EXCELSIOR PSY498 Full Course Latest 2020 November

PSY498 PSYCHOLOGY CAPSTONE

Module 1 Discussion

Scientific Research and Ethics

Discussions are an opportunity for you to communicate your ideas clearly and effectively, interact and challenge your peers respectfully, and support your writing with examples and scholarly resources.  Be sure to answer all questions and view the rubric to be sure you can earn maximum points.

The ability to find, read, and evaluate scholarly research is critical for meeting the goals of psychology: describe, explain, predict, and control behavior.  Along with this, psychology professionals are expected to adhere to the American Psychological Association (APA) ethical code.

This activity addresses module outcome 1. Upon successful completion of this activity, you will be able to:

MO1: Self-assess your competency in each of the course and concentration outcomes. (CO1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

This activity aligns with the career competencies of written communication and critical thinking.

For your discussion posting this week, address the following:

Identify a behavior that is present in the workplace (yours or another) or another space. This should be a behavior you would like to explain.

Create a hypothesis, based in psychological principles, that explains this behavior.

Find and share two scholarly, scientific journal articles that support your hypothesis.  Remember to properly cite and reference these articles in APA format.

Explain whether the APA Ethics Code is applicable to the research described, including your rationale about why it is or isn’t.

Does the research you described comply with the APA Code of Ethics?  Why or why not?

 

PSY498 PSYCHOLOGY CAPSTONE

Module 2 Discussion

Social Justice Issues

Discussions are an opportunity for you to communicate your ideas clearly and effectively, interact and challenge your peers respectfully, and support your writing with examples and scholarly resources.  Be sure to answer all questions and view the rubric to be sure you earn maximum points.

Social justice issues are strongly connected to the field of psychology.  Using your knowledge, skills, and abilities related to psychology, you will connect your personal experiences in the workplace with social justice issues and psychological theory.  If you choose an alternative context or situation (other than the workplace), please explain your decision.

This activity addresses module outcomes 3 and 4.  Upon successful completion of this activity, you will be able to:

MO3: Evaluate theories to explain behavior, including advantages and limitations. (CO1)

MO4: Evaluate theories to predict behavior, including advantages and limitations. (CO1) 

This activity aligns with the career competencies of written communication and critical thinking.

For your discussion posting this week, address the following:

Identify a social justice issue in the workplace (or other space, if needed) that resonates with you.

Explain a prosocial behavior related to this issue, and an antisocial behavior.

Describe and discuss how the theories associated with these behaviors can explain and predict behavior, being sure to provide advantages and limitations.  Provide scholarly resources to support your ideas and writing.

Students in the I-O concentration must include description and discussion of the role of psychological theory associated with negotiation/persuasive skills.

 

PSY498 PSYCHOLOGY CAPSTONE

Module 3 Discussion

Ethical Complications and Consequences

Discussions are an opportunity for you to communicate your ideas clearly and effectively, interact and challenge your peers respectfully, and support your writing with examples and scholarly resources.  Be sure to answer all questions and view the rubric to be sure you can earn maximum points.

As you work on your literature review, you should find some interesting situations.  After all, these are related to social justice issues in which there have historically been many ethically questionable studies, and the concept of social justice is certainly not without controversy.  In your discussion this week, you’ll identify and discuss at least one ethically complex situation found so far in your review of the relevant literature.  Remember that in your literature review, you are being asked to use at least one article that approaches your topic from a biopsychological perspective, and at least one article that approaches your topic from a developmental or lifespan point of view.

This activity addresses module outcomes 2 and 3. Upon successful completion of this activity, you will be able to:

MO2: Explain how the APA ethics code can be used to guide decisions in ethically complex situations. (CO3)

MO3: Justify recommendations for consequences for ethical violations based on APA ethics code requirements. (CO3)

This activity aligns with the career competencies of written communication and critical thinking. 

For your discussion posting this week, address the following:

Share your topic and the search terms you’re using to identify literature for review.

Identify a scholarly article from the literature you’ve started that describes an ethically complicated situation.

Explain the ethical problems associated with the literature and why it’s a complex issue.

Explain how the APA ethics code can be used to guide research design and related decisions in similar situations.

PSY498 PSYCHOLOGY CAPSTONE

Module 4 Discussion

Explanations Based on Scientific Reasoning

Discussions are an opportunity for you to communicate your ideas clearly and effectively, interact and challenge your peers respectfully, and support your writing with examples with scholarly resources.  Be sure to answer all questions and view the rubric to be ensure you earn maximum points.

