What is psychology? © John Crane & Jette Hannibal, InThinking © John Crane & Jette Hannibal, InThinking

The scientific study of the behaviour and mental processes of individuals, and how it is affected by an organism’s physical state, mental state, and external environment. © John Crane & Jette Hannibal, InThinking

Psychology is Scientific  The systematic acquisition of knowledge  Acquisition of knowledge is limited to observations This is EMPIRICAL data.  Experiments are often used to test hypotheses - variables are manipulated and measured. © John Crane & Jette Hannibal, InThinking

Pop psychology or psychobabble  Unfounded opinions based on popular beliefs. Often called “urban legend.”  Pseudo-science, e.g. psychics or ’ rebirthing therapy ’ © John Crane & Jette Hannibal, InThinking

Why is Pop Psychology so popular?  Gives simple answers to complex issues  Based on beliefs: if you have a rotten childhood, you’ll have a rotten life  Looking for ways to “help yourself.” How to become the perfect lover; How to be successful and live longer.  Looking for reasons for our failures and validation of our successes/good traits  Confirms our existing beliefs and prejudices © John Crane & Jette Hannibal, InThinking

Scientific psychology  Scientific psychology challenges our existing beliefs and seeks to deepen our understanding of human behaviour.  Investigates assumptions and theories using empirical methods (data collection and analysis)  Verification of evidence/reliability of research  Publication of research results in journals and peer review © John Crane & Jette Hannibal, InThinking

You are now going to see 12 commonly held beliefs. Your task is to guess whether it is supported by science or not. If you think that it is, what would be the evidence? © John Crane & Jette Hannibal, InThinking

 1.  1. Cold weather makes you sick © John Crane & Jette Hannibal, InThinking

Cold weather makes you sick  No.  No. In studies of cold transmission, people who are chilled are no more likely to get sick than those who were not. It may be that cold weather keeps people indoors, where germs are more likely to catch up with you. © John Crane & Jette Hannibal, InThinking

  We are either left brain or right brain learners © John Crane & Jette Hannibal, InThinking

We are either left brain or right brain learners   No. Brain scan experiments show that the two halves of the brain are much more intricately linked than was originally thought, so problem-solving or creative tasks fire up activity in regions of both hemispheres of the brain. © John Crane & Jette Hannibal, InThinking

  You lose most of your body heat through your head. © John Crane & Jette Hannibal, InThinking

You lose most of your body heat through your head.   There is nothing special about the head and heat loss. You will lose heat through any uncovered body part. © John Crane & Jette Hannibal, InThinking

  Married couples have better sex lives than single people. © John Crane & Jette Hannibal, InThinking

Married couples have better sex lives than single people.   Married people typically have more sex in a given year than single people. In one survey, 43 percent of married men reported having sex two to three times per week, compared to only 26 percent of single men. The numbers were slightly lower but similar for women. © John Crane & Jette Hannibal, InThinking

  Milk makes you phlegmy. © John Crane & Jette Hannibal, InThinking

Milk makes you phlegmy   In a study of 330 patients, nearly two out of three believed milk increases phlegm production. But it’s not true. In one experiment, volunteers were infected with the cold virus, and some of them drank a lot of milk as well. The weight of the nasal secretions did not increase in those who drank more milk, nor was it associated with cough or congestion. © John Crane & Jette Hannibal, InThinking

  Brain Games Do Not Make You Smarter © John Crane & Jette Hannibal, InThinking

Brain Games Do Not Make You Smarter  True.  True. More than 8,600 people aged 18 to 60 were asked to play online brain games designed by the researchers to improve their memory, reasoning and other skills for at least 10 minutes a day, three times a week. They were compared to more than 2,700 people who didn't play any brain games, but spent a similar amount of time surfing the Internet and answering general knowledge questions. Researchers said the people who did the brain training didn't do any better on the test after six weeks than people who had simply been on the Internet. © John Crane & Jette Hannibal, InThinking

  Sugar makes kids hyper © John Crane & Jette Hannibal, InThinking

Sugar makes kids hyper   Numerous studies show sugar doesn’t affect behavior, but most parents don’t believe this. In one study, parents were told their kids had sugar and they were more likely to report problem behavior — but in reality, the kids had consumed a sugar-free drink. © John Crane & Jette Hannibal, InThinking

  You only use 10% of your brain © John Crane & Jette Hannibal, InThinking

You only use 10% of your brain   Brain scans have shown that no matter what we're doing, our brains are always active. Some areas are more active at any one time than others, but unless we have brain damage, there is no one part of the brain that is absolutely not functioning. © John Crane & Jette Hannibal, InThinking

  If a brain is damaged, it can in some cases fix itself. © John Crane & Jette Hannibal, InThinking

If a brain is damaged, it can in some cases fix itself.   Patients surprise doctors all the time and exceed expectations of what they're able to do days, months and even years later. Not all brain damage is permanent. © John Crane & Jette Hannibal, InThinking

  Listening to Mozart Makes You Smarter © John Crane & Jette Hannibal, InThinking

Listening to Mozart Makes You Smarter   There is currently no scientific information to prove that listening to Mozart, or any other classical music, actually makes anyone smarter. Rauscher even said that the money spent by those states might be better spent on musical programs -- there's some evidence to show that learning an instrument improves concentration, self- confidence and coordination. © John Crane & Jette Hannibal, InThinking

  Your Brain Works Better Under Pressure © John Crane & Jette Hannibal, InThinking

Your Brain Works Better Under Pressure   A chronic overreaction to stress overloads the brain with powerful hormones that are intended only for short- term duty in emergency situations. Their cumulative effect damages and kills brain cells. © John Crane & Jette Hannibal, InThinking

  Eating carbohydrates before a test could hurt your concentration © John Crane & Jette Hannibal, InThinking

Eating carbohydrates before a test could hurt your concentration   Partly true. Carbs that are high in starch (potatoes, pasta) or sugar can give you an instant rush of energy which will soon fade and leave you less concentrated towards the end of your exam. However, not all carbs are bad for you. Good carbs include whole grain breads or oatmeal. © John Crane & Jette Hannibal, InThinking