A new issue of the online Social Psychology magazine "In-Mind" just came out. The magazine highlights recent research and maintains a facebook quiz if you would like to test how much you know about Social Psychology (guess who wrote some of the questions . . . you'll have to check the staff pages to find out).
You can find the most recent issue at http://beta.in-mind.org/
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Monday, November 8, 2010
Open House 2010
This weekend we welcomed approximately 25 students and their parents to the Social Science Department’s academic meeting at Open House. We had a great discussion led by Professors Rosenthal and Mirkin with lots of questions from prospective students and their parents.
Meg McPherson, a junior, spoke about the research that she has been involved in during her three years on campus. The project topics range from teaching style, ability to drive while distracted, and perceptions of domestic abuse. She also talked about her plans to study abroad next semester and her current internship at the Walker School.
Bailey Carr, a sophomore, shared her excitement about the Case Management & Counseling video assignment. She was taping that afternoon so we hope that went well!
Katie Pare, another sophomore, talked about community service and the service learning linked credit program. She had done a linked credit in her Introduction to Human Services class that actually led to the service site offering her a job!
If you are a prospective student, let us know what you thought of our presentations or send us additional questions you might have.
If you are a current or former student and have a topic you would like to see us discuss at the next Open House . . . let me know. We would love to have you participate!
Meg McPherson, a junior, spoke about the research that she has been involved in during her three years on campus. The project topics range from teaching style, ability to drive while distracted, and perceptions of domestic abuse. She also talked about her plans to study abroad next semester and her current internship at the Walker School.
Bailey Carr, a sophomore, shared her excitement about the Case Management & Counseling video assignment. She was taping that afternoon so we hope that went well!
Katie Pare, another sophomore, talked about community service and the service learning linked credit program. She had done a linked credit in her Introduction to Human Services class that actually led to the service site offering her a job!
If you are a prospective student, let us know what you thought of our presentations or send us additional questions you might have.
If you are a current or former student and have a topic you would like to see us discuss at the next Open House . . . let me know. We would love to have you participate!
Friday, November 5, 2010
Are you thinking about studying abroad? Or have you just returned?
I know that some of our students have just returned from Australia and South Africa while others are packing up to head to Scotland and Italy for the spring. I’m sure there are more of you who are considering study abroad or who have recently returned. According to the college’s data – the number of Lasell students who are studying abroad has increased dramatically in recent years.
Many faculty members and college administrators recognize the value of study abroad in terms of broadening your education and increasing your learning in ways that it’s hard to imagine before you arrive in a new country. But it seems, from a recent article in The Chronicle of Higher Education, that potential employers don’t always recognize study abroad as contributing to your skills in ways that make you more marketable in the workforce.
That means it’s up to you to tell them how your study abroad experience has made you a better employee. What specific skills did you gain? What experiences did you have that led to your growth into a more flexible, stronger person who has demonstrated her ability to forge new relationships and get along with others from different cultural backgrounds? Do you have a story to tell to show how you learned to adapt to new and changing circumstances? Did you have to solve a problem in a unique way?
The key to learning from your study abroad experience, not just from the classes you took while away but the experience of living in another culture, is to reflect on that experience and truly think about how that experience contributed to your growth and development.
I would love to hear from you about study abroad – what do you think was the most significant learning experience while you were away? Post a comment and share your thoughts about what you learned or how you can talk about what you learned on a job interview.
Haven’t gone yet? Not a problem! Share a thought about what you hope to learn.
To learn more, read the Chronicle article at http://chronicle.com/article/article-content/124979/
Many faculty members and college administrators recognize the value of study abroad in terms of broadening your education and increasing your learning in ways that it’s hard to imagine before you arrive in a new country. But it seems, from a recent article in The Chronicle of Higher Education, that potential employers don’t always recognize study abroad as contributing to your skills in ways that make you more marketable in the workforce.
