Comments for PsychBLOG.co.uk

Comment on Eyewitness testimony: Can you really trust your own eyes? by Jonathan

Jonathan — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:53:09 +0000

This is something I’ve been thinking about a lot recently. Some of my friends recount events that we were both involved in many years ago in ways that are different to how I remember them. Sometimes only subtly or with rose-tinted embellishments, but other times their descriptions are totally skewed with people saying things they never said or even confusing separate events as if they occurred together.
I’ve always been sure I remember events very accurately , but my recent thoughts have been dwelling on the possibility that my above opinions of others’ memories may sometimes have been incorrect. I mean, how do I know for sure that my versions are right and theirs are not, with nothing to rely upon but my own memory? Why do I trust my own memories above those of others?

Comment on Autism: Is it all in the eyes? by Dan

Dan — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 19:19:43 +0000

I do think autism is one path to come at these subjects due to the flocking/funneling effect I explained above. I am quite emotive, and I scored 11 in the AQ test (despite a couple of loaded math questions like “are you interested in numbers and patterns?” well duh… I do maths…) and got 30 out of 36 on the Glenn Rowe test. I think about maths every day. But I’m not a nerd and I’m not remotely autistic.

If I were a girl I would be very offended by the suggestion that a hyper-female (as opposed to autistic, hyper-male) brain would have “systems-blindness” (*derisive snort*) and presumably an incapability to do maths or science or engineering. My lecturer this year in algebraic number theory (at one of the world’s top ten universities) was one of the girliest girls I have ever met. You would probably take her for a ditzy bimbo if you met her. But she has a scary knowledge of mathematics. She can do this because there is nothing inherently male about mathematics.

All that is true is that (on average) men are more into maths than women, and that (on average) autistic people are more into maths than non-autistic people. Extremely girly women can be mathematically minded, but Baron-Cohen seems not to be aware of these women. Probably because he hasn’t met them.

Comment on Autism: Is it all in the eyes? by Dan

Dan — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 19:19:13 +0000

Really interesting webpage. I am a mathematics masters student, in my experience I have, I think, only known one person who I thought was autistic (a fellow student), although he could just have been strange. I have never had any autistic professors either, and until recently (talking to people who I have met who work with autistic kids) I never thought anything of it before, but now I did some research. Prevalence of autism and Aspergers seems to be reasonably high in mathematicians, but only about the same as in males vs females. As Sir Michael Atiyah has said, “the vast majority of mathematicians do not show any autistic traits”.

I don’t agree with the “systemizing vs empathizing” point of view of Baron-Cohen, come to mention it. I just think any subject that has to do with people (english, humanities), is not an option for autistic people, so they flock to the other subjects. It’s “about people vs not about people”. I don’t think it’s even possible to batch mathematics, engineering, physics and chemistry under a pale, trite phrase such as “systemizing” (try as I might it rings hollow for me). What is possible is to point out that they have something simple in common – they aren’t about people.

Comment on Contact by mandy

mandy — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 22:58:08 +0000

Hi alan
I am also an AQA A Psych teacher and the debates in jan 09 were ‘reductionism’ and ‘against psychology is a science; use research studies in your answer’. Last year of AQA, we changed to Edexcel in sept 08. good luck to your students!
Mandy :O)

Comment on Contact by Alan kitchener

Alan kitchener — Mon, 18 May 2009 10:50:11 +0000

Hi I teach AQA A Psychology
I am preparing my students for the Paper 5 Issues, debates Etc
It would be really useful to know which 2 Debates were on the January Paper but I cannot find any clues anywhere. Do you know or if not someone who does? Thanks

Comment on G541 Psychological Investigations Revision by Tricia

Tricia — Thu, 14 May 2009 18:48:27 +0000

Ths was really helpful, as im taking the resit exam for this unit tomorrow!
was a great refresher powerpoint and i will undoubtedly pass it on to my subject teacher.
thanks

Comment on G541 Psychological Investigations Revision by Poppy - Pc World

Poppy - Pc World — Mon, 11 May 2009 11:41:09 +0000

aha… I do not need to pass any exam, I’m just interested in the developpments on G541 … found this presentation quite informative from the point that there are some blenk spaces in my knowlegde that must be fill in! :)

Comment on Projective Tests: What do you see? by Basuki Hardjo

Basuki Hardjo — Mon, 11 May 2009 10:16:26 +0000

pProjective Tests are very speculative.

Comment on Projective Tests: What do you see? by Liam - Titanic Divx

Liam - Titanic Divx — Mon, 11 May 2009 09:49:29 +0000

You know what? in this picture there is nothing this secial, but still when colorized it looks relly great! It so cool to make something worthy just out of nothing! it’s a real art! great, i like it!

Comment on The pressures of being a ‘role model’ by PsychoCliff

PsychoCliff — Thu, 07 May 2009 23:01:09 +0000

For starters Hanxa you should be setting a good example by reading mags like Psych Review and not Jazz!

Seriously though, as a teacher you are always going to be a role model whatever, even more so if you are a male teacher in a female dominated subject like Psych.

