SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, BUILDING AND DESIGN

FOUNDATION IN NATURAL AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT

AUGUST 2014/ SEMESTER 2

NAME : ONG SHI HUI

STUDENT ID NUMBER : 0320303

GROUP/ SESSION : CLASS 1 SEC 2 (MONDAY: 9AM-11AM)

SUBJECT/ COURSE : SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY (PSY30203)

SUBMISSION DATE : 27 APRIL 2015

JOURNAL 1/ ENTRY 1- SOCIAL COGNITIVE PERSPECTIVE

Based on THINK Social Psychology Chapter 1-What Is Social Psychology? , I have

learned about social cognitive perspective. Social cognitive perspective is derived from the

behaviorism perspective. It assumes that an individual’s cognitive process influences and

influenced by behavioral association.

My experience that related to social cognitive perspective is about last year, 2014. I

did an illegal thing and I did not realize. My family members and I plan to Kuala Lumpur to

have a one day trip. Indispensably, we went to the most popular place on Kuala Lumpur,

which is KLCC Petronas Twin Tower. Everyone was started to take picture of ourselves with

those special building and something new. We helped each other took photo with Petronas

Twin Tower. Of course, I also took photo of Petronas Twin Tower as memory. As normally, I

post photo the photo that I took on Facebook- Petronas Twin Tower, my selfie with Petronas

Twin Tower and our family’s wefie. The next day, my uncle saw my posting and he told me

that take photo of Petronas Twin Tower is offense. I feel shout because it is so unbelievable

to me. He started to tell me the truth reason. Actually, when the Petronas Twin Tower

completed, the owner of Petronas Twin Tower applied and approved to become private,

which we cannot take picture of Petronas Twin Tower. But according to Malaysia’s law, we

have our right to take picture of ourselves. If we are taking picture with Petronas Twin

Tower, that is legal. So, we just cannot take the picture of Petronas Twin Tower itself only.

You are required to apply to take picture or video. If the owner wants to accuse me, I will get

the punishment. After that, I delete the picture of Petronas Twin Tower that I post.

Through this experience, it is related to social cognitive perspective. It is because of

cognitive processes have not been established that identify take picture of building is illegal.

There are some buildings that same situation like that and Petronas Twin Tower is one of it.

This is my first time to take picture of Petronas Twin Tower and I don’t have any related

experience about it. Other than that, I don’t have any experience about take picture on

something is wrong. Not only like that, I also did not study and learn about this before.

JOURNAL 1/ ENTRY 2- SOCIAL LOAFING

In Chapter 1 “What Is Social Psychology” from THINK Social Psychology, I have

learned social loafing. Max Ringelmann concluded that an individual’s performance will get

worse in presence of others. It is because individuals make less effort in a group to achieve

their goal if they were individually responsible.

Stepping on university study, half projects were actually done in a group. Due to our

society needed, most of the tasks have to do in a group. Group cooperation is really

important. One of our projects for Culture and Civilizations subject, we required in a group of

nine or ten people. This project was about to act a role-play and do a group report. After the

brief for this project, it is holiday. But the whole week of this holiday, we were not having

any meeting, because most of the group mates were back to their hometown. However, other

groups were not gone back to hometown and continued their meeting in holiday. We have to

rush after holiday. Other groups were done their props. Our group members started our

project with cooperate in hundred percent. We were assorted group members into different

scope of works. We started to make our own costume and do props for our role-play. Some

people were done for ship, throne, crown and map. We worked together and done these props

in a week. The day before role-play, we do the report from noon till midnight. Before and

after class, I went to meeting directly. It is too tired for me to do it at midnight. I continued to

do it until I want to sleep. I pass it to my friends. After an hour, they have done the report.

Group work can reduce the workload for an individual but it might assume that one of the

other group members will take their responsible of it.

