Blog 2 Topics 2007
Assigned Topics
| Topic | Owner | Marker |
|---|---|---|
| Affluenza What is affluenza and what are its socio-psychological effects? |
Affluenza http://bethanytreloar.blogspot.com |
 JN06 |
| Alcohol What are the short-term and longer-term socio-psychological effects of alcohol consumption? |
Socio-Psychological Effects of Alcohol Consumption http://cirovskicrusing.blogspot.com |
ID3 |
| Altruism and Prosocial Behaviour What is the difference between prosocial behaviour and altruism? Does genuine altruism exist? Discuss in relation to social psychological aspects of evolutionary theory and related research. |
Prosocial Behaviour and Altruism http://sammyt1.blogspot.com |
JN46 |
| Asset-based Community Development What is ABCD? Explain its approach and overview relevant theory and research, with examples. |
Asset-based Community Development http://thinkingsocialpsychology.blogspot.com |
JN43 |
| Attractiveness Why are some people attractive? Discuss in relation to social psychological theories and research. |
Hot or Not: Interpersonal Attraction and Attractiveness Perception http://powellpsychology.blogspot.com |
ID05 |
| Australians' Social Identity What does social psychology theory and research indicate about the nature of Australians' social identity and Australian social values? You might consider issues such as:
|
Australia's Social Identity http://rosie-socialpsychology.blogspot.com |
ID11 |
| Bystander Effect Local government is alarmed by a recent increase in muggings and robberies in the community, often performed in the presence of others (bystanders). As an expert in the area of pro-social behaviour, you have been asked to come up with strategies that will make people more likely to lend assistance in these types of situations. Using at least two relevant theories/models, outline the strategy you would recommend to the government. |
The Bystander Effect http://becblair.blogspot.com |
ID1 |
| Caregiving What are the socio-psychological effects of extended caregiving? Consider in light of Australia's aging population. |
What are the socio-psychological effects of extended caregiving? http://missingcheesecake.blogspot.com |
JN25 |
| Cheating Explore cheating as a socio-psychological phenomenon, with reference to theory and research. |
Cheating as a socio-psychological phenomenon http://www.jancine.blogspot.com/ |
JN40 |
| Communication Skills Provide a user-friendly, downloadable one-page handout summarising recommended steps or strategies for effective interpersonal communication. This handout should target Australian adults and be designed, for example, for distribution to patients in doctor's waiting rooms. Also provide more detailed commentary and background to the handout in your blog post. Note that the handout is included in the overall word count. |
Communication Skills http://michelle-socialpsychology.blogspot.com/ |
JN29 |
| Contact Hypothesis What is it? Describe and critique with reference to theory and research. |
The Contact Hypothesis http://jaimeesocialpsych.blogspot.com/ |
JN47 |
| Cross-cultural Relationships Describe and analyse a cross-cultural relationship with an individual or group which you are or were involved in from a social psychological perspective. This can be written in the first person. |
"When Opposites Attract and Become the Birds of a Feather" http://beckpsychblog.blogspot.com |
JN30 |
| Cults What is a cult? Explore and explain the social psychological aspects of cults, with examples. |
What is a cult? http://psychcynic.blogspot.com/ |
JN51 |
| Culture Jamming Explore the social psychological aspects of culture jamming. Illustrate with examples. |
Culture Jamming http://www.jfavettasocialpsychology.blogspot.com/ |
JN34 |
| Culture of Fear Is our culture becoming increasingly fearful, risk-averse, suspicious, even paranoid? What social psychology theory and research evidence speaks to this question? What are the trends and what do you think should be done? |
Culture of Fear http://124301-socialpsych.blogspot.com/ |
JN36 |
| Culture Shock What is it and how can it be prevented and dealt with? |
Culture Shock http://ellensocialblog.blogspot.com/ |
JN21 |
| Cyberspace Explore and explain the social psychology of cyberspace. |
The Social Psychology of Cyberspace http://lukemuller.blogspot.com |
JN26 |
| Deindividuation What is it? When is it desirable or undesirable? How can it be prevented or facilitated? |
