hw help psych

I found three articles, you can choose your own article. 400 words. This is due by Friday night 11:59pm

BUSI 340

Discussion Board Instructions

The learning theories, upon which this course is based, are actualized in the Discussion Board Forums. At the beginning of each module/week, you will choose a key term to research. You will be required to write a thread of at least 400 words on the topic, complete with page references and specifics to document the response, and post it to the corresponding Discussion Board Forum. Correct use of English and grammar are required.

Additionally, you will be required to post a substantive written reply of a minimum of 200 words to at least 3 classmates’ Discussion Board threads.

To complete your thread:

1. Select a key term from assigned chapters.

2. Terms cannot be duplicated; therefore, reserve it as a topic on the Discussion Board Forum by posting a thread with only the term in the subject line. Topics can be reserved beginning at 12:01 a.m. (ET) on Monday of Modules/Weeks 1, 3, 5, and 7. Topic reservations posted earlier will be deleted.

3. Conduct an Internet search to find and read 3 recent articles that relate to the term.

4. Select the 1 article that you wish to discuss.

5. Post a new thread that contains the following information in the following format, using the headers so that you ensure that all aspects of the assignment are completed as required. Failure to follow these instructions will result in a 1-point deduction.

a. Definition: Give a brief definition of the key term followed by the APA reference for the term; this does not count in the 400-word requirement.

b. Summary: Give a brief summary of the selected article, in your own words.

c. Discussion:

i. Give a brief discussion of how the article relates to the selected chapter key term. This gives you the opportunity to add value to the discussion by sharing your experiences, thoughts, and opinions. Draw your peers into discussion of topics by asking questions. This is the most important part of the posting!

ii. Include the complete URL of each article (use a persistent link for articles from the

Liberty University Online Library

) in APA-reference format of each article read. These do not count toward the 400-word requirement.

6. Threads are due by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Monday of the assigned module/week.

7. Click here for assistance with

APA formatting

To complete your replies:

1. Read the postings of your peers and the articles which are referenced (This is why it is imperative that the articles be accessible via working URL links). Expect to spend some time each day reviewing all threads and replies, even those in which you are not involved.

2. Write at least 200 words to 3 or more classmates’ threads. You should expect to answer questions posed within each discussion thread. Student interaction is key to success in this course.

3. Replies are due by 11:59 p.m. (ET) Monday of every assigned module/week, except Module/Week 8, in which assignments must be completed by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Friday.

Grading

Consult the accompanying document to see a rubric for how your instructor will grade this assignment. Note that late postings will receive zero credit. Also, any form of plagiarism, including cutting and pasting, will result in zero points for the entire assignment, plus a required 500-word written paper on the topic of plagiarism in order to receive credit for this assignment.

Tips

Articles may be found in the Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, the Economist, or any other reputable website that deals with business. You will be performing academic research, which utilizes reliable sources of information from reputable magazines or newspapers that are available in electronic format or hard copy.

Sites that are absolutely not acceptable are:

· Wikipedia

· About.com

· Commercial sites (usually a consultant’s web page, but may take other forms)

· Blogs (be careful, some look very convincing)

· Education sites (these usually do not contain articles, but rather lecture notes or student papers)

You can utilize the Liberty University Online Library portal for research, but note that some articles may not offer persistent links. If you utilize articles found in LexisNexis or other sites that are behind security walls, you will need to make the articles available to classmates by copying and pasting into a Word document and attaching the document to the thread. If this is done, be sure that you include the APA-formatted references included at the bottom of the Discussion Board posting. This is easily accomplished by saving all articles to a folder and then making the folder a zip file. The zip file can then be attached to the Discussion Board submission. Here is a link to the
Liberty University Online Library
.

The availability of the articles that you research regarding the topic is important because classmates must be able to read the articles to form their own opinions and gain further insight into the topic. Students need to understand not merely the key terms but also how to research reliable sources. This is not only to further their education, but also for their professional use.

Discussion Board Example

Groupthink

Definition: Organizational Behavior notes, “Groupthink is the tendency of highly cohesive groups to value consensus at the price of decision quality” (McShane & Von Glinow, 2008, p. 257).

