Video report

TAYLOR’S UNIVERSITY | SABD | FNBE | SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY

SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, BUILDING AND DESIGN

FOUNDATION IN NATURAL AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT

VIDEO TITLE: TOGETHER FOREVER?

MODULE: Social Psychology [PSYC0103]

ASSIGNMENT: Video Clip, Presentation and Report

LECTURER: Mr. Shankar

DANIEL SONG (LEADER) 0320155

LAU MAO HUA 0320249

LAM WEE WEE 0320129

LIM TING LE 0320028

AUDREY TING 0320247

CONTENT PAGE

DANIEL SONG | LAM WEE WEE | LAU MAO HUA | LIM TING LE | AUDREY TING1


No. Content Page Number

1 Acknowledgements 3

2 Introduction 4

3 Summary of the story 5-8

4 Methodology & Execution 9-12

5 Psychological concepts 13-18

6 Conclusion 19

7 References 20

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Throughout the entire module we have received much guidance and tutelage from our lecturer, Mr. T.

Shankar, without which, adequate understanding of the subject and its contents would not have been

possible. In turn, this assignment, could not have been completed without said counsel. For this, we

show gratitude and acknowledgement.

Besides the exertion from such parties, the efforts invested by each and every group member involved

in the completion of this assignment was instrumental, and equally as important. Through the many

occasions that Audrey Ting, Lam Wee Wee, Lau Mao Hua, Lim Ting Le, and Daniel Song had

conferred to draw up plans, work schedules, and the like, this assignment would never have been

completed.DANIEL SONG | LAM WEE WEE | LAU MAO HUA | LIM TING LE | AUDREY TING

2


INTRODUCTION

This assignment, as with the previous ones, was a test of the practical understanding of all that was

taught to us throughout the semester. The scope of this assignment can be understood in a threefold

manner. The brunt of this assignment was to be a video capturing a storyline, within which, 5

psychological concepts taught to us during the duration of the semester was to be incorporated. This

video clip was to be planned, shot, and edited solely by the students, with participation being

compulsory from all.

Then, a presentation of this video to the class was to be held, wherein we as the group would have a

chance to explain the content in the video, the execution of the video, and the concepts involved and

applied within the storyline.

Finally, a report, which would be compiled and handed in at the same time as the presentation, was to

be prepared, which would encapsulate the entire process, and to detail the application of the concepts.



Such assignments are a true test of understanding and comprehension towards the subjects taught

during the semester. It took much planning and careful consideration in order to execute this project in

a manner befitting of it. It requires for one as a student to become aware of the application of the

subjects taught, and allows for a much more wholesome learning experience.

SUMMARY OF THE STORY

The story begins with the introduction of two close friends Muthu, and Chong.

Muthu is an Indian boy, whereas, Chong is Chinese. They are seen running away from someone,

presumably a teacher, succeeding in escaping. It is implied that they have known each other for a long

time, through the way they speak to each other, the use of superlative chronemic terms, and through

the intimacy they display as friends, getting into trouble together. The conversation then switches to

college, as they wonder about the next phase of their lives. It is revealed that they shall be enrolling in

the same programme, in the same college, to their excitement.



As they enter this new environment initially in tandem, Chong and Muthu are introduced to new people.

Two students in particular, with the appearance of hoodlums, invite Chong to an event, indicating

interest in friendship. When Muthu asks to come, they lie, saying there was only one more ticket. Their

rejection towards Muthu can be seen from early on.

