Find a topic
- Gale Virtual Reference Library (formerly Gale ebooks) This link opens in a new window
Psychology in the News
From APA (American Psychological Association)
Identifying Keywords
After identifying your topic, begin selecting keywords to use in your research.
1. State your topic as a question.
2. Identify keywords from your research question.
3. Identify synonyms for your keywords, examples of your concept, as well as closely-related concepts.
4. Use keywords and synonyms to find relevant books, articles, and websites about your topic. As you read through articles and books, write down any additional related keywords that may be relevant to your topic.
| Sample Research Question | Keywords | Synonyms, BT, NT, Related Terms |
| Can childhood abuse lead to post traumatic stress disorder in adulthood? |
Post traumatic stress disorder Abuse Childhood Adulthood |
PTSD Physical abuse (NT), emotional abuse (NT) Children, youth Adults |
| How does diet affect teens with ADHD? |
Teens Diet ADHD |
Teenagers, adolescents Nutrition Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder |
Finding General Topic Information
Get up-to-speed on unfamiliar concepts. These online encyclopedias give overviews and key facts.
- CQ Researcher This link opens in a new window
Original, comprehensive reporting and analysis on issues in the news.
- Encyclopedia Britannica Online This link opens in a new windowA general knowledge English-language encyclopedia.
- Gale Virtual Reference Library (formerly Gale ebooks) This link opens in a new window
- Opposing Viewpoints in Context This link opens in a new window
This cross-curricular research database supports science, social studies, current events, and language arts classes. Informed, differing views help learners develop critical thinking skills and draw their own conclusions.
- Points of View Reference Center This link opens in a new window
Films On Demand
PCC Library database Films On Demand has over 1,000 videos related to sociology that you can watch online. If you are accessing them off-campus, you will be asked to provide your MyPima username and password.
- Bipolar Disorder: Shifting Mood Swings
Different from the routine ups and downs of life, the symptoms of bipolar disorder are severe—even to the point of being life-threatening. In this insightful program, patients speak from their own experience about the complexities of diagnosis and the very real danger of suicide, while family members and close friends address the strain of the condition’s cyclic behavior. - Body Dysmorphic DisorderBDD, as it is called, afflicts people by causing them to become obsessed with the idea that they must drastically and constantly alter their appearance. Two apparently normal, attractive women discuss their experiences with BDD. An expert attempts to unravel the mysteries behind this unusual condition. (15 minutes)
- Cutting: Addicted to Self-InjuryLike most addictions, this one starts as a way of coping with emotional pain. But cutting—the habit of self-injury on the rise among teenagers, especially girls—is a sign of deep-seated anxiety and self-hatred that no one can cope with alone. This video examines the distressing, ritualized behavior and explores how parents, friends, guidance counselors, and those who cut themselves can work together to stop it.
- Inside Dyslexia
Often viewed as a weakness, dyslexia actually means that a person processes information differently, and many with the disorder have learned to see it as a strength. This program illustrates the challenges faced by Amanda, Carmen, and Gio—three young people living with dyslexia—through personal interviews with them and those close to them. - Living with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is characterized by developmentally inappropriate impulsivity, inattentiveness, and, in some cases, hyperactivity. In this program, therapists, teachers, parents, and patients offer their insights into living with and overcoming AD/HD. - Lost in the Mirror: Women with Multiple PersonalitiesIn this program, ABC News anchors Diane Sawyer and Sam Donaldson study the causes and key signs of dissociative identity disorder and the fragmented lives of two people dealing with its effects.
- The Addictive PersonalityDoes addiction have a genetic factor? Can any type of addiction be treated medically? What steps can family members take to help a loved one struggling with addiction? This program provides answers to several addiction-related questions, focusing on the complexities of the addictive personality.
- The "In" Crowd and Social CrueltyWhat does it take to be popular? Quite often it has nothing to do with being nice. In this ABC News special, correspondent John Stossel visits middle and high schools to discover why kids dish out abuse, why they take it, and what parents and school administrators can do to make it better.
- Troubled Kids: Is Medication the Answer?
Millions of children in America are being diagnosed with learning disorders and depression. While many say medications such as Ritalin, Dexedrine, and Prozac are the answer, others recommend counseling, social skills training, or dietary changes. - Stress: Portrait of a KillerOver the last three decades, science has been advancing the understanding of stress—how it impacts the human body and how social standing can make a person more or less susceptible. Through studies of baboons on the plains of Africa and research in the neuroscience labs of Stanford University, scientists are discovering just how lethal stress can be.
- Conformity: In the Real-Life Lab
When people decide whether or not to follow the crowd, what happens inside their brains? This ABC News program explores that question, highlighting neurological research that helps explain conformity and sheds light on the complex relationship between group and individual behavior.