Summary: The article entitled “The Turn to Online Research is Narrowing the Range of Modern Scholarship, a New Study Suggests” written by Rebecca Tuhus-Dubrow discusses how the internet has made accessing research and other things on the internet extremely easy. By using search engines this has caused groupthink for many students conducting research. (Instructor Note: This is a shorter summary. Do not feel like you have to limit yourself to this length in the summary section.)

Discussion: The internet has made performing research for students a matter of seconds. Students used to have to go to the library and conduct research out of textbooks and other publications but now by simply typing your subject in a search engine a variety of choices are at your fingertips. “Millions of journal articles are available online, enabling scholars to find material they never would have encountered at their university libraries” (Tuhus-Dubrow). A recent study by James Evans, a sociologist at the University of Chicago, has “determined that as more journal issues came online news papers referenced a relatively smaller pool of articles which tended to be more recent, at the expense of older and more obscure work” (Tuhus-Dubrow).

The internet just like everything else has it costs as well as benefits. Just like the article states the internet has started to dominate people’s lives. People rely on the internet for everything for both work and personal use. “Our daily experience- what we watch, listen to, and read; the people we date and the friendships we maintain—is increasingly shaped by the vast information landscape of the internet, and how it is filtered for personal use” (Tuhus-Dubrow).

The internet is considered to be a new form of groupthink because when searching for articles students are not highly selective in the choices they make and they tend to pick one of the few search choices that comes up. Also, the other alternatives of research are now not used due to the convenience of the internet. “Search engines must present results in some kind of order and most sites rely on tools that rank results primarily in two ways: in reverse chronological order and by popularity” (Tuhus-Dubrow). If a search engine filters results by popularity then this is groupthink because others are succumbing to the will of the group by choosing the same articles that show up first as results.

Do you feel that internet search engines cause groupthink? If so, elaborate on why you think this. Do you feel that this is why many professors at Liberty University want students to not choose the same discussion board topics? I personally feel that the reason professors want us to chose different topics is so that we will not reflect the same views and chose the same articles which would therefore be groupthink.

References

Adler, S. (2009). At davos, beware the tide of groupthink. Bloomberg Businessweek. Retrieved from:

http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/content/feb2009/db2009021_878209.htm

McShane, S., & Von Glinow, M.A. (2013). Organizational behavior (6th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.

Mulrine, A. (2008). The army trains a skeptics corps to battle groupthink. US News. Retrieved from:

http://www.usnews.com/articles/news/world/2008/05/15/the-army-trains-a-skeptics-corps-to-battle-groupthink.html

Tuhus-Dubrow, R. (2008). Group think: The turn to online research is narrowing the range of modern scholarship, a new study suggests. Boston.com. Retrieved from:

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2008/11/23/group_think/

The below definition is from our book.

INDIVIDUALISM AND COLLECTIVISM

Of the many values studied across cultures, the five summarized in Exhibit 2.7 are by far the most popular. This exhibit also lists countries that have high, medium, or low emphasis on these values. Two seemingly inseparable cross-cultural values are individualism and collectivism. Individualism is the extent to which we value independence and personal uniqueness. Highly individualist people value personal freedom, self-sufficiency, control over their own lives, and appreciation of the unique qualities that distinguish them from others. Americans, Chileans, Canadians, and South Africans generally exhibit high individualism, whereas Taiwan and Venezuela are countries with low individualism. 9°

Collectivism is the extent to which we value our duty to groups to which we belong and to group harmony. Highly collectivist people define themselves by their group memberships, emphasize their personal connection to others in their in-groups, and value the goals

LO6

individualism

A cross-cultural value describing the degree to which

people in a culture emphasize independence and personal

uniqueness. Chapter Two Individual Behavior, Personality, and Values

• connections 2.1

Infosys Bridges the Cross-Cultural Divide 89 Infosys Technologies, a technology outsourcing firm in India, was prepared for cross-cultural differences when it acquired an Australian company. Sean Fernando, Infosys general manager

of human resources in Australia, provides a vivid example of one of these cultural differences: When asked to travel on

business, Infosys employees in India would pack their bags

without hesitation and be ready to go even though they lacked

details about the trip. Australian staff, on the other hand,

wanted to know about the accommodation, allowances, and

project specifics before they felt at ease. In other words, employees

from India had noticeably lower levels of uncertainty

avoidance. Another difference was that staff in India expect the boss

to give them instructions on what to do, whereas Australian employees expect to be consulted. In other words, Australian employees have much lower power distance. Fernando recalls an incident where an Australian project manager met

with a project team from India. He described the project and then suggested that they share ideas about how to successfully complete the project. “They didn’t know what he meant,” says Fernando. “Then one of the people just said:

