Hiren's journal entries document his experiences with various social psychology concepts like social loafing, individualistic vs collective cultures, stereotyping, first impressions, and post-decision dissonance. In one entry, he describes social loafing occurring in a group project where individually strong performers did not meet their standards. In another, he discusses choosing an individualistic career path in film against his collective family's wishes to pursue a respected profession. A third entry recounts an experience with racial profiling and stereotyping by police during a traffic stop.

1. FOUNDATION IN NATURAL & BUILT
ENVIRONMENT (FNBE)
NAME: HIRENDRAN
STUDENT ID: 0319894
SUBJECT: SOCIAL PSYCOLOGY
LECTURER: MR SHANKAR
TUTORIAL GROUP: MONDAY2PM-4PM
SUBMISSIONDATE: 27TH
APRIL 2015

2. JOURNAL1
ENTRY 1: SOCIALLOAFING
28TH
MARCH 2015
Beinga studentof architecture,alotof our assignmentsorprojectsconsistof groupwork,which
leadstoone of the most commonproblemsfacedbyarchitecture studentswhichisthe “Free-Rider’
problem.This phenomenacanbe tiedtothe social psychology theoryof social loafing. Social loafing
isa phenomenonwhenindividuals exertslessefforttoachieve agoal whentheyworkin a group
than whentheyworkalone.Insocial loafing,the individual effortcannotbe identified. In1883, Max
Ringelmannconductedastudyfromwhichhe concludedthatanindividual’sperformance actually
getsworse inthe presence of others.Thistheoryoccursinthe everydaylifeof anarchitecture
student.One of myown personal experience of social loafingisamongmygroupmembers.During
our recentCulture andCivilizationproject,we were toseparate ourselvesintogroupsof 10. Thusme
some of my friendsformeda group.Almosteveryone inthatgroupwere standoutperformers
individually. Thus,the reasonwhywe decidedtoformagroup together.Beingagroupwitha lot of
standoutperformers,we thoughtourprojectwouldgosmoothlybutitdidnot.I noticedthatsome
of the memberswhowere reallytalentedindividuals,didnotperformtotheirstandard.

3. JOURNAL2
ENTRY 1: INDIVIDUALISTICANDCOLLECTIVECULTURE
3RD
APRIL2015
“...If there isno risk,there isnoreward.” This sayingperfectlyexpressesmysupportiveviewson
practicingindividualisticculture. Individualisticculture isthe focusof independence overcollective
goals,whereascollectiveculture isthe focusoninterdependenceandgroupgoals.Asa Malaysianof
Indianheritage,collective culture isobservedandpracticedinmyfamilyandcommunity.Growing
up as a child,I alwaysknewthatI hadto studyand workhard so that I couldobtaina professional
degree andholda respectedjob.Mostof my family membersare eitherdoctors,lawyers,or
engineers,therefore,there wasalwaysthispressuretohave a highly respectedcareer.ButasI
reachedtowardsthe endof myteenage years,Irealizedthatlife isn’tjustaboutbeingwealthy.At
the age of 17, I was reallypassionate aboutacareerinfilm.Iwantedtoleave the countryand chase
a dream thatI was passionate about.Thus,acceptingthe individualisticculture of the westernersin
the process.I didnot reallythinkaboutwhatmyfamilywouldthink of the ideaorwhatsociety’s
perceptionwouldbe of mypersonal goals. All IwantedwastodosomethingIlovedforthe restof
my life.Irealizedthisafterwatchingthisafilm, Rushmore byWesAndersonwhichconsistedof one
of myfavourite dialogs.
Herman Blume: What'sthe secret, Max?
Max Fischer:The secret?
Herman Blume: Yeah, youseem to have it pretty figuredout.
Max Fischer:The secret, I don'tknow...I guess you'vejust gotta findsomethingyoulove to do and
then... do it for the rest of your life.

4. My parentswere againstit mycareer choice.Theyfeltitwastooriskyand theywere nottoo
comfortable withthe ideaof acareer infilm.Itwas outof the norm andmany of my auntsand
unclesadvisedagainstit.Theywantedme tohave a professional degree whilstliftingthe family
name inthe process.Thisshowsthattheypracticedcollective cultureandwere more concerned
withthe goalsof the familyinsteadof myownpersonal goals.Thus,asthe resultof collective
culture,here Iam pursuinga degree inarchitecture. Hopefullyonce I’ve obtainedmydegree Iwill be
able to pursue the dreamI’mmost passionate about.

