2. JOURNAL 1
CHAPTER 1
ENTRY 1: SOCIAL FACILITATION
Social facilitation can be defined as the improvement in performance produced by the mere
presence of others. This concept also states that if the task is not simple but difficult, then there
will be larger margin of error because of nervousness. This theory first came to light by Norman
Triplett in 1898 when he began to study the competitive nature with children. He gave each child
string and had them wind it. The result showed that the children were more productive when they
were competing. This theory prove that people perform better when they think they have to
prove something or when they are in competition with another person. They may feel that they
have to show their capability to the audience or their competitor. When their audience or the
competitor are absenced, they will not perform so well. Our performance also depend on the
audience attention level. Our attention level in performing will be higher when we rae being
watched because we are innately competitive.
For an example, I tended to do my works better if the works are a group work. This is because I
feel that I am responsible to help my friends to get a good grade and I should not be a burden to
my friends. Not only that, I feel that I should show my capability in doing works to my friends so
that I will be rated better grade when there is an assessment sheet. I also will work harder when
my group leader is very strict. I work very hard so that I could produce the outcome that he
wants which is an A grade. I find that my group leader also show social facilitation in his
attitude. He work very hard in the group project. He can overnight and work non-stop to finsh
3. the group project. However, his work is not very good for the individual project. I really see his
effort in completing the group project.
In the other hand, I will not be so hardworking when it is an individual work. I will not so strict
to myself and just do whatever I want. I will become lazy and the quality of work will not be so
good. This may cause by the absence of audience and competitor.
Therefore, it is very obvious that I tend to contribute more effort when there are presence of
others and my contributions can be identified.
4. ENTRY 2: SOCIAL LOAFING
Social loafing is defined as the tendency for people to contribute less effort when being a part of
a group working on a common task. This theory was demonstrated by a French professor of
agricultural engineering called Max Ringelmann in 1890. The bigger the group, the lesser each
group member will contribute base on this theory. This may cause by people that expect others to
loaf. They expect others to be lazy and they feel that is is unfair if they are the only one who are
working. Hence, they decrease their productivity. Social loafing may also cause by selfishness.
When a person is doing individual work, his or her effort can be seen and he or she will take all
the glory as well as the blame unlike in a group work. The glory and the blame will be spread
evenly in the group work as a person’s individual effort will not be identified. The outcome will
be seen as a group effort.
As an example, some of my group members tend to be lazy while doing their work. They will
expect others to do his or her part of works. This may due to their individual contribution will
not be seen by others. However, it is very unfair for us who want to get a high grade as well as
need to cover up their works. When one of them become lazy, others will not be so motivated.
They will become very chill as they see their other group member do not do anything. Hence,
they will feel that they do not need to be so hardworking. The leader need to put more effort to
motivate the members. It will become tiring and unfair to the leader. However, I see that they
contribute more effort when they are doing their individual work. They spend more time and
even use the time for doing the group work to do their individual work. Despite that, other
member spend more time to finish up his or her work.
5. Therefore, it is very clear that the situation of my group suit the theory of social loafing and a
person may perform worser when his or her individual effort cannot be identified in a group.
6. JOURNAL 2
CHAPTER 2
ENTRY 1: SELF-SERVING BIASES
Self-serving biases is the tendency to take credit for success and deny any responsibility for
failure. In general, people make internal attributions for desired outcomes and external
attributions for undesired outcomes. This theory occurs in variety of events as well as variety of
settings. This help us in protecting our ego or self-esteem. Base on this theory, we can find
excuse to ourselves when something bad happen so that we will not feel sad about our own
behaviour or attitude.
When I have my test, I will take credit for myself if I get a good result but blame the situation
when I get a bad result. There is one time I nearly fail my test as I do not study before the test.
Coincidently, my physical condition is not quite well at that time. Hence, I blame my physical
condition but not my laziness for having a bad grade. When my family and friends are curious
about the reason that I getting a mark that is so low, I tell them that I am sick at that time athough
in my heart I know that it is my own fault for not study before the test. Sometimes, I also will
blame the teachers for not good in teaching me but it is me who do not pay attention to the class.
However, I contribute the effort to myself when I get a high mark. I feel that it is my hardwork
that I can get a high grade during most of the time. I feel proud although I will not show it out.
Although my parents, friends and teachers also do contribute their effort in teaching me, studying
with me and give support to me, I still will think about my own effort first. Then, I will slowly
think about them.
7. Hence, it is clear that self-serving biases always happen on me especially when there are
projects and tests. I will blame others and the situations when things go wrong and credit to
myself when things go smoothly.
