RE: student question
In addition to choking in the social cognition literature, there is the clinical psych literature on cognitive-behavioral approaches. For example, the cognitive-behavioral perspective generally refers to it as catastrophizing, though there are minor differences in usage by various folks (e.g., Beck, Ellis). In David Burns' (1980) listing of specific cognitive distortions (derived from Beck's work), the definitions overlap to some degree. Nevertheless, your example seems most consistent with either "catastrophizing" or "jumping to conclusions." Of the two most common examples of jumping to conclusions, the "fortune teller error" applies to the situation you describe. (The other common example, mind-reading, applies to interpersonal situations.) That's my prediction, at least. -Original Message- From: Carla Grayson [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2000 8:22 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: student question Tipsters, I got this question in the midst of a lecture about schemas. What would you call the phenomenon when a student gets the first few problems on a test wrong and then falls apart on the rest of the test? The idea here is that they think, oh, I didn't get the first couple of questions right, I must not know the material. I think this is some kind of self-perception phenomenon. I know it's not self-fulfilling prophecy (which requires 2 people). Can somebody jog my memory? Thanks! Carla Grayson
RE: some student questions
These questions seem irresistable. I can't wait to see other responses, but here is how I'd answer such questions from students. 1. It's just a hunch mind you, but I think administering a tox screen to that student would be highly illuminating...not a whole lifetime's worth of illumination mind you, but still More seriously: even making the assumption that a particular drug could initiate REM sleep outside of the normal sleep cycle progression, how would that drug be able to specify the content of a dream? Put differently, how would it specify the location and sequence of neurons needed to fire in order to produce such a dream? And remember that our best data refute the common belief that dream-time is different than real-time. From my reading of the literature, events happening in a dream appear to take the same amount of time that they would in our consensually agreed upon reality. So...a whole lifetime in a dream would mean that this student will wake up VERY refreshed, albeit with wrinkles and gray hair. Talk about a drug with a long half-life! (pun intended!) 2. There's a difference between growing neurons and growing a brain. Consider that we've had some difficulty growing neurons. As far as I know, until recently we had NEVER succeeded in demonstrating the growth of new CNS neurons in vivo, whether naturally occurring or induced. Regarding the latter, there was the recent research that showed either (I can't recall) fresh spinal cord regeneration or successful transplantation of neurons in the spines of rats that was viable enough to enable hind leg movement. In a "petri dish," one can add all the nerve growth factors one can afford to synthesize or harvest, but that bunch of neurons will not have all the sensory input and motor feedback from the peripheral NS to which it adapts and responds over the lifespan. Adult human brains act very strangely when denied sensory input. Hop in a floatation tank for a demo. I can't imagine precisely what would happen to an immature brain except to note that without tactile input, babies will die. On the other hand, this question reminds me of some really neat episodes from The Outer Limits and Star Trek! 3. Ignoring all the lurid associations evoked by this account of what you heard, the idea of monkey head transplantation seems theoretically more plausible than Q#2, although just as horrifying. If it is true that it has been accomplished, I'd be curious to know 'for what length of time?' and 'at what dosages was the monkey given immunosuppressives?' Was the monkey's behavior different (or perhaps how different was it considering major surgery) from pre-op functioning? Would the immune system, even in a suppressed state cause enough damage to delicate pathways over time so as to noticeably affect monkey behavior? If I had to guess, I'd tend to think that the monkey was having a "trip" unparalleled by anything produced by LSD or other hallucinogen. It reminds me of the idea that to experience consciousness in someone else's head would be so disorienting because of minor but pervasive idiosyncratic differences in how we perceive. Given that consciousness is a function, presumably, of the body-mind totality of information processing, and that the "body" part of the system has been substituted for a different model with its own "way of doing things" or individual body "culture" I'd suspect that monkey's ongoing awareness (within the range of monkey awareness) was TRIPPING! I don't mean to be anthropomorphic here: I'm presuming that while monkey awareness is not human awareness, it still is primate awareness. -Original Message- From: K Jung [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2000 12:28 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: some student questions Hello All, I have some questions that I was unable to find answers to. 1. A student said they heard of a new drug that forces the user into a REM state in which they live a whole lifetime???!!! He said it was called the dream drug. . . what do you think or know about this? 2. During a discussion on the restrictions on what we are able to "know" about the human brain a student proposed growing one in a petri dish - is this possible??? I know tumors can be grown in this way, what about a whole brain? 3. Related to Q#2, I remember hearing a convo on NPR with the researcher who was able to do a head transplant of a monkey. After searching the npr website I found nothing. I KNOW I heard this and don't believe I was under the influence of a dream drug. Any leads here? Thanks, K Kitty K. Jung, MA Psychology Truckee Meadows Community College Reno, NV [EMAIL PROTECTED] 775.673.7098 _ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. Share information about yourself, create your own public profile at http://profiles.msn.com.
