Week 2: Ready, Set, Stop: Approaches and the Problem Set-Up

Problem solving can take you down a path filled with continuous forks or junctions; choosing one direction or approach over another might significantly alter the outcome, or become an alternative route to the same destination. Recognize that the path you choose is one of many paths that may lead to a good solution.

In this week, you continue to explore problem- solving approaches. In addition, you address hypothesis creation, causation and correlation, and intuition and how these topics relate to the problem-solving process.

Photo credit: Billinger, J. (Photographer). (2009, 06 15). Fork in the Road [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1355424

Learning Objectives

Students will:

• Analyze different approaches to problem solving
• Create hypotheses for solving problems
• Analyze role of intuition in problem solving
• Evaluate information to determine causation and correlation
• Analyze role of perspectives in problem solving
• Analyze insights related to problem solving

Discussion: Hypotheses and Problem Solving

Note: Please read the Introduction to all Discussions. Then proceed to participate in the required Discussion A, and your choice of Discussion B or C. There is also an Optional Open Forum you may participate in at any time.

Discussion Introduction (Applies to Discussions A, B, and C)

Have you ever thought you identified the cause of a problem, only to find out later that you were mistaken? When one event or action regularly follows another event or action, you may be likely to conclude that the initial event caused the second event. You may be correct, but, as you learned in this weeks Learning Resources, correlation is not the same as causation.

When you create hypotheses, you use your experience and the resources at your disposal to guess what may have caused a problem and to identify a solution that may address it. For this Discussion, you apply your understanding of causation and correlation to create and discuss hypotheses.

To prepare for the following Discussions, review this weeks Learning Resources including the Problem-Solving Guidance Handout.

Discussion A (Required for all students)

For this Discussion, focus on the various scenes and vignettes that Watzlawick presents in his book, The Situation Is Hopeless But Not Serious: The Pursuit of Unhappiness. For each scene or vignette, consider Watzlawicks approach to the problem of the pursuit of unhappiness. What hypotheses does he propose to address the problem? Based on your own experience, would you consider these plausible hypotheses? Why or why not?

State one hypothesis Watzlawick proposes in the first five chapters of his book. Then evaluate whether, in your view, Watzlawicks hypothesis is plausible. Provide support for your position.

In addition, create a hypothesis to suggest another explanation that may be equally plausible. Include in your answer an explanation of how intuition might play a role in the approach to this problem.

By Day 3

Post a minimum of 100 words to Discussion Question A.
Be sure to support your ideas by connecting them to at least one of this units Learning Resources. Additionally, you may opt to include an academic resource you have identified or something you have read, heard, seen, or experienced.

By Day 5

Respond to the posts of at least two different colleagues. One must be a response to a colleagues post about the question you did not select. Respond in one of the following ways:

• Share an insight from having read your colleagues posting.
• Expand on your colleagues posting.

Discussion B (Select B or C)

Scenario: 

The gentleman living next door has scolded you three times in the past 2 weeks because, in his view, you parked your car too close to his car. Review the assigned pages in the Watzlawick text, as well as Attribution Theory in this units Learning Resources. 

Using attribution theory, describe what motivations you can attribute to the neighbor. Create a hypothesis that may help you frame a possible solution to the problem.

By Day 3

Post a minimum of 100 words to your choice of Discussion Question B.
Be sure to support your ideas by connecting them to at least one of this units Learning Resources. Additionally, you may opt to include an academic resource you have identified or something you have read, heard, seen, or experienced.

By Day 5

Respond to the posts of at least two different colleagues. One must be a response to a colleagues post about the question you did not select. Respond in the one of the following ways:

• Share an insight from having read your colleagues posting.
• Expand on your colleagues posting.

Discussion C (Select B or C)

Scenario:

At work you are presented with a list of possible reasons why your department was over budget for the last 3 months:
Unauthorized use of overtime
An increase in the costs of supplies
Staff with improper training for the tasks that they complete
Too many managers on vacation at the same time
Inadequate facilities/space to complete the job
A flu outbreak that required temporary help while paying paid time off for full-time employees
You are asked to determine which of the factors on the list contributed to the overage.

Create a hypothesis that may help you frame a possible solution to the problem.

