Social Psychology Paper Scenario: Sarah is a 15-year-old Caucasian girl who just started her sophomore year of high school. Her family lives in a more affluent part of town and she has been known to have very nice things. She has always been a rule-follower and did everything that her parents told her to do. She gets good grades and takes mostly honor's classes. Since the school-year just started, she has made some new friends in some of her classes. She was excited to have new people to spend time with and was looking forward to their first night going out together.
Sarah's parents have strict rules regarding her curfew and she had never broken them before. When it came time for Sarah to go home, her new friends asked her to stay out with them because they were going to go to a party. Sarah had never been to a party before and really wanted her new friends to keep inviting her out. Her friends kept telling her how much fun the party was going to be and how she would be missing out if she didn't go, so she decided to go.
When they arrived at the party, Sarah began to realize how popular her new friends were, as they seemed to know everyone there. While she knew that she should be at home, obeying her curfew and was worried that she was going to get caught, she was still having fun at the party and felt happy that she went.
Sarah began talking to a guy named Jack. Jack was a junior at her school. They found that they liked the same music and had some of the same hobbies. Jack's family lives in the same neighborhood as Sarah as well. Jack told Sarah that he thought that she was beautiful and asked her on a date for the following week. Jack left the party soon after that and Sarah went back to talk to her friends.
Everyone was having a good time when they heard two guys arguing in the front of the house. Most of the people at the party ran outside to see why the boys were yelling at each other. The yelling quickly turned into a physical fight.
Because of the fight, many people decided to leave. Sarah and her friends left the party and went home. Sarah got home and looked back on her experience throughout the night and thought about if it was worth it or not.
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• Lists the factors that contributed towards Sarah’s attitude regarding her curfew and how did these factors contribute.
• Explains the ways Sarah displays cognitive dissonance.
• Describes the situations that Sarah conforms to her peers’ beliefs and how. Explains some possible reasons that Sarah did this.
• Explains some possible reasons that Jack was interested in Sarah and how these relate to the factors of attraction.
• Describes the type of social interaction that was displayed through the fight at the party and how this social interaction affects others at the party.
• Explains how Sarah’s behavior was influenced by others throughout the night. Comments:
Organization and Development
20 Percent Points Earned
X/1.5
• The paper is 750 to 1200 words in length.
• The paper is clear and organized; major points are supported by details, examples, or analysis.
• The tone aligns with the assignment’s purpose and is geared toward the appropriate audience.
• The paper provides relevant and sufficient background on the topic.
• The paper is logical, flows, and reviews the major points. Comments:
Mechanics and Format
20 Percent Points Earned
X/1.5
• The assignment file is presentable and functional.
• Rules of grammar, usage, and punctuation are followed; spelling is correct.
• The paper—including the title page, reference page, tables, and any appendices—is consistent with APA guidelines. Comments: