Personality Theory at Work in Social Networks

Your initial discussion thread is due on Day 3 (Thursday) and you have until Day 7 (Monday) to respond to your classmates. Your grade will reflect both the quality of your initial post and the depth of your responses. 

Prior to beginning work on this discussion, read the required article by Appel and Kim-Appel (2010) and watch the Episode: 118 - Inside Out: An Introduction to Psychology - The Enduring Self video excerpt, which is accessible through the ProQuest database in the Ashford University Library.  For this discussion, you will build on your experience in the “Personality Theory at Work in Popular Media” discussion from last week by re-examining the major theoretical approaches studied in the class (psychodynamic, behavioral, learning, trait and type, and humanistic) within the realm of social networks. In addition to these five domains, you will also consider the theoretical approaches related to complex models. Your initial post will be presented in a video format. Please see the instructions for this below.

To begin, choose a social networking site (this may be Facebook , LinkedIn or Twitter ). Choose someone you know in your personal or professional life who has a profile on one of these three social networking services. It is important in your posts and responses not to disclose identifying information about your subject. You may choose a pseudonym by which to identify your selected subject in this discussion.

Choose one of the five domains (psychodynamic, behavioral, learning, trait and type, and humanistic) and create a personality profile based on your current knowledge of your chosen subject using the framework of your selected domain. Then, review the online profile or feed of your subject in your chosen social networking site and create a personality profile based on the information your subject has published on the site using the framework of your selected domain.

Compare and contrast the two different personality profiles. Provide an analysis of any differences between the two profiles. Select one of the models with the complex models domain. Explain the reasoning for the differences between the real world and online personality of your subject using your selected model within the complex models domains. Research a minimum of two articles on your chosen model and use these to support your statements. Evaluate and describe the usefulness of complex models as they pertain to this exercise in personality theory.

You may create your initial post as a screencast video presentation or a video blog using the software of your choice. Quick-Start Guides are available for Prezi, Screencast-O-Matic, and YouTube for your convenience. Be sure to include all the required material from the instructions above in your presentation or video blog. Once you have created your video, please include the link in your initial post. In your initial post, please include citations for your references and a brief reflection on the differences between creating a written post and having to present the material via screencast/video.

Guided Response:  Review several of your colleagues’ posts and respond to at least two of your peers by 11:59 p.m. on Day 7 of the week. You are encouraged to post your required replies earlier in the week to promote more meaningful interactive discourse in this discussion. 

After reviewing your classmate’s video:

• What similarities in the comparison do you see with your own findings?
• Given the two personality profiles presented, which do you think is more representative of the subject being described?
• Use your complex models research to support your statements.
• Consider the ethical implications of social media interactions as the basis of personality profiling.
• Review the APA’s Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct  and describe the ethical issues present in your classmate’s social media personality profile.

Continue to monitor the forum until 5:00 p.m. MST on Day 7 of the week and respond to anyone who replies to your initial post.

Carefully review the Grading Rubric for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your interactive assignment.

Carefully review the Discussion Forum Grading Rubric for the criteria that will be used to evaluate this Discussion Thread.