Emily Stark

Enhancing and Assessing Critical Thinking in a Psychological Research Methods Course

This article presents an assessment of critical thinking skills and paranormal beliefs in students taking a research methods course. The course emphasized separating scientific claims from pseudoscientific assumptions and used real-world examples to teach students to think critically; however, the course did not use examples of the paranormal to teach about pseudoscience. There was a significant decrease in students’ paranormal beliefs at the end of the course and significant improvement in their abilities to evaluate psychological research; however, there was not a significant change in their general critical thinking abilities. In addition, all measures related to course performance, such that students who showed lower levels of paranormal beliefs and greater general critical thinking abilities at the outset of the course earned more total points. The author discusses how the course builds skills recommended for psychology majors and identifies areas for future research in scientific thinking and belief in pseudoscience.

New Media and Politics Some Insights From Social and Political Psychology

Many fascinating questions have been raised about the “transformative” influence of the Internet on everyday social life. Some research suggests that the Internet has a positive and transformative influence on many lives, but other studies suggest that this influence is overstated and not always associated with such positive consequences. This article briefly discusses some of these claims, especially those grounded in research from social and political psychology. It focuses on the extent to which the Internet is providing (a) an important and increasingly influential forum for acquiring politically relevant information and (b) a new context for researchers to study traditional social-psychological processes that may be associated with the way citizens enhance their political knowledge online and bolster their political attitudes and partisan affiliations. More generally, the article suggests that there are potential theoretical and empirical payoffs associated with studying online information-seeking behavior in the political realm.

Effects of Including a Graphic Warning Label in Advertisements for Reduced-Exposure Products: Implications for Persuasion and Policy

Considerable interest has focused on making warning labels on tobacco-product packaging more effective in communicating risk to current and potential smokers. However, none of this work to date has involved the communication of risk information about reduced-exposure products, or how a graphic warning label may function in advertisements. Reduced-exposure products pose an interesting public health challenge in light of the fact that many advertisements for such products convey safety claims that may undermine the likelihood that potential consumers will process warnings about the products. The present study examines the influence of graphic warning labels on ratings of advertisements for 3 different types of tobacco products. Results showed that including a graphic picture lowered the appeal ratings for the product.

Elicited Imitation Performance at 20 Months Predicts Memory Abilities in School-Aged Children

During the first decade of life, there are marked improvements in mnemonic abilities. An important question from both a theoretical and applied perspective is the extent of continuity in the nature of memory during this period. The present longitudinal investigation examined declarative memory during the transition from toddlerhood to school age using both experimental and standardized assessments. Results indicate significant associations between immediate nonverbal recall at 20 months (measured by elicited imitation) and immediate verbal and nonverbal memory (measured by standardized and laboratory-based tasks) at 6 years in typically developing children. Regression models revealed this association was specific, as measures of language abilities and temperament were not predictive of later memory performance. These findings suggest both continuity and specificity within the declarative memory system during the first years of life. Theoretical and applied implications of these findings are discussed.

The recollective qualities of adolescents’ and adults’ narratives about a long-ago tornado

ABSTRACT The recollective qualities of autobiographical memory are thought to develop over the course of the first two decades of life. We used a 9-year follow-up test of recall of a devastating tornado and of non-tornado-related events from before and after the storm, to compare the recollective qualities of adolescents’ (n = 20, ages 11 years, 11 months to 20 years, 8 months) and adults’ (n = 14) autobiographical memories. At the time of the tornado, half of the adolescents had been younger than age 6. Nine years after the event, all participants provided evidence that they recall the event of the tornado. Adults also had high levels of recall of the non-tornado-related events. Adolescents recalled proportionally fewer non-tornado-related events; adolescents younger than 6 at the time of the events recalled the fewest non-tornado-related events. Relative to adolescents, adults produced longer narratives. With narrative length controlled, there were few differences in the recollective qualities of adolescents’ and adults’ narrative reports, especially in the case of the tornado; the recollective qualities were stronger among adolescents older at the time of the events. Overall, participants in both age groups provided evidence of the qualities of recollection that are characteristic of autobiographical memory.

Producing a Radio Show About Psychological Science The Story of Psychological Frontiers

The authors describe the development of a campus-based radio show about psychological science. The authors’ goals in creating the show were to inform the public about the science of psychology and to create a teaching and learning resource for faculty members and students. The show, Psychological Frontiers, airs twice a week and consists of 2-minute summaries of research and theory. Issues related to show format, medium, and script writing are discussed. The authors also present ways in which they have used this show as an activity in their courses as well as for faculty development.

The role of rational and experiential processing in influencing the framing effect

ABSTRACT Research on individual differences and the framing effect has focused primarily on how variability in rational processing influences choice. However, we propose that measuring only rational processing presents an incomplete picture of how participants are responding to framed options, as orthogonal individual differences in experiential processing might be relevant. In two studies, we utilize the Rational Experiential Inventory, which captures individual differences in rational and experiential processing, to investigate how both processing types influence decisions. Our results show that differences in experiential processing, but not rational processing, moderated the effect of frame on choice. We suggest that future research should more closely examine the influence of experiential processing on making decisions, to gain a broader understanding of the conditions that contribute to the framing effect.

Understanding the framing effect: do affective responses to decision options mediate the influence of frame on choice?

Little research has examined how gain- and loss-framed options influence participants’ affective states. In the current paper, we present two studies that measure affective responses to framed options to identify a potential mediator of the relation between frame and choice. We found that participants reported more positive responses after reading gain-framed options that presented a certain outcome compared to loss-framed options that presented a certain outcome, consistent with the choice patterns of the framing effect. We also found that framing effects were mediated by affective evaluation of the options. We suggest future researchers continue to assess the influence of affective response on evaluating options and making decisions.

Assessment for Learning: Using Programmatic Assessment Requirements as an Opportunity to Develop Information Literacy and Data Skills in Undergraduate Students

Abstract Departments and programmes in higher education are required to participate in an increasing number of programme, course and student assessments. These assessment requirements are also opportunities to develop student skills related to scientific literacy and research, if students are included in the process of developing, administering and interpreting these assessments. This paper describes a course designed to build student research skills through incorporating undergraduate students into the process of programme review for a psychology department, a comprehensive assessment required of this department every five years. This course proved to be an effective way to engage students, as students developed and administered assessment surveys, analysed and interpreted results, and prepared both a professional report for the department as well as a research presentation. The paper discusses recommended course activities, and shows how this opportunity can benefit students and faculty in a myriad of ways.

Effects of Including a Graphic Warning Label in Advertistements for Tobacco Products: Implications for Persuasion

Considerable interest has focused on making warning labels on tobacco-product packaging more effective in communicating risk to current and potential smokers. However, none of this work to date has involved the communication of risk information about reduced-exposure products, or how a graphic warning label may function in advertisements. Reduced-exposure products pose an interesting public health challenge in light of the fact that many advertisements for such products convey safety claims that may undermine the likelihood that potential consumers will process warnings about the products. The present study examines the influence of graphic warning labels on ratings of advertisements for 3 different types of tobacco products. Results showed that including a graphic picture lowered the appeal ratings for the product.