From this group project, our individual effort cannot be identified. We finished our

props in a short period because all members of the group are pooling their effort to achieve

goal. If one of the group members was make less effort than others in a group, but we were

not easy to realize.

JOURNAL 2/ ENTRY 1- MOTIVATION

According to THINK Social Psychology Chapter 2, I have learned about motivation.

Motivation divided into two categories, which are intrinsic motivation and extrinsic

motivation. There are many different experiences show motivation in my daily life. I am

choosing to explain extrinsic motivation. Extrinsic motivation is a respond action from an

external pressure or obligation. It might be done to avoid punishment or earn certain reward.

One of my experiences to show extrinsic motivation is most important to me and my

future. Before studying in Taylor’s Lakeside University, I am just finished SPM and I got a

very well result. I decided to take architecture course in Taylor’s University in Petaling Jaya.

It is because Taylor’s University is the best and famous university for architecture course.

After that, I discuss with my father about the fee. My father feels it is too expensive and

rejected me to study at here, but I promised to my father that I will study hard and I will get

scholarship. My mother supported me and talked to my father, my father gave me a chance to

study here. After I study here, I feel that is not easy to study this course. All the learning way

is not same from secondary school and I should careful to choose friends for group work. I

was slowly adapted into this environment at few months after I came into university life. So, I

did not get good result in first semester. My father was angry, scolded me, and told me if I

cannot get scholarship, no need to study here and just came back to hometown. Having this

pressure from my father, I was study harder than before and I want to get at least 3.7 on this

semester. Hence, I will try my best to get a good result. I want to continue my study here and

I do not want to have any regret after this.

From this experience, I have responsibility to study hard because I promised to my

father before and my father used his hard-earned money to give me a very well education.

My father was warned me and I was tried to avoid the punishment that gave from my father,

so I have to more strive. There are many external pressures to force me study harder than

others. Lastly, if I really get scholarship, externally I can continue study at Taylor’s

University. Internally, I also will glad to get good results.

JOURNAL 2/ ENTRY 2- THE LOOKING-GLASS SELF

Based on THINK Social Psychology Chapter 2 “The Self: Who Am I and How Do

Other Individuals See Me”, I have learned the looking-glass self. It is we imagine how we

look to others and how other people judge the appearance that we present.

My experience of using the looking-glass self is before every presentation. My

English is not really good because I was study in Chinese school before. I was Kedah people.

Expect for English class, I was not spoken English anymore. I was practiced to speak English

after I went to university. I feel that most of my friends can spoke English fluently. Owing to

their environment was spoken English from childhood, so most of their English is very good.

I have to practice more to avoid drag others. Although I am trying to improve my English,

but I am still not confident to my English level. I will use the looking-glass self before my

presentation. I will imagine myself to present on stage. Besides, I will be imagine I spoke

fluently on stage and done my presentation very well. After imagination, I feel more

confident to speak on stage. Others were clapping hand after I finished my presentation.

Despite my presentation is not fluently as I imagine, but I feel that is better than I did not

imagine anything. The imagination bring useful confident to me. I will continued using

looking-glass self.

“I imagine your mind, and especially what your mind thinks about my mind, and what

your mind thinks about what my mind thinks about your mind.” Charles Horton Cooley.

From this experience, I was imagining how I look to others. I look not nervous and confident

from actual. The end of presentation, I was proud of hand clapping from others. The result is

that we change our behaviour based on how we feel people perceive us.

 

JOURNAL 3/ ENTRY 1- STEREOTYPING

In Chapter 3 from THINK Social Psychology, this chapter is about “Thinking About

the Social World”. I have learned about stereotype. Stereotype assumes that all the members

in a group are sharing some common feature. Once a schema is formed, it is hard to change.

It may hard for people to forget of these types of schemas.

