Assignment:
Respond to Brian and Ebony while being respectful of and sensitive to their viewpoints. Consider advancing the discussion in the following ways:
Post an article, video, or additional research to reinforce a peer's idea or challenge them to see their point from a different perspective.
Consider asking a content-relevant question or discussing your own personal experience with biases or heuristics such as those discussed in your textbook or the video. Need Assignment Help?
Brian post
An interesting bias discussed in the TED talk is the tendency to over generalize based on limited or old, outdated information. During the ted talk, Hans discussed how many people still consider developing countries to be in extreme poverty, despite the current global data showing major improvements across the globe in things like health and education.
A bias like this, or other types like negativity bias, will invariably lead to inaccurate decision making. Relying on an assumption instead of facts creates far more challenges, despite perhaps being a quicker option than looking into a topic. Utilizing current, available data and scientific reasoning helps in reducing cognitive biases because they can encourage people to seek objectivity instead of their subjective experiences. Statistics and peer reviewed research make it much easier and more reliably make effective decisions.
Having a fact-based worldview, as promoted in the TED talk, is important in social justice. There is a lot of misinformation being peddled by policy makers regarding marginalized groups, such as transsexual people. By utilizing data, one can discern what is true and counter a lot of the misinformation. In doing so, one is much less likely to fall victim to the attempted fear mongering and culture war stirring.
Ebony post
One of the biases talked about in the video is personal biases. Personal biases are a way of thinking that is influenced by our own beliefs, culture and experiences, etc. I live in a very small town so majority of the people here have a culture bias. My small town judges things based on their own cultural standards. I believe having a bias is normal but the key is to be aware, although many people are not aware. Biases cause people to make inaccurate decisions because it causes them to make assumptions. They may not have a lot of information about a certain topic but they will come to a conclusion based on their bias which could then lead to stereotypes. Instead of evaluating facts objectively, a person may unconsciously favor what feels familiar, comfortable, or emotionally satisfying. Using data and scientific reasoning will help to avoid these biases by providing us will accurate information (evidence, testing, & objective analysis) that reduces personal bias. Although data can reduce biases, it cannot eliminate it. It helps us because it gives us measurable evidence and also reduces emotional influences. Data literacy is important in psychological research because it helps people understand and interpret information accurately. It connects to social justice by helping researchers identify inequality and mental health issues in different communities.
The Next Two Post Respond To Students On The Finding Of Medical Finding
Jordan post
The overuse of medical science has caused concern in the medical field. While there is some positivity that comes from medical science, such as new technology and development, there is also a negative side if providers put too much trust in it. Medical providers tend to use further testing, medication, or the newest technology to treat patients (Hofmann, 2025). While this may not seem like a problem, the overuse of the medical science can be a concern that we should try to avoid. There is a risk of harm if the providers rely on the medical science too much because there will be unnecessary testing and this does not help the patient in their health (Hofmann, 2025).
Another concern is patients may have a false illusion if the providers utilize more test to diagnose patients (Kühlein et al, 2023). More testing does not necessarily mean that the patients are receiving the best care. This illusion will convince the patients in thinking that their doctor is being thorough because they decided to order more imaging, or prescribe more medication. While being thorough is necessary for the rare cases, it may not be necessary for the common illnesses that can come up. Some of the common cases could be a broken bone, or common cold. Further testing maybe required for sudden headaches or even abdominal issues. Another reason to minimize the use is because increasing the testing will create longer wait time for the patients (Hofmann, 2025). Increased wait time could defeat the purpose if a test is needed stat. According to Jenniskens et al. (2017) has addressed that too much testing can actually lead to the patient feeling anxious, or mistreated for the wrong diagnosis. This would be harm to the patient and should be considered by the provider to decrease these risk. Last but not least, the information that has been taught along with the experience taught through schooling would be decreased. The reason is because the providers would seek the quicker solution rather than depending on the actual science and facts for the symptoms or issue at hand (Kühlein et al, 2023). This is concerning because the patients trust that their doctors are doing test for the right reason. In reality it can be because of one's uncertainty or because of the cost the providers may receive.
Jenna post
I think having too much faith in medical science can create unrealistic expectations for both patients and healthcare providers. Medical advancements have greatly improved patient outcomes and life expectancy, but there is still a tendency for people to believe medicine can "fix" every problem. In reality, healthcare is much more complex than that.
One major issue is that many chronic diseases do not have straightforward solutions that work for everyone. Conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, autoimmune disorders, and mental health conditions are often managed rather than cured. Patients can respond very differently to the same treatment depending on genetics, lifestyle, and access to care. Even many common illnesses still do not have true cures, and treatment is often focused on symptom management or slowing disease progression rather than completely eliminating the condition.
I also think society has become very focused on pills and pharmaceuticals as quick fixes for health problems. While medications are obviously important, many of the biggest health issues in the United States are heavily connected to lifestyle, nutrition, stress, exercise, and preventative care. Preventative medicine often does not receive the same attention in modern commercial healthcare because long-term lifestyle changes are harder to market than a medication that promises fast results. As a result, healthcare systems can become more reactive than preventative.
Finally, I think medical advancements also create ethical concerns. Areas such as artificial intelligence, genetic engineering, and end-of-life care continue to raise questions about access, equity, and decision-making. Just because medicine has the ability to do something does not always mean there is a simple or correct answer in every situation.