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Psychological Literacy and Applied Psychology in Undergraduate Education

Jacquelyn Cranney, Sue Morris, Frances H. Martin, Steve Provost, Lucy Zinkiewicz, John Reece, Josephine Milne-Home, Lorelle J. Burton, Fiona A. White, Judi Homewood, Joanne k. Earl, and Sherri McCarthy

in The Psychologically Literate Citizen: Foundations and Global Perspectives

Psychological literacy for the 21st century posits both real and virtual resource options for ‘applied’ psychology at the interface of psychology education and graduate attribute-targeted student ... More

Psychological literacy for the 21st century posits both real and virtual resource options for ‘applied’ psychology at the interface of psychology education and graduate attribute-targeted student learning outcomes. Psychological literacy encapsulates the common graduate attributes or capabilities that students should acquire while undertaking a major in psychology, as exemplfied by guidelines and lists of student learning outcomes (SLOs) delineated by many national psychology organisations. Application involves purposefully applying the basic capabilites to new problems or in new situations, usually in an experiential and active manner. This chapter briefly considers the background to the issue of “applied” psychology in undergraduate education, and then give some concrete examples of how “applied” psychology learning and teaching strategies can be implemented to support the development of psychological literacy (McGovern et al., 2010) in our students.Less

Concluding remarks

Adrian C. North and David J. Hargreaves

in The Social and Applied Psychology of Music

Through its emphasis on experimental cognitive psychology and approach to classical music as ‘high art’, the old 1980s paradigm for music psychology failed to point out the social, emotional, and ... More

Through its emphasis on experimental cognitive psychology and approach to classical music as ‘high art’, the old 1980s paradigm for music psychology failed to point out the social, emotional, and financial value that music has to the general public going about their everyday lives. The topics of research that the social and applied paradigm leads to may be new to music psychology but in fact have been a concern to society for centuries now. It is surprising then that other topics dominated music psychology until only recently. But social psychological and applied issues are now at the heart of the discipline. This chapter states a hope and belief that the social and applied psychology of music is well placed to put the case for the defence of music as a cherished object in 21st-century society.Less

Positive Psychology: Where Did It Come from, Where Is It Going?

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and Jeanne Nakamura

in Designing Positive Psychology: Taking Stock and Moving Forward

This chapter discusses the development of positive psychology, tracing its growth from 1999 to 2009. It then speculates on the future of positive psychology. In the United States, positive ... More

This chapter discusses the development of positive psychology, tracing its growth from 1999 to 2009. It then speculates on the future of positive psychology. In the United States, positive psychology's most salient reference point in applied psychology has been clinical; as a result, the field has been fastest to respond to the demand for interventions targeted at the direct increase of individual well-being, for example, through coaching and personal exercises. In the positive psychology community as a whole, it seems clear that the future of applied work will encompass both these interventions at the individual level and the institutional and aggregate level.Less

Applying evolutionary psychology

S. Craig Roberts

in Applied Evolutionary Psychology

The chapter highlights the growing influence of evolutionary perspectives on psychology and social studies in general. It distinguishes the approaches of mainstream and evolutionary psychology based ... More

The chapter highlights the growing influence of evolutionary perspectives on psychology and social studies in general. It distinguishes the approaches of mainstream and evolutionary psychology based on proximate and ultimate levels of explanation for human behaviour. It is argued that ultimate (or functional) perspectives on behaviour contribute unique and important insights into human behaviour that are missed by standard social science approaches. Similarly to how the new discipline of evolutionary medicine is providing new ways of looking at health and disease, an applied evolutionary psychology may become increasingly influential in the development of more comprehensive understanding of human behaviour and contemporary issues.Less

Applied Cognition

Vanita Sondhi and Ramesh Chandra Mishra

in Psychology: Volume 1: Cognitive and Affective Processes

The chapter focuses on the applications of cognition in the real world encompassing both applied as well as applicable works, that is, the work that could be potentially applied someday to solve real ... More

The chapter focuses on the applications of cognition in the real world encompassing both applied as well as applicable works, that is, the work that could be potentially applied someday to solve real world problems. Applied cognitive psychology emphasizes the applications of cognitive psychology in everyday life. Cognitive processes such as attention, perception, memory, cognitive styles, reasoning, and decision making are deployed in many settings. The research related to applied cognition in social systems has focussed on the complexities of humans working in various domains such as social functioning, education (especially neo-literacy), organizational behaviour, health, consumer behaviour and marketing, clinical setting, life span development, and environment. Cognitive theory is also being applied to the development of technologies which augment various cognitive processes such as memory, problem solving and attention. Finally, the major problems faced by researchers in this field are indicated.Less

