
The course objectives for Cross-Cultural psychology are going to assist me in the future by allowing me to gain a greater understanding of how people from different walks of life communicate and how to better engage with different cultures. I will obtain the necessary skills to create an environment that recognizes and accepts those around me of numerous backgrounds and traditions. I will be able to psychologically analyze different cultural relationships and how that affects the way people live. During this course, I am hoping to gain a greater perception of the psychological process of culture. I am hoping to better understand how culture evolves and the impact it has on those who are a part of a particular culture. The strategies I intend to implement in order to be successful in this course is keeping a daily planner where I stay up to date on assignments. I also intend to give my all to each assignment, without any shortcuts, to grasp everything that I am learning.
This image is titled “Determined”. I used this title because it represents what I am and how I view school and getting my work done because I know that my future is determined by the amount of work I put in currently.