Throughout this course, you will learn how to better use problem-solving, self and social awareness skills in order to practice key concepts within the field of psychology. Discovering how self and social awareness and problem-solving skills coincide may help you better understand the perspectives of others, examine situations objectively, and use evidence to make more accurate decisions. By employing this case study assignment, you will have the opportunity to put your skills to work.
Read the case study below and use your problem-solving and self and social awareness skills to help a colleague work through a difficult situation.
SCENARIO: Monica is a single mom who has a 16-year-old son named Jordan. Monica and Jordan were close at one point. As of late, Monica has been noticing that Jordan spends a lot of time focusing on what his friends think about him. Without his mother’s permission, Jordan recently crawled out of his bedroom window and went to a party when he was supposed to be studying for an exam. Upon his return home, Jordan reeked of alcohol and marijuana and was caught by his mother. Shocked and appalled by her son's recent behavior, she grounded him for two weeks.
What advice would you give Monica about her son’s recent behavior?
ASSIGNMENT: Using what you learned about the adolescent brain and social development, you will answer questions related to this case study assignment below. Your goals are to help Monica understand why her son makes the choices he does and recommend some strategies that may help solve the problem.
Download and use the touchstone response template to answer the questions.
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Psy1010 Touchstone 3.1 Response Template
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A. Assignment
DIRECTIONS: To complete the assignment, you will answer the following four questions in 5-7 sentences each:
- What happens inside the brain of a teenager that makes it difficult for Jordan to weigh the risks and rewards of his behavior? Describe how the adolescent brain weighs risk and reward.
- Why does it appear that Jordan values the opinion of his peers more than the opinion of his mother? Explain the psychological concepts that may account for why Jordan places value on his peers’ opinions.
- What advice would you give Jordan’s mother, Monica, that would teach him how to make better choices and decisions? Discuss a specific strategy that Monica may implement to help her son make better decisions.
- If you were in Monica’s shoes, how would you feel? Explain why a better understanding of Monica's perspective could result in more constructive advice.
B. Rubric
| Advanced (100%) | Proficient (80%) | Needs Improvement (60%) | Non-Performance (0%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Question 1Describe how the adolescent brain weighs risk and reward. (25%) | Describes how the adolescent brain weighs risk and reward, using specific details and information from the case study and course lessons. | Describes how the adolescent brain weighs risk and reward, but could draw more significant connections between the case study and course material. | Lists but does not describe how the adolescent brain weighs risk and reward. | Does not list how the adolescent brain weighs risk and reward. |
Question 2Explain the psychological concepts or principles that account for the value Jordan places on his peers. (25%) | Explains the psychological concepts or principles that account for the value Jordan places on his peers, using specific details and information from the case study and course lessons. | Explains the psychological concepts or principles that account for the value Jordan places on his peers, but could draw more significant connections between the case study and course material. | Lists but does not explain the psychological concepts or principles that account for the value Jordan places on his peers. | Does not list the psychological concepts or principles that account for the value Jordan places on his peers. |
Question 3Discuss a specific strategy that Monica can implement to help her son make better decisions. (25%) | Discusses a specific strategy that Monica can implement to help her son make better decisions, using specific details and information from the case study and course lessons. | Discusses a strategy that Monica can implement to help her son make better decisions, but could draw more specific connections between the case study and course material. | Lists but does not discuss a specific strategy that Monica can implement to help her son make better decisions. | Does not list any strategy that Monica can implement to help her son make better decisions. |
Question 4Explain why an understanding of Monica's perspective can result in more constructive advice. (25%) | Explains why an understanding of Monica's perspective can result in more constructive advice, providing specific examples to support this explanation. | Explains why an understanding of Monica's perspective can result in more constructive advice, but could draw more significant connections between the case study and course material. | Lists but does not explain reasons why an understanding of Monica's perspective can result in more constructive advice. | Does not list reasons why an understanding of Monica's perspective can result in more constructive advice. |
C. Requirements
The following requirements must be met for your submission to be graded:
- Each question response should be between 5-7 sentences or 150-200 words, placed directly below the associated question.
- Use a readable 12-point font.
- All writing must be appropriate for an academic context.
- Composition must be original and written for this assignment.
- Plagiarism of any kind is strictly prohibited.
- Submission must include your name and the date.
- Include all of the assignment components in a single file.
- Acceptable file formats include .doc and .docx