The social psychological phenomena of deindividuation | JN05 |
| Digital Divide Consider the socio-psychological causes and consequences of the digital divide. What do you think the consequences of experiments such as the hole in the wall and one laptop per child will be? |
Digital Division http://hazelnutbubblegum.wordpress.com/ |
JN17 |
| Eastern vs. Western Discuss the main differences in Western and Eastern conceptions of the person and consider this question: "Are we ready for the entire field to move to the formal, experimental stage when we have yet to determine whether the 800 million Hindus in India or 125 million Japanese have the same sense of self that we do, the same social motives, or the same attributional biases that have found to be typical of American college students?" asks Rozin, 2001, p.13). |
Differences in Eastern and Western concepts of person http://robinspsychologyblog.blogspot.com/ |
JN24 |
| Eccentricity Explain eccentricity from a socio-psychological perspective. |
Eccentricity http://jessjmurray.blogspot.com |
JN38 |
| Ecofeminism What is it? Explore and critique its socio-psychological implications. |
http://socialpsychyr3.blogspot.com Ecofeminism - An Unlikely Partnership With Psychology |
JN03 |
| Environmental Attitudes and Behaviour Is there a gap between environmental attitudes and behaviour? If so, why and what can be done about it? |
Environmental Attitudes http://socialpsychbkd.blogspot.com/ |
JN49 |
| Environmental Behaviour How can social psychology be used to help change human behaviour so that it becomes more ecologically sustainable? |
Sustainability...it's a Foreign Word! http://fionabraybrooks.blogspot.com |
JN11 |
| Ethnocentrism What is ethnocentrism? Why does it occur? Under what conditions is ethnocentrism likely to be maximised? |
My blog on ethnocentrism http://social-psych-blog.blogspot.com |
JN14 |
| Ethnocentrism What is ethnocentrism? Why does it occur? Under what conditions is ethnocentrism likely to be maximised? |
Ethnocentrism http://rosecole.blogspot.com |
ID09 |
| Family Systems What is family systems theory? Explore connections between family systems theory and social psychology. |
Theoretical Overview of Family Systems Theory http://cemo84.blogspot.com |
JN44 |
| Friendship What factors influence the likelihood of becoming friends with another person? Discuss in relation to your own relationships and friendships. |
Why do we become friends with the people we do? http://socialpsych-emma.blogspot.com |
JN9 |
| Gender Equality To what extent has gender equality been achieved? What gender biases persist and why? |
Gender Equality http://christinasocialpsych.blogspot.com |
JN58 |
| Gestalt Psychology What is it? Explain the main ideas and principles using your own examples. |
Gestalt Psychology http://www.socialpsychblog.blogspot.com |
ID08 |
| Group Development Summarise and critically review theoretical models describing stages of group development. |
The Stages of Group Development from an Organisational Behaviour Perspective http://kelg85socialpsychblog.blogspot.com/ |
JN42 |
| Group Productivity Are people more or less productive when they work in groups? What can be done to increase productivity in groups? |
Group Productivity http://hightechpsych.blogspot.com |
JN12 |
| Healthy Suburbs Summarise and explain Anne Kavanagh's recent VicLANES research on developing healthy suburbs. |
"Healthy Suburbs", Only for the Rich Suburbs? http://sarahmaggssocial.blogspot.com |
JN35 |
| Homophily What is it? Discuss in relation to examples from your own life. |
Homophily - evident within daily life.... http://www.zoesocialpsych.blogspot.com/ |
JN22 |
| In-group Bias What is it, why does it occur and under what conditions does it increase? |
In-group Bias - Are "WE" better than "THEM"? http://milka-chocolate.blogspot.com |
ID12 |
| Immigrants What kinds of socio-psychological issues are encountered by immigrants in Australia? |
Socio-psychological issues encountered by immigrants in Australia? http://119076.blogspot.com |
JN07 |
| JOHARI Window Present a JOHARI Window analysis of yourself and discuss. Can be written in 1st person. |
The Johari Window meets Simeon Hearnshaw http://sociallyunaware.blogspot.com/ |
JN23 |
| Kindness Paradox Discuss Benjamin Franklin's claim that "he that has once done you a kindness will be more ready to do you another than he whom you yourself have obliged." |
