Category: Psychology

Instructions

By the due date assigned you conducted a literature review in a specific area of mass media using the course competencies as a guide in choosing the articles. For this week, you will take that information and incorporate it into a final paper. The paper is not just the literature review it is a culmination of what you have learned over the course using the particular type of media you chose as the focus of your paper. As in by the due date assigned, use the course competencies as a guide to developing your paper.

• Understand the major theories associated with the examination of psychological influences of the media.
• Understand the historical context of the media in the development of societal standards and perceptions.
• Analyze modern trends of the media in the development of societal standards and perceptions.
• Critically evaluate the relation between the historical and contemporary background of media influences to allow for a global and detailed view of the critical components responsible for impacting society.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the independent and dependent nature of media sources and the apparent consequences of such systems.
• Understand the evolving nature of media sources in a technologically advanced society.
• Evaluate the ability of individuals to mitigate the psychological impact of media influences on their daily lives and over time.
• Critically evaluate research studies focused on psychology and the media.

Your paper should adhere to the following guidelines:

For the main sections, it should have:

• A title page formatted per APA rules and this does not count toward page length.
• An abstract: This should be 150- to 250-words in length and on separate page.
• An introduction: This should be 2- to 3-pages in length. The introduction provides a brief overview of what will be covered and the purpose of the position paper.
• A literature review: The literature review is taken in part from what you wrote in Week 3. The literature review is not a copy of that material. Rather, it is a synthesis of the material you found into a cohesive review of the literature on your chosen topic. This should be 4-5 pages.
• Discussion and conclusions: The difference between a great position paper and a marginal one is the depth and originality of the discussion and conclusions section. This is where you bring together what you learned from the literature review (as well as through the course) in your concluding remarks regarding your topic. The discussion and conclusions section should be one to two pages in length.
• Reference page: Remember to follow APA rules and this does not count toward your page length.

Introduction: This should be one to two pages in length. The introduction provides a brief overview of what will be covered and the purpose of the research paper.

Literature review: The literature review is taken in part from what you wrote in Week 3. The literature review is not a copy of that material. Rather, it is a synthesis of the material you found into a cohesive review of the literature on your chosen topic.

Discussion and conclusions: The difference between a great research paper and a marginal one is the depth and originality of the discussion and conclusions section. This is where you bring together what you learned from the literature review (as well as through the course) in your concluding remarks regarding your topic. The discussion and conclusions section should be one to two pages in length.

Reference page: Remember to follow the APA format and style.

Violence, like aggression, is a subjective term that requires an operational definition in order to be studied. Viewing violent acts, like those on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, or playing first-person shooter video games on a regular basis may affect an individuals perspective toward violence. Violence in the media permeates through all forms. Animated programs like Looney Tunes (e.g. Bugs Bunny) are significantly violent but in a cartoonish (unrealistic) way. Japanese style animation called anime is more eclectic providing animation geared for children and adults. Some anime have adult themed plots and graphic violence.

• If you were to study violence in the media, how would you operationally define the term? Use specific examples from the media to explain your operational definition. What are some of the challenges of studying the violence in the media, especially violence regarding specific groups such as children and adolescents?
• Explain the difference between classic cartoons like Looney Tunes and the now-popular Japanese anime features, both of which contain violence? Does the American mind-set regarding cartoon animations as children programming have something to do with it?

Justify your answers with appropriate reasoning and research from your text and course readings.

Part 2:

In some ways, it seems that the general public participates passively when it comes to the media. Some individuals accept news-oriented opinion programs in the same way as the nightly news of the past decades. Many have become more civically involved in politics and social and economic issues, probably as a result of their viewing preferences. There are ways the public can influence the print media, radio, television, and Internet programming, for example, through purchasing. Social activismor the intent to bring about social changehas also become part of consumer response to media actions.

• Explain the relationship between the consumers level of media literacy and his or her ability to critically analyze the news and other television programming.
• Explain how media literacy can be improved and what the impact of such improvements would be on television viewing, especially viewership of news-oriented programming.
• Explain the ramifications of social activism for media programming.

Comment on the postings of at least two classmates and provide an analysis of each posting, suggesting specific additions or clarifications for improving the discussion question responses.

Instructions

For this week, we reviewed mass media and how news is covered. For this assignment, you will find and review an article related to mass medias news covered from a psychology perspective. The article needs to be a peered reviewed journal article and written within the last 5-6 years.

Submit your essay in a Microsoft Word document to the Submissions Area by the due date assigned.

The document should adhere to the following:

• APA recommends using 12 pt. Times New Roman font.
• The document should have double spacing.
• The margin should be 1 inch on all sides.
• Cite sources and list references using APA format and style.

News has been defined as a reporting on current events of interest to the public by mass media. In its current form news seems to have taken on a much broader interpretation including not just reporting on current events but interpreting and providing opinion on what the news means. Fair and balanced is a slogan for a particular news network. What is considered fair for news networks seems to be relative and based on several factors. The same can be said about news in general being balanced. One area that seems to have taken center stage in news network programming is politics. Hours of programming are dedicated to providing coverage, analysis and of course opinion on seemingly every aspect of American politics.

For this assignment you will need to watch the news networks of FNC (Fox News), CNN and MSNBC sometime between the hours of 8-10 PM EST. Examine the programs from a critical thinking perspective removing some of the personal views you may have regarding what they are discussing.

• From your perspective, does each of these networks have a particular viewpoint? Provide some examples of news programs that are primarily about politics.
• Other than out of a sense of civic responsibility, explain why news networks made politics a major part of their programming?
• Explain why a news network evolved its programming to support a particular political viewpoint.
• From a social psychology perspective, if consumers restrict their viewing to just one network, would their views reflect the networks viewpoint or does the viewership impact the networks choice of programming? Utilize some of the theories we examined in Week 2 to support your response.

Comment on the postings of at least two classmates and provide an analysis of each posting, suggesting specific additions or clarifications for improving the discussion question responses.

Bennis and Nanus (1997) stated: “Leadership seems to be the marshaling of skills possessed by a majority but used by a minority. But it’s something that can be learned by anyone, taught to everyone, denied to no one” (p. 25).

• From your own understanding of leadership provide a rationale that would support or refute the statement above.
• Research more information on the definitions and theories of management and leadership to compare and contrast the two.
• From your perspective, describe which one may be more important than the other. Or, are they equally important?

Reference: Bennis, W., & Nanus, B. (1997). Leaders: Strategies for taking charge. New York: Harper Business.

Conflict in Teams

Workplace conflict is often perceived to be negative; however, some workplace conflict is actually a necessary part of a thriving organization. For instance, conflict can help to create new ideas and decisions that benefit the organization as a whole. There are times however when conflict becomes detrimental to the organization. There are several reasons why conflict can cause a negative outcome. Tuckman’s model of team development describes some general areas of team conflict based on a particular stage.

Using your course readings describe the stages of Tuckman’s model. Using the South University Library research some of the current views on Tuckman’s model and explain if it is still relevant in today’s workplace. One aspect of group or team development is the phenomenon of groupthink. Explain the impact of groupthink on a team. Research some examples of groupthink that have occurred.

From the information you gathered regarding conflict, team development and phenomenon such as groupthink create a plan that provides solutions to reduce or eliminate potential negative conflicts while still providing an outlet for the work team to produce the desired results.

Discuss the following: What led you to want to be a counselor? What influence did your biology (gender, e.g.), your family, the environment, and your personal agency (free will) play? What are your hopes, aspirations, and anxieties about being a counselor? Who are you and what do you personally bring (strengths and handicaps) to the counseling setting?