Blog 1 topics

Topics

Choose one of the following:

1. Aggression
   What are the environmental (situational) explanations for aggression? Use examples from The Australian Eye (and the work of Jane Elliot) and Ghosts of Rwanda (and the Rwandan genocide). Present a concept map depicting your understanding of the socio-psychological variables involved.
2. Attitude Change
   What factors determine the success of attitude change programs? Describe theoretical bases and research evidence about key elements underlying attitude change programs. Include examples from a current or recent social change program (e.g., SUNSMART, anti-smoking, exercise, drink driving, cancer screening, safe sex campaigns). Present a concept map depicting your understanding of the socio-psychological variables involved.
3. Classic Experiments
   What are the classic social psychological experiments which revealed important understandings about prejudice, stereotyping and aggression? Select and rank what you consider to be the four most important studies. Describe each study, including methodology and findings/implications. This should be written so as to be informative and easy to understand. It should provide key references, links to relevant web and multimedia resources, an introduction and conclusion, and explanations for your rankings. A table summarising key aspects of each of the studies is recommended.
4. Federal Intervention in NT Indigenous Communities
   The Australian Psychological Society released (13/7/07) this statement about the Australian federal governments' new intervention initiatives to protect children in NT indigenous communities. Make critical comment and expand on this statement by referring to relevant social psychology theory, research, and examples. Present a concept map depicting your understanding of the variables involved.
5. Genocide
   Genocide can be seen as occurring when a 'perfect storm' of social psychological variables come together. What might these social psychological variables be and how do they influence one another? Present a concept map depicting your understanding of the variables involved and use examples from Ghosts of Rwanda and the Rwandan genocide to help explain.  You may also include examples from other genocides (e.g., 20th century genocides such as WWII holocaust, Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia, Darfour).
6. Prejudice, Stereotyping, and Aggression
   Design and present your concept map representing the relationships between prejudice, stereotyping, and aggression. Describe your understanding of how these three social psychological concepts influence each other, with reference to theory and research. Note that you should not replicate published models, but rather offer your own integration and conceptualisation. Thus, it would be helpful to include other related socio-psychological concepts in your concept map(s). To help explain your conceptual model, use examples from one or both of The Australian Eye (and the work of Jane Elliot) and Ghosts of Rwanda (and the Rwandan genocide).
7. Prejudice and Discrimination
   How can prejudice and discrimination be reduced? Discuss using examples from one or both of The Australian Eye (and the work of Jane Elliot) and Ghosts of Rwanda (and the Rwandan genocide). Present a concept map depicting your understanding of the variables involved.
8. Social Self
   In the first person, describe who you are in social psychological terms. You should emphasise your social identity, which could include describing, for example, your cultural heritage, group memberships, social attitudes, beliefs and values, your ethnicity, neighbourhood, social behaviour, social aspects of your personality, and areas of interest related to social psychology. Refer to research and theory which might help to understand your social self. Present a concept map depicting your understanding of the socio-psychological variables which have shaped your life. (Another way of thinking about this question is to consider who you would have been if you'd been born in a different time, place, and culture?)
9. Stereotypes
   Choose and describe a stereotype that is commonly held about a minority group in Australian society. Discuss why this stereotype exists, how that stereotype was formed, and how it is maintained.  Also consider how this stereotype could be changed. Present a concept map depicting your understanding of the socio-psychological variables involved.