Topics
General Instructions
To respond to any of the prompts below…
- Read the article and the prompt. Remember, you only have to pick ONE of the following prompts for each paper (Paper#1 and Paper#2).
- Do not focus on the Results section of the article; only focus only the Methods section of the article if you are explicitly told to so in the prompt.
- Make sure that you respond to all parts of the prompt
- The paper should not be about the statistics reported in the article, but about the general concepts covered in the Introduction and Discussion sections.
The Prompts:
- Beliefs and Behavior. Based on:
Kuntsman, J.W. & Plant, E.A. (2008). Racing to help: Racial bias in high emergency helping situations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 95, 1499-1510. (link to article)
In this study, the way that people acted when they were in high stress situations did not reflect what they said they believed. Briefly describe the general findings of this series of studies. When reading the article, focus on- the first paragraph of the article
- the sections entitled "Aversive racism theory and the arousal:cost-reward model of helping" and "The current work"
- the Method and Discussion sections of Study 1, 2, and 3
- General Discussion
- Kitty Genovese revisited. Based on:
Manning, R., Levine, M., & Collins, A. (2007). The Kitty Genovese murder and the social psychology of helping: The parable of the 38 witnesses. American Psychologist, 62, 555-562. (link to article)
This article indicates the story of the 38 witnesses has been misrepresented. Briefly summarize the reasons why the authors of this article think this is true. According to the authors, the way things are portrayed has a large impact on the way that we perceive them. Assuming that the authors are correct, how should we consume information from textbooks? Can textbooks (or other authoritative sources) ever be trusted? Why or why not? When reading the article, focus on- the introduction section
- the Parable of the 38 Witnesses
- the Murder of Kitty Genovese
- Challenging the Story of the 38 Witnesses
- Conclusion
- Nature vs Nurture. Based on:
Manning, J.T. & Quinton, S. (2007). Association of digit ratio (2D:4D) with self-reported attractiveness in men and women. Journal of Individual Differences, 28, 73-77. (link to article)
This study focuses on the role of biology (or genetics) in development (i.e., "nature"). Describe this article and what the main results were. Now consider the other side of the "Nature vs Nurture" debate; what role might nurture (the environment or culture in which we are raised) play in the developmental traits that the study discusses (i.e., height, digit ratio, perceived attractiveness, etc.)? Think of another behavior that might have biological and environmental causes, and explain how Nature and Nurture might contribute to that behavior. When reading the article, focus on- the introduction section
- Methods
- Discussion
- Eat your vegetables! Based on:
Laney, C., Morris, E., Bernstein, D., Wakefield, B., & Loftus, E. (2008). Asparagus, a love story: Healthier eating could be just a false memory away.Experimental Psychology, 55, 291-300. (link to article)
Summarize the study and its findings; what did the researchers do and what did they find out? If people can be influenced to believe that they like a particular food, what does this mean about the role that advertising might play in the consumption of fast foods or junk foods? Now think about situations beyond just food: if people can be influenced to believe that they like asparagus, can they be influenced to believe anything else? What do you think these results might tell us about the use of eye-witness testimony? - Obedience Based on:
Milgram, S. (1963). Behavioral study of obedience. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 67, 371-378. (link to article)
Summarize the study and its findings; what did the researchers do and what did they find out? Milgram found that people are influenced by authority figures to do things that are considered morally unacceptable. How does his study apply to the actions of the citizens of Nazi Germany? Applying the findings to more recent events: how does this study help explain the actions of the soldiers involved in the Abu-Ghraib prison in Iraq? Could obedience to authority ever be a good thing? Justify your answer to the last question. When answering this prompt, make sure you write about each of these questions; do not spend too much space writing your answer to any one of them.