Wow, it seems like we have come such a long way since the beginning of the semester with so much new knowledge under our belt. After reading Blog 1, my initial course expectations were satisfied with everything we have done this semester. I learned just how social psychology is used throughout every day, the effects of racism, love, self-knowledge, and the list goes on. All my expectations were exceeded, and I am looking forward to using what I learned in the future. I feel like I have really achieved the course objectives of the ever-changing attitudes in humans and how they relate to behavior, the effects of discrimination, and the factors that result into a close relationship. We went over all of these throughout the course and I learned so much about each one. I will have my notes forever and be able to look back on them whenever an event occurs in life that I can relate to this course. It was and is all so interesting to me. My attitudes about social psychology changed throughout this course by how I approached it more so like an art. Let me explain, I started to observe people’s behavior as if I was watching myself watch these other people. I analyzed my behavior along with theirs and I saw just how influencing the things we learned in class were in everyday life. Just like the similar taste in music; the coworkers that shared the same taste in music with me, I get along with them as if they are family. Whereas the other coworkers that do not share the same taste as music, we just have small chit chats that are not really meaningful, but we still get along. However, my relationship with the people with similar tastes in music, we share a lot of similarities which result in much closer relationships.

Moreover, if I had to take the class again, what I would do differently is start brining a little journal with me so I can write down what I see in life as it relates to this course. Before I would just look for what we learned in the chapter based off of what we read and wrote about. I feel like if I were to write things down, relating to social psych as a whole, I would be very much into the daily tasks that are impacted by social psychology as if a scientist. On the other hand, one way I have grown academically over the last few months was actually enjoying what I was studying, versus just getting a ‘degree’ so I can get a good job. Academically, I have enjoyed every class I have taking because it is interesting to me. Psychology can answer most if not all questions about the human mind. I feel like by switching my degree into doing something that I am passionate about I have grown, and still am, academically. My grades reflect the amount of effort that I am putting into my classes, and I am very happy with how I am doing and what I am doing. I am in a much better place in my life by taking these psychology courses. Last but not least, one skill that I have gained from this course that I use in everyday life is that a person self-concept truly aligns with who they are as a person. After taking this course I investigated who I really am, what do I want to see in myself? Before, I really cared about what other people think of me. I was so worried about how I appeared to other people that I did not even know who I was. Once I read the chapter of self-concept and self-knowledge, I really dove into who I am. What do I bring to the table? What am I capable of? I now take time out of my day to really work on myself and to build myself as a person. Reading books, working out, meeting new people; are all things I enjoy now after figuring out who the heck am I. Before, I would shy away from all of that stuff because I just did not believe I was good enough. Now, I am getting better with who I am and am willing to put myself out there because I developed a new self-concept.

This is an image of someone’s brain being compared to gears in motion. I believe this picture represents how far I have come academically because I love what I am learning. I am so into anything psychology it is like an obsession. I want to know why people do this, and how people do that? It is all so interesting to me I have never felt this passionate about school before. This course furthered my interest in psychology and made my flame for it grow even brighter. Before, I was getting a degree in computer science and mathematics because I wanted a ‘money’ job after graduating. I was miserable during my first two years, I hated it. By switching to psychology I do not care about what job I get afterwards because all I want to do is learn and never stop so I can make this world a better place for each individual who crosses my path. I am so thankful to have the opportunity to learn about such influential material. Live life with love and perseverance.

Blog 9:

To start, this semester was filled with loads of new information for me to learn. From my e-portfolio, one of the topics that I learned this year was the portrayal of men and women in advertising, particularly women. Women are expected to uphold this image of perfection which is merely impossible to achieve. All the while, their buttocks are being displayed on screen to give a message of what it is like to be a woman. I do not believe that women live their lives like the way advertisements portray them to live. Next, another topic that I learned is how similar taste in music is connected to some relationships. Similar tastes in music can led participants to believe they have the same values. The type of music a person listens to is what that person uses to make them feel like their complete selves, to feel happy. If someone shares the same taste in music, then that person may look towards the same things, in life, to make them happy. That is when the similarities come into play and relationships can start to develop. Onto the third topic I learned, was all of the heuristics. My favorite, being the representative heuristic, the more an individual seems to resemble or match a given group, the more likely she or he is to belong to that group. The example I gave during the blog entries was a sports illustrated model and a random guy with glasses in a suit. The question is, which person graduated from Harvard University? People are so quick to attach a representation of what a Harvard student looks like that they automatically group that ‘stereotypical’ person to that group. When in reality it’s the sports model who attended and graduated from Harvard. Just because someone does not look the part does not mean they automatically belong to a group and have certain attributes.