By Day 3

Post a minimum of 100 words to your choice of Discussion Question C.
Be sure to support your ideas by connecting them to at least one of this units Learning Resources. Additionally, you may optto include an academic resource you have identified or something you have read, heard, seen, or experienced.

By Day 5

Respond to the posts of at least two different colleagues. One must be a response to a colleagues post about the question you did not select. Respond in the one of the following ways:

• Share an insight from having read your colleagues posting.
• Expand on your colleagues posting.

Optional Open Forum

Add anything that is interesting or notable based on your study of problem solving in this weeks resources, other resources, or your problem-solving experiences.

Submission and Grading Information

Grading Criteria

To access your rubric:
Week 2 Discussion Rubric

Post by Day 3 and Respond by Day 5

To participate in this Discussion:
Week 2 Discussion A

To participate in this Discussion:
Week 2 Discussion B

To participate in this Discussion:
Week 2 Discussion C

Optional Open Forum

To participate in this Discussion:
Open Forum

MY PROBLEM IS PROCRASTINATION AND TIME MANAGMEN

Assignment 1: Begin Your Journey With Problem Statements

Have you ever tried to solve a problem but the solution did not work out? What went wrong? Oftentimes, we solve problems through trial and error. This type of approach may be appropriate for simple problems when a bad decision may not have great consequences. However, when problems are complex and you anticipate that the consequences of your decisions may have a significant impact, you must plan your decision carefully. This planning may include considering how you addressed a type of problem in the past or considering multiple approaches.

In this weeks Learning Resources, you explored systematic approaches to problem solving. If you dissected a specific problem that resulted in a dysfunctional solution, could you identify the step or approach that did not work?

This Assignment is all about you. So, just what is YOUR problem, and what is keeping you from a solution? The best solutions for problems most often begin with a solid problem statement.

By Day 7

Submit 12 pages in which you explain a problem that has been troubling you. It might be something in your discipline, neighborhood, or community. It might be a problem in a field that interests you, such as a problem that is keeping you from moving forward in your field. Consider your perspective of the problem and whether others would have the same or a different perspective.

Refer to steps in the Problem-Solving Guidance Handout (see the Learning Resources) as you address the following in your paper:

• Formulate a problem statement.
• Describe your own perspective of the problem. Then, describe the problem from at least one perspective other than your own.
• Answer the following questions about the problem:
  • Who is affected by the problem?
  • When does the problem happen?
  • Where is the problem happening?
  • Why solve it? Why not?

Credit for graphic: [Photo of failure/success directional sign]. Retrieved October 2nd, 2013, from: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/results.aspx?qu=success&queryid=d96bec60%2D7a91%2D424b%2D99a4%2D31ab90aa6c8b#ai:MP900442210

Submission and Grading Information

To submit your completed Assignment for review and grading, do the following:

• Please save your Assignment using the naming convention WK1Assgn1+last name+first initial.(extension) as the name.
• Click the Week 1 Assignment 1 Rubric to review the Grading Criteria for the Assignment.
• Click the Week 1 Assignment 1 link. You will also be able to View Rubric for grading criteria from this area.
• Next, from the Attach File area, click on the Browse My Computer button. Find the document you saved as WK1Assgn1+last name+first initial.(extension) and click Open.
• If applicable: From the Plagiarism Tools area, click the checkbox for I agree to submit my paper(s) to the Global Reference Database.
• Click on the Submit button to complete your submission.

Assignment 2: Summary Blog

With the use of technology, individuals can reach beyond the borders of the home, local community, and nation. The emergence of social media, in particular, has transformed the way people communicate.

Through the use of one of the most popular forms of social mediablogginginteractions among individuals can lead not only to an increased access to information (and, at times, misinformation), but also to an exciting exchange of ideas and opinions.

In this course you will create a blog. The goal of this blog is to support the development of an interactive atmosphere and help you get to know your colleagues as individuals and professionals. In addition, through the use of this blog, you may contribute to your understanding of the problem-solving process by disseminating noteworthy information and generating interest in tackling social change issues.

A Note About Blogging: The purpose of the Blog Assignments is for you and your colleagues to get to know each other as professionals and to enrich each others collection of ideas, resources, and personal experiences in relation to this course and the program at large. Your blog entries can be less formal than your writing for your coursework. Keep in mind, of course, that anything you publish on the Internet may become public, and be available to prospective employers and collaborators. Use your best judgment when deciding what to share and cite your sources when appropriate.

