Solutions to the worksheet

Role modelsCultural phenomena (30)

1. What kind of people may represent role models? List who is mentioned in the film. Add your own ideas.Friends, musicians, actors, sports champions, politicians, socially committed people, moral role models (the Pope), footballers, par-ents, individual answers

2. What are some of the reasons for choosing a particular role model?Role models may lead exemplary lives or profess exemplary views. They may also excel at certain skills or distinguish themselves by their beauty. Another motivating factor may be their will and per-severance.

3. Why do we need role models?Models show us how to do certain things best. Hence we learn from them. In addition, they motivate us. 4. How do children learn?By trial and error. However, children learn from role models more ef-fectively. 5. Why do teens tend to choose their role models outside the family?This tendency forms part of a teenager’s emancipation process – the process of growing into an independent individual.

6. How do you personally experience this process? Do you also look for role models outside your family?Individual answer

7. Who used to be role models in the past?Egypt: pharaohs (revered as divine beings);Greece: philosophers like Aristotle;Middle Ages: knights, kings, popes, people leading exemplary reli-gious lives.

8. Compare and contrast role models today and in the past.In the past, models had to distinguish themselves in truly exemplary fashion. Today they are often manufactured products to be sold to the consumer.

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Solutions to the worksheet

Role models

9. In what way can role models also do harm?Their fans may mimic self-destructive or bad behaviour. Especially in early adolescence it can be difficult to distinguish good from bad role models. Teens are more susceptible.And if many supporters try to emulate a particular role model, peer pressure may result and negative aspects of a model may be ig-nored.

10. Do you know any bad role models? Why are they bad?Individual answer

11. Why do many role models fail to live up to their role?They cannot cope with the pressure. Being a role model is hard work and can be a real strain. Role models should assume their role auto-matically, without any conscious effort or pressure.

12. Where in life are you a role model yourself?Individual answer

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