11.06-
A. Keeley will be able to use a mnemonic device to remember the names of all the people at the fair. Mnemonics are ways to remember many things simpler by association. For example, if Keeley needs to remember the names of the people who have positions in the club from top down, she could use a mnemonic. If the names are Peter, Allison, Wesley, Tim, Ed, and Marcia, she could remember this by the mnemonic “People Always Want to Eat More.” Next, Keeley can use operant conditioning, learning through rewards and behavior, to remember the names of everyone present. More specifically, she can use positive reinforcement. For every person’s name she remembers after every hour, she can reward herself with a small ice cream cone. This way, Keeley will be more motivated to remember everyone’s name. The mere exposure effect can play a crucial role in who Keeley relates to. This phenomenon is when someone prefers some other stimuli because they are familiar with it. For example, if Keeley used to be in a club where everyone was extremely laid back and they had discussions every Wednesday, she would be most likely to feel comfortable in the Dream Interpretation Club if they don’t care if you show up to every meeting and share experiences with each other on Saturdays. In terms of people, if she finds someone who is funny and works really hard like her best friend, she will most likely feel more attracted to that person. Finally, in order to pay attention and remember everyone and everything she is experiencing, her reticular activation system will need to help her. The RAS is responsible for our sleep-wake cycle and attention. If Keeley wants to be alert during this time, that is when her reticular activation system is going to come in.
B. The sympathetic nervous system can hinder Keeley from forming friendships. The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for stress and maintaining homeostasis. If Keeley’s sympathetic nervous system is too proficient, it leads to the fight or flight response. This response will determine if she will encounter new people or flee from the fair. This could hinder her making friends because she could be too stressed to meet new people. Next, Keeley’s circadian rhythm will also affect how she makes friends. Our circadian rhythm depends on how much sleep we receive. It depends on when we’re awake or asleep based on sunlight. If Keeley’s circadian rhythm is off, she may not feel well enough to make friends because her whole body’s rhythm is off. Stereotypes will also play a role in her making friends. If Keeley is extremely stereotypical about people, that could lead her to making false judgments about people even if they are not true. Finally, the drive-reduction theory will also play a role in Keeley’s friends. The whole point of this theory is that people want to reduce their drives. For example, if Keeley is an alcoholic, she would want to intake alcohol to reduce her drive for it. This could make it harder for her to make friends since she would need to consume alcohol to reduce her drive. Obviously her peers, being in high school, should not be appreciative of this.