Blog 10
My initial expectations for this course are very similar to the actual outcomes. I enjoyed every assignment that I had to complete and chapter that I had to read. I don’t think I initially knew how much I would like this course, but it was a very great experience. This course showed me that online courses can be just as interactive as traditional courses.
One way that I have grown academically over the last few months are my study habits. I need a different study technique for each class that I am in, and had to locate what that would be for this course. I found that I have to read the chapter a couple of times, and then retrace what I thought was important in my notes. I then go back and highlight through everything, and may go back to the book to make sure I didn’t miss anything. I also study the review sheet a week before the exam to ensure that I am on top of everything that will be on the test.
I have gained more respect for Social Psychology, and have more appreciation for it as a whole. I didn’t realize how complex and intricate it was until I took this course. I feel that I have achieved the course objectives extremely well. I think I have a firm understanding of everything that is outlined in the course objectives.
If I took the class again, I think I would have relied more heavily on the book. At first, I just skimmed through the pages, but I quickly learned that I have to get a more in depth understanding of the concepts in each chapter. One skill that I gained from this course that I can utilize in my professional life is time management. I always had to make sure that I was submitting my assignments on time and that I wasn’t missing a due date. This will help me in my career because I will be aware of deadlines and due dates.
Blog 9
The top three things I have learned so far in this course are the heuristics, advertisements, and prejudices. I do think that the heuristic assignment may have spilled over into the prejudice assignment because heuristics are short-cuts that allow people to have preconceived notions about something without any real facts. A prejudice is a feeling towards someone that is based solely on their group membership. One thing I learned in this course was the term singlism which is a prejudice towards single people. This concept relates to something I learned in Psychology of Adolescence. We were discussing how there are dating sites for teens which can be very dangerous and problematic. Singlism was covered in this sense because our society is so concerned with individuals being in a relationship, that it is affecting the youth. Instead of finding solitude within themselves, teens are looking to have a romantic relationship in their life.
Blog 8
The ways in which men upset women include: lying, not talking, not showing enough emotion, and being controlling. The ways in which women upset men include: being clingy/not giving enough space, bringing up the past, not saying what she means, and talking about other men.
Most women are picky when it comes to finding someone to be in a sexual relationship, whereas most men are cavalier when it comes to being in a sexual relationship. The article discussed that the reason this most likely occurs is because women have a more involved parental investment than do men, so they take relationships more seriously. Many men lie when it comes to relationships so that they can engage in sex, whereas women are less likely to do this. When in a relationship, either partner may become jealous because of attention they are either receiving or giving to someone of the opposite sex. This occurs because most people form attachments with the individual that they are in a relationship with, and fear that if they are interested in someone else, they will potentially lose that person.
Blog 7
What we feel affects what we think. With emotional intelligence, we are trying to get a better understanding of what our emotions are, and then we can choose how we want to respond. When in a fight or flight situation, it is important to deescalate the flooding emotions so that we can make wise decisions. Self- regulation can be helpful in situations in which our emotions are extremely high. Breath exercises, body scanning and being aware that we are thinking negative thoughts can help to reduce biochemical responses. Emotional intelligence means to be aware and in control of one’s emotions, but also be able to comprehend the emotions of others. Whenever I get stressed out I take a deep breath and walk away from whatever I am doing for a couple of minutes. This helps me to relax and unwind. I also do yoga to become self-aware and in tune with my breath, thoughts, and emotions.
Blog 6
I was very disturbed when I watched this YouTube video. To learn that advertisers make it a point to turn a person into something artificial, a face into a mask, and a body into a thing is truly disgusting. Jean Kilbourne described how turning a human into a thing is almost always a step leading to justifying violence. Women who deviate from the ideal are looked at with disinterest. I have seen ads that promote eating disorders to attain skinniness, beauty products to attain youth, and brutality towards women to attain submission. I agree that our society surrounds us with advertisements that support a casual outlook on sex. From music videos to television shows, there is never a shortage of material that offers images of people as sex objects. This material, when shown in an aggressive and severely physical way, makes us more callous to violence because we are continuously exposed to it and think that it is acceptable to sell. Our society needs to become actively involved to bring about change in the messages that are being promoted in advertisements. There needs to be integrity and respect given to the individuals seen in the ads. People are not objects, and should be displayed as more than something to sell.
