The exploring psychology blog is the place where I highlight and explore the most fascinating and compelling psychology related news and research.
Whether you are new to psychology, currently studying or thinking about studying psychology, or consider yourself an expert in the field, I very much hope that you find the material featured on the exploring psychology blog interesting.
Showing posts with label Exploring-psychology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Exploring-psychology. Show all posts
Every now and again I intend to feature some recommended reading for anybody interested in exploring psychology. Each book will have appreared on the essential/recommended reading list I gave out to my undergraduate psychology students, and it will be one that I own, have read and found thoroughly engaging. The first book in this exploring psychology series is:
Forty Studies that Changed Psychology: Explorations into the History of Psychological Research by Roger R. Hock
Book Description
This unique book closes the gap between psychology books and the research that made them possible. Its journey through the “headline history” of psychology presents 40 of the most famous studies in the history of the science, and subsequent follow-up studies that expanded their findings and relevance.
Readers are granted a valuable insider's look at the studies that continue to be cited most frequently, stirred up the most controversy when they were published, sparked the most subsequent related research, opened new fields of psychological exploration, and changed most dramatically our knowledge of human behavior. For individuals with an interest in an introduction to psychology.
For more details and/or to get hold of this psychology book, just click on the following link.
With Halloween upon us I thought it would be appropriate to do a special exploring psychology blog post on the psychology of fear. The following videos all feature the amazing psychological illusionist Derren Brown who exploits the power of suggestion to frightening and sometimes disturbing effect. Please note that some of the videos contain very strong language.
Derren Brown induces fear 1
Derren Brown induces fear 2
Zombies
Don't think this one would get clearance from the psychology experiments ethics committee!!
Recommended Reading
Tricks of the Mind by Derren Brown
Book Description
Derren Brown's amazing television and stage performances have entranced and amazed millions. His baffling tricks and stunning illusions have set new standards of what's possible, as well as causing controversy. Now, for the first time, he reveals the secrets behind his craft. He delves into the structure and pyschology of magic. He tells you how to read clues in people's behaviour and spot liars. He discusses the whys and wherefores of hypnosis (which he says doesn't exist) and shows how to use the powers of suggestion and massively improve the power of your memory. He also investigates the paranormal industry, exposes a few charlatans and looks at why some of us feel the need to believe in it in the first place
Woven into this are autobiographical stories about Derren's own experiences and beliefs, told with characteristic humour and engaging honesty. This extraordinary book lifts the lid on the deepest darkest secrets of magic and explores the limits of what can be achieved by the human mind. A must for Derren's legions of fans, it will amaze you, entertain you and expand your mind at the same time. See following link for more details.
One thing I'll be doing from time to time on the exploring psychology blog is showcasing some outstanding free psychology resources. These should be particularly useful for psychology students.
The first thing I'd like to draw your attention to is Dr Abel Scribe's Student's Guide to APA Psychology. The Student's Guide to APA Psychology shows you how to document and format research papers in the style of the American Psychological Association and the American Psychologist. It has been Revised and updated to the new 5th edition of the APA Publication Manual.
Many psychology students underestimate the importance of referencing but from an academic perspective, referencing is vitally important. The cornerstone of any academic writing be it a term paper, essay, research project or dissertation is the dissemination of ideas. References, i.e., source material based on the views, opinions and research findings of others provide the conceptual framework necessary to engage in analytical debate.
The Student's Guide to APA Psychology will help keep you on the referencing straight and narrow.
Click Here to download this excellent free psychology resource.
When I first started teaching psychology one of the first courses I was involved in was research methods in psychology. The first part of course looked at the experimental method, which among other things included getting the psychology students to conduct an experiment into whether people know when they are being stared at.
The feeling of being stared is said to exist in all cultures and can be found in historical folklore, the notion of the "evil eye" being a case in point. According to parapsychologists, the feeling of being stared at is an example of the mind extending beyond the physical brain and they point to experimental studies that appear to demonstrate a telepathic influence on the participants.
Another example of this "psychic" effect is suddenly thinking about a family member or friend who then calls you on the phone a few seconds later. At the forefront of this type of investigation is the biologist Rupert Sheldrake who believes that the person about to call is thinking about the person they intend to ring and that this intention reaches out ahead of the phone call.
