Case Study 1 – Mark and Joe: In Love at the Party
Mark invites Susan to their party and Susan accepts. She has enjoyed their conversations in the coffee shop
and decides she needs to get out.At the party, Joe and his date meet Susan and they are very impressed
with her. Susan is attractive, intelligent, and displays self-confidence in this social setting. Joe gets a chance
to speak privately with Mark while the women chat to get to know each other better.
Joe: “Wow, Mark! Susan is terrific! Good looking and smart like you said. Way to go!” (They high-five.)
Mark: “No kidding! I think this could be the one, Joe! She’s given me the eye and lets me hold her hand, so I
know she’s into me big-time. I never fall fast for someone but I’m thinking by the end of tonight, she’s gonna
be my girl.”
Joe: “I can’t believe this! My best friend Mark, in love, after only one date! I never took you for the romantic
type, Mark.”
Mark: “Sometimes you just got to reach out and grab what’s yours, Joe.”
Throughout the party, Mark continues to demonstrate his strong attraction to Susan. Because she has been
out of the social scene for a while, Susan appreciates Mark’s fondness for her and she returns the favor by
being mildly affectionate and agreeing to Mark’s friend request on Facebook. Mark takes this as another sign
that this is the real deal. But by the end of the party, Susan thanks Mark for a pleasant evening and takes a
cab home. Mark is devastated.
Mark: : “She took a cab home! I can’t believe it! She led me on all night long, giving me looks, holding my
hand, even friending me on Facebook. Everything she did showed she was into me and our relationship.”
Joe: “Women! What are you gonna do, Mark?”
Mark: : “I’m not giving up. I’m going to track her down at the coffee shop, post about our new relationship on
her Facebook page, and let her know old Mark is serious about this love affair.”
Joe: : “You tell her, Mark! Don’t let a good one like her get away. She’s your girl!”
Choose a case study
Case Study 1 – Mark and Joe: In Love at the Party
Choose a theory Social Exchange Theory: A theory that seeks to understand social behavior by analyzing the costs and
benefits of interacting with each other; it assumes that sex is a resource that men have and women want.
You can find more information on this theory in your text in Chapter 12, pages 428.
Choose a concept
Causing Harm: Causing harm explores the different types of harm that may be caused to people or groups
and the potential reasons we may have for justifying these harms. For more information about this concept,
review the What You Need to Know activity in Unit 8.
Choose a concept
Fairmindedness: Awareness of the need to treat all viewpoints alike without reference to our own or vested
This week you will be writing a paper in which you complete the following:
Summarize the case study.
Describe credible and scholarly sources, relevant to a particular theory.
Apply a social psychological theory to a chosen case study.
Explain how social psychological research studies relate to a particular social psychological theory.
Apply an ethical reasoning concept to a chosen case study.
Apply a critical thinking concept to a chosen case study.
Provide a conclusion.
Create a text in the third person adhering to conventions of academic tone.
Demonstrate compliance with APA style, citation, and referencing guidelines.
Additional Requirements
Written communication: Should be free of errors that detract from the overall message.
APA formatting: References and citations are formatted according to current Evidence and APALinks to an external site. guidelines.
Resources: Minimum of two scholarly or professional resources.
Length: 4–5 double-spaced pages, in addition to the title page and reference page.
Font and font size: Times New Roman, 12 point.