Based off of what I learned from the blog entries I can apply the representative heuristic to what we underwent through in blog 3 with the Mr. Richards racist rant. Mr. Richards saw someone for their physical characteristics and scolded that person for it. Furthermore, making decisions based on representativeness involves comparing an object or situation to the schemas, or mental prototypes, that we already have in mind. Such schemas are based on past learning but can also change because of new learning. If an existing schema does not adequately account for the current situation, it can lead to poor judgments. This is exactly what Mr. Richards did during this act and this is what I applied across chapters.

One of the things I can apply from what I learned in this class to other classes was how cognitive dissonance plays a role in our lives. Sometimes you might find yourself engaging in behaviors that are opposed to your own beliefs due to external expectations, often for work, school, or a social situation. This might involve going along with something due to peer pressure or doing something at work to avoid getting fired. Cognitive dissonance can make people feel uneasy and uncomfortable, particularly if the disparity between their beliefs and behaviors involves something that is central to their sense of self. We learned this in my human cognition class as to why people feel so bad about make a contradicting decision and what part of the brain deals with that. We found that cognitive dissonance is reflected in both resting-state and choice-related activity of the prefrontal cortex as part of the general performance-monitoring circuitry. We use this regularly which is why it is a huge topic when we think about it.

This is a picture of a social psychologist talking with a group of adults who are going through character building times. I chose this picture because if there is anything that I learned from this class so far, it is that we are all connected. We all experience these similar thought and feelings. Heuristics, schemas, attribution, impressions, self-presentation, self-knowledge, self-esteem, attitude, and everything else we learned this chapter or else we will be here all day.  We all share these same characteristics that are going through our head. We are human beings, and we always have each other to go to when we are figuring our life out. Just ask yourself the question, how would I like to be remembered?

Blog 8:

This article is quite interesting, and I believe many men and women should address sexual conflict if they take their relationship seriously. Men and women have different sexual interests and usually those with the same interests find themselves with someone who shares the same interests. However, everyone’s interests are unique to themselves and that’s where the sexual conflict comes into play. Some guys and women are not into the other persons interests and that why you have break-ups and infidelity. When the article says, the different genes predispose men and women to have differing reproductive interests, it could not be more right. Furthermore, I believe women suffer more from sexual conflict because they hold the majority of responsibility when it comes to obligatory parental investment since they carry that child for the first 8-9 months of its life. All in all, sexual conflict is very much present, and I believe should be a very important subject to talk about with your partner.

Furthermore, lying to get into bed with someone is a terrible way to find common sexual interests. Most likely the person who initiated the sex would dominate making the other person’s sexual interests fly out of the door. Not a great way to start a relationship. Furthermore, while dating someone, if you are worrying about your partner cheating, then you should not be in a relationship at all. By doing so, you are not focusing on the things that make you happy in life causing you to be very upset and sexually frustrated. Last, after a break-up I understand how it might be tough to move on. However, stalking that person and trying to manipulate them back into a relationship is a bad idea. You believe you need that person so bad you probably do not even know who you are. If it is meant to be it is meant to be, do not go to the extreme.

Now, not every relationship is perfect, at one point of time in your relationship someone is going to upset the other. Men upset women because men do not do the small things that mean a lot to the women. Such as work around the house, surprising her with a gift, or sucking it up for one night to do what she likes in bed. That is what makes women upset, to me at least. Doing those little things show you care for her and reassures that you love her. Moreover, women can upset men as well, this is a relationship so both partners must play the role. What women do that make men upset is trying to control the men into making a decision that they (the woman) like. Instead of just supporting the man through his decision, they want to give their twist to the pile and steer the man away from figuring whatever it is out themselves. This is what makes men upset because they feel unsupported when they try new things.

