I was pleased to see the news report of how three teen-aged girls recently won the Siemens Competition in Math, Science and Technology. (click here to see article) Science should not be the exclusive domain of one gender.
As the father of a ten-year-old girl I was especially heartened. Last year she announced how she hated science. But, this year she has changed her mind and now considers science as worthy of her attention.
Mostly, she likes zoology. While driving home from a visit to her grandparents one night recently, she started talking about the insects she saw clustering around the streetlights. Some streetlights hosted swarms of insects while others seemed to have none. As we talked, I gently led her into discussing why that might be. Eventually, we planned a putative science project. My main contribution being the use of a digital camera to photograph the clouds of insects so that we could get a rough count later.
I went to PsycINFO later and found one old article that seemed spot-on:
Porter, L. C. (1941). What kinds of light attract night-flying insects?, General Electric Review, 44, 310-314. I have not secured a copy yet, but will soon.
Some Spring night, she and I will go out and conduct a pilot study, select an independent variable or two, and collect some data, hopefully for the FUN of it.
Monday, December 10, 2007
Friday, November 30, 2007
Science as Entertainment?
Here's a new trend, scientists appearing at bars, taverns, and clubs to a paying audience. Wow.
We professors often grouse about having to entertain our students in class. Now, it turns out, there are people who want to hear scientists talk about their findings in a non-academic setting. Hmmm...I wonder what kinds of topics I could discuss in such a setting?
A few classic studies come to mind: bystander interference, mental rotation, and the decay of memory. I can see it now: One Night Only--Come Learn the Mysteries of the Mind and Behavior. Get you tickets before they sell out. Somehow, I don't think Hanna Montana will worry about me cutting into her ticket sales.
As you might imagine, the venues for such talks are mostly in large cities in the United States. Here's a New York Times article about this new phenomenon.
We professors often grouse about having to entertain our students in class. Now, it turns out, there are people who want to hear scientists talk about their findings in a non-academic setting. Hmmm...I wonder what kinds of topics I could discuss in such a setting?
A few classic studies come to mind: bystander interference, mental rotation, and the decay of memory. I can see it now: One Night Only--Come Learn the Mysteries of the Mind and Behavior. Get you tickets before they sell out. Somehow, I don't think Hanna Montana will worry about me cutting into her ticket sales.
As you might imagine, the venues for such talks are mostly in large cities in the United States. Here's a New York Times article about this new phenomenon.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Instrumentation and Psychology
All science depends on instrumentation to some degree. As we note in chapter 1, Galileo used his telescope to discover data which he later incorporated into his theorizing. Another early pioneer was Robert Hooke. Like Galileo, he refined an instrument and then used it to discover new things. In Hooke's case the instrument was the microscope.
In 1665, Hooke published Micrographia, a book devoted to displaying many of the images he saw using his microscope. Hooke discovered and named cells and looked at ordinary, small objects under magnification for the first time. A recent article in TheScientist.com describes Hooke's research further and links to a display of 17th century microscopes.
In psychology too, instrumentation plays a big role, both historically and currently. The Web page, Brass Instrument Psychology, from the University of Toronto displays many instruments from early psychology in several categories: optical, auditory, and timing.
Another excellent source of historical instruments in psychology is The Archives of American Psychology at the University of Akron. The page displays a long list of categories that are linked to descriptions and pictures of the instruments.
Today, many of the devices used to measure behavior are computerized. Also, the Internet itself along with other networked devices (cell phones and pagers) are being used. Look up "psychological instruments" on Google and you will find mostly links to paper-and-paper "instruments" used to collect data.
Psychologists are well-embedded in one of science's oldest traditions, the use of instruments to reveal truths about the world.
In 1665, Hooke published Micrographia, a book devoted to displaying many of the images he saw using his microscope. Hooke discovered and named cells and looked at ordinary, small objects under magnification for the first time. A recent article in TheScientist.com describes Hooke's research further and links to a display of 17th century microscopes.
In psychology too, instrumentation plays a big role, both historically and currently. The Web page, Brass Instrument Psychology, from the University of Toronto displays many instruments from early psychology in several categories: optical, auditory, and timing.
Another excellent source of historical instruments in psychology is The Archives of American Psychology at the University of Akron. The page displays a long list of categories that are linked to descriptions and pictures of the instruments.
Today, many of the devices used to measure behavior are computerized. Also, the Internet itself along with other networked devices (cell phones and pagers) are being used. Look up "psychological instruments" on Google and you will find mostly links to paper-and-paper "instruments" used to collect data.
Psychologists are well-embedded in one of science's oldest traditions, the use of instruments to reveal truths about the world.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Student Engagement and Undergraduate Research
Student engagement is an elusive concept. From a faculty member's point of view, student engagement might be that all-to-rare student who asks such incisive questions. From a student's point of view, engagement might be working on a big project, doing research, or studying overseas.
Doing those things, what Nessie calls the "high-impact" activities of which big student projects, studying overseas, and conducting research are examples, now have empirical support. (Other high-impact activities include living in learning communities or writing for the school newspaper.) "Nessie" or the National Survey of Student Engagement is an 8-year old survey administered by over 1000 colleges and universities to over 300,000 freshman and seniors. The entire 2007 Annual Report can be downloaded as a PDF file here.