Re: extra credit studying?
Annette, Well here is some positive feedback. I agree with you completely. Further I think that keeping students in college when they do not belong there (perhaps at that time) does them a terrible disservice. Of course you get pounded on by administrators and colleagues of you suggest that. Mel Annette Taylor wrote: > Well, I am bound to get a bunch of negative feedback for my > highly unpopular stance I am about to take--and have in the past. > > Maybe those who are trying really, really hard and just not getting > it are among those maybe have selected the wrong path for them in > life--i.e., perhaps they would be better off in a more technical > program. > > This is not to be pejorative but college is not for everyone. > There is a certain amount of ability to think in the abstract that > is required and expected and assumed to be present in those who have > completed college. That is what it is all about. most of my students > who try and try and try and just can't do it are those who just can't > do the abstract work. > > I would kindly suggest that perhaps they need to reassess their > goals/plans and paths for achieving those. Personally, I have two > step-daughters, both of whom have AA level degrees in nursing (both > with RNs) and both are VERY happy with what they are doing in life > and both are make tons more money than I am.so i want to emphasize > that it is not a negative put down that someone is not 'college material'. > > for psych majors, who largely are drawn to the major because they like > to "help" people there are a myriad of technical professions in the > medical field that can provide an excellent outlet for such ambitions > and goals, without the need for a 4-year degree. > > but honestly, if they are really trying and just can't do it, then > I think the bottom line is they need to reassess all their options > rather than think about extra credit, etc. > > annette > > On Mon, 16 Oct 2000, Linda Walsh wrote: > > > Dear Tipsters, > > I'm once again looking for something to help students who truly seem to be > > trying but not succeeding in class. After Test 1 we spent a good deal of time > > talking about study techniques and self-testing, but test 2 did not show much > > improvement. I have a vague recollection of either a TOP article or TIPS entry > > on someone's "extra credit" assignment which, as I recall, included turning in > > detailed notes on lecture, book, and study questions etc. for the remainder of > > the semester, never missing another class, and other "perfect" study skill > > behavior. Does this sound familiar to any of you before I hit the databases? > > Linda Walsh > > University of Northern Iowa > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > Annette Taylor, Ph. D. > Department of PsychologyE-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > University of San Diego Voice: (619) 260-4006 > 5998 Alcala Park > San Diego, CA 92110 > > "Education is one of the few things a person > is willing to pay for and not get." > -- W. L. Bryan -- Melvyn B. King Associate Professor of Psychology SUNY Cortland Box 2000, Cortland, NY 13045 Phone: (607) 753-4215 Office Fax: (607) 753-5738 http://www.cortland.edu/www/psych/mkhome.html
Re: student question
Research on neurotransmitters on memory performance supports the arousal theory of memory consolidation: increased levels of acetylcholine and norepinephrine are associated with higher levels of neural activity and better memory performance. Are there increased levels of neurotransmitter production during REM sleep? A question asked by one of my high school students?
RE: extra credit studying?