I choose this image because sexual conflict is a huge deal with couples. As you can see in the photo it can really make both parties unhappy. I believe a sold line of communication and unselfishness can lead to a happy sex life and relationship. It is common knowledge that no person will have the same exact sexual interests as you. One side will want at least something done differently. So, all you have to do is talk it out and make it work. Not simple but can be done if you really care about that person and see them as being a part of your life in the future

Blog 7:

Right off the bat, Linda Ferguson started off with tremendous insight on how our thoughts come from within. Nothing from the outside can create these thoughts that we formulate in our head. We, therefore, have the power to control and conform these thoughts into whatever it is that we so desire. I am hooked right away, that cannot be truer as we dwell constantly in our mind for eternal justice, the eternal good, and we let outside actions, thoughts, sayings cloud our judgement. In the video, Linda discuses that with self-regulation, comes a link between what we think and what we feel. Research has supported this evidence as there is a clear connection between the two when subjects have brain damage to certain parts of the brain. Furthermore, this development leaks into emotional intelligence, as, I feel therefore I am, is just as true. Our feelings are just as important as they affect what we think; and there is the relationship between the two. If we get a better idea of what our emotions are then we can choose how we want to respond. Ultimately, better responses and clear decision making rather than too personal reactions that lead to regret shows a truly strong emotional intelligence.

To me, emotional intelligence is succumbing to willingness. Control, no, there is no control, there is willingness to a feeling, thought, action. “I feel this way”, whether it be sad, happy, or in the middle, good. Recognizing how you feel is the first step to taking action. If you try to control it, you will just be playing tug of war with yourself. If you are willing to accept how you are feeling, you can make a decision on what to do next. Either to further propel your feeling of happiness or get out of the rut that you call sadness. However, knowing that you cultivated this feeling, is the first thing you must do. Notice I said you cultivated, that is exactly what it is. You cultivated it, not the person in the cubicle next to you, not your boss in his penthouse loft. You cultivated it. So, be willing to feel this way because only you can decide to take action with how you feel. This is my personal meaning of emotional intelligence, being open to feeling a way that you cultivated only for you to recognize that action needs to take place.

Some examples of how emotional intelligence is displayed is when you are experiencing adversity in an unfavorable situation, such as with a coworker. Taking a step back and doing a body scan to relax and deescalate from the situation shows emotional intelligence. It allows you to open up and just feel better. You will approach the situation now with calm emotions rather than really flared, built-up emotions leading to better decision making. That is true strength as well. Some ways EQ can be improved is by recognizing how you are feeling and practicing positive thoughts. To me, recognizing how you are feeling should be followed with personal questions. For example, say to yourself, “Ok, I am feeling this way, why? Ok, I this is why, what can I do next? Ok, this is what I can do.” What we generate in our head is the current situation. Nothing is evermore than what we make it. If we just relax and recognize what is actually going on, not what we are making things out to be, we can improve our EQ. Furthermore, positive thoughts are they key to improving your EQ. If you constantly feed your mind positive thoughts, you will receive positive outcomes as a result. Law of attraction, you attract what you conjure. Focus on what you want, and you shall receive. Positive thoughts have a stronger chemical reaction than negative thoughts in your brain. So, when you have the option to think positive, why not? It is more likely to happen and wouldn’t you want that in your life?

This was an emotional intelligence test that I took online that demonstrated my strengths regarding the attributes that are affiliated with emotional intelligence. To me the results accurately reflect how I feel in the work environment. I am willing to put others in front of myself, for I would like to see success in our whole team. Notice, no I in team. The test recognized my empathy for my coworkers, which is understanding others and taking an active interest in their concerns. I am a big team player and I want team success not just individual fame. If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.

