Social Justice

Artifacts

Reflections

June 27, 2021

Reflect on your experience with the social justice issues represented in the GSS data from PST-260, Statistical Literacy in Psychology. Consider the following:

What did you learn from the GSS data sets?

What came to mind as you explored the results of the survey respondents?

June 27, 2021

Exploring the GSS data from this course provided me with a wealth of knowledge. While looking through each dataset and analyzing the results of the different tests we performed, I was reminded of how important social justice is. I found myself performing tests for multiple datasets in addition to the one required for each project, as I was interested to know the results. Discovering that roughly 80% of Americans identify as empathetic was interesting to me. While I do not doubt that people feel empathy, my personal experience reflects that people’s expression of empathy is situational. To ensure that everyone receives equal rights and opportunity, biases must be challenged so we can see people as people, not a by-product of their sexual orientation, skin color, or religion. In performing my analysis on how people in different regions feel about homosexuals having the right to marry, I noted that the GSS data was from 1988. I would be interested in seeing how that perception has changed, if at all, with the progress that the LGBTQ community has made since then. I would hypothesize that the mean for each region has increased. Analyzing the data for project three was especially insightful. Seeing how much white and black Americans differ on subjects such as racial discrimination and police violence reveals the disparity between these racial groups. This information is vital in the fight to end racial inequality and ensure that social justice is apparent across our entire society. While the analysis did not break down age groups, I would be interested to see if there were statistically significant differences in opinions between age groups.

August 19, 2021

I have chosen to include this project in my portfolio under the social justice tab as it discusses how implicit biases and stereotype threat influences diversity, equity, and inclusion on college campuses. Through this lens, I was able to learn more about how these issues can easily be amplified, even without intent. The same steps that could be taken to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion on a college campus are the same steps that can be taken in society to promote DEI everywhere, and not just in pockets. It was an effective tool in my learning experience as it offered a tangible experience that I can utilize in my daily life immediately.

October 19, 2021

I chose to add project two to my ePortfolio because I am very passionate about the topic of wrongful convictions. Eyewitness misidentification is cited in over 75% of wrongful conviction cases, yet eyewitness testimony is heavily relied upon during a trial. Enhancing eyewitness memory would be an enormous step forward for the criminal justice system. Being able to understand the issues with witness identifications and then explain them in lay terms to a jury will be priceless tools in my future career. This artifact applies to the programmatic theme of social justice. It is vital that everyone receive equal treatment in the eyes of the law, and understanding how our cognitive processes influence eyewitness memory will aid in that journey.

February 27, 2022

I chose to add our module four journal entry to my e-portfolio as it documents my ability to apply personality theory in how I approach the world I live within. Having an understanding of what humans view as "basic needs" and how that hierarchy is established based on societal values is critical in pursuing a career that influences racial equity. This journal reflects the programmatic theme of social justice in its application of theory to equitable access, and the need for societal barriers to be dismantled.