Synopses & Reviews
Can your students distinguish between the true science of human thought and behavior and pop psychology? CRITICAL THINKING IN PSYCHOLOGY: SEPARATING SENSE FROM NONSENSE provides a tangible and compelling framework for making that distinction by using concrete examples of people's mistaken analysis of real-world problems. Stressing the importance of assessing the plausibility of claims, John Ruscio uses empirical research (such as the Milgram experiment) to strengthen evidence for his claims and to illustrate deception, self-deception, and psychological tricks throughout the text.
Review
"I like the content of the Ruscio book because it teaches reasoning, encourages students to think critically, and challenges many pre-conceived nOtions they believe because of the mainstream media."
Synopsis
Do your students have the tools to distinguish between the true science of human thought and behavior from pop psychology? John Ruscio's book provides a tangible and compelling framework for making that distinction. Because we are inundated with "scientific" claims, the author does not merely differentiate science and pseudoscience, but goes further to teach the fundamentals of scientific reasoning on which students can base their evaluation of information.
Synopsis
Never HIGHLIGHT a Book Again! Virtually all testable terms, concepts, persons, places, and events are included. Cram101 Textbook Outlines gives all of the outlines, highlights, notes for your textbook with optional online practice tests. Only Cram101 Outlines are Textbook Specific. Cram101 is NOT the Textbook.
About the Author
John Ruscio is Associate Professor of Psychology at Elizabethtown College, where he teaches courses in Research Methods and Statistics, and Research Methods in Social Psychology. His research interests include decision-making, classification and diagnosis and taxometric methods.
Table of Contents
1. Evaluating the Quality of Sources. Sharpening and Leveling. Criteria for Evaluating the Quality of Sources. Popularity. Reviews. The Internet as a Research Tool. The Content of Web Sites. Internet Searches. Thinking for Yourself. 2. Introduction: Pseudoscience and the Need for Clear Thinking. Separating Sense from Nonsense. Studying Human Reasoning. Systematic Errors Reveal Our Mental Shortcuts. The Pros and Cons of Relying on Shortcuts. Thinking Clearly. Applying the Tools of Clear Thinking. Ten Characteristics of Pseudoscience. Outward Appearance of Science. Absence of Skeptical Peer Review. Reliance on Personal Experience. Evasion of Risky Tests. Retreats to the Supernatural. The Mantra of Holism. Tolerance of Inconsistencies. Appeals to Authority. Promising the Impossible. Stagnation. The Plan of this Book. Part One: Deception. Part Two: Self-Deception. Part Three: Psychological Tricks. Part Four: Decision Making and Ethics. 3.