#5 – Self- and Other-Enhancements

Archive 3 was very interesting to me. Having to look through multiple scenarios and determine self- and other-enhancements showed me that there are many ways to impress yourself upon someone else. Whether these enhancements are to show that you are prepared for a situation or simply to make the other person feel better about themselves, it is vital to know how to prepare for your first impression in just about any situation. After all, first impressions matter a great deal.

#4 – SWF Seeking…

The seventh Archive involved exploring relationship advertisements for various people across different sexual preferences. While some of the personal ads were extremely graphic, it was a fascinating dive into human connection. Love and lust come in many forms, and I learned quite a bit about the wants and desires of people from all walks of life.

#3 – Attitude vs. Behavior

We explored cognitive dissonance in Archive 5. We took an attitude survey about how we feel about certain situations. We then took a survey asking how we behave in roughly the same circumstances. The results were not only telling about our own dissonance, but shined a light on how we perceive things should be versus how we actually respond. In the end, I was able to take a look at my own behavior and adjust it to how I actually feel.

#2 – Stereotypes

I learned a lot from Archive 6. We explored stereotypes of nine races, religions, and ethnicities and how these stereotypes have changed throughout the past eighty-plus years. I would be lying if I did not say that this had some major discomfort involved, but there was much to understand and comprehend in the end. I came away with a further understanding that, while stereotypes will always exist, they do not define the people they are associated with.

#1 – Heuristics

My favorite Archive assignment was Archive 2. In it, we explored representativeness and availability heuristics and how they effect people. They change how we see future events based off of knowing what happened in the past. They can cause people to avoid certain areas they deem to be unsafe, or even make decision on what kind of transportation to take every day. This comes from showing major catastrophes more than smaller ones. We see the big things happen, but the smaller events far outweigh them. This assignment, as well as discussions throughout the semester, has really taught me to recognize and understand when heuristics are being used.