See attachment Critical thinking and psy questions

1. Critical Thinking

• First, describe a time you used rhetoric or it was used on you. In your description, include details about the tactics or rhetorical devices (i.e., ethos, pathos, hyperbole) used.

Next, define logical argument in comparison to rhetoric. Is rhetoric always bad? Why, or why not? Give two examples to illustrate your thinking.

Your journal entry must be at least 400 words in length. No references or citations are necessary but must be in APA Style formatting if used.

• Inductive reasoning leads to the philosophical problem of induction, and conclusions you draw every day are inductive. Reflect on the possibility that these conclusions could turn out to be wrong (false). Explain the limitations of inductive reasoning and how you can improve your critical thinking by being mindful of the fact that most of the conclusions we draw each day are inductive rather than deductive. Explain the difference between strong and weak inductive reasoning. Give at least two examples to illustrate your reasoning.

Your journal entry must be at least 400 words in length. No references or citations are necessary but must be in APA Style formatting if used.

• Consider the fallacies of relevance listed in Chapter 8 of our textbook. Think about a recent conversation or a recent news or magazine article you have read. Identify two fallacies of relevance you noticed in the conversation or article. You must list and discuss fallacies by name, as discussed in Chapter 8 of the textbook. Consider how you, personally, might avoid committing fallacies of relevance, and list two ways you can avoid them in the future. In your replies to students, note some polite ways to point out when someone commits a fallacy of relevance. 100 words

• Respond to Brondonn

Recently, I had a conversation with my boss regarding the decision to terminate my brother's employment, and two fallacies of relevance stood out to me: the appeal to authority and the ad hominem fallacy. 

Appeal to Authority: During our discussion, my boss mentioned that the decision to fire my brother was backed by upper management, implying that it was the right decision simply because higher-ups supported it. This fallacy misleads by assuming that the opinion of an authority figure equates to truth without providing substantial evidence. To avoid committing this fallacy in future conversations, I will ensure that my arguments are backed by credible, evidence-based sources rather than relying on authoritative endorsements. 

Ad Hominem: In the same conversation, one colleague dismissed my concerns by attacking my brother's character and personal life, rather than addressing the actual reasons for his termination. This personal attack diverted attention away from the real issue, undermining the validity of the discussion. To avoid this fallacy, I will focus on addressing the substance of an argument rather than attacking the person presenting it. 

To avoid committing fallacies of relevance in the future, I will: 

Verify Sources: Ensure that my arguments are supported by reliable, evidence-based sources rather than relying on the authority of influential figures. 

Focus on Arguments: Concentrate on the content of an argument rather than engaging in personal attacks or distractions. 100 words

1. Psychology

• For this 300-word journal submission, you will reflect on a hypothetical scenario pertaining to a psychological disorder.

Suppose you (or someone close to you) has just received a diagnosis of a

psychological disorder. You may select a disorder discussed in Chapter 14

or 15 of the eTextbook, or another of interest to you.

To begin your reflection, describe the symptoms you would expect to

manifest with this disorder. Differentiate which are major symptoms and

which are not.

Next, reflect on how you would expect daily life functions to be impacted

by this diagnosis. Give specific examples to illustrate.

Finally, briefly describe the three processes of memory and how they are

used in one's daily life. Would any of these be impacted by this diagnosis?

Why, or why not?

Your journal submission must be at least 300 words. External sources and

APA formatting are not required.

• For this journal, you will compose a 300-word journal reflecting on types of reinforcement utilized in your childhood (this journal is NOT about punishment).

Think back to your childhood. Give an example of how operant conditioning was used to change your behavior in the form of reinforcement. What type of reinforcement worked best for you when you were in grade school? Was it positive or negative? Did this change in high school? Be thorough and substantive and show your understanding of positive and/or negative reinforcement in your journal submission.

Your journal entry must be at least 300 words in length.

• (The initial post must be a minimum of 200 words and citations and references are required to support what is shared). A response post to at least one other student is due by end of day Tuesday - (The reply post must be a minimum of 100 words.

In this unit, you have learned about several factors related to human cognition. Choose something you have learned related to thinking, intelligence, or language, and teach your classmates what you have discovered.

• Response to James

  After reading our chapters on how people think and intelligence, I kept coming back around to some processes I have learned to use to improve my performance related to time-sensitive tasks that are very specific and have severe consequences if done wrong. These processes are functioning as a flight crew member in a time-sensitive environment where decisions have to be made in rapid succession, building on one another. The margin for error is small, and the consequences are real life or death in some instances. The other is a hobby of mine: Precision Rifle competition shooting. I like high-stress environments and situations if you can't tell. I will focus the remainder of this on Precision Rifle and my preparation for this as it relates to mental modeling, imaging, and problem-solving. 

        To set the stage, here is a quick description of a precision rifle competition. It is a 10-18 stage event, each stage requires the shooter to make 8-12 shots. Targets are small sub-14-inch steel plates at distances from 380-1200 yards. Each stage is 90-120 seconds in length and will have between 3-8 positions. This requires a lot of movement and change of position and gear during the stage. The shooter gets to prepare themselves and gear for their turn. Once it is started, it cannot be stopped, and any shot missed or not taken inside the time limit counts against you. most matches are determined by less than 4 points, meaning in a 10-stage event 80-120 shots are fired per shooter and the winner will likely only win by 3-5 impacts, one bad stage could be the difference in your complete competition performance. 

        I learned a long time ago through Huberman Lab. Andrew Huberman released a podcast describing how visualization and neuroplasticity are related to mental rehearsal and enhancing real-world performance. It primes the nervous system and prepares it for mental and physical performance. When controlled with breathing, you can control the pre-frontal cortex and keep stress regulated. (Huberman, A. 2021, Episode 20) All of this together allows you to execute under pressure. I have found great success against stages or challenges I have not seen before by building a mental model based on the things I know and what I already know how to do. I can then form the transitions from those to positions or props I have not experienced before. This offloads mental processing on the clock, creates an execution plan, and builds expectations. Studies using fMRI and PET show that mentally rehearsing performances engage the same brain areas as actually doing it, particularly the motor cortex, premotor cortex, and supplementary motor area (SMA) (Lotze & Halsband, 2006). This means that every time I visualize my movements—position transitions, trigger control, and wind adjustments—I’m reinforcing neural pathways before even touching the rifle. 

by visualizing the target order, my body positioning, and environmental factors, I expect exactly how things should look, feel, sound, and flow. When faced with a difference, the only thing I need to process is that difference; everything else remains on auto-pilot. Once I started using these practices, I found I performed measurably better and proved it is not just a mechanical process but more of a neurological process. I have shared this finding with a family member who is not able to be on the range as much as I am. He instituted my ideas and findings to see if his performance improved without being able to actually touch a rifle for 8 months. He visualized running stages, and I even sent pictures of the stages and descriptions to him while he was away. He never physically touched a rifle for 8 months however, his time and accuracy improved by over 35% upon his return to the range. His first stage back was over 25% faster than his previous stage 8 months prior. The only change was his mental modeling. I have surmised that mental preparation is as important as live training. 

• Huberman, A. (2021). How to Learn Skills Faster. The Huberman Lab Podcast, Episode 20.

• Lotze, M., & Halsband, U. (2006). Motor Imagery. Journal of Physiology-Paris, 99(4-6), 386-395.