I’ve seen psych teachers come and go over the last few decades and these days it is such a monitoring culture that one cannot afford to get sucked into what is just a bi-product of the blame culture we as teachers have to operate in.

One way i have found to get around my swearing in my classes is to use “Personal swear words” – you know what i mean you clever “Baskets”! Does this mean i can be sacked at a semantic level but not structural??

Anyway i’m off now to ride my 170mph sports motorbike – poor role model for Psychology HODs out there or just human……….although i do have a reflective visor come to think of it.

Comment on Finding a study that fits by Grian

Grian — Thu, 07 May 2009 15:23:06 +0000

This is all great man. Does the cost-reward model count as an issue? ta x

Comment on Individual Differences: Thigpen & Cleckley (1954) by lol

lol — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 19:47:41 +0000

i think this case was fake.

Comment on Diffusion of responsibility or irresponsibility by jeiny

jeiny — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 18:03:48 +0000

you never know what you’d do unless you’re in that situation.

Comment on AS Study Full Text References (Spec. 2008) by fizzah

fizzah — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 11:07:59 +0000

i love this website. it’s helpful :)

Comment on Power Point Parade by Krystyna Parker

Krystyna Parker — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 17:28:16 +0000

Many thanks! It’s my first year teaching psychology and all help is much appreciated.

Comment on The BBC Prison Study by pratista gurung

pratista gurung — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:07:43 +0000

hi
i am a psychology A level student from nepal
and hearing of this dvd that has helped you is remarkable
we dont have those resources here as A levels is still a new area of education here. yes we are limited to theorical studying styles which makes psychology difficult for us in nepal.

Comment on Looking inside the brain in real time. Possible? by Rani

Rani — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 11:00:41 +0000

I believe that we can have more and more advance technology to know further whatever happens in our bodies, esp. brain but no technology will compete human body itself. Because comparing with computer, brain has no cables or blood and does not need electricity or battery. But still it would be wonderful to see what’s going on in our brains in real time, in case we will know how to control pain or such thing.

Comment on SLT: Grand Theft Auto might not be so ‘grand’ by jack

jack — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 01:47:51 +0000

Video games themselves aren’t the problem with violence but rather a small part of it. as it was mentioned role models, genes and other factors also have to be taken into account.
Video games themselves can actually help in more ways than you may think possible such as hand eye co-ordination from playing games such as guitar hero or sharpening your mind by playing strategy games such as the age of empire series.
I myself find that after a particularly stressful day it helps to sit in front of a TV and blast away at a few zombies with friends over the internet.
I can understand Jack Thompson’s problem with the more realistic games like Grand Theft Auto because it is harder to separate yourself from the realism of the games
I really don’t see why the entire human population has to be penalised because of maybe a handful of people that have murdered people and then blamed video games as a way of easing their sentence.

Comment on SLT: Grand Theft Auto might not be so ‘grand’ by Yoni

Yoni — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 14:49:04 +0000

I think violent games are not so bad for all children because not all kids get bad messages from video games. I think video games can make you smarter, give you better jobs, and give you more skills. I think that you are right that violent games can make kids more aggressive, but not all kids are the same and not all kids will be aggressive from video games.

Comment on SLT: Grand Theft Auto might not be so ‘grand’ by James

James — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 12:38:52 +0000

Violent games could make you aggressive but there are good sides to violent games perhaps. The good side is that violent games give you a chance to unleash your aggressive feelings in the game instead of doing it in public. The police department in New York said that kids coude unleash their violent actions in GTA or different violent games instead of in the outside world and this has a relaxing effect on children.

Comment on SLT: Grand Theft Auto might not be so ‘grand’ by Elana Goldstein

Elana Goldstein — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 16:34:18 +0000

There is a lot of contradictory evidence on the subject of children and violent video games. The research from the Home Office states that video games can make children more intelligent, provide children with essential skills (like probelm solving skills and recognizing visual clues) and also can give children essential skills for higher ranking jobs in the future. However, there is also a lot of evidence that says that children who play violent video games can become withdrawn and anti-social. Most of the research is not conclusive, and it is hard to isolate violent video games in the larger media picture.
In my opinion, I think that the best thing is for parents to monitor what their children are exposed to. I recently read some research that states that home environment has more of an impact of children’s aggressive behavior then video games, and my intial reaction is to agree.

Comment on The Rough Guide to Writing the Assignment by Hayley

Hayley — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 13:21:14 +0000

im still struggling!! can any1 email me nd help?? im doing the article about the 8yr old boy who shot his dad and his friend from ABC news website, i need help!!!

Comment on The BBC Prison Study by Joseph

Joseph — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 08:19:13 +0000

I just checked the preview and looks interesting. I think I’m gonna buy the DVD. I already have a video related to this research, I can only hope that it is not the same.

Comment on May the source be with you … by Esther

Esther — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 17:02:53 +0000

I keep finding articles but no psychology studies to link it to. It’s really frustrating now cuz i’ve been trying for a long time now. please help it’s due in less than 4 weeks n i have not finished the other one.

Comment on A very Merry Christmas to all … by maria

maria — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 21:28:39 +0000

Is he the one that looks like Dermot O’Leary? I got the rest by the above answer it seems…