Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Psychology and Sociology

Chapter 3: Mediated Communication

What is Mediated Communication?

Mediated communication is the process of communicating with others through technological devices. These devices act as intermediaries, separating the sender and receiver of the message.

Mass Media vs. Social Media

Mass media refers to one-way communication channels where content creators send messages to large, anonymous audiences. Examples include television, radio, and newspapers.

Social media, on the other hand, facilitates two-way communication, allowing users to send and receive messages in real-time or across time intervals. This enables individuals to manage personal and professional relationships.

Synchronous vs. Asynchronous Communication

Synchronous communication involves... Continue reading "Understanding Mediated Communication and Culture: A Comprehensive Guide" »

Survey Formats

1) open ended

2) forced choice format

3) likert scale

4) semantic differential format

Open Ended Question
Advantage: detailed, rich info
Disadvantage: lot of diverse answers that are hard to measure

Forced Choice Format
Choose the best out of choices

Likert Scale
-disagree- agree

Semantic Differential Format
Numeric scale

Leading Question
Avoid words used in question that could lead someone to answer a specific way

Double Barreled Questions
Asking 2 questions in one

Negatively Worded Question
Confusing question

Question Order
Early statements could impact answers later in the survey

Experimental Design

-Select sample from population
-Assign participants to groups
-Control possible extraneous variables (ER)
-Gather/collect data

Principle of Parsimony (Occam'

Ethical Leadership and Workplace Politics Effects

Political behavior at work moderates the effects of ethical leadership. One study found male employees were more responsive to ethical leadership and showed the most citizenship behavior when levels of both politics and ethical leadership were high. Women, on the other hand, appeared most likely to engage in citizenship behavior when the environment was consistently ethical and apolitical.

Defensive Behaviors in Political Environments

When employees see politics as a threat, they often respond with defensive behaviors—reactive and protective behaviors to avoid action, blame, or change. In the short run, employees may find that defensiveness protects their self-interest, but in the long run, it... Continue reading "Workplace Politics, Ethical Leadership & Employee Behavior" »

Causes of Violence

Several factors contribute to violent behavior:

1. Human Evolution and Instinct: Evolutionary factors and inherent aggression.
2. Substance Abuse: The influence of alcohol and drugs.
3. Handguns and Firearms: Access and use of weapons.
4. Socialization and Upbringing: Early life experiences and learned behaviors.
5. Exposure to Violence: Witnessing or experiencing violence.
6. Cultural Values/Subculture of Violence: Societal norms that accept or promote violence.

Rape: Definition and Context

Rape is legally defined as "the carnal knowledge of a female forcibly and against her will."

Population density significantly influences rape rates. Metropolitan areas generally have higher rape rates than rural areas, although urban areas have seen a more substantial... Continue reading "Understanding Violence: Causes, Types, and Factors" »

Milgram Obedience Experiment

Stanley Milgram designed an experiment to study how direct commands influence behavior, focusing on obedience – the act of responding to commands. He sought to answer the question: "Under what social conditions are people more likely to obey?"

The experiment involved an authority figure instructing participants to administer electric shocks to a "learner" for incorrect answers. While most people predicted they would stop upon the learner expressing pain, the reality was different. Even with complaints from the learner, most participants obeyed the experimenter's directives, such as "please continue."

Several factors increased obedience: the authority figure's perceived status, their proximity to the participant,... Continue reading "Classic Psychology Experiments and Big 5 Personality Traits" »

Krumboltz

What are the four main factors that influence career choice?

• Genetic influences
• Environmental Conditions and events
• Learning experiences
• Task approach skills

What was Krumboltz’s theory of career decision making and development based on?

• Social Learning

Parsons

What is the purpose of Parson’s theory of occupational choice?

• To match careers to the talents, skills and personality of a client.

What was the purpose of assessments in Parsons Theory?

• Assessments need to be done in order to gather the client’s talents, skills, dislikes, likes and personality. Once this information is gathered it can be used to help identify jobs or careers in which the client would be a perfect fit for.

Ginzburg

List the sub stages in the tentative stage and explain... Continue reading "Factors Influencing Career Choice: Krumboltz, Parsons, Ginzburg, Holland, Gottfredson, Super, Tiedeman, Roe" »

Literal Versus Nonliteral Communication

A: Fancy a whisky?

B: I am a muslim.

B explicitly communicates I AM A FOLLOWER OF THE MUSLIM RELIGION.

B implicitly communicates I DON’T FANCY A WHISKY (BECAUSE IT’S ALCOHOLIC AND MUSLIMS DON’T DRINK ALCOHOL).

The more implicit communication is, the more risky it is. If you say “No, thank you” it’s easier to understand than if you say “I am a muslim”. So... Why engage in implicit communication at all? Needless to say, on many occasions one would not be able to provide the same quality and quantity of information unless one chose an implicit utterance.

Disambiguation

- Retired priest may marry Bruce Springsteen. Senses:

1. A retired priest may perform Bruce’s wedding ceremony
2. A retired priest may

Innermost Regions of the Brain

Innermost regions of the brain are responsible for the basic involuntary functions, while outer regions of the brain are conscious and high-order thinking. The outer layer responsible for these higher functions is called the cortex.

Brain Stem

Base of the brain, it is attached to the spinal cord. The brain stem controls our heartbeat.

Thalamus

Above the brain stem. It receives all the sensory information from our senses (except smell) and sends it to other parts of the brain to process the data.

Cerebellum

Behind the brain stem. It coordinates movement like walking and plays a role in non-verbal learning and memory.

Visual Cortex

Located in the back of the brain. It receives and processes visual information.

Frontal Lobe

General... Continue reading "Understanding the Innermost Regions of the Brain and Its Functions" »

T1/2: Public Relations (PR)

What is PR?

PR encompasses the relationships an organization cultivates to establish, promote, and maintain mutual understanding with its public. These relationships foster globalization and international exchanges, aiming to align the organization's objectives with the public interest.

Why is PR Important?

1. Vital for Outreach: PR is crucial for connecting with your target audience.
2. Reputation Management: PR helps build and maintain a positive reputation for your company.
3. Community Building: PR creates allies and advocates within the community.
4. Attracting Talent: PR can improve the quality of student and applicant pools.
5. Demonstrating Impact: PR showcases your organization's impact and results to funding agencies.
6. Enhancing

Behavioral Measurement Techniques

Understanding and accurately measuring behavior is fundamental in behavior analysis. These techniques allow for systematic data collection and analysis.

Continuous Measurement

Continuous measurement involves recording every instance of a behavior as it occurs over time, providing a complete picture of its occurrence.

• Frequency

  The total count of how many times a behavior occurred. Example: A client left their seat 5 times.

• Rate

  The ratio of the count of a behavior per observation time. Example: 4 kicks per 5 minutes equals 0.80 kicks per minute, or 80%.

• Duration (Temporal Extent)

  The total extent of time a behavior occurs. Example: Adding the seconds of total extent (35+26+24+65+30) equals 180 seconds, which is 3 minutes.