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    Psychology and Parapsychology: In crisis?

    Kitkat
    Kitkat

    Psychology and Parapsychology:  In crisis? Empty Psychology and Parapsychology: In crisis?

    Post by Kitkat Sun 23 Mar 2014, 12:15

    Anyone been to any of the QED (Question, Explore, Discover)  conventions?

    QED is a two-day science and skepticism convention taking place at the Palace Hotel in Manchester on the 12th-13th April 2014

    Fantastic speakers from the worlds of science and entertainment will be joining us for a weekend celebration of science, reason and critical thinking.


    Of particular interest [to me] this year will be the discussion on Psychology and Parapsychology: In crisis?

    In recent years the field of psychology has suffered something of a crisis of confidence, with controversy emerging about the validity and reliability of many findings published in high-impact journals.

    Many psychologists have expressed serious concern regarding issues of replicability and publication bias and several initiatives have been launched in an attempt to tackle the problems head on.

    Our panel will provide the context of the controversy and also consider its implications for a field with even greater problems relating to replicability - that of parapsychology.

    The panel will consist of Chris French, Richard Wiseman and Chris Roe.

    Be quite interesting to see what direction this discussion takes.
    Umberto Cocopop
    Umberto Cocopop

    Psychology and Parapsychology:  In crisis? Empty Re: Psychology and Parapsychology: In crisis?

    Post by Umberto Cocopop Fri 18 Apr 2014, 17:07

    KitKat wrote:Anyone been to any of the QED (Question, Explore, Discover)  conventions?

    Not me. Not my cup of tea.

    Did you, or anyone else on here, go?

    Psychology is always being criticised, and is self-critical, regarding its status as 'a science'. Of course much of psychology isn't science, and even where it is, it can't provide the sort of precision that the hard sciences can. That's not to say that a lot of pap doesn't get published in psychology and that it doesn't need to clean up its act; but I think a lot of criticism regarding psychology comes from the perception of it via the (uninformed) media. There's actually a great deal of excellent work done in psychology.

    As for parapsychology... well, a discipline that cannot demonstrate a single concept it studies is going to have great difficulty in advancing no matter how hard they try.
    Kitkat
    Kitkat

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    Post by Kitkat Tue 22 Apr 2014, 09:45

    I didn't go, though had I been in a position that I could have, I would love to have gone along.
    I've never been to any of these QED events, indeed only recently heard about them. Out of curiosity, if nothing else, I'd like to see what it's like. I suppose the enjoy factor would depend on the subjects that are covered, and your own particular interests. I am particularly interested in both psychology and parapsychology, and most likely would have been bored stiff for the rest of the time.

    I am still interested to find out what was discussed in the slot with Chris French, Richard Wiseman and Chris Roe - and wonder if there is anywhere that records the events to read through or watch later on? Like a podcast or something?
    I had a look at the website and can't find any sort of update there.
    Umberto Cocopop
    Umberto Cocopop

    Psychology and Parapsychology:  In crisis? Empty Re: Psychology and Parapsychology: In crisis?

    Post by Umberto Cocopop Tue 22 Apr 2014, 16:55

    KitKat wrote: I suppose the enjoy factor would depend on the subjects that are covered, and your own particular interests.

    Psychics, homeopathy, and.... I think that covers the skeptics' repertoire!  Laughing 

    For me, it's just the same old crap over and over.

    KitKat wrote:I am still interested to find out what was discussed in the slot with Chris French, Richard Wiseman and Chris Roe

    I suspect it wouldn't have been anything new.

    KitKat wrote:and wonder if there is anywhere that records the events to read through or watch later on?  Like a podcast or something?

    I don't know as I don't follow any of this stuff any more. I'm sure there'll be a skeptic "society" somewhere with some info as the blog/podcast set up seems to be what constitutes a "society" of skeptics. 

    Actually, that's a good collective noun for them: a society of skeptics! giggle
    Kitkat
    Kitkat

    Psychology and Parapsychology:  In crisis? Empty Re: Psychology and Parapsychology: In crisis?

    Post by Kitkat Tue 22 Apr 2014, 21:27

    Found this little write-up on the Conference.

    http://scriptogr.am/wbm/post/qedcon-2014

    Although still no more the wiser as to the content of the psychology / parapsychology talk with The Three Stoogies  ... er gentlemen, or indeed any other talk that took place on the night, I think the below quoted comment probably sums up the mood and design of the whole thing - and goes some way to convincing me that the whole event is most definitely ONE TO MISS! Psychology and Parapsychology:  In crisis? Thbigthumbsdown

    The particicants of QEDCon certainly are pleasant and intelligent individuals, but a certain geekiness remains lingering. Abundant skeptic slogans and My Little Pony references adorn stretched T-shirts and the obsession of posting inane details of every moment of the proceedings seems to betray a certain cloying tribalism.
    Umberto Cocopop
    Umberto Cocopop

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    Post by Umberto Cocopop Wed 23 Apr 2014, 10:06

    Did you watch the intro video? It had me laughing out loud. Great stuff!

    There most definitely is a very geeky leader/follower mentality amongst skeptics - usually in those inspired by Randi/JREF. The T-shirt-with-slogan wearing, non-thinking follower being the antithesis of what a skeptic is meant to be. The group mentality that accompanies this approach is just as bad.

    I don't know about the quality of individual speakers, some, of course, may be very good, but it's the almost cult-like mode of interaction that really puts me off. It's probably more like attending a Star Trek convention than an informative, stimulating conference!

    It doesn't sound like much was achieved with the psychology/parapsychology debate either.

    Psychology journals should be less keen to publish any paper with a positive result (as there'll be far too many false positives); more science-based disciplines, such as the neurosciences, extrapolate findings from too small sample sizes; and parapsychology needs to find something, anything, that they can reliably replicate.

    These things, however, aren't necessarily intertwined. If one area of psychology is overly keen to publish, or another (perhaps through necessity) is using small sample sizes, it doesn't follow that criteria for accepting findings from parapsychology should be lowered.
    Kitkat
    Kitkat

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    Post by Kitkat Wed 23 Apr 2014, 11:39

    Umberto Cocopop wrote:Did you watch the intro video? It had me laughing out loud. Great stuff!

    Hahaha!   I've just watched it now!   giggle   I love it.  



    Whoever's idea that was, it's got to be a classic!
    Kitkat
    Kitkat

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    Post by Kitkat Fri 25 Apr 2014, 12:40

    I had a look at the Introductory Videos for the previous years at the QED convention - which basically just gave an idea of who was going to be doing the talks over the course of the event:

    2012  

    2011  

      Current date/time is Fri 29 Mar 2024, 04:59