Changing the Mind and Group Dynamics - Essay Example

?Changing the Mind and Group Dynamics Q1) Learning and intelligence are very differently defined by everyone. There is the debate of crystalline intelligence and fluidic intelligence (stored knowledge vs. problem solving skills). Object based people focus on the cold, hard facts regarding a project. They have to have the proof or ability to do a problem. Symbolic based are people who focus on broad ranged, overall theories. Interpersonal based focuses on the personality aspect of intelligence with emphasis on communication and personality. Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences also provides an overall round theory which encompasses most of what was described above. He believed that intelligence was not simply measured by mathematical reasoning and reading skills, skills that our society values, but also that people could have “intelligence” in other areas such as artistry, kinesthetic, music, etc. When working with a collaborative group of people, it is important to recognize that everyone brings a different type of intelligence to the table as well as everyone’s cognitive processes do not work the same. Therefore, the leadership role has to be competent in addressing all the unique ideas that are brought to the project. Gardner talks about “changing minds” or rather getting them on the same page. Unification through principle and idea is necessary for us to reach a common goal, therefore it relies on the ability to compromise between those that are more theory oriented and the more realistic thinkers in order to achieve a goal that is believed to be common among everyone. Q2) The six factors that Gardner describes are: reason, research, resonance, resources and rewards, representational redescriptions, and real world events. I think that the two biggest factors that will influence our project in particular are resources and rewards, as well as research. When talking about the resources and rewards that come as a result of the project, it is important to bring up the 80/20 principle. The goal of the discussion on CNG vs. electric is going to spark some controversy on what to write on and how to construct the blog. Everyone is going to want a good grade on this assignment, but due to our human nature, we want to do it in the quickest and easiest way. Using the 80/20 principle, in order to achieve a specific view, we make one side seem more favorable than the other in terms of the amount of resources that it is going to take as well as how greater the rewards are. The rewards of the project (getting an A) are going to outweigh the resources (the work put into the project). In terms of the people reading the blog and website on CNG vs. electric, you want to show them that it is way more beneficial for them to drive an eco-friendly car because it is both environmentally and financially sound; compared to the current gas-powered one they drive now. Research is another extremely important factor. In order to get people to agree and work, there must be substantial information that has been collected in order to support your argument. For blog design, having numerous examples to draw on can help parties come to a conclusion as well as having the information to show the argument of CNG vs. electric when going green. When communicating this to the population reading the blog, research is imperative. We are going to want to show that it is environmentally and financially sound. This can be done by showing carbon emission output of both vehicles and showing the pricing how in the end, a CNG or electric car will save a lot more money than a gas-powered vehicle. Q3) Resistance is a way that a person protects themselves from beliefs or feelings that the person perceives as incompatible with their own. It is based off many cognitive and social processes such as beliefs that the person already possesses, cultural and societal norms, patterns of behavior, and knowledge that is already possessed. Again, it is easy to explain resistance in terms of the person relying on the 50/50 principle. When a person is making a decision, the resistance is based on the ratio of input versus output. When trying to overcome resistance, you need the person to switch to the 80/20 principle in that they believe that it will require minimal effort in order to achieve the desired results. By getting them to think about 80/20 versus 50/50, the resistance is more likely to be overcome. Q4) Internet and technology has been a way that has unified minds. The ability to comment and search the internet for information has revolutionized the way in which people learn. Our unifying cause is that we want to learn about the topics that are being presented. There are two different types of readers that are in play: there are the students that are creating the blog (us) and then there are the readers who are reading what we are producing (them). We have a better understanding of the material then they do because we are researching the topic involved and we bring about the same level of understanding of the material based on education. The people who are reading the material bring many other different attitudes when reading the blog such as their differing personal beliefs, the values they inherently have, and the differing levels of education. The reasoning for personal interaction with the blog also has some similarities and differences. We are all working/reading on the blog in order to understand the other ways that we can become more economically and ecologically friendly. The class is required to work on the blog/site as a requirement for the course whereas the people who are reading the blog are reading it for its informational and educational content. These similarities and differences are intertwined in that the reader’s want this blog to be continuously updated and have credible information and we want to get a good grade on the project. Q5) The internet is so vast that it is very easy for websites/blogs to get lost in the confusion. My goals for the completion and advancement of our blog/site are to create an interactive and aesthetically pleasing site that is promoted throughout the community and other social groups. Regarding the aesthetically pleasing design of the blog, I would like to have someone in the class work on it that has an eye for art as well as has website/blog design experience. The other important component is promotion. We have to get the community and “world” involved. This can be accomplished through publication in the school as well as out in the community. The utilization of social networks such as myspace, facebook, twitter, etc. will allow greater dissemination of information and will add the personal touch to being involved in the development and promotion of the blog to everyone’s contacts on their respective sites. Q6) Specifically, I want to focus on the publicity aspect of increasing our readership. The first step is by disseminating the link to the blog into social networking and emails. This is done by creating trees in which people forward the message and blog to others and hopefully it will create a web of contacts. In addition, I can promote this blog on other major sites through ads and hyperlinks on google and other related sites that believe in the cause and the information we provide. In addition, it can be brought up to people who support it in legislature which can increase the political involvement in the blog, which will eventually become an important factor. Read More