THINKING AND WRITING ABOUT PSYCHOLOGY by Spencer A. Rathus. Harcourt Brace College Publishers, 2nd edition, 1997

    PURPOSE (p1)

      This book is primarily intended to stimulate students to think and write about psychology, which is the study of human behavior and the human brain

      In doing so, this book will also help college and university professors and students accomplish two essential educational objectives; namely, critical thinking and curriculum writing

    1) CRITICAL THINKING (p1)

      Most of us take a certain number of "truths" for granted. However, when two authority figures disagree, we need to rely on ourselves to some degreee and to seek the information we need to make our own decisions. (p1)

      In the 15th century it was widely believed that the earth was flat. In the 16th century it was widely believed that the sun revolved around the earth. It seems that widely held beliefs are invariably replaced by other widely held beliefs in the fullness of time. It is the hallmark of an educated person to remain skeptical of accepted views and to regard even the most popular beliefs as working assumptions. In the 20th century, most astronomers believe that the universe began with a "big bang" and that it has been expanding ever since. (p1)

      In order to help students evaluate claims, arguments, and widely held beliefs, most colleges today encourage "critical thinking." Critical thinking has many meanings. On one level, critical thinking means taking nothing for granted. It means not believing things just because they are in print or because they were uttered by authority figures or celebrities. It means not necessarily believing that it is healthful to express all of your feelings, even if a friend in analysis urges you to do so. (p1)

      On another level, critical thinking refers to a process of thoughtfully analyzing and probing the questions, statements, and arguments of others. It means examining definitions of terms, examining the premises or assumptions behind arguments, and then scrutinizing the logic with which arguments are developed. (p1)

    2) GOALS FOR AN UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION IN PSYCHOLOGY (p1-2)

      Two goals for undergraduate education in psychology are: (1) to foster a "knowledge base" consisting of important theories, research findings, and issues in psychology; and (2) to promote skills in "critical thinking and reasoning," which include the following: (p1)

        1. Development of skepticism about explanations and conclusions

        2. The ability to inquire about causes and effects

        3. Refinement of curiosity about behavior

        4. Knowledge of research methods

        5. The ability to critically analyze arguments

      [1] Some features of critical thinking (p2)

        (1) Be skeptical

        (2) Examine definitions of terms

        (3) Examine the assumptions or premises of arguments

        (4) Be cautious in drawing conclusions from evidence

        (5) Consider alternative interpretations of research evidence

        (6) Do not oversimplify

        (7) Do not overgeneralize

        (8) Apply critical thinking and reasoning to all areas of life

      [2] Recognizing common fallacies in arguments (p2)

    3) WRITING ACROSS THE CURRICULUM (p2-3)

    4) KINDS OF WRITING (p3-4)

    5) TYPES OF PSYCHOLOGY PAPERS (p4-6)

      [1] Reports of empirical studies (p4)

      [2] Reviews of the literature (p4-5)

      [3] Theoretical papers (p5)

      [4] Common features (p5-6)

      [5] Term papers (p6)

    6) GUIDELINES FOR GOOD WRITING (p6-18)

    7) A CLOSER LOOK --- OVERCOMING A WRITING BLOCK (p18-35)

    8) HOW TO USE THE EXERCISES IN THIS BOOK (p35)

    9) THE 100 PSYCHOLOGICAL WRITING EXERCISES (p186-140)

    EXTRA ANSWER SHEETS (p140-160)

Return to essay #1: The Brainpower Theory of True Happiness
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