DAY 55 Forces of Cultural Change

Today we broke into groups and you did an exercise to define several terms, explain using examples of how they have played a positive or negative role in change in society and you explained how they helped change or hindered it.

Here's the handout - Forces of Cultural Change.

Here's the list of Forces:

1. Worldview

2. Anomie

3. Alienation

4. Conformity

5. Charismatic Leadership

6. Subjective Validity

7. Pluralism

8. Dominant Paradigm

9. Traditional Cultural Values

In your assigned groups you were to do the following with the conditions listed:

1. Define it in your own words.

2. Using real world examples, explain how your condition has helped with social change somewhere in the world.  Explain how this has been a positive and/or negative for the people affected.

  3. Using real world examples, explain how your condition has acted as a barrier to social change somewhere in the world. Explain how this has been a positive and/or negative for the people affected.

DAY 54 Stanford Prison & Turnitin

The first thing to do is create an account in Turnitin.com - that is how I will accept work for this assignment.

Here's the link to Create an Account in Turnitin.

Then look at yesterday's post to access the assignment.

DAY 53 (Nov 21) Stanford Prison Experiment

Here are some handouts from the past few days, in case you missed 'em!

Subcultures at School Project  &  Subcultures at School Marksheet

Defining Youth (Hippies & Today's Youth)

Generations Chart (Boomers, Gen X, Y & Z)

Today we'll start working on the Stanford Prison Experiment project.  To begin you'll need to watch this video on the Stanley Milgram Obedience to Authority Experiment.

Stanford Prison Experiment Assignment  &  Stanford Prison Experiment Marksheet

There are many Youtube videos on the original Stanford Prison Experiment - check some out.

DAY 48 Demographics & Generation X, Y & Z

Today we are having a look at Demographics - the study of populations and trends in populations.

We will follow this up with the following thinking handout:

Generation X, Y, Z & Beyond

Assignments & Discussions

---

 Assignment 1  -  Demographics

Take a look at the following world demographic trends:

·         Infant Mortality Rates have declined.

·         Fertility has declined.

·         There have been large increases in urbanization.

·         There have been large increases in literacy.

For each of the trends (social changes listed above) answer the questions below.

1.    List one major question that an anthropologist, a psychologist and a sociologist might ask regarding each particular social change.

2.    List the agents of change (what caused the change) and the impediments to change for each.

3.    Predict the possible effects of these changes on individuals, society and Canadian culture.

4.    Outline two appropriate social science research methods for examining each social change.

5.    Explain the challenges (for example, possible bias, ethical concern) that a social scientist would face in examining each social change with the research methods you recommended.

---

 Discussion 1

 Discussion on Demographics

For the last of the social changes listed above, "There have been large increases in Literacy," be prepared to discuss your answers to the first three questions above and be prepared to comment on the ideas of your classmates.

DAY 18 & 19 Shine & Erikson

On Wednesday you had a day to work on the Darts Lab Write-up and many of you submitted your work online which is just great.  If you haven't submitted that yet now would be a good time to do so, at least very soon if not now  :-)

In my absence on Thursday many of you didn't attend and on Friday most of you went to the university fair so there was no class.  So, please check Monday's Blog entry (Day 20) for everything you need to know about Shine!

DAY 17 (Wednesday) Darts Lab Continued

Today is the only other class day to do your Darts Lab - please see previous two days' blog entries for all of the information you need.

Today you are in Lab 211.

DAY 16 Day to Work on Your Darts Lab Report

Most of you got a good head start on this report today.  To finish up please use Wednesday's class, which is booked into 211, to finish.  See yesterday's blog entry for a picture of the targets and the graph resulting from the aggregation of all of the data.

The handout on what's expected in your lab report is here, How to Guide to Darts Lab.

DAY 15 Darts Lab

Today we did a lab experiment that Psychologists would use to draw conclusions about how well your limbs and brain communicate and about how quickly your brain can adapt to changing information coming into it from your limbs and eyes (hand eye coordination).  The body's process of communication between what your body is doing and how your brain perceives and then acts upon that information is call "proprioception" .  

This is a picture of a couple of participants collecting darts from the targets for two dart throwing subjects .

Results Chart of Entire Class Dart Throws

Below are the notes you should be using to help you complete your lab report on this experiment - they're a general outline and you should use them to help organize your ideas and get them into a useful format of writing.

These are notes for your to use to help you to write your Darts Lab Report.  It is based on the Handout, Report Writing in the Social Sciences.

Here is the published report on Buffering Effects of Religiosity on Substance Use.

Title: we are measuring ACCURACY of dart throws before, during and after a CHANGING field of vision.  The example that I used was the title of a prior study, "Buffering Effects of Religiosity on Substance Use."

Abstract: write this after the rest of the report is complete!  About 100 words.  Summary of:

Topic

Method

Results

Conclusions

Introduction: like any written work, introduce the topic to your audience to give it context.

