Remember, your initial draft must be the entire, completed paper so that your peer reviewer can offer you feedback on your writing. Points will be assigned for this assignment after you complete the review you are assigned to complete. This assignment is aimed at helping you improve your work and those of your peers, as well.
Be sure to review the grading rubric below that will be used to assess your final draft later on.
During peer reviews, please be thorough in your comments. Be sure to add your comments to the rubric provided via the grade book. Outlines or incomplete drafts will not be accepted for credit.
Individual Project: Thinking Globally (Three options)
For this assignment, you are to apply what you have learned throughout the term to global topics in psychology. You are to select one of the following options and complete it for your final project. Keep in mind you will be submitting your rough draft for peer review (worth up to 10 points) and the final draft will be due at a later date in the term (worth up to 90 points) for a total of 100 possible points for the project.
Please review the important information about the assignments page.
Option 1: What is your worldview? (Peer Review Draft 10pts.; Final Draft 90pts.)
Consider different societal/cultural factors that can influence a person’s worldview. Select themes present in the topics we have discussed this term and discuss how they might be considered in different ways when you bring in cultural and societal factors to the mix of topics. This can include gender identity, sexual orientation, and racial/ethnic identity which are all different layers of individual identity and cultural presentation. It is encouraged that you select specific themes and cultures from across the globe to best address each of these points.
In your paper, include the following discussions:
• At the start of the course, what was your worldview? How has this course impacted your worldview?
• What theories presented in our course materials support these changes? (i.e. racial identity, gender identity, sexual identity, cultural identity, etc.)
• How do you feel your worldview now meets, or falls short, of the three multicultural competencies identified in class? (i.e. awareness of your own culture, understanding other worldviews, and development of culturally appropriate interpersonal skills)
• Explain how you feel your perception of global psychology and the presence of a global society of humans has changed.
• When reviewing these ideas, keep in mind how they impact a person’s mental health.
Your paper must be at least 2-3 pages in length and formatted according to APA guidelines. Page count does not include a title page or references page.
You are not required to include an abstract. If you do include an abstract, please review the formatting to ensure you are submitting a correctly formatted one.
You are required to include pagination, headings, citations, and a running head.
You are required to use at least 2 peer-reviewed journal articles for your project from the last 5 years.
Your initial draft must be the entire, completed paper so that your peer reviewer can offer you feedback on your writing. Points will be assigned for this assignment after you complete the review you are assigned to complete. This assignment is aimed at helping you improve your work and those of your peers, as well. Please be thorough in your comments. Be sure to add your comments to the rubric provided via the grade book. Outlines or incomplete drafts will not be accepted for credit.
Note: Comments you enter in the rubric for the peer review you are paired with must be thoughtful and entered on the rubric as permitted by the Canvas grading book.
Fulfills Global Learning Objective: Global Perspective: Ability to conduct a multi-perspective analysis of local, global, international, and intercultural problems.
Option 2: Current Events in Global Psychology (Cultural/Multicultural Psychology) (100 pts.)
Conduct an online search of current events related to the field of global/cross-cultural psychology. Find a minimum of three (3) articles you want to summarize and discuss (must be from the last 90 days).
Your paper must be at least 2-3 pages in length and formatted according to APA guidelines. Page count does not include a title page or references page.
You are not required to include an abstract. If you do include an abstract, please review the formatting to ensure you are submitting a correctly formatted one.
You are required to include pagination, headings, citations, and a running head.
You are required to use at least 2 peer-reviewed journal articles for your project from the last 5 years. These are in addition to your current event articles. These are different from the recent news articles you will be using for this project option. Peer-reviewed journals are based on psychological research, and published in professional journals. News articles can be found on the internet and are published by news and media outlets.
In your writeup, include a discussion of the following for each article:
• Name, Date, and Publication/Website of Article (Must be in last 90 days)
• Global Psychology Themes discussed or of focus in articles
• Factors/considerations in the following areas as they relate to global psychology:
o Cultural background
o Gender identification
o Sexual orientation
o Religious beliefs
• Were any hot-button topics included? Did you agree/disagree with the views expressed in the article – explain your stance.
• How accurate is the article in relaying information from the field of global psychology and mental health treatment?
Fulfills Global Learning Objective: Global Awareness: Knowledge of the interconnectedness of local, global, international, and intercultural issues, trends, and systems.
Option 3: Global Psychology Researcher – Interview
An interview is a great tool for gathering data in qualitative global psychological research. It invites the participant to share their views and thoughts through open-ended questions. For the purposes of this assignment, you are to interview someone either with whom you share a cultural background or someone with an entirely different cultural background than yours. You are to interview them on their experiences in the following areas of life as it relates to their cultural experiences and mental health to date.
Include questions related to the following topics:
• Gender
• Sexuality
• Sexual orientation
• Race
• Worldview
• Religious beliefs
• Disability
• Veteran status
Focus on how cultural differences have shaped these different areas of your selected individual. How do you see that their current mental makeup or how they view themselves has been influenced by their cultural background? Summarize your findings and support them with ideas from concepts/theories we discussed in class via peer-reviewed journal articles (i.e. identity development models, sexuality development models, racism/stereotype concepts, acculturation, worldviews, health/mental health, etc.)
