Psychology Portfolio

8/9/2019 Psychology Portfolio

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Entry # 1: What psychology means to you (10 Marks)

Many persons when they hear the word psychology have varying opinions of what it is about. For your

first portfolio entry, take some time to think about and then describe in two paragraphs what psychology

means to you. You should include:

a a clear description of your ideasthoughtsviews about psychology as a disciplinefield of

studypractice, and

b your views on the usefulness of psychology as a discipline to your life.


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!sychology is a broad field with many specialties, but fundamentally psychology is the

science of behavior and mental processes "#imbardo $%%&'. (he word psychology is derived

from the )reek word psyche, meaning *soul+ or *mind+ so to me psychology is really the study of

the mind. ase on what - know of psychology it is a science, it attempts to investigate the causes

of behaviour using systematic and obective procedures. (hese procedures are used for

observation, measurement, and analysis. (hey are then supported by academic or theoretical

interpretations, generali/ations, e0planations, and predictions.!sychology helps to define why we

do what we do and why we act in a specific way as a group of people as well as an individual.

1ike every other science it seeks to e0plain the reason why something reacts the ways it does

when it is affected by other factors or when it simply come in contact with other elements.

2nowing that psychology is the study of the human mind this science can help me in my

daily life to be a better communicator and understanding the people around me even more. eing

a better communicator will allow me to respond to people around me in a more positive way,

listen more and e0cuse patience. !sychology can also help me to analy/e situations more

critically by using my eight thinking skills. -t can be said that psychology is a very, very diverse

field that can be applied to almost any field of study. 3o a background in psychology can

improve the career path - decide to take, which is the field of marketing. 4ven help me with

family life, this is dealing with situations with my husband and growing adolescents as they

struggle in finding their identity at certain stage in life.


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Entry #2: Personal ReflectionPsychology in my life (2! Marks)

For your second entry you are asked to reflect on a personal life e0perience and use a psychological

concepttheory to relatee0plain this life e0perience. (his entry re5uires you to:

a' select a concepttheory from topic two,"ifespan e$elopment% and provide a concise but clear

e0planation of the concepttheory. "6 Marks'b' reflect on your life e0periences, then choose 784 e0perience, episode or event and provide a

brief description of the e0perience, episode or e0perience. "6 Marks'

c' use ONLYthe concepttheory you selected for this entry to discuss or demonstrate how this

concept e0plains the life event you have identified. "96 Marks'

&opic #

2: "ifespan 'e$elopment

9. 2ohlberg+s theory of moral development$. 4rik 4rickson+ s theory of psychosocial developmentlow possibility;.


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1awrence 2ohlberg "9&$>9&?>' is the developer of the lifespan theory, Moral

@evelopment. 1awrence 2ohlberg modified and e0panded on


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- can vividly remember when - was about five years old, my older brother, (heo and - use

to go buy ice cream on 3unday+s. @uring that time he would stop to play video games at his

friend+s house. My mother had forbidden this so he made me promise not to tell, - didn+t. 7ne

particular 3unday we were taking longer than usual to return home so mommy came looking for

us. 3he found us at Mario+s house playing games and scolded us. 3he then told me that she

would keep my si0th birthday party if - informed her whenever - see (heo going to Mario+s

house and if - knew and did not tell her she would spank me so hard - would not be able to sit on

my butt again. Hanting my party to be held - informed on my brother and he was punished, - felt

bad but soon got over it when - found out that mommy was going to keep a party for me.

t age five it is clear - was at the preconventional level where my moral udgements were

based on either reward are punishments. - told on my brother because - wanted to avoid another

punishment and certainly - wanted to obtain the reward of a party. t this stage - was focusing on

myself and acted in a manner where - would obtain pleasure instead of pain according to

2ohlberg+s theory. - did what was necessary to satisfy my own needs because at that time -

thought it was the right thing to do. My mother and - made on e0change you scratch my back.

-+ll scratch yours that was fair to me. -n my eyes - did what was essential to obtain what -

wanted, - did not care about my brother at the time because he had nothing to offer me. ased on

the moral development theory 2ohlberg would say - did what - did because in my eyes reward

meant good and punishment meant bad. Hhile at the preconventional stage- made udgments of

good on the basis of what - liked and wanted or what helped me, and bad on the basis of what -

do not liked or what hurts me.

3o it is evident that when - was five years old - was at the preconventional stage of

2ohlberg+s theory where doing right should come with a reward and bad with punishments.


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References

http:psychology.about.comoddevelopmentalpsychologyakohlberg.htm. Cetrieved 3eptember

$%9$.

