Myth #1 – What Are the Take-Aways?• Common Sense, Intuition, and Snap Judgments are more

of a reflection of what has happened and has been researched then what will happen.

• Thus, MISTRUST your “common sense” when you hear something or read something about Psychology.• Find research EVIDENCE to support claims.• Don’t buy into something just because it says “studies show.”• Science can be and often IS “uncommon” sense – it requires us to

put aside our personal bias and belief systems and focus primarily on EVIDENCE!• Think about those “experts” and their predictions for Milgrim’s research.• Think about your assumptions about whether or not people would steal

a baby.

Psychological Myths• A combination of misconceptions, urban legends, & old

wives’ tales.

• Why are we so susceptible?

• KNOWLEDGE IS POWER!

• 1800’s: Phrenology was the rage

“Have Your Head Examined!”• Still around…

2. “Phrenology is the science which studies the relationships between a person's character and the morphology of the skull…Today,  much of the criticism against Phrenology can be easily dismissed.” http://www.phrenology.org/intro.html (emphasis added)

• Problem with phrenology?

• fMRI

MYTH #2:PSYCHOLOGY IS NOT A SCIENCEScience v. Pseudoscience

2. SCIENCE is...• HOW something is studied, NOT WHAT.

• Systematic and precise

• Public, open to scrutiny (peer reviewed journals)

• Scientists try to rule stuff out, not PROVE.

• Tentative; MORE is learned over time, changes with evidence (replication)

• Solving SOLVEALBE problems (“Does God exist?)

3. Pseudoscience is…• “Pseudo” means fake

• Aimed at the general public

• Research cannot be reproduced (replicated), not precise

• The “file drawer” problem

• Skeptics must demonstrate proof; fixed ideas

• Appeals to belief or faith; relies on personal testimony

4. Example: Therapeutic Touch

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNoRxCRJ-Y0

Stossel Testing Therapeutic Touch

Other Examples of Pseudoscience…• How do you explain these?

Must Be Aliens!!• Spaceships landing• Invisible energy beams from space

OR….• Horny/busy hedgehogs…• Electrically charged air currents (dust devils’ “Plasma

Vortex Theory”)?

OR …

5. Occam’s Razor (the simplest explanation is probably the best)• Man-made hoaxes

Doug & Dave, 1991

Other Pseudoscience?

6. Polygraph machines…aka “lie detectors”

Measures:• heart rate• blood pressure• respiratory rate• sweatiness (fingers)• infers “increase” means deception

Can You Detect a Liar?Not the first method!

*Rice test

Charles Moulton Marston

7. Polygraphs…research says…

#1: There is no evidence that any pattern of physiological reactions is unique to deception

• An honest person may be nervous when answering truthfully• A dishonest person may be non-anxious

#2: Countermeasures can be effective

• Counting backwards, tack in shoe, breathing changes

#3: Significant error rates

• Not admissible in a court of law as evidence

Discovering Psychology

#4: Placebo-like effects

• The person believes that the test/pill works• “I really did feel tingling …”

Understanding Research: #2 (start at 20:19)

http://www.learner.org/resources/series138.html#

Really “Arousal” Detectors, not “Lie” Detectors

• But, 67% of American public believe they are effective

• Good for anything?

“Guilty knowledge test”

Seldom admissible in court

• Makes for good drama and ratings!• 8. Do you think they should be used for hiring/firing?

As evidence in a court case? Explain.

Detecting lies: microexpressions

9. Brief facial expression (1/25th sec.); occurs when person either deliberately or unconsciously conceals an emotion being felt.

Paul Ekman: The Role of Microexpressions Lie Detection

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBLWh6bbmLE