Explain how variables such as social interactions, cognitive processes, environmental variables, cultural context, and biological factors shape social psychology and how it is practiced. Analyze why the experimental method of research often provides evidence about social behavior and thought that is more informative than systematic observation or the correlational approach.

Written Assignment 1

Answer all of the following questions as completely as possible, Your answer to each of the following questions should be 250 to 500 words (with a typical font and spacing this will be 1 to 2 double-spaced pages). So your entire assignment, including all four questions, will total 1000 to 2000 words. You may also use outside resources, but be sure to document all such sources using APA style.

1. Explain how variables such as social interactions, cognitive processes, environmental variables, cultural context, and biological factors shape social psychology and how it is practiced.
2. Analyze why the experimental method of research often provides evidence about social behavior and thought that is more informative than systematic observation or the correlational approach.
3. Explain and discuss the theories of attribution discussed in your text.
4. Explain and discuss potential sources of error in the area of attribution.

Written Assignment 2

Answer all of the following questions as completely as possible, Your answer to each of the following questions should be 250 to 500 words (with a typical font and spacing this will be 1 to 2 double-spaced pages). So your entire assignment, including all four questions, will total 1000 to 2000 words. You may also use outside resources, but be sure to document all such sources using APA style.

1. Discuss the topic of social cognition and in particular the role of heuristics in the way we process information. Briefly describe two different heuristics and give examples of how and when they might be used as well as problems connected with their use.
2. Discuss schemas: their effects, how they are activated, the perseverance effect, and their tendency to become self-fulfilling.
3. Fully explain the difference between automatic processing and controlled processing of information and provide an example of each.
4. Discuss the phenomena of persuasion and the cognitive processes that underlie it.

Written Assignment 3

Answer all of the following questions as completely as possible, Your answer to each of the following questions should be 250 to 500 words (with a typical font and spacing this will be 1 to 2 double-spaced pages). So your entire assignment, including all four questions, will total 1000 to 2000 words. You may also use outside resources, but be sure to document all such sources using APA style.

1. Briefly discuss the self and self-knowledge, including the idea of personal versus social identity. Also, define self-esteem and the perspectives on self-esteem presented in your text (such as whether high self-esteem is always beneficial, gender differences in self-esteem, and self-evaluations).
2. What are self-serving biases, and what is unrealistic optimism? Explain these topics, providing examples to clarify.
3. The Robber’s Cave experiment is an important one in the area of social psychology. Tell what happened in the study and explain its significance. What implications might this study have for diversity and interaction/integration across racial, ethnic, gender, and class?
4. Discuss the relationship between stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination. Briefly explain the origins for these types of behavior, and describe the effects of these types of behavior on identity. How do you exhibit in your own work respect for members of diverse groups and sensitivity to issues of power, privilege, and discrimination? Please give specific examples.

Written Assignment 4

Answer all of the following questions as completely as possible, Your answer to each of the following questions should be 250 to 500 words (with a typical font and spacing this will be 1 to 2 double-spaced pages). So your entire assignment, including all four questions, will total 1000 to 2000 words. You may also use outside resources, but be sure to document all such sources using APA style.

1. Examine the topic of interpersonal attraction. Describe the influence of proximity, physical beauty, similarity, mutual liking, and emotional arousal on attraction. What about behavioral cues? Do men and women have different preferences for their partner’s skill sets?
2. Discuss family relationships, friendships, and romantic relationships. Be sure to cover topics such as attachment style, the role of similarity in friendships, and theories about love.
3. Identify motives for prosocial behavior, including the topics of kin selection theory and defensive helping.
4. Discuss factors that reduce helping behavior. Also explain the effects of being helped, including the phenomenon of helping behavior inducing negative reactions. What factors lead to negative or positive reactions among people being helped?

Written Assignment 5

Answer all of the following questions as completely as possible, Your answer to each of the following questions should be 250 to 500 words (with a typical font and spacing this will be 1 to 2 double-spaced pages). So your entire assignment, including all four questions, will total 1000 to 2000 words. You may also use outside resources, but be sure to document all such sources using APA style.

1. How does your text explain the dilemma of destructive obedience? What factors play a role in destructive obedience?
2. What strategies may help people to resist the effects of destructive obedience?
3. Explain the dynamics of social influence, and describe two different techniques for gaining compliance that rest on Cialdini’s consistency principle.
4. Discuss thoroughly Cialdini’s basic principles of compliance, providing examples where necessary.

Written Assignment 6

Answer all of the following questions as completely as possible, Your answer to each of the following questions should be 250 to 500 words (with a typical font and spacing this will be 1 to 2 double-spaced pages). So your entire assignment, including all four questions, will total 1000 to 2000 words. You may also use outside resources, but be sure to document all such sources using APA style.

1. Aggression is verbal or physical behavior intended to cause harm. Although we may not like to admit it, we all participate in aggressive behavior at some level and at some time in our lives. Do evolutionary factors play a large role in aggression? What was Freud’s theory about violence? What does more recent research say about a likely evolutionary role for violence? What does Hawley’s research say about this?
2. What internal mechanisms (forms of self-regulation) are available to control aggression? Why does self-regulation sometimes fail? What does current research suggest in this regard?
3. Explain the factors that influence happiness, being sure to discuss the relationship between wealth and happiness.
4. What are the benefits of happiness, and what are some ways to increase personal happiness?