In this video I discuss how we define stress. I begin with Walter Cannon’s “fight or flight” response and the activation of the sympathetic nervous system. Next I discuss the distinction between stressors and the stress response. I consider Holmes … Read More
Introduction to Health Psychology
In this video I introduce the unit on health psychology by defining several key terms and discussing the challenges of understanding the causes of illness. I describe etiology (or aetiology), epidemiology, the use of retrospective & prospective studies, and the … Read More
Altruism & Prosocial Behavior
In this video I discuss how prosocial behavior is a commonplace but important part of life and we shouldn’t forget that every day billions of people come together and help one another. What explains this altruistic behavior? Kin selection theory … Read More
The Bystander Effect
In this video I discuss the bystander effect, which refers to a tendency for people to fail to act or help someone in need when in the presence of others. I begin with the famous story of Kitty Genovese, then … Read More
The Stanford Prison Study
In this video I discuss the Stanford Prison Study conducted by Philip Zimbardo and colleagues at Stanford University. Psychologically-healthy college-aged male participants were randomly assigned to the roles of prisoners and guards for a 2 week study. The prisoners were … Read More
Crowd Behavior & Deindividuation
In this video I describe how crowds can encourage behaviors that individuals might not engage in alone. Part of the explanation for the emergence of behaviors like looting, theft, destruction, and violence in crowds in deindividuation. Deindividuation refers to a … Read More
Group Polarization
In this video I describe how group opinions and decisions can differ from those of the individuals who make up the group. Group polarization refers to the tendency of groups to become more extreme and more polarized than the original … Read More
The Implicit Association Test
In this video I discuss the implicit association test (IAT) as well as some of the controversies surrounding interpretations of results and widespread use of the test. Negative attitudes may not always be directly expressed and the implicit association test … Read More
The Robbers Cave Study – Improving Group Relations
In this video I discuss Muzafer Sherif’s well-known field experiment on the reduction of group conflict conducted at Robbers Cave State Park in Oklahoma. In this study, two groups of boys, the Eagles and the Rattlers, were put into competition … Read More
Stereotypes, Prejudice, & Discrimination
In this video I discuss how our tendency to use heuristics, shortcuts, and assumptions to fill in the gaps in our knowledge reveals our reliance on stereotypes to understand the world. These can lead us to prejudice or discrimination when … Read More