Summary Blog Post

In this week, you create a blog to which you will contribute throughout this course. Refer to the Blog Guidance and Suggestions document for instructions on how to create your blog.

After you have created your blog, create a document with this information:

Blog Links Board, your name, the link to your blog

Post this document in the Doc Sharing area of this course, located in the Course Navigation menu.

Be sure to open your blog for RSS feeds, so that your colleagues and others may subscribe. Sign up for the RSS feeds of your colleagues blogs as well.

To prepare for your blog post:

In one paragraph, summarize how the Learning Resources in Week 1 extend your understanding of problem solving.

By Day 5

Post this paragraph in your blog. If you have not already done so, post a link to your blog in the Doc Sharing area with this information: Blog Links Board, your name, the link to your blog

By Day 7

Read your colleagues blogs and consider what resonates with you. Contribute to at least one colleagues blog.

Submission and Grading Information

Grading Criteria

To access your rubric:
Blog Rubric

Post Your Blog by Day 5 and Respond by Day 7

To participate in Doc Sharing:

Week 1: Name That Problem!

Note: To begin this week, review the following media piece. For a citation of this media piece, refer to this weeks Learning Resources.

Accessible player –Downloads–Download Video w/CCDownload AudioDownload TranscriptCredit: Provided by- Laureate Marketing

As you begin this week, consider how you make sense of the problems in your life. How do you identify a problem? Would someone else have a different perspective concerning your problem? Problems do not typically arrive in tidy, organized packages, nor do they arrive at convenient times. Whether your problems are complex or simple, well defined or messy, this unit will help you begin to analyze the nature of problems and apply analytic and creative approaches to those problems.

Learning Objectives

Students will:

• Analyze perspectives of problems
• Apply approaches to problem solving
• Construct problem statements
• Analyze problems
• Analyze insights related to problem solving

Discussion: What Do You Think? Identify the Problem

Note: Please read the Introduction to all Discussions. Then proceed to participate in the required Discussion A, and your choice of Discussion B or C. There is also an Optional Open Forum you may participate in at any time.

Discussion Introduction (Applies to Discussions A, B, and C)

Have you ever had a problem that someone else did not understand? Or you may have described a particular problem to a friend only to discover that he or she viewed the problem quite differently. An important skill in problem solving is the ability to identify other individuals or organizations connected to the problem and to consider their perspectives.

Consider the multiple perspectives in the following ancient parable. For our purposes, consider the elephant the problem. Each blind man describes his perception of the elephant:

The Blind Men and the Elephant

John Godfrey Saxe (18161887) 
Based on an ancient anonymous parable)

It was six men of Indostan, to learning much inclined,
Who went to see the Elephant, though all of them were blind,
That each by observation, might satisfy his mind.

The First approached the Elephant, and happening to fall
Against his broad and sturdy side, at once began to bawl:
God bless me! but the Elephant is very like a WALL!

The Second, feeling of the tusk, cried, Ho, what have we here,
So very round and smooth and sharp? To me tis mighty clear
This wonder of an Elephant is very like a SPEAR!

The Third approached the animal, and happening to take
The squirming trunk within his hands, thus boldly up and spake:
I see, quoth he, the Elephant is very like a SNAKE!

The Fourth reached out an eager hand, and felt about the knee
What most this wondrous beast is like, is mighty plain, quoth he:
Tis clear enough the Elephant is very like a TREE!

The Fifth, who chanced to touch the ear, said: Een the blindest man
Can tell what this resembles most; Deny the fact who can,
This marvel of an Elephant is very like a FAN!

The Sixth no sooner had begun
About the beast to grope,
Than seizing on the swinging tail
That fell within his scope,
I see, quoth he, the Elephant
Is very like a ROPE!

And so these men of Indostan disputed loud and long,
Each in his own opinion exceeding stiff and strong,
Though each was partly in the right, and all were in the wrong!

This parable helps to illustrate how multiple individuals can possess diverse and varied perspectives of the same issue. For this weeks Discussions, you identify and discuss problems in scenarios and consider the multiple perspectives and approaches of different individuals. To prepare for these Discussions, be sure to review the Problem-Solving Guidance Handout, focusing on pages 1 and 2 that address differing perspectives and approaches to problems.