As days go by, Chong begins to unknowingly neglect Muthu, in spending more time with his new

friends. He grows closer to them with each day. One day, as Muthu comes across the group in class,


The intimacy between the two friends displayed

Chong invited out, & Muthu rejected

The intimacy between the two friends displayed

The intimacy between the two friends displayedThe intimacy between the two friends displayedThe intimacy between the two friends displayedThe intimacy between the two friends displayedThe intimacy between the two friends displayedThe intimacy between the two friends displayedThe intimacy between the two friends displayedThe intimacy between the two friends displayedThe intimacy between the two friends displayedThe intimacy between the two friends displayedThe intimacy between the two friends displayedThe intimacy between the two friends displayed


he greets Chong casually, with such friendly greetings being reciprocated by Chong. When Muthu

leaves, Chong’s new friends chide him to cut off relations with Muthu, citing the fact that he is Indian as

sufficient cause. They state that Indians are generally conniving and thieves. This is reinforced by the

lecturer, who states an incident in which she said an Indian was planning to steal her handbag. In

reality, her preconception of Indians was to blame for such perception. In seeing the general sentiment

towards Indians, Chong also jumps on the bandwagon and decides to ignore Muthu from then on, much

to the disappointment of Muthu.



Along the line, while Chong was hanging out with his new gang, his friends decided to try out drugs. As

Chong refused to take part, even while under pressure, he was soon cast away from the group, which

left him in bitterness towards the gang. He tries to console himself while driving back home, by telling

himself that they weren’t all that cool anyway. In his grief, he got into an accident with another driver,

leaving him injured.


Chong’s growing exposure to his new friends, and growing neglect for his old friend, Muthu

Chong’s friends and lecturers persuading him that he shouldn’t hang out with Muthu, saying that Indians are not trustworthy. Chong soon follows suit














Chong soon wakes up on a hospital bed, unaware of what happened. Upon realising that because he

had been involved in an accident, and that his kidney was ruptured, that Muthu had voluntarily donated

his own kidney, Chong realises the depth of his old friendship, and reconciles with Muthu.

Youtube Video Link : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHDmBCgGH_4


Chong’s friends experimenting with drugs. Chong refuses soon after, drawing much aggression from his

Chong reconciling with Muthu


METHODOLOGY & EXECUTION

a) Idea Generation

Initially, there was very little direction to begin moving towards. This was remedied by getting the group

to meet several times throughout the duration of the project, in order to allow us to brainstorm together

to exchange ideas. Responsibility to study on one’s own in order to understand what was thought was

personally borne by each member.

The idea required a momentum which was built up over time. Usually, the leader would start these

meetings by giving them a topic to discuss on, such as war, or familial problems, and we would reveal

to each other how the psychological concepts were evident in such situations, and how we could

approximate these ideas, to use them. It required some time for ideas to flow, for each of us to loosen

up. In time, the ideas began to flow.

At the inception of this idea, we wanted it to be a simple, relatable story. We wanted it to be

lighthearted, and jovial. This would allow maximum absorption of the content. The conclusion of this,

was a comedic story which demonstrated the racism which was evident in society, and how it played in

a relationship between two close friends.

Although the process of generating ideas may not have seemed intentional, it was required to be such,

that we as group mates would loosen up, open up, and think independently of stale ideas. Just chatting

about different topics, and seeing the concepts evident in them, helped gain the idea gain momentum.

Soon, we had a solid story to go with. The camera angles, scenes, settings, and props were visualised,

as well as props, materials and equipment needed for the different scenes.

b) Resource Consolidation

In order to carry out our plans, we procured all necessary props & equipment. They are listed as

follows:DANIEL SONG | LAM WEE WEE | LAU MAO HUA | LIM TING LE | AUDREY TING

9


Props:

● School accessories, e.g. Ipads, laptops, bags, files, notebooks, etc.

● Lighter & “Cigarette pack”

● Wheeled chair, to simulate a car

● Sunglasses

● Surgical Masks

● Casual outfit for when Muthu & Chong have not enrolled in college

● College going outfit, for when Chong & Muthu have enrolled in college

Equipment:

● DSLR Camera - Used for recording video & audio footage

● Samsung Galaxy S6 - Substitute recording device

● Camera Tripod - Used to steady camera, and for stationary shots.

● Personal computers equipped with required software.

