Using Psychology with Passwords

A study of 28,000 passwords by Robert Graham of Errata Security revealed a distinct lack of creativity by U.S. computer users. The statistical analysis found:

• 16% used their own first name or that of one of their children
• 14% used simple keyboard combinations such as "123456789" or "QWERTY"
• 5% of the passwords were of television shows, famous names, etc. such as "Hannah," "Matrix," or "Ironman"
• 4% used the word "password" or a close variation "password1"
• 3% used phases such as "Idontcare," "Whatever," "Yes," or "No."
  

Security experts suggest a password of a minimum of eight characters with at least one capital letter and one symbol. Many suggest having a "mnemonic password". For example:

• L@Gs4sa7ya - Lincoln at Gettysburg said four score and seven years ago
• Ih8h2rsmp - I hate having to remember so many passwords
• Mpcmagr8APPl - Mnemonic passwords could make a great AP Psychology lesson
  

For a detailed report on mnenomic passwords go to http://www.uninformed.org/?v=all&a=33&t=sumry

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Milgram Obedience Study Slide Show

The New York Times website includes a brief slide show and basic explanation of Stanley Milgram's famous study on obedience. Pictures of follow-up studies Milgram did after the original groundbreaking study including one shot of the "learner" in the same room as the "teacher" are included. All of the photographs are from the personal collection of Alexandra Milgram. The slide show can be found at http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2008/06/30/science/070108-MIND_index.html

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Join THSP on Facebook!

I've created a Facebook group as an offshoot of this blog. If you're on Facebook already, join us in the Teaching High School Psychology group. Get to know your colleagues around the planet who teach the best course of all!

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Is solitary confinement a form of torture?

There is a terrific (and lengthy!) article in this week's New Yorker by Atul Gawande about the effects of long-term solitary confinement. Gawande begins with the research of Harry Harlow on social isolation in his experiments with monkeys and then relates vivid anecotes that range from hormer hostage Terry Anderson to prisoner of war John McCain to a number of prisoners held in the American penal system for years in isolation. He also incorporates research of the effects of imprisonment on behavior and on the lack of efficacy of solitary confinement on the behavior of the other prisoners; there seems to be no impact on violence in the prisons when individuals are removed to isolation.

Gawande notes that the use of solitary confinement is largely a development of the last twenty years and also largely an American insitution, and he makes the argument that our ease with putting convicts in isolation made it easy to do the same to combatants held in Guantanamo Bay.

Gawande calls it "legalized torture." What would your students say? This would make a great end-of-the-course assignment to have students dig into the effects of isolation, social deprivation, mental illness rates in prison, etc.

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Human Brain Anatomy Study and Quiz Module

The University of Alberta Psychology Department has set up the Midsagittal Brain Study Module Page.

The page is divided into the:

• Human Brain Anatomy Study Module, which is designed to help students learn about the different structures of the brain, and the
• Human Brain Anatomy Quiz Module. The quiz module uses interactive quizzes to reinforce the materials learned in the study modules. In one part, students get to rebuild the brain.
  

The study module requires Macromedia Flash Player, while the quiz module needs Authorware Web Player. The main website includes a link to download both programs and can be found at http://www.psych.ualberta.ca/~ITL/brain/

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California Psychological Association High School Workshop

I am happy to post the following from Martha Boenau, Associate Director of the APA's Office of Precollege and Undergraduate Programs. The high school teacher workshop program includes Chuck Schallhorn, one of the moderators for this blog.

You are cordially invited to join the California Psychological Association for a workshop dedicated to the teachers of high school psychology, entitled:

Strengthening High School Psychology Curriculum:
Leadership and Capacity Building in the Classroom

The annual convention of the California Psychological Association will take place on April 16-19 at the Oakland City Center Marriott in Oakland, CA. The theme is "Psychology: A Leadership Profession." At this year’s convention the CPA, along with co-sponsor Holy Names University, will offer a workshop specifically for high school teachers of psychology.

