Helms - Ohlone Psychology Blog

Milgram Obedience Revisited...

One of the most earth shaking studies in the history of social psychology was the 1960 study carried out by Stanley Milgram at Yale University, known as the Milgram Obedience Study.

Alfred Adler - Birth Order...

Dear Students,

As you may know, one of the first theorists to propose that birth order may affect personality development was the famous neo- Freudian, Dr. Alfred Adler.

In this recent article in Time Magazine, author Lynne Berger takes a closer look at this theory and wonders whether it still applies in the modern world.

The Stanford Prison Experiment...

In 1971, psychologist Philip Zimbardo conducted what is now one of the best known experiments in the history of psychology: The Stanford Prison Experiment. Testing the power of the situation, Zimbardo set up a mock prison in the basement of the psychology laboratory at Stanford University, randomly assigning a few dozen volunteers to the roles of Prisoner or Prison Guard.  The study was scheduled to last for two weeks, but had to be called off by Day 6 because it had gotten seriously out of control. At least, according to Zimbardo...

The Only Known Recording of Sigmund Freud...

Dear Students,

During the Nazi takeover of Europe, Freud and his family were in trouble like all Jews in the affected regions. They were able to escape due to connections (including Princess Marie Bonaparte of France, who put up the necessary funds to buy his freedom and allow him an exit visa). CLICK HERE to read the details.

Below is a very interesting artifact from the history of psychology -- a recording of Sigmund Freud, the Father of Psychology.

"A Dangerous Method" - A film about Freud and Jung...

Keep an eye out for a film entitled "A Dangerous Method," starring Michael Fassbender as Sigmund Freud, and Viggo Moretenson as Carl Jung.  The film takes place just before WWI, a time that would test the complex and increasingly strained relationship between Freud and his young protégé.  I'm sure it's available on DVD by now.

Reviewers are hailing it as a masterpiece of historical drama, and it seems destined to win many more awards than it already has, as well as to re-introduce the world to the achievements of these two men.  Although the work of Freud and Jung has been largely discredited, they should be credited for getting the conversation started about the field of psychology, psychotherapy, etc.

Click below to watch the trailer.

Measuring Your Stress Levels...

Dear Students:

Please click the links below to download either the Stress Scale for Youth, or the Social Readjustment Rating Scale (for adults).  Both are designed to provide you with insight into your level of stress, and help you decide whether it's time to take steps to cope better.  Keep in mind that we can be under great stress and not even notice it, so don't assume that you'll know when you're at risk.

Freud - The Making of an Illusion...

Frederick Campbell Crews is an American essayist and literary critic. Professor emeritus of English at the University of California, Berkeley. His latest book, Freud - The Making of an Illusion is a masterpiece that not only takes the main components of Freudian theory, but also provides historical and situational context so that we can understand how Freud came up with his ideas. Largely discredited by modern science in psychology, Freud's theoretical models still hold surprising sway in large pockets of the psychiatric and counseling worlds, and if any writing is prepared to end that reign, Crews' is a definite contender.

Click here to read Dr. Harriet Hall's review of this book.

Type A / Type B Personality Test...

Dear Students:

CLICK HERE to take an introspective measure that will allow you to test whether you fit into the category of Type A or Type B personality.  This test consists of 10 pairs of sentences, and should take approximately 2 to 3 minutes to complete. 

More information on Type A and Type B personalities can be found HERE.

Enjoy!

-- Sheldon

Nonhuman Primate Communication...

Dear Students:

Click the link below to read an interesting article from Skeptic about research on nonhuman primate communication.  For decades we've heard conflicting reports about efforts to teach chimps and gorillas (and sometimes orangutans) to "talk" using sign language, message boards, and other means.  In the early 1970s, the answer seemed to be that it was possible that they might actually have the capacity to express themselves on something approaching a human level of communication.  Since that time, the research has been criticized in terms of its methods, research design, conclusions and, in some cases, even its very authenticity!.

Introducing Alfred Kinsey...

Dear Students:

Please CLICK HERE to be taken to the home page of The Kinsey Institute for Sex, Gender and Reproduction.  Once there, you can learn about the institute, its founder, and the ongoing research being conducted.

