Sleep and torture

I apologize for the delay in fresh "psych in the news" posts and promise new entries soon chock-full of current events in psychology. In the meantime, I thought one current event deserved its own post.

The release this week of the so-called "torture memos" that defined what techniques could be used by U.S. interrogators on prisoners at Guantanamo Bay included one section particularly relevant to our field -- that is, sleep deprivation. The author of one memo, Steven Bradbury of the Department of Justice, writes that "[w]e understand from OMS, and from our review of the literature on the physiology of sleep, that even very extended sleep deprivation does not cause physical pain, let alone severe physical pain." The author goes on to repeatedly mention this "review of the literature on the physiology of sleep" and then proceeds to cite his ultimate reference: a 1998 work called Why We Sleep by James Horne -- a textbook.

So what is learned from this text? That in controlled experiments subjects experienced sleep deprivation for 8-11 days and that this formed the basis for keeping prisoners up for days, at least 3 for more than 96 hours. When contacted by a blog today for his perspective, Dr. Horne was outraged and saddened at how his research had been misused:

"As soon as you add in any other stress, any other psychological stress, then the sleep deprivation feeds on that, and the two compound each other to make things far worse. I made that very, very clear," he said. "And there's been a lot of research by others since then to show that this is the case."
Further, Horne continued, sleep-deprived subjects become so confused that they're highly unlikely to offer useful intelligence. "I don't understand what you're going to get out of it," he said. "You can no longer think rationally, you just become more of an automaton ... These people will just be spewing nonsense anyway. It's pointless!"
In sum, said Horne, he feels "saddened" that the memo's author "didn't fully interpret what I actually wrote." The memo "distorts what I really meant, and I never meant for it to be, in any way, indicative that you could start torturing people in this way. That was not the intention at all."

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A couple of thinking puzzles

1) How many four-sided figures (squares and rectangles) do you see in the diagram below?
2. How many triangles do you see in the diagram below?
Got the answers? Now visit Psychology Today's Brain Workout blog for the answers!

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Milwaukee Area Teachers of Psychology Meeting

The Milwaukee Area Teachers of Psychology (MATOP) Spring Meeting will be held on Tuesday April 28, 2009, 7:00 PM, at Pius High School, 135 N. 76th Street, Milwaukee, WI 53213 in the library.

The highlight of the evening will be an examination of the new Myers' Psychology 9th edition. Everyone attending will receive a copy of this text through the generosity of Eileen Tanania, 866.843.3715 ex 1714 or etanania@bfwpub.com, the sales representative from Bedford, Freeman and Worth Publishers.

Our agenda tentatively includes:

■ a review of Fast Track to a Five: Preparing for the AP Psychology Examination
■ a discussion regarding the upcoming 2009 Advanced Placement Psychology Exam
■ an examination of The Whitman Journal of Psychology
■ an analysis of the just released 2007 AP Psychology Exam
■ information on the Teaching High School Psychology Blog http://teachinghighschoolpsychology.blogspot.com/
■ a conversation about the Enhancing the Teaching of Psychology Conference on May 19th at UW-Stevens Point.
■ a demonstration of Student Response Systems (clickers)
■ new information on the Quizlet Flash Card website at www.quizlet.com
■ a brand new psychology text, Psychology: Making Connections
■ materials from both the APA and TOPSS
■ a look at Current Directions in Introductory Psychology 2e

Please mark your calendars. Everyone is welcome to attend. A detailed agenda will be forth coming.

If you would like to be included on the MATOP email listing, please contact Kent Korek at kkorek@germantown.k12.wi.us

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National Standard for High School Psychology Curricula

So, you've been asked to teach a psychology course and have no idea where to start? At a workshop or meeting of psychology teachers, you are puzzled when someone asks if you follow the domains? When your school administrators ask you to submit a formal curriculum complete with content standards for your high school level psychology class, do you wish someone in the country had one posted online?

Believe it or not, since 1999 TOPSS (Teacher of Psychology in Secondary Schools) has published national standards for a high school psychology course (non-AP). The document has gone through a number of different names, but it is now referred to as "National Standards for High School Psychology Curricula".

The Standards have been endorsed by the National Council of Social Studies (NCSS) and would make an ideal framework for any state's educational standards.

The standards can be found online in a PDF format at http://www.apa.org/ed/natlstandards.html or from the "Links of Interest" section of this blog. The document can be downloaded by sections or as one complete file.

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2007 AP Psychology Released Exam

Since its inception in 1992, complete copies (multiple choice and free response sections) of the AP Psychology Exams have periodically been released. To date, the released exam years include 1994, 1999, 2004 and now, 2007.

In addition to the questions and answers (rubrics for the FRQs) for both sections of the exam, the book includes sample student responses to the FRQs, scoring standards and detailed statistical data.

