# Reading Responses (Set 1)

### Sep 23 Tue - Learning

How did we learn to learn? Many people are unaware that learning is not something we are born with. Over time, we put in effort and practice into gaining the knowledge we know now. From learning how to walk, learning to talk and, knowing our ABCs, it all started with having no idea how.

In *Make it Stick: The Science of Successful learning,* Peter C. Brown, Henry L. Roediger III, and Mark A. McDaniel explain how people can learn different strategies to learn more efficiently. One way I *thought* made me understand better is re-reading or reviewing over and over again, just to make it stick. According to their book, Brown, Roediger, and McDaniel emphasize that retrieval practice is more effective than this. "Retrieval practice-recalling facts or concepts or events from memory-is a more effective learning strategy than re-view by rereading." (Brown, Roediger, McDaniel 2014). They give the example of using flashcards. Practicing retrieval interrupts forgetting and strengthens your memory. I agree with their point because it would make sense that I seem to retrieve information by memory better while taking an exam when using flashcards to study the night before.

A point made by Brown, Roediger, and McDaniel reminds me of similar discussions we have in class about critical thinking. In some classes, we will do "puzzles," which test us on our current and past knowledge. They express, "When you're adept at extracting the underlying principles or 'rules' that differentiate types of problems, you're more successful at picking the right solutions in unfamiliar situations." (Brown, Roediger, McDaniel 2014). Real learning isn't just about memorizing; it's about understanding deeper ideas and patterns. You can solve newer problems you haven't faced before based on previous experience.

Overall, their book *Make it Stick* emphasizes the idea that learning isn't just about memorizing. Brown, Roediger, and McDaniel say that it is more like testing yourself, practice, and understanding. Learning takes great effort, but working hard helps you build stronger learning abilities.

### Oct 3 Fri - Social Networks

Networks are more than people connecting with one another. With networks like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, We are able to stay connected no matter how far. With them, we are never alone. In "Social Has a Shape: Why Networks Matter," Howard Rheingold expresses how networks create new things that most individuals cannot. By living in a world controlled by networks, we have created social ties that have influenced us over time.

According to the article, Rheingold notes that it wasn't until the 1990s that scientists began to put pieces together between structures within our networks. Even the smallest connections from far away makes us join together. He says, "Small worlds, power laws, long tails, Reed’s law, network contagion, and network societies are the invisible forces driving many of the social and economic phenomena manifesting today in the behaviors of networked publics." (Rheingold 2012). He uses these examples to show they shape today's online world and its networks. As groups form, networks become more valuable (Reed's law), and instead of just groups, society is being shaped by them (Network societies).

Rheingold adds, "There are also networks. Instead of examining only the groups people belonged to, some sociologists began asking people to list all the people they interacted with day to day and then examined the connections between those people" (Rheingold 2012). People aren't only shaped by the groups we are a part of; we are all a part of networks. Sociologists looked at all of the *individual* connections people have in their lives and how they join together.

Overall, Rheingold expresses how networks are powerful because they shape how our society connects. We spread our ideas, values, and our influences throughout socials. This article connects to what we talked about in class briefly about the effects of technology on people and how media is spread. I also learned that it could influence our behaviors and opinions. Social networks remind us that even the smallest connections can impact our society.

### Oct 07 Tue - Cat fishing and scams

People will do almost anything for money, especially when it's somebody else's. It has now become easier for scammers to brainwash others into sending large amounts of money, but what makes people overlook all the red flags? Emotion plays a big role in the reason why victims agree to send money, more specifically, *romance*. Romantic desire can cloud our judgment, especially in most situations where scammers make false promises to get something in return.

First comes catfishing, where they "coincidentally" have the same interests, hobbies, skills, and desires you do. As Emma Fletcher says in *Romance Scammers’ Favorite Lies Exposed*, "These scammers pay close attention to the information you share, and don’t miss a beat becoming your perfect match. You like a thing, so that’s their thing, too. You’re looking to settle down. They’re ready too. But there is one exception – you want to meet in real life, and they can’t." (Fletcher 2023). They try to convince you that they are your "perfect match" just to make you fall into their trap. Fletcher also states that, "They may claim to be a successful cryptocurrency investor who’ll teach you how it’s done. But any money you “invest” goes straight into their wallet." (Fletcher 2023). Psychologically, it works because they gain romantic trust for a financial opportunity.

Monica T. Whitty in *Do You Love Me? Psychological Characteristics of Romance Scam Victims* points out that education level may have an influence on who is a victim of scamming. She says, "Lee and Soberon-Ferrer14 found that less educated individuals were more likely to fall victim to consumer fraud. Being well educated might therefore be a protective factor against becoming defrauded by MMF" (Whitty 2018). This supports the hypothesis of "less educated people are more likely to be a victim of romance scam (H3) compared with those who have not become victims of romance scam." (Whitty 2018). Whitty implies that people who are more educated have stronger critical thinking skills and can most likely detect when they are being scammed and have better awareness.