Blog 5
The credible advertisement I found was of a dentist recommending a certain toothpaste brand. This advertisement used expertise to influence perceived credibility because people will be inclined to get a toothpaste brand that a dentist recommends. A dentist is the professional in the field, so people think that what they endorse will work for them. The advertisement that is not credible is of Katy Perry endorsing Proactiv. This advertisement used a celebrity endorsement to influence perceived credibility. Many people know who Katy Perry is, and if they think she used Proactiv, than they will be more willing to get it and believe that it will work. The attractive advertisement is for Covergirl, and is promoting mascara. This advertisement is used to appeal to an individual’s vanity and self-interest. The individual views the model in the advertisement and believes that if they purchase the mascara they will also be attractive. I did find the attractive source effective. It makes you feel as though you could be as attractive as the model if you bought the makeup that they are advertising. I think when an advertisement appeals to your vanity, it is very difficult to resist not buying into what they are selling. Many people are focused on their appearance, and will indulge in anything that they can to become their version of perfect. 
Blog 4
The studying that I engaged in for preparation of the test included writing notes for each chapter on the week that it was assigned, reviewing those notes, and checking the review sheet to ensure that I knew everything that was listed on it. I went through all of my notes and highlighted the terms and phrases that I thought were most important. For our next exam, I think it will be helpful for me to make flash cards to study.
The questions on the test that I missed will assist me in how I need to study for the next one. I am going to make sure that I know specific examples of certain terms and also augment information that utilizes visuals such as tables and flow charts. Reviewing the exam also showed me that I need to add more details in my notes, instead of a summary of the different sections. These strategies will enable me to have a better understanding of the information that I am reading in the book and then applying it to the questions on the exams.
Blog 3
I think that there is a very strong association between music and relationships. Many people find that music is something that can be used to get to know others that share their tastes. I have noticed a similarity in music preferences between myself and my friends. We mostly listen to pop and rock music whenever we are driving or spending time together. We also have a lot of conversations about the artists that we like to listen to, and find that many of them are alike. My friends and I also share similar values and ideals. We value family, education, happiness, and health. Sometimes we will be listening to a song, and then start talking about something that is happening in the world that we feel a personal connection to.
Blog 2
I believe that I am a very hard-working, diligent, organized, studious, and dedicated student. I prioritize all of my class assignments to ensure that I turn them in on time. I also keep the due dates for assignments and tests in a planner so that I won’t forget when something is approaching its deadline. I am in three online classes, so it takes focus and diligence to keep up with the materials and required readings. I set away specific time periods that I will allocate to studying for a certain class. Doing this helps me to not get overwhelmed, and also to get everything done for each class.
I am very confident in my abilities as a student, and work hard to understand everything that I am being taught. I feel that I have established a learning environment for myself that works very well with my study habits. I am confident that I can learn difficult subjects if I work on it every day. Even if I can’t master something as perfectly as someone else, I know that I can do anything that I put effort towards. If I have a goal in my studies, I will work towards accomplishing it as accurately as possible.
To increase my confidence levels as a student, I could implement knew learning techniques into my studies. I usually stick with the same study plan because it works well for me, but a new way of studying may benefit me even more. I also think that I could increase my confidence levels by joining a study group and obtaining information on how other people learn, and what they were able to take away from a class that I may not have grasped. Although I am confident as a student, there are always things that I could change to help myself become a more well-rounded individual.
Blog 1
The objectives will assist me in understanding the broad topics of the course, and how they relate to situations that I may personally experience. The objectives are very specific in what the individual should grasp through the readings and assignments. This is helpful because it depicts exactly what you need to know. The course objectives will also help me to be organized and concise with my notes. I will gain an insight of why people form prejudices and why they are in a relationship with a certain person.
My expectations for this course are very positive because I love learning about the social aspect of psychology. I am interested in finding out the various dimensions of individual and group behavior. I also want to find out why I behave in certain ways around different people.
Through this course, I am hoping to gain knowledge to help me in different social situations. I think that this course is valuable to almost all fields of study, because it explains a phenomenon that is always present, but that people are mostly unaware. Through this knowledge, I can build stronger relationships and create a more cohesive work environment for myself and others.
I intend to read each chapter on the designated week and write notes for that chapter. I also intend to keep my notes organized so that it will be easy for me to study them. I am going to study an hour or more a day to ensure that I completely understand the material. I am going to keep all the due dates of assignments in my planner so that I will do the assignments on time. Lastly, I am going to frequently check blackboard and my email to ensure that I am up to date with any additional content or announcements.
