Reflective Learning Journal Critique - Assignment Example

Institution : xxxxxxxxxxx Title : xxxxxxxxxxx Tutor : xxxxxxxxxxx Course : xxxxxxxxxxx @2013 Introduction A learning journal is basically a learning log in which a scholar puts his/her observations, notes, thoughts and materials important to the study which he/she has built up over years or during the period of the study. Learning journals may consist of tape recordings, note books or even electronic materials. Their primary purpose is often to enhance one’s learning a process entailing writing as well as thinking about an individual’s learning experiences. Generally, learning journals are personal materials which are best understood by the owner as they often reflect the owner’s thoughts. Additionally, the owner of the journal also writes them in a language and term he/she understands best (Moon, 2006). Completing a journal in social psychology helps one to be able to properly understand issues arising from the course or in the research question given. Learning journals also helps one understand more on the topic of social psychology as one will be able to incorporate personal thoughts and analyze them in depth. During the process of writing learning journal, a puzzle which unfolds within the study can make an individual be able to change their thoughts on the topic. Completing a journal is important as it provides a follow up of the study and the researcher understands the topic best. While reflecting on the given study topics, this particular learning journal therefore seeks to respond to the aspects of online dating, prejudice and discrimination as well as self and identity, which should be useful in clearly understanding the topics and the arguments therein. Topic 1: Self and Identity (self monitor). 1. Which aspect of the topic has interested me most? Why? The aspect that has interested me most in this particular reading is the aspect of self presentation. This is because our success in making others believe that we have unique characteristics profoundly affects the outcomes of our lives. This aspect highlights how individuals strive to influence the way people perceive them, hence it is not just a prevalent aspect within our lives, but a vital one too. Since it is more of a social phenomenon, it is indeed having social roots thereby guiding the way we perceive others and the behaviours we exhibit within social settings. Self presentation also highlights how individuals present themselves before others and the way such presentations impact on their social life. In particular is the case of the low-self monitoring and the high self-monitoring individuals. 2. What are the main ideas, concepts related to this aspect? Synder (1980) details how different people strive to impress others through some behaviours in order to present their image in a preferred manner. As Synder (1980) highlights, some people are good at first impression than others whereas others have the ability to study and be able to offer what people require from them, considering that society often holds people who are able to create an impression and offer what people require in society as smart (Synder, 1980 & Plous, 2011). However, this requires an individual to be skillful to be able to gauge his own performance and act accordingly. Individuals thus fall under two categories: the high self-monitoring individual and the low self-monitoring individual. High self-monitoring individuals are good in behavioural change and have remarkable self-control of their emotions. On the contrary, low self-monitoring individuals are more concerned in voicing their feelings than dealing with the situation at hand. High self monitoring individuals are thus perceived as potential leaders based on their interaction skills. What short quote from the text or reading illustrates an important point related to this aspect? The most captivating quote that also highlights a significant point within this aspect is Synder’s “anybody who fully trusts anybody is looking for trouble” statement (page 139). This statement followed synder’s complements to the High self-monitoring individuals as able to detect when someone is putting on a face or an act before them individuals. These qualities are said to make them leaders in groups and organizations. On the contrary the low self-monitoring individuals, apart from being consumed with voicing their feelings, tend to accept an idea as given. How is this aspect relevant to my social world as a female? This aspect is relevant to my social situation as a female in that it enables me clearly understand the nature of social situations. In fact, it highlights the fact that high self monitoring people in the society stand chances of being recognized as potential leaders, and since women seek to be empowered and lead just as men, this aspect is definitely important. This aspect is also very relevant to me as a female since it deals with issues regarding how I am perceived and regarded within the social circles, a factor which actually affects my self esteem seriously. As such, in the society today, women are mostly considered to be high self-monitored people who are able to deal with situations more than men. Topic 2: Prejudice and Discrimination 1. Which aspect of the topic has interested me most? Why? The most interesting part here is the way in which the in-group and out-group notion plays out throughout the text. This is interesting because it clearly highlights what is happening in the world today among individuals with regards to people’s uniqueness or unique situations that eventually subject them to favours or uncalled for consequences. This also offers the reasons why some people feel naturally inclined to particular behaviours while also indicating why others have very minimal contributions in the society. 2. What are the main ideas, concepts related to this aspect? Prejudice is when one has an already formed judgment towards a group or a person. In my opinion, prejudice is a feeling or belief that makes people act in a certain way towards others. Discrimination, on the other hand, is a behavior which leads one to act in an unfair manner towards the other as stated by Plous (2011).As highlighted by Plous (2011), discrimination is of many types including sex discrimination, racism, gender and color, and racism. Racism has undoubtedly been in the limelight for long now for all the bad reasons. Similarly, people who belong to different economic classes tend to associate with others differently. Gender, however, forms the most significant issue in discrimination since women have been discriminated against for centuries to an extent that they feel incapable. According to various studies, women are seen to have no faith in themselves than they do have in men. In as much as it is gradually fading, gender discrimination often occurs unknowingly in cases where people prefer boy child to girl child. Similarly, prejudice often arises with differing preferences over gender. As Plous (2011) highlights, gender discrimination has mostly affected women in the society. This type of discrimination lowers the productivity of women within the society limiting full realization of their potential. Women are tied to certain duties which they are thought to perform best. In my opinion therefore, the society fails to realize that women should be given an opportunity as they have same potential just as men. 3. What short quote from the text or reading illustrates an important point related to this aspect? “nothing we say will make any difference” has been used suitably by Plous (2011, p 199) while portraying the thoughts and plight of those who are discriminated or prejudiced against and to highlight the significant impacts such have in the society. He shows their voicelesness and helplessness in the face of their ‘superiors’. This quote clearly highlights an important point regarding the suffering experienced by out-groups in a society. 