For my upper division cognition class, one week before the exam I give the students a list of about 8 essay questions. These are conceptually based questions that typically require the students to relate empirical results to theories. On the day of the exam I pick three of the questions. Although it is a bit of hand holding, I find this approach lets the students see how I want the material conceptualized. Since they really don't know what to expect on the first exam it helps that way as well. If the students spend the time to work out the answers they should have no problems with the essay portion of the exam (40% of the exam is short answers). Every semester I get exams back where entire essay questions are either left blank or contain some on the spot stream of consciousness. The only extra credit I give in that class is if student's attend an on campus lecture that is related to the course. I do that, not so much to help the students, to provide a respectable attendance at the presentation. Gary J. Klatsky, Ph.D. Department of Psychology[EMAIL PROTECTED] Oswego State University of NY http://www.oswego.edu/~klatsky Oswego, NY 13126Voice: (315) 312 3474 -Original Message- From: Molly Straight [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Wednesday, October 18, 2000 12:14 AM To: Annette Taylor; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: extra credit studying? I agree. I just graded a midterm exam (5 chapters) in Abnormal. I did the idea where I allowed them a 3X5 notecard with whatever they needed on it. You should have seen how small some of the writing was! Amazing. I also gave them a study guide with vocabulary and key concepts for the exam. I gave them choices of what questions to answer on the essay and listing questions (for example, choose 2 out of 3 to answer). Well, I had 7 A's, 5 B's, 2 C's and 2 F's. One student who is a PA student here and very anxious about his grades, got a C. Even with being able to bring his own notes! What that tells me is that he is not able to feret out the concepts from the lectures and text. And he is in big trouble if he can't do that in college. Molly Straight, MA Adjunct Lecturer of Psychology Alderson-Broaddus College Philippi, WV [EMAIL PROTECTED] - Original Message - From: "Annette Taylor" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2000 12:30 PM Subject: Re: extra credit studying? > Well, I am bound to get a bunch of negative feedback for my > highly unpopular stance I am about to take--and have in the past. > > Maybe those who are trying really, really hard and just not getting > it are among those maybe have selected the wrong path for them in > life--i.e., perhaps they would be better off in a more technical > program. > > This is not to be pejorative but college is not for everyone. > There is a certain amount of ability to think in the abstract that > is required and expected and assumed to be present in those who have > completed college. That is what it is all about. most of my students > who try and try and try and just can't do it are those who just can't > do the abstract work. > > I would kindly suggest that perhaps they need to reassess their > goals/plans and paths for achieving those. Personally, I have two > step-daughters, both of whom have AA level degrees in nursing (both > with RNs) and both are VERY happy with what they are doing in life > and both are make tons more money than I am.so i want to emphasize > that it is not a negative put down that someone is not 'college material'. > > for psych majors, who largely are drawn to the major because they like > to "help" people there are a myriad of technical professions in the > medical field that can provide an excellent outlet for such ambitions > and goals, without the need for a 4-year degree. > > but honestly, if they are really trying and just can't do it, then > I think the bottom line is they need to reassess all their options > rather than think about extra credit, etc. > > annette > > > > On Mon, 16 Oct 2000, Linda Walsh wrote: > > > Dear Tipsters, > > I'm once again looking for something to help students who truly seem to be > > trying but not succeeding in class. After Test 1 we spent a good deal of time > > talking about study techniques and self-testing, but test 2 did not show much > > improvement. I have a vague recollection of either a TOP article or TIPS entry > > on someone's "extra credit" assignment which, as I recall, included turning in > > detailed notes on lecture, book, and study questions etc. for the remainder of > > the semester, never missing another class, and other "perfect" study skill > > behavior. Does this sound familiar to any of you before I hit the databases? > > Linda Walsh > > University of Northern Iowa > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > Annette Taylor, Ph. D. > Department of Psychology E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > University of San Diego Voice: (619) 260-4006 > 5998 Alcala Park
Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory
are there some assignments or tasks that you grade as either S or U? I occasionally assign S or U for book reports ,library work or website explorations. I also assign an S+ for excellent work and an S- for work which does not meet up to the standards but not poor enough to be judged as U. Would like some feedback as to your use of S and U and the pros and cons of this assessment factor. Michael Sylvester,PhD Daytona Beach,Florida - This message was sent using Panda Mail. Check your regular email account away from home free! http://bstar.net/panda/
Films and Intro Psych
Here is a compiled list of responses I received regarding the use of feature films in intro psychology. We are planning this to be a critical thinking course and will tie in readings related to contemporary issues in psychology. We are still in the early planning stages of the course but once we have the details worked out I will post our list of films. Gary Gary J. Klatsky, Ph.D. Department of Psychology [EMAIL PROTECTED] Oswego State University of NY http://www.oswego.edu/~klatsky Oswego, NY 13126 Voice: (315) 312 3474 At First Sight Perception Twelve O’Clock High Leadership, Group processes Silence of the Lambs Culture, Deviance, and Psychopathology The Matrix Perception (I’d also use it for Consciousness) TWELVE ANGRY MEN (1957, not rated). Social group processes in a jury. MY FAIR LADY (1964, G). Prof. Henry Higgins uses conditioning principles on Liza Doolittle. CLOCKWORK ORANGE (1971, R). Conditioning to prevent criminal behavior. WARNING: This is a brutal and violent film; use cautiously. ORDINARY PEOPLE (1980, R). Cognitive processes in mental illness and therapy. AWAKENINGS (1990, PG-13). Attitudes and images of people with brain disorders. FLATLINERS (1990, R). Although the characters are medical students, the film actually