Strategies for Decision Making – Week 2 Assignment

Constructing Deductive and Inductive Arguments

Arguments consist of premises and conclusions. Premises are structured so as to lend support to conclusions. The kind of support that a premise lends to a conclusion allows us to distinguish between deductive and inductive arguments. This week, you will be constructing both kinds of arguments.

1.  In three premises each, construct one example of each following deductive argument form:

·  Modus ponens

·  Modus tollens

·  Hypothetical syllogism

·  Disjunctive syllogism

Make sure your arguments are deductively valid and that your examples are your own. Here are two examples of the general format that your arguments should take:

Modus ponens:

1.  If it is raining, then it is pouring.

2.  It is raining.

3.  Therefore, it is pouring.

Modus tollens:

1.  If Jack went to the grocery store, then he bought cookies.

2.  Jack did not buy cookies.

3.  Therefore, Jack did not go to the grocery store.

2.  After you construct the preceding deductive argument forms, construct a three premise syllogism. For example:

1.  All men are mortal.

2.  Socrates is a man.

3.  Therefore, Socrates is mortal.

3.  After you construct a three premise syllogism, construct one of each of the following inductive argument patterns:

·  Induction by enumeration

·  Reasoning by analogy

·  Statistical induction

·  Higher-level induction

Your examples of inductive argument patterns should not be expressed in premise form. Rather, they should be informally expressed in writing. You should have one paragraph for each pattern. Be as detailed as possible.

Finally, please remember to label your arguments. This makes it easier for them to be graded. Include your name, course section, and the date at the top of your assignment document.

Assignment 1: Standards and Tests for Criminal Responsibility

Criminal responsibility (insanity) assessments play a significant role in forensic psychological assessment, and information about them is directly relevant to the psycholegal assessment questions on the comprehensive exam.

Tasks:

Using resources from the professional literature, research legal standards and assessment tools used with the criminally insane population. The literature may include the Argosy University online library resources, relevant textbooks, peer-reviewed journal articles, and websites created by professional organizations, agencies, or institutions (.edu and .gov).

In a minimum of 300 words, address the following:

• Identify and discuss at least two legal standards for insanity in a criminal defendant.
• Explain why such legal standards are important for our judicial system. What information may assist in understanding the defendant’s capacity to control his or her behavior at the time of the offense?
• Describe at least one type of assessment instrument for criminal responsibility. What is the research support for utilization of these instruments?
• What is the difference between a legal standard for insanity and a psychological assessment instrument?

Assignment 2: Competency Restoration

If criminal defendants are deemed incompetent to face a trial, they have the right to have their competency restored since they cannot be released without having a trial and they cannot be held indefinitely without being given the opportunity to become competent. Accordingly, it is important to state how they will be restored to competency.

Create a 3- to 4-page paper in a Microsoft Word document answering the two parts of this assignment.

Part 1:

CST has long been a sought-out legal procedure. Identify a landmark case decision that has played a factor in this process and address the following issues:

• Explain the process of competency restoration.
• Describe why the process of competency restoration is important.
• Discuss one landmark case decision that has played a role in the process of restoration.

Part 2:

Elaborate on your discussion by including the process of restoration in the forensic arena.

In your report, address the following:

• Identify the appropriate APA ethical codes and the specialty guidelines for forensic psychologists that may apply to the process of restoration.
• Examine the limits to confidentiality.
• Identify the factors that might impede competency restoration.

Your responses should rely upon at least three scholarly resources from the professional literature that are cited in APA format. The literature may include the Argosy University online library resources; relevant textbooks; peer-reviewed journal articles; and websites created by professional organizations, agencies, or institutions (.edu and .gov).

Submission Details:

Assignment 2 Grading Criteria  Maximum Points    Explained the process of competency restoration.  16    Described why the process of competency restoration is important.  14    Discussed one landmark case on competency restoration.  14    Identified the appropriate APA ethical codes and the specialty guidelines on the process of competency restoration.  12    Examined the limits to confidentiality.  12    Identified the factors that might impede competency restoration.  12    Wrote in a clear, concise, and organized manner; demonstrated ethical scholarship in accurate representation and attribution of sources; displayed accurate spelling, grammar, and punctuation.  20    Total:  100

FIRST ASSIGNMENT

In Chapter 4 we discussed cultural factors in perception.

Think of a demographic based on race, sexual orientation, or disability.

1. Choose a demographic and list some of the prejudices, biases, stereotypes, and discrimination that group may face either at work, community, or in social settings.

2. Are these perceptions based in fact. If so, please state the reasons to support this. And if not, how are these perceptions unfounded?

3. What are some things needed to socially change the perceptions of this demographic group?

SECOND ASSIGNMENT

Imagine that you have a client, Tiffany Harris coming to see you for help. The client tells you she has a family history of mental illness specifically mood disorders such as anxiety and depression. The client witnessed her mother who suffered from depression all of her life. She is seeking medication and or therapy to manage her behaviors which mirror anxiety.

Answer the following 3 questions:

1) As a student “intern” based on your understanding of the material, how would you explain how both genetics and her environment play a factor in her behaviors.

2) If the client continues to push for medication, what neurotransmitter drug would be helpful to assist her?

3) What other behavior intervention strategies or coping skills could she implement in ADDITION to medication management?