Chapter 1 Introduction to the Science of Psychology

Thinking Critically: How to Inoculate Yourself Against a Deadly Virus

Students link to an article in Discover Magazine about the misuse of statistics and answer the Thinking Critically questions. The “deadly virus” of the title is what the author of the article refers to as “dyscalculia.” The answers can be e-mailed to the instructor or printed and handed in.

Chapter 2 Biology and Behavior

Thinking Critically: Neurotransmitters and Addictions: What's the Connection?

Students link to a Scientific American article that explores the dopamine connection—the possible common factor in all addictions—read the article, and answer the Thinking Critically questions. The answers can be e-mailed to the instructor or printed and handed in. The article provides relevant information about the role of a neurotransmitter in a problem—addiction—that most students know something about.

Chapter 3 Sensation and Perception

Thinking Critically: Craving Salt

Students read about research into the source of salt craving, a press release about research conducted at the University of Wisconsin, and a short article from Discover Magazine that discusses the research. The research indicates that an individual’s craving for salt has prenatal origins. After reading the two pieces, students answer the Thinking Critically questions and e-mail the answers to the instructor or print them and hand them in.

Thinking Critically: The Power of Touch

Students link to an article on a health web site that discusses the research of Tiffany Field, whose experience with her own premature child led to her seminal research on the benefits of massage therapy for premature infants. Students are asked to think critically about the research, answer the questions, and e-mail the answers to the instructor or print them and hand them in. A link is also provided to an article that discusses touch therapy with AIDS and Parkinson’s patients at Johns Hopkins University Hospital.

Chapter 4 Consciousness

Thinking Critically: Why We Sleep

Students read an article in Scientific American that discusses the role that sleep plays in physical and mental health. Students answer the Thinking Critically questions and e-mail the answers to the instructor or print them and hand them in.

Chapter 5 Learning

Thinking Critically: Educational Reforms

Students read the summary of a report by the RAND Corporation that analyzes the results of National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) tests given between 1990 and 1996 to representative samples of 2,500 students in 44 participating states and makes recommendations about needed educational reforms. Students answer the Thinking Critically questions and e-mail the answers to the instructor or print them and hand them in.

Chapter 6 Memory

Thinking Critically: Eyewitnesses

The activity begins with a discussion of the role of eyewitness testimony in the courtroom, and refers to a 1996 Department of Justice report on innocent criminal defendants who were found guilty--some sentenced to life in prison or to death--largely on the basis of false eyewitness testimony. The Department of Justice then commissioned criminologists, psychologists, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and law enforcement personnel to write guidelines of best practices for obtaining and using eyewitness evidence. Students read an article in the APA Monitor about the role of the psychologists in preparing the guidelines and about a prosecutor’s criticism of the recommendations. They then answer the Thinking Critically questions raised by the issues reported in the article and e-mail the answers to the instructor or print them and hand them in.

Chapter 7 Thought, Language, and Intelligence

Thinking Critically: Creativity and Madness

Students read an article from Discover Magazine about the correlation between mental illness and creativity. They answer the Thinking Critically questions and e-mail the answers to the instructor or print them and hand them in.

Thinking Critically: Practical and Emotional Intelligence

The activity begins with a brief discussion of how the constructs of practical intelligence, multiple intelligences, and emotional intelligence are gaining the attention of human resource professionals. Students read an article that discusses these new paradigms of intelligence and explains some assessment instruments in terms of their value to employers in making decisions about offering jobs to candidates . Students answer the Thinking Critically questions and e-mail the answers to the instructor or print them and hand them in.

Chapter 8 Motivation and Emotion

Thinking Critically: The Polygraph

The activity begins with a discussion of the role of nonverbal communication in expressing emotion and the claims made that the polygraph can detect deception. Students read an article from the APA Monitor in which psychologists discuss the merits of the polygraph, then answer the Thinking Critically questions. The answers can be e-mailed to the instructor or printed and handed in.

Thinking Critically: The Greatest Leaders of Our Time

Students read the Time Magazine article about the 100 greatest leaders of the twentieth century, choose five whom they consider leaders, and answer questions about each to defend their choices. The answers can be e-mailed to the instructor or printed and handed in.

Chapter 9 Human Development

Thinking Critically: The Development of a Criminal

After a reading a discussion about the shooting sprees committed by juveniles in the past few years, students read a Time Magazine article that suggests several factors that lead juveniles to commit murder. After reading the article, students answer the Thinking Critically questions and send their answers to the instructor by e-mail or print them and hand them in.

Chapter 10 Health, Stress, and Coping

Thinking Critically: Stress and Cancer

The activity begins with a discussion of research into the connection between stress and cancer. Students read an article from the APA Monitor that discusses some of the research, answer the Thinking Critically questions, and e-mail the answers to their instructor or print them and hand them in.

Chapter 11 Personality

Thinking Critically: Protesting a Freud Exhibit

Students read about protests that held up the Library of Congress’s Freud exhibit and are asked to consider whether controversial ideas and figures should be banned from museums.

Chapter 12 Psychological Disorders

Thinking Critically: The Addicted Brain

The activity begins with a discussion of the role of the neurotransmitter dopamine in all types of addiction. Students read an article about what brain imaging techniques are teaching us about the brains of drug addicts and how researchers need to resolve the issue of whether the brain changes are the cause or the effect of drug use. Students answer the Thinking Critically questions and e-mail them to the instructor or print them and hand them in.

Chapter 13 Treatment of Psychological Disorders

Thinking Critically: Humor

Students read an APA monograph that discusses the use of humor by psychotherapists. They answer the Thinking Critically questions and e-mail the answers to the instructor or print them and hand them in.

Chapter 14 Social Psychology

Thinking Critically: Love as an Addiction

Students read an article linking the passionate feelings associated with attraction and the chemical dopamine. Students answer the Thinking Critically questions and e-mail the answers to the instructor or print them and hand them in.