Psychology and You: Final Project



Psychology and You: Final Project

Project Due: ____________

The Task:

This past semester we have studied many different topics in the field of psychology. Throughout this course you have had the opportunity to participate in numerous discussions, presentations and group activities all of which were designed to engage you in the material. For the final project you will create a personal “scrap book” that will document different stages of your life addressing psychological stages / issues we have discussed. It will be span from your past experiences to your future aspirations. For each stage you will discuss a topic covered in class and apply it to your life’s experiences. This project is designed to be a source of inspiration and motivation that will help you in achieving a greater sense of identity, focus, and personal growth.

Approach this task with a spirit of dedication and integrity! If you do it casually or carelessly, it will not be an authentic record and its value will have been diminished. This is your opportunity to look at the positives in your live and to reflect on the lessons learned from the challenges you have faced!

Privacy:

Due to the nature of this assignment, you may be concerned about privacy. You are given guidelines, but you are in control of the details. You determine the specifics. If you have any questions or concerns, be sure to talk to me about them. Sharing your book with others in the class is optional.

The Book:

Use a three-ring binder for this task. You may wish to put your material in plastic sheets to protect them. You may also wish to use an actual scrapbook which is also acceptable. Some students wish to use scrap booking supplies (pages, stickers, stamps…) this is your book for the futures so, by all means feel free to be creative! If you wish to use anything else, please see me first.

Identifying and Explaining What You Include:

This is the most important aspect of this portfolio. You may think that you will never forget the names of the people you include in your portfolio, but it happens. You may think now you could never forget the details or significance of some event you represent in your portfolio, but memories do often fade in time. Those who will read and inherit your portfolio someday will have no chance of making sense of what you included. You want to be able to look back at this portfolio in years to come and have the same emotions for these items then as you do today. For each item, write a brief explanation of the item’s significance. TELL THE STORY!!! In doing so, remember the basic questions: Who? What? Where? When? Why?

Grading:

Grades are not based on the content of what you include or write, but how you make connections to the topics and theories we discussed in psychology. You will receive credit for each item you include, the quality of effort shown, and the explanations you have provided. Take your time, do a first class job for yourself. If you follow the guidelines, the grades will follow. Each day late is minus 10 points.

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Step 1: The Essentials

All information in this part is REQUIRED – 10 points each for a TOTAL of 50 POINTS!

Task Value

For each of the stages below you will choose ONE topic from our study of psychology 50 points

and link it to the stage of your choice with specific references (see example books as guides).

You must pick a different topic for each stage, therefore you must cover a total

of FIVE topics. You will discuss the topic in the context of your life while making strong

and specific connections to relevant concepts and theories covered.

Be sure to define all terms and concepts. You may wish to use your class notes

or internet to help guide you.

For each stage you must also include at least one visual.

The visual can be a picture of you at the particular stage or a sample of artwork or writing that you completed at the particular stage of life.

Stages:

1. Birth – 2 years old

2. 3 - 6 years of age

3. 7 - 9 years of age

4. 10 - 15 years of age

5. 16 - 18 years of age

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Step 2: Free Choice Sections

Select which sections you wish to do for a TOTAL of 40 POINTS!

Task Value

1. Bio-collage: A representation of your self-image. 10 points

2. Parent/Guardian Interview (about you from birth to present) 10 points

A minimum of TEN open-ended questions are asked of your parents/guardians. The

subject of the interview is you, your nature, personality, achievements, and challenges.

The interview should encompass your life span (past, present, and future).

3. Life Goals: A list of 15 (or more, if you like) things you hope to accomplish in your lifetime. 10 points

Your “bucket list.”

4. Ten Years From Now …

A collage representing of what you think your life will be like ten years from now. Consider what 10 points

Job you will have, where you will live, who will be around you…

5. My Family (1 page) & My Friends (1 page) 10 points

A collage of the important people in your life with captions.

Continue on next page . . .

6. My favorites:

A collage of your favorites from all four stages of development (pre-school, elementary 10 points

school, middle school, and high school.

7. Activities & Awards: 10 points

A list with pictures of the activities you have participated in over the years. Organize into

four stages of development (pre-school, elementary school, middle school, and high school).

You may wish to include pictures of yourself, list any awards that you received, include any

certificates, and explain the significance of that activity to your life.