Credit for graphic: Microsoft Corporation (Producer). MP900430836 [Elephant photo]. Retrieved October 2nd, 2013, from: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/results.aspx?qu=elephant&ex=2#ai:MP900430836|

Discussion A (Required for all students)

Scenario:

Your 14-year-old niece, Tiffany, is associating with a group in school that is having a negative and, in your opinion, a possibly dangerous effect on her. Her grades are going down, she is not doing her assigned work around the house, and she displays increasing disrespect in your interactions with her. There is a disagreement among the adults in her house as to what the problem is and the approach that should be taken to deal with it. These adults include Tiffanys mother, her maternal grandmother, and her 24-year-old brother. Consider how you as Tiffanys aunt or uncle and the adults in her home might view this problem.

Identify and explain the problem from two different perspectives, one perspective being your own (if Tiffany were your niece), and the perspective of one of the other individuals mentioned in the scenario. Suggest the approaches these two individuals might take to address the issue based on their different perspectives.

By Day 3

Post a minimum of 100 words to Discussion Question A.

Be sure to support your ideas by connecting them to at least one of this weeks Learning Resources. Additionally, you may optto include an academic resource you have identified or something you have read, heard, seen, or experienced.

By Day 5

Respond to the posts of at least two different colleagues. One must be a response to a colleagues post about the question you did not select. Respond in one of the following ways:

• Share an insight from having read your colleagues posting.
• Expand on your colleagues posting.

Discussion B (Select B or C)

Scenario:

In the 1990s, Mayor Giuliani of New York City addressed a rising crime rate that threatened the quality of life and reputation of the city (Boland, 2003). One of the foundations of Giulianis campaign was to shut down petty crimes and nuisances. He believed that strictly enforcing laws against smaller crimes (Boland, 2003, para. 3) strengthened communities and discouraged more serious crimes.
 

Consider the New York City crime rate problem from the viewpoint of one of the stakeholders or participants in the citys lifefor example, merchants, police, residents, politicians, and entertainersas well your own perspective if you were a tourist in New York City.

Describe the problem from your perspective as a tourist in New York City and from the perspective of one other stakeholder or participant in the citys life. Then, explain your approach to the problem, as a tourist. Also, explain an approach the stakeholder you identified might take.

By Day 3

Post a minimum of 100 words to your choice of Discussion Question B.

Be sure to support your ideas by connecting them to at least one of this weeks Learning Resources. Additionally, you may optto include an academic resource you have identified or something you have read, heard, seen, or experienced.

By Day 5

Respond to the posts of at least two different colleagues. One must be a response to a colleagues post about the question you did not select. Respond in the one of the following ways:

• Share an insight from having read your colleagues posting.
• Expand on your colleagues posting.

Discussion C (Select B or C)

Scenario:

In the 1990s, Mayor Giuliani of New York City addressed a rising crime rate that threatened the quality of life and reputation of the city (Boland, 2003). One of the foundations of Giulianis campaign was to shut down petty crimes and nuisances. He believed that strictly enforcing laws against smaller crimes (Boland, 2003, para. 3) strengthened communities and discouraged more serious crimes.
 

Consider the New York City crime rate problem from the viewpoint of one of the stakeholders or participants in the citys lifefor example, merchants, police, residents, politicians, and entertainersas well your own perspective if you were a tourist in New York City.

Describe the problem from your perspective as a tourist in New York City and from the perspective of one other stakeholder or participant in the citys life. Then, explain your approach to the problem, as a tourist. Also, explain an approach the stakeholder you identified might take.

By Day 3

Post a minimum of 100 words to your choice of Discussion Question C.

Be sure to support your ideas by connecting them to at least one of this weekss Learning Resources. Additionally, you may optto include an academic resource you have identified or something you have read, heard, seen, or experienced.

By Day 5

Respond to the posts of at least two different colleagues. One must be a response to a colleagues post about the question you did not select. Respond in the one of the following ways:

• Share an insight from having read your colleagues posting.
• Expand on your colleagues posting.

Optional Open Forum

Add anything that is interesting or notable based on your study of problem solving in this weeks resources, other resources, or your problem-solving experiences.

Submission and Grading Information

Assignment: Case Study ProjectBrain and Behavior; Sensation and Perception

Last week you submitted the first part of your case study, which involved writing an introductory paragraph about your chosen individual and finding an article in the Walden library to support your analysis of that person. You are now ready for the next phase of your Final Project.

