Required Resources Textbook Chapters 10 And 11 ✓ Solved

Required Resources Textbook Chapter 10 11minimum Of 1 Scholarly Sourc

Consider one of the following current social issues – or one of your choice: Opioid crisis, Legalization of recreational or medical marijuana, Vaping, Immigration, Elimination of the electoral college, Gun control. For the initial post, address the following: State your position on one of these issues – are you for, against, or neutral? Explain why. Avoid vagueness or ambiguity in your response. Make your position very clear. Examine how you have formed that opinion.

How well do you think you know the facts? Do you know and understand statistical information that applies to the issue? Do you think you have formed your opinion using only System-1 thinking, or have you applied System-2? What part have heuristics, cognitive bias, and dominance structuring played in how you have formed your opinions? The initial post is not about how "correct" your position is; it is about how you arrived at your position on the issue. This discussion requires application of metacognition – thinking about how you think.

Sample Paper For Above instruction

In this paper, I will explore my stance on gun control, a highly debated social issue, by analyzing the processes that influenced my opinion formation, including my knowledge of facts, cognitive biases, and thinking styles.

My position on gun control is that stricter regulations are necessary to reduce firearm-related violence and enhance public safety. I believe that implementing comprehensive background checks, restrictions on assault weapons, and mandatory safety training can significantly mitigate the risks associated with firearms. My stance is grounded in the belief that gun control measures are effective tools for preventing gun-related tragedies, which have been frequently reported in the media and supported by statistical data.

Regarding my knowledge of facts, I have actively sought to understand the statistical evidence related to gun violence. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2021), firearm-related deaths in the United States exceed 40,000 annually, with a significant proportion being suicides and homicides. Studies indicate that states with stricter gun laws tend to have lower rates of gun-related deaths (Kalesan et al., 2016). These statistics have strengthened my conviction that policy interventions can make a tangible difference in reducing violence.

In forming my opinion, I believe I have employed System-2 thinking, characterized by deliberate, analytical processing of information. I critically examined various studies, government reports, and expert opinions rather than relying solely on intuition or immediate emotional reactions, which are aspects of System-1 thinking. For example, I evaluated research findings on the correlation between gun law stringency and violence reduction, weighing the credibility of sources and consistency of data.

Cognitive biases, such as availability heuristic and confirmation bias, have influenced how I perceive gun control. The pervasive media coverage of gun violence incidents makes such events more salient in my memory, reinforcing my perception of the urgency for regulation. Additionally, I tend to seek out information that supports my view (confirmation bias), which complicates attaining an entirely objective stance. Acknowledging these biases has helped me critically assess my reasoning process and strive for a more balanced perspective.

Furthermore, the dominance structuring of existing beliefs, cultural influences, and personal experiences, such as growing up in a community affected by gun violence, have played roles in shaping my position. Recognizing these influences is essential for developing a nuanced understanding of the issue and for engaging in open-minded discussions.

In conclusion, my stance on gun control is informed by a combination of statistical evidence, deliberate thinking, and awareness of cognitive biases. Reflecting on how I arrived at this opinion has emphasized the importance of metacognition in decision-making processes concerning complex social issues.

References

• Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). Fatal Injury Reports. https://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/index.html
• Kalesan, B., Mobily, R. E., Keiser, O., Fagan, J. A., & Galea, S. (2016). Gun control policies and suicide in the USA: a systematic review. J Public Health Policy, 37(2), 115–130.
• Luca, M., & Miller, D. L. (2018). The Role of Cognitive Biases in Policy Preferences. Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, 31(2), 243–254.
• Slovic, P. (2007). The Perception of Risk. Earthscan.
• Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking, Fast and Slow. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
• Vasan, P., & Howard, M. (2019). Social Cognitive Biases in Public Attitudes to Gun Control. Public Opinion Quarterly, 83(4), 901–917.
• Lichtenstein, S., & Slovic, P. (Eds.). (2006). The Construction of Preference. Cambridge University Press.
• Zeidner, M., & Matthews, G. (2005). Cognitive Biases in Social Decision-Making. Psychology Press.
• Feinberg, M., & Willer, R. (2011). The Moral Roots of Environmental Attitudes. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 31(4), 340–351.
• Nickerson, R. S. (1998). Confirmation Bias: A Ubiquitous Phenomenon in Many Guises. Review of General Psychology, 2(2), 175–220.