Critical and creative thinking questions
Alan Lukens
PSY/103
November 23, 2015
Ms. Sandra Coswatte
Critical and creative thinking questions
1. Have you ever changed a strongly held attitude? What caused the change for you?
a. I have developed a much more open sense for processes than I previously had before. All throughout my childhood, I was extremely particular about everything I did and how it was done. If things were not done to my liking, it drove me crazy and I acted out with aggression. As time has gone by, I have learned what things really matter and that it is alright to relinquish some control over various situations. Although I have loosened up, I still prefer to be in control, but I do allow alternative methods and I do not get the anxiety that I used to.
2. Have you ever done something in a group that you would not have done if you were alone? What happened? How did you feel? What have you learned from this chapter that might help you avoid this behavior in the future?
a. I remember as a child I was with some so-called friends at the store. They were all taking candy and putting it in their pockets and leaving the store; therefore, I did the same. I was not raised to behave this way and it make me feel terribly guilty. I ended up taking the candy back to the store and apologizing for it. Thankfully, they accepted the apology and did not do anything more serious. Through psychology I have learned that if a triggered response makes you feel guilty, you probably made the wrong decision. Guilt is a preconditioned response to stimuli that we do not inherently agree with.
3. How do Milgram’s results –particularly the finding that the remoteness of the victim affected obedience – relate to some aspects of modern warfare?
a. In relation to modern warfare, soldiers are much more apt to follow orders if they are not there to experience the outcome. Distance removes oneself from the reality of the action. If a soldier is...