Chris and Tipsters: Happy 4th!! (Now ask your friends what we are celebrating- saw several news pieces about the percentage of US citizens who don't know what it is we are celebrating- Jay Leno's old piece where he asks folks what the day is for and if they get the "Independence" correct he asks what we were declaring independence from is pretty scary!! "France. . . Spain?", asks one.). Anyway, what has this and the flag thing got to do with psychology? Well, Chris' point re: the flag being a "piece of cloth" and folks not being quite so upset/involved if someone misuses one reminded me of a book I read recently. If you haven't read "On Being Certain: Believing You Are Right Even When You're Not" by Burton it is a pretty interesting read on the psyche we see presented so often (we being a band of folk between Mexico and Canada). It isn't particularly "deep" and tends to fall off the neurological and genetic cliffs but there is an interesting gem of an idea there that is certainly approachable from a psychological perspective. I found numerous research ideas for students as the claims are rather bold and easily testable (NOT tested or talked about that way in the book which seemed to fall into its own trap!). Perhaps 'tis better read in an Adirondack sipping a cold Sam Adams than taken too seriously. Kind of like thinking about people who believe you should go to prison for burning a flag- or, alternately, that burning a flag is some bold political statement (it is, after all, an acceptable and even recommended way to destroy a damaged one). Here's to those with all the answers! Take care. Tim _______________________________ Timothy O. Shearon, PhD Professor and Chair Department of Psychology The College of Idaho Caldwell, ID 83605 email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
teaching: intro to neuropsychology; psychopharmacology; general; history and systems "You can't teach an old dogma new tricks." Dorothy Parker --- To make changes to your subscription contact: Bill Southerly ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
<<winmail.dat>>
