The following activities should help you connect what you’ve learned in the individual readings.
Synthesize
Complete the Venn Diagram by comparing and contrasting key concepts: Interpersonal Topics / Situationism or Intrapersonal Topics / Dispositionism.
Compare your Venn Diagram with a partner who analyzed the same concepts. Did you make similar or different conclusions?
Now, compare your Venn Diagram with someone who analyzed the other concepts. What are the connections between your analysis?
Apply
Use the Internet to explore this topic further.
In this video, a social experiment is conducted in a park where three people try to steal a bike out in the open. The race and gender of the thief is varied: a White male teenager, a Black male teenager, and a White female. Does anyone try to stop them? Explain how the treatment of the teenagers in the video demonstrates the concepts of prejudice, stereotypes, and discrimination.
Watch this excerpt from an episode of the popular TV show Friends. Two characters, Pheobe and Joey, are arguing about the existence of selfless good deeds. What do you learn about the egoism versus altruism debate from this clip?
Watch this Ted Talks video, “The Danger of a Single Story,” about stereotypes. Then, discuss these questions with your group:
- What does the speaker, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, mean when she talks about ‘the danger of a single story?’
- Why do people stereotype others?
- Why is it easy for people to only believe stereotypes about others?
Write or Speak
Cognitive dissonance often arises after making an important decision, called post-decision dissonance (or in popular terms, buyer’s remorse). Describe a recent decision you made that caused dissonance and describe how you resolved it.
Read these Top Ten Tips for Standing up to Cyberbullying. Which tips do you think are most useful? Why? Using details from this website, write a paragraph explaining your reasons.