Chapter Review

CHAPTER ACTIVITIES

  1. Brainstorm a list of socioeconomic expectations you have for people in specific age groups (e.g., career decisions, marital status, income, living arrangements, etc., for 18- to 25- or 40- to 50-year-olds). Then answer the following questions: How are these expectations generated? What role do the media play in shaping these expectations? How do these expectations shape self-esteem?

    Question

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  2. image Watch the video on self-fulfilling prophecies, then write a journal entry or short paper about a self-fulfilling prophecy you have experienced, and answer the following: What impact does your self-fulfilling prophecy have on your interactions? How has it affected your relationships? What have you done (or can you do) to reduce the impact of your self-fulfilling prophecy?

    Question

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  3. One way to examine the media’s influence on self-esteem is to explore how various media campaigns portray beauty and success. For example, Dove’s “Real Beauty” ads encourage women to reject the notion that beauty is only for the young and thin. Find several examples of commercials, ads, and clips that focus on appearance. In small groups, discuss which campaigns are helpful for improving self-esteem and which are damaging.

    Question

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  4. image Watch the video on mask and then analyze the video by looking at the interaction from each person’s perspective. Address the following: What type(s) of masks would you present if you were the loser in this situation? The winner? When have you displayed such a mask? Why? Groups can share their findings with the class.

    Question

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  5. Generate a list of the faces you present; basically, how do you want others to see and know you (e.g., “I want to be generous and loving”)? Then create another list of the faces someone close to you maintains (i.e., best friend, girlfriend, father). Think about a time when you had a conflict with that person because of a face issue. What makes “face conflicts” difficult to resolve? Why is face so important in close relationships?

    Question

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  6. View your own and others’ online dating profiles or Facebook pages and examine the ways in which self is presented online. Answer the following questions in a journal or essay: What strategies of self-presentation (photos and written descriptions) seem appropriate or inappropriate? What techniques are used to represent positive personality characteristics? How accurate are these representations? To what extent do you or others create a mask for your online interactions?

    Question

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  7. Consider a scene from a film or television show in which a character discloses information with others that is too personal and creates negative impressions. In a brief essay, analyze how and why you sense that the disclosure is inappropriate. What, if any, effect does it have on interpersonal relationships among characters in the film?

    Question

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