How would you explain to someone else, another college student say, what reductionism means?

/in /by

 In what contexts (where and from whom) have you heard the term before now?  How about outside of class?  What was it used to mean there?  How is/was it often misused?  What’s wrong with saying, “Oh, that’s just a theory”?  What does Strange say it means?  What does he say is important about theory in the first two paragraphs?

2.  Have you heard of ADHD (or ADD) before now?  Where and in what context?  How were its causes explained to you, or how did you imagine it could be explained? (If you have never heard of it before, say so, and move on to the next Q.)

3.  Answer the question at the end of section I about your first critical reaction to the chemical- genetic explanation of ADHD given so far.  How does it (the theory/explanation) of ADHD sound to you at this point?  Be frank.  What other human actions (complex behaviors or traits) have you heard described as having genetic, or hormonal, or biological causes (make a list)?

(The remaining questions, but especially 4, 5, 7, 8, and 10, demand a little more detail, as well as more soul-searching.)

4. a) What are the possible shortcomings stated here (but translate into you own words) with the chemical-genetic explanation of Isabelle’s ADHD?  b)  What can be said to be missing from the chemical-genetic explanation/theory?  c) What is meant by “blaming the victim”?  Do you feel the chemical/genetic theory does this to Isabelle?  How so, or how not? What is your reaction to the other examples mentioned here of blaming the victim?  Do they?

5.  a) What is Gabor Mate’s alternative explanation for the problems of children like Isabelle?

 b) Show how Mate’s theory/explanation can be applied to Isabelle’s specific case (in other words, translate his general theory into what we know about Isabelle’s social context (meaning her relation to other people and groups, and the history of those relations.)  c)  Give some features, or processes at work in the social world (social context) in which Isabelle’s parents and relatives operate which might create pressures and stresses on them, pressures that are easily communicated to children.  So should we put all blame on the parents?

6. What is your own list of the most pressing problems of our time (my list is on page 18)?

Why do these (sometimes ponderous sounding) issues matter?

7.  Throughout this essay (especially section V and VI), a number of other issues or problems are referred to (like the housing bubble, schizophrenia, etc. etc.) which could be explained either reductionistically, or more holistically (by social context.)  a) Pick  any one of these issues, or one of your own. Explain what the issue or problem is.  Show what an explanation that reduces the answer to a biological factor, or to some form of biological determinism, would look like.

b) Where would you look for a more holistic explanation?

8. a) Pick one other issue or problem that is often explained not by something biological this time, but by putting all the weight of explanation on the individual, or to individual or group mental characteristics (or to some other partof a larger social whole, like those shown in the circles just before page 9.  What issue have you chosen?  b) What would, or does, a more reductionistic explanation look like?  What part of what whole is being used to explain something?  What is missing from such an explanation?  What would a more holistic explanation look like and include?  c) What is wrong with explaining our huge wealth gaps in the US by “greed,” or with explaining Iran’s governmental actions by religion (see especially pages 12, 13, and 14)?

9.  a) How would you explain to someone else, another college student say, what reductionism means? b) What makes some forms of reductionist explanation moreextreme (more heavily reductionistic) than others? c) Looking at the two-sided, one page handout by Neville, “Neuroscience exposes..” and “Race Gap..”, how would you argue that “genes are not destiny.”  Why aren’t they?  e) What accounts for gaps in test scores between blacks and whites?  What would have to happen in order to erase (or reverse) these gaps?

Does your final paper reflect your use of the feedback provided thus far?

/in /by
Module 5 – SLP

SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY: GROUP IDENTITY AND GROUP DYNAMICS

In accordance with the SLP overview and timeframe for your SLP work presented in Module 1, the final draft of your paper must now be submitted in its entirety.
IN CONTEXT OF THE ENTIRE PROJECT…
1. MODULE ONE: Overview of Issue and Research Question
2. MODULE TWO: Reference List Page (5-10 references)
3. MODULE THREE: Detailed Outline of Paper
4. MODULE FOUR: Solid Draft of Entire Paper
5. MODULE FIVE: Final Paper in its Entirety

SLP Assignment Expectations

Before submitting your work for my review, be sure to review and refine your work in accordance with the following expectations:

  1. Does your final paper address the identified issue – as presented and confirmed in the earlier modules?  Does it answer the research question(s) posed in the Introduction in Module 1?
  2. Does your final paper reflect your use of the feedback provided thus far?
  3. Is the paper formatted according to APA requirements.  Have you appropriately cited and referenced all the resources you used to write the paper?