That means it’s up to you to tell them how your study abroad experience has made you a better employee. What specific skills did you gain? What experiences did you have that led to your growth into a more flexible, stronger person who has demonstrated her ability to forge new relationships and get along with others from different cultural backgrounds? Do you have a story to tell to show how you learned to adapt to new and changing circumstances? Did you have to solve a problem in a unique way?
The key to learning from your study abroad experience, not just from the classes you took while away but the experience of living in another culture, is to reflect on that experience and truly think about how that experience contributed to your growth and development.
I would love to hear from you about study abroad – what do you think was the most significant learning experience while you were away? Post a comment and share your thoughts about what you learned or how you can talk about what you learned on a job interview.
Haven’t gone yet? Not a problem! Share a thought about what you hope to learn.
To learn more, read the Chronicle article at http://chronicle.com/article/article-content/124979/
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Calling all Students Interested in Brain Function and Dysfunction
One of the classes offered during the spring semester is Brain Function & Dysfunction. As we were working out the timing of the class -- don't worry, it doesn't conflict with internship seminars! -- I heard an interview with Dr. Oliver Sacks on National Public Radio. You can click on the title of this blog to get to the NPR website so that you can read more and hear the interview.
Dr. Sacks is a neurologist who has written numerous books about some of the most unusual cases of neurological disorders that he has seen in his practice. You may have seen or heard of the movies Awakenings (with Robin Williams) and At First Sight (with Val Kilmer); both of these were based on real cases that were originally published by Dr. Sacks.
His books, written for a general audience and very readable, include The Man who Mistook his Wife for a Hat and An Anthropologist on Mars. I've read both and highly recommend them. Some of the cases that I found most interesting included the title case from the first book -- the patient really did think his wife was a hat! Other cases involved a woman who couldn't feel her body in space so she had trouble controlling where to place her arms and legs as she tried to navigate her everyday life; a painter who lost all ability to see color after a head trauma; and a man who lost the ability to form new long-term memories so that he was permanently "stuck" in the 1940's. He also wrote a book called Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain that I have not yet read.
Dr. Sacks now has a new book The Mind's Eye in which he talks about his own struggles with a rare eye tumor and his resultant vision loss. The book includes case studies of other people whose neurological problems resulted in vision-related problems such as an inability to remember faces and visual distortions.
If you are interested in how the brain works and what happens when brain function goes awry, you might want to check out one of these books over winter break or at least listen to the radio interview that is linked to this blog.
And, check the course schedule list when it comes out -- Brain Function & Dysfunction will be there.
Dr. Sacks is a neurologist who has written numerous books about some of the most unusual cases of neurological disorders that he has seen in his practice. You may have seen or heard of the movies Awakenings (with Robin Williams) and At First Sight (with Val Kilmer); both of these were based on real cases that were originally published by Dr. Sacks.
His books, written for a general audience and very readable, include The Man who Mistook his Wife for a Hat and An Anthropologist on Mars. I've read both and highly recommend them. Some of the cases that I found most interesting included the title case from the first book -- the patient really did think his wife was a hat! Other cases involved a woman who couldn't feel her body in space so she had trouble controlling where to place her arms and legs as she tried to navigate her everyday life; a painter who lost all ability to see color after a head trauma; and a man who lost the ability to form new long-term memories so that he was permanently "stuck" in the 1940's. He also wrote a book called Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain that I have not yet read.
Dr. Sacks now has a new book The Mind's Eye in which he talks about his own struggles with a rare eye tumor and his resultant vision loss. The book includes case studies of other people whose neurological problems resulted in vision-related problems such as an inability to remember faces and visual distortions.
If you are interested in how the brain works and what happens when brain function goes awry, you might want to check out one of these books over winter break or at least listen to the radio interview that is linked to this blog.
And, check the course schedule list when it comes out -- Brain Function & Dysfunction will be there.
Monday, October 18, 2010
A Belated Welcome to our New Faculty Member
Obviously this past spring was a busy one! With no time to write blog entries, the department faculty members kept ourselves very busy hiring a new full time faculty member. If you haven't met her already, please stop by Plummer House and introduce yourself to Professor LeLaina Romero.
