Prior to beginning work on this discussion, read the required Bemecker (2014), Kosovski and Smith (2011), and Mullins (2014) articles.
There is often a wide discrepancy between content presented in the mainstream media and that which is presented in the scientific literature. In this discussion, you will choose one contemporary psychological issue that is prevalent today (depression, body image, bullying, media influences, self-esteem, etc.). Research your selected topic using one popular publication (Psychology Today, Newsweek, New York Times, etc.), self-help television show (Dr. Phil, Hoarders, Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew, etc.), or book (The Complete Idiot?s Guide to Managing Your Moods, Learn How to Boost Your Self Esteem, etc.). Then, using the Ashford University Library, locate a peer-reviewed journal article on the same topic. In your initial post, briefly identify your topic and provide enough detail for an adequate understanding. Compare and contrast the information presented by detailing commonalities and differences that exist in the two sources. Assess the contributions of the peer-reviewed source to the topic and identify any missing element in the popular source. Evaluate how adequately the popular source addresses the major components of the selected contemporary topic in psychology for a general population, as well as contemporary applications of popular / self-help resources in psychology (do they help or harm).
