Theresa Copeland RE: Week 5 Discussion Top of Form How important is Risk Management to a project? Risk management – “Risk management attempts to recognize and manage potential and unforeseen trouble spots that may occur when the project is implemented. Risk management identifies as many risk events as possible (what can go wrong), minimizes their impact (what can be done about the event before the project begins), manages responses to events that do materialize (contingency plans), and provides contingency funds to cover risk events that actually materialize. “(Larson, E. 2021 pg. 214). Risk Management’s importance to a project – Risk management allows you to identify your project's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Also, by planning for unexpected events, you can be ready to respond if something were to happen. Many factors make risk management important to a project. Planning for success – If you plan for internal and external risks at the beginning of a project, then you’re ready to handle any risks that may arise throughout the life of the project. This ensures your project will end successfully. Communicating risks – It is important to let the key stakeholders of the project know about any potential risks. After all, they are the main ones funding the project and should know what to expect as soon as possible. Proactive versus reactive – Creating and implementing a risk management plan is very important when it comes to the life of a project because it allows you to be proactive and take steps to mitigate the possible risks before they arise instead of constantly fighting them. Resources: Larson, E. (2021). Project Management: The Managerial Process. Bottom of Form Applied Final Project - Observation of Social Behavior This assignment will leverage your curiosity. It will invite you to explore your ideas and connect social psychology to daily life. The Observation of Social Behavior project is an integrative assignment that supports synthesis and the third learning outcome for the course: · explain and analyze the underlying causes of behaviors to inform decisions in social, personal, and professional interactions Objective:  Design, conduct, and report on a brief study that uses naturalistic observation in a public/communal space to answer a research question you develop on a topic related to social psychology. Submit a 6- to 8-page, APA style research paper, that communicates how specific topics, theories, and research findings discussed in this course shaped: 1) your research question, 2) the approach applied and behaviors observed, and 3) your understanding of the observation(s) upon conclusion. What is Naturalistic Observation? In Principles of Social Psychology, our eBook for this course, Jhangiani and Tarry (2014) introduce observational research.  In Chapter 1 they outline how observational research refers to different types of qualitative studies in which behavior is systematically observed and recorded i ...

1. Theresa Copeland
RE: Week 5 Discussion
Top of Form
How important is Risk Management to a project?
Risk management – “Risk management attempts to recognize
and manage potential and unforeseen trouble spots that may
occur when the project is implemented. Risk management
identifies as many risk events as possible (what can go wrong),
minimizes their impact (what can be done about the event
before the project begins), manages responses to events that do
materialize (contingency plans), and provides contingency funds
to cover risk events that actually materialize. “(Larson, E. 2021
pg. 214).
Risk Management’s importance to a project – Risk management
allows you to identify your project's strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities, and threats. Also, by planning for unexpected
events, you can be ready to respond if something were to
happen. Many factors make risk management important to a
project.
Planning for success – If you plan for internal and external risks
at the beginning of a project, then you’re ready to handle any
risks that may arise throughout the life of the project. This
ensures your project will end successfully.
Communicating risks – It is important to let the key
stakeholders of the project know about any potential risks. After
all, they are the main ones funding the project and should know
what to expect as soon as possible.
Proactive versus reactive – Creating and implementing a risk
management plan is very important when it comes to the life of
a project because it allows you to be proactive and take steps to
mitigate the possible risks before they arise instead of
constantly fighting them.

2. Resources:
Larson, E. (2021). Project Management: The Managerial
Process.
Bottom of Form
Applied Final Project - Observation of Social Behavior
This assignment will leverage your curiosity. It will invite you
to explore your ideas and connect social psychology to daily
life.
The Observation of Social Behavior project is an integrative
assignment that supports synthesis and the third learning
outcome for the course:
· explain and analyze the underlying causes of behaviors to
inform decisions in social, personal, and professional
interactions
Objective: Design, conduct, and report on a brief study that
uses naturalistic observation in a public/communal space to
answer a research question you develop on a topic related to
social psychology. Submit a 6- to 8-page, APA style research
paper, that communicates how specific topics, theories, and
research findings discussed in this course shaped: 1) your
research question, 2) the approach applied and behaviors
observed, and 3) your understanding of the observation(s) upon
conclusion.
What is Naturalistic Observation?
In Principles of Social Psychology, our eBook for this course,
Jhangiani and Tarry (2014) introduce observational research. In
Chapter 1 they outline how observational research refers to
different types of qualitative studies in which behavior is
systematically observed and recorded in an objective manner.
The goal of observational research is to capture a snapshot of
the characteristics (to include behaviors) of an individual,
group, or setting, at a given place and time. As such,
observational research is considered non-experimental because

3. nothing is manipulated or controlled; thus, cause-and-effect
conclusions cannot be drawn.
There are several different types of observational research
designs. These include case studies, structured observations,
participant observation, and naturalistic observation. For this
assignment you will use naturalistic observation. [If you would
like to read further on the other design types, a useful, brief
description is offered by Price et al. (2017).]
According to Salkind (2010), naturalistic observation affords us
the opportunity to observe organisms in their natural settings.
“Behaviors or other phenomena of interest are observed and
recorded by the researcher, whose presence might be either
known or unknown to the subjects….No manipulation of the
environment is involved in naturalistic observation, as the
activities of interest are those manifested in everyday
situations” (para. 1).
Using naturalistic observation, you will seek to answer a
research question you develop on a topic related to social
psychology. In doing so you will: 1) describe behavior as it
occurs in the natural setting, and 2) describe the variables that
are present and the relations among them.
Instructions Summary: The principal steps for the assignment
are…
1. Choose a topic or theory covered within the course content
(e.g., altruism, attraction, conformity, gender, group influence,
persuasion).
2. Research the topic using the UMGC Library to learn more
about it.
3. Develop a research question you would like to explore
through naturalistic observation. Question must be answerable
through observation.
4. Create your observation strategy that will enable you to
explore your research question. Include in this planning data

