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

Understanding Affectivity

Affectivity is a set of emotions, feelings, and passions that individuals experience internally in response to thoughts, events, or during their lifetime.

Characteristics of Affectivity

• They are natural, subjective, and often difficult to communicate fully. All individuals experience affectivity, which is expressed verbally and through gestures.
• Affectivity oscillates between opposing poles, such as joy and sorrow, attraction and rejection, pleasure and displeasure.

Its external manifestations are evident in an individual's demeanor. For example, if love is the dominant affect in a subject's life at a specific moment, it reflects joy, optimism, and enthusiasm for change. If that love is unrequited, it shows decline, pessimism,... Continue reading "Understanding Affectivity: Emotions, Feelings, and Passions in Psychology" »

Corporate Image and Service Quality

The concept of corporate image is closely tied to the perceived quality of service provided. Given the strong competition among companies today to meet various customer needs, there is growing interest in projecting a positive image.

Types of Organizational Communication

Downward Communication

In organizational structures, this category signifies that informational communication flows from a higher authority to a lower one. Therefore, it serves to issue directives from superiors to subordinates.

Upward Communication

This type of communication is the opposite of the previous one. It enables information from subordinates to reach superiors or the administration.

Lateral Communication

Also called horizontal communication,... Continue reading "Corporate Image and Communication Dynamics" »

Steps of the Scientific Method

1. Ask a Question

   The scientific method starts when you ask a question about something that you observe: How, What, When, Who, Which, Why, or Where?

   For a science fair project, some teachers require that the question be something you can measure, preferably with a number.

2. Do Background Research

   Rather than starting from scratch in putting together a plan for answering your question, you want to be a savvy scientist using library and internet research to help you find the best way to do things and ensure that you don't repeat mistakes from the past.

3. Construct a Hypothesis

   A hypothesis is an educated guess about how things work. It is an attempt to answer your question with an explanation that can be tested. A good hypothesis

Miller and Mowrer's Theory

They maintain that while painful stimulation motivates escape behavior after a harmful experience, anxiogenic stimuli stand between the individual and the harmful situation, serving as a protective barrier in space and time.

Miller goes on to say that anxiogenic stimuli may become independent of their original position, thereby gaining autonomy and becoming automated, so that anxiety transforms from an adaptive situation into a pathological situation.

Mandler's Theory

He maintains that anxiety is caused by the disruption of behavioral processes. He does not explain this process as a barrier or obstacle to behavior. According to his theories, the process would involve the following steps:

1. Behavioral disruption leads to

Understanding Problem Definition in Public Policy

Problems are not inherent but are constructed, subjective, and driven by the personal interests of the actors involved. Their definition implicitly recognizes the strategies and claims of certain stakeholders. To the extent that a problem is recognized, it exists within the field of public intervention.

Until the late seventies, problems were considered objective, allowing for relatively easy definition and limitation to surmountable technical aspects. However, in the last decade, it has become clear that the definition of public problems is not merely a phase of analysis but also fundamentally determines the resolution and decision-making process.

The Purpose-Driven Definition of Problems

A problem... Continue reading "Problem Definition in Public Policy: From Subjectivity to Solutions" »

Challenges of Telephone Interviews

While telephone interviews are a chosen research method, they present several distinct disadvantages:

• It is often unknown where the phone is located, potentially affecting the interviewee's environment.
• The presence of other individuals in the room cannot be ascertained, which might influence responses.
• It is more difficult to gauge the interviewee's comfort or willingness to answer questions, impacting data quality.
• Some problems are general to telephone surveys, while others are specific to the subject matter being discussed.

Understanding Types of Sexual Offenders

Criminal psychology identifies distinct typologies among sexual offenders, each characterized by specific motivations, behaviors, and psychological... Continue reading "Understanding Sexual Offender Typologies and Research Challenges" »

Limitations of Drive Theory

The main problem is that, contrary to what Drive Theory suggests, humans often engage in actions that tend to increase, rather than reduce, several drives. For example:

• People often skip sandwiches and allow their appetite to grow to increase their enjoyment of a special dinner.
• Many people watch or read erotic materials to increase sexual arousal, though they do not anticipate immediate sexual gratification.

In view of such evidence, most psychologists consider that Drive Theory itself does not provide a sufficiently broad framework for understanding human motivation.

2. Activation Theory: Finding Optimal Levels

This theory arose when it became clear that sometimes people are looking to increase rather than decrease existing... Continue reading "Motivation Theories: Drive, Activation, and Expectancy" »

Understanding Organizational Culture

Culture encompasses the fundamental assumptions shared by members of a community. These presumptions, shared thoughts, meanings, and values create a backdrop for action, often taken as obvious and undisputed.

Key Components of Culture

Analyzing culture involves understanding its components and defining features that make it unique:

• Appearance: Fixed aspects of organization and decoration, including the structuring of space.
• Patterns of Behavior: Systematic collective life within the organization.
• Language: Use of metaphors, stories, legends, and myths.
• Implicit Rules: Unwritten norms and standards governing conduct.
• Values: Used to judge facts, actions, and people.
• Assumptions: Basic beliefs shared by members of

The Science of Administration

Administration is a factual science focused on organizations. It involves specific techniques and methods to achieve operational efficiency.

It encompasses principles, standards, and procedures for effective organizational management. Beyond explaining organizational behavior, administration provides rules, norms, and procedures to operate and transform organizations.

The Need for Administration

Administration is a natural and essential aspect of all human organizations. Historically, organizations have required control over activities like accounting, finance, and marketing. Effective decision-making is crucial for achieving goals efficiently. Therefore, organizations develop strategies and methods to facilitate... Continue reading "Science and Technology in Administration" »