This workshop is scheduled for Friday, April 17th from 4:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. It is offered free of charge to high school teachers of psychology in California. The program includes the following:

• Colleague Hour: Meet and Greet Psychology Teacher Participant are encouraged to bring and share a course syllabi, and a favorite classroom teaching demonstration.
  
• Introductions: April Fernando, Ph.D
• Keynote Address: "The Truth about Lie Detection" David Matsumoto, Ph.D of San Francisco State University, and author of "Culture and Psychology"
• APA Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools (TOPSS) Program Overview and Classroom Demonstrations. Charles Schallhorn, San Benito High School, Hollister, CA
  

In addition to peer networking, lectures, and demonstrations-- we will also provide free materials from TOPSS for your use in your classrooms. Additionally, you are invited to register for a day at the CPA convention for a special rate of only $50.00 (regular rate/day is $330). I hope that you will consider joining us for this exciting program.

Please RSVP for the CPA High School Teacher's workshop on Friday, April 17, 4:30-8:30 p.m. by sending an e-mail confirmation with your name and school affiliation to: Dr. Kate Isaacson, Ph.D at: Isaacson@hnu.edu.

For more information on the 2009 CPA Convention, please go to: http://www.cpapsych.org/associations/6414/files/events/convention09/index.htm

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Alabama Teachers of Psychology Workshop

Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama, is hosting the annual Alabama Teachers of Psychology workshop on April 18, 2009, from 8:30 am to 1:00 pm at Burns Hall on Samford's campus in Birmingham, Alabama.

This one-day workshop will highlight the teaching of social psychology. Carly Friedman, an instructor at Samford, will speak on The Classroom as a Safe Space: Teaching About Gender and Sexual Orientation in High Schools. The Participant Idea Exchange will feature activities for teaching social psychology.

Registration is $10 for TOPSS/STP members; none-members $20.

Breakfast & Lunch are provided.

Information about registering and directions to Samford can be found at the following website: http://www2.hoover.k12.al.us/schools/sphs/Faculty2/afineburg/Pages/AlaTOPWorkshop.aspx

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Games at the Nobel Prize Website

The Nobel Prize website at http://nobelprize.org/educational_games/medicine/ includes three educational games pertinent to a typical psychology course curriculum. They include:

Pavlov's Dog, a demonstration of classical conditioning creating a variation of Pavlov's experiments. Students condition the dog using a variety of stimuli and food items. While fairly simple, the game gets across the basic message of how classical conditioning works.


The Split Brain Experiment, where students conduct their own version of Sperry's and Gazzaniga's research. The game allows students to experiment on Mr. Split Brainy, using an inquiry approach. While a bit juvenile for high school students, this program could be a perfect way for students to learn how a split-brain patient performs.

The Ear, which allows students to discover the basic functioning of the many parts of the ear. Using a standard tutorial approach, the game provides for beginning, advanced and expert levels and include a simulation, exploration and quiz section.

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Evolutionary Psychology - Do you have to be careful?

A recent article in the Wall Street Journal about a Texas school board member who wants to re-write the state science curriculum to include the "possibility" that the Earth is only 10,000 years old made me wonder: How "careful" do you all have to be when you teach evolutionary psychology? Any advice for other teachers about how to discuss this psychological perspective without getting mired in the "pro/anti evolution" debates? Please discuss in Comments if you have ideas for other teachers.

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APA and fMRI

The cover (see right) of this month's Monitor on Psychology from APA really caught my eye. I was so taken by the image, the issue sat on my desk for weeks. The edition contains two excellent articles on the latest in brain imaging.

A sidebar to the articles discusses two booklets from the APA describing how fMRI research is adding to psychological knowledge. One is written specifically to adults, the other to teens. To download a copy of either, go to http://www.apa.org/science/fmribooklets.html

To order a hard copy of the booklet, email the APA Science Directorate at science@apa.org

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