8. Points to ponder: (Motivational/Philosophical/Spiritual Writings) 10 points

A collection of favorite writings (by you or others), favorite quotes, poems, song lyrics, etc.

Explain what makes that item motivating. No crude, vulgar, or anything inappropriate please!

9. Humor (2 pages) 10 points

What is it that makes you smile, chuckle or laugh hysterically? A collection of jokes,

cartoons, comic strips, anecdotes, and stories. No crude, vulgar, or anything inappropriate please!

10. Important People in My Life (1- 2 pages typed; double spaced; 12 pt. font) 10 points

An essay discussing the impact of those individuals you have shaped your life (for the better or

worse). You may wish to include pictures of you and the individual(s).

11. Turning Points (1- 2 pages typed; double spaced; 12 pt. font) 10 points

An essay discussing events and/or experiences that have shaped you as a person

(positive or negative).

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Step 3: Reflection

Task Value

1. In this section you will reflect on your life: past, present, and future. You must 10 points

answer any FIVE questions below. Please write the questions out, type a

detailed response (at least a 5-7 sentences) for each of your choices.

How has taking “psychology and you” helped you to understand yourself and the world around you?

How did creating this book help me to grow as a person?

What did I discover about myself in preparing this book?

What is there about this book that makes me proud? Why?

What did I learn about myself that I really like or respect, or both?

Which items or sections were the most significant to me? Why?

In what ways would I like to improve myself or my life?

What feelings are elicited as I look back over this book?

POSSIBLE SUGGESTIONS

Be Creative! Have Fun!

Below I have provided you with some ideas, concepts and questions for each topic. You need not discuss all my suggestions; nor are you limited to just these suggestions; these are just helpful reminders of information we discussed in class. Use your notes and powerpoints on my website to supply definitions and terms. Use your creativity to apply these ideas to your life.

1. Six approaches to Psychology:

a. Analyze your behavior according to at least TWO of the six approaches.

2. Careers in Psychology:

a. Possible psychology career in the future?

3. Ethics:

a. Have you ever been faced with or seen an ethical dilemma? What was it? How did

you handle it?

4. Motivation and Emotion:

a. What motivates (drives) you to do things?

b. How can you motivate others?

c. Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs - (Top = Self–Actualization)

d. Harlow’s Monkeys

e. How does motivation affect learning?

5. Sensations and Perceptions:

a. How sharp are your senses?

b. How have illusions confused you?

c. What affects how we ‘sense’ or interpret the world?

d. Depth perception – Visual Cliff

e. Subliminal Messages

6. Nature/ Nurture:

a. Genetics vs. the Environment- how did both shape who you are?

b. Harlow’s Monkeys

c. Do you think personality traits are primarily inherited or influenced by environment?

7. Sleep Patterns:

a. REM vs. NREM

b. Different age groups = different sleep patterns

c. ‘Good’ or ‘bad’ sleeper

d. Nightmares vs. Night Terrors

e. Sleep disorders

8. Memory:

a. What memories are distinct?

b. How can you improve your memory?

c. Why do we have so few memories from the first two years of life?

d. What kinds of events are most likely to be remembered? Why? (Think your lifetime)

e. What factors explain why we sometimes forget?

f. Flashbulb memory

g. Long term vs. Short term memories

h. Amnesia

9. Stress:

a. Have you ever felt stressed?

i. What is a stressor?

ii. What was the source of the stress?

iii. What method(s) did you use to overcome the stress? Was it effective?

iv. What impact did the stress have on you?

Step 1 - General Example:

Birth – 2 Years Old

Dreams / Sleeping Patterns

My parents tell me that I slept for up to 16 hours a day when I was under 5 months old. I wiggled and turned often in my sleep, but this must have been during my NREM sleep, because during REM sleep your body is paralyzed. I obviously do not remember my dreams from this time in my life, but I would guess that the purpose of my dreams at this time was to sort through and make sense of the stimulation my brain had received throughout the day. Yet, my dreams could also be the result of random electrical brain waves touching upon memories of the previous day or week. In this case the images that created my dreams could be completely random. Yet, I would guess that people such as my mom, dad, brother and sisters appeared often in my dreams because they appeared often in my waking hours. Although I do not remember my dreams I definitely dreamed at least four to six times a night, because REM periods occur about every 90 minutes.

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