‘We were wondering when you are going to tell us what the plan was. —

To minimize cross-cultural conflict, Infosys Australia holds three-hour sessions in which employees from both countries learn about their cultures and discuss how they can manage employees with these different values. Infosys is training its managers to be aware of cross-cultural differences when working with employees from other countries. and well-being of people within those groups. 9′ Low collectivism countries include the United States, Japan, and Germany, whereas Israelis and Taiwanese have relatively high collectivism. Contrary to popular belief, individualism is not the opposite of collectivism. In fact, an analysis of most previous studies reported that the two concepts are unrelated. 92 For example, cultures that highly value duty to one’s group do not necessarily give a low priority to personal freedom and uniqueness. Generally, people across all cultures define themselves by both their uniqueness and their relationship to others. It is an inherent characteristic of everyone’s self-concept, which we discuss in the next chapter. Some cultures clearly emphasize uniqueness or group obligations more than the other, but both have a place in a person’s values and self-concept. Also note that people in Japan have relatively low collectivism. This is contrary to many cross-cultural books, which claim that Japan is one of the most collectivist

countries on the planet! There are several explanations for the historical misinterpretation, ranging from problems defining and measuring collectivism to erroneous reporting of early cross-cultural research. Whatever the reasons, studies consistently report that people in Japan tend to have relatively low collectivism and moderate individualism (as indicated in Exhibit 2.7).” a connect

How much do you value individualism and collectivism? Go to

www.mcgrawhillconnect

. corn to assess your individualism and collectivism, as well as assist your learning about the topic of cross-cultural values. collectivism

A cross-cultural value describing the degree to which people in a culture emphasize duty to groups to which they belong and to group harmony.

High: United States, Chile, Canada, South Africa Medium: Japan, Denmark

Low: Taiwan, Venezuela Defines self more by one’s uniqueness; personal goals have priority; decisions have low consideration of effect on others; relationships are viewed as more instrumental and fluid. Individualism

VALUE REPRESENTATIVE BELIEFS/BEHAVIORS IN “HIGH” CULTURES SAMPLE COUNTRIES

Uncertainty Avoidance High: Belgium, Greece Medium: United States, Norway

Low: Denmark, Singapore Prefer predictable situations; value stable employment,

s rict laws, and low conflict; dislike deviations from normal behavior.

High: Austria, Japan Medium: United States, Brazil Low: Sweden, Netherlands

Focus on outcomes (versus relationships); decisions based on contribution (equity versus equality); low empathy or showing emotions (versus strong empathy and caring). Achievement Orientation Collectivism High: Israel, Taiwan

Medium: India, Denmark Low: United States, Germany, Japan Defines self more by one’s in-group membership; goals of selfsacrifice and harmony have priority; behavior regulated by in-group norms; in-group memberships are viewed as stable with a strong differentiation with out-groups. Power Distance High: India, Malaysia Medium: United States, Japan Low: Denmark, Israel Reluctant to disagree with or contradict the boss; managers are expected and preferred decision makers; perception of dependence (versus interdependence) with the boss. EXHIBIT 2.7 Five Cross-Cultural Values uncertainty avoidance A cross-cultural value describing the degree to which people in a culture tolerate

ambiguity (low uncertainty avoidance) or feel threatened by ambiguity and uncertainty (high uncertainty avoidance). achievement—nurturing orientation

A cross-cultural value describing the degree to which people in a culture emphasize competitive versus cooperative relations with other people.