B.F. Skinner and his Kamikaze Pigeons...

Perhaps no better example of the success of B.F. Skinner, the training of kamikaze pigeons in Project Orcon in the 1940s and 1950s showed how Operant Conditioning could be used in some of the most extreme conditions imaginable.  In it, Skinner shaped the behavior of the birds so well that they could actually guide missiles toward their target (ultimately killing the birds, of course, but they didn't know that).

CLICK HERE to be taken to a website that covers the project in detail, including strategic blueprints, as well as a short video clip that explains its history and problems.

Supernanny - Negative Punishment aka "The Naughty Spot"...

Dear Students:

If you aren't already familiar with Jo Frost (the "Supernanny"), she's a reality show phenomenon who demonstrates effective child rearing techniques on her weekly show on ABC.  Utilizing the best in child psychology, Jo shows parents how to change their children's behavior by consistent use of various Operant Conditioning principles. 

Watch the video below to see how these techniques are exponentially more effective in the long term than using corporal punishment (aka, spanking, slapping, etc.), and create none of the unwanted side effects such as an increase in violence.

If solid empirical evidence is more your style, CLICK HERE to read a report in Scientific American that summarizes recent findings from research on the effects of spanking. The largest and most conclusive studies yet show that spanking, although effective in the moment, can to serious issues such as violence and cognitive deficits.

Little Albert - The Final Chapter...

One of the best known studies in the history of Behaviorism is that of Little Albert, an infant who was used as a subject by psychologist John B. Watson to study Classical Conditioning.  Although it's shocking to us by today's standards and could never be replicated, these studies answered many questions about the principles of this type of Associative Learning.  Perhaps the most enduring question, however, has been "Who was Little Albert, and what ever happened to him?"

After more than 80 years, that question was finally answered by psychologist Hall Beck.  Click the video below to learn what Beck was finally able to determine.

Sensation, Perception, and the Backmasking Craze...

They say the devil's in the details, but they never warned us that he may also be lurking in your I-Pod.

At least, that's what the proponents of BackMasking would have you believe.  This phenomenon is not only predicated upon the belief that we can be affected by subliminal input, but even more outlandishly, that we can be affected by BACKWARD subliminal input.

Sensation and Perception...

CLICK HERE to be taken to a wonderful web site full of illusions that will test your perceptive abilities and make you better aware of just how the brain's perceptive abilities work (and don't work) to give us a sense of the world around us.  For a preview of such wonders, click the image to the right and stare at it for a moment.  Although your brain may tell you otherwise, I promise it's not actually moving.

Research on Sexual Orientation...

Sadly, most of our education lacks a thorough review the contributions of gay men and women in our curriculum (the way such is, thankfully, done for Chicano and African American History).

Until this is done, I offer the following information for my students.

Discrimination and the Trans Community...

As mentioned in class, the word "transgender" is an umbrella term that covers any individual who expresses (through behavior, mode of dress, etc.) the opposite sex from the one assigned by biology. This includes transsexuals, who are different from the other transgender categories in that the sex they were assigned by nature is the wrong one.  In other words, their "brain sex" is truly who they are, while their bodies represent an incorrect assignment by nature.

Some transsexual men and women choose surgery to alter their bodies in ways that match their true gender, while others don't (for various reasons). As a society, it is our ethical responsibility to learn the proper terminology, to accept trans men and women for who they really are, and I think, to fight for equal protection and respect under the law.

And click the link below to download a one-page description to learn how to speak of, and to, trans people with the proper terminology.

Download Transphobia flier

CLICK HERE to read about the lack of legal protections for people in the Trans Community.

CLICK HERE to learn what you can do to help end discrimination against trans men and women.

 

I'm happy to announce that my friend, Cassandra Cass, is one of the stars of a new reality series called "Strut" on the Oxygen Network. Producer Whoopi Goldberg brings us behind the scenes at the world's first Transgender modeling agency.  Check the trailer below.

Sexual Orientation Info...

If you're interested in so-called "gay conversion therapies," which purport to change people's sexual orientations, you might want to watch a talk I gave for the Center for Inquiry's (CSI) national conference in 2018.

