Midterm Paper Essay Prompts
COMS 351 Theory
Select ONE prompt from the list below. Write a 4-5 page paper (not including title page and
reference page) answering the prompt. Cite sources (including the textbook) and format the
paper in correct APA.
1. Since the creation of the theory, symbolic interactionists have emphasized practical
application. Name one present-day problem to which symbolic interactionism might be
applied. What solutions might symbolic interactionism suggest?
2. The onion is the central metaphor of this theory. Identify two weaknesses of this
metaphor. Then, create a new metaphor for human personality structure that corrects
these weaknesses.
3. Compare and contrast the comparison level and the comparison level of alternatives.
How do the concepts explain why some people stay in a dissatisfying relationship? Or
end a satisfying one? These similar names for two different things are confusing; create
new names that capture the essence of each concept.
4. The minimal justification hypothesis may be one of the most counterintuitive ideas in the
social sciences. Explain how the $1/$20 experiment demonstrates that behavior may
cause attitudes.
5. Of the three rhetorical proofs, perhaps ethos is misunderstood most by students. Many
students think ethos refers to ethics, probably because the words share a common root.
Write a statement clarifying for students what ethos is. Specifically, how is ethos similar
to ethics? How does it differ?