56 Part Two Individual Behavior and Processes Sources: Individualism and collectivism descriptions and results are from the meta-analysis reported by D. Oyserman, H. M. Coon, and M. Kemmelmeier,

“Rethinking Individualism and Collectivism: Evaluation of Theoretical Assumptions and Meta-Analyses:’ Psychological Bulletin 128 (2002), pp. 3-72. The

other information is from G. Hofstede, Culture’s Consequences, 2d ed. (Thousand Oaks, CA:

Page 1 of 7

Individualism

BookSuggestions:

· The Myth of Individualism: How Social Forces Shape Our Lives

· Essays on Individualism: Modern Ideology in Anthropological Perspective

· Reconstructing Individualism: A Pragmatic Tradition from Emerson to Ellison (American Philosophy)

· American Individualism (Classic Reprint)

· Habits of the Heart: Individualism and Commitment in American Life

Individualism is generally understood to be a social context or environment in which individuals are the focal operating units as opposed to

states

or social groups; the social context has to be sustained by the beliefs of the people within it. The term individualism has also been used to describe individual initiative and freedom of the individual in general.

Societies and groups can differ in the extent to which they are based upon predominantly “self-regarding” (individualistic and arguably self-interested) rather than “other-regarding” (group-orientated and group or

society

minded) behaviour. T

here

is also a distinction relevant in this context between guilt societies (internal reference standard) and shame societies (e.g. Japan) with an external reference standard and where people look to their peers for feedback as to whether an action is acceptable.

The extent to which society or groups are individualistic can vary from time to time and from country to country. For example, Japanese society is more group orientated (e.g. decisions tend to be taken by groups rather than individuals) and it has been argued that “personalities are less developed” (than is usual in the West). The USA is usually thought of as being at the individualistic (it’s detractors would say atomistic) end of the spectrum, whereas European societies are more inclined to believe in public-spiritedness, state spending, and public initiatives.

J.K. Galbraith

made a classic distinction between private affluence and public squalor in the USA and private squalor and public affluence in e.g. Europe and there is a correlation between individualism and degrees of public sector intervention and taxation. Such issues tie in with the theory of free markets as set out e.g. by Adam Smith; they also tie in with theories of liberty and development where it is generally argued that excessive state intervention tends to reduce liberty and slow development (see

pluralism

Individualism is often contrasted with

totalitarianism

and

collectivism

, but in fact there is a spectrum of behaviours ranging at the societal level from highly individualistic societies (e.g. the USA) through mixed societies (a term the UK has used in the post-WW2 period) to totalitarian.

Individualism, closely associated with some variants of the ideals of

capitalism

libertarianism

and classical

liberalism

, typically takes it for granted that individuals know best and that public authority or society has the right to interfere in the person’s decision-making process only when a very compelling need to do so arises (and maybe not even in those circumstances). This type of argument is often observed in relation to policy debates regarding regulation of industries.

At the time of the formation of the United States, many of its citizens had fled from state or religious oppression in Europe and were influenced by the egalitarian and fraternal ideals that later found expression in the French revolution. Such ideas influenced the framers of the

U.S. Constitution

(the Jeffersonian

Democratic-Republicans

) who believed that the government should seek to protect individual rights in the constitution itself; this idea later led to the

Bill of Rights

Individualism has negative connotations in certain societies and environments where it is associated with selfishness. For example, individualism is highly frowned upon in Japan where self-interested behaviour is traditionally regarded as a kind of betrayal of those to whom one has obligations e.g. family and firm. The absence of universal health care in the United States, which traces back to a belief in individual (rather than societal) responsibility, is widely criticised in Europe where universal health care (usually funded in Europe through general taxation) is seen as protecting individuals from the vagaries of health problems; health care is seen in Europe as a classic case where insurance at a societal level is right and sensible.

Capitalism and Individualism

Karl Marx argued that the structure of production (structure of the economy) determined the structure of society, and there is little doubt that evolving trends in society, many to do with the evolution of industry and trade, influence society and the way people interact. For example, the emergence of automobile and air transportation, together with the speed of economic change, has tended to fracture families in the West and to erode the influence of the extended family. The opening of the Japanese economy to international free markets has tended to erode its ability to have consensus decision-making at a societal level.

It can be argued that capitalism is not based on individuals but largely on firms and

institutions

, and that individuals’ roles are largely determined by institutions. However, compared to

socialist states

, many of which have either

collapsed

or started to convert to capitalism during the late

s and early

1990s

, capitalism is considered still individualistic. In capitalism, individuals have choices with regard to institutional affiliation (for which institution s/he works), whereas in many socialist economies workplaces, as well as place of residence, spending, and artistic and political expression, are heavily regulated or determined by the state.