This week you will continue working on your project by applying the concepts you learned in Week 2 (Brain and Behavior; Sensation and Perception) and Week 3 (Learning and Memory) to your chosen case study.

By Day 7

Your Assignment submission this week should include:

1. What you wrote about your chosen individual that you submitted in Week 2.
2. An explanation of how the concepts from the three major course topics apply to your chosen individual. Be sure to include information from the readings about brain and behavior, sensation and perception, learning and memory.

Incorporate any feedback your Instructor provided to the summary of your individual last week. Your submission this week should be 3 to 5 pages in length.

Refer to the Interactive Case Study media, Final Project Example document, and Final Project Template to guide your work. You will find these in this Weeks Learning Resources. Please remember that the Final Project Example document is just an example. You may not copy any text from this document for use in your own project. All writing in your project must be your own original work.

Your Assignment will be graded on the components below. Remember to refer to the required textbook readings from last week and this week to guide you. Also, each section needs source integration to support your comments. For more specific details refer to the Assignment Rubric located in the Course Information area.

• Paragraph summarizing individual (5 points)
• Application of information about Neuroscience and Behavior to your chosen individual (20 points) For example, what are some possible brain-based causes for your individuals behavior?
• Application of information about Sensation and Perception to your chosen individual (20 points) For example, how is your individual experiencing the world through their five senses?
• Application of information about Learning and Memory to your chosen individual (20 points) For example, what examples of classical or operant conditioning do you see in your individuals life?
• Quality of writing (15 points)

Submission and Grading Information

To submit your completed Assignment for review and grading, do the following:

• Please save your Assignment using the naming convention WK3Assgn+last name+first initial.(extension) as the name.
• Click the Week 3 Assignment Rubric to review the Grading Criteria for the Assignment.
• Click the Week 3 Assignment link. You will also be able to View Rubric for grading criteria from this area.
• Next, from the Attach File area, click on the Browse My Computer button. Find the document you saved as WK3Assgn+last name+first initial.(extension) and click Open.
• If applicable: From the Plagiarism Tools area, click the checkbox for I agree to submit my paper(s) to the Global Reference Database.
• Click on the Submit button to complete your submission.

Test

Test for Understanding

This 20-question Test for Understanding assesses how well you understand and can apply the information in this weeks Learning Resources.

To prepare for the Test for Understanding:

• Review the assigned Learning Resources.

About the Test for Understanding:

• The Test for Understanding has a 40-minute time limit.
• If your test completion time exceeds the 40-minute time limit, your Instructor will reduce your final test score by 1 point for every minute your time exceeds the limit.
• If you encounter technical difficulties during the Test for Understanding, or if you have questions about how an online test works, contact Student Support for more information.

Once you have completed the Test for Understanding, you will be shown the correct answer for each question.

Click on the Test Week 3 link to access the Test for Understanding.

Please answer each question and click Submit when you have completed the Test. If you are inactive for a period of time during the test, you may be prompted to exit the test. Remember to carefully read the prompts provided by the test. For example, click “Cancel” (as in cancel the exit) to stay inside the test. If you click “OK” or “back,” you accept to exit the test. Please be mindful about staying active inside the test (i.e., how much time you spend between items) so the test does not time you out.

By Day 7

Complete the Test for Understanding.

Submission and Grading Informations

Submit Your Test for Understanding by Day 7

Week 2: Brain-Behavior Relationships

The brain is a wonderful organ; it starts working the moment you get up in the morning and does not stop until you get into the office. 
Robert Frost

This is an amusing quote; however, it is scientifically incorrect. Yes, your brain is a wonderful organ, but it never really stops working. We are able to interact with our world through our nervous system, which is comprised of our brain and all the nerve cells in the rest of the body. The nervous system and our endocrine system, involved in secreting hormones through our bloodstream, both communicate messages that influence behavior and many aspects of our biological functioning.

This week you learn how the central nervous system, peripheral nervous system, and endocrine system interact to communicate within the body. You will also learn about how our bodies sense things from the environment and transform and organize that sensation into meaningful perceptions of sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch.