Blog 6:

First and foremost, after watching this Ted Talk, I cannot believe what advertisers are putting out to the public. Women and men are nude for crying out loud; in broad daylight for the world to see. What the heck! Women in particular are expected to uphold this image of perfection which is merely impossible to achieve. That puts so much pressure on these women which leads to horrendous mental torture, such as depression and low self-esteem. All because they are expected to be this perfect being and if they are not then they are not a woman at all. All of that is a bunch of malarkey but that is the way the advertisements show it. Based off of previous perceptions of how advertisements portray women, I knew that advertisements only sought to display the perfect women. I also heard of the sexual abuse women go through in order to hold that position. Furthermore, I also saw the photoshop scandals where women would expose the company because that is not what they really look like. Women are just so objectified in order to make these products seem sellable. The companies believe that sex appeal will cause people to buy their products. In reality, they are making women seem like objects used for personal delight. Oh this women is ‘sexy’ so I am going to buy this product because if she uses it I will be sexy too. However, all that happened was someone behind a computer screen just took a couple inches off of the girl’s hip to make her seem perfect. So much unnecessary pressure.

5 Images:

This advertisement portrays how women’s odor is everyone’s problem. So, I guess when women smell it stinks up the whole room and makes it unpleasant for everyone. Really? Men have odor too, matter of fact I guarantee that most men’s odor smells worse than female odor. But since a woman has odor it’s not ok? I chose this image because it singles out women for smelling bad as if it ruins every one’s day. Women are expected to be this perfect being, not smell, smell and look sexy, all the while pleasing their man. Everyone smells, and that for sure does not mean that just because a woman smells makes it everyone’s problem.

This image is the exact definition of objectifying women, and that is why I chose it. What honor does this woman have this photo? You cannot even tell who it is because she is being used as a suitcase. Women are better than that, they are capable of so much more than what this ridiculous photo shows. As the video states, it is justifying violence against that person which happens to many women in the industry.

Photoshop, as discussed in the video, is used to make women seem perfect. I chose this image because advertisements display women to be this perfect young stallion, when in reality they were just covered up by computer designs. The true beauty in all men and women are their flaws; and advertisement companies do not portray that rather display that if you are not perfect, you are not a woman.

Shield your eyes kids! These advertisements are so ridiculous. I chose this image because this company is using the sex appeal of a woman to sell their product. In the video, she discussed how ads today are far more graphic and pornographic and this ad proves just that. I am sure the product can sell without the butt in the photo; however, companies deem it necessary to add sex appeal for ‘effective’ selling.

This ad is a tough one because it shows that men do not live in a world where they are raped, harassed, or beaten as stated in the video. That is why I chose this ad because I guess women just throw themselves at men that wear this company’s suit. Sexual violence, and intimidation are common occurrence for women and this ad shows that it is ok. This woman is acting vulnerable, and submissive whereas the man is not. This is a not a common thing and should not be, however this ad normalizes it.

Blog 5:

This ad is based off a nutrition company who wants to demonstrate the healthy effects of eating carrots. I chose this as an example of a creditable source because it shows expertise in the specific field of science. It uses facts to get the message across to the reader/viewer. People will show greater attitudes towards this because it is believable (trustworthy) and presents a visual image to describe just how beneficial carrots are. After viewing this now I want some carrots too!

This is a water company boasting about how their water can help you loose weight. It is water of course it will help you lose weight. I chose this is as a non-credible source because the communicator has a personal stake in the company and is trying to make it appear more illustrious. This causes people to look the other way as it is not as appealing as a credible source. Furthermore, it does not display significant information to prove its effects on weight loss, thus, being misleading.

So, this is an ad on men’s body spray deodorant, and as you can tell, it is trying to use the attractiveness of a man to receive cliental.  I chose this ad because, as an attractive source, it presents the message if this attractive person uses this deodorant, then I should use it because I will be attractive too. This is the perfect example of an attractive source since it is using a symbol (person) to create an image many men strive to be.

Blog 4:

Exam 1 was on modules 3-6 and looking back at the results I believe it significantly reflected the work I put into studying. The review, the Items to Archive for Modules 3-6, and the Jeopardy chapter review videos as well as the Pearson Revel eBook all prepared me to take this test with utmost confidence. By looking back, I learned what I did right and what I did wrong. I learned to write down and study key words and phrases as they are very important to know during test time. What I need to get better at is balancing time along with other classes. I put in a lot of effort into this exam while not as much time into others. What I can do differently is start studying at an earlier date, so when it comes to test time, I have plenty of time of studying under my belt making me more prepared.