In it, you'll learn about the dismal failure of such programs, and how they only succeed in occasionally creating short-term changes in people's behavior, not in their sexual orientation (eroticism). The APA recently issued a rare statement, warning therapists that they would be sanctioned and could face losing their APA affiliation if they participate in such programs, showing how seriously damaging they can be.

For more information on this pseudo-science, CLICK HERE to visit Wayne R. Besens' excellent "TruthWinsOut" web site.

The Horrors of Gay Conversion Therapy...

It may surprise you to learn that, in some parts of the country, people claim to be able to change someone's sexual orientation. These discredited practices are generally referred to as Gay Conversion Therapy (although they sometimes go by other names), and the American Psychological Association - along with over a dozen other professional organizations - recently issued a policy statement calling them ineffective and possibly harmful.

If you'd like to hear my recent talk on this subject for the Center for Inquiry annual conference, CLICK HERE. It's only about 25 minutes long, and it covers the basics.

Some states have passed laws banning these procedures for minors, but many still have no such protections. And even those laws don't protect adults, nor do they apply to clergy or other non-licensed people.

Daydreaming and Meditation...

Dear Students,

Because our text book is lacking a bit in its coverage of Daydreaming and Meditation, I decided to find a couple of resources to give you more information.

Download Daydreaming - Price-Mitchell (2016) to read research on the creative benefits of daydreaming. Although most of us think of daydreaming as a sign that a person is unfocused and unruly, this research seems to suggest that there can be a purpose for this altered state of consciousness.

CLICK HERE to visit a website that discusses research on meditation, and how scientists are beginning to unlock the emotional and even physical benefits of this altered state of consciousness.

Psych 101 - Sleep Debt...

Dear General Psychology Students:

Please click the links below to download the Sleep Debt Measure and the KEY which will allow you to determine how much sleep you "owe" yourself.

More information on the importance of sleep can be accessed by clicking HERE.

Download ch_06_sleep_debt_measure.doc

Download ch_06_sleep_debt_key.doc

 

Since insomnia is often discussed as a possible cause of poor sleep hygiene, I offer the fact sheet below to help you understand the various diagnoses, effects, and possible treatments for this serious problem.

Download Insomnia

William C. Dement - World's Leading Sleep Researcher...

Dear Students:

In 2010, I was honored to receive an invitation to become part of a collaborative effort to educate the public about the importance of sleep. This group, now called the Stanford Sleepwell Society, operates under the auspices of one of the biggest names in sleep research, Stanford University professor/researcher William C. Dement, MD, PhD.

In a previous semester, several members of the Ohlone Psychology Club and some of my other students attended a talk by Dr Dement.

 

Ramachandran's Books - All Psychology Students...

A recent discussion in some of my classes led me to look further for sources to answer some questions my students brought up.  In the search, I was reminded of V. S. Ramachandran's amazing works (which see).  Although Dr Ramachandran specializes in neurology, don't let that put you off.  He writes in the style of Oliver Sacks (one of his biggest fans!), and Richard Dawkins (who wrote the forward in one of his books), making the information accessible to the professional and layperson, alike.  My advice is to purchase only ONE of these books.  They have a great deal of similar content, so you won't get much more if you buy them both.

SEE THE VIDEO BELOW TO GET YOU STARTED!

David Reimer - The Boy Who Was Raised As a Girl...

The life story of David Reimer is a fact that reads like fiction. It regards one of the most personal and mysterious aspects of human life: gender.  The detailes of the story were recently released in a book by John Colapinto, "As Nature Made Him: The Boy Who Was Raised As a Girl."

READ PLEASE! Need to reset your passwords at Ohlone College...

Dear Students,

Over the weekend, President Bishop sent out an important email/message to alert everyone that they need to RESET their passwords immediately. The problem is, if you didn't receive that message, or didn't respond in time, you may have been locked out.

Please click the link below to complete the process, or you won't be able to access your Student Email, Canvas, MyOhlone, etc.

https://bit.ly/3r9ulA6

 

Accessing Ebscohost Database for Course Paper Research...