"The Kindness Paradox" http://ruthssocialpsychblog.blogspot.com |
JN53 |
| Kurt Lewin What has s/he contributed to our understanding of Social Psychology? Use yourself as a case example to show key theories and principles in action. |
Kurt Lewin's contributions to social psychology http://ladyzulu.blogspot.com |
JN52 |
| Leadership What makes someone an effective leader? Are 'great' leaders born that way or can people be trained to be leaders? |
Effective leadership: Not a birth right, rather an educational opportunity http://samfaulksblog.blogspot.com |
JN31 |
| Long-term Intimate Relationships Approximately 50% of marriages in Western culture currently end in separation (source unknown). What are the secrets of a "good marriage" (or long-term intimate relationship)? |
The 'secrets' of a successful long-term relationship http://www.monique-psych.blogspot.com |
ID4 |
| Love and Relationships: Attachment Theory Using examples from your personal life, "case studies", or other people, explain Attachment Theory. Your response can be written in the first person. |
Attachment Theory http://clarebear-socialpsych.blogspot.com |
JN04 |
| Love and Relationships: Investment Model Using examples from your personal relationships, explain the Investment Model. Your response can be written in the first person. |
Investment Model http://jo-socialpsych.blogspot.com |
JN33 |
| Love and Relationships: Triangular Theory of Love Using examples from your personal relationships, explain the Triangular Theory of Love. Your response can be written in the first person. |
The Triangular Theory of Love http://119666.blogspot.com |
JN10 |
| Marketing It has been claimed that when you buy a can of Coca-Cola for $1, you are paying 10c for the product and 90c for the image (source unknown). How are social psychological principles applied in marketing, advertising and branding? |
Social learning theory, classical conditioning, and the elaboration likelihood model http://jbnsocialpsychspot.blogspot.com/ |
JN56 |
| Media Violence Discuss the role of violence within mass media, such as television and video games. What effects can this have on viewers, especially children? Should violence in the media be more controlled? |
Violence in the mass media and its impact on young viewers http://mrsfreud.blogspot.com/ |
JN20 |
| Moral Equivalent of War Is William James' classic essay from the early 1900's still relevant today? Reconsider James' arguments in light of social psychological theory and research which has ensued. |
'The Moral Equivalent of War' in Modern times http://www.socialpsychologysay.blogspot.com |
JN15 |
| Nature-deficit Disorder Richard Louv recently coined this term to refer to individual, family, and societal physical and psychological ills arising from a lack of direct contact with nature. With 50% of the world's population now living in cities, how can we prevent a potential epidemic of NDD? |
Have We Lost Our Way... http://fionasocialpsych.blogspot.com |
JN13 |
| Natural Environments What are the psychological effects of exposure to natural environments? |
What are the psychological effects of exposure to natural environments? http://noelfreeman.blogspot.com |
JN50 |
| Obesity Describe the social psychology of obesity. You might consider issues such as:
|
An exploratory analysis into the social psychology of obesity http://socialpsychology-jessica.blogspot.com |
ID2 |
| Overpopulation and Democracy Discuss Isaac Asimov's claim that "democracy cannot survive overpopulation. Human dignity cannot survive it. Convenience and decency cannot survive it. As you put more and more people into the world, the value of life not only declines, it disappears. It doesn't matter if someone dies. The more people there are, the less one individual matters." |
To live is to die http://marcussquareroot.blogspot.com/ |
JN39 |
| Peer Popularity A significant issue for many people during adolescence is negotiating peer popularity at school. What are the psychological and social characteristics of popular versus unpopular school students (amongst peers) (e.g., attractiveness, personality, etc.)? And what dynamic social psychological variables also contribute to popularity (e.g., social influence, social categorisation, etc.)? Where possible, discuss in relation to Australian society, although international research is likely to be relevant. Note that some of the bullying literature may be useful. |
