Unit Assignments
Unit
II PowerPoint Presentation
Imagine that you are a
practicing psychologist, and you are the featured presenter for the upcoming
psychology conference. Your chosen topic centers upon factors that influence
human behaviors and cognitions. In your presentation, you want to teach the
audience about biological, evolutionary, and environmental factors that
influence behaviors. To do this, you will need to prepare a PowerPoint to
present to the audience. In your PowerPoint presentation, be sure to include
the below concepts:
Identify ways in which the environment can both nurture and
thwart mental ability. Explain how nurture and nature play interactive roles in
shaping behavior.
Summarize the effects of some of the main neurotransmitters in
the brain, and list four hormones that influence behavior.
Your PowerPoint presentation must be at least eight slides in
length, not including the cover slide and reference slide. In addition to your
textbook, you must use a minimum of one scholarly source. Any information from
an outside source that is used should be cited appropriately according to APA
format. You may use the notes field in PowerPoint to expand on your ideas, if
necessary, but this is not required.
Your
presentation style should appear professional, using appropriate formatting and
graphics. If you have never created a PowerPoint, or if you want to brush up on
your skills, watch this tutorial created by the CSU Writing Center to learn
tips and best practices for creating a PowerPoint:
http://columbiasouthern.adobeconnect.com/powerpointbestpractices/
If you need further help with your presentation, you should
consult with the Writing Center staff, allowing enough time to receive guidance
and feedback. You can email the Writing Center atteamsucceed@columbiasouthern.edu.
Information
about accessing the grading rubric for this assignment is provided below.
Unit
III Essay
Wade and Tavris explain that each person’s body experiences ups
and downs throughout the typical day. In fact, biological rhythms, the
fluctuations that occur in one’s biological system, dictate numerous factors
within one’s body, including hormones, urine output, blood pressure, and our
reactions to stimuli. Most of the time, our biological rhythms are in sync with
the external environment, and they typically occur within a 24-hour cycle known
as circadian rhythms.
In this assignment, you will keep an hourly record of your
mental alertness level for a minimum of three days using the following
five-point scale:
PSY
1010, General Psychology 2
1–extremely drowsy or mentally lethargic 2–somewhat drowsy or
mentally lethargic 3–moderately alert
4–alert and efficient 5–extremely alert and efficient
At the end of your
observation period, you should compose an essay that defines circadian rhythms
and explains how one’s biological clock works. Additionally, you should
describe what happens when it does not work properly.
You
must also address the following questions in your essay:
Did
your level of alertness follow a certain pattern or circadian rhythm?
Did you reach a noticeable high and low point once every 24
hours, or did you have a shorter rhythm? Did your level of alertness rise and
fall numerous times throughout the day?
If you performed this activity on the weekend, were your cycles
the same as during the week?
Finally, think
about how this experiment affects your life and your perception. What other
factors influence your perception? To conclude your essay, you should discuss
four psychological factors that could be used to explain how you perceived the
world around you.
Draw on the research from the textbook as you compose your
essay. In addition to your textbook, you must use at least one other academic
source. Your response should contain an introduction and conclusion and be at
least one page in length, but it can be longer if necessary to address all
aspects of the assignment. All sources used, including the textbook, must be
referenced; paraphrased and quoted material must have accompanying citations.
If you need further help with your essay, you should consult
with the Writing Center staff, allowing enough time to receive guidance and feedback.
You can email the Writing Center atteamsucceed@columbiasouthern.edu.
Information
about accessing the grading rubric for this assignment is provided below.
