InstructionsCritical Reflection #3
Reference /article for step 1
People are well aware of the importance of having other people in their lives. When they are asked what makes them happy, people of all ages indicate that having friendships and good relationships with others is what they care about the most (Baumeister & Leary, 1995). And, as we saw in Chapter 3, our self-esteem is strongly influenced by how much we feel that we are accepted by others (Leary, 2005; Leary & Cox, 2008). People who do not feel that they are able to develop the types and quality of social relationships that they would prefer to have are lonely—a highly unpleasant and potentially unhealthy state (Cacioppo & Patrick, 2008).
Close relationships also keep us healthy. People who do not have adequate social support in the form of friends and family have more physical and mental health problems than do those with adequate social relationships (Cacioppo, Hawkley, & Bernston, 2003; Cacioppo et al., 2002).
In summary, our close relationships make us happy and healthy, and the lack of them leaves us lonely and hurting. We experience higher self-efficacy, self-esteem, and positive mood when we believe that our friends and partners are responding to us supportively and with a concern for our needs and our own welfare. Our relationships with others help us buffer the negative effects of stress, avoid unhealthy behaviors, and cope with serious physical illness. And our close relationships allow us to express our fundamental desires to reach out and respond to other people.
Leary, M. R. (2005). Sociometer theory and the pursuit of relational value: Getting to the root of self-esteem. European Review of Social Psychology, 16, 75–111.
Leary, M. R., & Cox, C. B. (Eds.). (2008). Belongingness motivation: A mainspring of social action. New York, NY: Guilford Press.
Cacioppo, J. T., & Patrick, W. (2008). Loneliness: Human nature and the need for social connection. New York, NY: W. Norton.
Cacioppo, J. T., Hawkley, L. C., & Bernston, G. G. (2003). The anatomy of loneliness. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 12(3), 71–74;
Baumeister, R., & Leary, M. (1995). The need to belong: Desire for interpersonal attachments as a fundamental human motivation. Psychological Bulletin, 117, 497–529.
Step 1: Capture your topic. Take a moment to think about what you identify as one of the most meaningful, relevant lessons presented in the course readings or supporting materials, for Weeks 5 and 6. Select a 1-2 sentence direct quotation from the applicable learning resources that references, in a germane way, the issue, idea or concept key to that lesson. This quote will become the prompt for your Critical Reflection paper. That is, it will be a focal point of your paper, representing what you identify as an important takeaway that you hope others in class will consider as a deeply important truth or lesson of this class. To support deep reflections on the topic, and the writing of the paper, the quotation should be relevant to a topic you can tie directly to your own (or others’) experiences, observations, and critical reasoning. It should also be something you are willing to think critically about and are willing to discuss through the writing of this paper.
Step 2: Write your reflection essay. Once you have identified the quotation prompt that will anchor your reflection, place it at the top of your paper, below the title. Follow the quote by a line space. On the next line begin the body of your paper. In 300 to 400 words (in meaningful, well organized paragraphs) defend your belief that there is an important truth or lesson, relevant to this course, to be gleaned from this quotation. Essentially, your job is to clarify what the lesson to be learned is and to then strongly (and thoughtfully) defend why you think the lesson is vital.
To help you think about your topic and to write a well-organized essay, consider (and answer) these questions:
- What truth or lesson is being communicated by this quote?
- Why is this truth or lesson so important?
- How do your, or other’s, experiences and observations relate to and support this truth or lesson?
- In what ways does this lesson make logical sense to you?
- In what ways does this lesson make emotional sense to you?
- How might this lesson be relevant to your, or others’, life and career?
- Why do some fail to live as if this truth or lesson were important?
- Why might some suggest this truth or lesson is not important?
- How would you defend the truth of this lesson from those who disagree and believe the lesson is not important?
- What can we do (as an individual, community, or society) to make this truth or lesson better recognized or practiced?
In the writing of your essay, present your answer to these questions in a sequence of well-developed paragraphs (not bullet points).
You are encouraged to be creative in your reflections. Your reflections may include, when pertinent, links to media, pictures, or other supporting resources.
Step 3: Write a Discussion Question that Would Prompt Further Dialogue on the Topic. End your reflection essay with a line space and then post a single, relevant, provocative, open-ended question that you believe would prompt further debate and reflection by readers on the topic addressed in your essay.
Step 4: Give Your Reflection a Title. Be sure to give your paper a relevant, catchy but professional title. The title should be something creative that sparks other learners to want to read your reflection. Your title should be like a creative, but good headline. The title should be placed at the top of Page 1 of the document.