When approaching problems scientifically, it’s important to use specific methods and steps.  You will remember that one of the first things needed is to operationally describe the problem, and then explain what we see happening.  Your mission for this discussion is to demonstrate your application of these steps in real life.

This activity assesses module outcomes 1, 2, & 3.  Upon successful completion of this activity, you will be able to:

MO1: Describe problems operationally to study them empirically. (CO2)

MO2: Develop plausible behavioral explanations that rely on scientific reasoning and evidence rather than anecdotes or pseudoscience. (CO2)

MO3: Recognize the systemic influences of sociocultural and personal biases on psychological research. (CO2)

This activity aligns with the career competencies of written communication, critical thinking, and global/intercultural fluency.

For your discussion postings this week, address the following:

Describe a social justice problem you have noticed that occurs in the workplace or another space you have identified.  How has this concern come to your attention, and why is it problematic?  What could the potential benefits be if this problem is fixed?

Be sure to describe or hypothesize about any sociocultural or personal biases that could be playing a role in your perception or interpretation of the issue.  Remember, we all have biases.

Now, operationally describe this problem so that it can potentially be studied scientifically.  Remember, operationally describing the problem means that you’ll need to clearly identify variables that can be manipulated and/or measured.

Identify a plausible explanation based in empirical research for this problem behavior, and use peer-reviewed articles to support your theory.

In your responses to others, try to respectfully challenge potential flaws in your peers’ descriptions and explanations from the perspective of recognizing the influence of bias on assumptions.

 

 

 

 

 

PSY498 PSYCHOLOGY CAPSTONE

Module 5 Discussion

Controversy and Solutions

Discussions are an opportunity for you to communicate your ideas clearly and effectively, interact and challenge your peers respectfully, and support your writing with examples and scholarly resources.  Be sure to answer all questions and view the rubric to be sure you can earn maximum points.

Many people are uncomfortable with conflict and therefore avoid discussing controversial issues.  This is problematic in many ways and in situations, but can be especially challenging in the workplace.  When stereotypes, personal biases, and misconceptions go unchallenged in ANY space, problems are allowed to persist and even grow.

It is possible to deal with controversial issues in a constructive manner, creating collaborative team environments.  In order for this to happen, healthy interpersonal relationship must be developed that allow the respectful exchange of different opinions and ideas.  This often results in better decision-making.

In this discussion, you’ll choose a topic from below and post a written persuasive response plus a short (approximately 45 seconds) video.

This activity addresses module outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4, & 5.  Upon successful completion of this activity, you will be able to:

MO1: Construct clear and concise arguments, using evidence-based psychological concepts and theories. (CO4)

MO2: Create precise and persuasive arguments with APA writing styles and conventions. (CO4)

MO3: Appraise sources of information as accurate or flawed, based on evidence. (CO5)

MO4: Describe a solution for facilitating an effective workplace or other space. (CO5)

MO5: Implement effective delivery standards in professional oral performance. (CO4)

 This activity aligns with the career competencies of oral/written communication and teamwork/collaboration.

For your discussion posting this week, address the following:

Choose one of the following prompts, and create a written response (complete with empirical evidence/scholarly support).  Then, record a 45 second video that effectively and professionally presents your persuasive argument.  Your written response should NOT be your script, and your video should NOT be a reading of your written response. 

Your written work for this discussion is a professional, APA style response to your chosen prompt.  In your written response, include details about the social psychological theory and persuasive techniques used, including appropriate in-text citations and references.

Your video is a persuasive, professional oral presentation of your thoughts.  For example, think about what you would say and how you would present yourself in a formal workplace meeting in which you want your ideas taken seriously.  In your script, be sure to emphasize your oral argument, persuasiveness, and professional presence.  Remember, look at our course technical guidance document for help with recording video, and the audio script tips.

Prompts – Choose one of the following and a position:

–  Employee surveillance: Employers should/should not be allowed to monitor web/internet usage.

–  Incentive pay: Paying employees to motivate and reward employees is/is not fair.

–  Gender equality: The gender pay gap does/does not exist and should/should not be addressed.

–  Work romance: Organizations do/do not have the right to make policies prohibiting romantic or sexual relationships with coworkers.

–  Politics: The political values and beliefs of my coworkers are/are not important.

Students in the I-O concentration must include discussion of why educational or training programs in your chosen prompt’s area are important for leadership development and/or in sales environments.

 

PSY498 PSYCHOLOGY CAPSTONE

Module 7 Discussion

Being AWARE

Discussions are an opportunity for you to communicate your ideas clearly and effectively, interact and challenge your peers respectfully, and support your writing with examples and scholarly resources.  Be sure to answer all questions and view the rubric to be sure you can earn maximum points.

