Critical Thinking In Psychology

Explores key topics in psychology, showing how they can be critically examined.

Critical thinking is taught at all universities, often put forward by lecturers as the key skill that can most dramatically improve a student's understanding of a course and transform their writing. It pervades research methods teaching, critical psychology, and a range of other core curriculum elements, in exactly the same way that critical thinking pervades any discipline, and indeed, life generally. But what is it, exactly, and how can we apply it specifically to the field of psychology? In his relaxed and accessible style, Mark Forshaw takes modern real-world examples from psychology and everyday life to lighten the learning of critical thinking, explaining what it entails, why it is important, and how it can be applied to this fascinating field of study.

C​ritical Thinking in Psychology and Everyday Life shows how a scientific, critical thinking approach can be effective in addressing psychological questions, and discusses other questions that straddle the boundary between science and non-science. While scientific, critical thinking can be effective in addressing psychological questions, this textbook is a guide for how to separate fact from speculation and true claims from misconceptions and misinformation. Covering a wide range of topics, this book seeks to engage students in a serious search for answers, using what psychologists and other scientists know about how to think effectively.

Teaching Critical Thinking in Psychology features currentscholarship on effectively teaching critical thinking skills at alllevels of psychology. Offers novel, nontraditional approaches to teaching criticalthinking, including strategies, tactics, diversity issues, servicelearning, and the use of case studies Provides new course delivery formats by which faculty cancreate online course materials to foster critical thinking within adiverse student audience Places specific emphasis on how to both teach and assesscritical thinking in the classroom, as well as issues of widerprogram assessment Discusses ways to use critical thinking in courses ranging fromintroductory level to upper-level, including statistics andresearch methods courses, cognitive psychology, and capstoneofferings

This innovative text is designed to improve thinking skills through the application of 30 critical thinking principles—Metathoughts. These specialized tools and techniques are useful for approaching all forms of study, inquiry, and problem solving. Levy applies Metathoughts to a diverse array of issues in contemporary clinical, social, and cross-cultural psychology: identifying strengths and weaknesses in various schools of thought, defining and explaining psychological phenomena, evaluating the accuracy and usefulness of research studies, reducing logical flaws and personal biases, and improving the search for creative solutions. The Metathoughts are brought to life with practical examples, clinical vignettes, illustrations, anecdotes, thought-provoking exercises, useful antidotes, and contemporary social problems and issues. Tools of Critical Thinking, 2/E is primarily suited as a core textbook for courses in critical thinking/problem solving, or makes an ideal supplement in a wide variety of undergraduate and graduate psychology courses, including introductory psychology, abnormal psychology (psychopathology), cross-cultural psychology, theories and methods of psychotherapy, research methods and design, theories of personality, clinical practicum, and contemporary problems and issues in psychology. Second Edition features: The application of critical thinking skills to cross-cultural psychology and issues of cultural diversity More than 60 new and updated reference citations related to a wide range of contemporary topics 140 multiple-choice test bank items and 20 short-answer/essay questions Comprehensive PowerPoint CD package as a pedagogical aid to augment lecture presentations Improved glossary of key terms, containing over 300 fully cross-referenced definitions The expanded use of humor, including parodies, cartoon illustrations, and clever satires

Are people basically selfish? Can psychotherapists help people recover memories of sexual abuse that they have not recalled for decades? Can the moon cause people to go crazy or commit crimes? What do we actually "know" about the world through our senses? These are but a few of the fascinating questions that are addressed in D. Alan Bensley's engaging new book, Critical Thinking in Psychology: A Unified Schools Approach. With each question illustrating the need for critical thinking, Bensley piques student interest and inspires them to think more effectively and critically about both the common and uncommon. Without telling readers what to think, Bensley helps them learn how to think critically about the issues often raised in psychology. And while obtaining answers to the above questions is important, Bensley shows readers how the process of drawing sound conclusions to these queries is even more important.

A much-needed guide to thinking critically for oneself and how to tell a good argument from a bad one. Includes topical examples from politics, sport, medicine, music, chapter summaries, glossary and exercises.

Pinpoints exactly what critical thinking is and uses cutting-edge research to show how to teach and assess it.