Research

For your midterm paper, you will choose ONE of the prompts below. The goal is to demonstrate your understanding of key concepts and apply them to real-world examples. Length: 5 full pages (not including reference page), double-spaced Sources: at least 2 peer-reviewed articles Format: APA (Please ensure your paper includes the proper in-text citations for all sources referenced) Due Date: March 16, 2026 Paper Prompts (Choose ONE) Option 1 Relationships, Emotion & Affect Referencing at least two peer-reviewed research articles, analyze how emotions influence decision-making and social interaction. Choose one everyday situation (e.g., friendship conflict, customer service interactions, school pressure, or family dynamics) and in your paper, explain emotional processing, mood, and emotion regulation and discuss how emotions influence behavior, communication, and judgment in that context. Discuss how emotion regulation strategies (such as reappraisal or suppression) may improve or worsen the outcome. Connect your analysis to relevant developmental concepts from the lifespan perspective (e.g., age-related differences, cognitive development, or social development). Note: Your topic must clearly relate to psychological concepts, theories, or research discussed in the first seven chapters in the book. You must incorporate at least two peer-reviewed sources to support your analysis.