4. How is this aspect relevant to my social world as a female? This is quite relevant to my social world as a female as it highlights the plight of women in the society given that women are mostly discriminated against. Actually, gender discrimination is a globally recognized phenomenon that has been in the limelight for as long as the male domination has been in existence. This has attracted significant attention from the human right bodies in an attempt to bring about gender equality. Despite the tremendous growth in female participation within societies, it can still be said that gender discrimination and the ingroup-outgroup interplay is still evident in many developing economies and some developed economies like the Arab nations. Topic 3: Online Dating 1. Which aspect of the topic has interested me most? Why? Despite its elaborate contents, the most interesting and one of the most significant aspects within this text relates the aspect of relationships going wrong. It is interesting to note that people often initiate relationships even within the online platforms and before long most relationships shall have already dissolved, even with the guarantees that the individuals will meet a perfect match. Among the chief causes of such relationship break ups include ignorance, lack of communication and carefree attitude. 2. What are the main ideas, concepts related to this aspect? Just as Finkel et al (2012, p 5) highlights, relationships are indeed part of human existence. In as much as relationships can be fulfilling relationships, they are often faced with serious challenges hence in most relationships, people get hurt and divorce sets in. Research has shown that in many relationships that lead to marriage, 50% of them often end up in divorce (Finkel et al, 2012).Failure in relationships is an issue which needs to be addressed as it is seen to be affecting most people especially where children are involved. Relationships are deemed to fail where persons involved feel more comfortable in their comfort zones thereby stopping to care for their partners. Actually, it is true that people in relationships are often kind to strangers than they are to their partners. Similarly, most relationships fail because when people get together when they actually do not know the characters of their partners. Small issues cropping up therefore easily lead to the breaking up of the relationship, especially when they are not promptly and adequately addressed within the relationship. In intimate relationships however, people suffer even more in terms of their health as some people are often stuck in failed relationships where they feel they have invested much in. Similarly, lack of communication, patience and a carefree attitude has seen most relationships fail. Intimacy is as well cited to be spicing up the relationship thereby bringing partners together, hence when it fades away just as is always common, the closeness similarly fades away and a break up is evident. Actually, in such circumstances, women suffer most as they are more committed and invest a lot in relationships than men. Men are often perceived as easily moving on with their lives than women after such an occurrence (Weiten,2007). 3. What short quote from the text or reading illustrates an important point related to this aspect? Finkel et al (2012, p 5) describes the need for a deeper connection to be “a fundamental motivation within humans”. This is actually highlighting the point that relationships are no doubt a part of human necessity for existence. As such, individuals within fulfilling relationships are much happier than those who are not in relationships or those facing serious challenges in their relationships. Relationships are seen to be faced with many challenges whereby in many relationships people end up getting seriously hurt by those they love the most. 4. How is this aspect relevant to my social world as a female? As a female, this aspect is quite relevant to me owing to the fact that women suffer most in relationships that go bad. In fact women are often the most affected whereby they take quite a long time to forget the experiences they encountered throughout their duration in the relationship. As such, they tend to take longer periods before joining another relationship as compared to men Conclusion This study has significantly helped in the understanding of social psychology. Online dating, prejudice and discrimination, and self and identity have been outlined as emerging issues which affect social life of individuals in the world today. Through an in depth analysis of the above issues, one can actually understand behaviour change among individuals. For instance, the analysis on discrimination and prejudice has helped by indicating clearly how individuals relate. Similarly, it has been highlighted how emotions of people affect the way they work, how they present themselves and how people take them to be. The three topics are generally interrelated and reflect the social lives of individuals including the issues the society faces, as a result, emphasizing on more studies of better ways of handling shortcomings involved. The above study gives people an open mind to be able to understand themselves in a better way. From this study one has been able to understand learning journal well as online dating which is an example. The study above has brought out clearly psychological thoughts of social lives of individuals and the problems involved, however the study does not put enough emphasis on the way of solving the problems highlighted. The society should take time to educate people on social living as it will improve their living standard. The society should also eradicate discrimination in the society as it limits utilization of people’s full potential. Finally, Scholars of social science should expound on their study to include ways of solving problems which affects the society at large. References Finkel, E et.al,2012. Online Dating. A critical Analysis from Perspective of Pschological Science Moon,J,2006,Learning Journals: A Handbook for Reflective Practice and Professional Development,Taylor & Francis Myers, D,2012,Social Psychology,11th edition,McGraw-Hill Miller,R,1997,We always hurt the ones we love:Aversive Interactions in Close Relationships Plous,2011,Prejudice and Discrimination:What is the Nature and Power of Prejudice,Pp.35 Synder,M,1980,Self and Identity.Many Me’s of Self Monitor,Pp.33-40 Stevens,D & Cooper,2009,Journal Keeping: How to Use Reflective Writing for Effective Learning, Teaching, Professional Insight, and Positive Change,Stylus Publishing Weiten,W,2007,Psychology: Themes and Variations: Themes And Variations,Cengage Learning Myers, D,2012,Social Psychology,11th edition,McGraw-Hill Read More

