Group Activity 1) Memory experiment 2) Personality perception experiment

Words

stubborn recklessness

Words

persistent adventurous

Experiment #1 Write down –a) the word that comes AFTER one of your words –b) the word that comes BEFORE one of your words

Ball Cat Little Kite Sun Run Talk Hike Track Wind Lake Dog Mile Sky

Ball Cat Little Kite Sun Run Talk Hike Track Adventurous Stubborn Dog Mile Sky

End of Experiment #1 Write down –a) the word that came AFTER one of your words –b) the word that came BEFORE one of your words

Experiment #2 Personality Perception

Donald spent a great amount of his time in search of what he liked to call excitement. He had already climbed Mt. McKinley, shot the Colorado rapids in a kayak, driven in a demolition derby, and piloted a jet-powered boat – without knowing very much about boats. He had risked injury, and even death, a number of times. Now he was in search of new excitement. He was thinking, perhaps, he would so some skydiving or maybe cross the Atlantic in sailboat. By the way he acted one could readily guess that Donald was well aware of his ability to do many things well. Other than business engagements, Donald’s contacts with people were rather limited. He felt he didn’t really need to rely on anyone. Once Donald made up his mind to do something it was as good as done no matter how long it might take or difficult the going might be. Only rarely did he change his mind even when it might well have been better if he had.

Personality Perception Write 2-3 sentences of your general impression of Donald On a scale of 1 – 10 rate Donald –(1 = did not like; 5 = Neutral; 10 = Like very much)

Cognitive Processes and Personality

How thoughts influence our personality Our perceptions of the world Our perceptions of ourselves The goals we set

Cognitive Processes and Personality How thoughts influence our personality Perceptual processes Self processes Strategic and motivational processes

Perceptual Processes “For some the world is a hostile place where men are evil and dangerous; for others it is a stage for fun and frolic.”

Perceptual Processes Group Activity Why? Are your perceptions of the world accurate? Why do some people perceive the world differently?

Perceptual Processes Priming –The more often one perceives something, the more likely that something is to come to mind Environment –Parents (honesty, fearless, etc.) –Television (violence)

How did you see Donald? Imagine you always encountered issues surrounding: –“stubborn / recklessness” OR –“persistent / adventurous ”

Perceptual Processes External World “network” is activated Perceptions of World Exposure to negative words Priming “negative network” See others as negative

Scenarios Pretend that you are standing on the playground playing catch with a bunch of kids. You throw the ball to another kid and the kid catches it. You turn around, and the next thing you realize is that the kid has thrown the ball and hit you in the middle of your back. The ball hit you hard and it hurts a lot.

Question Why did the child / children do this? Do you think the child / children were trying to be mean or not trying to be mean? What would you do next?

Scenarios Imagine that you are looking for your friend on the playground. You can’t wait to find your friend because you have an important secret to share. By the time you find your friend, your friend is already playing with someone else – a kid you don’t like very much.

Question Why did the child / children do this? Do you think the child / children were trying to be mean or not trying to be mean? What would you do next?

Once in a while I can’t control the urge to strike another person. Given enough provocation, I may hit another person. If somebody hits me, I hit back. I get into fights a little more than the average person. If I have to resort to violence to protect my rights, I will. There are people who pushed me so far that we came to blows. I have threatened people I know. I have become so mad that I have broken things. I often find myself disagreeing with people. When people annoy me, I may tell them what I think. I can’t help getting into arguments when people disagree with me. My friends say that I am somewhat argumentative. When frustrated, I let my irritation show. Some of my friends think I am a hothead. I sometimes feel like a powder keg ready to explode. Sometimes I fly of the handle for no good reason I have trouble controlling my temper

Perceptual Processes “network” is activated Perceptions of World “aggressive network” See others as aggressive

Why are some people aggressive? How they see the world!

Comic Books 249 students read either –1) Violent comic books –2) Nonviolent comic books

Violent Comic Books

Non-Violent Comic Books

Scenarios Pretend you’re walking outside and you’re wearing your new tennis shoes. You really like your new shoes and it’s the first day that you have worn them. Suddenly, you are bumped from behind by another kid. You stumble and fall into a puddle and your new shoes get muddy.

Question Why did the child / children do this? Do you think the child / children were trying to be mean or not trying to be mean? What would you do next?

Scenarios Imagine that you are at lunch one day and looking for a place to sit. You see some kids you know at a table across the room. The kids are laughing and talking to each other, and they look like they are having a good time. You walk over to their table. As soon as you sit down, the kids stop talking and no one says anything to you.

Question Why did the child / children do this? Do you think the child / children were trying to be mean or not trying to be mean? What would you do next?

Perceptual Processes External World “network” is activated Perceptions of World Exposure to aggressive stimuli Priming “aggressive network” See others as aggressive