General Education Assignment 1 Critical Thinking

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Sinclair Community College *

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1100

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Psychology

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Feb 20, 2024

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General Psychology 1100 January 30, 2024 “General Education Assignment #1: Critical Thinking” Step 1: State your stance. BEFORE reading the articles below, write a one-paragraph explanation of your thoughts on which pet is the best for your overall health (physical and mental health). Identify what factors might be important in deciding what pet is the best for someone in their home. My stance on whether a cat or dog is best for someone in their home depends on what is best suited for someone at the time. Both animals can be useful for various reasons especially when dealing with mental illness and physical illness. Both animals have their own benefits, and both have their own flaws. Here are my thoughts on each one. Dogs: When it comes to owning a dog, they are a lot of work. If you get a puppy you will have to set aside the time to train them (behavior, potty etc.). Whereas if you get an adult dog whether it be from adopting from someone else or from a shelter. When doing that as a choice you have to work with them because they are adults, and you have no idea what life before you were like for them. In a shelter dog’s mind or an adult dog who is being given away their mind is confused. They have mental health issues just like humans. They feel abandonment, loneliness, hurt, confusion, depression, and anxiety. Those are issues that come along with adopting an adult dog from shelters or people getting rid of their dogs for some reason or another or if a human passes away. Dogs can also help keep you active as they love going outside, going for walks, playing with toys, and always wanting your attention. I think dogs benefit a healthy lifestyle and help a lot with mental and physical issues. You can even get a service dog that will be fully trained to alert you when a major health problem is about to occur (seizure, low blood sugar, narcolepsy, etc.) Cats: When it comes to cats, they are a whole different type of animal. When getting a cat, they seem to adapt faster than a dog would. They do go through their own depression and anxiety. When you first get a kitten, they are so cute and cuddly and all you want to do is hold them and love them. Kittens, just like puppies, must be taught how to do things like use a litter box, what not to scratch on, and what things they should and should not do. Cats can also help someone with Mental illness. They help a lot with anxiety, depression, loneliness, etc. They are great companions and easy to take care of. All a cat needs are attention when they want it, a clean litter box, toys, food, and water. Cats don’t take as much work as a dog would and are easier, I think. When you go somewhere you can leave your cat at home and have someone come over and check on them play with them and feed and water them whereas a dog you have to have a sitter, a dog walker, a constant person being there with them if you decide to leave. Cats I feel have more of an independence than a dog does. They can do more for themselves than a dog can do. I do think that both animals have their own benefits that can help a person with mental health or

physical health issues. I believe that it is all in the preference of the person who needs companionship. Step 3: Identify one strength from each article. (Think about how the article supports what it is suggesting, what the supporting evidence is that is provided, and does it seem to make sense to you.) (Criterion 2) Cats: Having a feline friend can bring health benefits, helping to relieve stress and improve your heart rate. Dogs: Dogs have a unique ability to provide their owners with an endless amount of love and emotional support, especially during times of great stress. The supporting evidence is the health benefits for both cats and dogs. Cats: Lower stress and anxiety, improve your cardiovascular health, prevent allergies, and reduce feelings of loneliness. Dogs: Dogs can help ease anxiety, reduce stress, relieve symptoms of PTSD, and add companionship. These findings make a lot of sense to me. I have done a lot of research on this subject due to suffering from PTSD, Anxiety, and depression. They are amazing at helping with mental health and physical issues as well as addiction. There are so many benefits of owning a dog or cat it just depends on your preference. Step 4: Identify one weakness from each article. (Think about how the article may have flaws; what the weakest part of the information is that is provided and why it does not seem to be supported.) (Criterion 2) When reading both articles I didn’t really notice a weakness in them, they were full of information that was true and even had descriptions. The only thing that I found to be a weakness was in the cat’s article the line (While many people enjoy the company of dogs, a cat can be more of an acquired taste. But once acquired it’s a hard taste to lose). That was the only thing that I see as a weakness because there is nothing after the statement, no proof of findings of that statement. So how do we know if that statement is true of false? Where are the findings that it’s a true statement? Step 5: Declare which is the best pet to have. Explain why you’ve determined that cats or dogs are the best to care for. Use 3 supporting pieces of evidence from the articles. Take a definitive stance on which is better to have in your life and form a conclusion - even if you don’t like pets/animals overall. In other words, saying neither because I don’t like them isn’t looking at what evidence is provided and critically thinking about it. Even if you don’t care about the topic, take a stance and defend, which is best to earn points on this assignment. (Criterion 3) Declaring which is the best pet to have isn’t an easy answer. I know which is the best pet for myself, but I can’t say which is the best pet for you or for someone else because we are all different and deal with our mental and physical issues differently and no two people are the