Cathus, 3. "$%%;'. !sychology Doncepts and Donnections, rief Iersion.elmont, Dalifornia:

(homson Hadsworth.
http://psychology.about.com/od/developmentalpsychology/a/kohlberg.htm.%20Retrieved%20September%202012http://psychology.about.com/od/developmentalpsychology/a/kohlberg.htm.%20Retrieved%20September%202012http://psychology.about.com/od/developmentalpsychology/a/kohlberg.htm.%20Retrieved%20September%202012http://psychology.about.com/od/developmentalpsychology/a/kohlberg.htm.%20Retrieved%20September%202012


7/15

Entry #:Psychology an' Popular Music (2! Marks)

(he third entry in your portfolio will be based on the application of psychological principles to popular

music. You have been provided with three preselected songs from different genres of music. You are to:

a' select a concepttheory from topic three,ocial Psychology% and provide a concise but clear

e0planation of the concepttheory. "6 Marks'b' select one of the three preselected songs provided and view the song on the Youtube link

provided. Jse ONLYthe concepttheory you selected for this entry, to discuss or demonstrate

how this concept is e0plained or is manifested in the song. "$% Marks'

&opic #: ocial Psychology

9. 7bedience to authority

$. !reudice

;. ystander effect=. 3tereotype

6. @eindividuationG. ttribution (heory


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n attribution is an assumption about why people do things. (he process by which we make

inferences about the motives and traits of others through observation of their behavior is the

attribution process. -t focuses on the processes by which people draw conclusion about the

factors that influence one another+s behavior. (he attribution theory was developed by Frit/

Keiderin the early part of the $%th century and is important because attributions lead us to

perceive others as purposeful actors or as victims of circumstances "Cathus, $%%;'.Frit/ Keider

argued that there are two general types of attributions the internal attribution or dispositional

attribution which is caused by internal factors and e0ternal attribution also known as situational

attribution caused by e0ternal factors. @ispositional attribution ascribes a person+s behavior to

internal factors such as personality traits, attitude, character and free will. Hhile situational

attribution e0plains a person+s action to e0ternal factors such as social influence or sociali/ation.

2assin "$%%?' stated that there are three ttribution theories, the Dovariation Model by

Karold 2elley, the Heiner+s Model of chievement and lastly the Dorrespondent -nference

(heory by Keider and


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structure that does not cater for the poor and less fortunate. nd by doing this song eenie Man

uses it as a source of motivation for the youths to not allow what happen to (ony happen to them.

Ke e0pressed that they should strive for greatness and be wise like he did and unite with each

other to create a better environmental because the world can be very cruel and vicious.

(he ttribution theory from 3ocial !sychology relates to the song back gainst the Hall

because in the song eenie Man seeks to e0plain why (ony did what he did, that is to participate

in and e0ecute criminal behaviors such as attempted robbery. (his is actually what the

ttribution (heory doesB it is an assumption about why people do things. (here are two types of

attributions the dispositional or the situational attribution as already stated. (he type of

attribution that was shown in the song was the situational attribution which is caused by e0ternal

factors and it e0plains a person action though sociali/ation and social influence. asically

eenie man made assumptions that (ony only became a criminal because of the e0ternal factors

of the environment in which they lived. (he education system had fail for (ony and there was no

ob opportunities for him so as a means to sustain his lifestyle be began to associate himself

through the process sociali/ation with the wrong persons who influence him to engage in

dangerous activities. (he attribution theory shows how people will interpret their environment in

such a way as to maintain a positive selfimage about self or others. For e0ample when students

succeed at an academics they are likely to want to attribute this success to their own efforts or

abilitiesB but when they fail, they will want to attribute their failure to factors over which they

have no control, such as bad teaching or bad luck. (his is clearly what eenie Man did in his

song, rather that blaming (ony for the bad choices he made he blame the system and

abylon in an effort to made (ony look like a good guy an it is society and its leaders that are

bad.


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References

Cathus, 3. "$%%;'. !sychology Doncepts and Donnections, rief Iersion.elmont, Dalifornia:

(homson Hadsworth.

2assin, 3, Fein, 3, Markus, K. "$%%?'.3ocial !sychology. elmont, Dalifornia: Hadsworth

Dengage 1earning.