reflects the psychodynamic perspective because it shows that long-ago traumas come back to haunt you unless you face them head on and develop insight. REGARDING HENRY (1991PG-13). Recovery from brain damage. PRINCE OF TIDES (1991, R). Psychodynamic issues in a disturbed family. Also, raises ethical questions about psychotherapist's relationships. SWING KIDS (1993, PG-13). Social processes in early Nazi Germany. WHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN (1994, R). Cognitive issues in alcoholism and recovery. (I would also think about The Days of Wine and Roses) GATTACA (1997, PG-13). How much are we really determined by our genes? Born on the 4th of July Post Traumatic Stress Dis Psycho Dissociative Disorders Duet for one Stress Disorders Mr. Jones Mood Disorders Fatal attraction Personality Disorders The lost weekend Substance Use Disorders La cage aux folles Sexual Disorders Clean, shaven Schizophrenia On golden pond Neuropsych Disorders anny & Alexander Childhood Disorders Rain man MR & Autism Girl, interrupted DID/MPD Betty blue Psychosis The accused Violence and Abuse House of games "Psychopathy" Prince of tides Ethics Fried Green Tomatoes Stand by Me Radio Flyer Heathers My Life Waiting to Exhale My Life as a Dog Conrack To Sir With Love Muriel’s Wedding What’s Eating Gilbert Grape The Big Chill sex, lies and videotape Torch Song Trilogy The Prince of Tides Shadowlands Grand Canyon Ordinary People The World According to Garp Mr. Holland’s Opus Cocoon IQ Four Weddings and a Funeral Field of Dreams Forrest Gump American History X
Re: student question
Self-efficacy problem??? How about it being a test anxiety problem? I am known throughout the psych majors as the See's candy stick person because I always pass out candy sticks--a measly 30 calories for those who are counting, but I always tell students that we can take a lesson from babies--when stressed, they suck. So I pass out something to suck on. Since only a few really have test anxiety, the rest just enjoy trading flavors and their 30 calorie treat. They are also cheap--within my personal budget :-) annette On Tue, 17 Oct 2000, Carla Grayson wrote: > > Tipsters, > > I got this question in the midst of a lecture about schemas. What would > you call the phenomenon when a student gets the first few problems on a > test wrong and then falls apart on the rest of the test? The idea here > is that they think, oh, I didn't get the first couple of questions > right, I must not know the material. I think this is some kind of > self-perception phenomenon. I know it's not self-fulfilling prophecy > (which requires 2 people). Can somebody jog my memory? > > Thanks! > Carla Grayson > > Annette Taylor, Ph. D. Department of PsychologyE-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] University of San Diego Voice: (619) 260-4006 5998 Alcala Park San Diego, CA 92110 "Education is one of the few things a person is willing to pay for and not get." -- W. L. Bryan
Re: student question
Paul: Good question and I anxiously await the answer as well.. in the meantime I had always thought that it was the increased neural activity in general during rem sleep that affects memory. I have no references handy --do any other tipsters? -- but I have read/heard that if you wake individuals during REM sleep that they will have a detrimental effect on a memory task learned just before going to sleep. those left to sleep through REM sleep but periodically awakened in other sleep stages perform as well as individuals who are allowed to sleep all night undisturbed. sometimes, after teaching for nearly 15 years now, it is hard to track down where and when I learned somethingso if I am wrong I'd like to be corrected. annnette On Wed, 18 Oct 2000, Paul Leiberton wrote: > > > > Research on neurotransmitters on memory performance supports the arousal > theory of memory consolidation: increased levels of acetylcholine and > norepinephrine are associated with higher levels of neural activity and > better memory performance. > > > Are there increased levels of neurotransmitter production during > REM sleep? A question asked by one of my high school students? > > Annette Taylor, Ph. D. Department of PsychologyE-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] University of San Diego Voice: (619) 260-4006 5998 Alcala Park San Diego, CA 92110 "Education is one of the few things a person is willing to pay for and not get." -- W. L. Bryan
Re: Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory
I do something similar with a +/0/- system from best to worst. The problem is assigning a grade later in the big picture of the course grade. Generally I do this only with relatively more 'trivial' assignments-- ones that can be aced by shear muscle rather than extensive conceptual thinking. I try not to have too many assignments of this type and am very punitive with late assignments of this type. this is because a student could 'ace' the course with busy work and still not really understand fundamental concepts. Examples of these assignments: website reviews/critiques; critique of research participation--we don't have a formal subject pool so for my students who participate in research I don't give credit just for participation--they have to hand in a critique of what they did and how it relates to coursework; article critiques; simple exercises from various software programs I use in class (i.e., Integrator software in intro), etc. So the caution I am over doing here is regarding not basing too much of a grade on these types of exercises because in most of the classes I teach I expect a higher level of conceptualization than these types of exercises typically require. annette On Wed, 18 Oct 2000 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > are there some assignments or tasks that you grade as either S or U? > I occasionally assign S or U for book reports ,library work > or website explorations. > I also assign an S+ for excellent work and an S- for work > which does not meet up to the standards but not poor enough > to be judged as U. > Would like some feedback as to your use of S and U and > the pros and cons of this assessment factor. > > Michael Sylvester,PhD > Daytona > Beach,Florida > > > - > This message was sent using Panda Mail. Check your regular email account away from >home > free! http://bstar.net/panda/ > > > Annette Taylor, Ph. D. Department of PsychologyE-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] University of San Diego Voice: (619) 260-4006 5998 Alcala Park San Diego, CA 92110 "Education is one of the few things a person is willing to pay for and not get." -- W. L. Bryan
Re: Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory
On Wed, 18 Oct 2000 12:38:02 + [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
>
> are there some assignments or tasks that you grade as either S or U?