Learning Objectives

Students will:

• Demonstrate comprehension of the relationships among brain structure, neural transmission, and thoughts, feelings, and behaviors
• Identify major structures and functions of parts of the nervous system
• Demonstrate understanding about connections between nervous system structures
• Identify instances of sensory adaptation
• Identify aspects of basic sensation and perception in regard to vision, hearing, smell, and taste
• Assess concepts related to perceptual organization
• Summarize salient characteristics of an individual for case study project

Test

Test for Understanding

This 20-question Test for Understanding assesses how well you understand and can apply the information in this weeks Learning Resources.

To prepare for the Test for Understanding:

• Review the assigned Learning Resources.

About the Test for Understanding:

• The Test for Understanding has a 40-minute time limit.
• If your test completion time exceeds the 40-minute time limit, your Instructor will reduce your final test score by 1 point for every minute your time exceeds the limit.
• If you encounter technical difficulties during the Test for Understanding, or if you have questions about how an online test works, contact Student Support for more information.

Once you have completed the Test for Understanding, you will be shown the correct answer for each question.

Click on the Test Week 2 link to access the Test for Understanding.

Please answer each question and click Submit when you have completed the Test. If you are inactive for a period of time during the test, you may be prompted to exit the test. Remember to carefully read the prompts provided by the test. For example, click “Cancel” (as in cancel the exit) to stay inside the test. If you click “OK” or “back,” you accept to exit the test. Please be mindful about staying active inside the test (i.e., how much time you spend between items) so the test does not time you out.

Week 1: Psychology as a Science

Welcome to Introduction to Psychology! Are you excited to embark on this journey together? The roots of psychology reach back to ancient times. As you can imagine, theories about human behavior and mental process have evolved and grown since then. This course introduces you to some of those theories and the tools that psychologists use to uncover the secrets of how the brain is connected to our thoughts, feelings, and behavior.

By the end of this term, you will learn to think like a psychologist by taking a scientific approach to understanding observable behaviors and internal experiences such as feelings, sensations, and perceptions. As you progress through the course, you may find many of your current beliefs about behavior and internal experiences do not hold up to the test of science. That is good! That means you are learning to think like a psychologist. Please watch this video introduction to learn more about psychology as a science and what you can expect as you begin your study of psychology.

Laureate Education (Producer). (2015c). Psychology as a science. [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 8 minutes.
Accessible player –Downloads–Download Video w/CCDownload AudioDownload Transcript

Learning Objectives

Students will:

• Apply research methods to the scientific study of consciousness
• Assess understanding of psychology as a science
• Demonstrate knowledge of the evolution of psychology and research
• Differentiate between behavioral and cognitive approaches
• Demonstrate understanding of research ethics

Discussion:

Discussion: Consciousness and Research Techniques

In some of your weekly Discussion forums, your Instructor will provide a Discussion Spark that comes before the Main Discussion. The Discussion Spark is a question that is meant to get the conversation started early in the week and prepare you for the weekly Main Discussion by focusing on an idea related to the weeks topics. You do not need to use your weekly Learning Resources to answer the Discussion Spark. Instead, your response to the Discussion Spark should be based on your prior knowledge and experience. While you are required to answer the Discussion Spark, you do not need to spend as much time on it as you would for your Main Discussion post. The Discussion Spark and the Main Discussion will be graded together. You will see one score in your My Grades area. Refer to the Discussion Rubric, located in the Course Information area, for details on how this discussion will be graded.

Be sure to read the Discussion Spark topic/question or comment posted by your Instructor in the Discussion Thread on Day 1. 

By Day 2

Discussion Spark

When you hear the word psychology, what images come to mind? What about psychologist? Consider these images, and then ask yourself where you believe your mental pictures may come from. Psychology is a prominent field in the cultural landscape. References to psychology and its practitioners and researchers abound in popular culture, through film, television, and other media. Some of the images may be accurate, and many may not. Because many references come from ideas obtained through popular culture, you may already possess some thoughts about the field of psychology. It may be a field that you feel acquainted with, but which you may not feel you know very deeply. You will learn more about the science of psychology in the coming weeks, but lets take a look at your current understanding of the field.

Post a 1- to 2-paragraph response to the following Discussion Spark in the Discussion Spark thread for this week.

Introduce yourself to the class. What is one belief you have about psychology? Briefly explain your understanding of what the field of psychology is.