Moreover, adding to my notes by going through each and every study material enhanced my chances of doing well on the exam tenfold. It helped to get that email about what are some good resources to study from as I went right down the list chipping away at all of the chapter’s material. By spacing the review, a week ahead of the test helped immensely as it gave me plenty of time to make sure I knew the material. That is where the time management comes in that I have to get better at. I am taking 4 other classes this semester so by hitting the books early than the test date help me not only succeed in one class, but multiple.  I have plenty of time to understand the material and by not cramming; I am not freaking out about studying, I study at a comfortable pace making it effective. This feedback will help me study for the next test by starting to study as soon as I get the review sheet. See how much I need to study each day to be fully prepared for the day of the test. All the while, balancing time to study for other classes and making sure I am not cramming in last minute studying at a hurried pace.

I believe this picture best suits my learning experience from exam 1. I was well organized and gave myself plenty of time to understand the material. I was surrounded by non-distractive yet calming scenery, ensuring effective studying. I was comfortable, feeling good and ready to study all of the material required. Big achievements come one small advantage at a time, one step at a time, one day at time.

Blog 3:

After reading this article, it makes total sense to why music is connected to some relationships. Music contains lyrics, beats, and all sorts of noises that I feel can tell a lot of information about someone if they like that song. When the article says, similar tastes in music can led participants to believe they have the same values; I truly believe it. Reason is, music is what people listen to when they want to escape, workout, relax, or just even as simple as going for a car ride. The type of music they listen to is what that person uses to make them feel like their complete selves, to feel happy. If someone shares the same taste in music, then that person may look towards the same things, in life, to make them happy. That’s when the similarities come into play and relationships can start to develop.

As for me, I am currently in a relationship with a girl that I went to pre-school with and we decided to get serious when we were both in high school. So, you can conclude that we had plenty of time to get to know each other. Throughout this time, we learned about each other’s taste in music and our values. Needless to say, we share many of the same tastes and values which is why we have been close for so long. What she sees in me and what I see in her falls under our own interpretation of our ideal partner. She values country music and family, I value country music and family. We take car rides together and we sing along with each other listening to our favorite songs. After reading this article it is actually pretty funny to think about how connected we are together by our taste in music. Mostly everything we value fall in the lyrics of the songs and we both agree that we like the songs. We see in each other what we want to see in ourselves. A kind loving person and it is reflected in the songs we listen to.

Soundtrack:

Better Together – Luke Combs

This is me and my girlfriend’s favorite song and it literally describes our favorite things in life. We go better together; our love is infinite.

Hurricane – Luke Combs

Me and my girlfriend love this song because we bring up things from the good times from the past. We have a couple drinks and we are non-stop smiling and laughing thinking of good times.

Martin Garrix & Bebe Rexha – In the Name of Love

Another song that me and my girlfriend adore. It reminds us of how much we love each other and we value the time we spend together.

Icona Pop – I Love It (feat. Charli XCX)

This song was our 8^th grade baseball song that me and my friends would jam out to on the bus on our way to our games. It so funny listening to it, we were just crazy kids that wanted adventure, and this song reflects the craziness that we were all into.

Hold On – French Montana

Listening to this song gives me goosebumps. It is a little explicit, but we played this song before every football game. Our team used this song to motivate us because we all were looking for a song that we all liked that pumped us up just before heading out to the field.

ACDC – Thunderstruck

This song is played at every party, it is a drinking game and every time you start drinking until you hear thunder, then it switches to the other person. Everyone hears this song, when sober, and goes ohhh no! This song reminds us of the good times that we shared together and the comradery that we share.

“Some things just go better together and probably always will

Like a cup of coffee and a sunrise, Sunday drives and time to kill”

This photo best depicts the lyrics in Better Together by Luke Combs and how me and my girlfriend share the same values and ideals. We love adventure, coffee, and spending valuable time together.

Blog 2:

The minute I read what this blog was about I got super excited! I have been on a motivational binge lately and boy am I fired up! The type of student I am? That is a good question. I am willing to do whatever it takes to learn and succeed in assignments. Just like in life, if I start something, I am going to give it everything I have until its over. Then I will spread the knowledge that I have gained to make the world a better place for myself and everyone around me. School for me is a place of zen, being able to have the ability to learn means the world to me. Because as a human we should never stop growing and learning; always be pursuing our best self. So, to answer that question the type I student I am is dedicated to learning the specific subject and optimistic in learning new things.