Attention to Attention and Its Applications: A Concluding View

Christopher D. Wickens

in Attention: From Theory to Practice

The chapters in this book represent the best practices of where applied attention research stands, and point to the challenges to attention researchers to be relevant to human factors and applied ... More

The chapters in this book represent the best practices of where applied attention research stands, and point to the challenges to attention researchers to be relevant to human factors and applied psychology in general, and to the human factors of safety in complex systems in particular. This final chapter provides both a critical review and discussion of the topic of attention over the past 100 years. Several cautions and suggestions are offered for the future. First, that researchers become less focused on attentional paradigms and more focused on explaining important attentional phenomena. In the past, paradigms have been studied as an end in and of themselves rather than as a means to understanding important real-world attentional phenomena. Second, that the focus on mean effects has, to date, often precluded the study of extreme responses. Given that errors often arise from unusual or extreme events, it is important that they be more frequently examined during the study of human performance in complex systems. Finally, that computational models become more of a focus in the study of applied attention.Less

German Origins

in Accident Prone: A History of Technology, Psychology, and Misfits of the Machine Age

This chapter describes the German originator of the idea of accident proneness, Karl Marbe. Marbe had already shown an interest in errors in speech and writing in connection with his interest in ... More

This chapter describes the German originator of the idea of accident proneness, Karl Marbe. Marbe had already shown an interest in errors in speech and writing in connection with his interest in linguistics. He was acquainted with psychological research that suggested variations on the statistical normal curve. Marbe was using a chemical metaphor, Unfallaffinität or accident affinity. His definitive publication on accident proneness (Unfallneigung) was his book of 1926 summarizing his thinking. Additionally, he had succeeded in bringing into applied psychology and safety literature some familiarity with the concept of accident prone people. Many people concerned with accidents simply ignored Marbe's ideas. British experts developed the idea of accident proneness in ways that found better institutional support, or at least receptivity, than did Marbe's initiative.Less

Culture, Context, and Development

Harry W. Gardiner

in The Handbook of Culture and Psychology

Cross-cultural psychology and human development are currently experiencing an exciting period of growth. Segall, Lonner, and Berry have noted that when all psychology finally takes into account the ... More

Cross-cultural psychology and human development are currently experiencing an exciting period of growth. Segall, Lonner, and Berry have noted that when all psychology finally takes into account the effects of culture on human behavior (and vice versa), terms like cross-cultural and cultural psychology will become unnecessary. At that point, all psychology will be truly cultural. In this chapter, the author defines cross-cultural human development; theoretical perspectives and models; emerging themes, such as contextual influences; applications to social issues; and future directions. As the author has earlier stated, tremendous challenges and opportunities lie ahead and speculating about the future path of cross-cultural psychology is difficult.Less

Individual Differences in Attention and Working Memory: A Molecular Genetic Approach

Raja Parasuraman and Pamela Greenwood

in Attention: From Theory to Practice

In contrast to cognitive psychology and human factors, which typically focus on the characteristics of the “average” person, psychometrics is concerned with explaining differences between people. New ... More

In contrast to cognitive psychology and human factors, which typically focus on the characteristics of the “average” person, psychometrics is concerned with explaining differences between people. New developments in molecular genetics and bioinformatics now make it possible to supplement the psychometric approach to identify sources of individual differences in human performance. Noting that many performance laws in applied psychology do not adequately capture individual differences, the chapter introduces a neuroergonomics approach to individual performance prediction based on molecular genetics and neuroscience. It breaks new ground in the effort to provide a neural and genetic basis for characterizing individual differences in various cognitive functions, including attention and memory. The initial goal is to be able to identify single genes that are associated with individual differences in elementary cognitive operations underlying attention and working memory. The chapter hopes to show that the work has relevance to the “applied attention” theme of this book by pointing out the routes toward application, much in the spirit of Christopher Wickens' research, which epitomizes theory-based application.Less

Introduction

Brian H. Bornstein and Jeffrey S. Neuschatz

in Hugo Münsterberg's Psychology and Law: A Historical and Contemporary Assessment

In his introductory chapter, Münsterberg summarizes the history of experimental psychology and its theoretical and practical contributions. In his opinion, the field had matured enough for the legal ... More

In his introductory chapter, Münsterberg summarizes the history of experimental psychology and its theoretical and practical contributions. In his opinion, the field had matured enough for the legal system to sit up and take notice. In a sense, Münsterberg’s entire book is an indictment of the legal profession for this neglect—an indictment that did not go unanswered. The response of John Henry Wigmore, a prominent American legal scholar, was so scathing that it almost single-handedly quelled the incipient law-psychology movement for a number of years. The chapter covers Wigmore’s criticisms in depth. The introductory chapter provides a historical sketch of the field of law-psychology as it has developed over the past 110 years, focusing particularly on the courts’ use (or lack thereof) of psychological research on legal topics.Less