Dear Students:

As you already know, your Course Paper is to be constructed using peer-reviewed journal articles only as your scientific source material. To that end, please use the Ohlone Library's databases to find these. Click the link below to open this blog post and follow the instructions:

He's baaaack....

Dear Students:

You may recall my mention of a man named Peter Popoff in my introductory lecture this semester.  James Randi's outting of this man's unscrupulous practices of what he calls "faith healing" are a good example of the way that science can reveal the truth behind fantastic claims of the paranormal.  After being revealed by Randi as a fraud on "The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson" back in the 1980s, Popoff disappeared from the public eye and filed for bankruptcy.

CLICK HERE to watch a depressing recent episode of "Inside Edition" in which we  learn that Mr Popoff is back and up to his old tricks, duping desperate, well meaning, faithful people into sending him money (often money they cannot afford to give up) with promises of riches to come their way if they are obedient to him as "a prophet of God."

It may be tempting to castigate his victims as unintelligent, naive, and even deserving of their plight.  Before doing that, however, think about how simple tricks have been used in the past to engender foolish decisions in very intelligent people you know (maybe even yourself?).  The big lesson here is that you never know how you might behave in the same situation.  The only way to prepare and protect yourself is to learn as much as you can about the psychological properties used by such scam artists - something I endeavor to help you with as much as I can.

Instructions for Canvas and Zoom...

Dear Students:

This post is only for those courses that meet over Zoom video for lectures. If you are in a purely online course, this will not apply to you.

Please click the link below to download the sheet explaining how to access and use Canvas and ConferZoom video conferencing.

Download Synchronous Remote-Instruction Welcome Letter

 

Welcome and Canvas Instructions - Psychology 101 ONLINE class...

Dear Psychology 101 (General Psychology ONLINE) Class,

Please click below and download the Welcome Letter and the instructions for accessing our Canvas shell. Let me know if you have any difficulties, and I'll do my best to help you resolve them.

Thanks!

-- Sheldon

Download Online Class Remote-Instruction Welcome Letter

Michelle's Study Tips...

Dear Students,

Please click the link below to download a one-page of tips from a former student that may provide you with some insight about how to study better.

As I said in class, these are tips from one student who found them helpful for herself. They may, or may not, all apply to your own learning patterns. But, it probably won't hurt to consider some of them. Michelle took all of my courses, and proved herself an exceptional student. Some of that may have been due to things other than her study habits, but who knows?

 

Download Michelle's Study Tips

Recording of my lectures is prohibited...

Hi, Everyone!

As I mention in each of my classes, I do not allow video or audio recording of my lectures.  This has apparently been confusing for some, so I wanted to be very clear about it.

The lectures that I give are extemporaneous and, although they may seem to be "off the top of my head" at times, I can assure you that that is an illusion.  Each of my lectures contains a great deal of carefully planned information and is "performed" as much as recited.  Therefore, my lectures and those performances constitute my Intellectual Property.  Without ownership of this property, a faculty member can become somewhat obsolete, as well as having her/his property disseminated without consent.

I hope this clarifies my policy; let me know if you have any questions.

-- Sheldon

---------------------------------------------------------

California Education Code 78907 prohibits students taping a class, and violation is a misdemeanor:

78907. The use by any person, including a student, of any
electronic listening or recording device in any classroom without the
prior consent of the instructor is prohibited, except as necessary
to provide reasonable auxiliary aids and academic adjustments to
disabled students. Any person, other than a student, who willfully
violates this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
  Any student violating this section shall be subject to appropriate
disciplinary action.

Remember The Lessons of Elizabeth Loftus...

As we will discuss, one of the world's leading researchers in Memory is a psychologist named Elizabeth Loftus.  Professor Loftus has published hundreds of articles, reporting the results of work with tens of thousands of subjects' memories. The big lesson from this research is that memory production is "constructive" and malleable. It is not a perfect reproduction of the experience, as many people assume.

Dr. Loftus has been a consultant, or testified, in hundreds of criminal cases that involve memory-based testimony, leading to a great interest in her work, but also a good deal of backlash and hate because she stands up for the truth, even with unpopular defendants (e.g., Harvey Weinstein).