See:

self purpose

tragedy of the commons

References

· The Wealth of Nations, Adam Smith

· The Open Society and Its Enemies, Karl Popper

The Importance of Individuality

· Mar 29, 2009

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All humans have a basic need to express themselves, to show others who we are, what we believe in, and how we are different. This is what make us individual, special and unique. We choose to express ourselves differently based on our personality. Some people express their creativity and personality through creating art or music, others have special hobbies that show off their skills and abilities. Choosing not to make bold statements is also a way of expressing your personality.

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Most common perhaps, is the way we present ourselves to the world through clothing and appearance. This is why almost all subcultures can be identified and recognised by their chosen way of dressing or why teenagers seem to change fashion ideals all the time in a period of their lives when personality is being formed.
Individuality is what makes life and people interesting and exiting!
It is also what makes people trust you. When we express our individuality, we show people that we have nothing to hide and that what you see is what you get.
Most people though, do not have the opportunity to express themselves as freely as they may like to because they have certain obligations. Generally this means work responsibilities. After all some jobs do not lend themselves to outrageous dressing or bold statements of individuality. Customers would be somewhat concerned if their accountant or bank representative decided to show up for work in flip flops and shorts even if they were passionate surfers in their free time. In many ways society ‘pigeon holes’, or attempts to, in order to enable us to not only conform but be instantly recognisable to others.
But conforming to certain ideals and stereotypes in order to be taken seriously doesn’t have to imply curbing all expressing of individuality. In businesses there are many leaders whose personalities often play a big part in the publics perception of a company such as Donald Trump or Richard Branson.

Small things such as your businesses card can say a lot about you. What font is your name written in? What colour paper have you chosen? How big are the letters and where are they placed on the card?
Classy, hand written fonts show style and sophistication. Big, bold letters show a healthy ego and drive. Rounded and soft letters show creativity and an easy going personality. Font is important!
Colours are important. Simple white paper with black letters, shows unpretentiousness and seriousness. Bright colours and coloured text shows something else entirely. Is the letters written in all capitals? Is the company logo big and dominant or subtle?
There are many ways of expressing you own or your companies individuality on your businesses card. As such, it is a good idea to think about what you are trying to communicate to your target audience. After all, when your clients or people you meet look at your business card they are going to associate that with you and your company. Therefore you need to ensure that it makes a good impression and portrays the correct façade.
Custom businesses card printing is available many places online. Many online business printing services offer customised solutions that you can choose from or work from your own design. The quality of is usually high, delivery times fast and prices very competitive.

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Individualism vs. Collectivism: Our Future, Our Choice

Craig Biddle

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The fundamental political conflict in America today is, as it has been for a century, individualism vs. collectivism. Does the individual’s life belong to him—or does it belong to the group, the community, society, or the state? With government expanding ever more rapidly—seizing and spending more and more of our money on “entitlement” programs and corporate bailouts, and intruding on our businesses and lives in increasingly onerous ways—the need for clarity on this issue has never been greater. Let us begin by defining the terms at hand.

Individualism is the idea that the individual’s life belongs to him and that he has an inalienable right to live it as he sees fit, to act on his own judgment, to keep and use the product of his effort, and to pursue the values of his choosing. It’s the idea that the individual is sovereign, an end in himself, and the fundamental unit of moral concern. This is the ideal that the American Founders set forth and sought to establish when they drafted the Declaration and the Constitution and created a country in which the individual’s rights to life, liberty, property, and the pursuit of happiness were to be recognized and protected.

Collectivism is the idea that the individual’s life belongs not to him but to the group or society of which he is merely a part, that he has no rights, and that he must sacrifice his values and goals for the group’s “greater good.” According to collectivism, the group or society is the basic unit of moral concern, and the individual is of value only insofar as he serves the group. As one advocate of this idea puts it: “Man has no rights except those which society permits him to enjoy. From the day of his birth until the day of his death society allows him to enjoy certain so-called rights and deprives him of others; not . . . because society desires especially to favor or oppress the individual, but because its own preservation, welfare, and happiness are the prime considerations.”1

Individualism or collectivism—which of these ideas is correct? Which has the facts on its side?