Peer Popularity: Understanding Social Dynamics of Peer Relations http://socialpsychologywheretobegin.blogspot.com |
ID10 |
| Pets What psychological effects do animals, and particularly pets, have on humans and why? What recommendations about contact with animals and pets would you make to someone who wants to maximise their psychological health? |
Pets: Are They Beneficial To Our Psychological Health? http://erinsocialpsychblog.blogspot.com |
JN18 |
| Political Psychology Provide an overview of the main theories and research in this area. Discuss with respect to current Australian federal politics. |
Theories and Research in Political Psychology http://psychfi.blogspot.com/ |
JN32 |
| Psychodrama What is it, where does it come from, and how does it work? Discuss from a social psychological viewpoint. |
Psychodrama in the Social World http://karensocialpsych.blogspot.com |
JN27 |
| Relationship Stages Describe and critique relationship stage theories using your own relationship(s) as examples. |
The Development and Maturation of Relationships Through Stages http://kimsocialpsych.blogspot.com/ |
JN57 |
| Religion What proportion of people ascribe to a religion? Why? Explore from a social psychological perspective. |
What proportion of people ascribe to a religion? Why? http://kayeb.blogspot.com |
JN19 |
| Risky Shift What is it, when does it occur, and why does it occur? |
The Risky Shift Phenomenon http://emdeegs.blogspot.com |
JN16 |
| Self-enhancement by Social Comparison Describe and explain the phenomenon of social comparison for self-enhancement. What is it and why does it occur? Include examples. |
Social comparison for self-enhancement http://rach335@blogspot.com |
JN08 |
| Social Competence What skills, attitudes and behaviours are exhibited by people whom we understand to be socially competent? To what extent can social competence be learned and to what extent is it innate? What are the most effective methods for training people in social skills and enhancing social competence? |
Social Competence http://www.jacsocialpsych.blogspot.com/ |
JN28 |
| Social Exchange Theory What is it? Explain with reference to examples from your own life. |
Friendship, Sexuality, and Social Norms: Applying Social Exchange Theory http://davedouglas.blogspot.com |
JN02 |
| Solitary Confinement What are the psychological effects of solitary confinement? Why do these occur and what does knowledge about the psychological effects of solitary confinement reveal more generally about human social psychology? |
Solitary Confinement http://socialpsychology-ali.blogspot.com |
ID07 |
| Solitude vs. Loneliness What is the difference between solitude and loneliness? Describe with reference to examples from your own life, people you know, and well-known others. |
Solitude vs. Loneliness http://janespsychpage.blogspot.com/ |
JN55 |
| Sport Explain the phenomenon of sport from a psychoevolutionary perspective. |
Sport - A Psychoevolutionary Perspective http://sopsyc.blogspot.com |
JN37 |
| Suicide Explore suicide from a socio-psychological perspective. |
Suicide: Socio-Psychological Variables That Contribute http://graham-mackay.blogspot.com |
JN01 |
| Terrorism Discuss the social psychology of terrorism in relation to this image. |
Terrorism and social psychology http://willsocialpsych.blogspot.com |
JN54 |
| Timeline Present a timeline of the major developments in social psychology and discuss their implications. |
Timeline of Social Psychology http://thomascrossley.blogspot.com |
JN48 |
| Volunteerism Summarise Clary and Snyder's theory and research on the psychology of volunteerism. |
The Psychology of Volunteerism http://beccakara.blogspot.com |
JN41 |
| Weather How does the weather influence human behavior? (e.g., does heat increase violence?) |
Weather http://dropdeadblog.blogspot.com |
JN45 |
| You Just Get Me Conduct a personal experiment by joining http://www.youjustgetme.com. You should earn at least 25 credit points by making your own profile available and by guessing the personalities of other members. Describe your experience of this website with respect to social psychological aspects of personality and social perception. |
First Impressions - A personal experiment http://mypsychblog-rebecca.blogspot.com |
ID06 |
Unassigned topics
New
- Albert Bandura: What has he contributed to our understanding of Social Psychology? Use your own experiences to provide case examples of key theories and principles in action.