CLICK HERE to listen to my ShelShocked Podcast episode on memory, which includes an interview with Elizabeth Loftus!

 

Memory? - F'gettabout it...

Dear Students:

Imagine that you are a war veteran who is haunted by memories of death and destruction, or that you were abused by a parent as a child and are suffering from the effects of those memories. Then consider being offered a drug that would literally erase the memory of the events that are causing you such pain. Click the link below to download a recent report from ABC News on efforts by scientists to do just that - to chemically alter memory consolidation in humans, making them forget specific events forever.

Life Without Pain...

Dear Students:

CLICK HERE to be taken to a story about a young boy with the rare disorder "Congenital Insensitivity to Pain with Anhydrosis" (CIPA) a condition that leaves him unable to feel pain, or to regulate his body heat.

inFact: The Trashy Secret of Plastic Bag Bans...

Over the decades, state and local governments have passed environmental laws that enjoy widespread support. Studies show that most people use their intuition to determine whether to vote for a law, rather than looking at answers from science. Is this always a good policy?

Skeptical investigator, Brian Dunning, has done a deep dive into one of these: Plastic Bag Bans. In his investigation, Brian compares the carbon footprint and overall effect of disposable plastic bags, paper bags, and other alternatives.

The results might surprise you!

inFact: The Trashy Secret of Plastic Bag Bans

Altered States...

Dear Psychology Students:

To follow up on our recent discussion about States of Consciousness, please see the information below.

CLICK HERE to read a terrific article about sleep and dreams.  In it, you'll learn more about the sleep stages we discussed, and be introduced to some cutting edge scientific findings on the brain's functioning during sleep, the relationship between body size and sleep, and WHY we need REM sleep to function normally.

CLICK HERE to be redirected to the Wikipedia.org page on Psychoactive Drugs where you can read about the categories of drugs, their effects, as well as a brief history of the use of such drugs by humans.

The NFL's Concussion Crisis...

Over the past 100 years, American football has grown from a little known sport played on ivy league campuses, to a multi-billion dollar industry with thousands of employees. The NFL is one of the largest employers in the nation, and carries with it a terrible secret that has only recently come to light. Concussions. And the picture is far worse than you ever imagined.

CLICK HERE to watch an important PBS documentary entitled "League of Denial: The NFL's Concussion Crisis."  In it, doctors, former sports reporters, and former NFL players, and the wives of former players dicuss the toll the sport has taken on the health and safety of thousands of young men, sending many to an early grave.  Until recently the NFL has taken great pains, and spent millions in payoffs and lawyer fees, in an attempt to deny and/or conver up just how bad the problem is.

Here's hoping the scientific information will continue to be discussed so that measures can be taken to at least make the sport less dangerous for those who choose to play it.

The Woman Who Can't Forget...

Have you ever wished for a better memory? I think it's a very common (perhaps ubiquitous) human desire. Many might even go so far as to envy those who have "perfect recall," the ability to store and retrieve nearly every experience, fact, thought, etc.

As with many such cases, however, the reality of perfect recall, often a result of Hyperthymesia, is far from the rosy picture many of us imagine. The case of Jill Price (The Woman Who Can't Forget) illustrates this quite well. Studied by researchers for years, always under a pseudonym, Price has marveled memory specialists with her ability to recite dates and facts down to the smallest detail, with little or no error. She even corrects entries in encyclopedias and other authoritative sources.

CLICK HERE to read a report about this fascinating woman, and watch the embedded video for additional details about how this "gift" can also carry a "curse."

Click the video below to watch a short documentary about Jill and her life history.

 

"An Honest Liar" Now On Amazon Prime (free with ads)!...

Dear Students,

James Randi is not only one of the greatest magicians and entertainers of all time, he's also a wonderful critical thinker and a decent human being. He has devoted most of his adult life to protecting the public from those he sees as charlatans and swindlers, while also teaching us some important lessons about the power of rationality and the scientific method.

In Spring of 2015, I hosted a screening of the documentary film about Randi's life, called "An Honest Liar." At the time, it was only being shown in theaters and our screening was the only one approved for release on a college campus. I'm happy to say that the film has now been released on DVD and Blu-Ray, and is available to watch online via Amazon Prime (with ads).

