Unit 1: Controversial Theories in Social Psychology Issue: Is There a "Prejudiced Personality" Type? Yes: Kevin O. Cokley et al. , from "Predicting Student Attitudes About Racial Diversity and Gender Equity," Journal of Diversity in Higher Education (2010) No: B. Corenblum and Walter G. Stephan , from "White Fears and Native Apprehensions: An Integrated Threat Theory Approach to Intergroup Attitudes," Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science (2001) Psychologist Kevin O. Cokley et al. present data supporting the idea that three personality traits (social dominance orientation, authoritarianism, and openness to experience) predict college students'' attitudes about racial and gender diversity. Using data from white and Native Canadians, researchers B.

Corenblum and Walter G. Stephan argue that prejudice stems from a combination of factors, including feelings of group threat, anxiety, history of intergroup conflict, and more. Issue: Is Terror Management Real? Yes: Jeff Greenberg , from "Terror Management Theory: From Genesis to Revelations," American Psychological Association (2012) No: Daniel M. T. Fessler and C. David Navarrete , from "The Effect of Age on Death Disgust: Challenges to Terror Management Perspectives," Evolutionary Psychology (2005) Jeff Greenberg, one of the original creators of Terror Management Theory (TMT), reviews its main hypotheses and several findings from a variety of studies that support the main principles of the theory, including that thoughts of our own deaths lead to a variety of psychological reactions. Daniel M.T.

Fessler and C. David Navarrete, both professors of anthropology, present research and arguments against Terror Management Theory. Instead, they find that as age increases, sensitivity to death decreases, and that TMT predictions may be bound to certain cultures. Issue: Is the Evolutionary Perspective Helpful to Social Psychology? Yes: Timothy Ketelaar , from "Evolutionary Theories," Guilford Press (2015) No: Stuart Silvers , from "Methodological and Moral Muddles in Evolutionary Psychology," The Journal of Mind and Behavior (2010) Timothy Ketelaar discusses the role of theory in psychology and argues that the evolutionary perspective both provides novel hypotheses and can deal with anomalies. He believes that theories such as evolutionary theory are greatly needed in order to explain more than simply a few specific behaviors in a narrow context. Stuart Silvers believes that this perspective warrants particularly harsh scrutiny, due to the potential costs and implications to the society, if certain aspects of it are accepted by the scientific community. Unit 2: The Nature of Social Thought and Decisions Issue: Is Psychology a Science? Yes: Robert E. Silverman , from "Is Psychology a Science?" Skeptic Magazine (2011) No: Peter Rickman , from "Is Psychology Science?" Philosophy Now (2009) Robert E.

Silverman, an academic psychologist writing in Skeptic Magazine , presents a brief history of psychology and a few of its main figures while addressing the role of science in psychology. He argues that over time psychology has become more scientific (i.e., more objective in observations and measurement). He concludes that as the current partnership of psychology and neuroscience grows stronger there will be no question that psychology is indeed a science. Peter Rickman, formerly professor of philosophy at City University in London, argues that psychology is not a science like physics and other natural sciences because although it shares certain aspects of the scientific method, it must and does rely on the methods of hermeneutics. He argues that because observable facts are not the data being studied in psychology, but rather meaningful communication, psychology must always consider context and background in its research. The scientific method is not sufficient for psychology to accomplish this task.

Issue: Is Facebook Bad for College Students'' Health? Yes: Brian A. Feinstein, et al. , from "Negative Social Comparison on Facebook and Depressive Symptoms: Rumination as a Mechanism," Psychology of Popular Media Culture (2013) No: Amy L. Gonzales and Jeffrey T. Hancock , from "Mirror, Mirror on My Facebook Wall: Effects of Exposure to Facebook on Self-Esteem," Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking (2011) Researchers Brian A. Feinstein and colleagues explore the link between use of social networking sites and depressive symptoms. Their study examined undergraduate students'' use of Facebook. They argue that negatively comparing oneself with others is linked with rumination, which is linked with depression.