○ IMovie - For editing video and audio footage

○ Sony Vegas Pro - For editing video and audio footage.

c) Video Shooting

The process of shooting was simple in nature. After solidifying the idea, and discussing it several times

over with the aid of a simple storyboard, we decided to begin shooting in immediacy, so as to maintain

the momentum. These processes were all made possible, through research and information hunts on

different aspects of filmmaking. This task was given to the entire group, such that every member was to

research different resources on filmmaking, and contribute to the process. The roles of each group

member in the story are as follows:



Lim Ting Le - Chong

Lam Wee Wee - Muthu

Daniel Song - Gangster 1/Doctor 1

Lau Mao Hua - Gangster 2/Doctor 2

Audrey Ting - Lecturer

For most part, the camera was handled between Daniel Song, Ting Le, and Audrey.

Securing the venues for shooting was more of a problem. We attempted to secure them in order of the

story. They are as follows:

● Various classrooms

● Hallways

● Stairways

● Car

Usually, the shooting would be carried out after several dry runs of the shots and scenes, in order to

allow maximum fluidity and familiarity during actual runs. Also, the actors were briefed to be extremely

relaxed, and natural, to merely respond to any conversation, not to stick to unnatural usage of words.

There would usually be no script involved, only an understanding of what the scene was about, and

what was to be mentioned. The actors were to practice capturing the gist of the scene in their own

words, to allow maximum natural behaviour.

d) Editing

Video editing is very essential after the shooting. Most of the editing is done by Ting Le with the

valuable advice from Daniel Song.

e) Report Drafting & Completion

Report drafting is done by Daniel Song and Wee Wee.

f) Slide Creation & Presentation

Slide preparation is done by Mao Hua and Audrey.



PSYCHOLOGICAL CONCEPTS

The psychological concepts applied in the storyline we drew up are as follows, in order of chronology.

1) The principle of mere exposure/ Classical Conditioning (Chapter 10/Chapter 5)



The order of events, in which Chong’s exposure to his new friends grows each day, as does his relationship with them.

The concept of mere exposure applied in this video can be seen in two manners, in how it brought about

attraction on a Platonic level, between Chong, and his new group of friends, and in how Chong’s attitude

shifted with continuous exposure to them. The concept of mere exposure states that someone’s

attraction, or positive attitude towards a certain subject, is increased with each time they are exposed to

the said subject. In this case, the subject of exposure were the two Chinese gangsters.

The mere exposure concept in this storyline isn’t confined to one scene, but is actually exposed

gradually over a series of scenes, which are supposed to be pieced together, as a montage to represent

lengthiness of time. In this story, when the Chinese gangsters invite Chong out for an event, that was the

beginning of Chong’s exposure to this group, which he previously presumably had no or little contact

with. This develops into a deeper relationship, when Chong begins to hang out with this new group more

often, increasing the exposure to them, and building attraction to them.



In a way, it can be stated that Chong’s attitude towards these people changed, from neutral, to positive,

as he was exposed to them more often.

2) Stereotypes & Prejudice (Chapter 7)

Stereotypes & prejudice displayed through racism in particular is thematic towards this video. It is

demonstrated mainly through how groups of people perceive certain races as having innate,

unavoidable, uniform negative qualities, in this case, the perception that people of the Indian race are

generally untrustworthy. By definition, prejudice is a negative attitude towards a certain group of people,

and stereotypes, is the belief in a general characteristic held by all members of a certain group.

In the video, the stereotypes and prejudice present were evident in how the Chinese gangsters &

lecturer held a negative perception towards Muthu, because Muthu was Indian. They had perceived him

as untrustworthy, due to his being Indian. This influenced their interactions with Muthu, which were

mostly negative. They didn’t associate themselves with him, were unwilling to be friends with him, and

ultimately insulted him behind his back, just because he was Indian.