In the latest Nessie, undergraduate research with faculty was an important factor in improving student engagement. More specifically, conducting an undergraduate thesis (based upon empirical data collection) improved critical thinking. Field research and placements were even more valuable. When students have to work in real situations, interact with others outside of the university, and for longer periods the beneficial effects of such close faculty-student interactions become greater.
Another group deeply involved in student engagement is the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AACU). They fund programs related to improving college education, broadly defined.
Obviously, we are big fans of undergraduate research with faculty. So, one way to improve your time in college is to seek out a sympathetic faculty member and work together on a research project.
Doing those things, what Nessie calls the "high-impact" activities of which big student projects, studying overseas, and conducting research are examples, now have empirical support. (Other high-impact activities include living in learning communities or writing for the school newspaper.) "Nessie" or the National Survey of Student Engagement is an 8-year old survey administered by over 1000 colleges and universities to over 300,000 freshman and seniors. The entire 2007 Annual Report can be downloaded as a PDF file here.
In the latest Nessie, undergraduate research with faculty was an important factor in improving student engagement. More specifically, conducting an undergraduate thesis (based upon empirical data collection) improved critical thinking. Field research and placements were even more valuable. When students have to work in real situations, interact with others outside of the university, and for longer periods the beneficial effects of such close faculty-student interactions become greater.
Another group deeply involved in student engagement is the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AACU). They fund programs related to improving college education, broadly defined.
Obviously, we are big fans of undergraduate research with faculty. So, one way to improve your time in college is to seek out a sympathetic faculty member and work together on a research project.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Washoe Dies
Washoe, the chimp famous for communicating in sign language, died today. She was 42.
Washoe was the first ape to learn to communicate with a human using the American Sign Language. That research re-invigorated research in animal cognition.
Here is a New York Times story with more details.
Washoe was the first ape to learn to communicate with a human using the American Sign Language. That research re-invigorated research in animal cognition.
Here is a New York Times story with more details.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Meta-analysis
In chapter 2 we introduce meta-analysis, a statistical procedure for examining the results of a large number of similar studies.
A large meta-analytic study was recently released by the World Cancer Research Fund. That study found links between body fat and six types of cancer. They are: cancer of the esophagus, the pancreas, the colon, the womb, the kidney, and the breast (post-menopause).
The study looked some 7,000 published research reports published since the 1960s (out of a possible half-million articles). Dr. Michael Marmot, an epidemiologist, directed the project.
The report recommends:
A large meta-analytic study was recently released by the World Cancer Research Fund. That study found links between body fat and six types of cancer. They are: cancer of the esophagus, the pancreas, the colon, the womb, the kidney, and the breast (post-menopause).
The study looked some 7,000 published research reports published since the 1960s (out of a possible half-million articles). Dr. Michael Marmot, an epidemiologist, directed the project.
The report recommends:
- ham, bacon, and other processed meats should be eaten rarely
- no more than a pound of cooked red meat should be eaten weekly
- drinking no more than a small glass of wine (or equivalent) per day
- mothers should breastfeed for at least six months because that lowers their incidence of breast cancer
- exercising at least 30 minutes per day and working up to 60 minutes per day
- minimizing salt use
- drinking water instead of drinks with sugar
- eating fruit, vegetables and fiber
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Publish the Data
Science depends on planned data collection and its publication. Without publication many of the advantages of science disappear. So, it is shocking that NASA is refusing to publish the results of a major and expensive ($8.5M) telephone survey on airline safety.
The details of this story can be seen in this New York Times piece.
Over 8,000 pilots completed the survey which asked questions about safety issues during flights. Topics included the number of times birds struck airplanes and near-miss collisions (both on the ground and in the air). The survey was ordered in 1997 by a White House panel and was completed in 2005. Fearing that the data might be purged intentionally, Congress ordered that digital copies of the data be preserved.
NASA recently refused a Freedom of Information Act request to release the data from the Associated Press. The Associated Press responded, “Anxious to avoid upsetting air travelers, NASA is withholding results from an unprecedented national survey of pilots that found safety problems like near-collisions and runway interference occur more frequently than the government previously recognized.”
NASA maintained that release of the information would be detrimental to the public, the airlines, and to general aviation. They also said that the study was designed to investigate methods of collecting such data (i.e., a pilot study) not to collect data about safety.
As we point out in chapter 1, science depends on the honest publication of results. Researchers should not refuse to publish data. Many editorial columns are making the same argument. See Kansas City Star and The Boston Herald.
The details of this story can be seen in this New York Times piece.
Over 8,000 pilots completed the survey which asked questions about safety issues during flights. Topics included the number of times birds struck airplanes and near-miss collisions (both on the ground and in the air). The survey was ordered in 1997 by a White House panel and was completed in 2005. Fearing that the data might be purged intentionally, Congress ordered that digital copies of the data be preserved.
NASA recently refused a Freedom of Information Act request to release the data from the Associated Press. The Associated Press responded, “Anxious to avoid upsetting air travelers, NASA is withholding results from an unprecedented national survey of pilots that found safety problems like near-collisions and runway interference occur more frequently than the government previously recognized.”
NASA maintained that release of the information would be detrimental to the public, the airlines, and to general aviation. They also said that the study was designed to investigate methods of collecting such data (i.e., a pilot study) not to collect data about safety.
As we point out in chapter 1, science depends on the honest publication of results. Researchers should not refuse to publish data. Many editorial columns are making the same argument. See Kansas City Star and The Boston Herald.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
