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Intro To Psych
Intro To Psych
Intro To Psych
57232695
EDT1601
Assignment 02
864756
Question 01: Explain the following concepts
a) Cyber Bullying
b) Information Processing
c) Self-actualisation
This concept refers to people who can make decisions based on judgements
formulated by themselves and not allow others’ opinions to influence their
decision. They are physically, mentally and emotionally intelligent and are
aware of what affects other people. They are able to experience both intense
sadness and joy. They have a realistic concept of themselves and are able to
accept their flaws without feeling a sense of incompetence or decline in self-
worth. They have a value system which guides and directs their lives and are
able to accept other people’s beliefs and opinions that differs from their own.
“Self-actualisation is the ultimate goal of personality development” (Gouws,
2015: 101).
d) Adolescent Depression
“Depression is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that can affect an
adolescent’s thinking, feelings and behaviour.” (Gouws, 2015: 168) Since pain
and loss are a part of life, everyone will experience symptoms of depression
that eventually passes. But if left unsupported in adolescents, these minor
symptoms that should have dissipated can develop into actual depression.
Adolescents are already dealing with developmental changes, which may add
to the challenge of depression. People who respond to pain and loss in a way
that leaves them in a state of inability to function, need professional help in
order to cope. Boys and girls experience depression equally and it is
important to take note of the behavioural problems that accompany
depression. One needs to be sensitive with adolescents as they “find it difficult
to admit their self-criticism to themselves and others.” (Gouws, 2015: 169).
Depression is hereditary and adolescents who suffer from it are likely to have
a close family member who also suffered from it.
e) Multiple Intelligences
Howard Gardner “proposes that humans’ cognitive ability is pluralistic and that
people possess different strong intelligences that can be developed” (Gouws,
2015: 59). It is believed that each intelligence carries credibility and is located
in different parts of the brain. There are 9 different multiple intelligences that
each possess different qualities and have an ideal environment to thrive in:
Verbal-linguistic
Logical-mathematical
Musical
Spatial
Bodily-kinaesthetic
Intrapersonal
Interpersonal
Naturalistic
Existential
Each intelligence does not come with a prescribed set plan for practice as
each approach can be adjusted for any setting. The Multiple Intelligence
theory has opened the door for more creative ways to teach and has
“expanded the curriculum where the focus was only on verbal-linguistic and
logical-mathematical intelligences to a model of multiple intelligences.”
(Gouws, 2015: 61). Gardner believes that each person has an area of
intellectual intelligence.
Question 02: Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Model
The exosystem describes factors that the adolescent does not necessarily
function in directly, but still has a large influence in their life. Due to my
parents having busy jobs, I never really shared what was happening in my life
and they never seemed to take interest in it. Also seeing them stress about
my brother, who was often thrown in jail, has made me back off and allow
them to focus on that.
The chronosystem refers to the era in history that we are living in, example:
Apartheid or democracy. During my adolescence, the country was somewhat
settled into democracy already (10 years). I was free to do as I pleased
without any laws prohibiting me from going anywhere based on my race or
gender. I grew up in a generation who lived by doing anything and everything
at least once in their life. I was somewhat oblivious to the crime happening
around me and in my environment and, to myself, I seemed invincible.
The formal operational stage is the fourth and final stage of Piaget’s theory of
cognitive development. The emerging abstract though and hypothetical
reasoning mark this phase of development. Thinking becomes much more
sophisticated and advanced than before. That being said, “there is no sudden
movement from the concrete-operational phase to the formal-operational
phase.” (Gouws, 2015: 51). However, this phase does pose many challenges
to the developing adolescent.
Another aspect that this phase brings about is their belief of invincibility: bad
things happen to other people, but not to them. This is the underlying cause
for reckless adolescent behaviour and abuse of drugs, alcohol and other
substances, as well as unprotected sex and reckless driving (Gouws, 2015:
51). Adolescents in this phase do however have the ability to weigh their
actions with the possible consequences for themselves and others.
The future now becomes an important aspect in their life. They want to
change society and are often influenced by what their peers’ future plans are.
But as they develop cognitively, they begin to alter their life plans to more
realistic goals and have a better sense of perspective. It also affects their
concerns for social, political and personal values
Yes, I have.
2) Have you started to study your prescribed book together with your
tutorial letters?
Yes, I have.
3) Do you think this module will be useful for your teaching career?
Yes, I do.
There are not any physical classes offered by the university for this
module.
6) Do you have any study problems which you would like to bring to our
attention?