5. JOURNAL3
ENTRY 1: STEREOTYPING
8TH
APRIL2015
In a multi-culturalcountrylike Malaysia,racial stereotyping isacommon phenomenon.A stereotype
assumesthatall membersof a group share some commonfeature.Thisiscausedthroughthe
perseverance effectwhere once aschemaisformed,itishard to change or ‘letgo’ of these
schemas.One of my personal experience of stereotypingbeginswith acar ride.Myself and4 other
friends,all of Indianrace,were drivingat2am, comingback from myfriend’shouse afteragame of
FIFA.We came to a roadblockwhere we were stoppedbythe police.The policerofficershined the
torch lightintoour car and eventhougheverythingwasintact.Eg:we were all wearingourseatbelt,
the car had a “P” stickerand we didnotbreak anyrules,we were stilledpulledover.Afterchecking
our license andregistration,we were still heldatthe roadside andtheyaskedusto openthe booth.
The ransackedthroughthe boothand foundnothing.All 5of us were thensubjectedtoabodycheck
before theycheckedthe caritself.One of myfriendsinsistedtoknow the reasonwhywe were being
heavilychecked.Theiranswerwas “ LimabudakIndiakeluar rumahpukul 2 pagi mesti nak buat
hal ni” ( Five Indianboysout at 2am are sure to cause trouble).Thistook us aback as all of us were
goodstudentswhowere justoutto playa football videogame.The police were stereotypingusas
trouble causingIndiansjustbecause we were outlate atnight.We endedupbeingheldatthe
roadblockforabout half an houronlyto be releasedinnocent.

6. JOURNAL4
ENTRY 1: FIRST IMPRESSIONS
16TH
APRIL2015
WhenI was younger,Iusedto playthisgame we called“Shoe-Face”withsome of myfriendsinthe
LRT where we wouldlookatotherpeople’sshoesandtryto guesswhattheywouldlooklike and
whattype of persontheycouldbe justbasedon theirshoes.Thiswasone of my fondestmemories
of firstimpressions.People sayyouonlyhave one opportunitytomake afirstimpressionwhichis
true no doubt.Firstimpressions are notdeliberate,theyare notformedbywatchingothersactions
theyare almostinstantaneous.Accordingtoresearch,firstimpressionscanbe formedwithin10
secondsof meetinganindividual.A more detailedexperience of myencounterwithfirstimpressions
happenedwhenI metone of my closestfriendsincollege.Duringourveryfirstencounter,she
wasn’tdressedappropriatelybutshe wasveryfriendlyandupfrontaboutthings.Thismade me form
an immediate firstimpressionthatshe wasone of those girlswholovedlate nightpartyingand
socializing.Andof course she turnedouttobe the total opposite.Ifollowedthroughbyaskingif she
likedgoingtoravesor clubbingandshe simplyanswered“No”.Iwasa bittakenaback by the
answer,butaftergettingtoknowher overthe past 9 monthsI can totallybelieveit.Turnsout,she
hatesclubsbecause of the smell of cigarettes,she’shardlyeverbeentoarave and she’sa staunch
Christian.Inconclusion,myfirstimpressionof myfriendwasinvalid.Also,Ishould’ve mentioned
thisearlierbutI wasterrible at the “Shoe-Face”game.

7. JOURNAL5
ENTRY 1: POST-DECISION DISSONANCE
23RD
APRIL2015
Post-decisiondissonancebasicallystatesthatafterwe make a decisionbetweentwoequal options,
we get uncomfortable andstarttowonderif we made the right decision.Thisdiscomfortcauses us
to pinpointall the positivesof ourchosenoptionandall the negativesof the unchosenone. Being
someone whoisalwaysindecisive,Iamable torelate to thistheoryverywell. Eversince Iwasyoung
I alwaysfeltasense of regretafterbuyinga new toyand findingoutthere wasa bettertoyout
there.Until thisage,I still experience postdecisiondissonance. Inthe year2013, I spenta year
savingupmoneyto buya cameraand by December2013 I got myfirsteverDSLR camera. Before
makingmydecisiononwhichmodel Ishouldpurchase,Ihaddone researchon different models and
it came downbetweenthe Canon700D and the Canon 60D. I knew fora fact that the Canon 60D
was a much more capable camerabut itwas a bit pricy.So I settledforthe Canon 700D. Aftera few
monthsof exploringandusingmycamera,I realizeditwasnotveryefficientoras goodas I hopedit
wouldbe.Ifelta slightbitof regretknowingthatI shouldhave boughtthe Canon60D instead.I
startedexperiencingpost-decision dissonance bytellingmyself thatImade the rightdecision.As
much as I hate to admitit,I didthinkof all the additional qualities mycamerahadoverthe Canon
60D. I alsolookedintowhatIcould have done withthe extramoneyIsaved. Thus,I’ve decidedtolet
the post-decisiondissonance take overmythoughtseventhoughIstill preferthe Canon60D.