Heiner, . "9&&$'. Kuman Motivation: Metaphors, (heories and Cesearch. 8ewbury !ark, D:

3age !ublications


11/15

Entry #*: Psychology in my Profession (2! Marks)

!sychology as you would have now reali/ed can be 5uite useful in various professions. (herefore, your

fourth and final portfolio entry re5uires you to think about how psychology is applicable in your field of

study. You are re5uired to:

a) select a concepttheory from topic one,Moti$ation,and provide a concise but clear e0planation

of the concepttheory. "6 Marks'

+) consider the many related areas associated with your field of study and select one specific area or

subdiscipline and provide a brief description of this area. "6 Marks'

c) use ONLYthe concepttheory you selected for this entry, to discuss how this concept may be

applied to your field of study. "96 Marks'

&opic #1: Moti$ation

9. Maslow+s theory of motivation

$. -ntrinsice0trinsic motivation

;. chievement=. ffiliation

6. @rive reduction


12/15

Entry #*: Psychology in my Profession

!sychologist braham Maslow coined the concept of a hierarchy of needs. (his hierarchy

suggests that people are motivated to fulfil basic needs before moving on to more advanced

needs. (his hierarchy is most often displayed as a pyramid. (he lowest levels of the pyramid are

made up of the most basic needs, while the more comple0 needs are located at the top of the

pyramid "Dherry, $%9$'.Maslow believed that these needs are similar to instincts and play a

maor role in motivating behaviour. Mc1eod "$%9$' stated that the hierarchy of needs can be

divided into basic or deficiency needs for e0ample physiological, safety, love, and esteem and

the growth needs which can be cognitive, aesthetics and selfactuali/ation.

ccording to 2endra Dherry "$%9$' the five level of needs are physiological, security, social,

esteem, and self actuali/ation. !hysiological needsinclude the most basic needs that are vital to

survival, such as the need for water, air, and food. Maslow believed that these needs are the most

basic and instinctive needs in the hierarchy. 3ecurity needsinclude needs for safety and security.

3ocial needsare needs for love, and affection. lso there are esteem needsthis include the need

for things that reflect on selfesteem, personal worth, social recognition, and accomplishment.

1astly selfactuali/ing needsthis is when people are selfaware concerned with personal growth,

less concerned with the opinions of others, and interested fulfilling their potential.

Durrently - am a student of Jniversity of (echnology


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customer relationships in ways that benefit the organi/ation and its stakeholders.EMarketing

involves research to determine consumer preferences and to guide firms in dealing with those

preferences, determining advertising strategies and making advertising arrangements, as well as

designing and creating new products and pricing new products and services. !rofessionals in

marketing need good communication skills and must enoy working with people. Dareers in

Marketing include marketing management, brand management, advertising, marketing research,

retailing and consumer affairs.

Maslow+s Kierarchy of needs may be applied to my field of study by the means of motivating

me to satisfy my basic needs before progressing on to meet my growth needs. -f and when -

become a Marketing Manager Maslow theory of motivation can assist me in the work place by

determining the direction of my behavior in the organi/ation, and also my level of effort, and

level of persistence. ccording to Maslow it is a person+s unsatisfied needs that influence his

behaviour and becomes a motivator. 3o in the workplace as a Marketing Manager - will want

certain psychological needs to be met like for e0ample getting wages, lunch breaks, rest periods,

and work breaks. -n an effort to achieve this - will work e0tremely hard so my superiors can

notice and reward me with such privileges. fter my !sychological goals are met according to

Maslow - will work to meet a higher need which is my safety needs. (hese are needs for security,

protection, and stability. -n the organi/ation safety needs must be met for e0ample feeling

secure, being 5ualify to receive pensions, and life insurance. Hhen - am granted these - will have

no fear at work then - will be motivated to e0cel if not the 5uality work - produce will be

affected. 7nce my safety needs have been met, - will move to the ne0t level of social needs. (his

is the need for love, affection, and a sense of belongingness in the organi/ation. s a Marketing

Manager - have to be a people person so feeling loved will allow me carry out my work more


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effectively and efficiently though teamwork. Cesearch has shown that promoting social

interaction among employees will increase morale and productivity. fter the needs of safety

have been recogni/ed and achievedB according to Maslow - can now pursue the needs of self

esteem. (his is the need for respect, prestige, recognition, and personal sense of competence.

eing recogni/e for a ob well done will motivate me to continue working hard as a Marketing

manager and this will build my self esteem to move on to the selfactuali/ation needs. (his is the

stage where - will want to move to a position where my ma0imum potential will be e0ecuted this

maybe head of the marketing department, this achievement will supply all the happiness - will

need and - will be fulfilled. part from using Maslow+s theory to guide my achievement as a

Marketer - can use the theory to study my costumes with what kind of product they will need to

satisfy their need because a product that promises to fulfil an esteem need will be virtually

useless to a customer whose safety needs are not yet met.


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Ceference

Cathus, 3.. "$%%>' !sychology: Doncepts and Donnections "?th4d.'. elmont, D:

(homson Hadsworth.

http:www.simplypsychology.orgmaslow.html. Cetrieved 8ovember $%9$.

http:psychology.about.comodtheoriesofpersonalityahierarchyneeds. Cetrieved

8ovember $%9$.

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Psychology Portfolio