Part I – Our behaviors are influenced by society because we are parts of the society in which we live.  For most of us, we are born, we grow up, and live our lives in a society.  The norms and beliefs that are prevalent in society are parts of culture.

Please educate us about the role of “independence” and “interdependence” in your society and/or cultural psychology. 

a)     How does your society view independence and interdependence?

b)     What is the relationship of independence to interdependence (and vice versa)?

If you’re looking for definitions in the textbook, remember that the textbook is rooted in western psychology originating from western European beliefs and traditions.  Unless your family and society are rooted in western European traditions, for this assignment, please speak of your society’s psychology and/or cultural philosophy.  Let’s learn from each other’s psychologies!

Part II - Describe an experience or encounter you have had with the stigma attached to mental disorders* or unusual behavior.  Then explain how the situation was addressed.  Please explain also how you acted within that situation and how your actions are related to social influence.  If you were not satisfied with how things happened, explain how you would address that situation in the future.

*Please note that you are not being asked to diagnose someone; only registered professionals have the credentials to do that.  Thus, if the situation you are describing involves a condition that has been diagnosed by a mental health professional then you can mention that the condition was “diagnosed”.  Otherwise, if you are relating a story about someone who behaved in an ‘unusual’ manner, then simply state that the behavior seemed abnormal.  The point of this discussion is about the stigma and not necessarily about whether a diagnosis was conducted.  An official diagnosis, or lack thereof, is important only to provide context to the condition and to any related effects.