I strongly encourage you to watch it. You'll not only be entertained, but also informed and better prepared to protect yourself against the many scam artists and con criminals you'll encounter in life.

 

 

The Myth of Acupuncture...

Although it seems bizarre, many people believe strongly in the promise of acupuncture, an ancient Eastern technique in which small needles are inserted into the skin at specific points with the purpose of eliminating diesease, pain, emotional problems, etc.

In the video below, psychologist and author Michael Shermer investigates this mystical form of Eastern "Medicine" to determine 1) whether there is any scientific basis for acupuncture, and 2) whether any benefits beyond the placebo effect.

 

Introducing James Randi...

James Randi's reputation as a magician and escape artist is a matter of world renown.  Although he  occasionally still performs small feats, most of his current efforts involve his work as a tireless investigator and demystifier of paranormal and pseudoscientific claims.  Utilizing a keen scientific mind, Randi - as he prefers to be called - examines claims of paranormal powers and activities all over the world. 

APA Tips for Avoiding Cabin Fever...

Since everyone and his brother is playing amateur scientist or psychologist these days, I've hesitated to chime in. But I've also received a good number of messages from people who've asked me to advise them about how to cope with the Shelter-In-Place order, and all the other craziness that we're currently faced with. To that end, here's my advice for dealing with Cabin Fever.
--------------------------------

Magic In The Classroom - An e-Book from the JREF...

A few years ago, I was asked by the James Randi Educational Foundation to contribute to part of their educational efforts. The result of this collaboration was three chapters in their e-book, "Magic in the Classroom."  In it, I wrote chapters on the following topics:

1. Your Nervous System Can Fool You (Chapter 25)
2. Your Common Sense Can Fail You (Chapter 26)
3. Your Beliefs are Malleable (Chapter 28)

Click here to visit the download page where you can get a FREE copy in multiple formats.

And you thought I was kidding....

Dear Students:

Many of you laughed when I mentioned the Flat Earth Society in class (and it is, indeed, laughable). But believe me, I'm not kidding.  There are litereally thousands of otherwise normal, everyday folks around the world who believe that our planet is flat.

This view of the world is ancient, and derives from staggering ignorance. Even Christopher Columbus knew that the world was a sphere (regardless of the children's tale that says otherwise).  To find people who believed this, you'd have to go back much further than the 1400s. In fact, it was the Greek philosopher Pythagoras who first proposed a spherical Earth in the 6th century (the 500s)!

CLICK HERE to read a report about the Flat Earthers and their ridiculous beliefs. Then, consider what other beliefs people hold (homophobia, Creationism, sexism, anti-GMO, racial superiority, vaccine denial), as well as any that you yourself may hold that aren't supported by the facts.

ANNOUNCEMENT: ShelShocked Podcast Airs!...

I'm pleased to announce that my long-awaited podcast has finally aired. Each week, my co-host Amanda DeVaus (from the Australian Skeptics) will cover a different topic from science or skepticism, and feature interviews from famous scientists, authors, critical thinkers, etc.

NOW AVAILABLE in the iTunes store! Just search for "ShelShocked," then subscribe so that episodes will download automatically each week FREE.

CLICK HERE to join our Facebook fan page where each new episode will post, and related information can be found.

In addition, you can listen to (or download) episodes directly from my website HERE.

 

Coffey Talk - The Success of Operation Bumblebee...

Dear Students:

I'm happy to report that Operation Bumblebee (San Jose) was a rousing success. Several of us to took part have written up articles about the experience, and some are already taking part in podcast interviews to spread the word. In addition to tricking self-described psychic Chip Coffey into connecting with our fake dead relatives, we also hoped to spark skeptical activism in our community. When you have a moment, click the link below to read (or listen to) my take on the evening. It was an emotionally exhausting experience, but very gratifying, nonetheless.

CLICK HERE to read a report of the evening's events (also available in audio format on that page).  We have some interest from several major publications and a TV show, and I'll keep you posted about those as they develop.

Stay skeptical!