- [Anti-psychiatry]: What is it? Consider within the context of social psychology.
- Attitudes Towards Indigenous Australians: Summarise socio-psychological research about non-indigenous Australians' attitudes towards indigenous Australians.
- Conflict Resolution: Provide a user-friendly, downloadable one-page handout summarising recommended steps or strategies for preventing and resolving interpersonal conflicts. This handout should target Australian adults and be designed, for example, for distribution to patients in doctor's waiting rooms. Also provide more detailed commentary and background to the handout in your blog post. Note that the handout is included in the overall word count.
- [Constructivism]: What is it? Consider within the context of social psychology.
- [Cross-cultural Training]: Design a generic cross-cultural training program which would help to improve the likelihood that a person going to live and work overseas would be able to successfully acculturate.
- [Dependence vs. Independence]: What should we strive for? Dependence or independence? Consider this question in light of this quote.
- [Depersonalisation & War]: How is depersonalisation used as psychological influence technique in war?
- [Discourse Analysis]: What is it? How is it useful?
- Fundraising: What socio-psychological techniques are used in fundraising?
- Genetic sexual attraction: What are the socio-psychological causes and consequences of genetic sexual attraction, in which closely-genetically related adults form consenting intimate relationships?
- [Gordon Allport]: What were Gordon Allport's key contributions to social psychology?
- Group Development: Compare and contrast at least two models which describe the development of groups.
- Groupthink: What is it? When and why does it occur? Include examples of when you've gone with Groupthink and when you've gone against Groupthink.
- [Happiness]: Why do people have children? Does it make them happy? Review the psychological literature related to this article Happiness is ... not having children
- [Leadership style]: Analyse your leadership style from a theoretical point of view. Include results from relevant leadership surveys.
- [Marathon Groups]: What are they? Consider socio-psychological theoretical and research aspects.
- Minority Groups: How can minority groups achieve social change? Discuss this with respect to a 'real world' minority group in our society.
- [Need to belong]: Do we need to belong? What do we need to belong to?
- [Parasocial Contact Hypothesis]: What is the PCH? Explore the PCH in the context of socio-psychological theory and research.
- [Personal Construct Psychology]: Explain George Kelly's PCP with emphasis on its relevance to socio-psychological theory and research.
- [Radical Constructivism]: Do you agree with the views of radical constructivism? Why or why not?
- [Rumour]: Summarise the social psychology of rumour.
- [Sensory Deprivation]: What happens when humans are deprived of sensory input for an extended period of time and why? What are the socio-psychological implications of SD research and related theory?
- [Social Dominance Orientation]: What is this construct, how does it relate to other socio-psychologies, and what are the main research findings about SDO?
- [Stress Innoculation]: What is it and should our society be doing more of it?
- [Transactional Analysis]: Explain TA and how it can be used to improve relationships. Present this for up for a "self-help audience", e.g, a handout which could be given out in health service waiting rooms.
- [Virtual vs. Real Worlds]: How does the social psychology of 3-D virtual worlds such as Second Life differ from the social psychology of the 'real' world?
- [Waist-to-Hip Ratio]: Consider evolutionary perspectives on research on female's Waist-to-Hip ratios and attractiveness.
- [Worker Satisfaction]: What are the main predictors of employee satisfaction?