By Day 3

Main Discussion

Every day, we make countless decisions, some trivial and some high-stakes. Sometimes you do things consciously, and sometimes you do things based on a hunch or habit, seemingly without conscious thought. Either way, you could be acting on misguided or erroneous ideas and information. But how do you know? As a student of any field of study, you will be faced with various ideas, concepts, and beliefs. Of course, you should not blindly accept everything you hear or read; instead, you must critically evaluate information to determine fact from fiction, science from myth, good decision from poor choice. The Week 1 Discussion asks you to reflect on your decision-making experiences and describe how you might use the research methods you learned about this week to compare conscious and unconscious processing in people.

After reviewing this weeks readings and the video from the Week 1 Introduction, post a response to the following:

Describe a time when you have consciously deliberated about buying something. Describe how you know the process was conscious. Were you satisfied with your decision? Explain why or why not, tying in the concepts you learned about this week. Describe a time when you unconsciously deliberated about buying something. Describe how you now know the process was unconscious. Were you satisfied with your decision? Explain why or why not, tying in the concepts you learned about in this chapter. Describe a research technique from Chapter 1 that you could use to study conscious versus unconscious processing in people.

Support your assignment post with at least one reference (textbook or other scholarly, empirical resources).

By Day 5

Response instructions:

Support your reply to a colleagues assignment post with at least onereference (textbook or other scholarly, empirical resources). You may state your opinion and/or provide personal examples; however, you must also back up your assertions with evidence (including in-text citations) from the source and provide a reference.

Respond in one or more of the following ways:

• Ask a probing question and provide insight into how you would answer your question and why.
• Ask a probing question and provide the foundation, or rationale, for the question.
• Expand on your colleagues posting by offering a new perspective or insight.
• Agree with a colleague and offer additional (new) supporting information for consideration.
• Disagree with a colleague by respectfully discussing and supporting a different perspective.

Important Note: For all Main Discussions in this course, you are required to complete your initial post before you will be able to view and respond to your colleague’s postings. Begin by clicking on the “Week 1 Discussion” link and then select “Create Thread” to complete your inital post. Remember, once you click submit, you cannot delete or edit your own posts, and cannot post anonymously. Please check your post carefully before clicking Submit!

Discussion: Techniques of Development

In order to craft an effective and interesting short story, a writer must be able to help the reader visualize the setting and understand the movement in the story. A loss of the story’s realistic nature could mean the loss of a reader. Writers often create this context by describing the details visible to the characters and using narration to relate the background to what is happening in the story. In this Discussion, you will examine how established writers use the development techniques of setting, plot, and time to create an effective story.

To prepare for this Discussion:

Review the assigned portions of Chapters 5, 9, and 10 in Shaping the Story.

Review the following short stories and look for the techniques of time, setting, and plot:

• Louise Erdrich, The Red Convertible in Shaping the Story.
• Chopin, K., & Knights, P. (2000). The Awakening, and Other Stories. Oxford, [England]: Oxford University Press. Retrieved from

Consider how the authors use the setting, plot, and time in their stories as tools to describe and narrate the scenes.

• What are the settings of each story?
• How do the authors establish plot in each story?
• In what time frame does each story occur?

With these thoughts in mind:

By Day 3

Post 2 to 3 paragraphs deconstructing the use of description and narration in each story. Be sure to answer the following questions:

• How do the authors use description and narration to explain their stories to the reader?
• How do the authors develop their plots?
• How is it similar to or different from the way the other authors developed their plots?
• How do the authors create the settings?
• How does clarity of plot make a story more effective?
• How do the authors illustrate the passage of time?

Be sure to support your ideas by connecting them to the week’s Learning Resources, or something you have read, heard, seen, or experienced.

Read a selection of your colleagues’ postings.

Respond to at least one of your colleague’s postings in one or more of the following ways:

• Ask a probing question.
• Share an insight from having read your colleague’s posting.
• Offer and support an opinion.
• Validate an idea with your own experience.
• Make a suggestion.
• Expand on your colleague’s posting.

Return to this Discussion in a few days to read the responses to your initial posting. Note what you have learned and/or any insights you have gained as a result of the comments your colleagues made.

