PSY ASSIGNMENT - CRITICAL THINKING

Evaluating Scientific Reports In The Media(4)

It is

important that you learn how to critically reviewresearch. In our

society today, we are exposed to an enormous amount of information and very

many studies. Some of this information is excellent,

some are useful, and some is very, very bad. How can you

determine what information is useful and what is dangerous? One way is to

take a course, such as Critical Thinking; however, the facts that I give

you will be outdated all too soon. The most important thing you will learn from

this course—and from your college education—is how to critically evaluate

information presented to you. Critical thinking involves asking five questions:

who, what, when, where, how.

1.Find and read an article in the media or a video clip that

reports about a scientific

study, idea, or theory. You must include the link to the website.

2.Determine if the argument presented

in the article is weak or strong. Find and

point out its weaknesses and strengths. State if you find the argument acceptable or not based on the strength of the

supporting evidence presented.

3.Answer the following five questions

about the article: Who, What, When, Where, and How. Refer

to page 351 of your text and be sure to cover all the highlights

discussed.

Do NOT use entertainment

or sports articles for your review. These are to be research based.

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YOUR ASSIGNMENT (4)

Please research on the internet confirmation bias -- and then, please describe an occasion that happened lately when you caught yourselffalling into confirmation bias but after all ended up correcting yourself.Please do not forget: lying, cheating,consciously twisting the facts or torturing reasoning are NOT confirmation bias (they are just not the best behavior); however, strongly and often passionately believing that we arecorrectwhen all the evidence contradicting it is in front of our nose isthe consequence of confirmation bias.

Part 1-Your initial post: State your answers backed by the evidence you found. This 'initial post' has to be at least 300 words

Critical thinking vs everyday thinking(1)

Three questions:

1) what are the most important differences between 'everyday thinking' and critical thinking?

2) Is critical thinking important at all (if it is indeed a thing)? Why? Why not?

3) In Europe, critical thinking is generally referred to as philosophy. Why? And what is philosophy in its broadest term and should we even care about it? Why? Why not?

Part 1- Your initial post: State your answers backed by the evidence you found. This post must be at least 300 words long

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Errors in Thinking and Irrational Beliefs (2)

Post 1 (has to be at least 300 words): Please do research about psychologist Albert Ellis and his theory of irrational beliefs. Look over the list of the irrational beliefs and try to see what is their common element.

Also, please study the concept of fallacies in chapter 5 and compare it to the concept of irrational beliefs. There is some difference -- can you find it?

Irrational beliefs are certain types of deep-seated cognitive errors that people live by. Living by these cognitive errors can relate to all kinds of disorders, such as depression, among others, but all of us commit such errors to some degree.

Discuss how these cognitive errors can adversely impact a person's psychological wellbeing if they get out of hand. Discuss any of these that impact someone you know - or you -- and the impact they have.

'Justice'

The concept of justice, in general, is complex and quite vague (and thus specified differently by the different aspect of it), and, of course, deeply philosophical, considering that every society has its own ideas of what is and isn't just in the different areas of life where the concept must be applicable, so after finding and accepting a definition, we should ask ourselves, what is justice to us, personally, when it is related to crime and punishment in the 21^st century America, and how much our own conviction (no pun intended) regarding those issues agrees with the way our society manages them, and also, if you consider the idea of social justice an integral part of the issue (dilemma?) of crime and punishment or separate from it?

Please understand that such an issue can lead to the conflict of opinion with other students who may see things very differently, so please refrain from name calling, empty propaganda, and assigning blame to certain groups of people or to one political party or another (there is plenty blame to go around in every direction, in any case) and try to focus on facts and logic in support your argument.

Here is the discussion challenge.

Again, it is a sensitive topic and we all want to have a constructive and interesting discussion, based on facts and logic, so please be factual and to the point.

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Here is your discussion challenge: (3)

1. Try to define 'justice' regarding 'crime and punishment' in our society. What is justice, in essence, within that framework? Punishment? Retribution? Deterrence? Correction? Protecting society from harm? Maintaining the status quo (a tradition and social order to be upheld and continued unchanged) and, if so, can it be separated from another concept, 'social justice?'

2. Is our justice system 'just,' according to the definition you find relevant, and also, is it so according to its moral definition in our society? What can be the reason for 'injustice' (if there is any) within our justice system?

3. There are all kinds of talks about the need for prison reform -- why? Is there anything wrong with it? And if so, how could the system be improved (in case it should be improved)?

Part 1 - Your initial post: State your view backed by the evidence you find. Your initial post need to be a minimum of 300 words long

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Critical thinking vs everyday thinking(1)

Three questions:

1) what are the most important differences between 'everyday thinking' and critical thinking?

2) Is critical thinking important at all (if it is indeed a thing)? Why? Why not?

3) In Europe, critical thinking is generally referred to as philosophy. Why? And what is philosophy in its broadest term and should we even care about it? Why? Why not?

Part 1- Your initial post: State your answers backed by the evidence you found. This post must be at least 300 words long