The research from Amy L. Gonzales and Jeffrey T. Hancock presents a different view of the impact of social networking sites on mental health. Their research demonstrates how viewing one''s Facebook profile actually enhances self-esteem through selective self-presentation. Issue: Do Religion and Spirituality Mean the Same Thing to Today''s College Students? Yes: Diane Winston , from "iFaith in the Amen Corner: How Gen Y Is Rethinking Religion on Campus," Social Science Research Council Essay Forum on the Religious Engagements of American Undergraduates (2007) No: Chelsi A. Creech et al. , from "Changing Trends in Ritual Attendance and Spirituality throughout the College Years," Psychology (2013) Religion scholar Diane Winston describes interacting with students at her university and finding that the students have vibrant religious engagements despite eschewing traditional types of religiosity. The study from Chelsi A.

Creech and colleagues indicates that religion is better understood from a multidimensional perspective. They found first-year and upper-class students differed in terms of their religious attendance and reported daily spiritual experiences. Issue: Is the Use of Heuristics Harmful to Effective Decision Making? Yes: Lori H. Colwell , from "Cognitive Heuristics in the Context of Legal Decision Making," American Journal of Forensic Psychology (2005) No: Amos Tversky and Daniel Kahneman , from "Judgment under Uncertainty: Heuristics and Biases," Cambridge University Press (2002) Forensic psychologist Lori H. Colwell reviews several forms of heuristic thinking and discusses how these cognitive "rules of thumb" or shortcuts to decision-making can have devastating effects in the legal world. Lead researchers Amos Tversky and Daniel Kahneman point out that while heuristics can lead to errors, they are "highly economical and usually effective." If they weren''t, people would not continue to use them. Unit 3: Social and Cultural Influence Issue: Is Viewing Television Violence Harmful for Children? Yes: Mark Sappenfield , from "Mounting Evidence Links TV Viewing to Violence," The Christian Science Monitor (2002) No: John Grohol , from "TV, Violence, & Children: More Weak Pediatrics Studies," psychcentral.

com (2013) Mark Sappenfield, writer for The Christian Science Monitor , describes a new scientific report that links television viewing with violent behavior, even in adults. John Grohol, an author, researcher, and expert in mental health online, asserts that the studies that condemn television watching in children fail to consider a myriad of factors involved with children that might also be the cause of negative outcomes. Issue: Is High Self-Esteem Really Beneficial? Yes: J''Anne Ellsworth , from "Two Faces of eEsteem: Being and Doing," Journal of Instructional Psychology (1995) No: Jennifer Crocker and Lora E. Park , from "The Costly Pursuit of Self-Esteem," Psychological Bulletin (2004) Educational psychologist J''Anne Ellsworth argues that self-esteem is needed for proper maturation from childhood and that high self-esteem is needed for responsible adulthood. Researchers Jennifer Crocker and Lora E. Park believe that while high self-esteem leads to short-term gratification, it also leads to long-term negative effects, including poor self-regulation and poor mental and physical health. I ssue: Is the Fear of Bullying Justified? Yes: Oyaziwo Aluede et al. , from "A Review of the Extent, Nature, Characteristics and Effects of Bullying Behaviour in Schools," Journal of Instructional Psychology (2008) No: Helene Guldberg , from "Are Children Being Held Hostage by Parental Fears?" Spiked (2007) Researchers Oyaziwo Aluede, et al.

review a long list of negative outcomes both from being the victim of bullying and from being the bully. Negative consequences of being victimized include "physical, academic, social and psychological problems." Developmental psychologist Helene Guldberg believes that parents'' fears of bullying have gone too far. Controlling teachers and parents are restricting children''s freedom, teaching them not to trust adults, and preventing children from learning how to resolve conflicts. Unit 4: Close Relationships Issue: Is Hookup Culture on College Campuses Bad for Heterosexual Girls? Yes: Amy Julia Becker , from "Hookup Culture Is Good for Women, and Other Feminist Myths," Christianity Today (2012) No: Timaree Schmit , from "Hookup Culture Can Help Build Stronger Relationships," Original Work (2013) Amy Julia Becker argues that hookup culture demeans women. From a Christian perspective, she argues that sex leads to greater life fulfillment when removed from the hookup culture. Timaree Schm.