Description
Learning Goal: I’m working on a health & medical discussion question and need an explanation and answer to help me learn.
IKn this assignment i already discussed the importance of being a thought leader, now I need replies to two discussion posts with scholarly citations through them and cite the source! Each reply must incorporate at
least 1 scholarly citation in the current APA format. Any sources cited must have been published within the
last five years. Acceptable sources include textbooks, scholarly articles, the Bible, etc.
The replies that need to be answered:
Kelsey Crawford
The various divisions of exploration are almost overwhelming. I had a difficult time choosing between the General Psychology division and the Society for Teaching Psychology, but I chose the latter. Current issues of discussion are teaching in a political climate, getting back into the swing of things after the pandemic, and inequality-related subject matter. In fact, the president of STP posted a blog encouraging others to be cognizant of racial matters and Peoples of Color, and included an apology on behalf of the APA regarding past research and topics that tend to resurface that are discriminatory in nature to Peoples of Color (Woolf, 2022). Additionally, plans to adhere to the APA Code of Ethics (2017) were made in relation to the issue and the golden rule of “do not harm” was mentioned. The observation sticks out to me because the president of the STP was willing to acknowledge a problem within the Psychology community, then indicate steps to take moving forward in order to prevent such actions from continuing. Although we cannot change the path, we can take the necessary steps going forward in order to make sure history does not repeat itself. Additionally, Christians are called to take such actions and practice justice and mercy to everyone, regardless of any differences.
Additionally, a recent article topic on the page references high school psychology being presented as more of a science course (Clay, 2022). With my experience teaching Advanced Placement in the high school setting, I can definitely see this change. An interesting element of the article (2022) is that it reflected how some students believe the popular myths in psychology that they learned from a media source of some sort (Clay, 2022). This is interesting because I referenced the media as a source of information in my previous discussion post and I can see this issue in the classroom currently. Also, there is an inclusion of how TikTok and other forms of social media are giving students information that they often believe, even if there is no scientific evidence to back up the claim. Through the examination of the division for teaching psychology, it is clear that the president and others in the field are aware of common issues within the domain and they are striving to correct them.
References
American Psychological Association. (2017). Ethical principles of psychologists and code of conduct. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/ethics/code/ethics-code-2017.pdf
Clay, R. A. (2022, February). Promoting high school psychology as a science. Monitor on Psychology, 53(3). http://www.apa.org/monitor/2022/04/news-high-school-psychology
Linda, W. (2022). Society for the teaching of psychology – teaching when the world turns political. Teaching When the World Turns Political. Retrieved March 23, 2022, from http://teachpsych.org/President-Letter-Blog/126505…
Second Reply
My current research interests are spread across my three main interest areas in psychology—education, development, and behavior. The three areas are related in that all involve learning (learning, development, and the observable manifestation of the two). Naturally, Educational Psychology involves information about how people learn, behave, and how wone could teach accordingly based on the phenomena of how humans learn. Behavior, on the other hand is the result of learning and development, in that one learns how to behave, and those behaviors not necessarily learned are intrinsic to the human genome and development (i.e. how to move one’s arms, then to do so to achieve a goal; how to walk, then that running is less time-consuming than walking, etc.). Development, to clarify, inherently sets the course for the former two as development not only includes the natural unfolding of the human genome allowing people to “do” and “be” based off of maturation (ergo, development). Development dictates what people are ready and become capable of doing based off maturity. The qualifier is that not all things one is capable of doing appears, as a requisite for ability and behavior is learning (among other things). In this sense, all three concepts are related, integrated, and make up a conceptual framework of interdependent, continuously flowing and fueling subjects. I came to search for PhD programs in Psychology with my interest in learning and development at the forefront (my previous major being Educational Psychology), but based on the APA’s Educational Psychology subdivision’s emphasis of the educational system, rather than just education in its essence of learning and all of its facets, I decided not to select Educational Psychology for this assignment. On that note, behavior analysis is too specific for my current research interests, despite my passion for the subject and application of its use in the educational and teaching field (as a long-time special education teacher and mom). My immediate research interest upon entering the PhD program in Psychology with Liberty University was learning and education of young children, with noted, although not necessarily singular, significance in behavior. Now that I confront this intent, I realize that the learning of young children is essentially integrated and distinguished in Developmental Psychology. For this reason, I will choose the APA subdivision of Developmental Psychology for this assignment.
The subdivision of Developmental Psychology includes a list of over 80 different journals for the related to the category of Developmental Psychology itself, as it includes related journals of related topics. The other research topics being explored and discussed include developmental psychological areas such as cognitive development, cognition and instruction, learning and instruction, among many others (American Psychological Association, 2022). For the sake of aligning most closely to the general area of Developmental Psychology, I investigated the specific journal titled “Developmental Psychology”. The way that this journal’s current issue is arranged is in a way that displays a variety of sub-topics are included, including “Parents’ Communication with Infants and Children”, Early Childhood Disruptive Behaviors, Pre-Kindergarten Programs”, etc. This way the journal includes a wide variety of topics, ensuring it is diverse. Each issue contains different themes and not always the same set of themes, as these themes were not pre-determined into general areas like that of the APA’s subdivisions.
For the recent issues of the Developmental Psychology journal, it was difficult to pin down a current “trend”. Themes investigated did not seem “trendy” as themes from the earlier studies in Developmental Psychology are still being researched today, such as parents’ interaction and effects on child development, social, cognitive, and self-awareness development, genetic and environmental effects on development, etc. If anything, I would point out the notable focus on institutions and educational systems on the person (i.e. the school system, preschool, school-related groups and figures, etc.). I can also only assume that the template to include literal environmental factors (i.e.. the ozone), is an area that had arisen within the last 50 years or so as climate change and the effects of the behaviors and products of man have become more studied and focused on. I appreciated the allegiance of being true to the subject and field of Developmental Psychology, regarding studies on the relation between intelligence and behavior (i.e., crystallized intelligence like math skills and adaptive behavior, self-regulation, and attachment theory). I have noticed a global trend regarding the obsession and fixation of sexuality, gender, and self-centeredness, especially so rooted in anti-empiricism, which is repugnantly contradictory to the word of God. Genesis 1:27 states, “So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them” (NIV, 1984). This epidemic of falsehood, evil, and blasphemy, however, is a painstaking shortcoming of the APA’s secularization from God and truth. I hope our work as Christian psychologists and researchers can bring the world closer to knowing and accepting truth.
References
American Psychological Association. (2022). Developmental Psychology Resources. https://www.apadivisions.org. Retrieved March 22, 2022, from https://www.apadivisions.org/division-7/about/reso…
American Psychological Association. (2022, March). Developmental Psychology. APA PsycNet. Retrieved March 23, 2022, from https://psycnet.apa.org/PsycARTICLES/journal/dev/5…
The Holy Bible, New International Version: Containing the Old Testament and the New Testament. (1984). International Bible Society. (Original work published 1973)