This reading reminds me of our last class when we talked about hackers and fraud. Similarly, Fletcher and Whitty's points relate to how people lose their information and money when it comes to not being careful. But now people are giving those away willingly in hopes of love in return. Overall, my takeaway from these readings is how we need to be more aware of the signs where we can be taken advantage of, especially emotionally. Romance scams show how easily we can overlook red flags when we let our human emotions get involved.

### Oct 14 Tue - The darknet

Digital currency has become part of our economy as a new form of money. Resources like Bitcoin and $TRUMP Tokens have given people more control and financial privacy over their money. The only downside of this kind of currency is that, due to the darknet, people can make anonymous transactions, which canhas made it useful for illegal use.

In Nik Custodio's article *Explain Bitcoin Like I’m Five*, he makes it easy to understand the concept of Bitcoin by using the example of exchanging apples. Custodio explains *Public Ledger*, and how "I didn’t need Uncle Tommy(third-party) to make sure I didn’t cheat, or make extra copies for myself, or send apples twice, or thrice…" (Custodio 2013). This is the idea of not needing a third party to verify transactions (like a bank, Apple Pay, or Venmo). He also notes, "When I make an exchange, I now know that digital apple certifiably left my possession and is now completely yours." (Custodio 2013). Instead of using a middleman, Bitcoin is safe and self-verifying.

The Silk Road, a marketplace on the dark web, was the first major place where Bitcoin was used as money. This system allowed people to buy and sell illegal goods while staying completely anonymous through technologies like Tor and Bitcoin. Jordan Wright explains Tor as "an anonymity tool used by those who want to stay private and uncensored when browsing the Internet." (Wright 2015). This would be considered the darknet, and how people could take advantage of making transactions illegally.

Jacob Kozhipatt in *Silk Road Was The Darknet Market Testing Ground For Bitcoin* highlights how "Users would utilize a Tor browser to access the dark web, where their IP addresses, amongst other digital locators, would be hidden from third-party surveillance." (Kozhipatt 2022). This process hides your location and would make it impossible for people like the government or hackers to track where, and who you are when browsing on the web through encryption.

Through digital currency, we are able to have full control over transactions without needing a third party, while giving us privacy and independence. Although it can be beneficial, it also opens doors for misuse and illegal practices through the darknet. Either way, systems like Bitcoin and Tor prove how technology is evolving in the digital aspect of our economy. Like we talk about in most of our class discussions, depending on how we use it, technology can be both helpful and harmful; we just have to be completely aware of possible harmful effects.

### Oct 17 Fri - Exam review questions

*Only used terms and definitions from my notes in past lectures (No AI used)*

***Multiple Choice Questions***

1. According to the lecture, which dark tetrad characteristic is connected with **lack of guilt or empathy in regard to ethics**?

A. Narcissism

B. Psychopathy

C. Machiavellianism

D. Sadism

2. What is the difference between **misinformation** and **disinformation?**

A. Misinformation is false but not known to be so; Disinformation is intentionally false and designed to gain power or cause harm.

B. Misinformation is true or false, designed to cause harm; Disinformation is false but not known to be so.

C. Disinformation is more harmful than disinformation.

D. Misinformation and Disinformation are the same; they are both used to cause harm.

***Open Response Questions***

3. Explain the difference between a public good and a tragedy of the commons. What is an example of each?

4. Based on the "Do You Love Me" discussion, why might people with higher trust and education be most likely to still fall for online scams?

***Answers***

1. **(B: Psychopathy)** People who have psychopathy often make choices that are unethical because they don't feel guilt or empathy for others besides themselves. Narcissism is the need for admiration. Machiavellianism is the desire the hurt others. Sadism is entitled manipulation.

3. **(A)** Misinformation is false but not known to be so; Disinformation is intentionally false and designed to gain power or cause harm.
- **Misinformation Example:** Someone on social media says that drinking mint tea in the morning can stop bloating throughout the day, even though it works for them, it is not scientifically proven.
- **Disinformation Example:** A fake online post about a local coffee shop closing down, even though it's not.

3. A **public good** is something that everyone can use without it running out (One person using it doesn't stop others from using it). **A tragedy of the commons** is when a shared resource is overused over time, which can lead to underproduction.
- **Public Good Example:** News through broadcasting because people can watch from anywhere, anytime, all of the time. It can not run out because it will always be there for people to watch.
- **Tragedy of the Commons Example:** Printing, where paper and ink can run out easily if everyone prints excessively.

4. People who have high trust and good education might still fall for online scams because they might be overconfident when it comes to technology (like the old woman who works with technology, fell for someone catfishing as a "general"). Being educated and trusting doesn't necessarily make someone more likely to detect a scam.