As you have learned, asking for feedback, monitoring your emotions, asking questions to clarify, reaching out for different perspectives, and engaging your potential are important steps in the feedback process.  This week in the discussion, you will share your experiences and reactions to your results in the self-reflection profile.

This activity addresses module outcomes 2 & 3.  Upon successful completion of this activity, you will be able to:

MO2: Accurately self-assess performance quality by melding external standards and expectations with personal criteria. (CO4, CO5)

MO3: Incorporate feedback as appropriate to strengthen presentation quality. (CO4, CO5)

This activity aligns with the career competencies of written communication and critical thinking.

For your discussion posting this week, address the following:

Complete the Self-Reflection profile, adapted from PriceWaterhouseCoopers (2014).

After thoughtfully completing the profile, think about how you responded to the feedback from your peers on your draft presentation.  In your discussion, identify specific actions you will take in the future to maximize your feedback opportunities, and include your thoughts and answers to some of the following questions in your discussion this week:

– Did knowing the feedback was coming (it wasn’t a surprise) help or hinder your mindset?

– Did you have an emotional reaction to the feedback that prevented you from receiving the message(s)?  Were you defensive or argumentative? Did you shut down?

– Did you ask questions to make sure you understood what was being shared?  If yes, what did you ask?  If no, what held you back?- Did you agree with what was shared in your feedback?  If not, did you ask someone else for another viewpoint or additional perspective?

– What actions did you take/are you taking after receiving the feedback?  Did you thank your reviewers for their feedback? 

 

PSY498 PSYCHOLOGY CAPSTONE

Module 8 Discussion

Letter to Future Psychology Student

Discussions are an opportunity for you to communicate your ideas clearly and effectively, interact and challenge your peers respectfully, and support your writing with examples and scholarly resources.  Be sure to answer all questions and view the rubric to be sure you can earn maximum points.

Students who enter a psychology program may have some stereotypes about what they will do or learn, and they often do not have a clear understanding of how their degree will benefit them professionally in any career they find themselves in.  For this discussion, you are writing (and then replying to your peers) a letter to a future psychology student to help them understand what they are getting into… And what they are going to walk away with.

This activity addresses module outcomes 1 and 3.  Upon successful completion of this activity, you will be able to:

MO1: Apply the ethical principles of psychology to non-psychology professional settings. (CO5)

MO3: Apply relevant psychology content knowledge to facilitate a more effective workplace. (CO5)

 This activity aligns with the career competencies of written communication, professionalism, and work ethic.

For your discussion posting this week, address the following:

Write a letter to a future psychology student.  If you are an I-O concentration student, be sure to write your letter to an I-O concentration student.

In your letter, be sure to include the following:

– Your most important insights about how to make the most of the opportunities they will be presented with and how their education will benefit them in any future career pathway.

– How will knowledge of the APA ethics code influence decisions, even in non-psychology workplaces and situations?

– What kinds of things will a student learn that can help them become more effective in their jobs?

 

 

 

 

 

 

PSY498 PSYCHOLOGY CAPSTONE

Module 1 Assignment

Reflection Journal – Letter to Self

In this reflection journal assignment, you are to write a letter to yourself.  In this letter, you will be prompted to demonstrate your understanding of the depth and breadth of the field of psychology by explaining how different concepts and principles have prepared you to be successful in your future academic and career goals.

This activity addresses module outcome 1. Upon successful completion of this activity, you will be able to:

MO1: Self-assess your competency in each of the course and concentration outcomes. (CO1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

 This activity aligns with the career competencies of teamwork/collaboration, leadership, and career management.

Journal Prompts:

Write a letter to your future-self, the self you will be in 8 weeks upon successfully completion of the capstone requirements.  In this letter, you must address the following points or questions:

– Clearly identify a minimum of three different psychological concepts and/or principles you have learned about that have equipped you for successful and productive relationships within group and team structures.  Students in the I-O concentration must discuss negotiation/persuasive skills as at least one of these topics.

– Explain to yourself how the different themes that crosscut through all areas of psychology have prepared you to work effectively with others and as a leader.

– Explore how your strengths (be specific) and limitations (be specific) are related to your academic and career goals.  How can you leverage strengths and minimize limitations in order to successfully pursue opportunities and advocate for yourself in the workplace?  Students in the I-O concentration must include discussion of the construction and evaluation of customer/client analyses, revenue projections, and/or organizational policies and procedures.

 

PSY498 PSYCHOLOGY CAPSTONE

Module 2 Assignment

Reflection Journal – Are you an expert?