> I occasionally assign S or U for book reports ,library work
> or website explorations.
> I also assign an S+ for excellent work and an S- for work
> which does not meet up to the standards but not poor enough
> to be judged as U.
> Would like some feedback as to your use of S and U and
> the pros and cons of this assessment factor.
>
> Michael Sylvester,PhD
> Daytona
> Beach,Florida
I have been grading APA-style lab reports in my Research Methods classes
using a qualitative (Excellent, Acceptable, Marginal, Unacceptable,
Omitted, & Not Applicable) system for specific information within each
section (e.g., review of relevant literature, statement of the problem,
inverted pyramid organization in the Intro) with a numerical score
assigned to each section as a whole. I just changed the system to include
only Acceptable and Unacceptable for certain specific items (e.g.,
grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc). I've not decided yet whether I
should assign a maximum number of errors allowed before assigning a score
of Unacceptable.
I'd like to know how others handle it. --SLS
+++
+__Sherry L. Serdikoff, Ph.D. +
+ * * School of Psychology +
+ * OO * James Madison University +
+ ** MSC 7401 {)__(} +
+ *(. .)* Harrisonburg, VA 22807 (oo) +
+ \ / E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] -o0o-=\/=-o0o- +
+ \/ Telephone: 540-568-7089 +
+ FAX Number: 540-568-3322 +
+++
personal statements
Greetings TIPSters, A student asked me this morning whether I knew of a place where she could find samples of personal statements for graduate school. Any ideas (or sites)? Cheers, -- Steven M. Specht, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Psychology Psychology Department Utica College of Syracuse University 1600 Burrstone Rd. Utica, NY 13502 (315) 792-3171 "To teach is to learn twice". - Joseph Joubert (1754-1824)
other options for students (was extra credit studying)
Re: e-mails suggesting that the student think about other options In reference to some of these e-mails, does your program have a policy for students that are not succeeding? We have decided to enact a policy that, if a student does not have a 2.0 GPA or needs to take a particular class more than 3 times, that the student cannot be a Psych Major. However, we need something official (besides suggest that they look into another major). We have thought about contracts, sending the student to the career center, find help with their reading and writing skills, etc. If they do register for a psych course, should they be withdrawn from that course? I would like to repeat Annette's comments that I am not trying to be rude, but I feel that we are doing a great disservice to our students by allowing them to continue in a program that they are not succeeding in. The question is, should we allow the student to continue to struggle (and, in these cases I am referring to, continue to fail) or should we step in and do something as advisors? I am not against giving a student a chance - I know that I have a number of advisees that had too much fun their freshman year and now they are trying to fix that problem. And I have had students that have gotten through the program by the skin of their teeth by working their butts off. I am talking about the students with the 1.5 GPA, who have never gotten a higher grade than a C, and, when they come into advising, swear they are making all A's and B's, and honestly believe they pull up their GPA because they plan on going to graduate school. Any help would be appreciated. Deb Dr. Deborah S. Briihl Dept. of Psychology and Counseling Valdosta State University Valdosta, GA 31698 (229) 333-5994 [EMAIL PROTECTED] Well I know these voices must be my soul... Rhyme and Reason - DMB
Re: personal statements
Steven asked: > A student asked me this morning whether I knew of a place where she > could find samples of personal statements for graduate school. Any ideas > (or sites)? I kinda wonder what the student would do with these samples. The key word in "personal statement," it seems to me, is "personal." I'm also afraid that (if one finds anything at all) such statements are likely to be generic and not persuasive for any particular program. I am an unapologetic shill--and by now something of a broken record for TIPS subscribers--for the following. Any student who even remotely imagines that he or she will ever go to graduate school (or any faculty member who advises such a student) really owes it to him or herself to read "The complete guide to graduate school admission," by Patricia Keith-Spiegel and Michael Wiederman (Erlbaum, 2000). Chapter 19 in that book is devoted entirely to statements of purpose, how to gather information for them, and how to construct them. Best $25 investment (for the paperback) in his/her future the student could make, and probably a lot quicker than fishing around on the Internet. Pat Cabe ** Patrick Cabe, Ph.D. Department of Psychology University of North Carolina at Pembroke One University Drive Pembroke, NC 28372-1510 (910) 521-6630 [EMAIL PROTECTED] "Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty." Thomas Jefferson "There is the danger that everyone waits idly for others to act in his stead." Albert Einstein "Majorities simply follow minorities. Gandhi
