Information processing experts have begun to examine how processing abilities relate to
formal operational thought.
Provide a detailed example of their efforts, and use adolescent
scientific reasoning, or decision making , theory and research to support your response.
What will be an ideal response?
Highly analytic scientific reasoning or advanced decision making abilities in adolescents
are clear signs of formal operational thought. To assess the contribution of processing
abilities to such higher-order thinking, these experts interview adolescents and ask
them to provide the steps they took to arrive at their response. In these studies, these
experts have noted that highly scientific thinkers go through a series of sophisticated
steps to arrive at their answer. For example, the adolescent may critically consider the
evidence and discard their own personal theories. In a related vein, in decision making
studies, the adolescent may indicate that they considered several options, evaluated the
consequences of each option, reviewed their thinking, and then arrived at a response.
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The basic assumption of Seligman's explanation for depression is that ____
a. both cognitions and feelings of helplessness are learned and that depression results from learned helplessness b. cognitions and but not feelings of helplessness are learned and that depression results from learned helplessness c. feelings but not cognitions of helplessness are learned and that depression results from learned helplessness d. high levels of negative cognitions coupled with stress results in depression
Where does the perception of pain take place?
A. free nerve endings B. somatosensory and limbic areas of the brain C. neural gates D. pain receptors
After reading the case of Ted Bundy, a serial killer, several students discussed the advantages and disadvantages of case studies in psychological research. What conclusions might they reach?
a) Case studies are easy to conduct, but they are not good sources of research ideas. b) Case studies can provide a wealth of detail, but the information may not be applicable to other individuals. c) Case studies are the primary research method used by psychologists because they provide cause-and-effect conclusions. d) Case studies are used only for abnormal behavior and thus have limited use in studying the kinds of behavior that are of interest to most psychologists.
A cult in the 1950s believed that the world was coming to an end very soon. Researchers Leon Festinger and his colleagues studied this cult by joining the group and pretending to share these beliefs. What research method were they using?
a. archival analysis b. ethnography c. correlational study d. field experiment