In a series of experiments testing this phenomena, Sheldrake gets his participants to name 4 people they might be telepathic with, typically family members and friends. The participants then sit by a telephone (usually at home) while they are filmed. One of the four people on the participants list is then picked at random to ring the participant. When the phone rings the participant has to state who they think is calling before they answer the phone. Just by guessing people will be right on average 1 in 4 times i.e. 25% of the time. According to Sheldrake's results his participants were right on average 45%, a statistically significant result.
So does the work of Sheldrake and others really show that something paranormal is going on? Or is there a non-paranormal explanation? This is precisely the question that Anomalistic Psychology attempts to answer.
According to the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit at Goldsmiths College, University of London, "Anomalistic psychology may be defined as the study of extraordinary phenomena of behaviour and experience, including (but not restricted to) those which are often labeled "paranormal". It is directed towards understanding bizarre experiences that many people have without assuming a priori that there is anything paranormal involved. It entails attempting to explain paranormal and related beliefs and ostensibly paranormal experiences in terms of known psychological and physical factors".
Paranormal Vs Non-Paranormal Explanations
If you would like to learn more about the views of Rupert Sheldrake and how they contrast with proponents of Anomalistic Psychology, Click Here to listen to an excellent radio broadcast by the BBC. Please note that the relevant programme starts just over a minute into the recording.
Rupert Sheldrake Online
Lots of in depth material to look and the opportunity to participate in some fascinating experiments. These include:
The Precognitive Text Test
The Email Telepathy Test
The Photo Telepathy Test
The Online Staring Test
As noted on the website, if you would like to participate in the experiments, no previous experience is necessary, and the online tests can be done immediately. Most of these experiments are suitable for use in schools and colleges, and some make an excellent basis for psychology student projects.
When I began my psychology degree one of the first things I learned was Sigmund Freud's quote about transforming hysterical misery into common unhappiness, and I vividly remember thinking at the time that studying psychology wasn't exactly going to be a barrel of laughs.
Indeed, one of the criticisms of psychology as a discipline is that it fixated on the study of negative emotion and behaviour etc and effectively ignored the positive aspects of human experience. In recent years, however, positive psychology has established itself as an area of study in its own right.
One of the most influential practitioners within the field of positive psychology is Dr. Martin Seligman. Dr. Seligman is the director of the University of Pennsylvania positive psychology center.
The center focuses on the empirical study of positive emotions, strengths-based character, and healthy institutions. Research conducted by Dr Seligman and his colleagues have demonstrated that it's possible to be happier, feel more satisfied, be more engaged with life, find more meaning, have higher hopes, and even laugh and smile more, regardless of individual circumstances.
Authentic Happiness
The official website for the University of Pennsylvania positive psychology center. Lots of excellent resources relating to positive psychology, all of which can be accessed for free.
A Primer in Positive Psychology by Christopher Peterson
Book Description
Positive psychology is the scientific study of what goes right in life, from birth to death and at all stops in between. It is a newly-christened approach within psychology that takes seriously the examination of that which makes life most worth living. Everyone's life has peaks and valleys, and positive psychology does not deny the valleys. Its signature premise is more nuanced, but nonetheless important: what is good about life is as genuine as what is bad and, therefore, deserves equal attention from psychologists.
Positive psychology as an explicit perspective has existed only since 1998, but enough relevant theory and research now exist to fill a textbook suitable for a semester-long college course. A Primer in Positive Psychology is thoroughly grounded in scientific research and covers major topics of concern to the field: positive experiences such as pleasure and flow; positive traits such as character strengths, values, and talents; and the social institutions that enable these subjects as well as what recent research might contribute to this knowledge.
Every chapter contains exercises that illustrate positive psychology, a glossary, suggestions of articles and books for further reading, and lists of films, websites, and popular songs that embody chapter themes. A comprehensive overview of positive psychology by one of the acknowledged leaders in the field, this textbook provides students with a thorough introduction to an important area of psychology. See following link for full details.
