Written Paper on a Controversy Within Psychology
Topic: Does viewing television violence increase a child’s aggression?
The purpose of this project is to give you the opportunity to explore an application of psychology in greater depth than the textbook allows. For each controversy, there are two articles by authors with different opinions on the topic.
Use these two articles:
http://voyager.lib.csub.edu/cgi-bin/Pscandoc.cgi?app=1&folder=489&doc=4
Your paper will address each of the following:
1. What is the controversy addressed in the two papers? Describe the controversy so that one of your peers who has not read the articles could understand it.
2. Describe the two positions taken by your article authors. What are their arguments and what evidence do they provide in support of their arguments? (Discuss the positions, not the articles)
3. Evaluate the authors’ arguments, including the quality of the reasoning and evidence.
4. Bring an additional relevant research article into the debate and describe how it contributes to the debate (see below).
5. Address some of the real world implications of this controversy.
6. Conclude the paper with your opinion on the controversy. Your opinion should be based on a critical analysis of the issues.
Your paper should be 4 pages (double-spaced, 12 inch font, one inch margins). Papers that are significantly longer or shorter will be penalized. You may organize your paper however you wish as long as the six points above are covered.
Your paper should include at least a half-page summary of a scholarly research article that is relevant to the debate, such as http://www.education.pitt.edu/ocd/publications/sr1995-12.pdf
In your summary, describe what the article contributes to the discussion (see #4). Attach a copy of the article with your summary.
Please use the sources I have provided in the specifications.
Please email me, should you have any additional questions