CAS PS 101 Film Response Worksheet
Film Response Worksheet 1: Stress, Portrait of a Killer
Worksheet
1) Why are the baboons that Robert Sapolsky studied the perfect model for westernized stress-related disease?
2) Among the baboon tribe, which baboons experienced the least amount of stress? Which baboons experienced more stress? How does this relate to the human experience? What were some of the physiological symptoms of the highly stressed baboons?
3) Think about what Dr. Tompson’s lectures about analyzing behavior at various levels of analysis. Let’s connect that to some of the examples in this video. The film highlighted mothers caring for children with special needs and the amount of chronic stress they were under was related to the shortening of their telomeres. What levels of analysis are interacting with each other?
4) Can you think of some additional examples of the fight or flight response that may benefit primates but cause more harm than good in humans?
5) How can stress make us feel miserable? Think about Carol Shively’s work in the film. How can this relate to humans?
6) In the film, Dr. Robert Sapolsky comments that in many ways in our society an individual who is hardworking/dedicated/ambitious is perceived very favorably. However, all of this research shows that this can be harmful to our health. How are the various levels of analysis interacting here?
7) What is the take home message translating Sapolsky’s stress work from primates to humans?
Film Response Worksheet 2: Discovering Psychology
1) The video suggests that even infants have preferences. What are some of these preferences?
2) What are some of the ways a researcher determines if a baby likes something?
3) What does Dr. Zimbardo (the host) conclude about the nature vs. nurture argument?
4) Researcher Judy DeLoache studies symbolic reasoning, or the cognitive ability to relate one concept to another that represents it in some way. What did you learn from the “Hiding Snoopy” experiment you witnessed?
5) What is the typical pattern of language development that all babies follow?
6) The video discusses evidence for a biological basis of language development. What are some of examples that point to a biological basis for language development?
TED Talk Worksheet
1) Russell McClain defines a number of terms, including stereotypes, implicit bias, stereotype threat. What are some examples of these that he cites?
2) What are some additional ones that you can think of? Have you ever experienced stereotypes applied to you or someone close to you? Have you ever experienced stereotype threat?
3) What is the solution that Russell McClain suggest for addressing stereotype threat?? And how might you apply this to a stereotype applied to you or someone close to you?
4) Dan Gilbert says our brains were evolved for a different world than the one we are living in; how does he connect Bernoulli’s formula to this statement?
5) What are some other ways, besides the ones outlined by Dan Gilbert, that we might “Compare with the Past” and how might comparing impact our lives?