The various reading materials for the course describe “scientific skepticism” and identifies six (6) principles of scientific thinking. It also discusses pseudopsychology and pseudoscientific claims.

1. Select any two (2) of the six principles that you think are most important to the study of psychology, then explain your reasons why these are most important?  

    

2. Now find:

   a recent newspaper or magazine article, or a “pop psychology” article or website, that presents a simplified psychological theory/explanation

   OR

   a psychology-related advertisement that makes claims of success about their method of learning, memorization, thinking ability, etc.

    

3. Identify in your own words, what part of this article, website or ad appears like pseudopsychology and/or is pseudoscientific.  Attach an electronic link to the source so others can read the content too.

    

4. Finally, specifically describe how you might now use or have recently used one or more of these six principles to think more critically about psychology or related topics ( advertising claims, article claims, newspaper or magazine articles, etc.) ?