Furthermore, my level of confidence as a student I believe is a reflection of my work ethic. If I am not working hard on a subject or giving it half effort, I am not going to be confident in my capabilities and definitely not when the tests arrive. However, if I am passionate about it, I am confident about it because I am willing to put in the work since I am enjoying what I am learning. For example, this blog, I am giving this blog my one-hundred percent attention and putting everything I have into it. Why? Because I love this class and what it entails. I am confident in this blog because I am giving it everything I have, and I know that it will be successful. On the other hand, some ways I believe that could increase my confidence is to be as much prepared I can be for upcoming assignments, test, quizzes, etc. The more studying and reading, the more prepared, the more confident I am in my abilities to perform as a student. I know that being prepared will dictate my future as a student and as a person so I ensure I have plenty of time set aside to be prepared for whatever task lies ahead.

Moreover, for my general self-efficacy results I received a total score of 39-40 and a mean score of 3.9. Based off the results, I am very confident in my abilities to perform as a student and as a person. For me, no task is to difficult, but also any task that is worth it requires sacrifice. So, you must believe deep down in your heart that you are capable of achieving anything and when any problems arise, you can solve it because deep down you have your vision of the life you want to live, and you firmly believe in it. Ok, getting back on track, the questions for me could best be summarized as how are you when it comes to problem solving? I believe in myself that I can tackle any problem, even if it is difficult. Based on the results, it reflects my confidence. Also, the question that I answered with a 3-moderately true, was number 2. This is because I am not a close-minded person, I am open to all types of criticism. Being questioned is a good thing because you hear another side other than yourself and you can compare both sides. As a result, you develop a stronger understanding of the situation or whatever it is that is the topic of discussion.  So, I am not going to try to always get what I want from someone who’s trying to oppose me. I can be wrong, and that ok. It’s a good thing that I was opposed because now we can get the right answer. Humans work better as a team and trying to play alone is just not the route I would like to go.

This is a picture of me at graduation at a community college in New Jersey known as Rowan College at Burlington County. I decided to pick this picture because this is what I am as a student. I am a finisher; I get it done. But I also get it done in a way where I get something out of it. I still apply what I learned from this school in life and the classes I take today. I love my life and I constantly want to be living better. To me living better equals being healthy and learning every day. Humans are curious beings; my curiosity will never stop because life is a grand adventure. Only you can move you finger on command, only you can look in that direction, only you can think that thought. So why not be the best you and make the world your playground.

Blog 1:

To start, I am looking forward to this course since social psychology unfolds everyday in our lives. Some of the course objectives that I believe will help me in the future are the ever-changing attitudes in humans and how they relate to behavior, the effects of discrimination, and the factors that result into a close relationship. I am constantly thinking ok, what is going on in this person’s head? I like to ask myself questions, kind of like who, what when, why, how? All just to figure out what the characteristics of the typical human attitudes and behaviors are. Furthermore, I love culture, so I am very interested in how discrimination can affect the people whose differences are being exploited. Last, I am the type of person that cares so much. So, close relationships for me are very important and I would love to dive into what unfolds for it all to be possible. In addition, my expectations of this course are to have all of my questions and curiosity answered. I will love to know how the behavior of an individual is affected by other people or groups; basically, what does everything mean and what can I gather from observing individuals? I am hoping to gain the knowledge of what psychological aspects are being used at different moments. If you would like to visualize it as being a spectator like at a sports event, watching people do what they do and what their mindset currently is. Last but not least, some strategies I would like to implement to be successful in this course would be setting time aside so I can enjoy the reading, studying, and assignments assigned. There’s no point in rushing and doing things you dislike in life, take it easy and enjoy the ride.

This is actually my favorite thing that I took away from chapter 2. We are so quick to judge how a person matches our description of what they are perceived to be. This picture comparing the two is a perfect example of just how we are so quick to assume what a person is affiliated with based on looks.