Social Psychology (Social Support and Cyberbullying)
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• Please use APA referencing convention
Total limit of 2000 words, 2 Questions, 1000 words per question. (WORD COUNT INCLUDES IN-TEXT CITATIONS)
1. Critically evaluate the impact of social support on psychological well-being.
2. With reference to relevant research, critically discuss the role of empathy in predicting cyberbullying behaviour among adolescents.
Answers for each question should contain the following:
• Intro to the topic area and/or debate
• Psychological literature (better answers will go beyond the scope of the lectures/core-text book and cite independently sourced literature)
• Critical evaluation of the chosen topic areas/literature.
• Conclusions.
1 Identify and critically discuss the main theories, approaches and evidence in social psychology.
2 Discuss the ways in which concepts, theory and evidence can be applied to aspects of social psychology
3 Evaluate theories of social behaviour on the basis of empirical evidence.
4 Identify and critically evaluate research findings in an appropriate framework
To get a first must show exceptional breadth and depth of knowledge and understanding of the area of study; evidence of extensive and appropriate selection and critical evaluation/synthesis/analysis and of reading/research beyond the prescribed range, in both breadth and depth, to advance work/direct arguments; exceptional demonstration of relevant skills; excellent communication; performance deemed to be beyond expectation.
MARKING CRITERIA (MC)
MC1 - Selects appropriate theory AND research and presents both accurately. Shows excellent ability to select the most important theory AND research to answer the question; all material presented entirely accurately
MC2 - Discusses and critically analyses the theory and research, showing an in-depth, complex understanding of associated issues (e.g. methodological, ethical, etc.). Excellent discussion and critical analysis of presented theory and research, which may include novel ideas beyond course materials; showing an in-depth, complex understanding of associated issues.
MC3 - Uses an appropriate range of sources and references these accurately (using APA guidelines). Clear evidence of substantial reading and research, including a wide range of appropriate academic sources, which are accurately presented in the text and reference list
MC4 - Produces a carefully constructed, balanced essay; evidence is used to develop clear arguments and arrive at a logical conclusion / answer to the question. An excellently constructed essay, which considers a range of evidence in careful, balanced way; arguments are clearly based upon an evaluation of the evidence and may show originality of thought; the conclusion or answer to the question is entirely logical, based upon the evidence cited and the arguments presented.
MC5 - Writes fluently in an academic style; appropriate structure (e.g. including introduction, good use of paragraphing / signposting, conclusion etc.); accurate grammar and spelling. A sophisticated writing style, showing fluency, excellent structure, accurate grammar and spelling.
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The Impact of Social Support on Psychological Well-Being
Introduction
Psychological well-being has been a topic of research for a long time because individuals who have higher psychological well-being live longer and healthier lives. It is defined as the combination of the state of emotional health and the ability of an individual to function optimally (Winefield et al., 2012). Many factors contribute to psychological well-being, such as autonomy, life purpose, perspective on financial standing, etc., but one of the commonly associated factors to an individual’s psychological well-being is social support. In this paper, the positive and negative impacts of social support on an individual’s psychological well-being will be discussed in detail.
Psychological Literature
Social Psychology Theories
Psychological well-being can also be referred to as the level of life satisfaction of an individual. However, when well-being is evaluated, there are mixed responses since happiness and satisfaction are highly variable from person to person. In psychology, a human person is viewed holistically with many components that need to be considered and fulfilled, and one of these is the social aspect of being human. The following theories that will be presented are concepts in psychology that deal with the relationship of an individual’s well-being to the social support from the community or environment that he/she is in.
A theory in social psychology is the social well-being theory. This theory is significant in this discussion because it emphasizes that well-being is assessing an individual’s standing and functioning in society. This theory highlights how social structures affect the level of well-being that an individual has. Some of the identified social challenges and/or tasks are social integration and social acceptance. These involve the quality of the relationships an individual has with other people in the community and how an individual meets the expectations or generalized categories of society (Lijadi, 2018).
Another psychological theory that is relevant to the discussion will be the self-determination theory. This theory talks about the natural tendency of humans to be competent in the challenges that they are faced with, and these experiences are integrated to create a coherent sense of self. This theory was later improved by adding the concept of happiness, which is considered a sign of well-being based on the theory. There are many exciting parts in this theory, but the most relevant in terms of psychological well-being and social support is continuous support from the social environment from where the individual is functioning. The social determination theory is highly associated with autonomy, competence, and relatedness (Lijadi, 2018). It gives importance to the effects of interpersonal relationships in supporting an individual to attain the desired level of psychological well-being and happiness.
Another relevant theory that explains the importance of social support in an individual’s psychological well-being is the attachment theory. It states that every individual has the natural tendency to seek proximity to other people, especially in stressful or challenging circumstances, in order for them to thrive (Feeney & Collins, 2015). This theory highlights the effect of social support in the thriving of an individual, thus resulting in better psychological well-being even in times of challenges.
Social Support
Based on studies, social support truly affects the psychological well-being of an individual. Social support is the material and psychological resources that an individual can get from a social network. This support can come in different forms: emotional, evaluative, instrumental, and informational (Cobo-Rendon et al., 2020). It is beneficial as a buffer to stress, and even in the absence of challenges or stressful events, its participation in various life opportunities aid in the individual thriving and achieving healthy psychological well-being (Feeny & Collins, 2015).
An example of the benefits of social support is a protective mediation from bullying that an adolescent’s support system, such as family, teachers, and friends, can provide. Based on the study, the participants identified to have good social support have a significant difference in terms of psychological well-being and symptoms of depression and/or anxiety compared to participants who did not have social support (Hellfeldt, Lopez-Romero, & Andershed, 2020). Another study involving psychological well-being and social support investigates the relationship of these among older individuals. It reveals that meaningful social support networks are critical components in the later years of a person, proving to be beneficial in improving their quality of life, mental health, and independence (Gyasi et al., 2019).
However, despite the various benefits that social support can offer to psychological well-being, it can be categorized into a positive and negative type of social support. The previously mentioned circumstances deal with positive social support, but for the negative, it involves a different kind of input that also warrants a different impact.
Mainly negative interactions characterize negative social support. This has an instant effect on an individual’s psychological well-being and should be taken into consideration. Examples of these are discouraging individuals, non-constructive criticisms, and invasion of privacy. Based on research, the negative interactions result in decreased motivation, low self-esteem and even evoke adverse physiological responses (Rehman et al., 2020).
Critical Evaluation
The social psychology theories support the relationship between social support and psychological well-being for all age groups. Studies show that the impact depends on the type of social support present in the individual’s life. Although there is a tendency to seek closeness to another individual based on the attachment theory, considerations are necessary because not all interactions aid in improving well-being (Feeny & Collins, 2015).
Conclusion
The benefits of positive social support on psychological well-being are good mental health, empowerment, better coping mechanisms, and overall enhanced quality of life. To achieve this, there should be the promotion of positive support while distancing from the negative social support present in the community to thrive and reap the benefits of having healthy psychological well-being.
The Role of Empathy in Predicting Cyberbullying Behaviour Among Adolescents
Introduction
The technological advancements nowadays have led to ease in interacting and communicating with other people. However, as continuous innovation occurs with technology, one issue that arises is cyberbullying among adolescents. Many factors contribute to these behaviors, including internet use, traditional bullying behavior, peer pressure, etc. In addition to these, there are correlations with the emotional component of being human, such as having empathy with cyberbullying (Zhong et al., 2021). This paper aims to discuss the role of empathy in predicting cyberbullying behavior among adolescents.
Psychological Literature