Final Project Guide

For your final project, you will select a social psychology topic, do research both scholarly (on-line scientific journals) and applied/community (phone interview, website info of govt, non-govt, non-profit agencies), and prepare a presentation (8 powerpoint slides), and submit it. See details below. You may work individually or in a group of 2 or 3 (maximum) 

Selecting a Topic

1. 1. Select a topic (see suggested topics on the  page 4)
   2. You may choose a topic other than the one listed (make sure to check it with the instructor)

Conducting Research

You will conduct your topic research in two areas :

1. Scholarly Research: (on-line scientific journals)
   Minimum THREE scientific psychology journal articles (published later than 2010) from PsycInfo or PsycArticle . These are data bases that contain thousands of scientific research articles on psychology topics.   (Do not use Google or Wikipedia for scholarly research)
   Choose relevant three articles, read them, and draw information about your topic- what the current psychology research says about it; e.g., if your topic is “youth violence”, you can find scholarly articles that will provide you with information based on data from empirical studies
2. Applied (Community) Research
   You will examine how this topic is “applied” or is relevant to our present-day society & day-to-day life in Canada; e.g., if your topic is “Youth Violence”, you can go to RCMP website and find out some statistics on prevalence of violent crimes committed by youth. You can also check online popular media such as news articles on youth gang violence in Vancouver. As well, you can interview someone you know who may have been involved in violent activities.Here’s some more on where/how to do research that is considered community research. 
   1. Statistics Canada site for the demographic and other relevant information: www.statcan.ca
   2. Community Centers websites. e.g., food banks, health clinics, welfare office, RCMP office, City websites, Shelter for women, Shelter for the homeless, Counselling services
   3. Interviewing individuals over phone or other e-platforms (Zoom, Skype) e.g., pregnant teenager, single father, victim of violence, divorced woman/ma. Do not use their names or identifying information in the presentation
      ** The interview questions must be pre-approved by the instructor. As well, consent forms must be signed by the participants. 

PowerPoint Slides

Plan & Organize your Presentation

• • • Your goal should be to make the presentation informative as well as interesting
    • Keep your slides simples and CLEAN (Point form only – do not clutter it with too much text)
      Use graphics, pictures if you like, but the main points must be clearly noted

Total 8 slides only

Slide #1: Title: The Topic and General Introduction of yourself and/or the team member

Slide #2: The nature and prevalence of the Problem/Issue

• • • Why is it important to study?
    • Who and how many are directly and indirectly affected by this problem/issue?
      • e.g., Statistics Canada data including B.C. and Vancouver
    • How does it affect the individual and the society?

Slides #3, # 4, #5: One slide each for three scholarly research studies.

• • • In point form, provide a very brief overview
      • What the study was about?
      • How it was conducted?
      • What were the major findings?
      • Why it is relevant to your project?
    • Cite the full references at the bottom of the slide in APA format

Slides #6 , # 7: Applied (Community) Research: Which on-line resource dis you search? What did you find? Provide the website URL at the bottom of the slide.

• • •  Important Note: If you interview someone: Check your interview questions with the instructor before the interview, Do not use their name in the ppt slides, and delete the audio file if you recorded the interview

Slides #8: Conclusion: A general summary and conclusion of your research.

Presentation Options

Choose one of the following three options

1. 1. 1. Write your own presentation Notes under each slide- what you would be saying if you were presenting this in class (maximum 100 words for each slide.) (Click on “Notes” at the right bottom of the window of the slide which will open up a small window under
         the slide. Enter your notes)
      2. If you have a microphone attached to your computer, you can do a voice over for each slide. On top left, select “Insert” – “Audio” – “Record Audio”
      3. Prepare a video (Youtube or any other ) showing clearly your ppt slide as you talk about each slide.

Submit PowerPoint file or Video using the Link on the course site

If it is a group project, each member should submit the same file. Include your name in the file name.

Suggested Topics

Social Influence

• Advertisements for children
• Video games
• Social media (choose specific one)
• Political propaganda
• Censorship
• Public surveillance cameras
• Strategies to promote Safe driving
• Strategies to promote Safe sex
• Prison system & Reforms
• Religious cults
• Social norms and social shaming

Attitudes (about)

• Student Poverty
• Immigration
• Gun control
• Unemployment
• Premarital sex
• Drugs/Alcohol/Smoking
• Pornography

Social Cognition & the Social Self

• Self-concept
• Self-serving bias
• Fundamental Attribution Error
• Behaviour & Belief
• Jury decisions
• Forming impressions of others

Interpersonal relationships

• First love
• Romantic Jealousy
• Gender Differences in romantic relationships
• Divorce
• Arranged marriages
• Teenage dating
• Gay  relationships
• Relationship Stability

Aggression

• Violent children
• Violent teenagers
• Media violence
• Violent pornography
• Spousal abuse
• Date rape
• Criminal Gangs
• Street crimes
• War atrocities

Helping Behavior

• Volunteering
• Acts of heroism
• Doctors without borders
• Humanitarian organizations
• Charity