PSY 201 Discussion Theory Comparison

PSY 201 Discussion Theory Comparison
PSY 201 Discussion Theory Comparison

Compare and contrast Piaget’s theory of cognitive development with the theories proposed by Vygotsky and Bandura. Use the following scenario: you are a second grade teacher and are writing a lesson plan to teach math facts (addition and subtraction).

Based on Piaget’s theory of cognitive development, what materials would you incorporate into your lesson plan? Be specific and explain how your plan is driven by Piaget’s theory.

How would you change your lesson plan based on Vygotsky’s theory? Based on Bandura’s theory?

DQ2 IQ and Genetics

It used to be thought that IQ was strictly determined by genetics. After reading After the Bell Curve, do you believe that IQ is solely influenced by genetics? Based on your readings, what advice would you offer to parents/caregivers/and educators in order to maximize IQ?

Since its inception, the initial framework has undergone several advances. Key among these are developments in understanding the motivations that underlie social comparisons, and the particular types of social comparisons that are made. Motives that are relevant to social comparison include self-enhancement,[2][3] maintenance of a positive self-evaluation,[6] components of attributions and validation,[7] and the avoidance of closure.[8][9] While there have been changes in Festinger’s original concept, many fundamental aspects remain, including the prevalence of the tendency towards social comparison and the general process that is social comparison.

Click here to ORDER an A++ paper from our Verified MASTERS and DOCTORATE WRITERS:PSY 201 Discussion Theory Comparison

PSY 201 Discussion Theory Comparison
PSY 201 Discussion Theory Comparison

Self-evaluation
According to Thorton and Arrowood, self-evaluation is one of the functions of social comparison. This is one process that underlies how an individual engages in social comparison.[10] Each individual’s specific goals will influence how they engage in social comparison. For self-evaluation, people tend to choose a comparison target that is similar to themselves.[11] Specifically, they are most interested in choosing a target who shares some distinctive characteristic with themselves. Research suggests that most people believe that choosing a similar target helps ensure the accuracy of the self-evaluation.[12] However, individuals do not always act as unbiased self-evaluators, and accurate self-evaluations may not be the primary goal of social comparison.

Self-enhancement
Individuals may also seek self-enhancement, or to improve their self-esteem.[11] They may interpret, distort, or ignore the information gained by social comparison to see themselves more positively and further their self-enhancement goals. They will also choose to make upward (comparing themselves to someone better off) or downward (comparing themselves to someone worse off) comparisons, depending on which strategy will further their self-enhancement goals. They may also avoid making comparisons period, or avoid making certain types of comparisons. Specifically, when an individual believes that their ability in a specific area is low, they will avoid making upward social comparisons in that area. Unlike for self-evaluation goals, people engaging in social comparison with the goal of self-enhancement may not seek out a target that is similar to themselves. In fact, if a target’s similarity is seen as a threat, due to the target outperforming the individual on some dimension, the individual may downplay the similarity of the target to themselves. This notion ties closely to the phenomena in psychology introduced also by Leon Festinger himself as it relates to the diminishing of cognitive dissonance. One does not want to perceive oneself in a way which would downplay one’s original belief upon which one’s self-esteem is based and therefore in order to reduce the cognitive dissonance, one is willing to change the cognitive representation of the other person whom one compares oneself to, such that one’s own belief about oneself remains intact. This effectively leads to the comparison of apples to oranges or psychological denial.