Critical Thinking in Psychology: Separating Sense from Nonsense / Edition 2

by John Ruscio

Overview

Do you 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 upon which you can base your evaluation of information.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780534634599
Publisher:	Cengage Learning
Publication date:	07/26/2005
Edition description:	2ND
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	6.40(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.60(d)

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

Evaluating Sources Whether in Print or on the World Wide Web. 1. Introduction: Pseudoscience and the Need for Critical Thinking. 2. Science: Evaluating Claims to Knowledge. 3. Language: Misleading and Evasive Tactics. 4. Magic: The Allure of Exotic Rituals, Fantasy, and Mysticism. 5. Authority: Appeals to Blind Obedience. 6. Experience: The Limitations of Testimonials as Evidence. 7. Plausibility: All Beliefs Are Not Created Equal. 8. Association: Establishing and Interpreting Correlations. 9. Risk: Biased Perceptions and the Media Paradox. 10. Belief: Confirmation Bias, Post-Hockery, and Overconfidence. 11. Schemes: The Seductiveness of Grand Conspiracy Theories. 12. Illusions: The Perception of Control. 13. Assessment: Classical Decision Theory. 14. Decisions: Clinical Vs. Statistical Approaches. 15. Ethics: The Use and Promotion of Unverified Treatments. 16. Tools: Suggestions for Critical Thinking.