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Aggression

2/14/2019

Aggression: Definition

Look at the results of our Aggression Questionnaire
Go through the process on that questionnaire to think through how we define aggression, and to come up with your own usable definition.

Aggression: Causes and Factors
See the lecture notes and slides linked on the Docs page of my DP if you were absent.

Aggression: Media Violence Tracker
Your homework is to watch TV! That's right, watch 2 different kinds of shows, and track the number of aggressive acts you see. Use the form linked above to do this- have it completely filled out before class on Thursday!

HOMEWORK:
Watch two types of TV programs, and track the acts of aggression using the form linked above. DUE: Start of class, TUESDAY.

Empathy and Altruism, continued

2/12/2019

Empathy and Altruism in Infants--

Read NY Times Article

Empathy and Altruism Extended
Watch one of the following videos. You can find all of them on the Docs page of my DP.

TED Talk: Frans de Waal (Moral Behavior in Animals)
RSA Animate: Empathic Civilization
TED Talk: Abigail Marsh (Why some people are more altruistic than others)

Paragraph Responses
Write a fully developed paragraph in response to each of the questions below. These will be assessed based on how much they draw from what you have learned (lecture, article, video), the evidence you use to support your position, their clarity of thought, and quality of reasoning. Take your time with these, and do them well!

Why do you think humans tend to believe that aggression is more “natural” than empathy and altruism, even though recent studies seem to point to the opposite conclusion? Explain your reasoning.
What was the most interesting thing you learned from each of these sources (article and video)? Why was it interesting?
What does the research say about empathy and altruism? Give at least two specific examples from the article/TED talk
How does your knew knowledge impact your initial opinion on altruism/empathy?

Aggression Questionnaire
Take the aggression questionnaire in the last 5 minutes of class in preparation for class on Thursday! Turn it in.

HOMEWORK:
Empathy and altruism paragraphs. DUE: Start of class, THURSDAY.

Empathy and Altruism

2/11/2019

Altruism and Empathy Lecture
See Docs page for lecture notes and PPT slides.

Empathy and Altruism in Infants--

Read NY Times Article

Empathy and Altruism Extended
Watch one of the following videos. You can find all of them on the Docs page of my DP.

TED Talk: Frans de Waal (Moral Behavior in Animals)
RSA Animate: Empathic Civilization
TED Talk: Abigail Marsh (Why some people are more altruistic than others)

Paragraph Responses
Write a fully developed paragraph in response to each of the questions below. These will be assessed based on how much they draw from what you have learned (lecture, article, video), the evidence you use to support your position, their clarity of thought, and quality of reasoning. Take your time with these, and do them well!

Why do you think humans tend to believe that aggression is more “natural” than empathy and altruism, even though recent studies seem to point to the opposite conclusion? Explain your reasoning.
What was the most interesting thing you learned from each of these sources (article and video)? Why was it interesting?
What does the research say about empathy and altruism? Give at least two specific examples from the article/TED talk
How does your knew knowledge impact your initial opinion on altruism/empathy?

Aggression Questionnaire
Take the aggression questionnaire in the last 5 minutes of class in preparation for class on Thursday! Turn it in.

HOMEWORK:
Empathy and altruism paragraphs. DUE: Start of class, THURSDAY.

Prisoner's Dilemma and Golden Balls

2/8/2019

Golden Balls
A real life example of someone trying to outsmart the prisoner's dilemma! Let's listen to this podcast together.

Prisoner's Dilemma Questions
Answer these in a typed document due at the end of class. They will serve as a basis for class discussion, and yes, will be turned in and graded. Please share or email to Lori by the end of class.

What patterns did you notice in your play of game 1? Of game 2? How did changing the structure change your behavior?
Why, in a prisoner’s dilemma situation, would you make the choice to confess? What would be factors that would push you in this direction?
Why would you make the choice not to confess? What would push you in this direction?
If you were faced with this actual choice, with real jail time, what do you think you would do? Why?
What did you learn about your own tendency towards cooperation/competition?
What does this game and the Golden Balls podcast teach us about cooperation and competition in general?

Cooperation vs. Competition

2/7/2019

Cooperation vs. Competition Lecture
See the documents page for slides and lecture notes.

Prisoner's Dilemma
Play the Prisoner's Dilemma game, and answer the reflection questions (typed). The reflection questions are due at the end of class on Friday. You will have about 20-30 minutes to finish them up on Friday during class.

HOMEWORK:
Finish Prisoner's Dilemma reflection questions, share them with Lori before the end of class on Friday.