Today's exploring psychology blog post comes courtesy of my favourite psychology podcaster "Dr Dave", who is known in more formal surroundings as David Van Nuys, Ph.D. Emeritus Professor of Psychology at Sonoma State University. Dr Dave's podcast show "Shrink Rap Radio" comes complete with the wonderful tagline "All the psychology you need to know and just enough to make you dangerous"
The psychology podcast I've chosen to showcase taps into my academic interest in forensic psychology and features a fascinating interview with Douglas Evander Oswell who has spent over 10 years researching the methods, motives, psychological attributes and connection between the Unabomber and the Zodiac. As Oswell notes:
"In the spring of 1995, as accounts of the yet-uncaptured Unabomber began to filter through the media, I immediately noticed a distinct set of similarities between the methods and motives of the Unabomber and the Zodiac. One year later, the arrest of Theodore Kaczynski and the consequent flood of information pertaining to his past, did nothing to allay my growing suspicion that Kaczynski may have actually committed the crimes of Zodiac."
During the interview Oswell provides an overview of the Zodiac case and the unabomber case, he outlines the striking connections between the two cases and he discusses the distinction between serial killers, recreational killers and mass murderers.
Listen To The Interview
Click Here to download the MP3 file and listen to the interview in full.
Related Media
Zodiac Trailer:
The Unabomber:
Related Reading
The Unabomber and the Zodiac By Douglas Evander Oswell
Book Description
The Zodiac Killer murdered five people between December of 1968 and October of 1969. The murders were followed by letters to the news media demanding publication of his threats and other written material, on pain of further killings. As the Unabomber, Theodore Kaczynski murdered three people and injured many more, over a period beginning in May of 1978 and continuing through April of 1995. His murders were followed by letters to the news media demanding publication of the letters themselves, and the so-called "Manifesto," on pain of further killings. Their methods were different, but their madness was the same. This book highlights the amazing similarities between Kaczynski and the Zodiac, the two most enigmatic and cerebral killers in U.S. history.
The late Stanley Milgram is widely regarded as one of the most influential social psychologists' ever. His controversial experiments into obedience in the early 1960's continue to be debated and discussed in psychology classes across the world. The following video stands as testament to this.
The video which originally began as a podcast was put together by Mike Marinetto for a University course on research methods to illustrate how ethical considerations enter the research process.
Milgram's obedience experiments had a profound effect on ethical conduct within psychological research and this type of research would simply not be allowed today. However, the following video shows a modern reenactment of the Milgram experiment carried out by psychological illusionist Derren Brown for his TV show 'The Heist'
The Man Who Shocked the World: The Life and Legacy of Stanley Milgram by Thomas Blass
Book Description
The sole and definitive biography of one of the 20th century's most influential and controversial psychologists.
The creator of the famous "Obedience Experiments," carried out at Yale in the 1960s, and originator of the "six degrees of separation" concept, Stanley Milgram was one of the most innovative scientists of our time. In this sparkling biography--the first in-depth portrait of Milgram--Thomas Blass captures the colorful personality and pioneering work of a social psychologist who profoundly altered the way we think about human nature.
Born in the Bronx in 1933, Stanley Milgram was the son of Eastern European Jews, and his powerful Obedience Experiments had obvious intellectual roots in the Holocaust. The experiments, which confirmed that "normal" people would readily inflict pain on innocent victims at the behest of an authority figure, generated a firestorm of public interest and outrage-proving, as they did, that moral beliefs were far more malleable than previously thought. But Milgram also explored other aspects of social psychology, from information overload to television violence to the notion that we live in a small world. Although he died suddenly at the height of his career, his work continues to shape the way we live and think today. Blass offers a brilliant portrait of an eccentric visionary scientist who revealed the hidden workings of our very social world. See following link for full details.
This Week in the History of Psychology is the title of a weekly podcast written and produced by Christopher D. Green, professor of psychology at York University in Toronto, Canada.
I will be showcasing a number of excellent podcasts from this series, the first of which features Raymond Fancher discussing Sigmund Freud's only trip to the United States, which you can listen to in full by Clicking Here
Welcome to the exploring psychology blog, the place where I showcase and review the very best freely available psychology resources on the Internet.
Whether you are new to psychology, currently studying or thinking about studying psychology, or consider yourself an expert in the field, I very much hope that you find the material featured on the exploring psychology blog interesting.
I've had a passionate interest in psychology for over 20 years. I began studying psychology in 1990, and I've been teaching psychology in some capacity or another since 1998.
I have a first class honors degree in psychology and a Masters in Occupational psychology from the University of Sheffield (UK). For a number of years, I was a lecturer in psychology at the University of Huddersfield (UK).
I have built four websites around my teaching and research interests.