8. JOURNAL 3
CHAPTER 3
ENTRY 1: SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY
Self-fulfilling prophecy can be defined as positive or negative expectations circumstances, events
or peoples that may affects a person behavior toward them in a manner that he or she
unknowingly creates situation in which those expectations are fulfilled. For example, if a person
think we are stupid or whatever, he or she will treats us that way. If we are treat like a stupid or
whatever, we will act like that and eventually we may become like that. Thus, his or her
prophecy has fulfilled. This theory was coined by Robert Merton in 1948. In 1968, Robert
Rosenthal and Lenore Jacobson gave the students in an elementary class a test. After that, they
told the teachers some of the students in that class were extremly clever although they were just
average students. They came back at the end of the school year and tested the class again. It
turned out that those students had improved their score far more than other students.
For my example, I am given high expectation on me since I was small. Not only my parents
have a high expectation on me, but also my brother, uncles, aunties and cousins. They all think
that I am clever and can get very high grades for my every exams. Not only that, teachers in
school also think that I am the one of the students that can get straight As in both PMR and SPM.
Hence, to not let them down and for myself, I study hard so that I can get straight As. I attend
tuition classes, do my homeworks, do exercises and pay attention during classes. I do not want to
dissappoint them although I know they will not blame me if I do not get straight As. Finally, I
get straight As for my PMR and SPM, their prophecy is fulfilled. Besides that, I am a prefect
9. when I in secondary school. The teachers often think that I am a good and polite student and they
also treat me like that. Hence, I try to fulfill their prophecy by being a good and polite student. I
do not skip class, do not smoke and do not dye my hairs. I also always hand in the homeworks
that my teachers give though other students did not.
Sometimes, an expectation on a person and the way you treat him or her really will affect his or
her behaviour.
10. JOURNAL 4
CHAPTER 4
ENTRY 1: THE CONFIRMATION BIAS
Confirmation bias is a psychological phenomenon that explains why people tend to seek out the data that
confirm their existing opinions and overlook or ignore data that refutes their beliefs. When we have build
a hypothesis, we will actively seek the information that support our belief which is by searching our
memory and looking for things in the outside world. We will also avoid or ignore things that will
disconfirm our belief. Confiramtion bias has also been called Confimatory Bias, Myside Bias and
Verification Bias. Confirmation bias influences how people seek information and also influences how
people interpret and recall information. For example, people who support or oppose an issue will actively
seek data that support their belief. Not only that, they will also interpret news stories from that data in a
way that upholds their existing datas and also only remember the data which supports their belief.
My friend had sell a product to me before. She told me that if I buy the product and join into the
company as a member, we can earn money together. I did not think too much about it before but I got a
bad feeling about it. I felt that it was a scam. I did a research about the company when I went back home.
I only seek for the data that support my belief. Most of the data which is the articles and comments on the
internet that I read are the data that confirm my belief. Mostly the information was about the company’s
bad words. I ignored the comments and articles that say good things about the company. I also interpret
the information in a way that support my belief. I told my other friends that the company was dishonest
and warned them not to join the company. I also would hear when my friends say bad things about the
company but I would ignore it when they say good things about the company. I would actively join the
chat when they are saying the company’s bad things. However,I would stay quiet and ignored it when
they are saying the company’s good things.
11. Therefore, It is very clear that people tend to actively seek out data that support their beliefs and actively
disregard data that refute their beliefs. Most people will maintain their original beliefs, even facing the
contradictory data.
12. JOURNAL 5
CHAPTER 5
ENTRY 1: OPERANT CONDITIONING
Operant conditioning is a way of learning that occurs through rewards or punishments for
behavior. Operant conditioning was coined by the behaviorist B.F. Skinner, which is why people
may occasionally called this theory as Skinnerian conditioning. There are different types of
operant outcomes which are positive reinforcement or negative reinforcement as well as positive
punishment or negative punishment. Positive reinforcement strengthen a behavior by giving
consequences for an individual to find rewards. In the other hand, negative reinforcement
strengthen a behavior by removing an unpleasant reinforcer or stop an unpleasant experience.
Punishment is said as the opposite of reinforcement as it is designed to weaken a behavior rather
than strengthen it.
There is one time that I experience operant conditioning which I remember. I find that the way
of my mother taught my brother and I when we were small was similar to this theory. My mother
would punish us to weaken our naughty behavior. She wanted us to study hard. Therefore, she
would give us rewards such as a promise to go oversea, a mobile phone or even money if we get
an excellent marks in our exams. My brother and I would study very hard because we wanted
that rewards very much. We would study at the morning, afternoon and night just to get the
rewards. However, we would be scolded by her if we did very lousy in our exam such as failing
one or two of the subjects. We really hated when our mother scolded us, so, we study very hard
to reach her requirements as well as to avoid the scolding. If our mother did not does this, my
13. brother and I would not have the motivation to study hard and we would not get a good grades in
the exams. Hence, I am very grateful for my mother to do this.
In my opinion, operant conditioning always happen in our daily life such as in a classroom
when the teachers want their students to score high marks. This theory can help in motivating a
person to have good behavior if it is used in a good intention.