Please include your interview questions as part of the paper. Review this APA guide to Help you in formatting the list
Links to an external site.. Questions should be accompanied or followed by correctly formatted, completed sentences/paragraphs which help you analyze your participant’s responses. These sections of analyses will help you evaluate themes and ideas revealed in your interview that may be related to our course topics.
Note: Be sure to inform participants their identity will be kept confidential and left out of your final draft of the assignment. Please let them know the interview is for educational purposes only. Take care to protect their private thoughts and share them in a respectful manner in your work.
Your write-up must be at least 2-3 pages in length and formatted according to APA guidelines. Page count does not include a title page or references page.
You are not required to include an abstract. If you do include an abstract, please review the formatting to ensure you are submitting a correctly formatted one.
You are required to include pagination, headings, citations, and a running head.
You are required to use at least 2 peer-reviewed journal articles for your project from the last 5 years.
Fulfills Global Learning Objective: Global Engagement: Willingness to engage in local, global, international, and intercultural problem-solving.
________________________________________
Note Regarding the Paper and Final Submission
Please label your document with your last name and the name of the assignment like this: FERNANDEZ_PAPER.doc.
Format for papers must be in Microsoft Word format. That means ONLY .doc or .docx files.
PDF or other files will not be graded – if you submit a file other than the specified required formats, your assignment will not be graded or will automatically be deducted 10 points. You will be asked to submit the correct file format by a specific deadline. If you fail to meet this deadline, your paper will not be graded. Check your email regularly.
Content
Student demonstrates an understanding of the subject matter by clearly stating the objective of the paper and links key diagnostic concepts with global factors in psychopathology – see assignment description. The project contains relevant material that is correctly referenced, and this material fulfills the objective of the assignment.
The project must include the following:
• See specific option instructions for objectives to be met
• A minimum of two (2) educational/peer reviewed sources from the library. These should be journal articles from psychology journals related to course topics. DSM may be used but will not count toward required number of sources.
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Organization
The writer focuses on ideas and concepts within paragraphs, and sentences are well-connected and meaningful. Each topic logically follows the objective. The introduction clearly states the objective or ideas leading to the purpose of the paper, and a conclusion draws the ideas together.
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Format
The paper is correctly formatted to APA style (e.g., margins, spacing pagination, headings, headers, citations, references, according to the APA Manual). Note: An abstract is not required. You are required to include a running head, pagination, citations, and a references page. Title page and references do NOT count towards required number of pages for paper.
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Grammar, Punctuation, and Spelling
The writer demonstrates correct usage of formal English language in sentence construction. Variation in sentence structure and word usage promotes readability. There are no spelling, punctuation, or word usage errors.
This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome Readability and Style
The reading audience is correctly identified, demonstrated by appropriate language usage (i.e., avoiding jargon and simplifying complex concepts appropriately). Writing is concise, in active voice, and avoids awkward transitions and overuse of conjunctions. s
Exploring Cultural Influences on Gender Identity: A Case Study from Kenya
Gender identity is a complex topic that is experienced and expressed differently across cultures. Societal and family influences play an important role in shaping one’s understanding of their gender (American Psychological Association [APA], 2015). This paper explores the experiences of John, a 23-year-old university student from Nairobi, Kenya, regarding his own gender identity development and the impact of his cultural background.
Cultural Background
John was born in Nairobi to a middle-class Kikuyu family (Odhiambo, 2022). In Kenyan culture, there is a strong emphasis on masculinity and expectations for men to be tough, dominant, and the head of the household (Okello, Musau, & Kabia, 2019). John’s family adhered closely to these traditional gender roles. His father worked as an engineer while his mother cared for the home and children.
Gender Identity Development
During our interview, John reflected on feeling different from a young age. While other boys enjoyed rough play and sports, John preferred more artistic and creative hobbies like drawing, music, and cooking (Sub header). These interests often led to teasing by other children who accused John of behaving in an “unmanly” way (John, personal communication, August 15, 2023). As a teenager, John began to realize he was attracted to other boys rather than girls. He knew this went against societal expectations in Kenya where homosexuality is still widely stigmatized (Odhiambo, 2022).
Coping with Internal and External Conflicts
John discussed struggling with feelings of shame over his interests and attractions, which conflicted with his cultural upbringing (Sub header). He worried about disappointing his family and community if they knew his true self. For a time, John tried to suppress this part of his identity to fit gender norms. However, this led to increased stress and depression (APA, 2015). During his first year of university, John joined an LGBTQ support group on campus where he met other students facing similar challenges. This helped him accept himself and provided a supportive network during his identity development process.
Conclusion
John’s story highlights the complexity of navigating gender and sexuality within a cultural context that emphasizes traditional roles and values. With access to information and support networks, John was able to reconcile his identity with his cultural background to achieve self-acceptance (Sub header). However, societal attitudes in Kenya still present ongoing challenges. Further research exploring multicultural identity development models can aid understanding for practitioners working with diverse populations.
References
American Psychological Association. (2015). Guidelines for psychological practice with transgender and gender nonconforming people. American Psychologist, 70(9), 832–864. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0039906 essay writing service.
Odhiambo, A. (2022, March 15). The complexities of being LGBTQ+ in Kenya. Human Rights Watch. https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/03/15/complexities-being-lgbtq-kenya
Okello, E. S., Musau, A. M., & Kabia, E. (2019). Masculinity and intimate partner violence against women in Kenya. Psychology of Men & Masculinities, 20(4), 522–531. https://doi.org/10.1037/men0000176
