Description
Write a professional development briefing paper focused on how theories, principles, and evidence-based best practices related to problem-solving and creativity, decision-making and reasoning, and human and artificial intelligence can be applied in the context of a selected professional specialization.
Introduction
As a professional psychologist, you will need to review theory and research and use it as the basis to develop best practices. For this assessment, you will focus on the following topics:
Problem-solving and creativity.
Decision-making and reasoning.
Human and artificial intelligence.
Note: This assessment will be a briefing paper, not a presentation.
Scenario
Imagine you are now a professional psychologist working in the specialization that you aspire to. You are charged with creating professional development for an interdisciplinary team of professionals in your workplace on how theories, principles, and evidence-based best practices of cognitive and affective psychology can be used to help people in your work context.
Preparation
This assessment focuses on problem-solving and creativity; decision-making and reasoning; and human and artificial intelligence. For context on these topics, read:
Introduction to Problem Solving and Creativity [PDF]. (ATTACHED)
Introduction to Decision Making and Reasoning [PDF]. (ATTACHED)
Introduction to Human and Artificial Intelligence [PDF]. (ATTACHED)
As you prepare to complete this assessment, you may want to think about other related issues to deepen your understanding or broaden your viewpoint. You are encouraged to consider the questions below and discuss them with a fellow learner, a work associate, an interested friend, or a member of your professional community. Note that these questions are for your own development and exploration and do not need to be completed or submitted as part of your assessment.
What are obstacles and aids to problem-solving?
What strategies guide human decision-making and reasoning?
What is deductive reasoning? What facilitates and impedes its use?
What is inductive reasoning? What facilitates and impedes its use?
What other forms of reasoning are there?
How does expertise develop?
To what degree is human intelligence influenced by inherited or environmental factors?
What is groupthink? How does it affect decision-making, reasoning, and creativity?
How and to what extent does brain physiology and neuroscience help explain normality and abnormality in relation to decision-making and reasoning? Does this science point toward interventions that improve performance in decision-making and reasoning? What is creativity and how can it be enhanced?
How do emotions impact with problem-solving, creativity, or intelligence?
What ethical issues might arise for a psychologist in connection with problem-solving, creativity, or intelligence?
Instructions
For this assessment, you will write a briefing paper focused on the following topics:
Problem-solving and creativity.
Decision-making and reasoning.
Human and artificial intelligence.
The following resource is required to complete the assessment.
APA Paper Template [DOCX]. (ATTACHED)
You will complete this assessment by replacing all instructional and sample text with your own words. (An abstract is not required for this assessment.)
Remember, your briefing paper is for an interdisciplinary team, so it will be important to communicate in a manner that can be understood by a those not trained in psychology. Be sure to include plain language definitions of psychological terms used in the paper.
Contents of the Paper
Title Page
On the title page, enter the following:
A descriptive title of approximately 5–15 words. It should stir interest while maintaining professional decorum.
Professional development for [enter the type of institutional context your paper is designed for].
Your name.
Your specialization.
Course number and title.
Capella University.
Faculty name.
Note: If this paper was written for an actual professional context, the entries under your name would be replaced by your job title, the name of your organization, and your contact information.
Introduction
Briefly discuss in very general terms that how the three topics relate to each other and how they can be used to help people in your work context.
Topic Sections
The briefing paper will have three sections, each dedicated to one of the three topics. Within each section:
Analyze briefly the origins and evolution of each theory that you will reference in relation to the topic.
Explain how theories, principles, and evidence-based best practices related to the topic can be used to explain behavior and help people. Remember, these factors should be relevant to the context. For each of these:
Analyze how and to what extent brain physiology or neuroscience can provide an explanation of relevant phenomena.
Analyze how affective manifestations may impact cognitive performance.
Explain how theories and principles related to at least one of the topics in your paper apply to culturally diverse populations.
Explain one or more ethical issues that might arise in the application of theories and principles related to problem-solving, creativity, reasoning, or intelligence.
Cite the APA Code of Ethics or another code of ethics if it is more relevant to your area.
Conclusion
Conclude your paper with a succinct statement that sums up the utility of what you have written.
References
Cite references using current APA style and formatting guidelines.
Competencies Measured (This must be met.)
By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and assessment criteria:
Competency 1: Analyze the evolving fields of cognitive and affective psychology as independent and interdependent domains of investigation.
