FNBE 0115 Social Psychology Assignment 1 - Individual Journal

1. SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, BUILDING AND DESIGN
THE DESIGN SCHOOL
FOUNDATION IN NATURAL BUILD ENVIRONMENT
AUGUST 2014 INTAKE
NAME: PANG KAI YUN
STUDENT ID NO: 0319802
GROUP / SESSION: MONDAY (2.00PM – 4.00PM)
SUBJECT: PSY30203 SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY
ASSIGNMENT 1: JOURNAL
SUBMISSION DATE: 27 APRIL 2015

2. Entry 1
Date : 14-04-2015 Time : 8.35 P.M.
In chapter 2 of Social Psychology, I have learned about extrinsic motivation. Extrinsic
motivation means taking a certain action in response to external pressure or obligation.
Based on this psychological concept, I can relate my experience while I was having
my SPM two years ago. I study very hard for SPM because my parents promise me they will
bring me to Taiwan if I score well in SPM. Taiwan is a place that I wanted to go for such a
long time because I really enjoy watching Taiwanese drama and Taiwan has a lot of delicious
food. I really need to score well in SPM so that my wish to Taiwan can achieve.
To score well in SPM, I started my revision two months before SPM. I planned a
timetable to divide the study date and time for each subject. I paid more attention during all
the classes and jotted down all the important notes. I did a lot of exercise. I even did the
entire trial exam for every subject of all states. Even though I was motivated to study, but I
found that it was hard for me to focus on my study. I started to yawn after reading a few
pages. After 2 hours of study, I started to move around and find something to eat. Sometimes
I even fell asleep while I am studying. Every time I felt tired, I will force myself to stay
focused while thinking about the Taiwan trip. After thinking about it, I feel motivated and
continued my study.
After two months of struggling, finally I can relax. When the SPM result is out, I was
really happy because I get straight A. Although I do not really like study, I was very satisfied
that the extrinsic motivation forces me to study and I am able to score well in exam and my
wish to travel to Taiwan is achieved.

3. Entry 2
Date : 15-04-2015 Time : 9.46 P.M.
In chapter 2 of Social Psychology, I have learned about self-serving attribution. Self-
serving attribution means we make positive attributions that allow us to see ourselves in the
best possible light. We make external attributions for negative outcomes and we make
internal attributions for positive outcomes.
I will explain my experience about external attributions through a basketball
competition when I was in primary school. I was chosen to represent our school for a
basketball competition. There are total 15 people in our team. Our target is to win first in the
competition. In order to achieve our goal, we practice three hours every day. It was very
tiring and the couch was very strict. After practice for so long, we believe that we can win
first in the competition.
After all the hardships, we finally make it to the final round. The opponents in the
final round are really good. The first half of the game we played really well and keep score
points. We think that we definitely can win this game. In the second half of the game, the
opponents keep score points and slowly surpassing us. At last, we lost the competition. I
cannot believe that we lost in the final round because all of us play really good. I think the
referee is unfair to us because he foul one of my teammates, but my teammates did not break
the rule. I also saw the opponents use dirty tricks in the competition. One of the opponents
purposely put her forearm against my teammates with the ball.
In this situation, I was using self-serving attribution by blaming the referee is unfair to
us and the opponents use dirty tricks in the competition so we lose the competition. In reality,
they really deserve to win in the competition.