Must include references (two in this case) to PREVIOUS studies on the same topic.  What did these previous studies conclude?  Google "proprioception studies "  to lots of results.

End the introduction with a statement of some predictions for the outcome of your study (hypothesis).

For example: you might predict that introducing prism glasses will result in a corresponding shift in accuracy in the same direction as the prism glasses, in this case approx. 11.5 degrees to the right.

Also, with practice, accuracy will improve.

Removing prism glasses will result in a corresponding shift in accuracy to the left of the target, i.e. in the opposite direction compared to when prism glasses were introduced, i.e. to the left.

Write a hypothesis using "if / then" statements.  e.g. "If prism glasses are introduced, then a corresponding loss in accuracy will result . . . . " etc.

Method:  in the first handout, "Prism Adaptation Experiment," I have listed the steps to perform for this lab.  Use it as a rough guide.  Use detail but not too much detail.

In the Method you will have several subheadings as follows:

Design: explain the tasks of each participant.  Explain the independent and dependent variables.

Independent variable: the non-changing process that you use, i.e. prism glasses @ 11.5 deg. right.

Dependent variable: the change as a result of indep. var., i.e. accuracy scores.

Participants: be specific, reference the class (HSB4M1), 9 males, 26 females, (ages 16 - 18), two male teachers.  Are there any characteristics that are important?  Could we generalize the results to other groups?  e.g. grade 3 class, the elderly, etc.

Apparatus & Materials: the simple list of what we used - it's good to use a graphic or two here.  Also, combine these as this is a very simple lab.  I've added a picture of the target boards in the Classes folder.

Procedure: refer to the handout with the bird on it and be specific about what everyone involved did.  A List works well here.

Results: start with a concise summary of results.

Explain how data was transformed into usable figures (in this case the graph).

In this case you need to explain each of the eight data points and the slopes of the parts of the graph.

Discussion: this is arguably the most important part of any lab report.

Start with a brief summary of results again, to refocus the audience's attention on the main points.

Explain each conclusion you make and support it with direct reference to the data.

Suggest further experimentation to do to cover the topic and any questions raised more fully.

Explain limitations and sources of potential error in your experiment, eg:

- we only studied one group of 30 adolescents.

- some people have better hand/eye coordination that others: significant because with such a small group our participants might be skewed, i.e. higher proportion of elite athletes than the general population.

- age, younger people tend to have better hand/eye coordination, thus limiting the scope of our findings to younger people.

- people stepping over the throw line

- a noisy environment

- distractions

Final paragraph stating conclusions and how further research could be conducted.

DAY 14 Last World on the Teenage Brain and More Illusions

Today we had a look at some of the videos on optical illusions.

This is full of good illusions - the last one is actually quite extraordinary - Optical Illusions

Then we watched this TED Talk about the adolescent brain - it was just published that's why we didn't watch it earlier, but it's worth a look.  TED Adolescent Brain.

Then we went to the lab to begin work on your B-Mod project within Google.

DAY 13 Review of Psych and Optical Illusions

I asked you to recall as much of this information as possible (review of Psych so far):

1. What are the three main disciplines that we'll study in this course?
2. What is Howard Gardner's theory of Multiple Intelligence and what are his eight categories (there are 10, but his original 8 are what we studied).
3. Define "Intelligence."
4. In one sentence, what was Sir Ken Robinson's main message in his TED Talks lecture?
5. Explain how brain neurons make connections and then retain them.
6. Explain why the best way to learn a new piece of information or a new skill is to practice it repeatedly over a period of several days (or longer if it's a very complex skill).
7. Explain the process of rapid brain growth at puberty and the subsequent "paring down" of the brain over the next decade or so.
8. Explain, using specific parts of his theory, Erik Erikson's theory of Psycho-Social Development.
9. Explain, using specific parts of his theory, B.F. Skinner's Theory of Operant Conditioning.
10. Explain, using specific parts of his theory, Abraham Maslow's Theory of The Hierarchy of Human Needs.

Here's the link to the Optical Illusions presentation that we looked at today - it's a fun way to demonstrate just how adaptable our brains are and just how vulnerable our brains are to over stimulation and/or incomplete or conflicting data through our eyes.  Here are a couple of Illusions Videos that we looked at today as well.

3D Chalk Illusions

Bill Nye

DAY 12 Behaviour Modification on You!

Today we spent time discussing your plans for next year, very interesting.

Then you helped to create the criteria that I might look for when marking your B-Mod Projects (see below).

Knowledge

• Correctly identifying a workable problem (e.g. bad habit)
• Correctly listing and explaining Skinner's theory
• Positive/Negative Punishments/Rewards - fully explain each, with examples

Thinking

• You correctly / effectively evaluate your personal "conditioning" according to Skinner's principles.  (You state clearly whether your program is effective or not and WHY)
• You show clear connections between your program and Skinner's ideas.
• Clear examples offered and explained.

