Develop and express intelligent skepticism about accepting unwarranted claims
Your paper should address each of these five topics:
1. Discuss any of your actions and/or thought processes since taking this course that demonstrate your understanding and tolerance of the behavior of other people, allowing greater acceptance of what is labeled different, deviant, abnormal, pathological, or crazy.
2. Identify and discuss the forces acting on you to limit or prevent your freedom of choice, both those rooted in your past (such as guilt, traumatic memories, obligations, bad contracts, unrewarding experiences, punishment, low self-esteem, or shyness), those rooted in the present (including social pressures to conform, comply, obey, and do what others reward you for; personal pressure to be recognized, approved of, accepted, and loved), and those based in the future (such as unrealistic expectations, aspirations, concern for liabilities and responsibilities, desire for security, or fear of death).
3. Compare and contrast any differences between how you explained why people (including you) behaved as they did before you took this class and how you explain these behaviors now.
4. Discuss how you develop and express intelligent skepticism about accepting unwarranted claims—those made in the mass media as well as those made by credentialed authorities.
5. Summarize your experience this semester by identifying the psychology of and in everyday life that you were unaware of before taking this course.