However, this requires an individual to be skillful to be able to gauge his own performance and act accordingly. Individuals thus fall under two categories: the high self-monitoring individual and the low self-monitoring individual. High self-monitoring individuals are good in behavioural change and have remarkable self-control of their emotions. On the contrary, low self-monitoring individuals are more concerned in voicing their feelings than dealing with the situation at hand. High self monitoring individuals are thus perceived as potential leaders based on their interaction skills.

What short quote from the text or reading illustrates an important point related to this aspect? The most captivating quote that also highlights a significant point within this aspect is Synder’s “anybody who fully trusts anybody is looking for trouble” statement (page 139). This statement followed synder’s complements to the High self-monitoring individuals as able to detect when someone is putting on a face or an act before them individuals. These qualities are said to make them leaders in groups and organizations.

On the contrary the low self-monitoring individuals, apart from being consumed with voicing their feelings, tend to accept an idea as given. How is this aspect relevant to my social world as a female? This aspect is relevant to my social situation as a female in that it enables me clearly understand the nature of social situations. In fact, it highlights the fact that high self monitoring people in the society stand chances of being recognized as potential leaders, and since women seek to be empowered and lead just as men, this aspect is definitely important.

This aspect is also very relevant to me as a female since it deals with issues regarding how I am perceived and regarded within the social circles, a factor which actually affects my self esteem seriously. As such, in the society today, women are mostly considered to be high self-monitored people who are able to deal with situations more than men. Topic 2: Prejudice and Discrimination 1. Which aspect of the topic has interested me most? Why? The most interesting part here is the way in which the in-group and out-group notion plays out throughout the text.

This is interesting because it clearly highlights what is happening in the world today among individuals with regards to people’s uniqueness or unique situations that eventually subject them to favours or uncalled for consequences. This also offers the reasons why some people feel naturally inclined to particular behaviours while also indicating why others have very minimal contributions in the society. 2. What are the main ideas, concepts related to this aspect? Prejudice is when one has an already formed judgment towards a group or a person.

In my opinion, prejudice is a feeling or belief that makes people act in a certain way towards others. Discrimination, on the other hand, is a behavior which leads one to act in an unfair manner towards the other as stated by Plous (2011).As highlighted by Plous (2011), discrimination is of many types including sex discrimination, racism, gender and color, and racism. Racism has undoubtedly been in the limelight for long now for all the bad reasons. Similarly, people who belong to different economic classes tend to associate with others differently.

Gender, however, forms the most significant issue in discrimination since women have been discriminated against for centuries to an extent that they feel incapable. According to various studies, women are seen to have no faith in themselves than they do have in men. In as much as it is gradually fading, gender discrimination often occurs unknowingly in cases where people prefer boy child to girl child. Similarly, prejudice often arises with differing preferences over gender. As Plous (2011) highlights, gender discrimination has mostly affected women in the society.

This type of discrimination lowers the productivity of women within the society limiting full realization of their potential.

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