In this reflection journal assignment, you’ll write a letter to yourself.  In this letter, you’ll demonstrate your understanding of the depth and breadth of the field of psychology, and explaining how different concepts and principles have prepared you to be successful in your future academic and career goals.

This activity addresses module outcomes 1 and 2. Upon successful completion of this activity, you will be able to:

MO1: Describe the complexity of the persistent questions that occupy psychologists’ attention. (CO1)

MO2: Examine the sociocultural and international contexts that influence individual differences. (CO1)

 This activity aligns with the career competencies of global/intercultural fluency.

Journal Prompts:

– What are the cross-cutting themes of psychology that seem to come up over and over again in conversations about psychology?  How are they related to each other? Students in the I-O concentration must discuss negotiation/persuasive skills as at least one of these topics.

– Critique your strengths, challenges, and comfort level when talking with others about psychology.  Do you feel like an expert (someone who has comprehensive knowledge and skill) in psychology?

– Examine how different aspects of diversity (socioculturally, globally, or individual characteristics) influence your own understanding and behaviors, as well as that of others.  Students in the I-O concentration must include examination of how diversity plays a role in effective negotiation/persuasive skills.

 

PSY498 PSYCHOLOGY CAPSTONE

Module 3 Assignment

Reflection Journal – Successful Literature Review

In this reflection journal assignment, you will provide your project topic and describe anticipated challenges in completing your literature review.  You will outline individualized strategies and steps you will take to complete your literature review on time. Additionally, identify the support you might require from your instructor, other Excelsior College resources (like the library or OWL), and your peers.

This activity assesses module outcome 4. Upon successful completion of this activity, you will be able to:

MO4: Design deliberate efforts to produce desired self-management outcomes. (CO5)

 This activity aligns with the career competencies of professionalism and work ethic.

Journal Prompts:

 – Identify your topic for the literature review.  This should be based on the social justice work you did in the previous module.

– What are the search terms you plan to use (or are using) to find articles for your literature review?

– Review the remaining learning activities and assignments for this module. Identify any questions you may have.

– Share the strategies you will employ to make sure you complete your literature review on time. This should include any support you think you will need from your instructor, your peers, and other stakeholders and resources.

– How do the strategies you’ve listed demonstrate your ability to effectively manage your time and learn from past experiences?

 

PSY498 PSYCHOLOGY CAPSTONE

Module 4 Assignment

Reflection Journal – Goals of Psychology

In this reflection journal assignment, you will describe how you engage (or not) every day in the goals of psychology.  Remember, the goals of psychology are about describing, explaining, predicting, and ultimately controlling – and they also happen to be the foundation of the scientific method.  How is scientific reasoning used in your own world?

This activity addresses module outcome 1.  Upon successful completion of this activity, you will be able to:

MO1: Describe problems operationally to study them empirically. (CO2)

This activity aligns with the career competency of critical thinking.

Journal Prompts:

– When do you use each of the four goals of psychology in your everyday life?

– Give an example of EACH of the four goals at work in your own life.  In your examples, describe the variables operationally so they could potentially be studied empirically.

 

PSY498 PSYCHOLOGY CAPSTONE

Module 5 Assignment

Reflection Journal – Strengths and Limitations

In this reflection journal assignment, you need to explore your strengths, knowledge, and experience as they relate to your speaking skills and professional presence.  You will connect this to your desired academic and career goals and pathways, and identify areas in which you should focus on improvement in order to experience maximum success.

This activity addresses module outcomes 1 & 5.  Upon successful completion of this activity, you will be able to:

MO1: Construct clear and concise arguments, using evidence-based psychological concepts and theories. (CO4)

MO5: Implement effective delivery standards in professional oral performance. (CO4)

This activity aligns with the career competency of career management.

Journal Prompts:

– Identify your strengths and limitations when creating persuasive arguments.

– What about professional presence and speaking? What are your strengths and areas in need of improvement?  Think about speaking in meetings or other forums: can you immediately present your ideas and thoughts, or do you need to develop confidence in this area?

– Provide some rationale for your thoughts, including whether this is due to personality, expertise, or other factors.

– How can you maximize your strengths and minimize areas of weakness?

 

PSY498 PSYCHOLOGY CAPSTONE

Module 6 Assignment

Reflection Journal – Critical Feedback

In this reflection journal assignment, it is important to assess your ability to give and receive feedback.  Especially critical feedback.  We all love positive feedback, but giving and taking the critical comments can sometimes be difficult.

