Scenario: Coming Up With a Plan

Earlier, Juan, Mike, Christy, and Susan decided to work together to win a Riverbend City prize for the best plan to combat misinformation campaigns. Many people of Riverbend City believe drinking the water causes humans to turn into zombies due to a subtle misinformation campaign. Juan and his friends are trying to learn more.

"There's a protest planned today near the water plant about the additives that are supposed to turn people into zombies," Mike said.

"One of us should go check out the protests," Christy said. "Then we can create plan to interview different communities to see if we can learn more about the misinformation and who believes it."

"I think it's all about intelligence," replied Juan. "You'd have to be stupid to believe in zombies and even stupider to think drinking the water will turn you into a zombie."

"People believe things for many reasons," Christy answered. "I don't think intelligence is part of it."

"Our first challenge is understanding why people believe it,"Mike added.

This week you'll read about the initial concepts critical to the study of diversity. In psychology, we engage in the scientific study of human thoughts and behavior, which involves evidence through research. Culture, ethnicity, and diversity impact all aspects of both. As you read the assigned readings this week, think about the introduction scenario with Juan, Mike, Christy, and Susan. What concepts explain why cities tend to have segregated neighborhoods in the 21st century? Is the team of friends approaching the study of the misinformation campaign in a scientific manner that takes into account the diversity of the population in River Bend city.

Juan wanted to win the competition for the best plan to combat misinformation campaigns with his friendsthe prize money would help him gain independence from his dad. Yet, what was the point? How were they going to solve the problem of misinformation? If people were dumb enough to believe it in the first place, he didn't see a cure for stupidity. Still, he'd try his best for the sake of the money.

Juan chose to start with the protests at the water plant. He wandered through the protesters, yellow notepad and pen in hand, asking questions and taking shorthand notes on everything he saw and overheard. He approached a group of younger protesters and asked about the protests.

"It's like that old 'War of the Worlds' broadcast," one of the young women said. "You know, when everyone started panicking, but it was all just fiction."

"No," one of the other women replied. "Zombies are real. There's even a CDC site on how to prepare; I'll show you." The woman handed her phone around. Juan asked to see it too.

Sure enough, it was a website on Zombie Preparedness. He looked at the URL for Zombie PreparednessLinks to an external site. and quickly scribbled it down in his notepad with the rest of his notes.

"Is that what this protest is all about?" Juan asked.

"Of course!" another woman said. "Didn't you see the news? It's all over social media. They've treated the water here with an experimental chemical. It's supposed to help dental hygiene, but it really turns people into zombies."

Juan went to meet up with his friends for lunch and share what he'd learned. Each of them had notes and observations to report.

"At the city council meeting," Susan said, "the African American residents were ignored. When I talked to the residents later, they said their voices are never heard; even when they are invited to participate, they are ignored. And their concern isn't about zombies but basic water quality and safety with any new additive, like with what happened to the water in Flint, Michigan."

"I doubt they were ignored," Juan retorted. "Riverbend has always been a close-knit community; we don't have problems like that here. It's just that some people aren't as smart as others."

"I don't know," Susan said. "I wonder if we don't all believe in things that other people think are stupidwhere does belief come from?"

This week the readings and videos explore the role of race and ethnicity. As an essential first step, explore the arguments on both sides of the issue. Whether you agree or disagree with a particular stance, it's important to understand the evidence being used to support the argument. As you are reading, think about the introduction. What does modern racism look like? How do the perceptions of racism or lack of racism affect a person's thoughts and behaviors?

Theories Application Worksheet You may choose to review readings that include the following topics: Categorization. Racial stereotypes. Prejudice. Discrimination. Racism. White skin privilege. Complete the media piece, Riverbend City: Theories Application Practice. Your answers in the media piece will help you with this assignment.

Summarize the concept/theory. Put it in your own words. Use APA style in-text citations