Some Research

Article One:
More of an example of what ethics are involved with psychology; this article pertains to what was behind the Stanford Prison Experiment.  That being both sides of the methodology and situationist views.

Griggs, Richard and George Whitehead. "Coverage of the Stanford Prison Experiment in
Introductory Social Psychology Textbooks." Teaching of Psychology 41.4 (2014): 318-324. Teaching of Psychology. Web. 28 Oct. 2014.

Article Two:
This article provides a stronger base for how some step-wise decisions lack the sensitivity that some cases need.  In this process it refers to different variables, values, and factors found in the selected cases.

Lasser, Jon, Laurie McGarry Klose, and Rachel Robillard. "Context-sensitive ethics in school psychology." Contemporary School Psychology 17 (2013): 119+. Health Reference Center Academic. Web. 28 Oct. 2014.

Article Three:
The final article focuses on different commentators to the Milgram experiments and what ethical issues are brought forward.  As it reaches beyond these experiments, it touches base on what different regions and boards set as ethical rules.

McArthur, D. "Good ethics can sometimes mean better science: research ethics and the Milgram experiments." Science And Engineering Ethics 15 (2009): 69-79. MEDLINE Complete. Web. 29 Oct. 2014.

Research Proposal

   In the process of thinking about a research topic, I wanted to find something that I have always been fascinated by.  That something pertains to the countless psychological thrillers that I have read or watched about.  When reading/watching these highly controversial psychological topics, I have realized how one can have concern over how some of these may be an intrusion to our own ethical standards.  In order to research this topic of ethics on psychopathology, I have to ask the following questions:

• How do the studies vary from the past to the present?
• Do the different fields of psychology have their own believes towards psychopathology?
• What are the ethical standards?
• What experiments have been done that break these standards?
• How have they broken them?
• Did they break the standards because they involved illegal experimentation?
• How does this idea of illegal experimentation play a bigger role?
• Does age affect when ethics are put into place?
• Does drug use change the ethical view?

"Don't become a mere recorder of facts, but try to penetrate the mystery of their origin." 

              -Ivan Pavlov 

Harvard Gazette's Interview on Steven Pinker

What could be more interesting than how the mind works?

   In this edition of the"Harvard Gazette: Experience" section, Harvard Staff Writer, Colleen Walsh, interviewed Steven Pinker, a Johnstone Family Professor in the Department of Psychology at Harvard University.  Walsh was able to further understand Pinker's views on the development of the human mind through the chronology of his life.

   Starting from his early life, Steven Pinker described growing up in a time in which the world was drastically changing.  In order to adapt to this new world, his father, who achieved a law degree and his mother,a degree in counseling, encouraged him to use his strengths to further his intellectual growth.  Experiencing the '60s, Pinker was in the midst of activism, the decision to be a Marxist or an Anarchist.  These sparked his interest in radical thinking, at first he believed that "human beings are naturally generous and cooperative and peaceful."  However, over time his observations saw that if given the chance man would cause disruption.

   Later on in his career, Pinker used his interests in "human nature from different vantage points," and applied it to visual cognition and language.  After writing a thesis on the ability to visualize objects through ones eyes, he noticed that his work on language acquisition was more distinctive in the field of psychology, ultimately changing his focus to language.

  Currently he is a professor at Harvard University and writing to spark the interest of potential psychologists.  His basis for anyone interested in psychology is that; psychology is slowly uncovering the "why?' that people have been question for numerous years.  Understanding these "whys" allows anyone to become more intellectually interesting.

   The interview concludes with him stating how he and anyone, could be and do anything that they believe they can do.  Then he finishes by revealing that his immaturity and humor through his hair, is what makes him who he is.