Analyze the origins and evolution of theories related to problem-solving, creativity, reasoning, and intelligence.
Analyze how affect may impact cognitive performance related to problem-solving, creativity, reasoning, or intelligence.
Competency 2: Incorporate theories, principles, and evidence-based best practices of cognitive psychology into professional practice.
Explain how theories, principles, and evidence-based best practices related to problem-solving, creativity, reasoning, and intelligence can be applied in professional practice.
Analyze how brain physiology or neuroscience is relevant to problem-solving, creativity, reasoning, and intelligence.
Competency 4: Explain how ethical principles and practices influence application of theories and principles of cognitive and affective psychology.
Explain one or more ethical issues that might arise in the application of theories and principles related to problem-solving, creativity, reasoning, or intelligence.
Competency 5: Analyze how the theories and principles of cognitive and affective psychology apply to culturally diverse populations.
Explain how theories and principles related to problem-solving, creativity, reasoning, or intelligence apply to culturally diverse populations.
Competency 6: Communicate in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and consistent with expectations for members of the psychological professions.
Write clearly with correct spelling, grammar, syntax, and good organization.
Apply proper APA formatting and style.
Unformatted Attachment Preview
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[Instructional text in this template is contained in square brackets ([…]). After reading the
instructional text, please delete it, and use the document as a template for your own paper.
To keep the correct format, edit the cover page, headings, and reference list with your own
information, and add your own body text. Save this template in a file for future use and
information.
Page 1 begins on the cover page. The entire document should be double-spaced, have 1-inch
margins on all sides, and use 12-point Times New Roman font.]
Full Title of Paper
Learner’s Full Name
Affiliation
Course Title
Assignment Title
Capella University
Month, Year
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Abstract
[An abstract is a brief, comprehensive summary of the contents of a paper. This section is
optional, so check assignment requirements. The abstract allows readers to quickly review the
key elements of a paper without having to read the entire document. This can be helpful for
readers who are searching for specific information and may be reviewing many documents. The
abstract may be one of the most important paragraphs in a paper because readers often decide if
they will read the document based on information in the abstract. An abstract may not be
required in some academic papers; however, it can still be an effective method of gaining the
reader’s attention. For example, an abstract will not be required for Capella’s first course,
PSYC3002. The following sentences serve as an example of what could be composed as an
abstract for this paper: The basic elements of APA style will be reviewed, including formatting
of an APA style paper, in-text citations, and a reference list. Additional information will address
the components of an introduction, how to write effective paragraphs using the MEAL plan, and
elements of a summary and conclusion section of a paper.]
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Full Title of Paper
[In APA style, the heading “Introduction” is not used; instead the introduction appears
under the paper’s full title. An effective introduction often provides an obvious statement of
purpose to help the reader know what to expect while helping the writer to focus and stay on
task. For example, this paper will address several components necessary to effectively write an
academic paper including (a) how to write an introduction, (b) how to write effective paragraphs
using the MEAL plan, and (c) how to properly use APA style.
An introduction may consist of four main components including (a) the position
statement, thesis, or hypothesis, which describes the author’s main position; (b) the purpose,
which outlines the objective of the paper; (c) the background, which is general information that
is needed to understand the content of the paper; and (d) the approach, which is the process or
methodology the author uses to achieve the purpose of the paper. Authors may choose to briefly
reference sources that will be identified later on in the paper as in this example (American
Psychological Association, 2020; American Psychological Association, 2010; Walker, 2008).]
Level One Section Heading is Centered, Bold, Uppercase and Lowercase
[Using section headings can be an effective method of organizing an academic paper. The
section headings should not be confused with the running head, which is a different concept
described in the cover page of this document. Section headings are not required according to
APA style; however, they can significantly improve the quality of a paper. This is accomplished
because section headings help both the reader and the author.]
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Level Two Section Heading is Flush Left, Bold, Uppercase and Lowercase
[The heading style recommended by APA consists of five levels (American
Psychological Association, 2020, p. 48). This document contains two levels to demonstrate how
headings are structured according to APA style. Immediately before the previous paragraph, a
Level 1 heading was used. That section heading describes how a Level 1 heading should be
written, which is centered, bold, and using uppercase and lowercase letters. For another example,
see the section heading “Writing an Effective Introduction” on page 3 of this document. The
heading is centered, bold, and uses uppercase and lowercase letters (compared to all uppercase in
the running head at the top of each page). If used properly, section headings can significantly
contribute to the quality of a paper by helping the reader who wants to understand the
information in the document, and the author who desires to effectively describe the information
in the document.]