This publication is a "must have" for every AP Psychology teacher. Many teachers feel the released exams are probably the most valuable resource from the College Board with the possible exception of the Acorn book.

To purchase your copy of the 2007 exam (publication #080082563) go to the College Board Store at http://store.collegeboard.com. The cost is $25 with a minimum $6 fee for shipping and handling. Bulk (10) copies of the both parts of the exam can be ordered for $35.

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Onine sites for AP exam review

The following AP exam review sites were recommended by psychology teachers on the Psych-News and AP Psych e-mail lists. Do you have a favorite not on the list? If so, add it in the comments section below!

• http://quizlet.com/
• http://www.course-notes.org/Psychology
• http://appsychology.com/
• http://home.mindspring.com/~j-squared/apreviewsite/index.html
• http://academics.tjhsst.edu/psych/oldPsych/
• http://www.bubbabrain.com/bbsr.php
• http://www.montereyinstitute.org/nroc/nrocdemos.html
• http://twoulfemac.googlepages.com/appsych
  

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APA College Dictionary of Psychology

First, there was the APA Dictionary of Psychology, then came the APA Concise Dictionary of Psychology. Coming May 1st is the next rendition of dictionaries from the American Psychological Association, the APA College Dictionary of Psychology.

The dictionary contains over 5000 entries, 200 of which were found by researching current college psychology texts. This version is designed to "answer the specific informational needs - from advanced placement high school psychology classes to introductory Psych 101 courses and beyond".

The appendix includes a brief description of approximately 180 important figures in the history of psychology.

The $19.95 plus shipping and handling charge makes this book significantly less expensive that the two previous versions.

While the book will be released on May 1st, the APA Book Order Department is now taking preorders for immediate shipment on that date. For more information or to order, go to http://books.apa.org/books.cfm?id=4311010

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Psych in the news

• Slate looks at the latest research suggesting that ADD/ADHD may interfere with a child's growth.
• Honda builds a brain-to-robot interface for Asimo. (Boing Boing Gadgets)
• Today's new autism and _____ link: Scientific American reports on a "baffling" connection between autism and vinyl flooring.
• The coolest and grossest photos of brain slicing accompany Jonah Lehrer's story about the Allen Brain Atlas.
  
• Human children vs. apes: who's better at tracking objects and why. (Cognitive Daily)
  
• William Saletan in Slate on homosexuals and the therapists who try to change them.
  
• Calling Phineas Gage: man survives being harpooned in the head. (I wonder if anyone said "Abreu was no longer Abreu...")

Thanks to Chuck for that final entry.

Finally, in the spirit of the day, some breaking news stories from across the Interwebs in case you missed them: here are links for bacon popcorn, Google's AutoPilot (that also emulates ELIZA!), Ben & Jerry's Cyclone Dairy (with milk made from 100% cloned cows!), how to make your Kindle smell like a real book, a trifecta from HowStuffWorks with rechargeable gum, moving the Alps to Dubai and kittens that never grow old and a real honest to goodness one on social psychology. Enjoy!

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AP Psychology Exam Review Books

By my count, as of today (04/01/09), there are 23 school days until the AP Psychology Exam on May 12, 2009. A number of AP Psychology Exam Review Books are on the market, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. This survey is designed to determine which book AP Psychology teachers feel is the best for their students. Please be aware, the survey is designed to randomize the listing of texts each time. This means the "Other" option may not fall at the bottom as in most surveys. The current results will be revealed once you have cast your vote.

For more information on the review books or to leave a comment, please see the accompanying posting on the blog's main page for April 1, 2009.

Online Surveys & Market Research

N= 147 as of 01/27/12.
Thanks to all those who have participated.

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AP Psychology Exam Review Books

There are a host of products students can purchase to help them prepare for the AP Psychology Exam. Review books currently on the market include:

• Barron's AP Psychology (Allison Weseley & Rob McEntarffer)
• Cliffs AP Psychology(Lori Harris et. al.)
• D&S Marketing AP Psychology (Michael Sullivan)
  
• Holt McDougal Fast Track to a Five: Preparing for the AP Psychology Examination (William James & Michael McLane)
• Kaplan AP Psychology (Chris Hakala)
  
• McGraw-Hill 5 Steps to a 5 AP Psychology (Laura Maitland & Pam Hannah)
• Princeton Review Cracking the AP Psychology Exam (Princeton Review)
  
• REA AP Psychology (Don Sharpstenn, Karen Brown & Tia Patrick)
  
• Spark Notes AP Power Pack for AP Psychology (Spark Publishing)
  

For more information, simply click on the book's title. Please see the accompanying survey regarding AP Psychology Review Books and feel free to leave a comment.

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