Directions: You have 25 minutes to answer the following question. It is not enough to answer a question by merely listing facts. You should present a cogent argument based on your critical analysis of the questions posed, using appropriate psychological terminology. Rachel is an excellent high school student who earns high grades in challenging classes. She has recently been hired as a part-time lab assistant at a medical clinic. She is concerned that the job will affect her school performance.
Part A
Provide a specific example that clearly illustrates how each of the following would inhibit Rachel’s success at her new job.
Stereotype threat
Adrenal glands
Lack of REM sleep
Part B
Provide a specific example that clearly illustrates how each of the following would enhance her performance as a student with a challenging academic schedule.
Distributed practice
Reciprocal determinism
Self-efficacy

Stereotype threat could negatively affect Rachel, as she might experience fear of being perceived as not professional enough for her young age or lack of work experience. That same fear could make her make mistakes that enhance that sense of fear.

Explanation:

When the adrenal glands react to stress, the immune system slows, which means that Rachel could experience a growing tendency to getting sick if she gets stressed, and wouldn´t be able to attend school nor work.

Working and studying at the same time might make Rachel not sleep as much as she needs, meaning that she won´t be getting enough REM sleep, which can negatively affect her ability to learn, both at work and at school.

It would be recommendable for Rachel to use the distributed practice technique to study, meaning that she should take breaks between study periods to ensure she can absorb all the information. This technique will be useful at work as well.

At the same time, it should be good for Rachel to work at the lab, because that will give her a better perspective of how others manage to work and study in such a demanding field, and, through reciprocal determinism, her personality and her new environment will most likely get her to find a comfortable way to do what she likes.

Although Rachel does seem to doubt herself a little, she seems like a proactive young girl with enough self-efficacy to get her through the stressful times that come with working and studying.