Section Headings Help the Reader
[Section headings serve multiple purposes including (a) helping readers understand what
is being addressed in each section, (b) breaking up text to help readers maintain an interest in the
paper, and (c) helping readers choose what they want to read. For example, if the reader of this
document wants to learn more about writing an effective introduction, the previous section
heading clearly states that is where information can be found. When subtopics are needed to
explain concepts in greater detail, different levels of headings are used according to APA style.]
Section Headings Help the Author
[Section headings do not only help the reader, they help the author organize the document
during the writing process. Section headings can be used to arrange topics in a logical order, and
they can help an author manage the length of the paper. In addition to an effective introduction
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and the use of section headings, each paragraph of an academic paper can be written in a manner
that helps the reader stay engaged. Capella University promotes the use of the MEAL plan to
serve this purpose.]
The MEAL Plan
[The MEAL plan is a model used by Capella University to help learners effectively
compose academic discussions and papers. Each component of the MEAL plan is critical to
writing an effective paragraph. The acronym MEAL is based on four components of a paragraph
(M = Main point, E = Evidence or Example, A = Analysis, and L = Link). The following section
includes a detailed description and examples of each component of the MEAL plan.
When writing the content sections of an academic paper (as opposed to the introduction
or conclusion sections), the MEAL plan can be an effective model for designing each paragraph.
A paragraph begins with a description of the main point, which is represented by the letter “M”
of the MEAL plan. For example, the first sentence of this paragraph clearly states the main point
is a discussion of the MEAL plan. Once the main point has been made, evidence and examples
can be provided.
The second component of a paragraph contains evidence or examples, which is
represented by the letter “E” in the MEAL plan. An example of this component of the MEAL
plan is actually (and ironically) this sentence, which provides an example of an example.
Evidence can be in the form of expert opinions from research. For example, evidence shows that
plagiarism can occur even when it is not intended if sources are not properly cited (Marsh,
Landau, & Hicks, 1997; Walker, 2008). The previous sentence provides evidence supporting
why evidence is used in a paragraph.
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Analysis, which is represented by the letter “A” of the MEAL plan, should be based on
the author’s interpretation of the evidence. An effective analysis might include a discussion of the
strengths and weaknesses of the arguments, as well as the author’s interpretations of the evidence
and examples. If a quote is used, the author will likely provide an analysis of the quote and the
specific point it makes for the author’s position. Without an analysis, the reader might not
understand why the author discussed the information that the reader just read. For example, the
previous sentence was an analysis by the author of why an analysis is performed when writing
paragraphs in academic papers.
Even with the first three elements of the MEAL plan, it would not be complete without
the final component. The letter “L” of the MEAL plan refers to information that “links” the
current and the subsequent paragraphs. The link helps the reader understand what will be
discussed in the next paragraph. It summarizes the author’s reasoning and shows how the
paragraph fits together and leads (that is, links) into the next section of the paper. For example,
this sentence might explain that once the MEAL plan has been effectively used when writing the
body of an academic paper, the final section is the summary and conclusion section.]
Conclusion
[A summary and conclusion section, which can also be the discussion section of an APA
style paper, is the final opportunity for the author to make a lasting impression on the reader. The
author can begin by restating opinions or positions and summarizing the most important points
that have been presented in the paper. For example, this paper was written to demonstrate to
readers how to effectively use APA style when writing academic papers. Various components of
an APA style paper that were discussed or displayed in the form of examples include a running
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head, title page, introduction section, levels of section headings and their use, in-text citations,
the MEAL plan, a conclusion, and the reference list.]
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References
American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological
Association (7th ed.).
American Psychological Association. (2010). Ethical principles of psychologists and code of
conduct. Author. http://www.apa.org/ethics/code/index.aspx
Marsh, R. L., Landau, J. D., & Hicks, J. L. (1997). Contributions of inadequate source
monitoring to unconscious plagiarism during idea generation. Journal of Experimental
Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 23(4), 886–897.
https://doi.org/10.1037/0278- 7393.23.4.886
Walker, A. L. (2008). Preventing unintentional plagiarism: A method for strengthening
paraphrasing skills. Journal of Instructional Psychology, 35(4), 387–395.
http://search.proquest.com/docview/213904438?accountid=27965
[Always begin a reference list on a new page. Use a hanging indent after the first line of each
reference. The reference list is in alphabetical order by first author’s last name. A reference list
only contains sources that are cited in the body of the paper, and all sources cited in the body of
the paper must be contained in the reference list.
