2011 Publications
Frantz Fanon and Colonialism: A Psychology of Oppression
Blake T. Hilton
University of Central Oklahoma
The French psychiatrist Frantz Fanon was a prominent psychological analyst of oppression during the 20th century, focusing his work predominantly on the oppression of the black Antillean as well as the Arab of Algeria. This article asserts the congruence of the psychological effects of French and U.S. colonialism, thus providing a cogent route to the application of Fanon's theories. This article provides a breviloquent biography of Fanon's life to afford insight to the development of his theories, and furnishes a review of his relevant literature. In an attempt to unveil the guises of oppression endured by the Native American, an historical account of distinctive illustrations of Native American oppression is conjointly incorporated. Based on Fanon's theories, the etiology of several mental illnesses present in the modern Native American population is suggested to be unresolved grief from oppression.
Blake T. Hilton
University of Central Oklahoma
The French psychiatrist Frantz Fanon was a prominent psychological analyst of oppression during the 20th century, focusing his work predominantly on the oppression of the black Antillean as well as the Arab of Algeria. This article asserts the congruence of the psychological effects of French and U.S. colonialism, thus providing a cogent route to the application of Fanon's theories. This article provides a breviloquent biography of Fanon's life to afford insight to the development of his theories, and furnishes a review of his relevant literature. In an attempt to unveil the guises of oppression endured by the Native American, an historical account of distinctive illustrations of Native American oppression is conjointly incorporated. Based on Fanon's theories, the etiology of several mental illnesses present in the modern Native American population is suggested to be unresolved grief from oppression.
| Frantz Fanon and Colonialism: A Psychology of Oppression |
Syncretic Science
A Review of Primal Management: Unraveling the Secrets of Human Nature to Drive High Performance by Paul Herr
Jamie A. Welch
University of Central Oklahoma
People tend to operate most effectively in small groups of 150 or less, but as organizations expand globally, employees are finding themselves in less than optimal work environments. Paul Herr, author of Primal Management, spent thirty years developing research and training tools which will allow managers to maximize productivity in their organizations. Herr's research draws from the fields of business and psychology. Most surprisingly, Herr reveals that human beings have a biological impetus to perform well that can be scientifically supported with fMRI data. Primal Management explores Herr's findings as well as provides today's managers with practical tools for implementing his concepts in their workplace.
A Review of Primal Management: Unraveling the Secrets of Human Nature to Drive High Performance by Paul Herr
Jamie A. Welch
University of Central Oklahoma
People tend to operate most effectively in small groups of 150 or less, but as organizations expand globally, employees are finding themselves in less than optimal work environments. Paul Herr, author of Primal Management, spent thirty years developing research and training tools which will allow managers to maximize productivity in their organizations. Herr's research draws from the fields of business and psychology. Most surprisingly, Herr reveals that human beings have a biological impetus to perform well that can be scientifically supported with fMRI data. Primal Management explores Herr's findings as well as provides today's managers with practical tools for implementing his concepts in their workplace.
| Syncretic Science: A Review of Primal Management: Unraveling the Secrets of Human Nature to Drive High Performance by Paul Herr |
Scientist-Practitioner Interest Changes and Course Outcomes in a Senior Research Psychology Course
Terry F. Pettijohn II Arsida Ndoni
Coastal Carolina University
Psychology students (N = 42) completed the Scientist-Practitioner Inventory before and after completion of a required senior research course. As predicted, students indicated a stronger preference for practice than science-related areas of psychology. Students reported a positive change in practitioner orientation and no significant change in scientist orientation at the end of the course. Course enjoyment was positively correlated with an increase in scientist orientation. Implications for program development and career choices are discussed.
Terry F. Pettijohn II Arsida Ndoni
Coastal Carolina University
Psychology students (N = 42) completed the Scientist-Practitioner Inventory before and after completion of a required senior research course. As predicted, students indicated a stronger preference for practice than science-related areas of psychology. Students reported a positive change in practitioner orientation and no significant change in scientist orientation at the end of the course. Course enjoyment was positively correlated with an increase in scientist orientation. Implications for program development and career choices are discussed.
| Scientist-Practitioner Interest Changes and Course Outcomes in a Senior Research Psychology Course |
Pitch-Distance and Contour Complexity in the Recognition of Short Melodies
Thomas W. Reiner
University of West Florida
This study investigated how people recognize short melodies. Participants completed a musical training questionnaire and were randomly assigned to a retention interval (3, 6, or 9 s). The experiment consisted of 32 trials. For each trial, an original melody was heard, a silent retention elapsed, and then two successive melodies were presented – the original (the target) and a novel melody (the distracter). Targets and distracters were either played in the original key or they were transposed. Recognition did not differ based on retention interval. Participants were better at recognizing targets played in their original keys than when they were transposed. Musical training contributed to recognizing transposed melodies but did not affect recognition of melodies that were not transposed. Melodic contour information was needed to recognize transposed melodies. Lastly, pitch-distance, and not key-distance, was observed to influence melody recognition. The results are discussed as they relate to models of music perception.
