Assessment 1 is designed to facilitate understanding of the role of culture in developing, cultivating and interpreting positive characteristics, i.e. how our worldviews (our cultural identification) can significantly affect the development of (and opportunities to cultivate) various positive characteristics.

Your task has two (2) parts:

Part 1: Self-Assessment and discussion using the ADDRESSING (Age, Disability, Religion, Ethnicity, Sexual orientation, Socioeconomic status, Indigeneity, Nationality, Gender orientation) framework. Detailed information on and support for using this framework is provided on Moodle.

1. Choose three (3) criteria in the ADDRESSING framework and complete the Self-Assessment table for these sections (provided on Moodle).
2. Discuss your self-assessment with your partner. (Your partner will be another student in this unit. The Unit Coordinator will assign these pairs in the first week of the unit).

Part 2: Comparative analysis and reflection:

Write a 1000-word (+/-10%) comparative analysis and reflection on:

1. A brief summary of the strengths your partner identified and the cultural influences on these strengths
   
2. Differences and similarities between you and your partner
   
3. Explore:

• How your thinking about strengths and culture changed through the self-assessment and discussion
• The thoughts/feelings/issues that arose from the self-assessment and discussion, i.e. gaps in your knowledge where you may need to do more upskilling
• How would you apply your new knowledge about the complexity of cultural identities, particularly strengths, to working with clients in a positive psychology role (e.g. as an educator, coach, group facilitator, manager, researcher)

Your work will be assessed on:

• Clarity and depth of self-reflection on strengths and limitations arising from cultural influences
• Comparative analysis skills
• Ability to apply insights from reflection to future work

Detailed information regarding assessment requirements and criteria can be found in the Unit Assessment Guide on Moodle.

The maximum word count for the comparative anaysis task is 1,000 words (+/- 10%). Meeting the word count is included as a part of the marking criteria in your marking rubric on Moodle. See the Psychology Word Count Information document on Moodle for a rationale for using this type of word limit restriction

In order to pass this Unit, you must obtain a minimum grade of 50% for this assessment.

For this assessment you will develop a short audio-visual presentation (e.g. PowerPoint slides with audio)  on how a religion/spiritual tradition of your choice conceptualises and practices wellbeing.

Your audio-visual presentation will include:

1. An initial slide and audio identifying the religion/spiritual tradition you are exploring and briefly outlining the main aspects of this tradition (e.g. its origins, where it is practiced and how widespread it is, whether it represents a particular sect/interpretation)
2. An outline of how this religion/spiritual tradition define(s) (there may be more than one definition) wellbeing/a good life (this needs to be reputable sources i.e. not Wikipedia or opinion-based websites but spiritual texts, published interpretations, and academic writing)
3. An outline of what beliefs and practices this religion/spiritual tradition sees as integral to wellbeing (this needs to be reputable sources i.e. not Wikipedia or opinion-based websites but spiritual texts, published interpretations, and academic writing)
4. A brief analysis of which definitions, beliefs and practices of this religion/spiritual approach have been found in the psychology research literature to be related to wellbeing (you may not find research on ‘Buddhist prayer’ or ‘Christian tithing’ and wellbeing, but you will find research on the general practices of prayer and generosity/giving to others, for example)
5. A discussion of how this approach is similar to and/or different from your own spiritual/religious understanding of wellbeing
6. A slide with the reference list

You need to use APA style for referencing, and provide correct in-text citations on your slides as well as a complete reference list of those citations on your final slide. 

You are welcome to use creative ways to present your findings – animation, images, music. Any visual or audio material you use in your film must be source cited if not your own.

LENGTH: Your short presentation will be a minimum of 9 and a maximum of 10 minutes in length

Your work will be assessed on:

• Clarity of critical thinking in identifying links between spiritual/religious practices and research evidence, and in the comparative analysis of beliefs
• Quality of resources drawn upon to develop an accurate evidence-based understanding of the link between the spiritual/religious tradition and wellbeing
• Creative thinking in the presentation of the material
• Correct use of APA formatting for the citations and references

Detailed information regarding assessment requirements and criteria can be found in the Unit Assessment Guide on Moodle.

Your presentation will be a minimum of 9 and a maximum of 10 minutes in length. Meeting the time limit for the presentation is included as a marking criteria in your marking rubric on Moodle. See the Psychology Word Count Information document for a rationale for using this type of restriction.

In order to pass this Unit, you must obtain a minimum grade of 50% for this assessment.

This assessment brings together perspectives on wellbeing from different academic disciplines to develop a holistic view of wellbeing. The aim is to gain a perspective on wellbeing that highlights the different ways it is conceptualized and practiced.

There are two (2) options for completing this assessment. Please choose one of the following options.

Option 1

1. Create a mind map of wellbeing incorporating 2 (two) theories of wellbeing from different academic disciplines
2. Use this map to develop a written critical reflection (750 words +/- 10%) of the similarities and differences between the theories, and the research support for each.

Option 2

Write a 1,500 word (+/- 10%) critical reflection on the similarities and differences between two theories of wellbeing and the research support for each.

The mind map

For each theory, identify the practices (e.g. engaging with the community, exercise, spending money on others) that each deems is essential for wellbeing.

Your mind map will include:

1. The central concept, which is wellbeing
2. Two main branches each representing a theory
3. Child branches for each of the main branches showing the practices of wellbeing identified by that theory

An example mind map is available on Moodle, as well as a link to a good article on mind mapping which includes online tools if you would like to use these.

The critical reflection

In the critical reflection, you will:

1. Compare and contrast definitions and practices of wellbeing
2. Provide research evidence for the relationship between the theory/practices and wellbeing
3. Bringing the theories together to explore a holistic model

You need to reference the critical reflection and provide a separate References page. The references are academic references, i.e. peer-reviewed journal articles. 

Your work will be assessed on:

• Clear comprehension and summarising of the research evidence for the theories and their components
• Summarising similarities and differences between different theories
• Critical thinking in bringing together theories, practices and research to identify a holistic, evidence-based model of wellbeing
• Clarity in the organisation and presentation of the mind map (if you undertake Option 1)
• Written comprehension

The maximum word count for the critical reflection is 750 words (+/- 10%) for Option 1 and 1,500 words (+/- 10%) for Option 2. Meeting the word count is included as a part of the marking criteria in your marking rubric on Moodle. See the Psychology Word Count Information document on Moodle for a rationale for using this type of word limit restriction.

Detailed information regarding assessment requirements and criteria can be found in the Unit Assessment Guide on Moodle.

In order to pass this Unit, you must obtain a minimum grade of 50% for this assessment.