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PSY 101 Strayer University WK4 Smarter Decision Making through Psychology Case Study

 

Assignment 1: Case Study #1


Overview

Throughout this course, you’re learning how to use problem solving and self and social awareness skills to practice the key concepts of psychology. You’re discovering how self and social awareness and problem solving work together to help you understand the perspectives of others, examine situations objectively, and use evidence to develop and make decisions. With this case study assignment, you’ll have the chance to put your skills to work!

Read the case study below and use your problem solving and self and social awareness skills to help a co-worker work through a difficult situation.

Case Study and Questions

Gloria is a recent college graduate and a single mom to 16-year-old Gary. Gloria and Gary used to be close. But recently, Gloria has noticed that Gary is only focused on what his friends think about him. Gary recently snuck out of his bedroom window and went to a party when he was supposed to be studying for a big exam. Gloria caught him coming home and smelled alcohol on his breath and marijuana on his clothes. Gloria is shocked and appalled by her son’s recent behavior and grounded him for two weeks.

Gloria comes to you because she needs some advice on how to handle her son’s poor choices. Using what you have learned about the adolescent brain and social development in Chapter 3 of the webtext, answer the questions below to help Gloria understand why her son is making such poor choices, and pose some recommendations to help her solve her problem:

1. What physically happens to teen brains that make it difficult for someone like Gary to weigh risk and reward?

2. In addition to their brains changing, teens change socially too. Why may Gary value his peers more than his mom?

3. What specific strategies or advice would you recommend that Gloria can do to help her son to make better decisions?

4. Place yourself in Gloria’s shoes. How do you think Gloria is feeling? How can understanding her feelings help you offer constructive advice?

Instructions

Use the Case Study #1 Assignment Template to record your responses. For each question, you should write a paragraph-length response (5-7 sentences) to receive credit for this assignment.

Overview Case Study 2

As you continue to practice the psychological concepts you’re learning in this course, you’re honing the problem solving and self and social awareness skills that will help you navigate social situations in your life and career. You’re discovering how to apply these skills to understand the behaviors of others, improve your relationships, and make informed decisions based on reliable information.

And no matter what kind of situation you encounter at school, home, or work, you’re learning how to recognize and manage your emotions so they don’t get the best of you!

Now, it’s time to practice the skills and concepts to help your friend Gloria navigate a difficult workplace situation.

Case Study and Questions

Gloria and Lakeisha are coworkers who are assigned to work on a project together. Lakeisha is very organized and wants them to do really well on this project. To help them get started, Lakeisha took some initiative and prepared a list of to-do items along with due dates. She even color-coded the list to indicate which partner will do each item and sends an email to Gloria with the to-do list. Lakeisha wants her partner to know that she’s serious about their success.

Gloria is surprised by Lakeisha’s to-do list and feels a bit uncomfortable because she feels like Lakeisha is micromanaging her. Gloria wants to do her part on the project but is feeling anxious because she doesn’t know where she fits in, and it is making her worried about working on this project. She wonders how she can succeed on this project if Lakeisha is already the leader. When working for a previous employer, Gloria felt anxious about her ability to successfully complete a project and attempted to communicate her feelings with a coworker; however, her coworker didn’t seem to understand Gloria’s concerns and said that she should just ignore her feelings and get the work done.

As Gloria ponders having a conversation with Lakeisha, she starts to feel overwhelmed and thinks it might just be easier to be removed from the project. Using your problem solving and self and social awareness skills and what you have learned about personality traits and emotions, answer the questions below to help Gloria calm her anxiety and find a solution to her problem:

1. From Chapter 3 in the webtext, what are the Big 5 personality traits?

2. Use one of the Big 5 personality traits to describe Gloria’s personality.

3. Chapter 6 in the webtext focused on emotions. Using what you learned, give advice to Gloria on how she can identify and regulate her own emotions so that she can stick with this project, and be successful.

4. If you were in this situation, how confident are you that you could successfully resolve a workplace conflict like the one that Gloria faced? What past experiences or knowledge influence your answer

Instructions

Use the Case Study #2 Assignment Template to record your responses. For each question, you should write a paragraph-length response (5-7 sentences) to receive credit for this assignment.

Assignment: Case Study #3

Overview

It can be hard to know how to handle a problem with a coworker or friend. That’s why the psychological concepts you’re learning in this course are so important. Understanding how the human brain works will help you master your problem solving and self and social awareness skills in your personal and professional life.

And whether at work or home, you’re learning how to read the social cues of others and recommend strategies based on psychological concepts and principles.

This week you’ll use your problem solving and self and social awareness skills to look beyond the opinions of others and figure out a problem’s cause so you can help a coworker make informed decisions. Review the scenario below to get started.

Case Study and Questions

Reggie works with Gloria and Lakeisha. He is a friendly older man who often talks about his plans for retirement in five years. He likes to make people laugh but often jokes about his struggles to learn new programs and technology.

The company recently informed the team that there will be a compliance test on new safety policies, which employees will need to pass in order to keep their jobs. The company has provided materials to study as well as optional practice exams. Gloria, Lakeisha, and Reggie are having lunch in the break room, and Gloria and Lakeisha mention that they have already signed up to take the first practice test. Reggie comments about how hard it is for him to learn a different way of doing the jobs that he has already been doing for years, joking that “you can’t teach an old man new tricks.” However, later in the day, he stops by Gloria’s desk to find out how she is preparing for the test and asks for advice. Given that they have a month until the compliance test, Gloria is confident that she can help Reggie prepare. Using your problem solving and self and social awareness skills and the information that you learned in Chapter 7 of the webtext about brain plasticity and mindset, answer the questions below:

1.Define mindset and describe what kind of mindset Reggie needs to embrace to be successful.

2. What is brain plasticity?

3. In Chapter 4, you learned about memory and how to effectively study. Using Chapter 4 in the webtext, what two specific strategies should Gloria suggest to Reggie so that he will be prepared for the compliance test? Why will these two strategies work?

4. If Reggie were your coworker, what important aspects of the situation would you want to keep in mind when offering advice and strategies to him? Why do you think this is important?

Instructions

Use the Case Study #3 Assignment Template to record your responses. For each question, you should write a paragraph-length response (5-7 sentences) to receive credit for this assignment.

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