Does this draft of your work address the issue and related research question(s) – as presented and confirmed in the earlier modules?

/in /by

Module 4 – SLP

PERSONALITY AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS

In accordance with the overview and timeframe for your SLP work presented in Module 1, you are now to submit a solid draft of your paper up through the end of this 4th module. This enables you the opportunity to receive feedback and input for possible revisions that may strengthen your final submission in Module 5.
 
IN CONTEXT OF THE ENTIRE PROJECT…
1. MODULE ONE: Overview of Issue and Research Question
2. MODULE TWO: Reference List Page (5-10 references)
3. MODULE THREE: Detailed Outline of Paper
4. MODULE FOUR: Solid Draft of Entire Paper
5. MODULE FIVE: Final Paper in its Entirety

SLP Assignment Expectations

Before submitting your work, be sure to do a thorough review yourself and where possible get someone else to read it with “new eyes” that may spot problems you cannot see because you are too close to the paper and tend to see “what should be there” instead of what is actually on the page. Ask these questions:

  1. Does this draft of your work address the issue and related research question(s) – as presented and confirmed in the earlier modules?
  2. Does this draft of your work reflect your consideration of the feedback provided thus far?
  3. Proper use of APA formatting rules? Supporting research and professional resources properly acknowledged and cited?

Does your outline give a sufficiently detailed overview of the extent and manner in which your paper will be addressing the issue you chose and the related research question(s)?

/in /by

ENSATION, PERCEPTION, AND EMOTION

In accordance with the overview and timeframe for your SLP work presented in Module 1, use this module to peruse the related literature addressing the issue that interests you.  You don’t have to read all the sources in detail – some of them may be fairly long documents detailing specific research studies that were conducted, while others may be lengthy literature reviews summarizing the work that’s been done in this area.
The goal here is to familiarize yourself with approximately 5 to 10 good resources that you know you can use to write your paper.  For Module 2, prepare your reference list page – listing a minimum offive references that will be drawn from throughout your work.  More references are even better but five strong ones is the minimum.
Toward this end, be sure to access ProQuest & / or EBSCO via the background readings page. If you would like to look at papers and research studies written by academics you can use select “peer-reviewed / scholarly journals only” – as well as “full text / articles only” options. However, there are many professional papers and other types of documents that may also be quite valuable to you even if they are not peer reviewed or based on empirical research.  Regardless of the type of papers and documents you use, you will want to use them critically.  Do they make sense?  Are they biased in one way or another?  Do you have doubts about their findings or conclusions?
Finally, remember, for the research to be considered “current” it must have been published within the past 1-5 years. You may find some “classic” papers and documents that are very helpful, and you are welcome to use some of those, but if you plan on using only five or six references in your paper, they should all be relatively new.  In the field of psychology things change so quickly that a paper on a topic like Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) that was written ten years ago may be woefully outdated.
IN CONTEXT OF THE ENTIRE PROJECT…
1. MODULE ONE: Overview of Issue and Research Question
2. MODULE TWO: Reference List Page (5-10 references)
3. MODULE THREE: Detailed Outline of Paper
4. MODULE FOUR: Solid Draft of Entire Paper
5. MODULE FIVE: Final Paper in its Entirety

SLP Assignment Expectations

Before submitting your work for my review, be sure to review and refine your work in accordance with the following expectations:

  1. Does your reference list include a minimum of five references – most published within the past five years.  Do you have a mix of peer-reviewed, research, professional, and other types of resources?  And, are they what you need to do an excellent job on your paper? Most importantly, will the identified references help you to answer your stated research question(s)?
  2. Does your reference list present your references in accordance with APA style guide?

 

Module 3 – SLP

STRESS AND COPING

Provide a detailed outline for your research paper. Include section headings and subheadings, as well as brief descriptions of the topics you intend to address in each section.

As you complete your outline for Module 3, keep in mind that there are a number of writing resources listed on the background information pages.

IN CONTEXT OF THE ENTIRE PROJECT…

1. MODULE ONE: Overview of Issue and Research Question

2. MODULE TWO: Reference List Page (5-10 references)

3. MODULE THREE: Detailed Outline of Paper

4. MODULE FOUR: Solid Draft of Entire Paper

5. MODULE FIVE: Final Paper in its Entirety

SLP Assignment Expectations

Before submitting your work for my review, be sure to review and refine your work in accordance with the following expectations:

  1. Does your outline give a sufficiently detailed overview of the extent and manner in which your paper will be addressing the issue you chose and the related research question(s)?
  2. Does your outline reflect college level writing skills / abilities?