Evaluate and discuss the benefits presented by networking among such groups and how they might support your vocational goals and objectives.

/in /by

Description: PSY5003 – Introduction to Applied and Professional Psychology, Wk 6 Assignment – 30 points, Professional Development Plan. In this 12 to 15 page paper, review and discuss your state licensure and certification requirements for the professional practice of psychology. Be sure to specifically address the different occupations within psychology that are regulated by state licensure and certification; the specific requirements for a master’s and doctoral level clinician; your intended emphasis area, as well as what led you to become interested in this area; any anticipated potential career opportunities and ultimate goal for your degree. Address your own strengths and weaknesses at this time and how you plan to enhance your areas of strength and address any areas of weakness. Continuing your professional development is a vital component for maintaining your skill level and growing your knowledge base. Techniques widely utilized include multiple association memberships, advanced/continuing education courses, and association with and in both student and professional resource groups. Identify and discuss two professional membership organizations you can join and explain why each would be beneficial to your growth as a psychology professional. Then, identify and discuss one potential resource for you to utilize as a networking element and explain the steps you plan to take to realize the opportunity so presented. This resource might include a local clinic, psychologist in private practice, volunteer group, your state psychological association, etc. Evaluate and discuss the benefits presented by networking among such groups and how they might support your vocational goals and objectives.

Do you think James learned his behavior from his father? Explain your reasoning. Could there have been other contributing factors that would have an effect on the problem? Explain.

/in /by

Who is to blame, the individual or society?

James T. Johnson is a 24-year-old construction worker who lives at home with his mother. During the week, he goes to work on time, does his work, and comes home. Occasionally, he will go out with a group of coworkers on a Friday evening. He has one other secret. He burglarizes homes and garages in the neighboring communities, selling what he steals via the internet or at pawn shops two counties over.

This past weekend, he was arrested during a burglary when he entered a home where the home owner was present. His mother had to mortgage her home to bail him out of jail. While driving him home, she started to berate him, stating that he has ended up “just like his father, a criminal” and that she will probably end up dying early due to the stress of having a criminal son.

James was angry and blurted out that it was her fault, that this was the only life he knew because his father never taught him anything worthwhile. He said that his mother and father fought all the time, and the main subject of the their fights was his constant drinking.

Do you think James learned his behavior from his father? Explain your reasoning.
Could there have been other contributing factors that would have an effect on the problem? Explain.
Do you think that if James were removed from his home as a juvenile, he would have become a burglar?
Are the statements from James about responsibility only used to shift blame? Why or why not?
Research reaction formation, and apply this theory to James’s situation.
How is this related to strain theory? Explain.
How is this related to subculture perspective? Explain.

Select four research articles to review. Include at least one applied research article and one basic research article. Be sure to apply the scientific method to evaluate the evidence presented in the selected articles.

/in /by

Part1- Due Thursday Respond to the following in a minimum of 175 words:

Jill is conducting an experiment on the effects of story themes (traditional vs. non-traditional) on memory for story details. She is paying participants $5 to complete a research protocol that takes about 40 minutes. Prior to beginning the protocol, participants sign a consent form. Jill is present during this time to answer questions and clarify areas of concern. Sarah reads the consent form, agrees to participate and begins the protocol. After about 12 minutes, she gets up and tells Jill that she ‘has to go.’ She says she is sorry but she cannot complete the protocol. Jill offers her an additional $10 to stay in the study and complete the required tasks.

Is Jill’s behavior ethical? Why or why not? Use the relevant section of the APA Code of Ethics to justify your response.

Part2-Search for research articles from peer-reviewed publications in the University Library. Examples of peer-reviewed publications are listed in Table 2.1 in Chapter 2 of Methods in Behavioral Research.

Select four research articles to review. Include at least one applied research article and one basic research article. Be sure to apply the scientific method to evaluate the evidence presented in the selected articles. Use these articles as a framework for completing the questionnaire.

Write a 100- to 500-word answer to each of the following questions:

PART I:

  • What is the purpose of each of the sections in a typical research article?
  • What are the steps to critically evaluate research articles and how does the scientific method help you do this?

PART II:

  • What is the importance of research in behavioral sciences?
  • What is the relationship between applied research and basic research? Provide an example from your selected studies, of how each contributes to the body of knowledge.
  • What ethical issues can you identify in the selected articles? How were the issues addressed or neglected?

PART III:

  • Identify three possible research topics that you might want to explore further as you go through this course.
  • List appropriate sources, including databases that you might use when exploring these topics.

Cite the articles using a reference page.

Format your answers according to APA guidelines.

Reference

Chapter 1 and 2

Briefly describe the types of professionals involved in various assessment processes. Culture and Testing

/in /by

Psychological assessment guides are created by psychology professionals to provide the public with accurate and authoritative information appropriate for their current needs. Information available to the public about psychological testing and assessment varies widely depending on the professional creating it, the purpose of the assessment, and the intended audience. When professionals effectively educate the public on the how, what, and why behind assessments and the strengths and limitations of commonly used instruments, potential clients are in a better position to be informed users of assessment products and services. The Assessment Guides developed in this course will be designed to provide the lay public with accurate and culturally relevant information to aid them in making informed decisions about psychological testing. Students will develop their Guides with the goal of educating readers to be informed participants in the assessment process.

