Assignment Instructions
The midterm reinforcement assignment covers chapters 1-5. You should complete this assignment BEFORE completing the midterm exam. You will answer the questions in the form of a paper and submit it here.
Please note, if you are submitting a link for a google doc, you will also need to share the doc with me or make it so “anyone with the link can edit” in order for me to grade it.
Case Study
Read the story below. Answer the questions based on the case study and information from your textbook. There is a grading rubric including for each question. Type your answers directly below the questions.
Joe calls John on his cell phone and asks him if he wants to go to the park to play some pick-up basketball. John says yes and they make plans to meet at the park.
When Joe & John arrive at the park, they see two girls their age playing basketball at one of the courts. They laugh and John says, “girls are horrible at basketball! I don’t care how tall they are. Those girls could never beat us guys.” Joe agrees and suggests they wait and see if a group of guys shows up to play against to make the game worth their time.
After 20 minutes, the two girls are still the only ones at the park. Joe asks John, “Don’t you think we should maybe just ask them if they want to play. Just to kill some time?” John replies, “I guess we could play them, just until some guys show up.”
“Excuse me, miss,” John says as they approach the girls, “would you ladies like to play a quick 2-on-2?”. “Sure,” says one of the girls. “I’m Katie and this is my sister Karen.”
They start playing and Katie and Karen take a quick lead, beating the guys in about 10 minutes. “Sorry guys,” Karen says, “better luck next time!”
As they walk back to their bench, John is furious. “There is no way they should beat us. We’re definitely better than them. They wouldn’t have won if I’d brought my sunglasses. The sun was in my eyes the whole time and I couldn’t see! They got lucky.”.
“I guess we’re not that good if a couple of girls beat us,” says Joe.
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(CH1) In paraphrased words, thoroughly label and explain four of the elements of the Transactional Model of Communication according to your lecture. Provide an example from the case study of two of those model elements. Explain how each example fits that element.
(CH2) In paraphrased terms, define and explain the difference between ethnocentrism, prejudice, and stereotype. Find an example of at least one of these from the story and explain how you know the example is ethnocentrism, prejudice, or stereotyping.
(CH3) In paraphrased terms, define and explain the difference between the way self-concept develops from social comparison vs. reflected appraisal. Who would have the strongest effect on Katie’s reflected appraisal in the story? How do you know this (cite evidence from the story and the textbook)? Does losing to the girls have more of an impact on the other guy’s self concept through social comparison or reflected appraisal? Why?
(CH4) Define attribution and explain the three ways we attribute (locus, stability, controllability). In the story, which of the three attribution errors identified in your text and the lecture is John guilty of when he explains why they lost the game? Explain how you know this citing evidence from the story and the textbook.
(CH5) In your own words, describe the 4 rules that govern language (phonological, syntactic, semantic, pragmatic). In the story, some players use much more indirect (less powerful) language than others. Your text and lecture identify 5 types of indirect language. Identify 2 of these types from the story. Cite the example and define the type.