Cognitive Dissonance Applied

2/5/2019

Cognitive Dissonance Posters

Get into groups with at least one person from each type of cognitive dissonance.
Each type presents their poster, and explains their method of dealing with cognitive dissonance
Take notes on the methods, and why people use this method.

TED Talk
Watch the TED Talk below about cognitive dissonance. As you watch, write down 3-5 new things that you learned from the talk. If you were absent, see the Docs page for the talk.

Cognitive Dissonance in Monkeys
Read the article linked above. When you finish it, answer the following questions in writing. See the docs page for the article if you were absent.

What did the Yale study show about cognitive dissonance in monkeys? How do they know the monkeys were having cognitive dissonance?
What larger conclusions do the researchers draw about cognitive dissonance?
Why is cognitive dissonance potentially useful? What are the upsides?
Give one example of when you have felt cognitive dissonance in your own life. Be as specific as you can!

Dilbert Cartoon
Look at the Dilbert cartoon below. Then write in your notes:

What type of justification happens in this cartoon? How is the perception of behavior changed? How can you tell? Be detailed in your analysis!
Has this ever happened in your life? Which of these do you think is most common and why?

HOMEWORK
Finish all of the above before class starts on Thursday, if you didn't finish in class.

Cognitive Dissonance

2/4/2019

Cognitive Dissonance Lecture and Notes
See Docs page of DP for linked PPT.

Cognitive Dissonance: Justifications for Changing Perceptions
I will assign you ONE of the methods people use to change their perception of their behavior. If you were absent, choose one of the methods from page two of the document linked above.

Expert Groups: Talk through the experience of justifying decisions that you have been assigned. Each person should create a comic strip or other visual that shows how your method works. You should make sure to include:

Title (with the type of justification)
Why the dissonance happens
How the dissonance is resolved
What people do in their heads to resolve it
Bonus if you take into account things that can affect the amount of dissonance, or how people behave here.

HOMEWORK:
Finish cognitive dissonance poster described above, have it ready to use at the start of class on TUESDAY.

The Persuaders

1/31/2019

This Frontline video is going to give you an overview of marketing techniques that are used both in commercial marketing and in politics. We're going to delve into the social psychology of some of this more in the next week, so this will be a good intro for you. Here's what I want you to do as you watch:

Keep a running list of:

What are the different techniques the marketers (commercial and political) use to appeal to consumers? You should have 5-10 by the end of the film.

Post-Film Discussion

Which of these techniques do you see most in your life?
How do you think these marketing techniques have changed since this video came out?
Which techniques do you feel like you are most effective? Least effective?
In this movie, they talk about how brands ultimately are sold by making them part of people's identities. To what extent to you see this in your identity? Which brands are a part of who you are?
What psychological needs do these marketers play on?

Film Paragraph (SHARE WITH LORI!)

One paragraph: Ultimately, how do these persuaders make people want to support a brand or a political group? What psychological needs do they play on?

Video: The Persuaders (Frontline)

HOMEWORK: None.

The Persuaders

1/29/2019

This Frontline video is going to give you an overview of marketing techniques that are used both in commercial marketing and in politics. We're going to delve into the social psychology of some of this more in the next week, so this will be a good intro for you. Here's what I want you to do as you watch:

Keep a running list of:

What are the different techniques the marketers (commercial and political) use to appeal to consumers? You should have 5-10 by the end of the film.
One paragraph: Ultimately, how do these persuaders make people want to support a brand or a political group? What psychological needs do they play on?

Video: The Persuaders (Frontline)

HOMEWORK: None. We will finish this in class on Thursday.

Persuasion: Foot in the Door

1/28/2019

Key Definitions:

Attitudes: Feelings, often influenced by our beliefs that predispose our reactions to objects, people, and events. If we believe someone is mean, we may feel dislike for the person and act unfriendly.
Beliefs lead to Feelings lead to Action

Attitudes Affect Actions
Come up with 3 examples that show how your attitudes about something could affect your actions.

I believe _______, so I feel _______, so I do ______________.

Attitudes Affect Actions: Foot in the Door

Find a partner
Carefully read the first page and half of the Foot in the Door handout (through Classic Experiments
In pairs, complete:
1. Questions to Ponder, Discuss, and Answer
2. Experiment Design
3. Try this at home...or school!

HOMEWORK:

Finish Foot in the Door activities
Try out your Foot in the Door example on a parent, friend, coach, teacher, and be ready to discuss it at the start of class on Friday!