One of my often met experiences is others will assume that I am not same with my

real age. After I got my SPM result, I am eighteen years old girl and I graduate from SPM

with a baby face. My height is only 151cm. I am the shortest girl in my house and my

younger brother taller a head than me. But I was not dissatisfied for my own. Many people

will think I am just fourteen or fifteen years old people. When I went out with my family

members, we went to “Ang”’s (my mother sir name) gathering once a year with other

relatives. I met many relatives once a year. My mother’s relatives will deem me as a

secondary student and my younger brother as my elder brother. They were not believed that I

am finished study SPM and my brother is small than me. After my mother told them, they

were known that I am elder sister and graduate from SPM. A year later, the same gathering

and the situation was repeated. I am still same height before. They still deem me as fourteen

or fifteen years old and my younger brother as my elder brother. Now, I am a university

student. Actually, I would like to tell them this is the question they ask before, but they are

eldership, so I did not do that. However, I love to be looking young and stay young.

After this experience, I sure that stereotype is hard to change for a person. My height

and type of my face has a whole range of characteristics for a secondary student or younger.

Those characteristic of a person are not controllable. Although short people with baby face

look younger, but still have some people are not a secondary students like me. So, I am

sharing the same common feature with younger people.

JOURNAL 3/ ENTRY 2- THE OPTIMISTIC BIAS

According to THINK Social Psychology Chapter 3, I have learned the optimistic bias.

Optimistic bias believes that bad things happen to others and you are experience positive in

life.

Nowadays, our country was not safety than before. You can saw from the news, there

are different types of crime happening in our country such as kidnap, robbery and rape. Most

of the people are not aware for the safety of our country became worse. My aunt always

shared these news to me and hopes that I can become mature. So, she would not worry about

me. As a teenager, I will hang out with friends when they invite me. Even though they invite

me at night, I will go out with them. All the friends went out every day and every night, but

they also did not happening any unpleasant. I feel that I was not so unlucky to meet these

problems. I was very careful enough. Moreover, I will pay attention on the people who near

to me and the environment that I not familiar. I know that this is optimistic bias, but I still

want to have fun. If once I meet these, I would not be optimistic. I will regret after happening.

I love to play and hang out with my friends because it is fun together with friends. I

choose to think optimistic because so many people in this world and I would not be the

unfortunate. So, I can continued go out with my friends.

JOURNAL 4/ ENTRY 1- FIRST IMPRESSIONS

In THINK Social Psychology Chapter 4, this topic is about “How Do We Perceive

Others”. I have learned about first impressions. It formed only in ten seconds. They are not

deliberate and may be instantaneous.

Normally, my first impression is totally different after someone is recognizing me.

These are my first impression from others that my friends told me. My friends think that I

was a shy, quiet and intelligent person but once they became closer to me, they rejected for

the first impression. Actually, I am not acting these schemas to others. It is because I feel

scare when I step into a new environment and I cannot adapt myself faster into that situation.

So, I am just observed and listened to others. I would not automatic spoke with others until

the people spoke to me then I answered. I was think many different ways to speak, but it is

hard to me. After a long time, I know my friends well and I started play tease and make noise

with them. Moreover, I am not an intelligent girl. I have to study hard to get a good result.

They will change impression to me. Moreover, they always said that I was very good acting

when we met at first time. After that, I was talkative and funny. If I keep quiet, they will ask

me to talk and make the surrounding noisier. Now, they were understanding and knew me

well.

First impression of me to others is totally wrong. It is just initial evaluate of that

person when first meet. My friends feel I am a shy and quite person. However, the first

impression is for the first meet, it might be changing according to day by day. I perform my

real attitude with the one who I trust only.

JOURNAL 4/ ENTRY 2- THE HALO EFFECT

In Chapter 4, THINK Social Psychology, I have learned about the halo effect. The

Halo Effect means one positive attribute will cause us to attribution other positive qualities to

an individual.

