Naturalistic Observation Assignment for AP Psychology

Once I went to the park with my friends. Everything around us was beautiful, clean and tidy. The plants were green, and the flowers were blooming, just like in paradise. However, suddenly a clearing caught our eyes. Apparently, someone had a picnic there the day before, as was evidenced by the paper, bottles, and cans. One of my friend’s spirits sagged, and he has gone to discover what else in this park was not in order. Some other friends also saw the consequences of the picnic but did not pay attention to them. They went ahead, chose a clean clearing, settled there and began to enjoy the surrounding beauty. In the evening, my friends went home happy. Moreover, there was another notable visitor among my friends. He also paid attention to the neighboring clearing. He did not like the picture, too, but it did not spoil his mood, as in the case with the first man. Moreover, he did not run away to seek a better place, as the group of other friends did. He looked at the clearing and stepped there. He began to collect the paper, bottles, and cans and put them in a trash bin that was standing nearby. The rest of our group and most of the people passing by were surprised to see the elegantly dressed man s scavenging a clearing. Some of them were passing on. However, a few, stopping for a moment, started to help him. While they were cleaning, their sense of kinship was growing. The most interesting fact is that a lot of children dragged their parents to clean up the clearing. An hour later, one could hardly recognize the place. There were no signs of previous visitors. The people who worked together were sitting there and enjoying the beauty of nature, purity, communication, and work done.

In this case, we observe three types of human temperaments: choleric, phlegmatic and sanguine. The first man, who went away, being irritated with the situation, belongs to choleric; the second friend, who did not mention the rubbish and enjoyed the picnic on another meadow, is phlegmatic and that person, who started cleaning the park, is sanguine. The case deals with the environment and at the same time with the behavior of three types of temperament, most likely caused by genetics. Temperament is an individual psycho-biological category that covers a set of properties that characterize the dynamic features of the mental processes and human behavior, their strength, speed, appearance, change …In general, the features of temperament are biologically conditioned and are innate. However, we must also take into account that besides the main genetic origin in the life process, the temperament of a person is exposed to a slight change. It can change because of climate and living conditions. The way of life also affects the change of temperament. Other possible factors are night work, long-term alcohol consumption, or develop sexual relationships. With age, people face the change of the temperament because of the hormonal changes.

Here we can apply each man’s behavior to psychological perspectives.

1. Neuroscience/ Biological/ Biomedical Psychology. The first man was annoyed with a mess on the clearing because he worked a lot the entire week and wanted to rest; due to fatigue, he became more irritable and couldn’t cope with feelings, besides he had problems with his girlfriend. The second man also worked hard and was tired but he came to the park with his girlfriend and they just tried not to mention other things. The third man was a successful manager and he had no problems at that time, besides he was a positive person by his nature.

2. Evolutionary. Those three men were born with different types of temperament that depend on genes.

3. Psychodynamic and Cognitive. Here we must speak about the formation of the character. It is necessary to distinguish between temperament and character. The last has a significant influence on the behavior of a person, sometimes in specific situations determines his/her actions and personality. It acts as a link between the body, personality and cognitive processes. In contrast to the temperament, a person’s character is not related to external, dynamic characteristics of behavior, and to the internal, psychological foundations of behavior. It depends on the individual of a person and of personal attitude to what he/she does. In nature, the will and motivation of human behavior are manifested. Character is brought up in life.

In our case, the first man is often in conflict with others, cannot give in and switch. The second person does not like to be a leader; he is not always active and accustomed to regular life. The third man is active by nature, happy and can organize people.

4. Behavioral. The first man is so dull because he was brought up in a conflict family and always observed quarrels between parents. The second man was brought up in a calm family that consisted of his mother and him. The third man had a happy childhood in a big family with lots of elder sisters and brothers.

5. Social-Cultural. Though three men are of the same culture, they belong to different cultural groups with unlike values. The first man does not participate in any cultural activities; his surrounding spends time chatting or playing computer games. The second man is the admirer of theatre, but he does not like busy and noisy entertainments. The third one likes an active way of life; has many talents and tries to make everything in the world better.

Treatment

In this story, we observe the problem of shifting responsibility and blame on others. There are many similar situations in everyday life, when people do not understand their responsibility for their actions. Moreover, they often do not understand themselves and the world. For example, there are situations when somebody walks through the city and sees a bottle of beer or something else lying on the pavement, while there is a bin nearby. One can blame it on the people thinking, “What a bad man left the litter. He could throw it into the bin that was so close.”

To act as a defender of nature and purity is always a good idea. However, the question is, “Will it be easier for you to express your negative opinion with respect to the one who threw the bottle on the pavement?” Maybe, one should carry and throw the bottle to the bin himself. A person can live a lifetime and say how bad people are. Is the world going to benefit from such indignation? Instead, we can take responsibility and change this world. We can throw away the bottle without any negative thoughts, resentment, and misunderstandings. After all, a person appeared in this place to help nature – to take and throw away the rubbish without thinking what other people might think of him/her.

This story is an example of how people build their world. We can be indifferent and leave everything around us, as it is made by other people. If something does not satisfy us, we can always say that it is not our fault. In this case, a person deprives himself/herself of opportunities. Such a way of life has long-lasting consequences since some people become puppets in the hands of more powerful ones.

If a person is caring and always tries to change the world for the better, he/she effectively solves all the problems in life and is more independent. Responsibility means you know that everything depends on you, not on someone else. A person must have a willingness to admit his/her guilt.

This story helped me realize that people should not remain indifferent to the problems of this world. Some of us express dissatisfaction with life and do not try to change the situation, while others devote their lives to the good. There are people who, instead of condemning drug addicts, help them to get rid of the addiction; those who take care of other people’s kids instead of hating parents who abandon their children; people who, instead of talking about the destruction of forests, plant trees themselves. These people are active in every area of life and try to make improvements. In this eye-opening situation, professionals would rather suggest the first two men join the social volunteers and constantly help to make the world a better place.