This activity addresses module outcomes 2, 3, & 4.  Upon successful completion of this activity, you will be able to:

MO2: Provide critical and positive feedback to peers to improve project quality. (CO4)

MO3: Interact effectively with people of diverse abilities, backgrounds, and cultural perspectives. (CO4)

MO4: Pursue and respond appropriately to feedback from educators, supervisors, and peers to improve performance. (CO5)

This activity aligns with the career competency of leadership.

Journal Prompts:

– What kinds of experiences have you had with giving and receiving feedback? How have you used critical feedback to improve academically or in your job?

– Have you ever responded negatively, or emotionally, to feedback?  If not, explain why you think you have not had this experience and why others may have negative reactions?

– Identify the steps you have taken or should take when giving feedback to others who are different from you (in any way), to help them see your perspective.

 

PSY498 PSYCHOLOGY CAPSTONE

Module 7 Assignment

Reflection Journal – Focusing on Feedback

In this reflection journal assignment, you will think about the role of feedback in your own academic and career journeys, and reflect on where you are in using it to get better in all of your endeavors (including your project for this class).

This activity addresses module outcomes 2 & 3.  Upon successful completion of this activity, you will be able to:

MO2: Accurately self-assess performance quality by melding external standards and expectations with personal criteria. (CO4, CO5)

MO3: Incorporate feedback as appropriate to strengthen presentation quality. (CO4, CO5)

This activity aligns with the career competencies of leadership and professionalism.

Journal Prompts:

– After watching the Focusing on Feedback (Links to an external site.) (LeanIn.org, 2014) video, write about the experiences or comments that you connected with and the messages that personally resonated with you.

– What is your current mindset (growth or fixed) when receiving feedback? How is your current mindset portrayed by your behaviors, and how do you think others perceive your actions?

– After reviewing the feedback from your peers regarding your project draft, share your thoughts about whether you agree with the feedback or not.  Is it in alignment with your own self-assessment of your work?  Explain.

– Share some feedback you received from peers that was helpful and how you’ll use it to grow and improve.

 

PSY498 PSYCHOLOGY CAPSTONE

Module 8 Assignment

Reflection Journal – Psychology Degree Equals Success!

In this reflection journal assignment, you are going to think carefully about the ways in which your degree in psychology has prepared you to be successful in your career.

This activity addresses module outcome 2.  Upon successful completion of this activity, you will be able to:

MO2: Formulate career plan contingencies based on accurate self-assessment of abilities, achievement, motivation, and work habits. (CO5)

This activity aligns with the career competencies of global/intercultural fluency and career management.

Journal Prompts:

Write about how your experiences and what you have learned throughout the pursuit of your psychology degree has prepared you for continued growth in your career, perhaps more than would be possible without this experience.  As you write, consider and share your thoughts about the following:

–  How have your communication skills and/or the way you think about communication changed?

–  How will your knowledge of psychology help you in your everyday life and interactions with people who are different from you?

– How do your skills in critical thinking impact your perspective on various issues?

– What effect will your knowledge of psychology have on how you manage conflict, work on teams, and complete projects?

– Overall, how has what you have learned about your strengths and limitations influenced your career plans?  Be sure to mention work ethic, motivation, and your skills and abilities.

 

PSY498 PSYCHOLOGY CAPSTONE

Module 1 Assignment

Hypothesis Presentation

The major purpose of these final assignments in each module is to integrate the information you have learned throughout the current module and the course thus far, and to practice effective and professional communication of your ideas in various formats.  For this assignment, you are to create a short multimedia presentation with a voice-over to identify your hypothesis and the key psychological concepts within it.

Communication through written information is not the only skill needed in today’s world.  Being capable of communicating your ideas in multiple ways, through both professional writing and presentation skills, is critical for obtaining a job and future career success.  Creating these multimedia presentations will help to improve your technical and communication skills, which will be used in any career you pursue.

This activity addresses module outcome 1. Upon successful completion of this activity, you will be able to:

MO1: Self-assess your competency in each of the course and concentration outcomes. (CO1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

 This activity aligns with the career competencies of oral communication and digital technology.

INSTRUCTIONS

Put together a multimedia presentation that will engage your audience and identify your hypothesis, but also explain your interest in the topic and the key psychological concepts and principles behind it.  You should include the scholarly evidence supporting your ideas, properly citing (Author, year on the slide it is used) and referencing (include a “Reference” slide at the end of your presentation) in APA format.  Your multimedia presentation will utilize images, writing, and video and/or audio.

Students in the I-O concentration must focus on the development of an educational or training program with a goal of leadership development and/or increasing sales.

Your presentation can be completed in Powerpoint, Prezi, Powtoons, or another platform approved by your instructor. 

Be engaging and professional!

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