same. To me the best pet to have is a dog. I have come to this conclusion not just by my experience but also by the research and readings for this assignment. Her are my findings for dogs and cats because as I said before what is good for me may not be good for someone else. Dogs: The presence of a dog is associated with lower cardiovascular responses during stressors even lower than having a close friend present. Your dog is associated with an owner’s increased oxytocin levels in the brain. Dogs have been shown to alleviate pain and distress in chronic pain patients. Dogs play important roles in psychiatric settings, being successfully used with patients struggling with depression, loneliness, addiction, schizophrenia, and phobias with dogs present have significantly lowered feelings of distress and nervousness. Dogs also aren’t just animals that want to stay at home. They love car rides, going on hikes, running at the parks. Dogs are a commitment, and it takes a lot to own a dog. Between training and upkeep. Dogs are a huge responsibility. But owning one has amazing benefits. Cats: Cats on the other hand are lower maintenance, quiet, independent, have long life spans, and keep your house pest free. You don’t have to do much for a cat. They will love you unconditionally. When you’re having a hard day and come home to sit and watch tv or read a book a cat will crawl up in your lap lay down and just want you to pet them. They are great at helping relieve stress and loneliness. They are easy to take care of. So, for someone who doesn’t want to do a lot of work and not have to do too much with an animal a cat is the perfect animal for them. Once again, my stance on whether owning a dog or cat is better, I can’t say what is good for me is good for someone else. We are all different and we all have different wants and needs mentally, emotionally, financially, and physically. I know what is good for me and my mental health and physical health and that’s my dog who I have raised as a puppy and have trained. She knows commands, she knows how to help me when I have a seizure. And knows the sound in my voice when I am in distress. A specific animal is different for everyone’s needs. For me my dog Nia is right for me because she is what I need to help me get through life. But I also own 2 cats who help in other ways that my dog doesn’t. My cat will lay on my lap or just want me to hold her and just petting her can take some of my anxiety away and just her companionship is enough on days when I feel alone. There are different things animals can do to help in certain situations, it's all dependent on the person and what they need at the time. Step 6: Consider your thoughts on this overall. Did your thoughts change on cats or dogs being best? Why or why not? (Criterion 3) No, my thoughts haven’t changed. Both animals have benefits that can help someone. As I have said, what is right for me may not be right for someone else. The reading is great and detail owning a cat or dog. I think whether someone owns a cat, or a dog is at their discretion and should meet their needs. Step 7: Consider the benefits of each type of research method (correlational or experimental). What would be the benefits of using a correlational method/design? What would be the benefits of using an experiment method/design? If you had to defend your argument through scientific

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research, which research method (correlational or experimental) would you use and why? (Criterion 4) Correlational method/design: The benefits of using a correlational method/design include determining prevalence and relationships among variables, forecasting events from current data and knowledge, informing decision-making, and improving or initiating health-related activities or change. Experiment method/design: The benefits of using an experimental method/design include the ability to establish a causal relationship between independent and dependent variables, which is considered the most scientific approach to research. If I had to defend my argument through scientific research, I would choose the experimental research method. Experimental design is considered the most scientific method as it can establish a causal relationship between variables using control mechanisms and empirical observation While correlational research can describe existing conditions, experimental research allows for rigorous control over the situation, making it more suitable for establishing causal relationships Therefore, experimental research is the preferred method for defending arguments through scientific research. Find a research article to support your stance through the Sinclair Library. Include the article or link. If you need assistance, use the LibGuide or ask a librarian! https://link-springer-com.sinclair.ohionet.org/book/10.1007/978-3-030-99680-2

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