Psychology Presentation Tips

1. Psychology Presentation Tips J. McNichol 2007

2. Outline • Expectations of Student Presenter • Expectations of Presentation • Grading Scheme • Example of Past Presentation • Last Minute Tips • Questions

3. Expectations of Student Presenter • Pick theorist & character for analysis. • Character approved from TA via email. • Goal is to apply knowledge from class. • Critically analyze chosen character’s personality based on theorist you choose. • Basically answer: what would theorist say about the character?

4. Expectations of Presentation • Presentations can be alone or in pairs. • Each presenter should present for 10 – 15 minutes. • Allow approx. 3-5 minutes for questions. • Each presenter is graded on what they say • If in group either: • Pick same theorist, 2 characters. • Pick same character, 2 theorists.

5. Grading Scheme • APA 10% • Organization 10% • Style 15% • Grammar 10% • Evidence & Research 20% • Conclusions 15% • Overall Content 20% • Bonus 2%

6. APA (10%) • References • APA Formatting • APA Help?? - Google APA - Nipissing Library Website - Email TA

7. Organization (10%) • Order of arguments • Stayed on topic • Overall clarity • Overall organization

8. Style (15%) • Introduction presents topic • Strength of ideas • Logically argues ideas • Ideas clearly presented • Effective use of language • Clearly expressed ideas • Coherent point of view • Overall style

9. Grammar (10%) • Overall language • Spelling • Punctuation

10. Evidence (20%) • Has specific evidence • Persuasiveness of thesis - theory • Integrates sources in arguments • Persuasively makes case • Effectively uses evidence to support

11. Conclusions (15%) • Interesting and original • Persuasive • Provocatively makes point • Contextualizes arguments • Successfully summaries ideas

12. Overall Content (20%) • Content specific to course • Presentation style • Response to questions

13. Bonus (2%) • Future research • What next? • What could be done today that would help to explain your character’s personality?

14. Parts to My Presentation • Biography of character – brief & prevalent. • Extremely Brief Overview of Freud’s Psychodynamic Theory – just to get audience in right state of mind. • Analyze character with as much of theory as possible. • Sum up analysis together with conclusion.

15. Analyzing Character • First introduce aspect of theory – definition • Then show how it relates to character. • Eg. Freud’s Defense Mechanisms with Manson: - Freud believed that defense mechanisms protect the self from anxiety and is initiated by the ego. - Repression: Forcing threatening feelings into the unconscious; Manson would have repressed his negative childhood experiences. - Sublimation: Substituting unacceptable behavior with something that is acceptable; Prior to murders Manson was writing music, but since that failed he turned to murder as an expression.

16. Last Minute Tips • Don’t exceed 15 min, you will be cut off. • Don’t use clips that do not have a purpose or that are 10 minutes long. • Have clips ready to go. • Don’t overuse pictures, can be distracting. • Don’t have tons of words on slideshow, audience can’t read it then.

17. More Tips • Do not have your presentation word for word on the slideshow. • HAVE A CONCLUSION!!! • You will be asked a question. • Email questions or practice… I get paid, so I don’t mind.

18. Questions…. • My email: jmcnichol922@community.nipissingu.ca

19. Charles Manson Jessica McNichol

20. Outline • Charles Manson: Early Life • Charles Manson: The Murders • Charles Manson: Possible Motive • Charles Manson: The Aftermath • Charles Manson in the eyes of Freud • Clip of an interview with Manson • Discussion and Questions

21. Manson: The Early Life • Born, Cincinnati, Ohio, November 12, 1934 to a 16-year-old unwed girl named Kathleen Maddox4 • Charles’ biological father is unknown4 • 1939: Mother and Uncle convicted of sexual assault and holding up a gas station4 • Mother was an alcoholic and prostitute4 • Mother tried to put him into a foster home at 134

22. The Early Life Continued • He attended the Gibault school for Boys and ran away within a year4 • Mother rejected him and he began living on the streets, supporting himself by stealing4 • 1951: was arrested for stealing a car and sent to National Training School for Boys4 • Psychiatrist noted that he has anti-social tendencies4 • That same year, he raped another boy

23. The Early Life Continued • 1952: already had 8 assault charges against him4 • 1954: model inmate, resulting in his parole at the age of 204 • 1955: at age of 21 Manson married 17-year-old Rosalie Jean Willis and she became pregnant shortly thereafter4 • 1956: Rosalie gave birth to Charles Manson Jr., who committed suicide in 19934

24. The Early Life Continued • 1958: granted parole but arrested 9 months later for passing stolen cheques4 • March 21, 1967: Manson finally released from prison against his wishes4 • He was 33 and more than half his life was spent in institutions • “Oh, no, I can't go outside there...I know that I can't adjust to that world.” • Obsession with the lyrics of rock group The Beatles

25. The Murders • Manson attracted a group of followers4 • Mainly young troubled women who had troubled emotional lives who were rebelling against their parents and society in general • They formed the core of the Manson “family” execution team, whom Manson ordered to kill pregnant actress Sharon Tate, her wealthy house guests and the LaBianca’s • All part of Manson’s plot to start a global race war

26. The Murders Continued • August 19, 1969: Manson orders members of the “family” to go to the home of Terry Melcher and kill whoever was on the premises4 • Sharon Tate,her unborn child, Steven Parent, Abigail Folger, and Jay Sebring were all killed by Manson’s “family” 4