When a digital object identifier (DOI) is available for a journal article, it should be placed at the
end of the citation. It starts with “https://doi.org” or “http://dx.doi.org” or “DOI:.” If a DOI is not
available, a uniform resource locator (URL) should be used. The Marsh, Landau, and Hicks
(1997) reference is an example of how to cite a source using a DOI. The Walker (2008) reference
is an example of how to cite a source using a URL.]
PSY-FPX7421: Cognitive/Affective Psychology
Introduction to Decision Making and Reasoning
In his famous Apology (this means a defense of one’s beliefs, not an admission of guilt for which
one is sorry), the philosopher Socrates disputes charges of impiety brought against him by the
Athenian politicos of 339 B.C. Greece. Socrates begins his case by summing up the charges
brought against him:
Let us go back to the beginning and consider what the charge is that made people so
critical of me, and has encouraged Meletus to draw up this indictment. Very well; what
did my critics say in attacking my character? I must read out their affidavit, so to speak,
as though they were my legal accusers. ‘Socrates is committing an injustice, in that he
inquires into things below the earth and in the sky, and makes the weaker argument
defeat the stronger, and teaches others to follow his example.’ (p. 43)
According to Boston College philosophy professor Peter Kreeft, Socrates’s problems began with
the Oracle of Delphi:
The Oracle of Delphi, when asked if there was anyone wiser than Socrates, answered
that there was not. Socrates was astounded by this answer because he knew he had no
wisdom. Instead of dismissing the Oracle as a fraud, he assumed that no god could lie,
and therefore she had spoken the truth. He demanded to know the meaning of the
riddle. He tried to find someone wiser than himself, but was never able to find anyone.
What he found was that many people thought that they had wisdom but under his cross
examination he discovered that none of these people did in fact possess true wisdom.
Socrates himself had no wisdom, but he found that no one was wiser than he because
he at least knew he had no wisdom while everyone else thought they did. It was the
Oracle that coaxed Socrates into developing his method of questioning, and thus it was
this god that turned him into a philosopher. (Kreeft, 2004, p. 16)
Thus, Professor Kreeft presents the first lesson of Socratic teaching: There are only two kinds of
people: (1) fools who think they are wise and (2) the wise, who know they are fools.
As you examine how humans judge, make decisions, and use reasoning to draw conclusions
and solve problems, consider these questions:
•
What strategies guide human decision making and reasoning?
•
What is deductive reasoning? What facilitates and impedes its use?
•
What is inductive reasoning? What facilitates and impedes its use?
•
What other forms of reasoning are there?
References
Kreeft, P. (2004). What would Socrates do? The history of moral thought and ethics.
cribe.
Plato. (Trans., 1954). The last days of Socrates (H. Tredennick & H. Tarrant, Trans.).
Penguin Books.
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PSY-FPX7421: Cognitive/Affective Psychology
Introduction to Human and Artificial Intelligence
African explorer and geographer, meteorologist, psychologist, statistician, and geneticist Sir
Francis Galton—cousin to Charles Darwin—lived a life of extraordinary measures, literally. In a
biography of Galton, Extreme Measures: The Dark Visions and Bright Ideas of Francis Galton,
Martin Brookes (2004) writes:
His measuring mind left its mark all over the scientific landscape. . . . Galton was one of
the great Victorian polymaths. But it was in the fledgling field of genetics that he made
his most indelible impression. Galton kick-started the enduring nature vs. nurture debate,
and took hereditary determinism to its darkest extreme. Consumed by his eugenic
vision, he dreamed of a future society built on a race of pure-breeding supermen.
(Brooks, 2004, p. 2)
It was during Galton’s lifetime that the discovery of the statistical law of normal distribution was
discovered. Measures of, for example, heights and weights, if plotted on a graph, formed a
symmetrical, bell-shaped curve. Galton (1869) hypothesized that the law of normal distribution
would apply to mental ability, even though, at the time, no measure of intelligence existed (there
were no IQ tests).