Re: personal statements
Steven, I've lost my copy, unfortunately, but in the last year or so the APS Observer published a small section on how to write an effective personal statement. You might try to find it. One piece of advice I remember, in particular, is that students should consider these *PROFESSIONAL* statements as opposed to "personal" statements. Anyone who has read graduate school applications knows that many students divulge far too much personal information in these statements, and they read more like autobiographies than statements of purpose and relevant experience. -Mike At 11:11 AM 10/18/00 -0400, Steven Specht wrote: >Greetings TIPSters, >A student asked me this morning whether I knew of a place where she >could find samples of personal statements for graduate school. Any ideas >(or sites)? > >Cheers, > >-- > > >Steven M. Specht, Ph.D. >Associate Professor of Psychology >Psychology Department >Utica College of Syracuse University >1600 Burrstone Rd. >Utica, NY 13502 >(315) 792-3171 > >"To teach is to learn twice". - Joseph Joubert (1754-1824) Michael J. Kane Department of Psychology P.O. Box 26164 University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro, NC 27402-6164 email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] phone: 336-256-1022 fax: 336-334-5066
personal statements
The APS Observer article on this topic was in the Dec. 1999 issue. It's a good resource for prospective graduate students. Retta Poe Department of Psychology Western Kentucky University Bowling Green, Ky. 42101 begin:vcard n:Poe;Retta tel;fax:(270) 745-6934 tel;work:(270) 745-4409 x-mozilla-html:FALSE url:http://edtech.cebs.wku.edu/~rpoe/ org:Western Kentucky University;Department of Psychology adr:;;1 Big Red Way;Bowling Green;Ky. ;42101;USA version:2.1 email;internet:[EMAIL PROTECTED] title:Professor of Psychology x-mozilla-cpt:;-26272 fn:Retta E. Poe end:vcard
re: personal statements
No examples of personal statements, per se, but plenty of advice: http://www.skidmore.edu/~hfoley/studentadvice.htm Then go to the Grad School link and you'll find all sorts of information, including advice on personal statements (under "How Can I Meet All Those Requirements"). Hugh Hugh Foley|| Department of Psychology || Skidmore College || Saratoga Springs, NY 12866| TIMING TIM ING | (518) 580-5308|| [EMAIL PROTECTED] || http://www.skidmore.edu/~hfoley ||
Re: personal statements
Check out my webpage! http://home.att.net/~Jessica-Percodani There are several helpful sites under the heading "Applying to Graduate School", which are not specifically addressed as relating to personal statements, but once you go to the sites they usually have a table of contents and personal statements will be listed individually. A few of the sites do give sample essays. Jessica Percodani M.S. Counseling/Clinical Psy.D. Student Chestnut Hill College Philadelphia, PA - Original Message - From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> - Original Message - From: Steven Specht <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: tips <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Wednesday, October 18, 2000 8:11 AM Subject: personal statements > Greetings TIPSters, > A student asked me this morning whether I knew of a place where she > could find samples of personal statements for graduate school. Any ideas > (or sites)? > > Cheers, > > -- > > > Steven M. Specht, Ph.D. > Associate Professor of Psychology > Psychology Department > Utica College of Syracuse University > 1600 Burrstone Rd. > Utica, NY 13502 > (315) 792-3171 > > "To teach is to learn twice". - Joseph Joubert (1754-1824) > > >
extra credit studying
I know my original request has resulted in a different thread, but for anyone who might be interested, I found the reference I was seeking: Junn, E. (1995). Empowering the marginal student: A skill-based extra-credit assignment. Teaching of Psychology 22, 189-192. The extra-credit assignment (following disappointing midterm performance) required (for the remainder of the semester): attendence at all remaining classes weekly detailed, organized and highlighted class notes weekly text notes and questions weekly submission of flashcards weekly submission of mnemonic devises or memory aids for the material documented other active learning (e.g. study group, parent testing them), and increased participation in class. I decided to use the the first 4 of these plus 2 additional requirements: weekly submission of online quizzes provided at my text's website student evaluation of the types of questions that they missed, why, and what they can do to avoid this problem on the next test for the midterm (test 2) and test 3 for those struggling in Biopsychology. These are not, in most cases, the generally marginal students that other posts have mentioned, but students without good study strategies for biologically oriented classes. Linda Walsh University of Northern Iowa
Re: F-ratio - can anyone provide a simple explanation?