Communication

• Writing Style or Presentation Style is clear, concise.
• Free of errors in spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc.
• Graphics used effectively to support your ideas.
• Proper/Effective paragraph structure - topic sentence, ppd

Application

• Relating knowledge to the issue (problem)
• Examples used effectively
• Experiment on yourself uses Skinner's principles effectively (explain)

DAY 11 - More Freud, Hominid Evolution and What's In a Nail?

We reviewed a fair bit of what we did yesterday, and you did the little quiz to determine whether you have a female- or male-typical problem solving "brain".  We also talked at length about your B-Mod project.

DAY 10 (Sept 17) Freudian Slips!

Beginning our look at normal development and socialization from babyhood to adulthood, we looked at Freud and his Theory of  Psycho Sexual Development.

We also had a look through the Freud PowerPoint presentation on the same topic.

Then we had a look at the fun questionnaire, What Gender is Your Brain, which is a quick (albeit completely unscientific yet fun) look at whether your brain is hard-wired more in line with a typically female or male brain in problem-solving thought patterns.

Sigmund Freud is considered the "Father of Psychoanalysis" and some of his pioneering work in this field is considered important today, but to be fair, much of his work is widely considered to be incorrect - his legacy and popularity live on perhaps because he was widely read and ground-breaking in his connection to psychology and sexual drives in people, a topic considered "taboo" in at the time of his writing in the largely still Victorian-age Europe.  



After considering Freud for part of the class we had a look back at Behaviour Modification - first the three short videos from the other day, then an explanation of your first project in the course.

Behaviour Modification Project: for today, start with a behaviour of yours that you would like to change.  Brainstorm ideas of how/why that behaviour is easy for your to engage in and put the reasons into the left hand column of a chart that you make.

On the right hand side of that chart list the reasons that make it difficult for you to stop the behaviour.

Below the chart list things (modifications) that you could put into place that might help you to curb or improve the behaviour.

Behaviour Modification Project  Baseline Due Wednesday, Final Project Due Oct 2.  You will be pasting the link to a Google tool that I will share with you later.  There is also some daily work that must be done for this project, and yes, you will be marked daily on it.

DAY 9 Maslow's Hierarchy of Human Needs

Maslow Intro Video - in this video some of the shortcomings of Maslow's theory are highlighted.  In fact they are not actual shortcomings but because most people understand this theory incorrectly they appear to be shortcomings.

Maslow did not require that we meet our more basic needs before acting on our higher needs.  He suggested that our behaviours are motivated by our most immediate needs.  Also he suggested that most well-adjusted people have satisfied most of their needs at each level.  And, in order to be a "self-actualized" person, it tends to be easier if most of our other needs are met, however this is certainly not always the case.  The idea of being "self-actualized", typically the pinnacle of Maslow's Hierarchy, simply means that we are at our best, achieving goals and moving on to other goals and to continue to be "at our best."

Examples of this include war correspondents who die in the line of duty.  Here's a recent example from the news in Syria . . . link to news story of reporters killed in Syria . . . these reporters did not have their safety needs met, in fact they were doing their jobs knowing full well that their lives were in danger, yet they still worked and were being very self-actualized in that way - they were at the height of their abilities as reporters and photographers but were constantly in mortal danger.  Also, if you have read the story of the Uruguayan rugby team that crashed in the Andes you'll find that many of them had interesting relationships and accomplished great things for three months before being saved despite being in peril each day.

Here's the handout from the class.  Maslow's Hierarchy of Human Needs

After discussing each of Maslow's needs, briefly, you are to complete your own Hierarchy of Needs by completing the "pyramid" that I distributed (it's in the link above).  This should give you a good indication of what behaviours you engage in that result in your needs being met.

DAY 8 The Skinner Box and "Operant Conditioning"

Today we got into the idea of Skinner's Theory of Operant Conditioning (Presentation) .  During this presentation we covered many aspects of his theory including:

Rewards and Punishments to alter behaviours.

There are Positive and Negative Rewards.

And there are Positive and Negative Punishments.

In this context, "Positive" means that something is added to the situation, e.g. a candy reward, a "thank you", an electric shock into the Skinner box (probably seen as a positive punishment), etc.

In this context, "Negative" means that something is removed from the situation, e.g. getting grounded (your right to go out has been removed), the annoying electric jolts in the Skinner box are shut off, etc.

A quick video on the Skinner Box.

Here's a video on some work done on "Baby Albert" showing how conditioning of someone's responses to various things can actually work.  It has come out recently that little Baby Albert was, in fact, probably developmentally challenged.  It should also be noted that such experiments on children or babies in modern times would be considered child abuse, so do not attempt this at home!

Here is a Youtube video on Skinner's ideas and how they can translate to other areas of Psychological concern, especially the Superstitions that People have.

Here's another clip on Operant Conditioning from The Big Bang Theory.