27. The Murders Continued • The following night, Leno LaBianca and his wife Rosemary were killed in their home by the Manson family4 • There was a strong link between the Tate-LaBianca murders: motive; the instigator; the two main assassins; and witnesses common to both cases 4

28. Possible Motive • There were many possible motives but one in particular stands out4 • REJECTION: Manson had been rejected by the music industry and wanted revenge4 • 1968, Manson met record producer Terry Melcher through Dennis Wilson from the Beach Boys • Melcher and his girlfriend were living at the Tate house at the time and Manson auditioned for Melcher but never got signed • It is said that the house represented rejection for Manson and that it didn’t matter to him who the victims were

29. The Aftermath • Manson has just spent his 38th year in prison4 • Although not present, convicted on seven counts of murder and one count of conspiracy to commit murder4 • Tenth and most recent parole hearing was March 24, 20024 • He was refused parole • His next hearing is scheduled for 2007!

30. Other Facts on Manson • Manson was friends with several notable musicians before the murders, including Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys4 • He was also a marginally successful musician himself who recorded several albums and whose songs have since been covered by other artists. 4 • Manson’s name and image is a symbol of evil in today’s American Pop Culture4

31. Charles Manson in the eyes of Sigmund Freud

32. Outline • Extremely Brief Overview of Freud’s Psychodynamic Theory • Levels of Mental Life • Provinces of the Mind • Drives of Personality • Defense Mechanisms • Summary of Manson’s Freudian Personality

33. Overview of Freud’s Psychodynamic Theory • Freud’s understanding of human personality was based on his experiences with patients, his analysis of his own dreams, and his vast readings in science.1 • Freud believed that most of our behaviour is determined by past events (childhood experiences) rather than molded by present goals.1

34. Levels of Mental Life • Freud divided mental life into 2 levels: 1 1.) Conscious: mental elements in awareness at any given time 2.) Unconscious: which has two levels - unconscious: contains all the drives, urges & instincts that are beyond awareness but motivate actions. - preconscious: contains elements that are not conscious but can become conscious

35. Manson’s Freudian Mental Life • Freud would say that Manson is mostly motivated by unconscious awareness • Unconscious awareness is made up of the repression of anxiety provoking childhood experiences. 1 • Manson’s traumatic childhood experiences with his mother would have attributed to Manson’s adult aggression, murderous tendency and personality disorder

36. Examples of Anxiety From Childhood • Unknown biological father and 16 year old mother • Mother on many occasions would abuse Charles • Mother & Uncle convicted of sexual assault & armed robbery • Mother sold a young Charles for a pitcher of beer • In & out of reform school • Had an IQ of 109

37. Provinces of the Mind • The Id: is the unconscious, chaotic, out of contact with reality, and in service of the pleasure principle 1 • The Ego: is the executive of personality, in contact with the real world, and in service of the reality principle 1 • The Superego: serves as the moral and idealistic principles 1

38. A Pleasure Seeking Person • Manson’s is controlled by the ID which is constantly attempting to satisfy desires - drinking, sex, drugs, rock & roll lifestyle • He is unable to keep his ego in check

39. Drives of Personality • Freud would say that Manson is motivated or controlled by thanatos or aggression, also known as the destructive drive 1. • This drive originates in the Id. 1 • This drive is also rooted in self destructiveness & the desire to change your physical appearance 1 – Self mutilating – Tattoos

40. Defense Mechanisms • Freud believed that defense mechanisms protect the self from anxiety and is initiated by the ego • Repression: Forcing threatening feelings into the unconscious. 1 - Manson would have repressed his negative childhood experiences • Sublimation: Substituting unacceptable behavior with something that is acceptable 1 - Prior to murders Manson was writing music, but since that failed he turned to murder as an expression

41. Defense Mechanisms Continued • Introjection: people incorporate positive qualities of another person into themselves 1 - Manson took on the mannerisms of a famous musician to feel self worth • Fixation: attachment onto an earlier stage of development 1 - Manson is fixated on the phallic stage; he is reckless, stubborn, proud, self assured, narcissistic, vain, he never received the love and affection needed in this stage and he is incapable of close love

42. Conclusions from Freud • Charles Manson is a unique or distinct personality • His personality was molded by repressed childhood experiences • His Id takes over his personality to make him a Pleasure Seeking Person – constantly seeking satisfaction of desires • He displays four main defense mechanisms to deal with his suppressed anxiety

43. Future Directions • Freud’s theory only attributes child experiences. • Look at Manson’s behavior as a conditioned or learned behavior. • Look at the teenage years of his life, not just childhood.

44. Clip from Interview • Displays Manson’s unremorseful and evil personality

45. What do YOU think? • According to Freud then, what is a factor leading to Manson’s behavior?

46. References • 1.) Feist, J & Feist G.J. (2006) Theories of Personality. New York: McGraw Hill. • 2.) Bugliosi, Vincent. (1992) Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders. Norton: Arrow Books. • 3.) Turner, Mark. (2006). Charles Manson. Retreived January 10, 2007, from http://www.charliemanson.com. • 4.) (2007). Charles Manson. Retreived January 10, 2007, from Wikipedia Encyclopedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Manson