Submission and Grading Information

Assignment: Outline and the Opening SceneEach weekly Assignment will contribute to your Final Project short story, which will be due on Day 7 of Week 5. The outline will be the first step of the writing process used to develop your short story for your Final Project. You will apply what you have learned about the elements of creative writing to begin your own short story, and you will need at least two days to complete this assignment. For this week’s Assignment, you will be creating a short story outline and the opening scene.

Questions about this assignment? Post them in the Contact the Instructor area on the left navigation bar. That way, everyone in the class will see, and benefit from, the Instructor’s response.

To prepare for this Assignment:

• Review the Final Project Introduction and Overview document in the Learning Resources.
• Review the assigned portions of Part I, Chapter 1, and Chapter 2 in Shaping the Story.
• In preparation for beginning your short story, consider the following questions:
  • What type of short story do you want to tell?
  • What kind of introduction do you want your story to include?
  • Which genre characteristics will your story include?
• Reflect on questions you might ask yourself in order to put yourself in the place of the reader.
• Complete “Progressive Writing Exercise #1: The Story Cloud Diagram” on page 16 of Shaping the Story.
  • Decide which components of each “Story Cloud” to use for your short story.
• Once you have a direction that your story will take, use it as a base to complete the Day 1 and Day 2 parts of the “Progressive Writing Exercise #2: Writing Your Opening Scene” on page 26 in Shaping the Story.

The assignment:

Part 1: Develop a 1-page outline of your short story.

Part 2: Complete the “Progressive Writing Exercise #2” on page 26 of Shaping the Story and write a 1-page opening scene for your short story. You will need at least two days to complete this assignment.

By Day 7

Submit your outline and opening scene. In order to receive full credit, all assignments are due on time. Should you encounter an unanticipated and uncontrollable life event that may prevent you from meeting an assignment deadline, contact the Instructor immediately to request an extension. Your Instructor’s contact information is in the Contact the Instructor area on the left navigation bar. For a full description of the late policy, please refer to the “Policies on Late Assignments” section of your Syllabus.

Submission and Grading Information

To submit your completed Assignment for review and grading, do the following:

• Please save your Assignment using the naming convention WK1Assgn+last name+first initial.(extension) as the name.
• Click the Assignment Rubric to review the Grading Criteria for the Assignment.
• Click the Week 1 Assignment link. You will also be able to View Rubric for grading criteria from this area.
• Next, from the Attach File area, click on the Browse My Computer button. Find the document you saved as WK1Assgn+last name+first initial.(extension) and click Open.
• If applicable: From the Plagiarism Tools area, click the checkbox for I agree to submit my paper(s) to the Global Reference Database.
• Click on the Submit button to complete your submission.

Discussion: Exploring the Concept of a “Story”

In Chapter 2 of Shaping the Story, Mark Baechtel observes that “The reader’s mind is the writer’s partner…” (p. 25). The ideas you bring to your writing are inextricably tied to your audience, since you will be constantly keeping them in mind as you write. In what ways can fiction affect its readers, and how do established writers use creative writing elements to impact their audiences? For this Discussion, you will examine elements of short stories to prepare you to begin your own short story, keeping your readers in mind.

To prepare for this Discussion:

• Review the assigned portions of Part I introduction and Chapter 1 in Shaping the Story, and begin to think about where your story will come from and what will make it a story.       

Review the following short stories: 

• Sarah Cornwell, Pretty Little Things in in Shaping the Story.
• James Joyce, “Araby”
• Consider the various definitions of a “story” presented in these readings. How do these definitions relate to your own understanding of what a story is?
• Think about an author’s reasons for telling the story.
• What type of story is the author telling?

With these thoughts in mind:

By Day 3

Post 1 to 2 paragraphs describing the short story elements in each story. Be sure to include answers to the following questions:

• Where does the arc of the story occur?
• How is the story intended to affect the reader?
• Be sure to cite at least one example from the text readings to support your answer.

Be sure to support your ideas by connecting them to the week’s Learning Resources, or something you have read, heard, seen, or experienced.

Read a selection of your colleagues’ postings.

Respond to at least one of your colleagues’ postings in one or more of the following ways:

• Ask a probing question.
• Share an insight from having read your colleague’s posting.
• Offer and support an opinion.
• Validate an idea with your own experience.
• Make a suggestion.
• Expand on your colleague’s posting.

Return to this Discussion in a few days to read the responses to your initial posting. Note what you have learned and/or any insights you have gained as a result of the comments your colleagues made.