From my experience, I will feel that a pretty girl is most helpful. I prefer to ask help

from the pretty girl. Last year, I went to buy a drink at Starbucks after my submission. I

overnight for the day before and I have a class after that. I would like to buy refreshing drink

for myself. I lined up and waited to my turn. When reached my turn, I ordered the drink I

like. After I ordered, I have to pay. I realized that my purse has only RM10. I forgot to take

money this morning. The coffee is RM18. I suddenly do not know what to do. I just turn back

and I saw two girls behind me- one girl with a normal look and another with pretty look. I

chose to borrow the money from the pretty girl. It is good. She borrowed another RM10 to

me. After that, I went to ATM machine, took out the money and return to the girl. I feel shy

and thank to her.

I do not know why I will chose at that time. I think that is the halo effect. I feel that

she look pretty, then she will borrow money to me. Because of her positive attribute, so the

possible she borrow the money to me is high.

JOURNAL 5/ ENTRY 1- ASSESSING ATTITUDE

Based on THINK Social Psychology Chapter 5, this topic is about attitude that

making evaluations about the world. From this chapter, I have learned assessing attitudes.

Assessing attitude is a person’s attitude from their behaviors, but this is not always reliable.

This experience is about observing of one of my friend’s attitude. He is the only son

on his family. He was my best friend. We do anything together. So, I was understood about

his personal attitude. He is a kind and helpful person. He will help others when they met any

problems. But not everyone is prefect; he has his shortcoming as well. He is a greedy person.

His shortcoming was losing my face. Every time, we have gathering with other friends in

restaurant. He will be the first person to eat the food. He also chose the biggest meat to eat,

no matter how far it is. Not only like this, he just took a lot of food his like put on his plate

and started ate. After he finished his rice, he continued ate the food. He totally ate himself

and did not observe and care to others. Some of my friends still have not finished their meal

and they ate a little food only. Other friends were disappointed to this attitude. His attitude is

quite childish. He was not observed, so he would not know when he displeases others. From

my observing, his parents spoil him very much and did not scold him on his bad attitude.

Now, he did not feel that his eating manner was wrong. Once he steps on society, it may

bring some trouble to him. I was tried to tell him about his problem and hope he will be

changing.

From this, you may not understand my friend. You will feel that he is a good or he is

an impolite person. My friend may not aware of his own attitude. But I will be changing, if he

wants to change. Actually, everyone has both positive and negative attitude. Only you

observed him or her deeper, you may understand more about the person. I was observed on

his parents were spoil to him, but it can be inaccurate. It is just assess from my observed.

JOURNAL 5/ ENTRY 2- SOCIAL LEARNING

Based on THINK Social Psychology Chapter 7, I have learned social learning. Social

learning is most of our attitude formed in home and our parents are an enormous source of

information and influence.

When I had my memory, my mother is the one who take care of me from child until

now. It is because my father went out early in the morning to work. So, my mother teaches

me everything patiently such as how to speak, write and draw. Furthermore, she teaches me

how to brush my teeth, take a shower and wear the shoe. She cooked every day for our family

members. There will be a soup, at least a plate of vegetable with other dishes. She would

make sure all the family members had ate till full. No matter how busy, she will take her

responsible to do housework. Moreover, she will bring me to school every morning expect

holiday. After I back from school, she will supervise for my homework. If I did not finish my

homework, she would not use the high tone and scold me. She just talked to me. She will

read her book and accompany me until I done my homework. Her time management is very

good. She can do many things at a day without any complaining.

My mother is an idol for me. I learned my attitude from her; from do not know

anything at all until knowledgeable. Nobody will start brush teeth, take bath and wear shoes

themselves. It must have teaches by one’s. Most of the one who teaches is mother. She lived

with us together and the most contact with us. I will take care for my own diet according her

way. One is never too old to learn, my mother will take the chance to read for improving her

knowledge. I have to treasure the chance I study at university. I would not suddenly voice up

my sound higher, because my mother has use a soft sound talk to us. Her time management

is very well, but I still cannot do like her. But I am practicing from now.