Dear Tipsters, I forward a nice technical response from my statistical colleague, Dale Stout. Stuart Question: Wee thing that's bothering me: If in ANOVA, the F-ratio is (error variance + treatment variance)/error variance how can F < 1? This goes back into understanding that a variance based on a small number will tend to be smaller than a variance based on a large number of members. So we GENERALLY expect that a variance based on three scores to be smaller than a variance based on 25 scores (in fact this relates to the last question we talked about on S). Now the EXPECTED VALUE of F is EQUAL TO 1 (). Thats because VARIANCE is a an UNBIASED ESTIMATOR, therefore, REGARDLESS of sample size the expected value of the variance is unaffected. So when Ho IS TRUE, the ratio [error variance + treatment variance]/error variance has to equal 1, because expected values are equal even though the information upon which the two variance estimates are based are different. That is the numerator is based on a variance estimate that is derived from first estimating the variance of the SAMPLING DISTRIBUTION OF MEANS (using three Means in a standard simple oneway ANOVA type example - thus the variance estimate of the sampling distribution is based on a few members - 3 ) and then we multiply this estimate by n (sample size), because we know that variance of a sampling distribution is n-times less variable than scores. The denomenator, 'error variance', is based on a pooling of the group scores (within group estimate - which makes for three estimates based on n scores in each group). So if Ho is true, then the EXPECTED VALUES of the numerator and the denomenator will be equal. . BUT your question is, why are we likely to get an F less than one. Well, because we are not talking about EXPECTED VALUES, but ACTUAL estimates, we realize that the numerator is based on only 3 members of the population of means (using my example of a one-way above), thus that variance estimate is going to tend to be SMALL. When we multiply this by n, we are multiplying an underestimate to get an estimate of the population variance, which will make it a small estimate ( that is because means are less variable than scores by a factor of 'n', and given that our estimate of the sampling distribution of means is small, we get a small estimate for the variance of scores.).The Denomenator (Within Group Estimate) is based on more information, more members, therefore as an estimate it will not only be 'better', but it will likely be larger (say we have 20 people in each group, we are basing our estimate on pooling variances based on 20 bits of information each.) Thus, in practice the F we OBTAIN will be smaller because the numerator tends to be smaller than the denomenator... and this all because of the nature of sampling & the sample size upon which estimates are based. If you want to talk about this, I would be happy to show you how it all works - that the between and within group estimates are INDEPENDENT estimates of the same variance IF Ho IS TRUE. SO, IN OTHER WORDS, THE SAMPLING DISTRIBUTION OF THE F STATISTIC IS POSITIVELY SKEWED. ACCORDING TO THE CENTRAL LIMIT THEOREM, THIS SAMPLING DISTRIBUTION WILL BECOME NORMAL IF n is sufficiently large. In this case we would have to increase the number of means used in making the Between group estimate. So, for all intents and purposes, the F-distribution should be thought of as positively skewed, with a mean of 1, if Ho is true. This means that most F values are less than 1. You asked: "Would you consider the F-test to be one-tailed?" YES. Because it is almost alway positively skewed, and F has to be greated than 1 to be significant. anything less is generally regarded as being what is most frequent. We could argue that we should establish a tail for really small F's - that it is not likely to keep getting F's that are near zero by sampling alone. Some argue that if we are showing that a treatment produces group means are the same, exactly or close to exactly the same, thus F's will be near zero - we could calculate such probabilities for a two tailed test. But these kinds of test are very infrequent in our literature, but certainly possible. I hope this all helps and makes ANOVA clear at least its logic. Cheers, Dale (LZS) Bishop's University Psychology Department Web Page: http://www.ubishops.ca/ccc/div/soc/psy ___ Dale Stout Box 5 Psychology Department Bishop's University Lennoxville, Quebec J1M 1Z7 Phone (819) 822 - 9600 Ext: 2440 Fax (819) 822 - 9661 > Date: Mon, 16 Oct 2000 11:38:22 -0500 > From: Mike Scoles <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Re: F-ratio - can anyone provide a simple explanation? > Antoinette - > > I am not sure that there is a simple e
RE: Ames Room dimensions