Governing the science of selection: the psychological sciences, 1921–45

Alice White

in Scientific Governance in Britain, 1914-79

The psychological sciences were deployed in Second World War Britain on an unprecedented scale in the hopes of managing the mobilised population. This chapter traces three groups of psychologists: ... More

The psychological sciences were deployed in Second World War Britain on an unprecedented scale in the hopes of managing the mobilised population. This chapter traces three groups of psychologists: Bartlett’s experimental psychologists from Cambridge, psychologists from the National Institute of Industrial Psychology (NIIP), and the Tavistock Clinic’s psychoanalysts. It follows their work from peacetime, in the lab, factory, and clinic, to wartime negotiations over how their work should be conducted. Each group had distinct views on the ideal relationship of scientists to military patrons, from disinterested advisors to consultants to involved collaborators. Psychologists’ diverse views on what was valuable in a person shaped (and was shaped by) their methods, producing three very different approaches to the creation of a science of selection.Less

Going Solo: Community Psychology as a Small Business

Susan M. Wolfe

in Diverse Careers in Community Psychology

This chapter describes the author’s career history that led up to her decision to create her own job as a solo community psychology practitioner—what she likes and does not like about being on her ... More

This chapter describes the author’s career history that led up to her decision to create her own job as a solo community psychology practitioner—what she likes and does not like about being on her own, as well as the benefits of her community psychology training and the skills and experiences that have led to her success. The chapter also offers some guidance and cautions for community psychologists who may be interested in developing a solo consulting practice.Less

The New Human Science: Sound, New Evolutionary Theory Gives Us Ultimate Causal Understanding of Human Origins, Behavior, History, Politics, and Economics

Joanne Souza and Paul M. Bingham

in Darwin's Roadmap to the Curriculum: Evolutionary Studies in Higher Education

All prior attempts to understand human origins, behavior, and history have led to paradoxes and dilemmas, highly resistant to resolution. This chapter reviews specific cases of failures to resolve ... More

All prior attempts to understand human origins, behavior, and history have led to paradoxes and dilemmas, highly resistant to resolution. This chapter reviews specific cases of failures to resolve these apparent paradoxes and dilemmas in human evolution and the social sciences. The authors argue that these failures are rooted in confusing proximate with ultimate causation. They further argue that a sound theory of human origins, behavior, and history (social coercion theory) can help to understand the human condition scientifically; specifically, this theory argues that all the unique properties of humans emerge from the unprecedented human social evolution, driven, in turn by the evolution of cost-effective coercive management of conflicts of interest. Finally, the authors argue that social coercion theory yields the first general theory of history, economics, and politics, which provides an approach to problems within the social sciences while armed with a grasp of ultimate causation. Consequently, formerly intractable scientific questions and social concerns become manageable and solvable.Less

Tactile and multisensory warning signals

Alberto Gallace and Charles Spence

in In Touch with the Future: The sense of touch from cognitive neuroscience to virtual reality

One of the applied fields where tactile information is more successfully exploited is probably that related to the development of warning signals. In fact, tactile signals are now increasingly being ... More

One of the applied fields where tactile information is more successfully exploited is probably that related to the development of warning signals. In fact, tactile signals are now increasingly being used to awaken sleepy drivers, to capture the attention of distracted drivers, and even to present more complex information to drivers who may be otherwise visually-overloaded. Importantly, however, cognitive neuroscience research has demonstrated that the effectiveness of these alerting signals seems to be related to the presence of multisensory rather than merely unisensory signals. That is, the effect of touch alone in providing a useful warning signal is improved when visual or auditory congruent signals are concurrently presented. Similarly, multisensory displays can be more efficiently used also in order to transmit information to drivers to reduce their workload. Technologies able to deliver tactile and multisensory warning signals will likely accompany our driving experience in the years to come.Less

Touch in the marketplace: Selling by means of touch

Alberto Gallace and Charles Spence

in In Touch with the Future: The sense of touch from cognitive neuroscience to virtual reality

Even if we are not often aware of them, tactile sensations play an important, role in our evaluation/appreciation of many products that we use every day. It is not surprising therefore to notice that ... More

Even if we are not often aware of them, tactile sensations play an important, role in our evaluation/appreciation of many products that we use every day. It is not surprising therefore to notice that in the last decade there has been a rapid growth of interest in ‘tactile branding’. Evidence emerging from the fields of marketing psychology and cognitive neuroscience have now begun to demonstrate how important is the feel of a product, and the feel of a product’s packaging, through to people’s overall product evaluations. In this chapter, we highlight the critical role that touch plays in multisensory product appreciation, design, and marketing, and how synaesthetic correspondences between different senses can be used to evoke tactile sensations via the visual and auditory media.Less