Social Psychology in the Movies

Social Psychology in the Movies

For this assessment, you’ll write a 3-5 page paper in which you'll apply social psychology concepts to a movie.

Collapse All

Introduction

Social psychology can help you understand the world around you and answer questions about why people behave the way they do. Why is it so hard to take a chance and go back to school? Why do people start smoking when they know it's bad for them? Why do protests turn violent at times? For this assessment, you will apply social psychology theory and concepts to a movie and explore concepts related to interpersonal relationships, teamwork, and more.

Overview

For this assessment, you’ll apply social psychology concepts to a movie.

Preparation

1. Watch one of the following movies:
   • Remember the Titans.
   • Apollo 13.
   • Miracle.
   • Invictus.
   • The Avengers.
   • Glory Road.
   • Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring.
   • Pitch Perfect.
   • Cool Runnings.
   • Coach Carter.
   • Shackleton.
   • Thirteen Days.
   • Take the Lead.
2. Then find a peer-reviewed research article in the Capella library regarding a social dilemma featured in the film you watched. Consider the following as possibilities
   • Prisoner’s dilemma.
   • Tragedy of the Commons.
   • Public goods dilemma.
   • Social traps.
   • Command and control policies.
   • Market based policies.
   • Voluntarist policies.
   • Outgroup bias.
   • Perceptual dilemma.
   • Any other concept from Chapter 13 in Social Psychology.

Instructions

Write a 3–5-page paper that includes the following:

• Introduction (1 paragraph).
  • Include a short summary of the movie.
• Interpersonal relationships (1–2 paragraphs).
  • Focus on one or two key relationships and use the concepts regarding friendship or love.
    • Describe the social psychology concept(s).
    • Use examples from the film to illustrate your point.
• Teamwork (2–3 paragraphs).
  • Describe one concept that leads to effective teams.
    • Use an example from the film to illustrate your point.
  • Describe one concept that leads to problems with teams.
    • Use an example from the film to illustrate your point.
  • Describe one concept related to leadership.
    • Use an example from the film to illustrate your point.
• Social factors (3–4 paragraphs).
  • Describe one concept regarding social dilemmas.
    • Use an example from the film to illustrate your point.
  • Describe the findings from a peer-reviewed research article regarding social dilemmas.
    • Use an example from the film that reflects the research findings.
  • Describe one concept related to stereotypes or prejudices.
    • Identify aspects of individual and cultural diversity and interpersonal challenges that may result from diversity and context.
      • Use an example from the film to illustrate your point.
• Behaviors (2–3 paragraphs).
  • Describe one concept regarding prosocial behaviors.
    • Use an example from the film to illustrate your point.
  • Describe one concept regarding aggression.
    • Use an example from the film to illustrate your point.
• Conclusion (2–3 paragraphs).
  • Self-reflection. Share what you learned from the examples in the movie that you can apply to your career: information literacy, research, problem solving, teamwork, and leadership.
  • Describe how psychology can promote civic, social, and global outcomes that benefit others.

Submission Requirements

• Written communication: Written communication is in professional style with correct grammar, usage, and mechanics.
• Resources: Use a minimum of three sources: your textbook, the movie, and one peer-reviewed journal article.
• APA formatting: References and citations are formatted according to APA style and formatting.
  • Refer to Academic Writer for guidance in using proper APA style. See the Evidence and APA Citation section of the Writing Center for instructions on accessing and using Academic Writer.
• Length: 3–5 double-spaced, typed pages.
• Font and font size: Times New Roman, 12 point.

Competencies Measured

By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and scoring guide criteria:

• Competency 1: Apply psychological principles to topics in social psychology.
  • Apply interpersonal concepts to media.
  • Apply teamwork and group concepts to media.
  • Apply social dilemma concepts to media.
  • Apply stereotype and prejudice concepts to media.
  • Apply prosocial and aggression concepts to media.
• Competency 2: Describe scholarly research findings in social psychology.
  • Describe scholarly research findings.
• Competency 3: Describe how psychology can promote civic, social, and global outcomes that benefit others.
  • Describe how psychology can promote civic, social, and global outcomes that benefit others.
• Competency 4: Apply social psychological content and skills to career goals.
  • Apply psychological skills to career goals.
• Competency 5: Communicate professionally with proper mechanics and effective organization.
  • Use APA style citations, references, and has a reference page with minor errors.
  • Develop text using organization, structure, and transitions that demonstrate understanding of the relationship between the main topic and subtopics.
  • Social psychologists explore many topics, including our relationships, social behaviors, and group experiences. Review the below chapters to learn more about many of these key areas within social psychology.
    • Kenrick, D., Neuberg, S. L., Cialdini, R. B., & Lundberg-Kenrick, D. (2019). Social psychology: Goals in interaction (7th ed.). Pearson. Available in the courseroom via the VitalSource Bookshelf link.
      • Chapter 7, “Affiliation and Friendship.”
      • Chapter 8, “Love and Romantic Relationships.”
      • Chapter 9, “Prosocial Behaviors.”
      • Chapter 10, “Aggression.”
      • Chapter 11, “Prejudice, Stereotyping, and Discriminations.”
      • Chapter 12, “Groups.”
      • Chapter 13, “Social Dilemmas: Cooperation Versus Conflict.”
      • Chapter 14, “Integrating Social Psychology.”

