Identify a contentious issue within Social Cognition, explain the distinct theories/views along with corroborative data, discuss how the different perspectives relate to each other.
Requirements
· APA7-style title page
· Position paper: Identify a contentious issue within Social Cognition, explain the distinct theories/views along with corroborative data, discuss how the different perspectives relate to each other, then present your position on the issue supporting your view with research evidence.
· [from version 1] Identification / explanation of contentious issue.
· [from version 1] Review of relevant theories and their supporting research.
· [from version 1] Comparison and relation among theories.
· Statement of your position on the issue, including elaboration and discussion of supporting research evidence.
· Recommended two (2) distinct additional pieces of evidence.
· Make sure to discuss how the research findings of each cited article (minimum total of eight (8)) fits within your theoretical view / position.)
· Conclusion with future directions for research and theory.
· APA7-style reference page including a minimum of eight (8) peer-reviewed articles, at most half of which can come from the course reading list.
· Literature search – find and identify peer-reviewed journal articles most relevant to your chosen topic. · Comprehension – read and explain scientific research within Social Cognition.
Critical thinking – evaluate how research findings relate to theories; identify gaps in presently available research. · Creativity – come up with a novel study to answer a research question within Social Cognition. · Knowledge building – make connections among research and theories, integrating information from different sources including your own ideas.
Social psychologists investigate numerous topics in their research. Many of these subjects are related to social influence, social perception, and social interaction. Here are just a few of the major areas of interest within social psychology.
Social cognition is concerned with the processing, storage, and application of social information. This research area is closely related to the field of cognitive psychology, a research area focusing largely on the concept of schemas.
Schemas are our general ideas about the world, how things are, and how things work.
These mental shortcuts allow us to function without constantly stopping to interpret everything around us. We also develop associations between related schemas, which plays an important role in the thought process and social behavior.1
Another major research area in social psychology involves the study of attitudes. Social psychologists are interested in the components of attitudes, how attitudes develop, and how attitudes change.
Researchers have identified three core components of attitude: an affective component, a behavioral component, and a cognitive component. Often referred to as the “ABCs of attitude,” these elements describe how we feel, behave, and understand.
What causes violence and aggression? Social psychologists are interested in how and why people engage in violence or act aggressively. Research in this area looks at numerous factors that may cause aggression including social variables and media influences. Researchers often look at the role social learning plays in producing aggressive behaviors and actions.
Prosocial behavior is another major research area in social psychology. Prosocial behaviors are those that involve helping and cooperating. Researchers often look at why people help others, as well as why they sometimes refuse to help or cooperate. The bystander effect is an example of a social phenomenon in the subject area of prosocial behavior.
Much of the research in the area of bystander effect was prompted by the murder of a young woman named Kitty Genovese. This case captured national attention when reports revealed that neighbors had witnessed her attack and murder, but failed to call the police for help.
Research inspired by the Genovese case produced a great deal of information on prosocial behavior and how and why people choose—or sometimes refuse—to help others.