Thomas W. Reiner
University of West Florida
This study investigated how people recognize short melodies. Participants completed a musical training questionnaire and were randomly assigned to a retention interval (3, 6, or 9 s). The experiment consisted of 32 trials. For each trial, an original melody was heard, a silent retention elapsed, and then two successive melodies were presented – the original (the target) and a novel melody (the distracter). Targets and distracters were either played in the original key or they were transposed. Recognition did not differ based on retention interval. Participants were better at recognizing targets played in their original keys than when they were transposed. Musical training contributed to recognizing transposed melodies but did not affect recognition of melodies that were not transposed. Melodic contour information was needed to recognize transposed melodies. Lastly, pitch-distance, and not key-distance, was observed to influence melody recognition. The results are discussed as they relate to models of music perception.
| Pitch-Distance and Contour Complexity in the Recognition of Short Melodies |
Editorial
Skeptical Optimism and Pragmaticism: Voyage of an Academic Omnivore
Robert D. Mather
Editor
Charles S. Peirce contributed greatly to philosophy, mathematics, and psychology, among other areas. His ideas were the foundation for William James' brand of pragmatism, though James and others modified his original ideas. This prompted Peirce to change the term "pragmatism" to "pragmaticism." As he wrote: "So then, the writer, finding his bantling "pragmatism" so promoted, feels that it is time to kiss his child good-by and relinquish it to its higher destiny; while to serve the precise purpose of expressing the original definition, he begs to announce the birth of the word "'pragmaticism,' which is ugly enough to be safe from kidnappers" (Peirce, 1934, pp. 276-277).
Skeptical Optimism and Pragmaticism: Voyage of an Academic Omnivore
Robert D. Mather
Editor
Charles S. Peirce contributed greatly to philosophy, mathematics, and psychology, among other areas. His ideas were the foundation for William James' brand of pragmatism, though James and others modified his original ideas. This prompted Peirce to change the term "pragmatism" to "pragmaticism." As he wrote: "So then, the writer, finding his bantling "pragmatism" so promoted, feels that it is time to kiss his child good-by and relinquish it to its higher destiny; while to serve the precise purpose of expressing the original definition, he begs to announce the birth of the word "'pragmaticism,' which is ugly enough to be safe from kidnappers" (Peirce, 1934, pp. 276-277).
| Skeptical Optimism and Pragmaticism: Voyage of an Academic Omnivore |
The Knowledge and Prevalence of Cyberbullying in a College Sample
Tammy Lowery Zacchilli Chenelia Yamil Valerio
Saint Leo University Lynn University
Cyberbullying is a new type of bullying of which many children and teens are falling victim. Cyberbullying involves harming another person through use of the internet or texting. The purpose of the current studies was to examine the knowledge and prevalence of cyberbullying in a sample of college students. Participants were asked to report about technology use, past and present instances of bullying (traditional and cyberbullying), as well as respond to questions concerning the consequences of cyberbullying. While college students seem aware of what cyberbullying involves, instances of cyberbullying in college appear to be minimal. Although college students have access to many technologies, the majority do not seem to engage in bullying through the internet. However, those individuals who are cyber bullies are also likely to be victims of cyberbullying. Limitations and directions for future research are discussed.
Tammy Lowery Zacchilli Chenelia Yamil Valerio
Saint Leo University Lynn University
Cyberbullying is a new type of bullying of which many children and teens are falling victim. Cyberbullying involves harming another person through use of the internet or texting. The purpose of the current studies was to examine the knowledge and prevalence of cyberbullying in a sample of college students. Participants were asked to report about technology use, past and present instances of bullying (traditional and cyberbullying), as well as respond to questions concerning the consequences of cyberbullying. While college students seem aware of what cyberbullying involves, instances of cyberbullying in college appear to be minimal. Although college students have access to many technologies, the majority do not seem to engage in bullying through the internet. However, those individuals who are cyber bullies are also likely to be victims of cyberbullying. Limitations and directions for future research are discussed.
| The Knowledge and Prevalence of Cyberbullying in a College Sample |
To Write is Right: The Implementation and Evaluation of a Writing for Psychology Course
Alicia Limke, Hannah Holloway, and Mike Knight
University of Central Oklahoma
Although faculty have been increasingly encouraged to engage in a "writing-across-the-curriculum" program format, we believe that a systematic plan for writing assignments in university-level psychology departments should include a required writing course as well. Data from four sections of a newly implemented Writing for Psychology course suggest that a standalone course is effective in improving the writing skills of sophomore-level students when pretest and posttest writing samples were evaluated by the CriterionSM Online Writing Evaluation, an independent testing company.
Alicia Limke, Hannah Holloway, and Mike Knight
University of Central Oklahoma
Although faculty have been increasingly encouraged to engage in a "writing-across-the-curriculum" program format, we believe that a systematic plan for writing assignments in university-level psychology departments should include a required writing course as well. Data from four sections of a newly implemented Writing for Psychology course suggest that a standalone course is effective in improving the writing skills of sophomore-level students when pretest and posttest writing samples were evaluated by the CriterionSM Online Writing Evaluation, an independent testing company.
| To Write is Right: The Implementation and Evaluation of a Writing for Psychology Course |
Editorial
A Good Day: Reflections on My Mentor, Mike Knight
Robert D. Mather
Editor
Sitting in my Biosocial class my first year in graduate school, Mike Knight walked into the room, locked the door, announced that his class was like an airplane and if you missed take-off you were out of luck, walked to the front of the class and said, "Today is a good day to die." Fairly intimidating actions for any professor to take, but even more so coming from the esteemed department chair of many years. What were we in for? I have written this editorial to provide insight into my relationship with Mike Knight. I have not written it for a general audience--I have employed a writing style full of the things that entertained Mike and I when writing together. I have written this for him.
A Good Day: Reflections on My Mentor, Mike Knight
Robert D. Mather
Editor
Sitting in my Biosocial class my first year in graduate school, Mike Knight walked into the room, locked the door, announced that his class was like an airplane and if you missed take-off you were out of luck, walked to the front of the class and said, "Today is a good day to die." Fairly intimidating actions for any professor to take, but even more so coming from the esteemed department chair of many years. What were we in for? I have written this editorial to provide insight into my relationship with Mike Knight. I have not written it for a general audience--I have employed a writing style full of the things that entertained Mike and I when writing together. I have written this for him.
| Editorial: A Good Day: Reflections on My Mentor, Mike Knight |