Question 1

Which assumption, if considered, is the MOST serious and unwarranted assumption made in the description of the mock website Deep Mind Therapy that would likely change a critical thinker's decision about whether to use it?

Accepted Answer

The assumption that high-quality research has shown the website to be effective is the most serious because it directly impacts the credibility and reliability of the therapy offered. Without evidence of effectiveness, a critical thinker would likely question the validity and safety of using the service.

Question 2

The Deep Mind Therapy (DMT) mock website claims that people using DMT can contact the spirits of dead people through the unconscious. Given what is scientifically known about the human mind, the MOST accurate description of this claim is that it is:

Accepted Answer

There is no scientific evidence to support the claim that people can contact the spirits of dead people through the unconscious. Therefore, the claim is implausible. Additionally, the idea of communicating with spirits is not explained by quantum mechanics and there is no evidence to suggest that the claim is reasonable or indisputable.

Question 3

The mock website Deep Mind Therapy (DMT) refers to the brilliant and innovative psychologist C. G. Jung as supporting DMT. This statement is MOST like which kind of evidence?

Accepted Answer

The statement is a statement of authority, as it attributes support for DMT to a renowned psychologist.

Question 4

Regarding the plausibility of Telepatherapy, the critical thinker would agree MOST with the statement that Telepatherapy is:

Accepted Answer

The critical thinker would analyze the claims of Telepatherapy based on evidence and plausibility. The paranormal claims of Telepatherapy, which involve communication through thought waves, are inconsistent with established principles in physics. Therefore, the critical thinker would most likely find Telepatherapy implausible. The other options do not necessarily provide sufficient evidence for the plausibility of Telepatherapy.

Question 5

The mock website says that the Telepatherapy website is accessed through mindshelpingminds.com and seems to be promoting sale of a course for training in therapy that it also claims is effective. This raises the MOST concern about:

Accepted Answer

The promotion of a course for training in therapy along with a claim of effectiveness on a website accessed through mindshelpingminds.com raises concerns about a possible conflict of interest and the reasonableness of the claims made on the website. This suggests that the website may not be providing credible information, and the accuracy of the information provided and quality of testimonials may also be in question.

Question 6

The Deep Mind Therapy mock website states that it is "based on the work of the brilliant Swiss psychologist C. G. Jung." This statement is MOST related to the criterion for judging the quality of site in terms of the:

Accepted Answer

The statement about Deep Mind Therapy being based on the work of C. G. Jung is a claim to credibility of the therapy, and therefore relates to the criterion for judging the quality of the site in terms of the credibility of the source and information. This criterion evaluates whether the information provided can be trusted and is based on reliable sources.

Question 7

The citation for the work of Carl Jung (1875-1961) to support Deep Mind Therapy mock website raises questions about the:

Accepted Answer

The answer of The citation for the work of Carl...

Question 8

For scientific-minded psychologists, the claims on the mock website about the effectiveness of Telepatherapy would be MOST convincing if:

Accepted Answer

Scientific-minded psychologists would be most convinced of the effectiveness of Telepatherapy if the research supporting it was based on randomized trial experiments, which are considered the gold standard in scientific research. This would provide strong evidence for the effectiveness of the therapy and help to rule out alternative explanations for any observed improvements. The other options, such as a famous endorsement or correlational studies, are less convincing as they do not provide the same level of empirical support for the therapy. While more case studies could also be helpful, they are not as strong as randomized trials in establishing causation and generalizability.

Question 9

The Deep Mind Therapy mock website discusses how spiritualistic contact with the dead allows access to the unconscious mind and raises questions especially in relationship to the website's:

Accepted Answer

The question asks about the website's reasonableness, which is related to its credibility.

Question 10

The testimonial in the mock site for Deep Mind Therapy (DMT) about how DMT helped a man get in touch with his unconscious mind provides:

Accepted Answer

Testimonials are subjective and based on personal experience, which may involve untested assumptions about the unconscious mind, making them questionable support.

Question 11

The mock website for Deep Mind Therapy seems to have been written by a webmaster or some unidentified person. This raises the MOST serious question about the site's:

Accepted Answer

The fact that the website for Deep Mind Therapy was written by an unidentified person raises concerns about the site's credibility. If the author cannot be identified, it is difficult to say whether the information presented is reliable or trustworthy. As such, visitors to the site may be hesitant to take the claims made by Deep Mind Therapy at face value, which could hurt the company's reputation and make it less effective at reaching potential customers.

Question 12

Dr. Reed was reported to have conducted an experiment in which he asked pairs of workshop attendees to imagine a psychic connection with their partners and then verbalize their thoughts. He found that the pairs produced some striking similarities in their thoughts. What is the BEST interpretation of this finding?

Accepted Answer

The finding cannot be interpreted as evidence for telepathic connection because of the lack of plausibility of ESP and the methodological limitations of the study. Therefore, option B is the best interpretation. Options A, C, and D are not supported by the evidence and are either implausible or based on unsupported claims.

Question 13

The citation of research by Jung (1875-1961) without other more recent research citations on the Deep Mind Therapy mock website raises questions about the _____ and _____ of the site.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The citation of research by Jung (1875-1961)...

Question 14

On the Deep Mind Therapy mock website, the evidence that BEST provides support for the effectiveness of mandala drawing in helping people consists of the:

Accepted Answer

The evidence provided on the website is based on scientific research studies reported in Jung's book on the use of mandalas. Testimonials of patients are not considered scientific evidence, and the facts about Jung studying with Freud and similarities among mandalas in different cultures are not directly related to the effectiveness of mandala drawing in therapy.

Question 15

The approach of the Deep Mind Therapy mock website, which involves contact with the spirit world through a medium, raises questions MOST related to the website's:

Accepted Answer

The answer of The approach of the Deep Mind Therapy...

Question 16

The mock website for Deep Mind Therapy has spelling errors. This raises the most serious question about the website's:

Accepted Answer

Spelling errors can make a website appear unprofessional and may affect the credibility of the information provided. It may give the impression that the website was not properly reviewed or proofread, which could impact the overall trustworthiness of the information.

Question 17

Which is NOT a valid criticism of the testimonials supporting Deep Mind Therapy (DMT) in the mock website?

Accepted Answer

Testimonials, by their nature, typically include personal accounts of how individuals were helped or benefited from a service or product, such as Deep Mind Therapy (DMT) in this case. Therefore, it is not valid to criticize the testimonials for not explaining how each person believes they were helped, as that is usually the primary content of a testimonial.

Question 18

All of the following are plausible alternative explanations for why people reported in the testimonials that Deep Mind Therapy worked for them EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

The answer of All of the following are plausible alternative...

Question 19

The presence of a grammar error at the beginning of the Deep Mind Therapy mock website raises questions especially about the:

Accepted Answer

Grammar errors can undermine the perceived professionalism and reliability of a website, affecting its credibility.

Question 20

A common problem with the inclusion of testimonials as support for treatments in websites such as the mock website for Deep Mind Therapy is that testimonials:

Accepted Answer

Testimonials often have a confirmatory bias, as they are typically selected by the organization or individual providing the treatment. This can make the testimonials seem one-sided and not reflective of a balanced view of the treatment's effectiveness.

Quiz 8: Critical Thinking and the Internet