There is no required template for the development of the Assessment Guide. Students are encouraged to be creative while maintaining the professional appearance of their work. The Guide must be reader-friendly (sixth- to ninth-grade reading level) and easy to navigate, and it must include a combination of text, images, and graphics to engage readers in the information provided. Throughout their Guides, students will provide useful examples and definitions as well as questions readers should ask their practitioners. To ensure accuracy, students are expected to use only scholarly and peer-reviewed sources for the information in the development of their Guides.

Students will begin their Guides with a general overview of assessment, reasons for assessment referrals, and the importance of the role of each individual in the process. Within each of the remaining sections, students will describe the types of assessments that their readers may encounter, the purposes of each type of assessment, the different skills and abilities the instruments measure, the most valid and reliable uses of the measures, and limitations of the measures. A brief section will be included to describe the assessment process, the types of professionals who conduct the assessments, and what to expect during the assessment meetings.

The Assessment Guide must include the following sections:

Table of Contents (Portrait orientation must be used for the page layout of this section.)
In this one-page section, students must list the following subsections and categories of assessments.

  • Introduction and Overview
  • Tests of Intelligence
  • Tests of Achievement
  • Tests of Ability
  • Neuropsychological Testing
  • Personality Testing
  • Industrial, Occupational, and Career Assessment
  • Forensic Assessment
  • Special Topics (student’s choice)
  • References

Section 1: Introduction and Overview (Portrait or landscape orientation may be used for the page layout of this section.)
Students will begin their Guides with a general overview of assessment. In this two-page section, students will briefly address the major aspects of the assessment process. Students are encouraged to develop creative titles for these topics that effectively communicate the meanings to the intended audience.

  • Definition of a Test (e.g., What is a Test?)
  • Briefly define psychological assessment.
  • Types of Tests
  • Identify the major categories of psychological assessment.
  • Reliability and Validity
  • Briefly define the concepts of reliability and validity as they apply to psychological assessment.
  • Role of testing and assessment in the diagnostic process
  • Briefly explain role of assessment in diagnosis.
  • Professionals Who Administer Tests
  • Briefly describe the types of professionals involved in various assessment processes.
  • Culture and Testing
  • Briefly describe issues of cultural diversity as it applies to psychological assessment.

Categories of Assessment (Portrait or landscape orientation may be used for the page layout of this section.)
For each of the following, students will create a two-page information sheet or pamphlet to be included in the Assessment Guide. For each category of assessment, students will include the required content listed in the PSY640 Content for Testing Pamphlets and Information Sheets (Links to an external site.). Be sure to reference the content requirements (Links to an external site.) prior to completing each of the information sheets on the following categories of assessment.

  • Tests of Intelligence
  • Tests of Achievement
  • Tests of Ability
  • Neuropsychological Testing
  • Personality Testing
  • Industrial, Occupational, and Career Assessment
  • Forensic Assessment
  • Special Topics (Students will specify which topic they selected for this pamphlet or information sheet. Additional instructions are noted below.)

Special Topics (Student’s Choice)
In addition to the required seven categories of assessment listed above, students will develop an eighth information sheet or pamphlet that includes information targeted either at a specific population or about a specific issue related to psychological assessment not covered in one of the previous sections. Students may choose from one of the following categories:

  • Testing Preschool-Aged Children
  • Testing Elementary School-Aged Children
  • Testing Adolescents
  • Testing Geriatric Patients
  • Testing First Generation Immigrants
  • Testing in Rural Communities
  • Testing English Language Learners
  • Testing Individuals Who Are (Select one: Deaf, Blind, Quadriplegic)
  • Testing Individuals Who Are Incarcerated
  • Testing for Competency to Stand Trial
  • Testing in Child Custody Cases

References (Portrait orientation must be used for the page layout of this section.)
Include a separate reference section that is formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center (Links to an external site.). The reference list must consist entirely of scholarly sources. For the purposes of this assignment, assessment manuals, the course textbook, chapters from graduate-level textbooks, chapters from professional books, and peer-reviewed journal articles may be used as resource material. A minimum of 16 unique scholarly sources including a minimum of 12 peer-reviewed articles published within the last 10 years from the Ashford University Library must be used within the Assessment Guide. The bulleted list of credible professional and/or educational online resources required for each assessment area will not count toward these totals.

Attention Students: The Masters of Arts in Psychology program is utilizing the Pathbrite portfolio tool as a repository for student scholarly work in the form of signature assignments completed within the program. After receiving feedback for this Assessment Guide, please implement any changes recommended by the instructor, go to Pathbrite  (Links to an external site.)and upload the revised Assessment Guide to the portfolio. (Use the Pathbrite Quick-Start Guide (Links to an external site.) to create an account if you do not already have one.) The upload of signature assignments will take place after completing each course. Be certain to upload revised signature assignments throughout the program as the portfolio and its contents will be used in other courses and may be used by individual students as a professional resource tool. See the Pathbrite (Links to an external site.) website for information and further instructions on using this portfolio tool.

The Assessment Guide

  • Must be 18 pages in length (not including title and reference pages) and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center (Links to an external site.).
  • Must include a separate title page with the following:
    • Title of guide
    • Student’s name
    • Course name and number
    • Instructor’s name
    • Date submitted
  • Must use at least 16 scholarly sources, including a minimum of 12 peer-reviewed articles from the Ashford University Library.
  • Must document all sources in APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
  • Must include a separate reference page that is formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
  • Must incorporate at least three different methods of presenting information (e.g., text, graphics, images, original cartoons).