4. collection/coding strategies.
5. Conduct the observation and evaluate the qualitative data
collected.
6. Write and submit for grading a well composed, 6- to 8-page
APA style formatted Observation of Social Behavior research
paper. Included in the submitted document will be an Appendix
containing Annotated Abstracts. The Appendix will not count
towards the required page count for the body of the paper. The
all-inclusive page count for the submitted document (Title Page,
Report, References, and Appendix) will be approximately 11 to
14 pages.
Requirements:
Submit a single document that 1) introduces an appropriate
research question grounded in social psychology; 2) answers the
research question through naturalistic observation; and 3)
addresses the requirements listed here.
Observations are ONLY to be made in public places, communal
spaces in your home, or via public webcams (e.g., Zoos have
“live” webcams that enable one to see the public within habitat
areas). Observations may not be made in private areas (e.g.,
bathroom, bedroom). Observations must be unobtrusive,
meaning you may not interact with observed subjects. You
cannot speak to subjects or solicit written responses to
questions or surveys. [See the “More on Unobtrusive
Observation” box below to learn more about why unobtrusive
observation is important to your project.]
Your research can revisit a social psychology related question
or study found within the empirical literature, or you can
develop a new research question of your own design. In both
approaches, you will have the opportunity to synthesize
information from the course, expressing your understanding on
the topic.
Within the document…
1. Introduce. Concisely introduce the reader to the research
topic addressed through your observation project. Clearly define
terms and theory when introduced in the paper. Anchor the

5. paper through a well-constructed thesis statement.
2. Have purpose. Your research question should clearly relate to
a social psychology topic/theory. Dedicate discussion to the
origins of the research question, to include support from
existing studies. All topics are to be discussed in clear deta il.
Connect. In the introduction of the research question, and in
the discussion of the observation outcomes, support assertions
made. Express interrelated ideas coherently and logically.
1. Include sources. Incorporate course sources and
a minimum of five (5) peer-reviewed professional sources from
our UMGC Library. [In an Appendix to the study, present a
copy of the abstracts from five peer-reviewed journal articles,
along with a summary of how the articles facilitated your
research. More on the Appendix requirement is provided
below.]
2. Use Authorial Voice. Discuss materials in your own words
and your own writing style and structure. Avoid excessive use
of direct quotes. Doing so may incur a point penalty for each
occurrence and will not be accepted as content towards the page
count of the reflection paper.
3. Apply APA Style**. Neatly and concisely present an APA
formatted document containing
· Title Page
· Introduction
· Method
· Subjects
· Setting
· Procedure
· Results
· Conclusions
· References
· Appendix
· Properly formatted in-text citations and references
**Use APA style headings and subheadings, double-spacing, an
appropriate serif or sans serif font (e.g., Times Roman 12-point;
Arial 11-point; Calibri 11-point), 1-inch margins (left, right,

6. top, and bottom), page numbering, and logical flow from topic
to topic. Write with clarity, paying attention to
spelling, grammar, and syntax. Consult the UMGC Citing and
Writing Guide, for proper form of APA Style in-
text citations and references. You can also take advantage of
the UMGC Effective Writing Center to gain early feedback and
assistance with APA compliance.
UMGC’s Effective Writing
Center: https://www.umgc.edu/current-students/learning-
resources/writing-center/index.cfm
*Check the Course Schedule in this syllabus for the due date.
Your instructor will determine the penalty for late submission
of papers.
More on Unobtrusive Observation
During your naturalistic observation study, it is important that
you do not interfere or intervene in the behavior being studied.
The main reason you must be unobtrusive in your study is to
avoid interfering or changing the behavior of the participants
being observed. Being unobtrusive supports
avoiding reactance or reactivity effect. Reactance refers to the
biasing of the participants’ responses because they know they
are being observed.
To offer an example, consider the studies conducted at the
Western Electric Company’s Hawthorne plant in Illinois
between 1927 and 1933 (Roethlisberger & Dickson, 1939). The
purpose of the studies was to determine the effects of working
hours and lighting quality on employee productivity. When
researchers compared the productivity of the participants in
variable manipulated (test) conditions to others within the plant,
unusual findings emerged. The participants in the manipulated
conditions often produced at higher rates, to include under
conditions that were deemed inferior (e.g., reduce lighting) to
those within the standard operating conditions of the plant. The
increased performance under inferior conditions was unexpected
and thereby, puzzling. This prompted a series of additional
studies to assess the source of influence that moved the

7. participants in the inferior conditions to produce at rates higher
than those within the general plant. The answer discovered:
workers who knew they were research participants and that they
were being observed increased productivity. Thus, the
knowledge that one is participating in an experiment or is being
observed may result in dramatic changes in behavior. [Because
of the location of the original studies at the Western Electric
Company, the reactivity phenomena are often referred to as the,
Hawthorne effect.]