4. Entry 3
Date : 16-04-2015 Time : 11.12 P.M.
In chapter 2 of Social Psychology, I have learned about unrealistic optimism.
Unrealistic optimism means the tendency to imagine that our own outcomes are better than
those of other people.
Based on this psychological concept, I can relate my experience while I was in Form
2. Three days later was my oral exam. I always think that I will not get sick even though I eat
a lot of unhealthy food such as junk food. Even worse is that I do not have the habit to drink
water all the time. I kept eating snacks and drinking cold water. My mother warned me to
stop eating, but I was so stubborn and ignore her warning. The day before my oral exam, I
started to have headaches. I thought that it will get better after I have my medicine. I did not
notice that this was a sign that I am getting sick.
On the day of the oral exam, when I wake up, I feel like my throat was very hot and
not comfortable. I realise that I get a sore throat. I kept coughing and was very hard for me to
talk. It was like a thunderbolt out of a clear sky. I was very regret about not listening to my
mother and overconfidence that I will not get sick. When I went to school, I apologized to my
English teacher. Fortunately, my English teacher is a very kind and considerate teacher, so
she gave me another chance. I was so thankful and promise I will make the same mistake
again.
Through this experience, my unrealistic optimism about not getting sick even if I ate a
lot of unhealthy food has changed. I start to decrease eating unhealthy food and drink a lot of
water every day.

5. Entry 4
Date : 17-04-2015 Time : 4.15 P.M.
In chapter 3 of Social Psychology, I have learned about stereotype. A stereotype
assumes that all members of a group share some common feature.
I always think that students that are not good in their academic are bad students. They
are lazy and do not work hard so that their academic are not good. Besides that, their
disciplines are also not good. They do not listen to the teachers and do not respect the
teachers. They always break the school’s rule such as coming late to school and playing
truant. Some of them even fight in school and causing a chaos in the school. Whenever I saw
a student that is not good in their academic, I will put the characteristic of a bad student on
them.
Because of so many reasons, I avoid to being friend with a student from that are not
good in their academic. Through some activities, I have a chance to make friends with some
of the students that are not good in their academic. I found that they are not a bad student.
They are actually kind and easy to approach. They are not good in their academic, but they
are not bad students. They respect teachers and love to help teachers. Moreover, they will
come to school early in the morning to clean the classroom. I also found that although they
are not good in academia, they have a lot of talent such as dancing and singing.
After I make some friends with students that are not good in their academic I think
that students that are not good in their academic are different from a bad student. They are
just not good in their academic, but they will not do bad things.

6. Entry 5
Date : 18-04-2015 Time : 10.27 P.M.
In chapter 3 of Social Psychology, I have learned about overconfidence barrier. The
overconfidence barrier means the belief that our own judgment or control is better or greater
than it truly is.
Based on this psychological concept, I can relate my experience while I was
participating in a table tennis competition. I play table tennis for 8 years since I was in
primary school. I represent our school every year and won a lot of awards. In Form 5, I need
to focus more on SPM so I skip a lot of practise. Although I did not have enough practises, I
was very confident about my skill. I thought that I can win the competition even though I did
not practice.
On the day of the competition, I faced a Form 4 girl in the first round. I thought that I
can easily win the game because I was the winner last year. As the game start, I easily took
down the first game. In the second game, she knew how to receive my ball. She started the
score points and won the second game. It was unbelievable. I was shocked and started to feel
nervous in the third game. At last, I lost to my opponents. My coach was very disappointed at
me. I was very sad and regret. I should not be very confident in myself.
This experience taught me that I should not have overconfidence barrier about
everything. I should pay a lot of hard work in order to success.

7. Entry 6
Date : 20-04-2015 Time : 8.47 P.M.
In chapter 5 of Social Psychology, I have learned about the mere exposure effect. The
mere exposure effect means objects become better liked with repeated exposure. We will like
things more when they are familiar to us.
Nowadays, k-pop has become a worldwide sensation. Everyone is listening to k-pop.
At first, I was not so interested in k-pop. I think that it was very childish. I cannot understand
why people listen to a song that they even do not know about the lyrics of the song.
I started to like k-pop when one of my friend is a crazy k-pop fans. Every time we
chat, our topic will always be surrounding k-pop. She kept introducing me the best boy group,
such as Super Junior and best girl group, such as Girls Generation in Korea. She even
introduced all the members of the group to me. Besides, she also let me listen to the most
famous song in k-pop every day. She also introduces me to some of the famous Korean
drama and variety show.
After my friend kept showing me all the things related to k-pop every day, I was
influenced by my friend. I started to enjoy k-pop. I even search their music video and watch it.