Individualism does, and we can see this at every level of philosophic inquiry: from metaphysics, the branch of philosophy concerned with the fundamental nature of reality; to epistemology, the branch concerned with the nature and means of knowledge; to ethics, the branch concerned with the nature of value and proper human action; to politics, the branch concerned with a proper social system.

We’ll take them in turn.

Metaphysics, Individualism, and Collectivism

When we look out at the world and see people, we see separate, distinct individuals. The individuals may be in groups (say, on a soccer team or in a business venture), but the indivisible beings we see are individual people. Each has his own body, his own mind, his own life. Groups, insofar as they exist, are nothing more than individuals who have come together to interact for some purpose. This is an observable fact about the way the world is. It is not a matter of personal opinion or social convention, and it is not rationally debatable. It is a perceptual-level, metaphysically given fact. Things are what they are; human beings are individuals.

A beautiful statement of the metaphysical fact of individualism was provided by former slave Frederick Douglass in a letter he wrote to his ex-“master” Thomas Auld after escaping bondage in Maryland and fleeing to New York. “I have often thought I should like to explain to you the grounds upon which I have justified myself in running away from you,” wrote Douglass. “I am almost ashamed to do so now, for by this time you may have discovered them yourself. I will, however, glance at them.” You see, said Douglass, . . .

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What Is Individualism? Page 1 of 4

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Individualism is an idea that has operated in numerous
countries for several hundred years or more. It is most often tied
to the United States, when Thomas Jefferson insisted the
government function as an entity that sought to serve the rights
and freedoms of the individual instead of to interfere with them
and provoked the authoring of the Bill of Rights. Jeffersonian
views were only partly individualist, however, since the Bill of
Rights did nothing to protect slaves or Native Americans. True
individualistic doctrine would oppose such a stance today.

Essentially, when a person endorses individualism, they believe
that the person’s rights are far more important than the rights of
any collective group (government or society) provided those
rights are not exercised in a way that harms others. Exactly
what the definition of “harm” is, is a highly debatable issue. A
businessman who dumps pollutants into a lake might be viewed
as exercising harmful behavior or not, depending on
interpretation. Some individualists may argue against taxes
collected to serve the common good, the necessity of public
schooling, regulatory agencies established by governments, or
any laws that inhibit rights. They would especially oppose the
idea that society was a collective unit (often called collectivism),
and that people needed legislation to be responsible or to take
care of each other.

Interestingly, individualism is frequently associated with the
extreme right in the US, but this is not an easy marriage. While
the extreme right frequently seeks lower taxes and less
regulation, it also seeks to regulate behavior, especially on
issues of abortion, sex education and gay marriage. These are
attempts to impose moral standards on other individuals, which
is not an individualistic stance. Typically, the true individualist
may be most comfortable associating themselves with the US
Libertarian Party.

On the opposite end of the spectrum to individualism is
totalitarianism. In totalitarianism, government is never limited
and can constantly infringe on the rights of the people, to any
degree it wants. Collectivist governments are often far more
limited, though this is not always the case. They may have set

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What Is Individualism? Page 2 of 4

laws, invoke people’s participation in the creating or
maintenance of laws, and make determinations of basic rights.

The US would be an example of a collectivist government (with
a number of people holding individualist views). It does view
society’s needs over the individual’s needs in some cases, but it
additionally sets down laws that dictate basic rights and it works
to protect those laws. In a collectivist stance, the needs of the
many override the needs of a single person, though that person
can vote with each election and still enjoys significant freedom.
Striking a balance between maintaining individual and collective
rights is very challenging. More strident collectivism minimizes
freedoms to which individuals are entitled because the whole is
greater than the sum of its parts.

People in the US are often identified as possessing highly
individualistic traits. This doesn’t mean they hold consistent
views of individualism. However, US folks may be more
opinionated and have a stronger sense and feeling of
entitlement to what their rights might be, whether at home or
abroad. Such behavior may be contrasted to the behavior and
thinking of those in societies that are more strongly collective or
totalitarian in nature.