PSYC 101 ESSAY PROMPTS Essay: Fearfully and Wonderfully Made Assignment In the “Biology of Behavior” chapter, the authors of your textbook write: “We are fearfully and wonderfully made, and the complexity of our brain is amazing evidence of God’s creation. Also, the complexity of our brain uniquely positions humans to be able to have a relationship with God.” Using information from the textbook to support your responses, answer the following: • • What information on our nervous system and brain stands out to you as evidence that we have been uniquely created to be able to have a relationship with God? How does the information from chapter 2 support the biblical view that we are “fearfully and wonderfully made” and uniquely created for God himself? Essay: You be the Developmental Psychologist Assignment For this assignment, imagine that you are an expert in human development who has been tasked with the following: • • • Choose a life stage (i.e., infancy, early childhood, adolescence, older adulthood, etc.) and domain (physical, cognitive, socioemotional). Using information from the “Developmental Psychology” chapter, describe the primary need(s) of individuals in that stage of life. Suggest at least three activities that would foster healthy developmental outcomes based on the need(s) you have described. Essay: What I Say Versus What I Do Assignment In the “Personality and Social Psychology” chapter, we looked at different studies of social behaviors (i.e. obedience, conformity, helping, and bystander behavior) that show that people may behave differently when placed in a situation than they report they would behave when merely asked what they’d do. Using information from the textbook to support your responses, answer the following: • • • What do studies in social psychology show us about the difference between what we think and say we would do in situations versus our actual behaviors when placed in them? How does this matter to research in social psychology and the use of self-report measures in many studies? How could this discrepancy between what we think we’d do and what we actually do be looked at biblically? That is, how would God explain why we don’t always do what we think we’d do? Essay: Motivation, Values, and Purpose Assignment Page 1 of 2 PSYC 101 In the “Motivation and Emotion” chapter, we looked at numerous factors influencing motivation. Using information from the textbook, answer the following: • • Using the concepts from the “Motivation and Emotion” chapter, describe what motivates you in your educational pursuits. Then look at the Venn diagram in chapter one (FIGURE 1.7 Intersecting Areas that Comprise Purpose) and describe how values and purpose might inform one’s motivational experience. Essay: You be the Professor Assignment One of the most critical skills for students to master is how to study! Using information from the “Learning, Memory and Intelligence” chapter in your textbook, answer the following: • • Applying what you have learned in the reading, what study strategies would you recommend to students and why? What cautions would you give students about multitasking and why? Essay: That’s Your Perception Assignment The systems responsible for sensation are remarkably similar from one person to another, yet perceptions of the same event can vary from person to person. Using information from the “Sensation and Perception” chapter in your textbook, answer the following: • • • What factors create differences in perceptions from person to person? Do these differences in perception indicate differences in reality? Can we be confident that our perceptions reflect reality? Page 2 of 2