I already did this assessment and professor made comments

This is a good start. There are issues with the reference for the film and there needs to be in-text citations every time the film is referenced.

Competency 1

Apply psychological principles to topics in social psychology.

Criterion

Apply interpersonal concepts to media.

Your Result:DISTINGUISHED

Applies interpersonal concepts to media with examples that are clearly connected.

Faculty Comments:This film analysis demonstrates a strong understanding of interpersonal communication concepts. The connections between the media examples and the theoretical concepts are clear, insightful, and well-supported. This level of analysis shows a deep understanding of both the theoretical frameworks and their application in everyday contexts, as well as the ability to engage critical analysis while engaging creative media.

Show all Performance Ratings

Criterion

Apply teamwork and group concepts to media.

Your Result:DISTINGUISHED

Applies teamwork and group concepts to media with examples that are clearly connected.

Faculty Comments:The essay demonstrates a strong understanding of teamwork and group dynamics. You effectively apply these concepts to the film examples. The connections between the film and the theoretical concepts are clear, insightful, and well-supported. This level of analysis shows a deep understanding of both the theoretical frameworks and its application in a a film.

Show all Performance Ratings

Criterion

Apply social dilemma concepts to media.

Your Result:DISTINGUISHED

Applies social dilemma concepts to media with examples that are clearly connected.

Faculty Comments:This analysis demonstrates a strong understanding of social dilemma concepts. You effectively apply these concepts to film examples. The connections between the film and the theoretical concepts are clear, insightful, and well-supported. This level of analysis shows a deep understanding of both the theoretical frameworks and their application in creative artifacts.

Show all Performance Ratings

Criterion

Apply stereotype and prejudice concepts to media.

Your Result:DISTINGUISHED

Applies stereotype and prejudice concepts to media with examples that are clearly connected.

Faculty Comments:The essay shows strong understanding of the concepts of stereotype and prejudice. You effectively apply these concepts to the film examples. The connections between the film and the theoretical concepts are clear, insightful, and well-supported. This level of analysis shows a deep understanding of both the theoretical frameworks and their application in film.

Show all Performance Ratings

Criterion

Apply prosocial and aggression concepts to media.

Your Result:DISTINGUISHED

Applies prosocial and aggression concepts to media with examples that are clearly connected.

Faculty Comments:This demonstrates a strong understanding of prosocial and aggression concepts. You effectively apply these concepts to the film. The connections between the examples and the theoretical concepts are clear, insightful, and well-supported. This level of analysis shows a deep understanding of both the theoretical frameworks and their application in film contexts.

Show all Performance Ratings

Competency 2

Describe scholarly research findings in social psychology.

Criterion

Describe scholarly research findings.

Your Result:DISTINGUISHED

Describes scholarly research findings that connect to media.

Faculty Comments:This work demonstrates a solid understanding of scholarly research. You accurately describe the research as it relates to the examples in the film with sound critical reasoning.

Show all Performance Ratings

Competency 3

Describe how psychology can promote civic, social, and global outcomes that benefit others.

Criterion

Describe how psychology can promote civic, social, and global outcomes that benefit others.

Your Result:PROFICIENT

Describes how psychology can promote civic, social, and global outcomes that benefit others.

Faculty Comments:This essay demonstrates an understanding of how psychology can contribute to positive societal change. You discusses how psychology, e.g., social psychology can be used to promote positive change. While the essay presents some relevant information, the examples could be further developed to more clearly illustrate the connection between psychological principles and real-world outcomes.

Show all Performance Ratings

Competency 4

Apply social psychological content and skills to career goals.

Criterion

Apply psychological skills to career goals.

Your Result:PROFICIENT

Applies psychological skills to career goals.

Faculty Comments:This essay demonstrates an understanding of psychological skills and attempts to connect them to career goals. However, the connection between the skill and the career goals could be further developed. With further elaboration, you could more effectively demonstrate how psychological skills can contribute to your professional success.

Show all Performance Ratings

Competency 5

Communicate professionally with proper mechanics and effective organization.

Criterion

Use APA style citations, references, and has a reference page with minor errors.

Your Result:NON-PERFORMANCE

Does not use citations, references, or have a reference page.

Faculty Comments:This essay does not include citations and formatting. Proper citation is crucial in academic writing to give credit to the original sources of information and to support the credibility of your work. Academic integrity requires that all sources used in your writing are properly cited. This includes any information, ideas, or direct quotes that are not your own original work. Please review the course materials on proper citation and referencing, such as APA style. You can also consult resources like the writing lab for guidance on how to properly cite and reference your sources.