Unit 1: The Science of Psychology Investigating Variation in Replicability: A "Many Labs" Replication Project , Richard A. Klein et al., Social Psychology , 2014 A classic saying from science is "if it hasn''t happened twice, it hasn''t happened." A team of 51 researchers collaborated to replicate the research findings of 10 previously published studies. Surprisingly, some of the published outcomes did not replicate, and the reasons for failed replication were not due to lab versus online testing or United States versus international samples. A Scientific Pioneer and a Reluctant Role Model , Erin Millar, The Globe and Mail , 2012 From the early days of neurosurgery, Dr. Brenda Milner describes her role as both a researcher and a role model for other female scientists who work in male-dominated fields of study. By working, succeeding, and excelling in a male-dominated area such as neuroscience, Milner was able to challenge stereotypes and break down barriers for others.

That''s So Random: Why We Persist in Seeing Streaks , Carl Zimmer, The New York Times , 2014 Humans can have a difficult time in recognizing patterns; sometimes we see patterns that are not present, and other times we miss patterns occurring in front of us. The ability to understand when an event is random (or not) can have momentous influence on how we make decisions. Why Wait? The Science behind Procrastination , Eric Jaffe, APS Observer , 2013 Procrastination is more than just putting off a task until tomorrow or having a poor concept of time. Procrastination is more about the inability to self-regulate, even when knowing that delays can lead to harmful or undesired outcomes. Ten Famous Psychological Experiments That Could Never Happen Today , Meredith Danko, Mental Floss , 2013 There are classic studies in the history of psychology that shape some of the basic, core beliefs that psychologists hold about human behavior. Some of these studies were controversial at the time, and they would be difficult to replicate today due to ethical guidelines. But we can still learn much about human behavior by understanding the outcomes of these classic studies. Unit 2: Biological Bases of Behavior Sleep Deprivation and False Confessions , Steven J.

Frenda et al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America , 2016 From 15 percent to 25 percent of criminal convictions in the United States occur due to false confessions. In a fascinating research study, these authors report that individuals who were in sleep-deprived states (after having been up all night) were 4.5 more likely to offer a false confession compared to normally rested participants. Innocence or guilt may heavily rely on a good night''s sleep. A Single Brain Structure May Give Winners That Extra Physical Edge , Sandra Upson, Scientific American , 2012 Reporting on the outcomes of recent research, Upson describes the brain''s insular cortex (also called the insula) and its role in helping athletes anticipate future feelings. A more highly developed insula in athletes may help them with better interoception--the sense of the body''s internal state. Athletes with highly precise interoception may experience a competitive advantage.

The New Science of Mind , Eric R. Kandel, The New York Times , 2013 The connections between mind and body are becoming clearer with the advent of researchers attempting to better understand the biology of depression or the effects of psychotherapy. Even at the genetic level, researchers are beginning to understand that small differences in genes can help to explain certain conditions, such as autism or schizophrenia. How to Spot a Murderer''s Brain , Tim Adams, The Guardian , 2013 The study of neurocriminology involves the exploration of physical, biological abnormalities and their relative contribution in the explanation and motivation of criminal behavior. This field is not without controversy, because many believe that crime is a result of social and environmental factors, and is not genetically predisposed. Unit 3: Perceptual Processes Some People Are More Likely to See Faces in Things , Moheb Constandi, Braindecoder , 2015 The ability to see images in places where those images are unlikely to exist (e.g., seeing the image of a famous historical figure in a slice of toast) is called pareidolia.

This reporter writes about recent research where the ability to detect such images is related to both personality characteristics and current mood states. A New Way to Trick the Brain and Beat Jet Lag , Randy Rieland, Smithsonian , 2016. There are certain tricks that researchers are uncovering about the relationship between brain function and interacting in our environment. In one study, researchers were able to reduce the amount of jet lag (sleepiness) by manipulating the light that passes through the eyelids. Other new research-based "tricks" involve not "watching" what you eat and not thinking too much about that new, desired habit. Understanding Human Perception by Human-made Illusions , Claus-Christian Carbon, Frontiers in Human Neuroscience , 2014 Although visual illusions can be fun to view, researchers believe that by studying the limitations of human perception, the cognitive processes that drive perception can be better understood. The author believes that by garnering attention to the visual illusions, viewers can become more interested in understanding and studying the psychological phenomena that cause these illusions in the first place. Unit 4: Learning Phobias: The Rationale behind Irrational Fears , Dean Burnett, The Guardian , 2013 The author addresses details about phobias, including arachnophobia and agoraphobia, as well as some thoughts about how they develop and treatment options.

You Have No Idea What Happened , Maria Konnikova, The New Yorker , 2015 Researchers now understand that memories for emotional events are truly different than memories for regular, everyday events. One''s confidence in a recollection of events may be related to the emotionality of that event. A ''Learning'' Attitude Helps Boost Job Search Success , Scott Sleek, Alexandra Michel, and Anna Mikulak, APS Observer , 2015 When college seniors viewed their job search as an opportunity to learn, they successfully increased their chances of landing a job. Also, researchers reported that a moderate amount of stress helped job seekers be successful--thus, stress is not always universally bad. T he Science of Learning: Five Classic Studies , Tom Stafford, The Guardian , 2015 This is a very nice summary of five key studies in the psychology of learning. The studies selected by the author describe the construction and recollection of memories over time, the operant behavior of rats, multiple memory systems, how novices and experts think about situations differently (like chess), and the thousands of hours that it takes to acquire expertise. B. F.

Skinner at Harvard , Gregory A. Briker, The Harvard Crimson , 2014 In this retrospective piece about B.F. Skinner, his graduate school habits and freedom to conduct research at Harvard are discussed and examined. Unit 5: Cognitive Processes Strengthening the Student Toolbox: Study Strategies to Boost Learning , John Dunlosky, American Educator , 2013 Researchers who study metacognition study individuals'' thinking about their own thinking; one aspect of this topic is called self-regulated learning, which involves decision-making about what to study, how to study, how long to study, and so on. This author provides an excellent research summary on key topics relating to self-regulated learning, including the benefits of practice testing, distributed practice, interleaved practice, and self-explanation. The Epidemic of Media Multitasking While Learning , Annie Murphy Paul, The Brilliant Blog , 2013 This author describes research suggesting that when students multitask during schoolwork, the learning is less effective and shallower as compared to studying with full attention. Other negative performance effects associated with multitasking, such as more time needed to complete assignments, more mistakes, and lower grades, have also been documented.

Pigeons, Like Humans, Can Behave Irrationally , Sandra Upson, Scientific American , 2013 Researchers are exploring the idea that if animals exhibit irrational behaviors (such as gambling), that commonality with humans may lead to some of the underlying brain mechanisms. Using pigeons in a laboratory, the researchers noted that pigeons ma.