8. Entry 7
Date : 21-04-2015 Time : 8.57 P.M.
In chapter 5 of Social Psychology, I have learned about operant conditioning. Operant
conditioning means that using reinforcement or punishment to strengthen or weaken a
particular behavior (B.F. Skinner).
Based on this psychological concept, I can relate my experience while I was grounded
for one month because I come back home after curfew. When I was 16 years old, I like to go
out with my friends. We always hang out at Kuala Lumpur so I always come back home after
12o’clock midnight. My parents have warned me many times if I come back after curfew
again, they will not let me get out anymore. I ostensibly promised them that I will come back
home before midnight.
One time I come back home at 1o’clock midnight after hanging out with my friends. I
forgot I have made a promise with my parents. When I reached home, I found that my parents
locked the door. I was panic and feel guilty for not coming back home early. I quickly call
my brother to open the door for me. The next day, I get down on my knee and beg for my
parent’s forgiveness. They grounded me for one month and wanted me to promise that I will
come back home before 10o’clock at night.
After the incident, every time I go out with my friends, I try to keep my promise to be
home before 10o’clock at night. I do not want the same thing happened again.

9. Entry 8
Date : 24-04-2015 Time : 4.17 P.M.
In chapter 6 of Social Psychology, I have learned about fear-based appeals. Fear-
based appeals means negative valence that is elicited by a message designed to prevent a
specific action. It is most effective when trying to prevent a negative outcome.
I was scared of doing bad things such as stealing or killing people because I was
afraid of the punishment. I do not want to go into prison. I always saw news about people
who steal and kill people is sent into prison. They need to spend the rest of their lifetime in
the prison. They do not have freedom inside the prison. They cannot spend their time with
their family and the one they love. They also cannot do their favourite things if they were in
the prison. Sometimes when I feel like I wanted to steal something, I do not have the courage
to steal because I saw people who steal things are sent into the prison. I will stop myself to
steal it because I do not want the same punishment as them. The government is using fear-
based appeal to stop people from doing bad things.

10. Entry 9
Date : 25-04-2015 Time : 3.14 P.M.
In chapter 7 of Social Psychology, I have learned about racism. Racism means
discrimination directed at a specific racial group.
Based on this psychological concept, I can relate my experience while I was in my
secondary school. In Form 4, our Bahasa Melayu teacher is very racist. She cares more about
Malays student than Chinese students and Indian students. For example, when a Chinese
student talking when she is giving her lesson, she will scold the students and punish them
standing for the whole class. If a Malays student talking when she is giving her lesson, she
will just continue her lesson as she did not see. Besides that, she was always chatting with
Malays student and ignore the presence of Chinese students and Indian students.
The worst thing is the way she marks the exam paper are towards Malays student,
Chinese student and Indian students. She gave higher mark for Malays students compare to
Chinese students and Indian students. When we went to ask her, she always gave the same
reason that ours Bahasa Melayu is not as good as Malays students. We cannot argue with her
so we just accept it.
I think that every teacher should not be racist towards every student. They should be
fair to all students and do not care about their races.

11. Entry 10
Date : 26-04-2015 Time : 11.36 P.M.
In chapter 8 of Social Psychology, I have learned about egoistic model. Egoistic
model means when behaviors are done for selfish reasons.
When I was in Form 4, I volunteers at an orphanage near my house. Actually, I need
to complete our moral project, so I went to an orphanage. We need to include photos when
we are helping out in the community in our moral project. I went there with my friends. We
spent about a half day at the center. We helped to clean up the surroundings of the orphanage.
We picked up the rubbish and painted the wall. Moreover, we also played with the children in
the orphanage. We played football, badminton and hide-and-seek with the children. The
children really enjoy playing with us. We even cooked their lunch for them. We spent a good
time with all of the children.
Although that I volunteers to help out at an orphanage is because to complete my
moral project, I really have a good time in the orphanage.