Controversy: Evaluating Media's Accuracy

You must successfully complete the "Mood and Personality Disorders" quiz before you will be allowed to post in this discussion forum. Before working on this discussion, please read Chapters 6 and 9 in the course text and review any relevant Instructor Guidance.

For this discussion, you will enter into a dialogue on another ongoing controversy and contemporary issue regarding abnormal psychology. Specifically, how accurate are the various media representations of psychopathology?

As you enter into this conversation, analyze depictions of the identification and treatment of abnormal behavior in media sources. Then take a moment to consider and comment on the consequences of accurate and inaccurate depictions of mental health conditions in popular media. Identify at least one theoretical perspective (e.g., biological, cognitive, psychodynamic) from the literature that informs your observations. Additionally, you should integrate information on how media shapes our cultural expectations and norms with respect to abnormal/maladaptive behavior. Be sure to utilize fundamental concepts for the ethical application of psychology from Standards 2.04 and 5.04 of the Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct as you create your responses.

If you chose to write about a movie character for your psychological report, you are welcome to include your evaluation of that movie's depiction of psychopathology in this discussion forum. However, your evaluation alone will not suffice in the completion of this discussion.

Again, the goal of this discussion forum is to have a single dynamic and respectful conversation about how psychopathology is represented in the media and the consequences of those representations, not a series of 20 to 30 separate conversations. This means that every post should be in response to another post. Your instructor will be posting the initial thread to which you will respond. Only start a new discussion thread if you want to address an entirely different theme or question(s) within the discussion subject area. Additionally, only post after first carefully reading what all the others within the thread have written.

A simple agree or disagree statement is insufficient to be counted as a response. When presenting your opinion, cite relevant sources (beyond your text) to support your statements. Do not repeat what your classmates have already written, and do not ignore them if they ask you questions. Any questions asked of youmust be answered, including questions from your instructor. Try to keep the conversation moving forward by presenting options, insights, alternative ideas on and/or interpretations of the topics and research.