Introduction
This assignment compels you to explore the concept of social influence as it affected the Jonestown tragedy in 1978. You will need to read the article, “Making sense of the nonsensical: An analysis of Jonestown”. Complete the assignment instructions using the article as an initial resource.
Activity Instructions
As you write this reaction paper, be sure to support your answers with both, specific events from the article and specific explanations of the relevant social psychology concepts. The goal of this reaction paper is for you to demonstrate that you understand various concepts and that you can apply these concepts to different situations. Keep this goal in mind as you respond to the following prompts and questions.
LINK TO THE ARTICLE: https://mymission.lamission.edu/userdata/alvarats/docs/Making%20Sense%20of%20the%20Nonsensical-%20Jonestown.pdf
Summarize the events that led to the mass suicide at Jonestown. (15%)
Describe how conformity played a role in the events at Jonestown. (15%)
Describe how the suicide could be explained through the foot-in-the-door technique of compliance. (15%)
Describe the different bases of power that Jim Jones used to get his followers to obey his authority. (25%)
Describe the different elements of persuasion, e.g., source, message used by Jones. (15%)
In following Jim Jones to their death, do you think that his followers were engaged in systematic or heuristic processing? Why? (15%)
At the end of your submission, include a brief Design Statement explaining the process and tools you used to develop your work. Your statement should be about a paragraph or so, in your own words (rather than formally written), and unique to this assignment.
Why are we asking for this? Find out more about Design Statements.
Writing and Submission Requirements
3-4 pages (approx. 300 words per page), not including title page, abstract page, or reference page
Abstract
References page (minimum of 3 reliable resources including course lectures and external scholarly sources such as published literary works, periodicals, journals, relevant research, dissertations, academic, medical and/or governmental statistics or data)
For standard requirements, review the Discussion and Written Assignment Expectations.
This activity will be graded using the following rubric:
60 points: Content/body of the paper includes a summary of the article and fully addresses all questions regarding social influence as it affected the Jonestown tragedy
20 points: Reference list includes at least three scholarly sources that have been cited within the paper
20 points: Paper is 3-4 pages long, also includes title page, abstract, and reference page, follows APA formatting, and is free from spelling, grammar, and sentence structure errors.
Tips for Success
While drafting the essay, you should focus on addressing each of the required content questions, as they cover a broad spectrum of concepts related to the case of Jonestown. Remember that, while including text evidence is important, use direct quotes sparingly. The goal of this reaction paper is for you to demonstrate that you understand various concepts and that you can apply these concepts to different situations.
Remember to include your Design Statement.
