Phillip October 31, 2025 No Comments

PSYC FPX 1540 Assessment 1 A Class Divided Worksheet Insights

Name

Capella University

PSYC-FPX1540 The Psychology of Human Differences and Society

Prof. Name

Date

A Class Divided Worksheet

Directions

Follow the instructions for each section carefully. This worksheet is divided into five distinct parts. Before completing this assignment, ensure that you have watched A Class Divided from your reading list. The video explores the groundbreaking blue-eyes/brown-eyes exercise conducted by schoolteacher Jane Elliott in the aftermath of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination in 1968.

Part 1: Connecting Concepts

Scoring Criterion

Describe the effects of culture, ethnicity, and diversity on the human experience.

Purpose

To identify related ideas from two different sources and synthesize them into a cohesive paragraph that connects concepts from both the textbook and the documentary.

Table 1: Directions and Responses

Directions	Your Response
1. Quote your textbook’s explanation of how stereotypes develop.	“Stereotypes gradually form through a social learning process that includes categorization, overgeneralization, and selective perception (Blaine & Brenchley, 2020).”
*2. Summarize a key point from the video A Class Divided* related to how stereotypes form.**	The video A Class Divided illustrates how stereotypes can emerge rapidly in social contexts. By dividing students according to eye color, Jane Elliott demonstrated how categorization can influence group behavior, self-perception, and bias (Frontline, 1985).
3. Compare the video summary to the textbook explanation.	Both the textbook and the video emphasize categorization as the foundation of stereotype formation. They illustrate how grouping people by visible traits can lead to overgeneralizations and reinforce biased social structures.

Putting It Together

Main Idea:
Stereotypes arise and spread through social interaction, categorization, and selective perception, shaping how individuals perceive cultural, ethnic, and social diversity.

Paragraph (Using the MEAL Plan):
Stereotypes arise and spread through social interaction, categorization, and selective perception, shaping how individuals perceive cultural, ethnic, and social diversity. According to Blaine and Brenchley (2020), “Stereotypes gradually form through a social learning process that includes categorization, overgeneralization, and selective perception.” In A Class Divided, Elliott’s classroom experiment visually represented this process by dividing students based on eye color, showing how easily categorization fosters prejudice (Frontline, 1985). Both the text and video highlight how categorization and overgeneralization work together to strengthen stereotypes, ultimately influencing interpersonal and cultural understanding.

Part 2: Common Fallacies

Scoring Criterion

Describe the relationship between common fallacies in thinking and inaccurate conclusions.

Purpose

To understand how cognitive biases and thinking errors lead to flawed reasoning and false assumptions about individuals or groups.

Table 2: Directions and Responses

Directions	Your Response
Describe ultimate attribution error.	The ultimate attribution error occurs when individuals attribute the negative behaviors of others to internal traits (such as character flaws) while explaining their own negative behaviors as a result of situational or external factors (Blaine & Brenchley, 2020).
*Describe an example from the video A Class Divided* that shows ultimate attribution error at work.**	In A Class Divided, when brown-eyed students were deemed superior, they attributed their academic success and good behavior to personal qualities rather than the situational privilege they received. This reflects the ultimate attribution error, as they ignored the external advantage granted by the teacher’s instructions (Frontline, 1985).

Part 3: Communication

Scoring Criterion

Describe the relationship between culture, values, bias, and misunderstandings in communication.

Purpose

To analyze how stereotypes and cultural biases influence communication patterns and interpersonal understanding.

Table 3: Directions and Responses

Directions

Your Response

Describe an example from the video that shows how a stereotype affected communication between participants.

In the exercise, when brown-eyed students were labeled as superior, communication between groups deteriorated. The “superior” group became dominant and dismissive, while the “inferior” group became defensive and withdrawn. This illustrates how stereotypes shape communication by creating unequal power dynamics and fostering bias in how messages are sent and received (Frontline, 1985; Blaine & Brenchley, 2020).

Paragraph Summary:
The A Class Divided experiment revealed that stereotypes directly influence the quality and tone of communication. By assigning superiority based on eye color, Elliott demonstrated that preconceived notions can alter not only how individuals interpret messages but also how they perceive the intentions of others. This aligns with psychological theories suggesting that stereotypes distort perception, leading to miscommunication and social tension.

Part 4: Self-Reflection

Scoring Criterion

Describe the potential for prejudice and discrimination in oneself and others.

Purpose

To connect theoretical knowledge to personal experience and self-awareness about stereotyping and discrimination.

Table 4: Directions and Responses

Directions	Your Response
Describe one of the processes of stereotypes (personal exposure, distinctive individuals and behaviors, socialization) from the textbook.	The process of socialization plays a major role in the development of stereotypes. Through interactions with family, media, and peers, individuals learn societal norms and implicit biases that shape their worldview (Blaine & Brenchley, 2020).
Describe an experience from the video that shows a process of a stereotype developing.	In A Class Divided, students learned to adopt stereotypes after being told that one eye color group was superior. Within minutes, behaviors changed — students from the “superior” group acted arrogantly, while those labeled “inferior” showed insecurity. This rapid shift demonstrated the power of socialization and labeling in forming stereotypes (Frontline, 1985).
Describe an experience from your life that shows a process of a stereotype developing.	In real life, I have witnessed how gender stereotypes are reinforced through media portrayals. A close friend who grew up hearing negative depictions of men developed unconscious biases, assuming that all men were emotionally detached or untrustworthy. This reflects the socialization process, where repeated exposure to biased information solidifies stereotypes.

Reflection Paragraph:
Stereotypes are learned behaviors, often acquired unconsciously through repeated social exposure. The A Class Divided experiment and personal experiences both highlight how easily individuals internalize societal biases through socialization. Recognizing these processes is essential for developing self-awareness and reducing prejudicial thinking in everyday life.

Part 5: Looking to Careers

Scoring Criterion

Describe the importance of working effectively in diverse work environments.

Purpose

To apply psychological understanding of diversity to real-world professional and interpersonal contexts.

Table 5: Directions and Responses

Directions	Your Response
List 3 job-related skills or abilities you’ll develop in this course.	– Cross-cultural empathy – Inclusive leadership – Cultural competency
Describe one skill or ability you can use in life right away.	This course enhances my ability to empathize with individuals from diverse backgrounds, allowing me to communicate more inclusively and promote fairness in both academic and professional environments.
Describe one thing you learned from this activity that you can use immediately.	I have learned to recognize and challenge stereotypes in real time. By doing so, I can contribute to creating environments that encourage equity, open-mindedness, and respect across differences.

References

Blaine, B. E., & Brenchley, K. J. M. (2020). Understanding the psychology of diversity (4th ed.). SAGE Publications.