Thanks to all for the information about the Ames room. I might decide to make it smaller. My original reason was political. There is a room in our building that is not currently being used. It is too small for a classroom but great for a computer lab (ours is new but crowded). Off to the side of the room is a long alcove without windows. My colleagues and I figured that if we could demonstrate that we needed the alcove for classroom demonstration, it would strengthen our argument for the room itself. Wasn't it John Kenneth Galbraith who said "the reason academic politics are so vicious is because there is so little at stake"? >From: "Paul C. Smith" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Reply-To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: RE: Ames Room dimensions >Date: Mon, 16 Oct 2000 07:08:28 -0500 > >Pat Cabe wrote: > > > > Not to question your decision, Harry, but a 8x8x8 space is > > quite a lot of room to give up to a single demonstration. I'd wonder >whether > > there might be more advantageous, and less space-intensive projects, you >might consider. > > I have a small Ames room, roughly 2-1/2 feet on a side, and it's quite >effective. > >Paul Smith >Alverno College > _ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. Share information about yourself, create your own public profile at http://profiles.msn.com.
Dream a little (non-REM) dream
On Wed, 18 Oct 2000, Paul Leiberton wrote:
> Are there increased levels of neurotransmitter production during
> REM sleep? A question asked by one of my high school students?
>
The long-standing answer seems to be yes. The problem is that no
one can decide what those neurotransmitters should be. I believe
the originator of the first biochemical theory of sleep was the
French neurophysiologist Michel Jouvet, whose classic papers (and
much more) are available on-line at:
http://sommeil.univ-lyon1.fr/index_e.html
See, in particular, his non-technical paper "The States of
Sleep", Scientific American, vol 216, 1967. He proposed there
that REM sleep is caused by the release of noradrenalin from the
locus coeruleus in the brainstem.
Unfortunately, although he provided some impressive evidence in
support of his hypothesis, there were enough negative findings to
weaken acceptance of the theory. Hobson & McCarley ("The brain as
a dream-state generator", American Journal of Psychiatry, 1977,v
134, 1335--) instead argued in an important paper that the
REM-inducing chemical was acetylcholine from the pons, and the
locus coeruleus actually turned REM off (just to show you how
little people really knew).
And even as we (metaphorically) speak, Mark Solms ("Dreaming and
REM sleep are controlled by different brain mechanisms", in
press, Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 23) has little to say about
the proposal that acetylcholine is involved in REM sleep, but
quite a bit about proposing that yet another neurochemical,
dopamine, is responsible for dreaming, and the critical region is
the forebrain, not the brainstem.
This relates to one of my favourite themes in physiological
psychology: that while most undergraduates are undoubtedly still
being taught that REM sleep = dreaming, this has been known to be
untrue for a long time.
Solms is quite clear on this point. First he reviews the
original Foulkes data showing that dreams can occur during NREM
sleep. Then he points out that while there are a large number of
human cases of brainstem damage eliminating REM sleep, there is
no evidence that this impairs dreaming (but unfortunately,
little evidence that dreaming continues, either). He also cites
a substantial body of evidence that forebrain lesions impair
dreaming without affecting REM sleep. He says:
"These observations demonstrate conclusively that dreaming can
be initiated by forebrain mechanisms (which are unrelated to REM
sleep) and terminated by forebrain lesions (which spare the REM
cycle").
And if that's not clear enough, he concludes:
"Dreaming and REM sleep are in fact doubly dissociable states,
they have different physiological mechanisms, and in all
likelihood they serve different functional purposes...Progress in
this area will now be hampered if we do not acknowledge our
initial error."
I acknowledge. While his paper isn't yet published, it's
available in draft form at:
http://www.cogsci.soton.ac.uk/bbs/Archive/bbs.solms.html
Isn't the Internet wonderful?
-Stephen
Stephen Black, Ph.D. tel: (819) 822-9600 ext 2470
Department of Psychology fax: (819) 822-9661
Bishop's Universitye-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Lennoxville, QC
J1M 1Z7
Canada Department web page at http://www.ubishops.ca/ccc/div/soc/psy
Check out TIPS listserv for teachers of psychology at:
http://www.frostburg.edu/dept/psyc/southerly/tips/