Professor Romero, a Counseling Psychologist from Teachers College, Columbia Unversity, is teaching Introductory Psychology and the Internship Seminar this semester. Her research and practice focus on well-being and thriving, particularly in low-income urban communities. She most recently completed her pre-doctoral internship at the University of Texas at Austin Counseling and Mental Health Center, where she worked extensively with diverse LGBT students, and is beginning post-doctoral training at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design Counseling Services. As a therapist, she comes from a feminist multicultural perspective, informed in part by relational cultural theory out of the Jean Baker Miller Training Institute at Wellesley College. In short, her counseling style centers on building empowering relationships with her clients.
Professor Romero's focus on social justice in enhancing well-being and promoting thriving has led her to engage in participatory action research (PAR). This type of research engages community members or participants throughout the research process, with the belief that they are the experts on their lives and needs. This research is applied in nature and in the best of circumstances leads to actions that community members and researchers take together to enhance the community and address social problems. Her interest in PAR began when she worked as a case manager and program evaluator focusing on developmental delays and child abuse prevention after college. She has co-authored book chapters, scholarly articles, and encyclopedia entries on PAR, poverty and social class, and multicultural counseling. She has also presented at several national conferences on topics such as interdisciplinary community collaborations and mindfulness as self-care.
Professor Romero, a Counseling Psychologist from Teachers College, Columbia Unversity, is teaching Introductory Psychology and the Internship Seminar this semester. Her research and practice focus on well-being and thriving, particularly in low-income urban communities. She most recently completed her pre-doctoral internship at the University of Texas at Austin Counseling and Mental Health Center, where she worked extensively with diverse LGBT students, and is beginning post-doctoral training at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design Counseling Services. As a therapist, she comes from a feminist multicultural perspective, informed in part by relational cultural theory out of the Jean Baker Miller Training Institute at Wellesley College. In short, her counseling style centers on building empowering relationships with her clients.
Professor Romero's focus on social justice in enhancing well-being and promoting thriving has led her to engage in participatory action research (PAR). This type of research engages community members or participants throughout the research process, with the belief that they are the experts on their lives and needs. This research is applied in nature and in the best of circumstances leads to actions that community members and researchers take together to enhance the community and address social problems. Her interest in PAR began when she worked as a case manager and program evaluator focusing on developmental delays and child abuse prevention after college. She has co-authored book chapters, scholarly articles, and encyclopedia entries on PAR, poverty and social class, and multicultural counseling. She has also presented at several national conferences on topics such as interdisciplinary community collaborations and mindfulness as self-care.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Congratulations to Professor Marsha Mirkin and her students Ivan Gonzalez, Mabel Valenzuela, Merryl Raubeson, Hafsa Lewis, and Marian Salama!
Their article highlighting their research and presentations on sharing student voices just came out in the American Family Therapy Academy Monograph series (Winter, 2010 issue).
This work represents over a year's work of data collection, presentations, and information gathering as the students joined Professor Mirkin in our relatively new Research Assistantship class. This 1 credit course enables a small group of students to work with Professor Mirkin directly to develop and test research ideas. This year's group is investigating attributions of victims of domestic violence. The students have started collecting data and are just learning (or practicing their existing skills) using SPSS to begin to analyze their data. They plan to present this work at the Eastern Psychological Association Annual Meeting which will be held in Cambridge, MA next spring.
This work represents over a year's work of data collection, presentations, and information gathering as the students joined Professor Mirkin in our relatively new Research Assistantship class. This 1 credit course enables a small group of students to work with Professor Mirkin directly to develop and test research ideas. This year's group is investigating attributions of victims of domestic violence. The students have started collecting data and are just learning (or practicing their existing skills) using SPSS to begin to analyze their data. They plan to present this work at the Eastern Psychological Association Annual Meeting which will be held in Cambridge, MA next spring.
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