Discussion 1

After you have completed the Reading, and without reviewing your classmate's responses, post your initial response to the following Discussion. Your post should be at least 200-250 words in length and should extend the discussion of the group supported by your course materials and/or other appropriate resources.

By increasing your understanding of theories that attempt to describe how your brain works, it is helpful to consider what you were born with and how your world has shaped you. You are, after all, not just a product of our brains and our bodies. In this Discussion Board, you will delve deeper into how your thinking and behavior is impacted by nature and nurture influences.

Explain what genes are, and how behavioral geneticists explain our human differences.

Discuss the impact of heredity (nature) and environment (nurture) on a person.

Describe how evolutionary psychologists use natural selection to explain behavior tendencies. Do you agree with this? Why or why not?

Discussion 2

S.M.A.R.T Goals

After reading the PDFs on Goal Setting and Professional Goals and Personalities in this week's Reading, write your own S.M.A.R.T. goals, discuss why goal setting is important, why they will help you, and how you will achieve them.

Whether you are planning long or short-term goals, you want every goal to be a

SMART one:

Specific, Measurable, Action-oriented, Realistic, and Timed

[S] Specific

Each goal should be a detailed statement of your desired result. Exactly what is it you wish to accomplish? It is difficult to determine action steps for vague goals and even harder to recognize when they have been achieved.

[M] Measurable

Identify the means by which you will achieve each goal. How will you know when you have reached it? There are two types of goals - performance goals and outcome goals. Keep in mind that you will always have more control over performance than you will over outcome so set performance goals whenever possible.

[A] Action-oriented

Describe your goals using action verbs. What will you do (step by step) to reach your goal?

[R] Realistic

Choose goals that are possible and achievable. Who do you know who has achieved goals similar to yours? Goals set too high will discourage you while goals set too low will not challenge and motivate you.

[T] Timed

Determine deadlines for each of your goals. Deadlines can be flexible and adjusted as needed but deadlines that specify time limits help keep you focused and moving.

After reading the PDFs on Goal Setting and Professional Goals and Personalities in this week's Reading, write your own S.M.A.R.T. goals using the template below, why they will help you, and how you will achieve them.