Psychology Midterm Essays

Essay/Extended Response

In complete paragraphs, answer THREE of the following questions for 10 points each.

1.       Discuss the ethics of psychology. How do psychologists know that they are acting ethically? Why is important that psychologists reflect on the ethics of their practices? What are some examples of unethical practices/experiments and what were the consequences? Why have some psychologists acted unethically?   

2.       Discuss the controversy of psychological medication, especially when it comes to children.  Refer to the documentary “The Medicated Child” from PBS’s Frontline and discuss both sides of the issue as well as your final opinion.

3.       Discuss the different specialties within the career field of psychology. Why are there so many different types of psychologists? Which fields interest you most and why? Which field(s) are least interesting to you and why? Even though they may not interest you personally, why do these other specialties exist?

4.       Discuss one’s moral development.  Make specific references to Kohlberg’s theory of moral development.  You may discuss this theory in terms of your own life and/or other situations in the news/media/history/literature.  Discuss the stages and if you agree with Kohlberg’s classification. 

5.       Discuss intelligence. What does it mean to be intelligent? What does it mean to lack intelligence? Discuss some key terms surrounding intelligence and discuss various theories and controversies that surround intelligence as well as your own ideas as they relate to psychological thought about intelligence.

6.       Discuss the psychology of teenage development. Specifically refer to information gleaned from “Inside the Teenage Brain” (PBS’s Frontline) as well as your own experiences. Why is this such a unique and important time, psychologically, in a person’s life?

7.       Discuss one mental illness that interests you in depth. Discuss why you are interested in this disorder as well as its potential causes and effects. Discuss treatment options and their upsides and downsides. What should patients with this disorder do? What should friends and families of people with this disorder do? What should society do? WHY???

  

RUBRIC

·         10 points =  Student clearly answers all parts of the prompt, providing multiple specific and relevant examples from his/her studies and/or observations.  Writing has a clear introduction (thesis in which an original argument is asserted), body, and conclusion.

·         9 points =  Student clearly attempts to answer all parts of the prompt, providing some specific and relevant evidence from his/her studies and/or observations.  Writing has a clear introduction (thesis), body, and conclusion.

·         8 points =  Student answers most parts of the prompt, providing relevant evidence from his/her studies and/or observations.  Writing has a clear introduction, body, and conclusion.

·         7 points =  Student attempts to answer the main part of the prompt, providing somewhat relevant evidence from his/her studies and/or observations.  Writing has a clear introduction and  body.

·         1-6 points =  Student’s answer lacks clarity and/or organization discussed above.