What do you think? Was Galton correct when he argued that intelligence can be measured and
the results of those measures will form a normal distribution? If he was correct, why is there so
much controversy, even today, about viewing intelligence in this manner (consider, for example,
the debate over Richard Hernsteins’s and Charles Murray’s book The Bell Curve)?
Think about this concept of a bell-shaped curve that forms when data are compiled—for
standardized tests, let us say. If a normal distribution of scores occurs naturally, can society
meet these education goals:
1. All children can learn?
2. No child is to be left behind?
3. Every child will read by the end of third grade?
4. The United States will be first in the world in science and math?
Consider these questions and the following questions as you explore the topic:
•
What is intelligence?
•
Can intelligence be measured?
•
Can it be improved?
•
What are some theories of intelligence?
•
How is human intelligence connected to artificial intelligence? What are the issues?
The Oxford American Dictionary defines eugenics as:
Science of improving a human population by controlled breeding to increase the
occurrence of desirable heritable characteristics. Developed largely by Francis Galton as
a method of improving the human race, it fell into disfavor only after the perversion of its
doctrines by the Nazis.
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PSY-FPX7421: Cognitive/Affective Psychology
References
Brooks, M. (2004). Extreme measures: The dark visions and bright ideas of Francis Galton.
NBloomsbury.
Galton, F. (1869). Hereditary genius: An inquiry into its laws and consequences.
Macmillan/Fontana.
Hernstein, R. J., & Murray, C. (1996). The bell curve: Intelligence and class structure in
American life. Simon & Schuster.
Oxford University Press. (2001). New Oxford American dictionary (3rd ed.).
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PSY-FPX7421: Cognitive/Affective Psychology
Introduction to Problem Solving and Creativity
One summer evening during a violent thunderstorm, a mother tucked her small boy into
bed. She was about to turn off the light when he asked with a tremor in his voice,
“Mommy, will you sleep with me tonight?” The mother smiled and gave him a reassuring
hug. “I can’t, dear,” she said. “I have to sleep in daddy’s room.” A long silence was
broken at last by his shaky little voice: “The big sissy.”
On the way to preschool, the doctor had left her stethoscope on the car seat, and her
little girl picked it up and began playing with it. Be still, my heart, thought the doctor. My
daughter wants to follow in my footsteps. Then the child spoke into the instrument:
“Welcome to McDonald’s. May I take your order?” (Lederer, 2005, p. 4).
When humans are confronted with a problem—an obstacle to be overcome or a goal to meet—
they use a process that includes the following steps in a cycle:
1. Identify the problem.
2. Define the problem.
3. Consider strategies for solving the problem.
4. Consolidate and organize information about the problem.
5. Allocate resources for solving the problem.
6. Monitor the problem solving. and
7. Evaluate the solution (Sternberg & Sternberg, 2017).
Young children provide considerable insights into this process as they attempt, and at times fail,
to solve the problems of everyday life; adults do, too. Consider the following answer to an
undergraduate history class essay question on the Civil Rights movement:
The Civil Rights movement in the USA turned around the corner with Martin Luther
Junior’s famous, “If I Had a Hammer” speech. Martin Luther King’s four steps to direct
action included self purification, when you allow yourself to be eaten to a pulp. The
wealing and dealing of President Lynda B. Johnson was another important factor.
(Henriksson, 2001, p. 131)
Although the examples shown here are of problem-solving attempts (not to mention spelling and
usage) run woefully and humorously amok, they do provide insights into what the person was
thinking as she or he journeyed through the problem-solving process. This assessment on
problem solving and creativity explains how people “make ‘mental leaps’ that lead them from
having a set of givens to having a solution to a problem” (Sternberg & Sternberg, 2012, p. 443)
and addresses the following questions:
•
What are the components of the problem-solving cycle? How do well-defined and illdefined problems differ?
•
What are some of the obstacles and aids to problem solving? How does expertise
develop?
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PSY-FPX7421: Cognitive/Affective Psychology
•
What is creativity and how can it be enhanced?
References
Henriksson, A. (2001). Non campus mentis: The world according to college students.
Workman Publishing.
Lederer, R. (2005). The revenge of anguished English: More accidental assaults upon our
language. St. Martin’s Press.
Sternberg, R. J., & Sternberg, K. (2012). Cognitive psychology (6th ed.).
Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
Sternberg, R. J., & Sternberg, K. (2017). Cognitive psychology (7th ed.).
Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
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