PSYC FPX 3520 Assessment 3 Thinking, Feeling, And Believing

PSYC FPX 3520 Introduction to Social Psychology

Prof. Name

December, 2024

Thinking, Feeling, and Believing: A Case Study 

PSYC FPX 3520 assessment 3 Thinking, feeling, and believing play together in the solving of moral and ethical dilemmas (Small & Lew, 2019). Thinking is rational reasoning and objective judgment of facts; feeling is an emotional response to matters that could influence understanding, empathy, and moral intuition; and believing encompasses deeply ingrained values and principles that define one’s worldview. In a case study, these elements often converge to impact judgment. For example, an allocator who is a healthcare worker has to make an allocation decision in an emergency situation. They would be using thinking, such as what the patient needs; feeling, the compassion they are showing to vulnerable people; and believing, precepts obtained from ethical principles, such as equity and justice. In this triangular model, then, the scales are well-balanced so that every conclusion made will always be rational, sympathetic, but value-based.

Confirmation Bias in Psychological Practice 

Confirmation bias, the tendency to seek, interpret, and remember information that confirms pre-existing beliefs or expectations, is one of the most challenging phenomena in clinical practice (Vedejová & Čavojová, 2021). It can penetrate clinical decision-making, diagnostic accuracy, and treatment outcomes. Such a bias can cause one psychologist to focus on evidence that confirms an initial diagnosis instead of refuting and dismissing such information, which may eventually lead to misdiagnosis or inappropriate treatment plans. In the same way, therapists can make the interpretations of a client’s behaviors or responses to align with preconceived theories and not consider other possible explanations. This may not only limit objectivity but also create the persistence of damaging stereotypes, especially when cases deal with cultural or social diversity. Ways to overcome confirmation bias are reflective practice, seeking disconfirming evidence, and discussion with peers. Using evidence-based methods and following structured diagnostic criteria will further help to avoid confirmation bias. This would ultimately help psychologists criticize their own assumptions as well as better serve their clients. Knowing and overcoming confirmation bias helps psychologists to have an ethical and effective practice in psychology so that interventions are based on a thorough and balanced understanding of each client’s individual needs and circumstances.

Research Support 

The backbone of evidence-based practice, research support ensures that any decisions, interventions, and policies undertaken are founded on reliable and valid data (Kumah et al., 2022). In the field of psychological practice, research support helps practitioners understand which therapeutic approaches are effective, the reliability of diagnostic tools, and treatment modalities. With quality research, professionals will adapt their practices to address different client needs and maintain knowledge of the most up-to-date trends and innovations within their discipline. Peer-reviewed research, meta-analyses, and systematic reviews help with clinical decision-making. Professional organizations such as APA create structured frameworks for providing ethical and effective care through their guidelines. Besides, research encourages lifelong learning and professionalism, thereby helping the providers critically assess and synthesize findings into practice. For instance, conducting research in cognitive biases and judgment can aid psychologists in identifying strategies for combating confirmation bias in such scenarios. Research support for psychological professionals helps them to improve the outcomes for their clients, gain credibility within the field, and advance the broader scientific understanding of human behavior and mental health.

Application of Confirmation Bias 

By indicating an operation of confirmation bias in a much different context, it underlines to many why this kind of bias goes beyond just psychological practice (Schmitt et al., 2021). Establishing alternative explanations and gathering more pertinent evidence, for instance, should outweigh only going by a client’s opening utterances for a therapist during this process. It extends to the every day, outside the clinical realm-indeed, what may be considered as decisions on the workplace or interpersonal conflicts-for example, where people tend to interpret events selectively to fit their beliefs. At the research level, this bias is likely to distort study design, data analysis, or interpretation, and ultimately result in flawed conclusions. Its effect must therefore be counterbalanced by critical thinking, reflective practices, and a commitment to seeking disconfirming evidence. Diverse perspectives and collaboration by peers reduce the impact of confirmation bias even further with much more diverse and balanced problem-solving. Knowing how confirmation bias works in different situations will help ensure fairness, accuracy, and objectivity in both professional and personal decision-making.

Ethical Reasoning Application 

Ethical reasoning is the systematic process used in the analysis of moral principles and values guiding decisions and actions toward their proper place in ethical standards’ application (Khan et al., 2022). It is fundamental not only in professional life but also for personal decisions so that choices become balanced and fair for all participants to consider. In health care, balancing patient autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice most often require it. In deciding whether to respect the patient’s refusal of treatment versus acting in the patient’s best interest, a nurse weighs those two principles and makes an ethically sound decision. Similarly, in business, leaders apply the reasoning of ethics in addressing dilemmas like employee fairness, environmental sustainability, or corporate responsibility. Such leaders need to size up the larger implications of their actions, which frequently balance competing interests. The overall steps in ethical consideration are problem identification, factfinding, identification of all stakeholders and estimations of possible consequences, and finally, applying the right ethics theory or code to aid a decision. If found to be necessary, one can draw from some more specific frameworks like Kantian ethics or utilitarianism or use virtue ethics. This means the hallmark of ethical reasoning is critical thinking and empathy, thus ensuring accountability in decision-making processes and the ability to handle challenges with integrity and maintain ethical standards in different and dynamic environments.

Critical Thinking Application 

Critical thinking is the systematic process of analyzing, evaluating, and synthesizing information to make well-reasoned and informed decisions (Sharma et al., 2023). It plays a very important role in problem-solving, decision-making, and innovation across different contexts. In education, critical thinking enables students to assess the credibility of sources, differentiate between facts and opinions, and construct logical arguments. For example, while studying historical events, students engage their critical thinking skills to appraise primary and secondary sources, observe bias and prejudices, and find evidence-based interpretations. Healthcare practitioners must rely on critical thinking when providing care in diagnosing complex cases of patient illness, deciding the treatment alternatives, and explaining the plausible outcome. For instance, a nurse would need to critically analyze the patient’s vital signs, lab results, and symptoms to determine the intervention with the highest chances of effectiveness. For instance, in business, critical thinking is key to evaluating market trends, determining risk, and choosing strategies that best fit the goals of the organization. The key aspects of critical thinking comprise challenging assumptions, seeking clarity, considering alternative perspectives, and most important, drawing conclusions based on evidence. Critical thinking fosters curiosity and logical reasoning, and through these, it helps to navigate uncertainty, solve complex problems, and achieve optimal outcomes. It, therefore, is an indispensable skill in professional and personal endeavors.

PSYC FPX 3520 assessment 3 References 

Khan, A. A., Badshah, S., Liang, P., Waseem, M., Khan, B., Ahmad, A., Fahmideh, M., Niazi, M., & Akbar, M. A. (2022). Ethics of AI: a systematic literature review of principles and challenges. The International Conference on Evaluation and Assessment in Software Engineering 2022. https://doi.org/10.1145/3530019.3531329