Psychology in the Real World

This assignment will allow you to experience how psychological research is

applied directly to real world problems.

Locate and read two articles:

1) Find a recent article in a popular magazine such as Time, Newsweek,

Good Housekeeping, or any other magazine or newspaper you can buy at a
store or newsstand describing a real world issue/current event that involves a
psychological concept, topic, or theory covered in the course. Check your
textbook for more ideas, but examples of real world issues/current events
include: gay marriage, the obesity epidemic, terrorism, prisoner abuse,
treatments for depression, parenting techniques, and reactions to natural
disasters.

2) Find a research study on that same topic-typically located through an

online database such as Ebscohost. You can also use Psychology Today -
can ask a librarian for help if necessary. I will also explain further in class
how you can use keywords to locate an article. Please be sure that the article
is less than ten years old because research that is too old may be irrelevant.

After reading both articles, consider how the results of the research study
relate to the current issue that you identified. Discuss how the articles are
the same and how they are different. What is the difference between the
intended audiences?

Write a 3 page paper discussing what you observe and be sure to list the
articles on a reference page. If you use any quotations or paraphrasing,
be sure to use citations. Answer the following questions with at least a
paragraph for each question:

1. How does the popular magazine article differ from the actual research
study?
2. Did the popular magazine article offer any solutions for the issue or
provide any recommendations?

3. What do the results of the research study say about how the issue should
be handled in the future?

4. Do the results of the study suggest how the issue can be prevented or
promoted in the future?

5. According to the results of the study, should there be any changes in

programs, policies, laws, or regulations to prevent or promote the issue?

6. How should people think, feel, or act to prevent or promote the issue in
the future?

Rubric for Psychology in the Real World

Score in Points Criteria

The critique addressed ALL questions and related items
clearly, completely, specifically and substantively. It is
Psychology in well written and summarized with very few grammatical,
the Real mechanical, spelling, and usage errors. It is written
World exclusively in the student’s words, with little or no
quoting, restating or listing of the authors’ works, except
where appropriate.

100
The critique addressed the MAJORITY of questions and
items and was written clearly, completely, specifically
and substantively, with only a minimal level of
generalization. It is well written and summarized with
few mechanical, spelling, grammatical, and usage errors.
90 It is primarily written in the student’s words with little
quoting, restating or listing of the author’s work, except
where appropriate.
The critique addressed MOST of the questions. It is
written satisfactorily, but has a fair amount of
 generalization, incomplete responses, and grammatical,
spelling, mechanical and usage errors. It is written for the
most part in the student’s words but has some
80 unnecessary quoting, restating, or listing of the author’s
works.

The critique is incomplete and it has not addressed the

majority of the questions. Replies often are too general
and succinct, lacking substantive content and
understanding. There are far too many grammatical,
mechanical, spelling, and usage errors and the
composition is primarily stated per the author’s works
70
The critique lacks sufficient preparation and is very
deficient in regard to addressing and understanding the
content requirements of the assignment. The great
majority of the questions and items are
addressed superficially and lacking substance and
specificity. Writing is ineffective throughout with a great
60 many mechanical, grammatical, spelling and usage
errors. It did not meet the expectations of the assignment.