3) Social proof (Chapter 6)

















The scene in which Chong uses social proofing to indicate the appropriate decision

The concept of social proofing is linked to the concept of persuasion, in that a person is more likely to

be persuaded to a certain choice if he sees a significant amount of the community move towards a

certain decision. In this case, social proofing was utilised in how Chong decides to not to be associated

with Muthu anymore, although Muthu was a long time friend, because “everyone” seemed to be holding

certain perceptions towards Indians.

He just jumped on the social bandwagon, in seeing that because everyone else believed that Indians

were not trustworthy, and did not associate with them, he should not either.

4) Social Learning Theory (Chapter 1)

The social learning theory, is a perspective of social psychology, which states that all behaviour is

learned through observation, and learning from other social beings. In simple words, one learns

behaviour from observing others.

As with the previous concept, Chong learnt, from observation of his friends’ behaviours and schemas in

action, that his friend Muthu, who was Indian, was not to be associated with.



5) Aggression-hostile, verbal (Chapter 9)

The scene in which Chong is verbally aggressed upon by the Chinese gangsters after he refused to take drugs.

Aggression is behaviour which is generally injurious towards another person, physically, emotionally, or

mentally. It can take many forms, of which the most known is physical aggression, where one hurts

another bodily. It can also be verbal, where insults and injurious statements are made towards another.

In this story, aggression was displayed verbally, in a hostile manner towards Chong, by the Chinese

gangsters. They had done this after Chong refused to experiment with drugs. This resulted in Chong

being insulted and called many things, including an Indian, which was used as a derogatory term by the

Indian gangsters, again displaying their prejudice towards the race. The aggression was hostile in

nature, as it was directly and intentionally meant to injure Chong with malintent.

6) Prosocial behaviour, altruistic motivations (Chapter 8)



Muthu is seen here under operation to donate his kidney to Chong.

Prosocial behaviour, very simply, classifies any behaviour that is helpful towards other social beings. It

encompasses both helpful behaviour done with noble intentions, and those done with less noble

intentions.

In this video, we see that after deciding to reject Muthu, Chong barely interacts with him. Muthu, being

cut off, could have taken this in anger and vengeance. However, it is seen, that after Chong gets

involved in a car accident, and ruptures his kidney, Muthu volunteers to donate his own kidney, for

Chong’s sake.

Muthu’s intentions are noble, and selfless, as he had all the reason not to help Chong, but did anyway.

This prosocial behaviour is classified under the altruistic model of prosocial behaviour.



CONCLUSION

As a matter of reflection, this assignment has been found to be a very wholesome, interactive

experience. It allowed for us to hone different skills, all of which is very useful in the corporate world.

The skill of organisation, directing actions, planning, generating ideas are but some of the skills that

have been picked up during the duration of the completion of this assignment.

It allowed us to open up, to stand on our own toes as we executed every one of our plans. More

importantly, it allowed us to see that what was taught in class, was not limited to the classroom, but was

actually present intrinsically in many aspects of our “mundane” lives. Besides that, we gained a better

understanding of such concepts through the planning, discussions, and execution of our plans.

REFERENCES1) Cherry, K. (n.d.). Altruism: Why Do We Risk Our Well-Being to Help Others? Retrieved June 7,

2015, from http://psychology.about.com/od/aindex/g/what-is-altruism.htm



2) Duff, K. (2012). Think social psychology. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon/Pearson.

3) McLeod, S. A. (2008). Prejudice and Discrimination. Retrieved from

www.simplypsychology.org/prejudice.html

4) Ruth, H. (n.d.). Cialdini's Six Principles of Influence: Convincing Others to Say. Retrieved June

7, 2015, from http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/six-principles-influence.htm

5) Stereotypes and Prejudice. (n.d.). Retrieved June 7, 2015, from

http://www.sparknotes.com/psychology/psych101/socialpsychology/section2.rhtml

6) Zajonc, R. B. (1968). Attitudinal effects of mere exposure. Journal of Personality and Social

Psychology, 9(2, Pt.2), 1–27. doi:10.1037/h0025848


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